Chapter 21

 

 

Lalita and Tamera sat next to Gabrielle’s hospital bed. She was in a recovery room now. The nurse had just wheeled in a small bassinet for the baby, after which, Lalita confessed to Gabrielle what happened in Chicago – the things she had witnessed and had concluded. The things Dilvan might have done to her.

“That’s why I had asked you how you ended up on my bed that morning, remember?”

Gabrielle nodded, tears falling from her eyes. Even though it occurred almost a year ago, she still felt violated. Even when she hadn’t known if Dilvan had touched her at all, she was upset. And now, she knew why Tyson had gone completely insane.

“You told Tyson this?” Gabrielle asked, sniffling, trying to adjust the pillows at an angle so she could talk to Lalita and keep baby T.J. comfortable against her chest.

“I just told him about twenty minutes ago. And I’m so sorry I didn’t say anything before now. I wanted to, but I just couldn’t get the words out. Finally, when I couldn’t take it anymore, I told Padma. We were planning on confronting Dilvan about it after the baby shower, but somehow, Tyson heard a different version and that’s why he thought you had an affair with Dilvan. We cleared that up with him. Now he knows it wasn’t an affair...more like an assault that no one can prove happened. If Dilvan doesn’t tell us, then we won’t know what happened and he’s in intensive care. He tried to kill himself with some pills.”

Gabrielle shook her head and cried harder. “What’s wrong with this family?”

“Gabrielle, calm down, honey,” Tamera said. “You just had a baby. You need to rest.”

“No. I need to take my baby, and get out of this town. That’s what I need to do.”

“Gabrielle...”

“Tamera, I’m serious. Just when I thought my life was perfect here, thought I’d found the man of my dreams, he does a complete three-sixty on me...accusing me of things I didn’t do. It’s ridiculous.”

Tamera shook her head. She could hardly make an excuse for Tyson. What he did was flat-out inexcusable, so out of character for the man he’d become since dealing with all the nonsense surrounding Desiree. Tamera was there when Desiree had broken his heart. His spirit. But Gabrielle had done nothing of the sort. All she did was love him. “Gabrielle, Tyson’s been through so much and—”

“That still doesn’t make it right, Tamera. I’ve been through a lot, too, but I don’t accuse him of being a cheater. Even if I did think he was cheating, if people were telling me that he was, I would believe him over everyone else because I trust Tyson and the bottom line is, he doesn’t trust me. I don’t think he’s capable of trusting anyone, and if that’s true, then it’s okay. It’s just not okay for me.”

“Well, I can tell you, he does have a hard time trusting—”

“And he hasn’t even been here to see his baby.” Gabrielle shook her head. “How am I supposed to take that?”

“I’m sure he’ll be here soon, Gabrielle,” Tamera said.

“Yeah...but it’s a little too late now isn’t it?”