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2024-10-29 19:42:56He sat down on the couch and ate his frozen pizza that was still burning hot from the oven. He looked around and wondered if she could make as much in his apartment as she had done in her own one. It wasn't that he couldn’t do what he wanted in the place. It was more that he didn’t know how to. Ann had thrown ideas out at him, but he had vetoed all of them because they would cost thousands of dollars, and he hoped in the next few years he would be out of the apartment and in his own house.
That was his plan anyway. He thought of Bree in the hospital and didn’t like the idea she was there by herself. It bothered him for some reason. He had spent the day worrying about her, and then he was mentally slammed against the wall with her when the doctor had given her the news. He had not wanted to think about the rape that had happened. She didn’t either, but now it seemed that wasn't all that possible.
She h
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Fate Teaches Them 12
Three weeks was what it took for her to be able to walk out of the hospital. The doctors had done four surgeries over those weeks. Bree handled each one with a sense of grace. Though she hated being trapped in the bed. She hated nearly everything and everyone who stepped forward into her room. Though she tolerated Gabe. She wasn’t happy about anything.On the second to last day, though, she was allowed to stand for the first time by herself. She was so happy they had let her do something. Then she got to take a shower. When she got out, she was allowed to put on clothes for the first time since the accident. Gabe had brought some from her things. He smiled when he saw her.“Come here.” He said softly when she walked into the room.“They don’t fit anymore,” Bree said.“Sweetheart, you have lost a lot of weight.” He said as she got nearer. “I will try to do something with your hair.”
Fate Teaches Them 13
Bree was still getting tired easily. Gabe knew when she was ready to lay down though he waited until she was asleep to leave. There hadn’t been any celebration for her eighteenth birthday, which would be the day she was released or the fact she graduated high school. She had a diploma that was handed to her by the principal, and then he left. Gabe thought it was all pretty pathetic. He planned for the night she came home to give her a few surprises.He had been left alone from everyone he had met when he was with Ann. Though he hadn’t gone out of his way to say anything to them either if they had run into each other. He wasn’t surprised that Matthew had called his brother and mother again and again. That was the extent of some of the things he did expect.The night when he got home from the hospital, Bree was supposed to be released from the hospital the next day, he received a phone call from his mother that he did not expect, “Ga
Fate Teaches Them 14
Gabe got to the hospital and walked in. the nurses were looking at him like he was someone new. He knew he was dressed down today, but he was himself. He walked into her room and saw her looking at him differently, as well.“What?” He asked as he walked over to his chair.“You’re in sweats.” She said. “You almost look like a normal person.”“So?” he asked, confused.“When you normally come in, you are dressed for class.” She said. “You just look different.”“Well, I guess that is okay.” He said with a shoulder shrug. “I remember thinking that teachers lived in their classrooms. I don’t think it would a great place to live, though, with all the cameras.”“You never told me why you had to put up the cameras,” Bree said as she looked at him. The doctor walked in and looked at the two of them.“I&rsqu
Fate Teaches Them 15
“I just don’t want anything else to happen.” She said as she looked at him.“Anything that does, I have gone into this with my eyes open, Bree. I have taken steps to make sure that neither of us will have any problems because of this.” Gabe said with a grin, “if he wants to throw away years of friendship because of a girl that doesn’t even really care all that much for him, then that is on him and not my problem.”“Why would you say she doesn’t care all that much?” Bree asked as Gabe started up the car.“Because she broke up with him because her sister told her too,” Gabe said. “I am sorry, but I love my sister and my brothers, but I wouldn’t give a rat's ass if they told me I had to break up with someone because they got dumped by someone else. That is showing you how much Ann likes to control the people around her and why I couldn’t be wi
Fate Teaches Them 16
“Just rest until we get there.” He said as she continued to rest. His hand still holding hers in his. He smiled at the sight. He looked at the back mirror and saw the car was still following him. Though he wanted to lose it, he wasn’t going to do anything to spook her. He was laying the groundwork for her to stay. Dealing with Matthew was not the best way to do that, but it would be the easiest to assure her that he was serious. Though she wouldn’t know that until they got back to the apartment.He sighed a bit and then just continued to the store. When he looked around when he pulled into the parking lot, he didn’t see the car following him anymore. He figured at some time he would receive a phone call from his mother. He had already told her that he would be busy for the next few days. So even not answering her would be okay at this point.He pulled into a spot, and he looked at her. “Come on, kid.” He said with a smile.
Fate Teaches Them 17
They began their trip back to the apartment in silence. He knew that she had pushed herself, and she was tired. He also knew that when she got to the place, they would have to talk about everything. He had gone over this a hundred times in his head and only a few times did it work out the way he wanted it to. This was the time to prepare himself for the fact he really didn’t know her all that well.He had been her teacher, and though he did watch her closely, he realized when she was in the hospital, he really didn’t know her all that well. The age difference wasn’t the thing that would be holding them back. It was the fact that a lot between them was still unknown. He hoped that he wasn’t pushing it already, but he knew they had to clear this first hurdle in front of them.When they got to the apartment, he helped her out of the car like he had at the store. Then popped his trunk and grabbed all the bags, and loaded them on one ar
Fate Teaches Them 18
“No, we really don’t.” She said as she looked at him as he was grasping for the right words to say. “But you have been a good friend regardless.”“Well, I want to expand that friendship.” He said quickly. He looked surprised that those words came out of his mouth without thinking any more on how to move forward.“Expand?” she asked him. “What do you mean?”“Bree, I would like you to stay here with me,” Gabe said as he took her hand in his. “I find that I like you probably more than I should. I think I did before and couldn’t let you know, so I was the annoying teacher because of it.”“Wait, what?” Bree asked as she looked at him. She was confused right then, and he didn’t have a response for anything like that. The confusion was not one of the things he had planned for. She was looking at him with widened eyes, and he just got lost in the dept
Fate Teaches Them 19
“Gabe.” She said softly, “We can’t.”“Why?” he asked as he looked at her. They were still only inches away from each other. Her breathing had changed slightly, and so had his. He knew what he wanted and needed, but that was not going to happen then.“Because it is wrong.” She said.“How is this wrong?” he asked as he pressed his head closer to hers as their foreheads touched.“Gabe, you’re my.” She started to say, and then he cut her off, “I am not your teacher. I am not seriously older than you. Tell me how this is wrong.”“Gabe.” She said she looked at him and she couldn’t find anything. She knew that he was telling the truth to her. “I don’t know.”“You don’t have to know.” He said, “Not right now at least. Bree, I want more from you than being your friend, but this is no
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Fate Teaches Them Epiogue
Five years later…“My wife and kids will be here soon,” Gabe said as he laughed as he looked around the middle schoolroom that he taught in for the past five years. It was the open house for the middle school, and this time he wanted Bree to be there like she had been every time to make sure things ran smoothly. The two of them had changed people’s perspectives when they saw the couple together. The act of getting married had done that, and Bree had to laugh when people said that was when they saw Gabe as not a child predator. She knew the truth, and so did he.“Sorry, we’re late,” Bree said as she walked in the room, knowing that they still had about an hour before parents would start to show up for the meetings with each teacher.“It’s okay,” Gabe said with a smile as he leaned down to kiss his wife and lift up his four-year-old daughter, and kissed her cheek.&l
Fate Teaches Them 35
Bree woke up in the middle of the night because of Gabe’s wandering hands on her bareback. She looked up to him from her perch on his chest. He was smiling. “Feel better?” She asked.“In so many ways.” He replied as he moved her to be eye level with him. “Sex was never at the top of the list. I wanted you to be comfortable. When I heard you thought I didn’t want you that way earlier, I nearly exploded internally. Bree, I wanted you that way when you were my student if we are honest completely with each other. Only you could get through to me, though.”“Why?” she asked as she snuggled closer to him, and he kissed her nose that was right there in front of him.“Because I love you.” He said, and he looked at her and waited. He knew she had never heard those words before, probably even from the people, she should have.“I don’t know what love is.
Fate Teaches Them 34
The dinner was subdued. The place was one of those places that you wouldn’t think that it could be considered romantic, but he knew that she would see the small things more than a fancy restaurant. It was one of the few places he could remember his father taking his mother, too, without the horde of children. It was just for that reason, as well.She sat back after eating a small amount though he knew she had enjoyed her meal by the way she had attacked it. She looked at him and was quietly taking the place in. “Why here?” She asked.“My mother is a foreigner here.” He said with a laugh, “This always reminded her of home. It was one of those places that we didn’t come as a family very often, but my dad used to take her here when she would get homesick. I think the food is good, but the privacy that it has without making it feel private is why I wanted to come here. I just wanted a good night out t
Fate Teaches Them 33
Gabe looked around as he waited for her to come back out. He was still stunned at her last statement. He had been in pain for the past two months with her around. He wanted her more every day. He didn’t give a damn about any scars unless they were causing her pain. He knew those were the lines that doctors had made to save her life. Those were there because she was still there. They did hold some value to him, but they weren’t repulsive. They were victories.He knew it was time. It was time for them to stop just being roommates. He had to let her know how he felt. He needed to show her everything.Dinner was the first step. He changed his plans in his head. This night had to be different. He had just wanted to give her a break. Now he was on a mission. He smiled when the idea came to him, and he knew that was the way he needed to go in. He saw her come out in her new clothes and he smiled at her.“Come on, let&rsq
Fate Teaches Them 32
“What is it?” Bree asked.“It feels like we aren’t alone,” Gabe said with a sigh. “I guess staying in didn’t help either. I should probably call the cops, but honestly, at this point, I just want to go and have our night.”“Gabe,” Bree said as she lowered her head again. He knew she was having the beginning of one of her meltdowns. Normally this woman in front of him was one of the most stubborn and headstrong women he had ever met. However, since they had truly confirmed the pregnancy, he had seen her go through a series of emotions in a matter of a few minutes. He knew it was bothering her as well. As well as the fact he wanted her to stay at home and just help with the small things.“Bree. Honey, it is okay.” He said as he closed the car door. Hoping he could stop the roller coaster of her emotions before they got to the store, he wanted to hurry up. All he wanted was a night out with her
Fate Teaches Them 31
Days turned into weeks. Though the summer was dragging on as the two stayed mostly in the house. The summer nights were cool instead of hot in most places. The apartment was cool as well. Gabe looked at her as he surprised her this day, “Get dressed.” He said as he looked at her.“What, why?” She asked.“Because I am taking you out for dinner.” He said as he tilted his head to look at her. He knew that they had moved past the mostly awkward part of a relationship, but there were sometimes she still surprised him. He watched her as she moved to the room they shared, and she was trying to find some clothes to wear. She came out, and she was wearing something he wouldn’t think she would wear to a nice night out. “Bree, what are you wearing?”“Gabe, there is a slight problem.” She said as she looked at him.“What is it?” he asked.“I can&r
Fate Teaches Them 30
“My ex-girlfriend has been having people call my parents, and they have been following me when I leave the apartment,” Gabe said.“The name of this person?” The officer asked.“Ann Knnorr,” Gabe stated, and the officer looked at him and chuckled.“I see.” The man said. “We have had a few issues with her and that family in the past.”“What issues?” Gabe asked.“We are not at liberty to discuss those.” The man said, “But you aren’t the first to say this.”“The problem is that we can never prove anything.” The second officer spoke up.“Would a recording of her threatening me help?” Gabe asked, and all three people looked at him. he went into the area he had made to be his school area and got the recording. He played for the officers, and both of them nodded.“That will help a lot.”
Fate Teaches Them 29
The next few days were spent inside, just relaxing mostly inside the apartment. With the new distance learning that the schools had, he didn’t have to leave the apartment to do his classes, and she was mostly lying on the couch during the day. Her getting up was a rare thing because she was still finding that her body didn’t like moving that much after the month in the hospital. She had slept later in the morning as she could hear him talking to his class. She let herself drift in and out of sleep longer than she normally did in the mornings.He had two classes, and both of them were in the morning. When she woke up again, she didn’t hear his voice or anything in the apartment. Until she heard the knocking on the door. Everything had seemed peaceful up until that moment.“Are you Gabriel Danner?” She heard a male’s voice ask as Gabe had opened the door.“I am,” Gabe said.&ldqu
Fate Teaches Them 28
She laid down on the bed wrapped up in the blanket he had placed there for her right out of the shower. She was so tired still that standing was a weird thing to do. Moving around for more than a few minutes was also hard. She knew she would have to get used to life soon enough. He walked in and chuckled a bit as he looked at her wrapped up like a burrito in the blankets.He flicked the light on for a minute, and then it was off again. Bree heard the water running in the distance, and she fell asleep before he returned. Though she knew when he was there next to her. The mattress dipped under his weight for a minute, and then he settled into a spot. She didn’t know how close he was, but there seemed to be enough room to move for her though she didn’t want to.“Good night Bree.” He said softly. She mumbled something to the same effect, and he again chuckled softly. That was the last she thought of until the light of
