The Edge of Hope

Chapter 9

Gabe jumped when he heard the front door slam and rushed out of his office to see what was going on. He must’ve forgotten to lock it when he got back home. He halted when he saw Hope with a deep frown on her face and a bottle of wine in her hand.

“I didn’t know you were coming over, otherwise I would’ve made…”

“I’m not here to eat,” Hope snapped.

Gabe retracted a bit at her sharp tone. Hope noticed and sighed.

“Sorry, I just had a really bad day.”

Gabe started towards her. ‘Come here, baby.” He wrapped Hope in a hug, squeezing her slightly. He loosened his grip when felt her shaking.

Hope sniffed and pushed him away. “I don’t want to get snot on your fancy work shirts.”

Gabe looked down and scoffed. “Snot doesn’t stain.”

“Yeah, but makeup does, and that comes off with the snot.”

Gabe chuckled and took the bottle of wine from Hope, and walked to the kitchen. “Let’s rather not talk about snot,” he said as he poured wine into two glasses.

He sat down on the couch with Hope and waited for her as she downed half the glass.

“I just can’t believe some people. This dumb b***h at work told me that I need to learn that kids will lie and that they will get over the bullying they’re being subjected to.”

“I can imagine that must’ve pissed you off. What did you say?”

“I kind of lost it in the lounge and sort of shouted at everyone else,” she winced, recalling the events. “I then got called into Mr Howards’ office and I honestly thought he was going to suspend me or give me a warning. He said he’d talk to Mrs Norman but I’m not sure if that will even make a difference.”

Hope aimlessly traced a pattern on her leg with her finger. Gabe gave her a few seconds and took her hand in his.

“I’m sorry, Hope. What brought all this up?”

“I saw a student today, a little girl. She’s adorable. Blue eyes, long blonde hair. She’s been very tearful in class and her grades are slipping. I eventually got some information out of her. Another girl had chased her around with scissors, saying she was going to cut her hair off. When she went to tell her teacher about it, Mrs Norman, she told her that she was lying because Nell didn’t have scissors in her hand. This is literally the bullshit answer she gave her!”

Gabe could understand Hope’s frustration. “That could’ve ended really badly if somebody fell or she hit her.”

“Exactly my point. Now, this poor girl is so scared to say anything. She asked me if I believed her. Which of course I do.” Hope downed the rest of her wine and slammed her glass down. Gabe worried she was going to break something soon. “You know I was told the same thing once. I was lying just to get other kids in trouble. I think that’s why it pissed me off so much.”

Gabe scooted right over to her and pulled her on top of him, rubbing circles on her back.

She snuggled up to him, her head resting on his shoulder. Gabe peppered her with soft kisses until he felt that most of her tension had disappeared.

“You know, Hope, I’m saying this with the utmost respect, but you know you can’t get too emotionally involved or invested in these things. I know it’s easier said than done, especially in this instance but for your own sake. I don’t want to see you left jobless or without doing what you love. Don’t let someone like Mrs Norman get to you.”

Hope giggled slightly at the way he drew out the teacher’s name with disgust. She looked at him and nodded. “I know. I’m just glad I left with my job intact.”

Gabe pulled her into a kiss, the sensation of having her here in his arms making heat spread to every corner of his body. He could have this every day. She wouldn’t have to go home alone after a bad day and just sit there wondering what to do with herself. They could sit and watch movies while eating takeaways or be each other’s support system after a bad day. They could do whatever they wanted, with nothing and no one holding them back.

Hope moaned his name and reached for his belt. “I need a distraction, and you are conveniently close by.”

Gabe chuckled darkly. “I’ll be whatever you need me to be.”

And at that moment, it was to make Hope feel something completely other than her anger, to channel that passion somewhere else. It did its job.

He supported her when she collapsed forward from exhaustion. “Oh my, I could do this every day.”

He saw his window of opportunity and thought if not now, then when? He helped Hope freshen herself up and carried her over to the couch again once they were dressed.

She smirked at him and tilted her head. “What made you go to the counter?”

Gabe shrugged. “Just a thought I had.”

“Do you get these thoughts a lot?”

“Are you about to follow up that question with ‘how do you feel about that?’”

“No!” she laughed. “I’m not that kind of psychologist and please murder me if I ever do become like that.”

“Duly noted,” he winked at her.

He got up quickly before he lost his nerve and went to the key hanger on the back of his door. When he sat back down, he played with the key between his fingers and then looked up to Hope who had a confused expression on her face.

“Back to what we were saying before, it is a thought I have a lot. Along with many others. How this could be our everyday, you know?”

Hope hummed. “Yeah, I can see how that would be great. I think we should do the bathroom counter next time.”

Gabe just smirked at that and lifted Hope’s hand to place the key on her palm.

Hope furrowed her eyebrows at first. “A key? Not another car is it?”

“No, no. This is something a bit bigger than that.” He closed Hope’s hand in his with the key still inside. “I want you to move in with me, Hope. I want to wake up to you every morning and go to sleep with you by my side. I want us to binge-watch series together on Sunday afternoons and I want you to come slamming the door down when you’ve had a bad day. And I want to be there for it. For you.”

Hope sat still for a few seconds and then wrapped herself around Gabe, kissing him all over his face. “This is perfect! Oh my God, yes, I will definitely move in!”

He returned her kiss like he hadn’t had any release in months even though it was a few minutes ago. He was tempted to take her up on her bathroom counter idea when Hope’s stomach grumbled.

“We should probably get you something to eat,” Gabe said in between more kisses.

“Please, I’m quite hungry.” Hope still had a huge smile on her face and Gabe was itching to pull the ring out, too, but he wanted to wait a bit longer. He knew he would ask eventually, but for now, he was more than happy with just having her around every minute of every day.

*****

Hope was still reeling when their food arrived that she kept messing fried rice all over herself and Gabe’s couch.

“s**t, sorry. Again.” Hope was obsessively picking up every grain of rice she could find.

Eventually, Gabe took a hold of her wrist. “Eat your food, please? We can sort that out later.”

She sat back and resumed her dinner when she playfully tapped him with her chopsticks. “You know, you couldn’t have asked at a better time. My lease is due for renewal in a month.”

“Well, that’s good. Gives us enough time to get your stuff over, too.”

Hope scoffed. “Yeah, all three items.” She fell silent with a pensive look on her face.

Gabe brushed a stray hair off her face. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m going to miss Pixie. I really enjoy having her over,” Hope mumbled.

“I didn’t think about that. I’m sorry, Hope, I know how much she means to you.”

“No, no, it’s not your fault. She’s not my cat anyway.”

“You could offer to adopt her again.”

“I considered that but it’s not a good idea. He didn’t take it very well the first time, my neighbour.” Hope placed her empty bowl down and rested her head on Gabe’s lap, caressing his thigh with her hand.

Gabe started stroking her hair, making Hope feel extra sleepy. “Correct me if this is insensitive, but why don’t we just get a cat?”

She stopped her hand and thought about it. “It’s not insensitive, it’s just not the same, you know?”

He took her hand and kissed the inside of her palm. “I know. I just want you to feel at home as much as possible.”

Hope sat up and gave him a warm smile. She cupped his cheek with her free hand and kissed him lightly. “My home is wherever you are.”

Gabe simply smiled and went to take the dishes to the kitchen. When he returned, Hope noticed he looked confused.

“Can I ask you something?” he spoke as he sat down.

“Yeah, what’s up?”

“How does Carol really feel about Dan? I mean really. Because that man is so lost in his own head about her and she just seems to be…”

“Giving mixed signals?”

“A lot of mixed signals. He was asking me about it and he wanted me to ask you. I told him to just speak to her himself, but I just wanted to know.”

Hope took a second to think about her answer. Carol was a free spirit. She went with the flow and whoever came along with it. But she had never seen her so caught up with a guy before, and it may have just been scaring her.

She voiced her thoughts and Gabe nodded. “I can understand that. But for a year straight? She’s torturing the man,” he joked.

Hope snorted. “Yeah, she’ll do that. I can talk to her, but she’ll only make her next move if he makes his first.”

“I’ll be sure he gets the message.”

“Now,” Hope stood up and pulled Gabe up. “About that bathroom counter.”

*****

That Saturday, Carol and Hope sat at a Gelato’s. Turns out they do have really good coffee.

Hope had ordered a slice of the calorie-ridden salted caramel cake and Carol their carrot cake, which she was picking at with her fork, completely out of character for her.

“Something wrong with the cake?” Hope asked.

“Oh,” Carol frowned like she only now realised what she was doing. “No, it’s great. As always.” To make a point she took a big mouthful but took her time chewing it.

“So, what’s bothering you” – Hope stopped her friend from talking when she wanted to respond – “and don’t tell me nothing.”

Carol grunted and started picking at her cake again. “It’s Dan.” She took another mouthful and swallowed slowly. “I’ve really screwed up with him, haven’t I?”

“I wouldn’t know.” She would but she didn’t want to get in the middle of it either, just give advice.

‘Oh please, Hope, don’t play stupid, alright? I know he talks to Gabe and Gabe talks to you,” she snapped.

Hope looked down at her empty plate with guilt. “I’m sorry. You’re right, Gabe has spoken to me. But only gave me a general idea of what’s happening.”

“What did Dan say?” Carol leaned right over the table, icing from her cake getting on her shirt.

Hope thought it best to not point it out right now. “Just that Dan is head over heels for you, but he’s not sure about what you want. And really, no offence, but you have been all over the place with him. You haven’t given him anything concrete to work with.”

For a second it looked like Carol wanted to argue but she fell back in her seat, some icing sitting on her boob. Hope tried her best to not giggle, it just looked so out of place given the conversation they were having.

Carol noticed and furrowed her eyebrows. “What’s so funny?”

Hope pointed to her own boob. “You have icing on…” - she pointed at Carol’s shirt - “just right on… I’m sorry, it just looks so cute with that frown on your face.”

Carol grabbed the serviette and scrubbed at her t-shirt, swearing bloody murder. She looked to Hope when she was finished and gave her a small smile. “Ok, wipe that grin off your face, this is serious.”

“Alright, alright. Look, I think you and Dan need to sit down and talk through all these mixed feelings you’re having. Find common ground and go from there. It’s the only way you’ll get through this funk.”

“I’m jealous of you and Gabe. You guys have such a good relationship. Like is there anything even wrong?”

“No relationship is perfect, but for now we’re good. Actually…” Hope sat up straight and couldn’t help the silly grin on her face, “he asked me to move in with him.”

Carol let out a squeal and clapped her hands. “Yes! Finally, he’s making the right moves!”

Hope tilted her head. “Was he not making the right moves before?”

“Of course, he was, just at such a slow pace,” Carol dragged out the last words for emphasis. “I thought he would’ve popped the question by now.”

“What?”

“You know, diamond ring and all. It’s been a long time and he’s only asking you now to move in?”

“Can’t you just be happy for me?” Hope laughed. “He was married before, remember? And it didn’t end well. I don’t expect him to jump back into it any time soon.”

“Do you want him to ask you? I mean, if he did, would you say yes?”

Hope played with the sachets of sugar, giving serious thought to Carol’s question. “I love him, and I can’t imagine being with anyone else. But…” Hope paused and swallowed past a rising lump in her throat. “I don’t want him to feel obligated either just because he thinks it’s what I want. It would be a big step for us, him especially.”

“You’re avoiding my question,” Carol said, raising a sceptical eyebrow.

“I don’t know, ok? My answer is I don’t know.”

They sat in silence for a few minutes when Carol called the waiter over. “Two mimosas, please?”

“Alcohol at nine in the morning?” Hope giggled.

“It’s nine-thirty, and yes. This conversation just got real deep and I need some bubbly to get through it.”

Hope grabbed a sachet of sugar and threw it at Carol, who narrowly missed it. “You’re so bloody dramatic.”

“Yeah, yeah. You can give me s**t later. Right now, it’s champagne time.”