We spent Friday night eating McDonalds and watching Die Hard. I had fallen asleep before the movie was over and was barely aware that Gabriel covered me with a blanket before going into his bedroom.
I was awoken by the smell of coffee and breakfast wraps on Saturday morning. Gabriel and I ate in silence next to each other at the island counter. My fingers were itching to grab my phone and scroll through facebook to break the awkwardness of being with Gabriel.
"I have a huge favour to ask," Gabriel said, finally breaking the silence.
"What's that?" I asked, relieved to be speaking.
"Do you think you can make lasagna for supper?" he asked, a tinge of pink forming over his face working hard not to smile. He looked like a little boy asking for m
When I had left for New Brunswick in the spring I had to let my apartment go. I hadn’t planned on coming back so soon, but I didn’t want to be held back by an empty apartment if something came up. I had graduated from the local community college in my town and worked at a few restaurants before getting a bit of a break with Gabriel’s company. The job was hard to fill as it was in an isolated area with little to no means of external communication. It was certainly not a family friendly kind of job either, I had just been gone for a better part of the year with only weekends off. Regardless, I had no one tying me down, and I found it liberating to be so far away from the outside world. I had made some real good friends there during the season and I was seriously planning on returning. I dreamt of Gabriel for the first month I had returned home, looking back at him with rose coloured glasses and replaying our weekend together had given me a different perspec
I spotted Gabriel before he saw me, he was pacing around the arrival gate deep in conversation on his phone, his frown ever so present on his face. My heart fluttered when he looked up towards me and a large grin formed on his face. He promptly hung up and gathered me in his arms in a warm welcoming hug. I was shocked by his reception based on the conversations we had in the last few months.“You look great Harper,” he said, checking me out while holding at arms length.“Thanks, you don’t look too shabby yourself” I replied. He had shaved his dark curls in favor of a buzzcut, and he sported a short beard . I had never seen him with facial hair longer than a day or two’s worth, but it looked good on him. It even made him look a little younger than 37. He placed an arm around my shoulder and carried the small suitcase with all of my measly belongings to his truck. We drove to his house with the AC on full
*Rather explicit content ahead*We spent another quiet ride together, but despite the tension in the cab I was excited to get to the camp. I smiled fondly at my old cabin and the dining hall as we approached them. I wasted no time jumping out of the truck and grabbing the groceries from the back. I brought everything inside and put away the items the way I liked them before heading to my cabin. I half expected to see my kitchen helper but my cabin was empty. The room I had been using the previous season was already occupied, so I shifted all my things to the other, smaller bedroom. Despite being a creature of habit, I wasn’t overly upset about the switch of rooms.There was a knock at the door and I turned to see Gabriel standing on the other side of the screen door.“Come in” I said, beckoning him with a finger. He looked around the cabin silently for a moment. “Are you ok?” I asked.
“HARPER!” I was jolted awake by the loud booming voice. Gabriel was still in my bed and I rushed to grab my clothes on the ground to dress. “Harper!” the voice came again. This time I recognised it as Matteo’s. Gabriel must have recognised it too as he groaned and pulled the covers over his head. “Be right there Matty” I called out pulling my hair back into a ponytail and trying to look decent. I heard the screen door open and my friend stepped in as I pulled the door to my room shut. “Baby Girl!” He called out with a joyful smile on his face. He pulled me into an embrace and I returned the warm affection “I missed you so much Harper!” he announced, “You look good, home was good for you!” “O
The first month was incredibly trying with Maria’s constant belittling, defiance and sabotaging. She never missed a chance to mention how sexually satisfied she was and loved draping herself all over Gabriel when he did show up to eat with the guys. Those moments were far and few between but it always created a very tense atmosphere when he did.I began obsessing about the lump in my throat as the sensation of suffocation woke me up each night. I had mentioned it to Matteo who urged me to see the ENT again to get more answers about my situation. I finally gave in and called Dr. Helm who agreed to book another ultrasound and biopsy. I drove out to the city with Matteo and went through the whole process again. The two of us shared a hotel room for the weekend and gorged ourselves on take out Chinese and pizza.Matteo mentioned that Gabriel was at a different work location for a few weeks and I immediately felt the tension in my body me
Maria continued to do the bare minimum and though I complained to Matteo a few times about her, there was little he was able to do about her behavior. He threatened to fire her several times but Maria and I both knew he wouldn’t do anything to go against Gabriel. This was a matter for Gabriel to solve and since he and Maria were sleeping together, she felt her job was secure.“When is Gabriel coming back?” I asked Matteo one day as he came to collect my weekly budget sheets.“Sometimes next week I think,” he shrugged.“I’m probably going to have to meet with him for budget stuff again” I groaned.“You’re over aren’t you?” he asked with a hint of amusement.“Oh yes….” I said.“How do you manage that?”“What do you mean, how do I manage that? Food is
As we got closer to town, my phone gained signal and several messages popped up on my screen. Voicemails, text messages and emails all blinked at me. Remi smiled at all the notifications I was receiving. “How long has it been since you left the camp?” he asked. “Since I got here about 6 weeks ago,” I replied. “Wow, you’re tough!” he said with a laugh. “Most people can’t go an hour without checking their social media”. I shrugged. “I’m not like most people,” I replied. “No you really aren’t” he said with an adoring smile. Remi lived in a new apartment building in town with fantastic views. The place was neat but nearly empty, I guessed he hadn’t been living there very long. “Sorry, I don’t have a whole lot in here yet, I just got the place a month ago” he said, confirming my suspicions. “Where did you live before that?” I asked curiously while checki
Remi and I had sex a few more times the next morning and each time was better than the last. His size made up for the lack of experience and his enthusiasm at pleasing me was endearing.“You’ll be coming back with me tonight then?” he asked after breakfast.“That’s the plan, Ace” I said, “Maybe we should grab a box of condoms before heading there, what do you think?” I asked. His head perked up at this.“Really?” he asked eagerly.“Wouldn’t hurt, you know, for emergencies” I teased.We went to the pharmacy to get some supplies for the week, while I browsed the shampoo and body wash aisle, Remi had wandered off to the condoms. He returned crimson faced and empty handed.“Uhm, Harper…” he began uncomfortably, “there’s like fifty different kinds of condoms. Does it mat
Lane and her boyfriend Alexy, along with Matteo and his wife, were joining us on our vacation, having rented the cottages next to ours for the week. Lane, who was 33 weeks pregnant and glowing, had been visiting us at least every 2 months for the first three years after Emily was born until she met one of Gabriel’s employees one summer and fell madly in love with him. Since my mom had also met someone back home and was living with him, Lane felt less guilt about moving out to New Brunswick. Her and her boyfriend were living in a beautiful home only 10 minutes drive away from Gabriel and I.Matteo’s kids were all grown now and rarely followed their parents around anymore. He and his wife were enjoying their first solo vacation in years, but had decided to spend it with our family. Being godparents to Felix, they tried to be as present in our lives as they could.
“I. don’t. Want. to. Go!” Emily shouted, clearly exhausted by our little family vacation. We had pulled up to the Champlain Mall in Dieppe to pick up a few things I had forgotten at home before we made it to the cottage we had rented by the ocean another 45 minutes away.“I can stay with her while you get what you need, baby,” Gabriel offered, the most patient out of the two of us. With a lump in my throat and trying to keep the tears at bay I nodded. “You can leave Felix in the truck too if you want” he offered looking over to our 4 year old with a grin. Felix looked so much like Hendrix it was freaky and the two, despite the age difference, were thick as thieves.“Do you want to stay with daddy or come with mommy, Fee?” I asked.“Daddy!” he exclaimed.“Okay I will be back as soon as possible” I said, unbuckling my seat belt. Ga
I watched the people milling about from the dining room window, there were 30 or so people waiting in the backyard while rock music played on. I couldn’t see Gabriel from where I was standing but I could just imagine what he looked like in an outfit similar to Hendrix’s. I could hardly contain my excitement at seeing him.I admired Lane’s beautiful set up and hoped it wasn’t going to rain, as the skies were grey with clouds. Lane had strategically hung white sheer linen in some of the trees and placed lanterns as decorations. There were rows of white chairs occupied by the guests and white flower petals down the would-be aisle. I spotted a makeshift bar with huge ‘Beer and Whiskey’ signs hanging above it and laughed. Of course Gabriel would make sure the guests were well ‘watered’. The backyard had a very magical feeling about it. 
With everyone’s help and support the first week of Emily’s life went on without a hitch. I went on a few emotional roller coasters and woke up soaked in sweat a few times at night. But in all I couldn’t ask for a better baby. Emily was easily content, sleeping most of the day and only waking for feeds and diaper changes.My mom took on the role of grandmother very well, she rocked, washed, and cooed at Emily every chance she had. Janice cooked up a storm for everyone staying with us and froze several meals for when we were on our own again. Lane and I spent most of Emily’s feeding time in my bed going over wedding details and ideas.“I trust you, Lane” I told her for the millionth time, “do whatever you want!” Lane took a deep exasperated breath and let it out slowly, gently stroking Emily’s head. 
At 40 weeks, I was exhausted, cranky and swollen all over. I went out for walks with Axel and Gabriel every morning while Lane had been sending Janice new recipes to induce labor for the last two weeks and each day, Janice brought me some new miraculous concoction guaranteed to work. At night Gabriel gave me mind shattering orgasms to stimulate contractions, and I felt bad that his fiancé was now the size of a beached whale. Not that he would say such things, but I was disheartened by the way I looked and felt. I knew it was temporary but I was getting anxious to meet my baby. Sam, Janice’s boyfriend, was helping with some projects around the house and cottage to keep Gabriel occupied while the four of us waited impatiently for the stork to drop by.Finally one night as we lay in bed after an ordinary day, I felt a distinct popping in my lower belly before a rush of liquid squirted out of me. As fast as I could, I rolled out of bed and waddled
“Gabe I know you’re going to hate this idea, but I booked myself in for a maternity photoshoot and I would love for you to be there” I said, bracing myself for the inevitable rejection.“Sure,” he said, not taking his eyes off his laptop screen.“Were you listening?”“Yes, you have a maternity photoshoot and you want me to be there”“In the photos though”“Yes, that’s fine” he said as he placed his laptop on the coffee table and grabbed my foot to massage it.“You're sure?” I asked, stifling a groan of pleasure as he massaged my calf.“Yes Harper, I will be there in the photos with you and your belly. It’s fine” he said with finality.“Oh, well thank you”“When is it?”&
By December Gabriel and I had fully returned to our old routine. Though the pain of losing a baby never quite goes away, it becomes a little more bearable as the days go on.Sally had asked me to return to the diner for the winter, but I got an even more enticing job as an instructor at the community college. I would deliver a certain amount of theory content during the fall and winter semesters and in the summer I would take on the students at Gabriel’s work sites in order to give them hands-on practice. After a long and thorough conversation with Gabriel I sadly declined Sally’s offer and took on the college job. I loved having a 9-4 job that allowed me to be at home in the evening. Gabriel had secured a few building jobs around town and was also home every night. He frequently assured me he didn’t find life with me dull and always looked forward to coming home and seeing me each night.Our new house was everything I co
*Warning, this chapter deals with traumatic subject matter that could upset some readers*We had made it to the last couple of weeks of the summer with very little excitement at the camp. Everything seemed to be running smoothly and Gabriel proudly announced this was his most successful season so far. The house had sold and we had slowly started to move into our new house, though we spent most of our time at the cottage to enjoy the lake on our days off.“Why are you making a bagel?” Gabriel asked one morning as he filled his plate with bacon and eggs.“To eat…” I said with a frown.“You don’t eat bagels” he said looking at me curiously, “Is this a pregnancy thing?”“No, I don’t, and no it’s not”“Who are you specially making bagels for?” he asked, annoyed.&ld
I had my follow up ultrasound and blood work done during March and awaited the results impatiently. I knew Gabriel was just as anxious about it as I was but he was better able to mask his anxiety as he kept busy with work.Luckily, the ground began thawing and construction on our new house began. This gave me a brief moment of respite as I focused on the blueprints, choosing paint and flooring. It was an exciting process to watch, one day there was a huge hole in the ground, then there was a foundation and soon walls were being put up.Matteo had come down to help Gabriel get ready for the season. He was staying in Chrissy’s old room while he was with us and went home on the weekend to see his family. Gabriel and Matteo were away most of the day and I took those opportunities to pack up the house and deal with the realtors. Since our new house wasn’t going to be ready until the fall Gabriel had rented a storage unit as I had su