The Eternity that Follows

by Diane Marie

  Gabriella felt Joey hard again right after he made his comment about being able to get it up again. She saw it fit to tease him a little before she had him enter her. Gabriella lifted up her body as she squatted above Joey’s lower body on her toes. Joey was nothing less but turned on by Gabriella. Her position reminded him of the way she danced. Joey thought himself ‘ I’m one lucky bastard’ as he remembered how many eyes were on her while she danced. Joey helped Gabriella place himself inside of her. She then lowered her hips a few times, staying in her squatted position, wetting Joey’s hardness, through the condom, with herself. Gabriella then put her legs and feet behind her, and made sweet love to Joey. Gabriella was being sweet, loving and gentle but Joey couldn’t take it anymore. He placed his hands on Gabriella’s upper butt and held her still. He then moved himself up and down, fast as he banged her from underneath. Gabriella liked that very much. She held still as Joey hit her spot. Joey made sure to bring Gabriella to her climax before he himself let go. They got cozy in each other’s arms, and the two of them fell asleep holding each other tightly.

  Chapter Eleven

  Joey woke up to the alarm Gabriella set for him. Without words or question, Gabriella got out of bed and made Joey breakfast. Joey got dressed and met her in the kitchen. “What are you doing, baby?” Joey asked, grabbing her from behind.

  Gabriella was making Joey French toast.

  “Making you breakfast, can you get the butter and syrup out of the refrigerator?” Gabriella asked of Joey handing him a cup of coffee.

  “Gabriella, I don’t usually eat in the morning.”

  “We’ll you are now.”

  “Are your parents up?”

  “No, they won’t be up for at least another hour.”

  “Good”

  “Why good?”

  Joey didn't resond, as Gabriella placed the French toast on the table. Joey sat down and ate as he complimented Gabriella’s cooking.

  When they were finished eating, Gabriella started to do the dishes, Joey sat at the table for a moment finishing his coffee. He waited for Gabriella to finish the dishes, and when he noticed she was all done wiping down the counter, and right before she reached the table, Joey said,

  “let me do that for you.”

  “You have a long day of work” Gabriella said, pushing Joey’s hand he offered away.

  “I’m hitting up the gym before work you know?” Joey said, wondering if Gabriella realized how early in the morning it was. “I gotta keep myself looking good for you or you won’t be all over me any more.”

  “I’ll love you forever, Joey.” Gabriella said, then contemplating in her head if she would still want Joey just as much sexually if he stopped working out.

  “I know.” Joey said, with warmth.

  Without any more words’, Joey made love to Gabriella against the counter top in the kitchen. Joey only took off his bottom clothing to do so, and made love to Gabriella with the nightgown she had thrown on when she woke up, lifted up. “I hope we don’t get caught.” Joey said, seducing Gabriella while he was inside of her.

  “Oh that would be bad.” Gabriella said, in a naughty voice. “Very, bad of you.” Joey said.

  Joey was making love with slow tenderness, causing Gabriella to be too weak to continue talking dirty.

  When Joey was through, he put his clothing back on that were wrapped around his ankles. He grabbed his lunch, the to go cup of coffee Gabriella had made him, gave her a big smacked kiss on the cheek, and then he was then out the door.

  Joey called Gabriella moments later, but Gabriella didn't pick up because her phone was up in her room, and she was still in the kitchen.

  “I’m sorry I just had to have you.” Joey said onto Gabriella’s voice mail. “I love you baby.”

  Gabriella’s mother walked into the kitchen soon after Joey left. Her mother quickly asked if Joey was living here now. Gabriella told her that was the plan, and her mother agreed it would be okay. Her mother told her they could share the kitchen being Joey worked such late hours. He mother assured her that her and her father would be out in time for her to care for Joey. They then sat down and discussed Gabriella’s idea for her wedding. Gabriella wanted to get married in the small chapel next to her church. Gabriella guests the chapel could hold up to 100 people, perhaps 150. She wanted her reception to be at Mandala Palace, though she knew it were expensive. She figured since she was having a small wedding, her parents wouldn’t mind paying for an elaborate reception. Her mother had dreams of a bigger wedding, but decided to save that wish for her other daughter. Linda thought Gabriella’s idea was wonderful and romantic, and she began writing out the guest list. She abruptly got up from the table when she realized the had to leave for work. Gabriella was still upset, her mother had no protest to them getting married, but was happy her parents approved of Joey.

  When her mother were gone, Gabriella picked up the guest list and read through it. Her mother had covered the basics, all her aunts, uncles, cousins from both sides of the family, her great aunts and uncles that were still alive, and her three surviving grandparents. Gabriella numbered the lists, circling one her cousin’s daughters who was five years old. Gabriella hopped she would accept her invitation to be her flower girl. She then wondered if Joey had anyone to be their ring barer. She knew his brother had kids, but she didn’t know how old and if they were boys or girls. Gabriella then though perhaps he wanted to pick the flower girl. Gabriella sighed over the quick guest list her mother had written. Her family made up thirty-five people. She counted dates for all her cousins and landed at forty-two. She wanted to keep her wedding simple, and realized she had enough room to invite the few friends she wanted to come.

  Gabriella spent the rest of her morning filling her thoughts with plans of the wedding. She envisioned her dress in her head. Thinking perhaps Joey could draw up her vision for her, and she could have it customed made. Like her mother had suggested, she called the church in regards to the chapel, then called Mandala Palace. Gabriella marked off the possible wedding dates in her calendar, paying little attention to the guest list.

  Gabriella then went up to her room, Hers and Joey’s room, now that her mom had given the okay for him to live with them. She thought how she and Joey needed to discuss a few things before she could decide which of her friends to invite, and which ones to ask to be a part of her bridal party.

  Gabriella saw she had a missed call, and a voice mail from Joey. She smiled over Joey’s message and, sent him back a text saying. ‘I love you too,’ while smiling and blushing. After Joey left Gabriella’s house, he stopped by his house apartment to grab more clothes, and changed out of his work clothes and into his gym clothes. Joey didn’t mind switching his workouts to the morning for Gabriella. The sex alone was more than enough to make him do so. When Joey was leaving his apartment, he took a good look around, and concluded he wouldn’t miss it much. Joey then did a quick walk-through of his apartment. He had been living there since the last time he got out of jail,when his previous landlord had thrown out all his stuff. Through his walkthrough, his mind went down a trip of memory lane. He though of vow of celibacy, weekends spent with Diana, and the few girls he brought home after her. Joey realized he had no attachment to the place. He was attached to Gabriella now, and had a ring tattoo on his finger to prove just how much.

  When Joey pulled into the gym parking lot, he thought to himself, ‘well I’ll be’ as he saw Gavin’s Camaro in the parking lot. Joey walked into the gym, confirmed his membership with his card with the receptionist, and walked over to the weight section where he knew he’d fine Gavin. Gavin was finishing doing a set, and walked toward Joey.

  “Didn’t think I’d miss my time at the gym with my boy over some girl that stole him away did you?” Gavin said, and then formally congratulated Joey, getting a good look at Joey’s tattoo. “That in love with me are you?” Joey kidded.

  “Hey man. I’m up early in the morning and Sadie’s off to work hours before me. I don’t have m
uch else to do in the mornings. Actually it works out best for me. I don’t have to work out after dinner anymore. Sadie hates it when I leave her.”

  “So you’ve been coming to the gym at my time just for me, this whole time?”

  “Yeah guess so.”

  “I don’t know what to say man.”

  “I do have other gym friends’, you know.”

  “Aight man, now I don’t feel so bad.”

  When Joey was through with his workout, he looked through his phone, while back in his work truck. He saw Gabriella’s text message, and continued on, smiling the whole way to work. Joey had an easy day at work, his workers worked hard and the day went smoothly. Joey wanted to let everyone go home at six thirty again, thinking to make that the official time everyone got off, but he didn’t want to offset the deadline of the house, and kept to the dedicated time of seven.

  The boys worked until the whistle blew, and then Joey was off to Gabriella. Joey and Gabriella spoke briefly on his lunch break after he called to thank her for his lunch. Gabriella had mentioned speaking to her mother this morning about wedding plans, and something about his side of the guest list. Joey was actually excited to get home to Gabriella to discuss the wedding, he was excited to get home to Gabriella in general.

  When Joey arrived home, the door was left unlocked for him. He walked into the kitchen to see what Gabriella was making.

  “Yum tacos’ one of my favorite’s, darling.” Joey said, glad to see Gabriella.

  Gabriella gave Joey a light kiss on the lips, and then went for more, but Joey pushed her off. “Let me clean up first.” Joey said, and then he went to the kitchen sink to wash his hands, face, and arms with dish soap.

  Gabriella was next to his side, the moment he were through, with a hand towel to dry him off with. Gabriella couldn’t help but stare at Joey as he was washing up, he was ‘so hot’ she thought to herself. She grew excited dinner would be a daily event the two of them would share, because she couldn’t wait to see him wash up for dinner again tomorrow night.

  Joey took the towel from Gabriella and thanked her with a kiss. Joey and Gabriella were making out in the kitchen when Gabriella pushed him off.

  “Not now silly.” Gabriella said, checking on her beef and adding in the taco seasoning. “Can you pour me some ice tea to drink sweetie, and get yourself something?” Gabriella asked, as she was taking out the hard taco shells out of the oven, and going over to the microwave to get the soft shells. The box had come with both and she wasn’t sure what Joey would prefer.

  “You set everything up so nicely, Gab” Joey said, grabbing the glasses from the table while noticing how Gabriella had prepared their fixings.

  “I tried.”

  “We’ll, your turning out to be the perfect homemaker.” “Am I?” Gabriella asked, “well I do have the perfect husband.” “Almost husband.”

  “Oh right.” Gabriella said, as she took the beef off the stove and placed it into a serving bowl.

  “You know you could just put the pan on the table, Gab, everything doesn’t have to be perfect.” Joey said, taking the bowl from Gabriella and placing it on the table.

  “Sure it does Joey! It makes me happy.”

  “Okay.” Joey said, pleased that he was the man that got to make Gabriella happy. Gabriella and Joey sat down at the table. “Where are your parents?” Joey asked.

  Gabriella then informed Joey how they would be sharing the kitchen from now on, ‘now that your living here,’ she said, in her retelling of the conversation she and her mother had in the kitchen, this morning. “So it’s okay with them if I live here?” Joey asked, lining a soft shell into a hard shell.

  “More then.” Gabriella confirmed, grabbing a hard shell for herself and then spooning beef into Joey’s taco, and then into her own.

  Joey was adding the fixings to his taco as Gabriella spoke up about the guest list to the wedding.

  “Joey, I want a small wedding. In fact I want to get married at the chapel next to St. Anthony’s, right here in Mandala. It’s a small chapel, I called today and it holds about one hundred people. “I like that idea. You called?” Joey asked, shocked.

  “Well yes, my mother and I were talking today and she said I should call both the chapel and Mandala Palace to check for common, open dates.”

  “Mandala Palace?”

  “Well yes. Since we’re having a small wedding, I figured my parents could afford it. My mother didn’t say otherwise when I mentioned it this morning.”

  “So they’re paying for the wedding?”

  “Yes. That’s always been our understanding since I was little.” “All right. So well, what do you need from me exactly?” “Well a guess list silly.” Gabriella said, spooning more beef into Joey’s second taco for him.

  “Okay I can do that.” Joey said, he wasn’t trying to avoid the topic of his family. “How many people do I need to fill my side, half of one hundred?”

  “Yes, well you don’t have to fill it, is that not enough?” Gabriella asked, wanting to know if Joey had hoped for something different then what she was planning for their wedding.

  “No. I’m just wondering about my family, that’s all.”

  “Do you talk to anyone on your father’s side Joey, like aunts or uncles, cousins?”

  “Just my grandmother. My grandfather died a couple of years ago and my father was an only child.”

  “Oh. I’m sorry to hear about your grandfather”

  “And my brother is still close with my mother,” Joey said, as if he were about to give Gabriella a birthday gift, “and she still sends me cards and stuff for holidays, and my birthday. So I guess . . . you can meet her.” Joey finally said.

  “Really, you’d talk to her again for me?”

  “Yes, but only for you.”

  “Yay.” Gabriella said, unable to hide her happiness.

  “Yeah. I have dinner with my mother’s whole side of the family every month or two. They love me.” Joey said, realizing he had a good family surrounding him, and perhaps he had been wrong all these years not to talk to his mother.

  As Gabriella started to do the dishes, Joey got lost in his thoughts for a moment. He thought about how much he cared for Gabriella. Thinking back to how his mother had taken his step father’s side, he thought he would do the same for Gabriella. Gabriella snapped Joey out of his thoughts.

  “Maybe you’d like to take a shower while I do the dish’s baby?” “Okay but after I want to take you somewhere.”

  “Oh really where?”

  “Just to Starbucks to see a few of my friends, I figured we could bring your WRX. The boys would love to take a look at it.” “Oh.” Gabriella said, feeling she had to come clean. “You know Mark threw a lot of money into that car.”

  “Did he do work under the hood?”

  “Yes.”

  “Well good. A new project for me. I love to tear things’ up.” “Well, Joey, no!”

  “I’ll put it back together and with good parts, even faster ones.” “Whatever. Just go shower.” Garbiella said, playful.

  With Joey's words, she now saw her car now as their car, and wondered if Joey would have to take over her car payments once they were married. That gave Gabriella the thought about getting a job, while she did the dishes and dreamed about her career as a CEO.

  When Gabriella was finished with the dishes, she went into her room to do her makeup. Gabriella opened up the bathroom door to wash off the makeup already on her face, so she could start fresh, without even realizing it, she opened the door that Joey had left unlocked. He was in the shower, and giggled to herself over forgetting, it was she and Joey’s bathroom now. She was washing her face as Joey called out,

  “Gab is that you?”

  “Yeah, sorry Joey just washing my face.” Gabriella said back, Joey opened the glass shower door.

  “Nothing you’ve never seen before.” Joey joked, and then closed the door.

  Gabriella was brushing her teeth when Joey got out of th
e shower.

  “You know you at least could have joined me in there.” Joey said, grabbing Gabriella from behind.

  “Joey don’t get me all wet.”

  “Fine.” Joey said, taking a step back and letting go. “Well, why didn’t you join me in the shower?”

  “Because it would take me an extra hour to get ready if I had gotten my hair wet, plus, something tells me it wouldn’t just have been a shower.”

  Gabriella walked out of the bathroom, while Joey stayed in the bathroom to do his hair and brush his own teeth.

  “You’re wearing that?” Joey asked, when he came out of the bathroom. Gabriella was dressed in a causal light pink dress with an orange flower print.

  “I was planning on it.”

  “Oh. I was hoping you were going to get naked.” .

  “Joey stop teasing me. Just get dressed you horn ball.” “All right, if you don’t want me.” Joey said, kidding with her.

  Joey was really only playing around with Gabriella, he really wanted to get Gabriella out of the house tonight. Gabriella ignored Joey and started on her makeup. When Gabriella turned around, her eyes met Joey. She checked him out quickly, in disbelief over how good he looked. Joey was wearing a pair of white shorts, with light blue strips, and a matching blue polo shirt, and he had his collar flipped. His hair was done the same as he had styled it for the club. Gabriella hadn’t seen his hair that way since that night, and forgot how nicely Joey cleaned up. Gabriella walked over to Joey.

  “I can’t believe I get to spend my life with such a gorgeous, handsome man.” Gabriella said, then giving Joey a kiss on the check.

  Joey took Gabriella into his arms and said,

  “oh tell me more.” He then laughed.

  “You think you’re funny, don’t you?”

  “No. I’m just always laughing now that I have you in my life.” “Aww, Joey.” Gabriella said, sweetly.