Blayne tasted Gabriella’s tears on her mouth and at that moment her eyes hid nothing from the woman in her arms as she spoke to her.
“How could I. You are embedded so deeply inside me that no one will ever do; don’t you know that? What I feel for you is stronger than love.” Blayne said passionately and kissed Gabriella’s hair as she tightened her hold.
“Blayne! Blayne!” Blayne sat up as the door burst open.
Blayne sat up in shock as she stared at her mother who seemed to have frozen in front of them. Gabriella sat up as well and grabbed for the sheet to cover herself as she turned her face away from Abigail.
The whole world seemed to collapse around them as Joseph entered the room as well.
“Gabriella?” He uttered in disbelief taking the horrific scene in front of him.
Gabriella lay down on her side covering her face as she began to shake.
Blayne suddenly came to life.
“Get out! Everyone get out!” She got up uncaring as her mother covered her mouth at her nakedness and Joseph seemed to get madder. “Now!”
“Gabriella!” Joseph walked deeper into the room.
Gabriella then sat up covering her breasts with the sheet that had become her shield. “Please go, I….”
“This is what you….” Joseph just stared and he looked from his wife to Blayne.
Blayne opened a closet and pulled out a while silk robe and put it on without looking at her mothers direction. Abigail had not yet said a word.
“This is not the place to talk.” Blayne said trying to control the situation.
“Mom…. Mom?” Elle and Christopher walked in and stared at the adults.
“Oh god no, no.” Gabriella began to cry.
“Please Joseph. Not now, please.” Blayne said gently looking from him to the children.
He stared at her with a murderous gleam in his eyes and then spat at his wife as he grabbed the children and dragged them with him.
Gabriella covered her face and began sobbing as she fell back on the bed.
“Blayne…” Abigail said softly.
Blayne turned towards her mother and was about to speak when Abigail preempted her.
“Your father is dead.”
It had all happened so quickly in the beginning. Somehow incredulously they had all walked like zombies each in their own world for the next few days. Arthur had been buried two days later. His funeral had received much press coverage and it was noted that the line of cars of the cemetery procession was the longest that Quincy had ever had for one of her sons.
Blayne as expected had taken care of the arrangements and the only thing that was seen was a united front. They all stood side by side along the grave as Arthur was lowered into the ground. Chaz was holding up Abigail as she openly wept. At that moment Blayne looked towards Gabriella. Both sets of eyes held each other emotionless for a mere second but enough to convey what was to come.
The gathering after the funeral as expected was held at the estate with as much pump and circumstance as people of their social status required and expected. Not once did Gabriella and Blayne speak.
The day after the burial Joseph and his family packed up their suitcases and a limousine took them to the airport.
Diana had taken a very distraught Abigail up to her room as Blayne was seeing off a few family members that had stayed at the estate for the funeral.
Chaz had just stayed out of the way and waited in the wings. Now the tide must be ridden out carefully he told himself. The will would be read in a few weeks and for now Blayne was still at its head.
Part Five
"Blayne?" Diana had walked out onto the balcony. She walked up to her sister slowly. Blayne had not seemed to have heard her.
Diana stared at the back of her sister sadly. Perhaps she more than anyone knew just how much this must hurt.
"Yes Diana…" Blayne said without turning.
"I though you hadn't heard me." Diana walked up to her now and leaned on the balcony in front of her.
Blayne said nothing and continued to stare into the night.
"Mother is resting finally. I'm sorry I wasn't more help with the rest of the guests."
"It's all right, it's all finished now," Blayne answered softly.
"Blayne, why did she go?"
Blayne turned towards Diana and what Diana saw in her eyes broke her heart. Blayne walked back into the house without uttering a word.
Diana's eyes stared at her sadly as she watched her leave.
"Leila?"
Gabriella turned around and smiled as her mother walked into her studio.
"Hello Mama. What brings you by?" She said without getting up from the stool she was sitting on while she worked on a block of plaster.
"I just wanted to make su
re you were all right."
"I'm fine."
"Are you?" Her mother pulled up another stool and sat next to her daughter as she stared at the piece that Gabriella had been working on.
"Yes."
"Are you still angry with me?" Her mother asked as she looked shamefully at her daughter.
"No…" Gabriella put down the carving tool and took her mother's hands into her own. "I was never angry with you Mama."
"Then why all this?"
"What?"
"It has been weeks and you are not here. You didn't come back," Her mother said desperately.
"Mama, what are you talking about?" Gabriella said indulgently.
"You haven't been the same."
"Time changes us all, Mama," Gabriella said sadly but smiled.
"It's more than that. I even see it in your work." Her mother looked around the studio as she spoke. "There is a sadness that permeates from it all."
Gabriella looked away. "No, it's all okay Mama. I have just been tired that's all."
"How are things with Joseph?"
"Fine, things are fine." Gabriella picked up the scalpel again.
"Why don't you leave him?"
Gabriella turned to face her mother again and the shock in her face showed. "Why would you say something like that?"
"Because you are walking around like the dead. I want to see my daughter. If being here with him means this… we never wanted that for you. I know that Papa and I used to …but not like this." Elena's eyes filled with tears. "We wanted you to be happy. He is a good provider. I wanted you…"
"Mama…" Gabriella said softly as she took her mother into her arms. "I stayed with Joseph because I wanted to. No one made me do anything."
"All that I have ever wanted for you is to have a good life. I wanted you to be happy, to know love."
"I know love Mama, I know love," Gabriella said sadly.
At the words spoken by her daughter Elena pulled away from the embrace and stared deeply into her daughter's eyes.
"It's not Joseph, is it?" It had been a question but her mother knew as soon as her daughter's eyes suddenly became sadder.
"Of course it is." Gabriella looked away too quickly.
"You fell in love," Elena stated it so simply.
"Mama, don't do this…" Gabriella walked away from her mother wrapping her arms around herself.
"Leila…"
"No! I can't do this with you. I'm not strong enough for this," Gabriella said desperately. "Please…leave me alone."
Elena stared at her daughter and saw the pain in her features. She knew the signs all too well and it cut at her deeply that her child should feel the same pain that had marked her her whole life.
"Does he love you?"
Gabriella closed her eyes as tears ran down her face. Her body began to shake as the sobbing got louder.