Truly In Love: A Gabentine Story

Chapter 29 "Fatal":

Gabe's POV:
Clem and I walked outside holding hands and she immediately looked over to see Skyler still working on the laundry with her mother. She had a look on her face the read both happy but also a bit just believed. "Think about it, Clem. In about a decade or so, that little girl could be our daughter-in-law." I said quietly to her as she sighed and said, "It's just crazy to me is all. My little goofball; The boy I've raised since he was born now has a crush on a girl." "Yeah. Young love can be crazy and unpredictable. Let me just look at us." I joked is she then looked back at me, lightly punched my shoulder and said, "Hey! I think we make a damn good couple all things considered." "We are. The kid to know that we're fucking crazy as well." I said as she chuckled before replying, "Yeah, OK. I'll give you that one, Gabriel." "Clem! We need a hand with this!" Louis called out for her help. "I have to go. But I'll be back soon." She said as the two of us shared a quick but passionate kiss before she ran off to help Louis.
I walked around the community as the thought of Sophia and Thomas re-entered my mind for some reason. I've seen people be sick before, but nothing like what Thomas was having to deal with. I decided it would be best to go check on him even if Sophie said he just needed rest. I entered the apartment complex as I walked up the stairs until I hit the third floor at the top where Sophie and Thomas lived. I went up to their apartment door as I knocked on it and waited for a moment until I heard Thomas's voice say, "Come in. The door's unlocked." I entered the room to see Thomas laying on the couch with the medicine Sophie got from Eleanor placed on the table. Honestly, the way Thomas looked scared me. His face looked pale and lifeless like a ghost. "Hey, Tommy boy. How are you feeling?" I asked him as he struggled to set up. "Well, pretty shitty actually. But thanks for checking in on me." He answered. "Where's Sophia?" I then asked him. "Oh she's just with Eleanor making plans for a checkup. She's just so kind and caring to me. Honestly Gabe, I'll be fine. You can go now." He said back as I could tell he was hiding something. "Go? But I just got here. Thomas, what's going on?" I asked him. "Nothing. I just have an ammonia is all. I just need time to rest." He said getting a bit defensive. "Bullshit. There is no way in hell that this is pneumonia." I said giving attitude back but only out of concern. "So what? You're doctor now, huh? How are you able to tell me what I have?! I said I'm fine in that... Should be enough!" He continued being defensive. "Thomas, I know you're hiding something. Just tell me, please." I said dropping my attitude as he began getting annoyed. "Why are you being so fucking skeptical, Gabe?! I'm fine. Just leave me alone!" He yelled as I wasn't leaving without him telling me what he was hiding. "Thomas, I'm just worried about you. You don't need to keep secr...." I tried saying until Thomas exclaimed, "Well stop worrying! And stop attending like you give a shit about me and my well-being! We are all expendable to you and you know it! Just like Willy, Omar, Ruby, Mitch, Aasim, Erika, Jennifer, Henry, and Ed. All of their blood is on you and your family's hands. So don't act like you care about me!" Quote Thomas, there is no need to be hysterical!" I said raising my voice a bit as he exclaimed back, "I am not hysterical!! I am... I'm fucking scared."
He went from angry to sad is I was confused as to what he meant. "What do you mean scared? Scared of what?" I questioned him as he hung his head in sand is before hesitantly rolling up his sleeve. As the sleeve is fully rolled up, I looked in horror as I saw a muerto bite mark on his arm. "What the fuck?! How... How did this happen?!" I asked him as he said he replied, "It happened last night after we saved Sophie and the others. When Walker Abel attacked me, he matched to get a number off my arm. But I had so much adrenaline that I didn't feel it until we got back home." "No. No, this can't be happening!" I said is I began to panic. "Does Sophia know?" I asked him as he has a totally replied, "No." "Does anyone else know?!" I asked him another question as he replied, "No. I haven't told anybody." "Why the fuck would you do that?! We could've helped you if you just spoke up." I said. Quote for what? So they can chop off my arm and delay the inevitable? I would be fucked either way. I'm running out of time as it is." He told me looking even more scared now.
You should have at least had the decency to tell Sophie." I said to him as he continued looking sad. "I didn't want her to worry. I don't want any of you to worry. I just wanted as much time with her as I could have left." He said is I was at a loss for words. "We can't just let you turn, Tom. We need to put you out of your misery." I told him as his headshot of me and he said, "No! I just want a little more time. Please?!" "I'm sorry Thomas. But we can't take that risk. The others need to know. And besides, I don't think you have much time left." I said about to leave as Thomas begged behind me, "Please don't tell damn!" "Then you going tell them yourself. Either way, they will find out. They deserve to know I don't know that deep down you feel the same." I said is he struggled to get to his feet on account of the boat making him weak. Call OK, tell them. Just... Bring them in here. And only original group. I want to say my goodbyes to all of you and only you." He requested. "Of course. I am... I'm so sorry, Thomas." I said as he replied, "I am too, Gabe. I... I am too." I then left the apartment and shut the door as I took a moment to soak all that I have just learned in as I begin to leave the apartment complex together the others with a tear coming out of my eye at the thought of me about to lose a good friend.