Second Chances

by Nicole Andrews Moore

  “I thought this would really show off your tan,” he explained. Then he smiled. “And everything else.” He led her to the bathroom. “Now shower quickly and don’t get your hair too wet. I have someone coming in to do your hair and makeup tonight. I thought we should do tonight right. After all, this will be our first New Year’s together.”

  By the time they were ready and met everyone downstairs, they were the last to arrive. They could have taken the elevator all the way down, but Gabriel insisted that they make a grand entrance and get off on the second floor in order to walk down the grand staircase arm in arm. Isabella felt like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman. All eyes were on them as they descended to the lobby.

  They dined, they danced, and they welcomed in the New Year together, then while the fireworks were still exploding above, Isabella and Gabriel snuck away to watch alone from their balcony. At last, the colorful blasts ceased and they were left with a new peace. Gabriel pulled Isabella to the couch, where they sat facing each other.

  “I was nervous about having my friends come on this trip with us,” he began quietly. “I pretty much had to invite them though, since we planned this trip before I knew you. I just couldn’t bear to be away from you during the holidays. I knew that the vacation was already going to be challenging enough for you, and I would have been missing you, so I asked if you could come along.” He paused to breathe. “They were eager to meet you. Too eager. I was afraid one of them might try to steal you away from me.”

  Isabella opened her mouth to speak, desperate to ease his fears. He covered her lips with one finger. “No, wait. I have to finish while I still have the courage.” He paused again, choosing his words carefully. “You see, I was afraid that you weren’t close to me because you didn’t love me, couldn’t love me. I thought maybe I was just a distraction to you, no one you could get serious about. I thought that was why we haven’t...” Again his voice trialed off. He lifted his hands in explanation. “Now I know that you love me. Nothing else matters. I could wait forever, you know?”

  “You mean to…” Her eyes were wide with admiration.

  “Yes, darling. To make love to you. I said it once so long ago. I meant it then. I mean it still.”

  Isabella looked into his eyes. Gabriel held her gaze. He still willingly waited, yet suddenly Isabella wanted him more than she could ever remember wanting anyone. She worked to keep her emotions in check. She wanted to kiss him, passionately, but they had had such trouble stopping lately that now especially she dared not start what she hadn’t the energy or desire to end. She laid her head upon his chest. Not tonight, she thought to herself. Not with all your friends nearby. Some time when it is just right. Some time when it is just us.

  Again, Isabella awoke to an empty bed. She rose and threw a robe over her naked form. The trail of rose petals began next to her feet and she giggled. This time they were a pale pink, demonstrative of his innocent love for her. She followed their meandering trail out of the bedroom, then onto the balcony. Gabriel could be found sitting there, smiling and waiting for her. He set the newspaper down and walked her to her seat where again a silver lidded tray awaited her attention.

  Tucking her chair in for her, he said, “I hope you don’t mind. I know we have been eating all of our meals together as a group, but this morning I wanted to keep you all to myself.”

  “Of course I don’t mind,” Isabella scoffed.

  Then Gabriel lifted the lid to the tray and revealed not only strawberry crepes, but a black velvet box propped against a pink long stemmed rose. Isabella gazed at it nervously, but not as filled with trepidation as she had been previously. She opened the lid, knowing that Gabriel expected her to do so. Inside, the most exquisite diamond and platinum bracelet that she had ever seen rested upon the velvet. The date had been engraved on a heart dangling near the latch.

  Isabella’s hand shook as she removed it from the box. She looked to him for assistance, knowing that she wouldn’t be able to hook it on her own. Gabriel walked swiftly around the table and latched the bracelet around her delicate wrist. He caressed the tender skin for a moment, then brought her hand to his lips and said earnestly, “I love you, Bella. And I love that I am free to tell you as often as I want without worrying how you will react.”

  Isabella smiled lovingly at him. “I know how you feel,” she began sincerely. “Thank you so much for the bracelet, and for your love.” She paused, then stood to wrap her arms around his neck and complete her thought. “I never knew I could love anyone as I love you.” She spoke from her heart, then rested her head upon his.

  Jessie and Isabella met for Girl’s Night at The Turtle the Thursday following her return from Brazil. They ordered drinks and a light dinner. Jessie had several topics of conversation in mind and didn’t hesitate discussing them.

  “So, are you in love?” She asked wickedly.

  Isabella blushed and giggled a little, but then sobered. “Yes, it’s easy to be in love when it’s exciting and new, when we are jetting off here and there and everywhere, but...”

  “But what?” Jessie asked incredulously. “How could there be a ‘but?’”

  “Well,” she began, taking a breath, selecting her words carefully to fully explain her concern to her best friend. “The love I want is the love for all times. I want to be in love when it is dull and boring, when we are experiencing the monotony of everyday life. I want to be loved even when I smell like puke from taking care of a sick kid, or when I can’t run away and play because I have too much work to do. I love him. And I know he loves me, but can he give me that kind of love, or will he grow tired of real life?”

  Jessie put down her drink to look at her friend earnestly. “I don’t have an answer for you, Isabella, but give him a chance. He may show you something.”

  Their salads arrived and the two munched happily for a few minutes before Jessie remembered why she really dragged her friend out on a school night. “Oh, yeah,” she said as she dabbed her mouth with the napkin. “So, let’s see them,” she prompted.

  Isabella seemed confused for a moment, but then held out her wrist for Jessie to admire. “Okay, nice ice, but really. Where are the pictures?”

  “Pictures?” Isabella asked bewildered.

  “Don’t tell me you didn’t take any pictures! You didn’t take any pictures in Aruba. I understand that, somewhat. I mean, the relationship was relatively new. You were probably afraid to jinx it. You took lots of pictures of the kids in Disney, but none of you and Gabriel. I can understand that as well, what with your Disney phobia and all. Then there was Boston. Short trip, really busy. Fine. But come on! Brazil?”

  Isabella leaned back in the chair. Her skin glowed a lovely shade of bronze. Brazil had definitely agreed with her. “I know I’m a photographer,” she said pensively. “I used to be really into my albums, Jess. I guess I just don’t have time for that with Gabriel. I don’t want to see life diffused from behind a camera lens. I am just too busy living it. I’m so much a part of it that I don’t need pictures. I don’t need to capture these moments of happiness as if they are something so rare and fleeting. I absorb every moment we spend together. Now I keep it all right here,” she said with her index finger to her temple, “and here,” pointing now to her heart. She blushed and looked down at her half eaten salad. She hadn’t anticipated she would become so passionate.

  In response to her words, Jessie leaned back in her chair. She smiled to herself and nodded. Isabella had never been better.

  The next evening Gabriel arrived as planned, but had a surprise for her. “Here,” he said, passing her a pewter Montreal souvenir key chain with a key on it.

  “What’s this?” She asked laughing.

  “That, darling,” he said gathering her in his arms, “is your key to my apartment.”

  Isabella looked surprised. “Are you sure?” She asked with concern.

  “Positive,” he responded, punctuating his word with a kiss on her nose. “So, want to go try it out? I’m eager to star
t decorating. We’ll pack the kids and be there by their bed time.”

  “We’re staying over? All of us?” This was new. Always the kids were with Jack if they were in Montreal overnight.

  “Yes, so we’ll go now? They have their own room. I bought bunk beds, but I thought you could decorate the rest of it. Anything you want.”

  In just over an hour’s time, Isabella stood before the lock, allowing everyone in to Gabriel’s new home. While it obviously didn’t compare to the Charmant Estate, the apartment had its own appeal. To begin with, they were alone, no Jack to worry about, no one to entertain if they didn’t want to, and it had a lot of square footage.

  As they walked in the front door, Gabriel began the grand tour. They were standing in a relatively large foyer, with the closet directly to their left. To the right was a closed door, which would be the study, but currently only held Gabriel’s desk, computer equipment, a file cabinet, and the sofa from his bedroom. “The sofa pulls out,” he explained. “So I thought we might use it as a guest room if need be.” Isabella nodded numbly.

  The next door after the study belonged to one of the full baths. “The other is off of the master suite. So, this is the one the kids and all our guests will be using.” He spoke as though he hoped to remind her of the decorating task at hand.

  Straight back they found the fully equipped angular kitchen with a large shelved pantry. Every appliance from the fridge to the stove, to the microwave, dishwasher, and disposal was stainless steel. The granite counter looked through to the dining room. “Good for entertaining, eh?” He said proudly while demonstrating the depth of thought that went into his apartment choice. “And I thought maybe we could find some stools for the counter?” Again, Isabella nodded while walking around the room numbly.

  The dining room had a horrible brass chandelier. She looked to Gabriel for a reaction. “We can change it,” he announced. “Whatever makes you happy. I want you to feel at home here, Bella.” He didn’t have a dining room table yet, but again apparently the choice would be hers.

  Separating the dining room from the living room were two half walls with an archway opening and two large graceful columns that stretched to the floor on either side. Isabella smiled widely. Even more impressive were the French doors in the back wall, which no doubt opened into the master bedroom. The fireplace in the living room had a beige marble facade and was surrounded by built in book cases. The spacious living room had an airy feel because of the high ceilings throughout the apartment, and appeared light filled due to the generous amount of large windows in that and every other room.

  She opened the door to the right, just inside the living room to find the kid’s bedroom, which held a maple twin bunk bed and a matching dresser. The current comforters were simple down linen ones that she recognized from Thanksgiving. “We can keep them in a closet for guests,” he remarked, “once you’ve done over the kids’ room.” Isabella smiled slightly, overwhelmed by the apartment and Gabriel.

  At last she opened the French doors, almost too afraid to look. Straight back, in between the windows stood a huge four post mahogany bed, similar to the one Bella had at home, but far more expensive and with more intricate carvings. There was also a matching armoire, dresser, jewelry chest, and mirror. “Is it okay?” He asked concerned. “I know I didn’t wait for you, but my father wanted me to leave my bed there so that I could always come home. And I know it’s only queen sized, but I never want to ever sleep that far away from you.” He smiled warmly at her while he waited for a reaction. Her response took too long in coming. “Bella? Darling?”

  Without speaking, she wandered through the dressing area into the bathroom, with its double sinks, built in vanity, Jacuzzi tub, and separate shower with multiple shower heads. Every aspect of the place amazed her. And it seemed as though most of it had been done with Isabella and the children in mind.

  One aspect of his apartment choice seemed obvious. “This isn’t a bachelor pad,” she said quietly.

  “No,” he responded confused. “Why would I have a bachelor pad?”

  “You are a bachelor.” She spoke plainly, her back ram-rod straight, a serious expression on her face.

  “No, I’m not.” Gabriel folded his arms across his broad chest.

  Isabella shook her head. “This is a family apartment.”

  His eyes narrowed. “I have a family.”

  Isabella grew frustrated. Either he truly didn’t understand or he refused to see what she tried so desperately to point out to him. Regardless, she found herself aggravated. She stared at him a moment, tapping her foot. Finally she shrugged, recognizing the futility of the discussion. “Okay. I give up.”

  “So you like it?”

  She could tell he really did want her approval, truly did care about her opinion. And it would not be as though she had to lie. “Yes. I love it.”

  “So you’ll come every weekend, with or without the kids?” He walked towards her now, ready to wrap his arms around her.

  Isabella cocked her head to one side, pondering the unexpected change. Suddenly the kids would be coming to Montreal? “We’ll see,” she said.

  “No, promise.” He stood mere inches from her.

  “You know how I feel about promises.” She shrank from him.

  Using his entire foot taller frame, he loomed over her, pretending to be threatening. “Promise,” he said firmly.

  Isabella giggled. “Okay. I promise we’ll see.”

  Gabriel groaned, picked her up, and tossed her on the bed.

  The rest of the weekends in January seemed to rush by. Every moment had been spent making the apartment a home. The walls were painted in a variety of warm natural tones. A dark taupe graced the walls in the living room. The chandelier in the dining room had been replaced by a brushed nickel one with decorator shades from the Bombay Company. The dining room set finally arrived from Pier One Imports, with seating for eight.

  Rebecca and Kyle’s room was nothing short of spectacular, with the room done to look like clouds during the day, but glowed from the light of planets, the moon, and stars at night, even the bedspread. It was a happy room, reflective of its inhabitants.

  Couches from the Pottery Barn faced each other on opposite sides of the fireplace. A faux fur throw and pillow on each made the couch even more inviting than normal. And on the marble hearth beside the fireplace stood the enormous pot from Brazil, which just appeared one day, addressed to Isabella. But Gabriel’s favorite piece in that room was a black and white photograph Isabella had taken of River Walk that had been enlarged and framed to hang over the fireplace and disguise the television behind it.

  By far, Isabella’s favorite room would have to be the bedroom. Strange that it happened to be the most private room in the place, yet also the one she gave the most attention to. The room would become her ultimate present for Gabriel: his Moroccan paradise, a place that could be masculine enough for him in her absence, yet warm, inviting, and most importantly, romantic enough for the two of them to enjoy together.

  The walls were painted an earthy sage shade. The curtains were a magnificent satin sand. And the comforter set had been created of jacquard paisley in linen, basil, plum, and maroon, accented in gold tones. There were layers of pillows, and their beloved Egyptian cotton sheets, in a thread count higher than Isabella previously knew existed, in every shade that matched the comforter waiting in the linen closet. Every detail had been well thought. Aside from the linens, her only major purchase for the room would be the lounger, large enough for two. In this deep plum chair, she envisioned snuggling with Gabriel every chance she had.

  When at last every room appeared to be complete to her satisfaction, a date that also coincided with the last weekend in January, a weekend that Jack had the children, they decided to invite all of Gabriel’s friends over for dinner. No one had seen the place since Isabella began decorating it nearly a month ago.

  Dinner was nearly ready, the table was set, the candles lit, and fresh flowers accented
every room. Gabriel and Isabella hugged each other as they gazed around the apartment. And suddenly Isabella was overcome with the desire to photograph it before their guests arrived.

  The lighting was perfect. And as she readied her camera, she realized that this place had all the makings of a layout in one of those architectural digest magazines. She could almost see it. She smiled as she snapped shot after shot, capturing each room from every angle imaginable. She even stole into the kids’ room to record how neat and pristine it could be in their absence.