3. Gabe
Gabe
I sat at the table and watched Chiara walk out of the kitchen, leaving me to eat alone.
I was used to her being in her feelings about me working, but she has taken it up a notch.
I don’t know how much longer I can have her walking around here hating a nigga, when all I’m trying to do is make sure we’re good.
I ate my food and cleaned the kitchen so she wouldn’t have to worry about doing it later.
My first set of clothes was done, so I took them out of the washer and put them into the dryer before starting the second load.
When I was done with that, I went upstairs to find my wife.
When I got into our bedroom, she was coming out of the bathroom, now fully dressed.
“Where you going? I asked just to make some kind of conversation.
“Out,” she replied with an attitude. Blowing out a staggered breath, I let her have it because I knew she was upset.
Instead of arguing with her, I let her have it.
Knowing her, she was only going to hang out with her sister.
I continued to watch her get ready in silence, like I wasn’t even in the room.
When I saw her pick up her keys and attempt to leave the house, saying nothing to me was when I spoke up.
“I know you’re upset, but you know better than to leave here without kissing me.” I pulled her body into mine and placed my lips on hers. She didn’t reciprocate, but I didn’t expect her to.
“I love you.”
“Love you, too,” she mumbled, breaking free from me, and leaving. The way she slammed the garage door, I knew she was pissed, but I knew she would see why soon.
Soon as Chi left, I did my workout and hopped in the shower. I had to meet Gary at the office to go over a few things before I went to go check in on my other project.
An hour later, I was showered, dressed, and headed out the door.
Hopping into my burgundy 2021 Chevy Tahoe, I headed to our site office to meet Gary.
This truck was the last big purchase that I bought for myself.
I still had my pickup truck, but I used that mostly for work.
Every dime I made, I utilized it for my wife and her happiness.
I just hope she appreciates it in the long run.
I still remember our first date like it was yesterday.
I had just started making money again with my brother, so I was able to take her somewhere nice.
I did my best and worked with what I had.
I wasn’t broke then, but I refused to be out here splurging and had to go back into the streets.
I picked her up from her apartment and we went to have dinner at this restaurant called Stoney River.
It wasn’t too over the top and not too bougie where either of us would feel out of place and it wouldn’t break my pockets too bad.
I remember pulling up to her apartment with a bouquet of yellow roses in my hand as I knocked on the door.
When she opened it, I was at a loss for words at how beautiful she was.
Her locs weren’t as long as they are now, probably falling a few inches past her shoulders, but she was still the most beautiful woman in the world to me.
“Hey, beautiful. These are for you.” I extended the roses to her, and she blushed as she took them.
“Thank you. They’re beautiful. Come in while I put these in water.
” I followed her inside and watched as she went into her kitchen and got an empty vase for the flowers.
I was able to see her every move because she had an open floor plan, so when she turned to see if I was watching, I winked my eye at her.
When she came back into reach, I grabbed her hand and asked, “you ready to go?” Nodding, she grabbed her purse and keys, and we left her apartment.
Once we got to my truck, I chuckled because I saw the distorted look on her face.
She was probably figuring out how she was going to get inside, but she didn’t have to worry about that. I was more than happy to assist her.
“I see the look on your face, but I got you.” Being the gentleman I was, I helped her inside of the truck before rounding it and joining her inside, and pulling off.
“You have a preference on what you want to listen to?” I asked politely.
“Not really. I listen to pretty much any and everything,” she responded.
Pressing play on the radios screen, Jay-Z’s “Run This Town” started playing through the speakers.
I glanced over and she was bobbing her head to the beat.
That caused me to smirk, because I loved a chick that had a lil’ hood in her.
This chick that I was dealing with was as bougie as they came, so one that had similar tastes as I did was a plus.
“So, how was your week?” I probed as I maneuvered through traffic.
“It was…interesting. We had a woman come in to get checked because she thought her boyfriend gave her a disease, and guess what?” She paused, turning to face me.
“What?”
“He came in with another woman, but that ain’t all. The other girl was pregnant. Good thing they were already in Urgent Care because ol’ girl beat his ass all up and through that hospital.” She laughed.
“Damn. I bet homie was all fucked up after that,” I snorted.
“He was.”
When we were talking on the phone, she let me know she was a triage nurse at Bishop Memorial.
I thought that was dope as hell. I could’ve definitely used her if I were still in the streets.
We continued the rest of the ride to the restaurant, having a casual conversation.
It felt good holding a conversation with someone who had more to talk about than just themselves.
If I were with Moniece, all she would be talking about is herself and what she wanted to spend my fuckin’ money on.
We pulled up to the restaurant, and I found a parking spot that wasn’t too far from the front.
After I parked, I shut the truck off so that I could get out and help Chiara out.
Hand in hand, we walked inside and waited for the hostess to seat us.
After the hostess sat us at or table in the far back, we both picked up the menu because the waiter would be back before we knew it to take our drink order.
Once she came and took our drink order, we gave her our regular order as well and continued our conversation.
“So, Gabriel. You asked me about my week. How was yours?”
“It was pretty straight. Hauling shit back and forth gets boring, but it pays the bills. Me and my brother Gary plan on opening our own trucking company soon. That was our plan before I got locked up, so he put it on hold. I was just going to use the place as a front, but I went ahead and get my CDL too so that we could make runs together. You know, knock the shit out faster,” I explained.
“I understand. Are y’all close to having your own?”
“Probably within the next year.” We continued to have conversation until our food arrived.
That night, we became inseparable and were married two years later. It seemed like things with Chiara were so simple then. I don’t know what happened along the way, but I was determined to get my wife back.
I pulled up to Hastings Trucking and parked in the other owner’s spot next to Gary’s F-250. I greeted the receptionist and headed to the back where his office was held. I was about to knock and go inside until I heard moaning.
“This nigga,” I chuckled before going to my own office. I knew it was nobody but his wife, Shannon. She did spontaneous shit like that for him at work. Chi used to do the same shit, but I guess that spark was lost along the way somehow.
Thirty minutes had passed before Gary walked into my office with Shan in tow.
“Wassup, bro,” Gary spoke. I stood to give him a dap and pull Shan in for a hug.
“Wassup, sis. It’s nice seeing your face ’round here. I’m sick of looking at this ugly ass nigga all the time.”
“Where’s Chi?” she asked after returning the hug.
“More than likely, she’s with her sister. She ain’t fuckin’ with me right now,” I revealed.
“What did you do?” Shannon thought she was my big sister or some shit.
She could have that though, because in a sense she was.
My parents only had Gary and me. I was supposed to be a girl.
That was the reason they named me Gabriel because, had I actually been a girl, my name would’ve been Gabrielle.
“Why did you automatically assume that I did some shit?” I frowned. “Maybe she’s just hanging with her sister,” I contested.
“Yeah, your mouth says that, but your face says otherwise. What’s wrong?
” she asked. Taking a seat back behind my desk, I told Shannon and Gary what the problem was, or at least what Chiara’s complaint was.
It sounded crazy saying the shit out loud, but it is what it is.
I needed all the help I could get right now.
“As a woman, we need reassurance. She needs you to assure her you still love her…desire her. If you can’t make this trip.
Suggest that the two of you take one when you can.
In the meantime, do all of that over a nice dinner.
Take her somewhere nice and y’all take that time to reconnect.
When dinner is over, go home and give me a damn niece.
Gabriella is lonely, damn it.” Since I didn’t have kids and Gary and Shannon have been married for six years, my four-year-old niece was named after me.
“I’ll try sis, that’s about all I can do right now.”
“That’s enough.” She got up and kissed Gary before he walked her out. When he came back into the office, he shut the door behind him and say back in his seat.
“I know you wanted this to be a surprise, but you might want to go ahead and tell her before shit gets out of control. It sounds like she thinks you’re cheating on her, and you don’t want those problems.” I heard what my brother was saying, but that would defeat the purpose of a surprise.
Chiara just needed to trust that I wasn’t cheating on her like I trusted her.
I would hate to have to find out otherwise and become a widower.
“Nah, it’ll ruin the surprise if I told her. She’s just being a spoiled brat, and that’s partly my fault, along with her bitch ass daddy. We’ll be straight.” I was trying to sound convincing, but right now, I wasn’t too sure.
Gary stayed in my office while we went over the schedule for the rest of the month. We were only home for a few days and had to go right back on the road. Right now, we only had two other drivers, with only one being local. Hopefully, by next year, that will change.
I wrapped up work at the office a little earlier than expected, so that gave me time to make my other stop before going home and, surprising Chiara with a date night, her ass wouldn’t forget.
It took about forty-five minutes to get to my next destination. When I pulled up, the construction crew was hard at work.
“Nice to see you today, Mr. Hastings,” the crew leader greeted.
“It’s looking good, man. Real good.” I walked around and observed the work that they had completed so far, and I couldn’t find one problem. I just hope that Chiara appreciated all my long hours and hard work once she sees it.
“Everything looks to be on track, and you will be able to have it inspected and decorated by Christmas,” he informed me.
“Good looking out, man. You don’t know how much hassle this surprise is causing me in my marriage.
I almost dragged her out here and show her everything, but I’m positive that she will appreciate it.
” He nodded and went back to work. I stayed for a few more minutes, surveying the grounds, making mental notes of what I wanted to do out here.
I hope this shit pays off.
***
I stopped by to see my parents before I went back home to my wife. I didn’t bother her while she was out because I knew nine times out of ten she was with Chiquita, making me look like the worst nigga in the world. Besides, I knew if I reached out, she would just ignore it, anyway.
Taking Shannon’s advice, I made reservations at Nuni’s for me, and my wife and I was going home to let her know to get dressed because her man was taking her out on the town.
I even stopped and grabbed a dozen of her favorite yellow roses.
When I got home, she wasn’t there yet. It was no big deal because that gave me time to find something for the both of us to wear.
Upon going inside of the closet that we shared, I got a pair of chocolate colored slacks from the hanger and found a powder blue button up with brown designs placed sporadically throughout.
Knowing Chi would want to match my fly, I got a brown bodycon dress off of the rack and placed it on the bed with a pair of gold strap heels.
I figured I would take my shower and get out of her way. She took longer than me anyway, so I would be doing the both of us a favor. After I got out of the shower, Chiara still wasn’t home, so I called her.
No answer.
“See now, she’s playing with me,” I said out loud to myself.
Throwing the phone on the bed, I went to my drawer and pulled out a pair of boxers and a tank top before slipping them on.
I wouldn’t get dressed until after her shower.
Plopping down on the bed, I flipped through the channels until I got to ESPN.
I had a lot of highlights to catch up on and without Chiara in the house, I could do that in peace.