(I do not own any of the images in these stories.)
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"I'm-I'm pregnant!" Cali gasped.
"Oh my god!" Cried Rosy. "Congratulations, I'm going to be an aunt! Isn't it wonderful!" There were tears in Rosy's eyes as she threw her arms around Cali.
"Sure." Cali replied with a nervous chuckle. The truth was, she was scared to death. She wasn't sure she was ready to be a mother, she had just become engaged. Having a child was something she thought they would discuss a couple of years down the road. Rosy had a confused look upon her face.
"Well you are happy about it, aren't you?" Rosy asked her.
"I'm scared." Cali replied. "I don't know if I'm ready to be the mother of a human child. What if it's a boy, a gargoyle? I don't know how to raise a human child, let alone a gargoyle. Plus, we weren't completely intimate until after Gabriel's human side died. Which means—"
"Which means a boy would be a gargoyle, that could not ever disguise himself as a human." Rosy sighed.
"Rosy." Cali cried. "I swear I would love him no matter what. But how can I explain to my child why he can't interact in the world like everyone else. Or why both he, and his father have to hide in the shadows. And if I were to have a boy, and a girl, how can I explain to him that she can do things that he can't. How can I explain to him why she can have friends, and he can't. Why she can go to the beach, or to school, or an amusement park? Or how could I explain to her why her brother is extra special, and can do things like fly, while she won't be able to? If I have a son who is a gargoyle, then he will end up being part of the mafia. I want Gabriel out of the mafia, not one of my children to be a part of it."
"Look." Said Rosy, as she placed her hands on Cali's upper arms. "I promise you Gabriel will find a way to work through this. Besides, I'm pretty sure you are having a girl."
"How do you know?" Cali asked.
"Because Gabriel doesn't know." Said Rosy. "Gargoyles can alway sniff each other out, even upon conception. If you were having a boy, Gabriel would have known during fertilization."
"But what if he wants other children after this?" Cali asked. "He's going to want to produce more gargoyles. I'm not ready to be Eve."
"Okay." Said Rosy. "But that's a while down the road. Right now, you're going to have a human girl. I promise you, I know my brother. She will be the apple of his eye. Look, Gabriel has changed because of you. True, you are not sure how to raise a gargoyle, but Gabriel will. You two love each other. Your love for one another, plus mine my love for you as well, will help you find a way."
She then looked at Cali, and smiled. She had actually made Cali feel better, and Cali easily returned her smile.
"Do you really think so?" Cali asked.
"I know so." Rosy replied. "Beside, she'll have her favorite aunt to spoil her rotten."
"Thank you." Said a teary eyes Cali. The two of them soon shared a caring embrace.
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As they made their way back to the house, Cali started to get nervous. Hopefully Gabriel would be pleased with the news. She still had a bit of a queasy feeling, but she didn't know if it was from morning sickness. Or if it was from her anticipation of telling Gabriel her big news.
As they pulled up to the house, she saw her Uncle Sal exiting a black SUV. Gabriel didn't tell her that he had invited him over today?
"Uncle Sal!" Cried Cali, as she and Rosy exited the limo. "What are you doing here?"
"Gabriel sent for me." Uncle Sal replied. "He said he had a big surprise for the both of us."
The butler soon opened the door. Ever since the human part of Gabriel had died, he didn't want anyone to know. The cleaning staff, and butler only worked during the day now. They were just told Gabriel was no longer available to them in person, and that from now on, they would only deal with Anton, Rosy, or Cali.
"Miss Russo, Mr. Russo." The butler stated as he answered the door. "I see you're here as well, Miss Esposito. Excellent, Mr Esposito called on his phone from the basement. He says that you are to go down there immediately. He has a special surprise to show all fo you."
"Huh." Replied Cali. "I wonder what it is?"
"This way." The butler replied as he bowed to them. They soon followed him until they reached the door to the basement. As far as Cali knew the basement was just a place for storage. It was never really used for anything. As the reached the door, the butler than buzzed the intercom. "Mr Esposito?" The butler inquired.
"Yes?' Gabriel replied over the intercom.
"Your sister, your fiancé, and her uncle are waiting for you at the door." The butler replied.
"Thank you." Gabriel answered. "That'll be all."
"Yes sir." said the butler as he bow to them. He then walked away. They soon heard a buzzing noise, and the door clicked. With that, the door automatically opened up for them. The three of them, cautiously made their way down into the basement.
Gabriel was waiting for them, as he had a huge smile upon his face. Cali looked at her uncle, and could tell that he was somewhat taken aback by Gabriel's appearance.
"Songbird, Rosy!" He cried. "As he ran up the stairs to hug them. He then turned to look at Cali's Uncle.
"Salvador." He stated cordially.
"Gabriel." Uncle Sal replied in the same cordial tone.
"I wasn't expecting you Rosy." Said Gabriel. "This is a special wedding present to Cali that I wanted to show her, and her uncle. But since your here, the more the merrier."
"Listen Gabriel." Said Cali. "I also have a special wedding present for you to."
"Please Songbird." Said Gabriel. "Let me go first. I have been planing this for months, and it finally came. I had a special room built, and everything. I can't wait for you to see it!"
"But you already gave me Onyx as wedding present ." Cali playfully laughed.
"True, I did give you the horse." Gabriel replied with a smile. "But I had been planning this before I decided to give him to you. Now all of you, close your eyes."
"I must admit." Cali laughed, "I am a bit curious." As she kept her eyes closed, they all walked don the hall. We're was he taking them? He had told her that she planned on building a music studio for her, maybe this what it? Hopefully Uncle Sal, and Rosy were keeping their eyes closed as well. Cali didn't want Gabriel's surprised ruined.
Poor Gabriel. She thought. He went to all this trouble, and my news is going easily trump his.
Cali knew they finally made their destination, when Gabriel's arm stopped her. She soon felt his hot breath against her ear.
"Okay Songbird.' He whispered. "Open your eyes."
Cali was beaming, wondering what it could be. As she opened her eyes, her feeling of excitement, and anticipation soon turned to horror.
"Oh my god!" She cried. "What have you done?" To her utter disbelief Carl Jenkins, her foster father, was sitting right in front of her. He was tied to a chair, and had obviously been beaten badly. His face, as well as the rest of his body, was covered in blood as his eyes were almost swollen shut. His lips were moving, as if he was trying to beg for help. Yet all he seemed to be able to do was make horrific noises.
"This is my gift to you Songbird." Gabriel proclaimed. He had a dominant look in his eyes, and a wicked smile upon his face. it was the same look she hadn't seen since he claimed her two months prior.
"W-why!" Cried Cali, as she could feel the tears pour from her eyes.
"Because of what he did to you." Gabriel replied, as if he was confused by her terrified response. "He deserves this! He disfigured you! You were only fourteen, he deserves to die! I did most of the work. Now you can finish the job. I made it even easier for you. You won't have to hear his pathetic undeserving pleas for mercy. I cut out his tongue."
"Oh my god!" She cried again. "She turned her head, as she couldn't look at either Carl or Gabriel."
"Here!" Said Gabriel as he firmly slapped a gun in her hand. "Finish him off, consider it a mercy killing. Well, more for the rest of world than him."
"No!" She cried as she dropped the gun to the floor. "I refuse to kill anyone, even him!"
"What the hell have you done Gabriel!" Rosy cried out with a look of anger.
"Why didn't you listen to me?" Cried Uncle Sal. "I told you to leave it alone!"
"This has nothing to do with the two of you!" Gabriel exclaimed. "This is between Cali, and me! As well s that piece of shit child molester over there!"
"I thought you could change but you can't!" Cried Cali. "Get away for me you monster! Your not the answer to my prayers, your my nightmare!" She then started to run out of the room, but Gabriel went after her. He grabbed her, but she struggled against his hold.
"Let me go!" She cried, as she tired to loosen herself from his grip. She kept struggling, but he wouldn't release her.
"Cali, listen to me!" He exclaimed. "I did it for you. I did it to end that horrible chapter in your life. I did it to help you!"
"I didn't asked you to!" She cried.
"BASTARD!" She heard her Uncle Sal cry. BANG! She heard the gun shot. Cali was completely aghast by what she saw. Her Uncle Sal turned to her, with a look of horrified regret in his eyes. He had just shot Carl Jenkins dead.
"I'm sorry sweetheart." Her uncle told her. His stance while holding the gun, and the look of regret in his eyes were all to familiar.
Mommy! Daddy! The horrible memory came flooding back to her.
'NO! IT-IT CAN'T BE!" Cried Cali. "IT WAS YOU? HOW COULD YOU?"
"Cali!" Her tearful uncle cried.
"NO!" She exclaimed in anger.
"Songbird?" Gabriel began to inquire. She then stared deep into Gabriel's eyes, she felt nothing but burning rage.
"My name is Calliope!" She spat. "I'm reneging on the deal! My life no longer belongs to you! I don't give a damn if you kill my uncle, or not! Do with that bastard what eve the fuck you want!"
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Cali then ran upstairs. Gabriel started to go after her, but Rosy blocked his way.
"She needs to be away form the both of you right now!" Exclaimed Rosy. "If you truly love her, you will give her some space. I'll take care of her, until she cools off! Just let her come home with me for a while!"
"Fine." Gabriel growled with angry tears building up within her eyes. He didn't want to let her go, but at this point, he knew stopping her would have made it worse. He then turned to look at Cali's uncle. The man was just standing there with no expression on his face He was still holding the gun, and covered in Carl Jenkins blood.
"Why couldn't you just have killed me?" The old man cried in a look of teary eyed anger. "Why couldn't you use have left it alone like I asked!"
"What the hell is going on?" Gabriel demanded. He watched as the old man kept pacing back and forth as he dropped the gun on the floor.
"I though I was over it!" The old man cried. "I though I had closure!"
"What are you talking about?" Gabriel asked, as he was feeling mass amounts of confusion.
The old man looked at him and sighed. "Cali finally remembers the man who killed her parents."
"You?' Gabriel cried, as he was stunned by this revelation. "You killed your own nephew, and his wife?"
Again the old man sighed, and dropped his head in a look of shame.
"He wasn't really my nephew, and Cali isn't really my niece." He then looked into Gabriels eyes, as his own eyes were full of tears. "I was never an accountant for your father, and Salvador Russo was never a real person. My real name is Vincent Salvatore."
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