Chapter 5

A couple of hours later Gabriel walks back into the food court and saw sis Claudette sitting at a table, she was wringing and twisting her hands in every direction. The girl looks like she was ready to jump out of her skin.

Taking a deep breath he walks over and sat down beside her. "Hi, sis Claudette." He greets her with a smile and had to bite his lips to stop himself from laughing when she jumps an inch off her seat. "Hell….hello Brother Gabriel." "Are you alright? You look like you're about ready to faint." He said with a smile. "I'm….I'm fine. Jus…." She took a deep breath of her own, close her eyes, and opens them again breathing out slowly. "Justin told me that you wanted to talk to me and I think I know why, but I'm very sorry I can't have this conversation with you in public." She said looking down in her lap.

"Mind if I ask you why?" "Because I'm an emotional wreck and I don't want to break down in public." She said her head still down. "Okay, I'm parked in front of Burger King would you like to have this conversation in my car instead?" "Yes…yes thank you." They got up and walk towards his vehicle. Gabriel opens the door and she got in. Walking around to the driver's side he got in beside her, closing the door he turned on the air conditioner.

"You said you know why I wanted to talk to you." He began after a few moments of silence. "Yes… but…..first I want to tell you that I really love Justin but I won't be able to have a sexual relationship with him, I know he cares about me, and I didn't mean to lead him on. I'm sorry I hurt him, I didn't mean for this to go so far, I care about him but I have to let him go because he deserves better." She had started to cry and her tears were now flowing very hard down her cheeks. "I love him but I can't give him what he needs. I tried so many times to tell him the truth but I couldn't, I just couldn't." She said taking a deep shaky breath before she continues.

"Justin is a sweet and loving person and I would love nothing more than to spend the rest of my life with him but I know that once he knows the truth about me he's going to hate me." She cried her shoulders shaking violently. "Shhh calm down, I know this may be complicated but I'm sure we can figure something out just take a deep breath, relax a bit, please. Now you said something about him knowing the truth, what truth?" He asks rubbing her shoulder. "She turns her tear stain face towards him and searches his face for a few minutes before speaking. "The truth …. Is … and please keep this to yourself because no one knows, except for my family. I can't even believe that I'm about to tell you but please don't judge me. You have done a lot for our church since you came there and I have the highest respect for you, that's the only reason I'm telling you, please don't let me down." She pleads. "I won't, whatever you say to me stays right here." He reassures her. "Okay… the ….. truth is …. I can't have a sexual relationship with Justin because I'm HIV positive, have been for four years now, please tell him I'm sorry, I've to go now."

She opens the car door to leave but Gabriel grabs her wrist. "Hold on a minute, don't leave yet, did I just hear you correctly?" "Yes, you did." She mumbles. "Wow I'll be damned, I cannot believe this." He said in shock. "I'm…. sorry brother Gabriel, I didn't mean to hurt your friend, please forgive me for lying to him." She sobs. "What would you say if I told you that what you're saying to me right now is the exact same reason why I wanted to talk to you?" He asks with a smile. "You know I have HIV? But how could you have known I haven't told anyone!" She said in a high pitch panicked voice. "Whoa hold on there a sec, I didn't know you had HIV, but what I'm trying to say is that I went through all this with Justin this morning already. He wanted to tell you the truth but didn't know how either and he also don't want to lose you and he also thought that once you find out the truth you won't want to be around him anymore." He explains.

She looks at him with confusion on her face. "What are you trying to say, Brother Gabriel?" He took another deep breath and let it out slowly. "What I'm trying to tell you is that Justin is HIV positive also." Sis Claudette froze in shock. "You're lying!" "No, I'm not, that's what I had to tell you; that's the reason I'm here because he couldn't tell you himself." He said in a calm tone. "We are both HIV positive?" She asks shaking her head in disbelief. "I don't believe it and we were both trying to keep our secret from each other, where is he? I have to talk to him." She clasps her hands at her throat.

"Hold on let me call him," Gabriel said dialing. "Hey, Justin where are you?" "I'm home." He answers in a defeated tone. "Don't go anywhere I'm on my way." He then turns to Claudette. "Would you like a drive to Justin's?" "Yes thank you and um Brother Gabriel thank you for telling me." "You're welcome but tell me something, do you always talk that fast?" He asks with a chuckle. "Only when I'm nervous." She chuckles back. "Wow, girl my ears are still ringing."He laughs. On his way from Justin's house, he called Diane and told her all that happened, and then he asks. "Where are you?" "I'm on my way home from Diana's house." She replied. "I'm on my way home also, so I'll see you shortly. I love you, baby girl." "I love you more."

It was nine pm when Diane entered the bedroom; she had just finished putting Jasmine to bed and tided up the child's room. Gabriel was lying on his back with his hands behind his head. Diane crawled on the bed and sat on top of her husband. "My husband the matchmaker." She laughs kissing him. "Another first for me." He chuckles and grabs her butt.

"So you think things will work out for them?" She asks massaging the front of his boxer brief. "Yeah baby, they will be fine." He said and it sounds more like a moan than an answer. "But ...Um...Babe, you've proven to me more than once that I can trust you." He said holding her wrist to suspend her sweet torture for a short time.

"She told me something today and begged me never to tell another soul but you're my wife and I know I can trust you." "Of course baby, what is it?" "Well, let's just say that they are both in the same boat a far as status goes." He said sadly. "As far as status goes? But Justin's status is….wait are you telling me that sis Claudette is also….?" She didn't finish her sentence, her eyes widen in shock. "Yep." "How?" "I didn't ask." He said letting go of her wrist so she could continue her sweet torture. "That's so sad, I hope things work out for them but… Um baby, what do you have planned for tomorrow?" She asks as his back slowly arch from the bed and he bites his bottom lips and moans. Damn, he was sexy and so erotic and he was mine, all mine. She smiles proudly. "I was planning on doing some work on my computer in the morning then I have a meeting at three, why?" He asks sitting up and gripping her waist. "Nothing I was just wondering." She giggles as he kisses her neck. "Do you know what I'm wondering?" He arched his brow. "What?" "When you're going to get out of those clothes?" He asks pulling at her blouse with his teeth. "Just give me a second, there's something I need to do first."

Diane went downstairs and call Mike. "Hi, Mike." She whispers. "Hi, Diane what's up? And why are you whispering?" He asks also in a whispering tone. "Do you have anything planned for tomorrow?" "Well, the guys and I have a day off work so we were planning on coming by your house." "Oh, wonderful could you guys make it for nine am and bring the grief counselor with you?" "You're going to do the thing you were telling us about earlier today?" Mike asks a little panic.

'Yes it's time" "are you sure?" "Yes, I am." " But what's the rush? Couldn't you wait until next week maybe?" "We have waited long enough; I'll be doing this tomorrow, with or without you guys. Are you guys in or out?" "We're in. I'll call them now and fill them in." He said hesitantly. "Thanks, Mike I'll see you in the morning." She then calls Dana and asks her to collect Jasmine from school and keep her until later that evening. She was about to head back upstairs when she saw Gabriel standing behind her. "What are you up to?" He asks coming towards her. "Nothing." She said innocently. "Really? So what were you talking to Mike about? What are you going to do with or without him?" He asks grabbing her waist and pulling her towards him. "I have a surprise for you okay." "What kind of surprise?" "A Surprise, you'll just have to wait and see." She said kissing his nose, cheeks, and neck. 'Will I like my surprise?" He asks squeezing her butt. "I'll let you decide." "Okay but you best be thankful that I trust you, or I would be so jealous right now." He moans against her lips as he kisses her passionately he then lifts her by her butt and she wraps her legs around his waist. "Now to get you out of these clothes." He said tightening his grip on her waist, she giggles as he climbs the stairs with her legs still wraps around him.

Diane returned from dropping off Jasmine at school around eight-thirty am. She went upstairs to see where Gabriel was and found him in the study clicking away on his computer. She went into their bedroom and took out the suitcase which contains the photos of his family. She closes the bedroom door and began lining the photos out on the bed. She wasn't sure how he was going to react to seeing them all but she knew she had to do this, it's been over fourteen years since his brother's death and he still couldn't talk about him without breaking down and ten years since his parent's death and he still had panic attacks with just the mare mention of their names.

She had to do this, it was time he grieves his family. She knew that this was going to hit him hard but if they were going to start a family he needed to rid his heart of all the grief and from the way he reacts whenever his family has mentioned it was safe to say that he hadn't really grieved his family's death. He had just locked the grief away deep in his heart and went on with his life, but now it was time and she prays to God that her plan work and that she wasn't making a big mistake.

After she had finished she went to get him. Her heart was beating so hard she was sure he could hear it from his desk. She took a deep breath as she walks over to him and kisses him on his neck. "Mmm hi baby girl." He moans biting his lips. "Hi, could you please come here for a minute?" She whispers in his ear. "Where are we going?" "To the bedroom." "Mmm, I love the sound of that." Grabbing her by the hand he led her towards the bedroom.

"Baby wait, we're not going to the bedroom to have sex. I have something else in mind, now just remember I'm doing this because I love you and I want you to be happy okay. Please don't be upset with me." He paused at her statement and concern replaced his sexual excitement. "What's going on Diane?" He asks in a stern tone. "I'll show you." She took him by the hand and led him into the bedroom but turns his back to the bed while she closes the door behind him; she then kissed him passionately. "I love you Gabriel please don't forget that."

Her biggest challenge was going to be keeping him from leaving the room. "I thought that wasn't the reason we were here but that kiss says differently." He smiles as she takes his hand and leads him to the bed and instantly she saw him freeze. His eyes resting on the suitcase on the bed, then on the pictures spread out over the bed. She could see the tension building in his body. He swings around and faces her.

"What the hell do you think you're doing? I told you never to touch those photos again. Put them back! Put them back now!" He ordered. "You put them back," Diane replied crossing her arms across her chest. "I…. I can't… I have to get out of here." Diane steps in front of the door blocking his path. "You're not running away this time, it's time you face this Gabriel, you have been running for fourteen years don't you think it's time you stop?" "Get out of my way Diane; I don't like when people push me, you know that." He was shaking and it's like he was fighting to breathe but she stood her ground. "You know usually when you look at me like that I would back down, but not this time, I'll not back down Gabriel, we're going to deal with this now."

He spins away from her again and began pacing like a caged animal. "I can't breathe in here I need fresh air." "Then open the window." "I need to get out of here Diane I've to…." He was now breathing very hard, sweat bead on his forehead, he took off his shirt and made for the door again. This time she held up a photo of his entire family. He turns away from her, he tried to enter the bathroom and found the door locked. "You can't even look at them can you Gabriel?" "Diane, please don't do this. I can't handle this, I just can't." "Look at them Gabriel, just look at the picture." "No! I can't, you need to stop, stop pushing me, Diane. You don't want to do that, trust me, you don't." He sneered in a cold tone. "Yes, I do." "Damn you woman, stop pushing me!"

He walks towards the dresser and in one sweep cleaned everything off the top of it. Perfume bottles, lotions everything went flying to the floor and she jumps in shock. "Stop it! You overbearing T Rex. I'm only trying to help you." "I didn't ask for your help! I don't need your help! What are you trying to do to me? You better step away from that door woman or so help me I'll…."

The door opened and his three friends walk in. "Whoa, what's going on in here?" Mike asks. Gabriel tried to leave the room but Diane stepped in front of him again with the photo. It was like putting a cross in front of a vampire because once again he turns away from her. Diane took five minutes to bring his friends up to speed. Marlon then approach Gabriel. "Alright, calm down and look at me. I neva seen you run from anything in your life. Your wife is right man it's time to stop running and face this my youth. It may be one of the hardest things you'll eva have to do but you're a very strong person you can do this my youth." Marlon said as the grief councellor from their church enters the room.

Marlon tried to lead him to the bed but Gabriel refuses to move. "I can't, please don't make me do this," Gabriel said as he falls to his knees. "You have to Gabriel if we're going to start a family you have to do this now," Diane said gently as she bends down in front of him and hugs him tightly but he pushes her away. "Get away from me." He growls in an even colder tone. She places the photo she was holding in front of him and moves away; Gabriel's entire body was shaking and he was as red as a beetroot. "Mom…Dad…Hm…Brother…Oh God…I miss you all so….much." He sobs as he gently ran his fingers over the photos and let out a gut wrenching scream that brought tears to his friend's eyes, with tears running down her face she stood in the corner as the counselor talks to him, she couldn't help him, or touch him or comfort him.

All she could do was stand there with her hands to her mouth as her handsome husband cried his heart out on the floor. He then began hyperventilating and seconds later he went into a full-blown panic attack. They gave him a paper bag but he was shaking so hard he couldn't even hold the bag. His tears came in torrents; it was as if the dam where he had stores all his grief had suddenly burst open. The guys then tried to remove some of the photos but he pushes their hands away. "Don't touch them." He growls. The councellor made another attempt to break through his greif but Gabriel Growls deep in his throat and glares at him with ice-cold eyes. "Get out." He sneers in a deadly tone. "Mr. Maxwell you need me here, we're not…" "Get. Out." He growls again and the man backs away from him.

With trembling fingers he took up the photo of his family and Alex and press it to his chest and with a deep groan he lay on the floor and after taking a deep shuddering breath, he closes his eyes.

Thank you all for reading my story, I hope you are enjoying it, my second book guys please let me know what you think of it. All votes and comments are welcome. I appreciate you all. Lots of love.