Lauryn walked into the dark house and closed the door gently behind her. She called out to Gaby but didn't get an answer. Lauryn checked the kitchen and living room before going up to the bedroom to find Gaby curled up in the center of the bed with a towel wrapped around her body and hugging her body pillow.
"Gaby get up,"
"No thanks," she mumbled
"We have things to do; you've been sulking all week. Sulking is not going to bring Nick back."
"Apparently neither is begging for forgiveness," Gaby said as she turned on her side her back facing Lauryn. It had been a week since the fight and Gaby only saw Nick once when he came back into the house late that night to pack a bag before leaving without a second glance at Gaby.
"What do you mean?"
"I went over to Ian's place last night and he wouldn't even come to the door." She said with a sniffle.
"Aww, I'm sorry honey," Lauryn said as she sat on the edge of the bed and stroked Gaby's hair. After a few moments of silence, Lauryn stood up.
"Okay that's enough sulking, we have things to do, people to see, get up." When Gaby refused to move Lauryn pulled Gaby's legs until half of her body was hanging off of the bed.
"Get up let's go Gaby."
"Okay fine."
Gaby dressed while Lauryn read the letters that had started the whole mess.
"These are sweet, but I still don't understand why you went to talk to that man," Lauryn said as she tossed the letters in the bathroom trash can.
"That's what you should have done with them."
"I know,"
Lauryn and Gaby grabbed breakfast from Dunkin' Donuts before meeting with the contractor to discuss the plans for the nursery.
"Hi, Mrs. Gregorio how are you this morning?" Luis asked as she shook Gaby's hand.
"I'm fine Luis, "Gaby introduced Lauryn as they sat down at the table.
"Your husband took care of all of the extensions this morning, all you have to do is pick out the colors and the wood borders."
"Well wasn't that nice of him," Lauryn said as Luis handed her a book of color swatches.
After two hours of flipping through color swatches and wood panel books, Gaby had enough for one day once she finally came to a decision she let if alone and tried not to over think her choice. Lauryn dragged her out of the office before she could get a chance to change her mind.
"So Mrs. Gregorio where to next?" Lauryn asked as they got in the car. "That has a nice ring to it...Mrs. Gabrielle Gregorio." Lauryn said testing the name out; Gaby had to admit she did like the sound of it.
"Nick made the first appointment as Mr. and Mrs. Gregorio he said he wanted to test it out. I guess the test drive is over."
"Oh please." Lauryn said rolling her eyes "You know Nick won't be mad at you for too long, he is too much in love with you. I have to say I like this new Nick though; he's all putting his foot down and what not." Lauryn continued, and Gaby rolled her eyes.
"You know I'm right before you could probably get away with slapping his mother and he would make it her fault."
"That's not true."
"Yeah okay, go lie to someone else." Lauryn said dismissively. After a little bit of shopping Lauryn dropped Gaby off home and told her to hurry up and fix things between her and Nick before leaving.
That Friday Gaby had spent most of the day working on a new chapter for her book when her cell phone buzzed against the table. Gaby picked up the phone and read the message from Nick.
Pack a bag and be ready by 5 -Nick
Gaby stared at the message for a while and then looked at the time which read 4:30. Gaby rushed to pack when 5' o clock came Nick walked into the house and caught Gaby as she ran down the stairs with her bag leading the way.
"What do you have in here?" Nick asked as he took the duffle bag from her.
"A little bit of everything."
"Are you ready?"
"Umm may I ask where are we going?"
"You said you wanted to go home, I'm taking you home, and you're going to stay there until I get back from my business trip," Nick said as he walked out of the house with Gaby tailing behind him.
"Seriously?"
"Dead ass," he said as he tossed Gaby's bag into the trunk of his SUV.
"So let me get this straight you're taking me to see my mother not out of the kindness of your heart, but so she can babysit me."
"You got it," Nick said giving her a fake smile, Gaby was ready to tear into him, but she decided not to ruffle Nick's feathers since she was already in the dog house. Biting her tongue, Gaby got into the car and slammed it shut.
The seven-hour ride was relatively quite beside the music playing from the radio. Gaby spent most of the time starring out of the window quietly fuming. When they arrived at Gaby's parent's house, Gaby dived straight into her old bed after greeting her mother, leaving Nick to defend himself against Isabelle's a thousand and one questions.
The next morning Gaby woke up to the smell of her mother's maple pancakes. Gaby hurried to get ready before making her way to the kitchen but not before tripping over Nick's legs who was asleep on the floor. Gaby shook her head and walked out of the room. Once Gaby walked into the kitchen she could hear her mother on the phone talking rapidly in Italian. After listening to the conversation, Gaby knew that she was speaking to her mother who lived in Italy with Isabelle's sister. Isabelle turned around and noticed Gaby sitting at the table and quickly handed her the phone.
"Hi, nonna."
"My Bambina Gabrielle, how are you, how is the little one?" She said with her thick Italian accent.
"Fine nonna, we're fine." Gaby's grandmother began to talk Gaby's ear off reminiscing about how when she was living in America she couldn't wait for Gaby to come home from school so she could teach her Italian while feeding her chocolate chip biscotti. All Gaby could say was 'I remember.' Finally, Isabelle grabbed the phone from Gaby and told Nonna that she was talking Gaby's ear off and that she hadn't eaten yet. After a few minutes more of their shouting match, Isabelle told her mother that she loved her and promised to visit soon.
"Did she threaten to get the broom on you?" Gaby asked as Isabelle passed her a plate of pancakes.
"Tutto fumo e niente arrosto," Isabelle said with a huff and Gaby laughed.
"All smoke and no fire my foot, Uncle Tristan wasn't saying that when she chased him down the street the last time she was here."
"Tristan has no manners; I blame mama for that she babied him." Gaby just shook her head as she stuffed her mouth full of pancakes. Gaby loved mothers family, but she only saw them every once in a blue moon, especially after her Aunt Angelica moved to Italy with Nonna and opened up a vineyard. As for her Uncle Tristan the perpetual bachelor no one could ever keep up with where he was living or who he was dating, the last time Gaby checked he was somewhere in California.
"Your father and I are supposed to visit in a few weeks you should think about coming."
"That would be awesome to get out of this cold weather and into some crazy cold weather for a little while," Gaby said sarcastically.
"Oh stop it," Isabelle said as she popped Gaby lightly on the forehead making her laugh.
"I'm serious; you should come and bring Nick, you know mama loves Nick."
"Nonna likes any good looking Italian boy."
"Not true she adores your father."
"That's because she made it up in her mind that he's a really dark Italian. Then again nonna thinks everyone has some Italian in them."
Nick walked into the kitchen looking tired and worn out, once Isabelle saw him she rushed over to him and guided him to a chair.
"Nick, why are you out of bed? You look so tired."
"I'm fine; all I need is a nice cup of coffee," Nick said getting up to fix a cup but Isabelle pushed him back down into his seat.
"Gaby fix your fiancé breakfast." Gaby stopped in mid-stride as she was about to place a forkful of pancake into her mouth, and raised her eyebrow.
"There is nothing wrong with his-"
"-don't make me say it again Gabrielle," Isabelle said in her serious motherly tone. Gaby slowly rose out of her seat and went to work fixing Nick's plate.
"You don't have ex-lax laying around anywhere," Nick asked.
"I don't think so," Isabelle said as she tried to figure out why he would ask such a question. Gaby placed Nick's plate in front of him and took her seat.
"Do you want me to feed him too?"
"You should he looks beat." Gaby squinted her eyes at Nick who was too amused with the whole situation to care about Gaby's death rays.
"Gaby stop it and eat your food." Isabelle scolded, and Gaby just rolled her eyes and went back to eating her breakfast.
After breakfast, Isabelle chased Nick back to bed while she and Gaby went out for a walk.
"You need to tell me what you're having," Isabelle said as they walked down the street arms linked together.
"Mom I told you, you can't know until Nick's parents get here."
"That's not fair you're my daughter I should know before everyone else does."
"Sorry mama but we decided to do it this way so everyone would know at the same time, I know how you and Auntie P can get."
"Does Lauryn know?"
"No."
"Are you sure, because you tell her everything,"
"Yes mom I'm sure, she doesn't know."
Isabelle and Gaby walked all the way up to Gaby's old high school three blocks away from where they ran into one of their neighbors who talked endlessly about her children and how she couldn't believe the Gaby was having a baby.
"You see why I avoid that woman like the plague?" Isabelle said as they watched the woman jog away.
"Yes I do, I didn't think that it was humanly possible to talk that fast, and all about nothing." Gaby gave her head a quick shake as she felt one of the babies kick, making Gaby laugh.
"What's so funny?" Isabelle asked
"The babies are kicking, it tickles," Gaby said with a giggle as she placed her mother's hand on the spot.
"Aww, I felt it," Isabelle said as she tried not to cry.
"Hi little ones," Isabelle said as she began to talk gibberish to Gaby's stomach.
"Okay, mom let's not do that in public," Gaby said pulling her mother up and leading her back towards the house.
Once they returned to the house, they were greeted by Paige and Brian who was being let into the house by Nick.
"There she is," Paige said as she walked up to Gaby and hugged her. "Look at you; you're so round."
Here come the waterworks Gaby thought and as if on cue Paige began to cry on Gaby's shoulder. Isabelle comforted her friend as they walked into the house. Gaby hugged Brian as she shook his head at his over emotional wife.
"You have to forgive her; she's wanted you and Nick to get together for as long as I can remember. She's ecstatic." Brian said as they walked into the house.
"Mom what are you wearing?" Nick asked.
"You like my Team Baby Girl shirt." Paige said showing off the hot pink t-shirt she had over her sweater.
"Wow, mom?"
"Your father has a Team Baby Boy shirt, but he refuses to wear it," Paige said as she cut her eyes at Brian.
"Because it doesn't matter, just as long as their healthy," Brian said as he sat down on the sofa in the den.
"Thank you, Brian," Isabelle said
"Well, I guess we can't torture Y'all any longer," Nick said.
"I don't know this is fun. It's like payback for all of those Christmas' my parents would make me wait until after church and dinner to open my gifts." Gaby said with a devilish gleam in her eye.
"Gaby just give them the bags," Nick said pushing Gaby towards the exit.
"Fine,"
Gaby returned with two black gift bags and handed them to Isabelle and Paige. The women tore through the tissue paper and pulled out two boxes. Isabelle opened one while Paige opened the other.
"It's a girl-"
"-boy." Isabelle and Paige said at the same time as they stared at the silver picture frame with the ultrasound photo inside.
"What does yours say Isa?" Brain asked.
"It says it's a girl."
"And ours says it's a boy."
Gaby and Nick stared as they watched the meaning finally click.
"You're having a boy and a girl, my baby, always was a people pleaser," Isabelle said hugging Gaby
"What about names?" Brian asked.
"We haven't talked about them yet, but that will be another surprise on the delivery day," Nick said as he held a blubbering Paige.
After all of the crying was done Gaby helped Isabelle prepare dinner.
"I will go to Italy with you and dad," Gaby said as she grated cheese for the eggplant parmesan.
"Your grandmother will be so happy when I tell her."
"Make sure you tell her to get her pans ready I'm coming hungry," Gaby said with a laugh.
"You always do."
Early the next morning Gaby got up with Nick as he prepared to leave she made him a cup of coffee, and warmed a cinnamon twist for him while he packed his bag.
"Don't drive too fast, Georgia isn't going anywhere."
"Yes, mother."
"I'm serious Nick," Gaby said as she handed him his travel coffee mug with the cinnamon twist on top.
"Okay, Gaby." Gaby wrapped his scarf around his neck and stared at him hoping he would kiss her goodbye so that she would know he wasn't still so pissed off at her.
"I'll see you when I get back." He said before trotting down the stairs and walking to his car. Gaby let out a sigh as she pulled her sweater closer to her neck as she watched him back out of the driveway. She waved goodbye before going into the house and closing the door. Gaby didn't know what to do to make Nick come around, but for now, all she could do was leave him alone.