Slow Dancing in the Darkness

Pushing a hand through her hair, Gabriela took a little breath, trying to calm herself down slightly. It had been coming for a little while, Lionel had made it clear that his parents had intentions of visiting them, but now that the day had arrived, she couldn’t help but worry. She had already briefed her father, Luca had arrived in Barcelona the day before and had been warned to keep the secret of her and Lionel’s marriage to himself, but still Gabriela was concerned. She highly doubted that Lionel’s mother and father would take the news that their youngest son had gotten married to a stranger well and knew that a lot of blame would be put on her.

“Gabby?” Lionel’s voice was soft as he hobbled into the bedroom, his arms wrapping her waist.

Gabriela sighed. “You’re not supposed to be putting your weight on that leg yet” she mumbled.

Lionel smiled. “You’re not my doctor” he noted gently.

“Leo…”

“I’ll be careful” Lionel interrupted softly “But I would much rather talk about why you’ve been sat in here all morning. Gabriela, it’s going to be fine” he insisted.

“You don’t know that” Gabriela replied, unwrapping his arms from around her “For all you know, this could be a disaster” she added.

Lionel sighed. “They’re not going to be thrilled” he noted “But no one we’ve told has been thus far. Gabriela, this is how it is going to be for a little while, but I am sure that they’ll come around. You and me, it’s not just some phase and I am sure that they’ll see that” he insisted softly. She had every right to be concerned, no one that they had told had welcomed the news with open arms, but he was sure that they’d grow used to it. As far as he was concerned, they were for keeps and it was merely going to take a little getting used to for those around them.

Gabriela shook her head. “I just don’t want to be a problem” she muttered “This is not the first time I have met the parents of a man I am with who think I am no good for their son” she added.

Lionel tilted his head. “Elise likes you” he noted.

“Rodrigo didn’t” Gabriela returned “To him, I was the girl who’d turned his son’s head. Rodrigo had been grooming Eli to take over the family business when I walked into his life and after I did, Elliot pulled back a little from his papa and Rodrigo’s never forgiven me. I can’t help but think maybe your parents will see me the same way. You’ve got everything in front of you, Barcelona, Argentina, and I would hate to be a distraction” she mumbled.

Lionel shook his head and stepped towards her, his hand pulling her towards him. “Nena, you’re not a distraction” he insisted softly “I am perfectly capable of balancing out my time and you don’t even have to worry about it. We’re fine, happy, and whilst people aren’t going to love it right away, I do. I’m happy, Gabriela, and that’s the only thing that ought to concern you” he mused.

“But…”

“No” Lionel smiled “I don’t want you to worry anymore. If it bothers you so much, I will tell my parents about us alone and you and Noah can go out with your papa” he added.

Gabriela shook her head. “That’s not fair” she insisted.

“Then you’ll come out with me? My parents are kind of in the living room” he murmured, kissing her softly.

Gabriela took a little breath in before she nodded her head. “Alright” she agreed gently.

Lionel flashed her a little smile before he gripped onto her hand, carefully leading her back towards the living room. “Mama, Padre, this is Gabriela” he noted gently “Gabby, you remember my mother, Celia, and this is my father Jorge” he added, carefully shuffling the brunette forwards a little. He knew that she wasn’t sure about it, if he was honest, he didn’t blame her for being nervous when he felt the same way about meeting Luca later that day, but he wanted her to make an effort. Whether their families and friends approved out not, he wasn’t going to let her go, not when things seemed good between them.

“You’re even prettier in person” Celia noted as she smiled at the brunette.

Gabriela merely offered a little smile, her hand squeezing Lionel’s which held hers closely.

Lionel sighed. “You two ought to sit down” he noted softly “Me and Gabby have something we need to tell you both” he added.

“Leo?” Celia noted.

“Gabriela’s ex-husband is a bad man” Lionel murmured “He cheated on her for years and left her devastated” he added.

“That’s horrible, but I am struggling to grasp what this has to do with us” Jorge noted.

Lionel spared a look down at Gabriela before he turned back to his parents. “When they divorced, Elliot had a clause written into their custody arrangement for their son, Noah, which stipulated that whenever Elliot moved, then Gabriela and Noah had to go too” he explained.

“And when I met your son, I knew I didn’t want to go anymore” Gabriela contributed, her voice timid “In the two years after we divorced, I’d uprooted my son multiple times and when I met Leo, I knew I didn’t want to uproot him anymore. The clause stated that the only way I could stay in one place without Elliot was if I found someone to marry” she added.

Celia furrowed her brow. “You signed that agreement?” she posed gently.

“Elliot said he’d take full custody of Noah if I didn’t” Gabriela confessed softly.

“He said he’d take your son?” Jorge quipped.

Gabriela nodded her head gently.

“Mama, Padre, what we are trying to get at is…”

“You married her” Celia interrupted.

Lionel opened and closed his mouth a couple of times, mildly caught off guard by the calm tone of his mother’s voice.

“You were expecting something a little more, right?” Jorge commented.

“A little” Lionel replied.

Celia shook her head. “I could sit here and tell you both how stupid this is, how irresponsible and reckless, but I figure you’ve probably heard all of that before” she noted.

“We have” Gabriela confirmed “And we are aware of how silly this seems, but to us, it made sense” she added.

Celia studied the brunette before she nodded her head. “I can see that” she insisted “And I am happy as long as my son is happy, but you need to understand how easily this could fall to pieces” she added.

“We know, Mama” Lionel insisted “But we’re happy” he smiled, placing a kiss on Gabriela’s cheek.

Celia smiled gently and nudged her husband who nodded his head. He doubted that they needed to worry about the brunette.