Words [Riley Matthews]

15 ~ reconcile

Gabriel laid on his bed on Friday night. His father had gone to the nearest Burger King to get him dinner. Justin had gone on a school trip and Emma was sleeping at a friends house. Gabriel would've done anything just so he doesn't have to stay home alone with Grant.

No matter how many times they talked to each other, they often always ended up arguing. No matter how hard they tried, it always ended up in an epic fail. 

Grant got home and the two sat in the kitchen eating dinner.

"So, Gabe, how was school?" Grant asked his son.

"Don't call me Gabe," Gabriel said.

"What do you want me to call you?" Grant asked, leaning forward. "You hate it when I call you Gabe, you don't seem to like it when you Gabriel either. What do you want me to do?"

"What you can do is leave me alone," Gabriel said. "You seem to be good at it after Mom died."

"Gabriel," Grant sighed, "I'm actually trying here."

"Well you're not trying hard enough," Gabriel said. 

"What do you want me to do, Gabe?" Grant asked. "I really want to be there for you but how do you expect me to do that?"

"Oh, I don't know!" Gabriel said. "I told you before! You're there for Justin and Emma more than me! You encourage them more! You spend more time with them! Never with me! For once spend time with me! I never see you anymore! You threw yourself at your work! When you don't, you willingly help Justin and Emma with their homework! You take them out when you have the time! What happened to me, Dad? I haven't gone anywhere, Dad! Yet you tend to forget about me!"

"I haven't forgotten about you, Gabe!" Grant said.

"Then what, Dad?" Gabriel demanded. "Tell me, what happened to me in your life?"

"You're spending a lot of time with your friends, Gabe," Grant said. "You spend so much time with your friends now that how am I supposed to take out out. You seem happier with your friends so what am I supposed to to do? Am I supposed to take you away from your friends just because I wanted to spend time with you or spend less time with you just so you can stay happy?"

"You could've at least said something, Dad," Gabriel said. "If you told me then I would've done something. Instead you made me feel like I'm not worth your time, like you don't want me around!"

"Of course I want you around, Gabe!" Grant said. "Your my son! I love you! Do you really think I don't want you around?"

"Yes, I honestly think that you don't want me around," Gabriel said. Gabriel stood up and was about to storm to his room, but his father stopped him.

"Gabriel! You're not going anywhere!" Grant said. "You're going to stay here until we work thinks out."

"How are we supposed to work things out when we always argue?" Gabriel asked. "Tell me how."

"We're going to do so by calming down and sit down," Grant said, calmly. Grant slowly sat down watching his son carefully. "Gabriel, please, sit down."

Gabriel glanced at the chair then back at his father. He slowly extended his hand to pulled the chair back so he can sit down.

"Good," Grant said. "Good. Can we talk? Like normally. Before Mom died."

Gabriel didn't say anything. 

Grant opened his mouth to tell Gabriel something when there was knocking on the door. Grant stood ip and went to open the door.

It was Cory Matthews

"Hey," Cory said. 

"Hi," Grant said.

"Everything alright?" Cory asked.

"Yeah, why are you asking?" Grant asked.

"Topanga, the kids and I were able to hear you and Gabriel from our apartment, arguing," Cory said.

"Really?" Grant said.

"Everything alright between you and Gabriel?" Cory asked.

"Yeah, everything's - we're working on it, Cory," Grant said. "We're working on it. Don't worry."

"If you say so," Cory said.

"I'll see you soon?"

"Uh, yeah, I'll see you soon,"  Cory agreed.

Cory gave Grant one more look before turning around. Grant closed the door.

"Who was that?"

"Cory," Grant said.

"Mr. Matthews?" 

"Yeah," Grant said.

"Look, if we're going to make things work, then we have to figure out how," Grant said.

"How? We always end up arguing," Gabriel said.

"Yeah," Grant agreed. "Um, tell me, what's going on?"

"I told you a million times, Dad," Gabriel said. "You don't spend anytime with me anymore. Since Mom died, I just... I don't know."

"Alright, um, there's a baseball game this weekend," Grant said, "we can go this weekend. I already have tickets."

"How many tickets did you get?"

"I got three," Grant said. "You, me and Justin can go together. What do you think?"

"Fine," Gabriel said.

"Great," Grant said, smiling. "I'll get you a shirt for the game. It should be great."