Abigail looked away obviously upset.
"I understand, your mother will be there," Arthur said then looked down at his coffee cup.
"My mother has always been there," Gabriella replied and Arthur's head shot up, meeting her gaze.
She was accusing him, he realized, and he had no defense. The room had suddenly become uncomfortable for all of them.
"The lady that fragile?" Chaz asked sarcastically.
"Chaz!" Arthur reprimanded.
"Well father, it does take two you know."
"We can always count on your crassness, Chaz," Diana said in disgust looking towards her mother.
"Well it's true! She didn't get made by only one of them. Her mother is responsible too!" Chaz blurted out with his usual thoughtlessness.
Abigail closed her eyes and looked away.
Gabriella stood up suddenly. "You're quite right, Chaz, it does take two. But, my mother didn't abandon me. She faced it. And yes, she lied. She lied to a lot of people but she did what she had to to keep me."
"Yes, of course that excuses her." Chaz had sunk his teeth in and was not about to let go.
"Chaz be quiet!" Arthur stood up as well.
Abigail covered her face with one hand as her elbow leaned on the arm of the chair she sat in.
"No, it doesn't excuse her lying to me. It doesn't excuse her lying to my father." Tears began to fall down Gabriella's face. "She went against everything that she is and she believes in for me. She loved me enough to do anything it took to keep me."
"Chaz don't be such an ass," Diana said suddenly.
"Please Chaz," Abigail implored looking at her son.
Arthur was fuming but said nothing. Chaz sat down and said nothing else. The room was silent for only a moment.
"If you will all excuse me," Gabriella said as she left the room.
"Chaz, you can be a real ass hole!" Diana spat out.
Abigail got up and left the room too. Arthur looked censoriously towards both Chaz and Diana then left after Abigail.
Blayne looked up at the knocking on the door.
"Come in."
She was surprised to see Gabriella. Blayne stood up as she noticed the tears still present in her face.
"I want to leave now."
"What happened?"
"You promised to be there and you weren't. I don't want to know them. I just want to go home. You can't stop me! Please Blayne, take me home."
Blayne walked around the desk and towards Gabriella.
"If you aren't taking me than I'll leave on my own!"
"Gabriella wait." Blayne grabbed her arm.
"Let go!" She tried pulling out of Blayne's grip but Blayne held on tighter.
"Calm down. What happened?" Blayne pulled her closer.
"I just want to leave," Gabriella sobbed.
Blayne pulled her into her arms. Gabriella tried pulling away only for a moment then her arms went around Blayne and held her tightly as she cried.
"You weren't there," Gabriella said as she cried.
"I'm sorry," Blayne said as she kissed her hair holding her tighter. "It's all right now. I won't leave you alone again."
Blayne kissed her head and her face gently. Gabriella turned her face and she looked up. Blayne's lips kissed her softly. "I'm sorry. You won't be alone again. I promise." She caressed Gabriella's face tenderly.
"Blayne please…"
"Shhh…" She kissed Gabriella again then pulled her deeper into her embrace.
Arthur walked in unannounced. They both turned to him still holding on to one another. Gabriella released Blayne and took a step back. Arthur stared from Gabriella to Blayne.
"Blayne, I need to speak to Gabriella alone. Then I would like to speak with you." Arthur was leaving no room for argument. Blayne felt like a schoolgirl being caught in an infraction, being sent away to be punished appropriately later. She looked towards Gabriella then back to Arthur.
"No."
"No?"
"No."
Arthur was visibly angry. "I want to speak to Gabriella, leave us Blayne!"
"No."
"Very well. Will you concede to speak with me then?" Arthur could barely control his anger. She had disobeyed him. She had disobeyed him and he was angry. He had specifically told her to stay away from Gabriella.
Blayne suddenly felt Gabriella's hand in her own. She looked down then up to Gabriella's face and what she saw there surprised her.
"Blayne?" Arthur said impatiently.
"It's all right. Go on. We'll talk again later, I promise," Blayne said gently with a reassuring smile to Gabriella. With that one action Gabriella had sealed Blayne's fate. There was no retreat now. She was in for better or for worse.
Gabriella then left them alone. Arthur said nothing for a moment.
"What was that I walked into!" He suddenly voiced his anger.
"You walked into what you created. What happened? What did you all do?" Blayne lashed back.
"Chaz, as usual, was himself," Arthur replied.
"Why didn't you control the situation?" Blayne asked accusingly.
Arthur said nothing and just stared at her.
"What?" She said as she walked away from him. "What do you expect from me?"
"I want you to stay away from my daughter!"
Blayne felt the blow even if no physical contact had been made. She stood silently, waiting and searching his eyes for the man she knew.
Arthur broke eye contact and walked towards a chair and sat down.
"I'm not responsible for what you all do. I can't stop her from coming to me, Arthur." Blayne ran her fingers through her hair as she spoke. "I hate this."
Blayne turned away and Arthur now raised his eyes to her.
"Have you always been this way?" He asked out of nowhere.
"You mean have I always liked women?"
"Yes, that," he replied uncomfortably.
"I've never given it much thought," she said nonchalantly.
"If you've never given it much thought then why her? Why now!" He stood up in agitation. "I'm dying Blayne; why now?"
"Why Elena Agramonte? Why her when you knew you shouldn't?" Blayne asked then looked away sadly. "I don't know why. It just is."
"Then walk away," Arthur insisted as he stood up.
"Like you?" Blayne stood up as well.
"All right! Yes, like me!"
"I can't." Blayne lost all her anger as she said the words. "I can't."
"I want you to go then."
Blayne looked at him and allowed her eyes to show the hurt in them.
"It's best, Blayne."
"Is it that easy for you to turn me away?"
Arthur looked away.
"It's best Blayne."
"For you."
Arthur looked her straight in the eyes unmoved. "Yes, for me."
"No."
"No? What is it with you and No?"
"I promised her I would be here until she left. I won't break that promise. I won't." Blayne stood her ground.
"You also promised me something, Blayne."
"What do you want from me, Arthur? I love her goddamn it!" Blayne covered her face as the magnitude of the words that had come out of her mouth hit her.
"You just met her! This is sick, Blayne!"
Blayne remained silent, then she looked up and just stared at him. "Is that how you see me, Father? Am I something repugnant to you now? How am I different? Don't you think if I could tear this out of me I would?" Blayne waited for answers that she knew would never come. "I don't know how to stop it."
Arthur looked away from her and walked around the chair he had been sitting in.
Blayne breathed in deeply.
I love her. Oh God, I love her. She thought over and over again as her eyes looked around the room in desperation.
"Blayne perhaps it's a chemical imbalance or something."
She looked at him not believing what she had just heard. "A chemical imbalance?"