Profound Love

Chapter 18: Gatsby's Diner

POV GABRIELLA***

    This was a bad idea to say the least. I couldn't understand why my mom didn't want to go to Gatsby's for breakfast with the old gang, it wasn't until we were actually seated at the table I felt the tension between my mom and Ava. "So how's the weather today guys?" I asked looking at Ava hoping for a response but all I heard was a "its nice" from Luca as he avoids eye contact from my mom. 

I sigh "Come on guys what ever happened cant even be that bad'' Ava's eyes shoot towards mine as she makes eye contact with me. She gives me a look that I haven't ever seen before pure sadness. I look at my mom who isn't even looking at anyone. "Okay mom what the hell did you do?" I ask her as her eyes make their way to mine. 

I look at my dad who shakes his head and scoots away from my mom. She looks up to my father and scoots towards the end of the circle booth. I look at Ava who just shakes her head and stands up "I have to get back to work, we can reschedule this for the weekend". Luca gives my mom a dirty look as he tries to stop Ava from leaving. 

"Ava you haven't eaten all day just wait until the food gets here then you can leave"She shakes her head and smiles. "I am very busy love. I will eat when I am not busy. I promise you". He nods and kisses her head. The scene in front of me warms my heart, Luca and Ava's love story wasn't always a pure clean one. They had their ups and downs but always would end up back together when things would get rough. I shake the lonely feeling off of me as I go to stand up. "Can you move please Max?"  I ask as he gives me a confused look. 

"why do you want to get up? what's your excuse?" I shake my head and play off a laugh. "I have to go finish my paper for Monday and later tonight I am going to be busy with work so I have to finish it now so if you could ever so kindly move your body?" he nods and stands up. 

"I will drive you home since you came in my car" I nod and smile at my parents. "I will see you guys tomorrow?" they nod as my mother gets up to hug me. "I love you Gabby so much. I am so sorry for not neglecting you when you needed me the most". I nod and tighten my hold around her body. 

I let go and hug my father who stood up behind us. "I love you dad thanks for coming" he nods and taps on my back". I begin to walk with Max as I turn around one last time and look at my parents. I give them a smile and walk out of Gatsby's. 

With Max behind me we make our way to his car. After about 15 minutes because Max drives like a crazy person we arrive at my house. I walk in feeling empty and I cannot figure out why.

~

I wake up to my phone ringing. I decide to ignore it and to go back to bed. After the phone stops ringing about 2 seconds later it begins to ring again. I groan and decide to pick it up "Hello?" I ask in a groggy voice from just waking up. I hear crying on the other side of the line. 

I sit up on my bed and check the contact and see Ava. "Ava? what's wrong? are you okay?" I asked before she said the words that potentially break my heart.

"You're parents are dead"

~ 

POV DAWN***

After Max and Gabby left the diner Tyler and I decided to stay back and eat breakfast because we had already ordered food. I got my favorite breakfast: two eggs, two pieces of sausages, one blueberry pancake and lastly one piece of toast, while Tyler got biscuits and gravy with two eggs and 4 pieces of bacon. 

"You've been eating the same food since we've met you know that right?" I laugh as he shoves a fork full of biscuits and gravy into his mouth, he shakes his head and swallows his food. “There is no reason to call me out at dusk”. I scowl at him and smack his shoulder "Just because of that word you are sleeping on the couch tonight". He makes puppy dogs eyes as he tries to fight back but before he could the door was swung open revealing 5 guys wearing masks. 

They ran to the front register and demanded money. A man started coming to the table demanding money "Get down Dawn and let me handle this". I shook my head telling him no but he wouldn't listen. 

"Sweetie I am going to be fine, I was a security guard for Ava for years before I retired". I nod as I get under the table as he stands up and walks behind the man in the mask. I hear a gun go off and the man in the ski mask falls on the floor as another 4 shots go off. I hear two thumps on the floor as the man in the ski mask dying on the floor pulls out a gun from his jacket and aims it at Tyler. 

With his back turned shooting at the guys in the restaurant, the man on the floor tries to shoot him as I jump on top of him and fight him for the gun which results in him shooting me in the stomach. My eyes widen as the bullet shoots through me and lands on the side of the wall. I feel blood trickle down my stomach as I fall to the side of the man and clench my stomach. 

I yell out for Tyler as the man on the floor next to me shoots Tyler in my back of the head. I scream as I feel my lungs and stomach burn due to pain. The men come to pick up the man off the floor next to me and run out of the restaurant. I crawl to Tyler as I scream for help. 

Bart, one of the Cooks, runs out with 911 on the phone. Once I reach Tyler I see his eyes are rolled to the back of his head. He is not responding when I try to kiss him or move him. "Tyler please wake up, Please wake up and have this all be a nightmare I cannot lose you". I scream out in pain as I hear someone whisper my name. I lay next to Tyler as I cuddle his body feeling my body begin to weigh a ton. 

I smile as the tears fall out of my eyes. "It's okay baby let go" I hear as my eyes begin to feel heavy. I close my eyes as I feel a light coming towards me. I whisper out "I love you my children you are in safe hands" as I welcome the light.

~ 

POV GABRIELLA***

I ended the call and got up after Ava told my parents were dead. After I got up and walked down stairs, and walked out to the beach. I've been sitting in the sand watching the waves for about 40 minutes before I heard a car screech at my place. It's Ava or Luca I assume checking up on me, but to be honest I don't feel anything right now. I feel empty, yes, but I haven't been able to register that my parents are dead. I heard someone running in the sand as I turned around and saw Luca running towards me. He turns around and yells "I'VE FOUND HER". 

He comes up to me and picks me up bridal style and walks back to the house. "Gabriella, are you okay?" he asks as he looks at me, after asking me I just shrug my shoulders not knowing how to feel.  

"s**t" I hear him curse as he begins running to the house. He places me on the couch as  Max, Adam, Angelo, and Luca corner me with questions. I couldn't focus on what they were saying so I just nod and stand up. "I am fine" I say as I walk to my garage and grab my keys. 

Before I could even get into my car Angelo grabs me and takes my keys away. "you're not driving right now Gabriella you're not okay". I shove him off of me. 

"Dont f*****g touch me you lost that right when you f****d some w***e!" I take my keys back and walk over to max. "Could you please drive me to the hotel?" I ask as he tries to touch me but I shrug him off. "I swear to f*****g greg if you touch me right now or try to talk to me about anything other than driving me to the hotel I am going to drive myself". He nods and gets in the passenger seat. 

"Max I think she needs to stay here". Adam says as I shake my head. "Max just go". Car door opens as Luca motions towards the back as I crawl into the back of my car. Max pulls out of the garage after I got settled in the back. 

"How come you wanted to go to the hotel right now Gabby?" I look at Luca who is staring at me with remorse and pain. I shake my head ignoring the feeling of sadness "My siblings need someone right now that is family and I need to be there for them". He looks at me like I just grew two heads. 

"What about you Gabriella?" Max says as he pulls onto the freeway. "What about me? They are just children who have lived with my parents their whole lives and just lost them". I can cry and be upset about them dying on my own time but I have to be strong for my two younger siblings.