Inferno Part 4

~60~ Missing Out

💥💥Present Day💥💥

Gabby's POV

"Watcha doing?" I ask mom as she's sitting at the table with her head in her hands. When she looks up at me, I can tell she has been crying.

She sniffs and gives me a watery smile. "Just looking over paperwork."

"For the divorce?" I ask as I sit next to her.

She bites her bottom lip and nods silently as she fans the stack of papers aimlessly.

"You don't want to divorce him, do you?" I ask.

She shakes her head. "Not even a little bit."

"Then why are you?"

She sighs as she scoots the papers away from her. "It's complicated, Gabbs."

"That's just some stupid excuse grownups give to kids—When in reality it's insulting."

She raises her eyebrows and then nods slowly. "Because dad wants one."

"He also wanted a pool and you told him no."

She shakes her head again and wipes a stray tear. "It's different. His eyes...He's done and I have to respect that."

"His eyes miss the crap outta you. He's miserable!"

She blows out another breath and brings the papers back to her. "Then you better hurry up and get over there. You were supposed to be there an hour ago."

I nod as I stand up and kiss her cheek. "When Colton gets out, will you guys at least try? Please? Dad doesn't want a divorce."

"And I didn't want my kid taken away like a criminal. We don't always get what we want. Go on now, and I'll see you in a few days."

I nod as I turn and leave. When I get outside and look through the bay window I see her sobbing, throwing the stack of papers off the table.

~*~

When I get to Ellie's, Taylor is talking to Nolan in quiet tones and Nolan looks irritated.

"Hear me?"

"Yes sir," Nolan says as he turns and sees me walk in.

"Hey Gabbster!" Taylor grins as he walks away from Nolan and gives me a hug.

"Hi," I say as I go to the freezer and get ice cream.

I start to eat it straight out of the carton, when Taylor clears his throat.

When I look at him, he silently hands me a bowl.

I scoop out some ice cream and start to eat, when I notice Nolan standing there with a huge attitude on his face.

"Doesn't matter how much you glare at me, it's not gonna change my answer, young man," Taylor says with his back facing Nolan.

"How can you tell he's glaring at you?" I ask around a mouth full of ice cream.

"I can feel it," he chuckles as he puts the ice cream away and walks out of the room.

Nolan rolls his eyes as he sits next to me at the bar.

"My dad home yet?"

"No," he says as he gets an apple out of the bowl and takes a bite.

"Why are you mad?"

He chews his apple angrily and then puts it roughly down on the counter. "Dad won't let me go through that insane asylum."

"Huh?"