The Eternity that Follows (21 page)

Joey and Gabriella ate in breakfast in bed together, and
when they were done, Gabriella brought everything downstairs.
When she came back upstairs to cuddle in bed with Joey, he was in
bed waiting for her.
“You promised cuddling all day.” Joey said.
“Yes I know that, silly. I just didn’t want you to be hungry all day
while we cuddled.”
“Get over here.” Joey demanded. Gabriella hoped into the bed,
then finding her favorite spot to lay the side her face on his chest.
“I like this.” Gabriella said, comfortably in Joey’s arms.
“I’ve been waiting all week for this.” Joey replied, remembering
Wednesday when he refused to get out of bed. Gabriella fell silent,
she had fallen peacefully back to sleep on Joey’s chest. Joey too
fell back asleep.

They woke up mid afternoon to make love, only to fall
back asleep again. When they finally woke up, it was around
dinner time.
“Have you talked to your friends about going out tonight?”
Gabriella asked, getting out of bed.
“No, not yet.” Joey said, remembering that Gabriella was going
out with her friends tonight. “Can’t you stay home with me?”
“I could.”
“Will you?”
“Perhaps. Are you hungry? Do you want me to make you
dinner?”
“I am a little hungry.”
“All right sweetie. I’ll go make dinner and you call up your
friends and make plans for tonight.”
“So you are going out tonight?”
“I was planning on it.”
“Fine.” Joey said, not wanting her to go.
“I’ll be right back to you, Joey. I’m not going anywhere.”
“Yeah, you are going somewhere, you’re going out.” Joey
corrected her.
“Yes, but right back to you.” Gabriella said, then tapping him on
the nose.

Gabriella went downstairs to make homemade pizza for
Joey. She had made and set the dough to rise this morning when
she made the pancakes. Gabriella was flattening the dough into a
rectangle, when Joey came into the kitchen.
“What are you making dear?”
“Homemade pizza. Well almost homemade, the sauce is from a
jar.”
“Oh you don’t make your own pizza sauce?” Joey joked.
“Well I can. I just didn't have the time.”
“Oh. Do you need any help?”
“No, Joey. I don’t.”
“Oh. All right then. I’ll be going over to Gavin’s tonight for a
little while. Josh is going to meet me over there.”
“Wonderful.” Gabriella said, kissing Joey, and then moving him
out of the way so she could get the mozzarella cheese from out of
the refrigerator.
“Wonderful?” Joey questioned, her words.
“Yes. You need to see your friends. I don’t want them all hating
me for stealing you away.”
“Oh I see.”

Gabriella then heard the front door close. It was her sister
Mary, she walked into the kitchen. Mary, who looked much like
Gabriella, had dark brown hair with ashy blonde salon highlights.
She was an inch short then Gabriell, and weighed around ten
pounds less. Mary had hazel eyes, with a similar beautiful face as
Gabriella's.
“Hey Gabby.” Mary said, to announce her presence.
“Mary!” Gabriella exclaimed. “What do you move out or
something?”
“No, not yet. This must be Joey. Congratulations you two.”
“Thanks.” Gabriella said. “Yes this is Joey.” Gabriella said,
nudging Joey toward her sister to introduce himself.
“Yup, I’m Joey.” Joey said, holding out his hand for an
introduction. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, and thank you
for the congratulations.” Joey said, excited to meet Mary for the
first time.

Mary brushed away Joey’s hand and gave him a hug
instead.
“You’re a part of the family now and it’s a pleasure to meet you
too. I’ve heard a lot about you from my mom. I can’t believe you
two are getting married.” She said.

Gabriella held out her ring for her sister to see. “Wow that’s
gorgeous.” Mary replied. “Wow it’s so official, your really getting
married, my little sister and before me.”
“Joey designed the ring.” Gabriella couldn’t help but say.
“Really?” Mary asked, surprised. “Good taste Joe.” She said,
patting Joey on the back.
“Oh he doesn’t like to be called Joe only Joey.” Gabriella
informed her sister. Calling Joey, Joe was special and Gabriella
wanted to be the only one that was allowed.
“Nah it’s okay. Joe’s cool.” Joey said, making an exception for
Gabriella’s sister.
“No, it’s not Joey.” Gabriella insisted.
“All right.” Joey said to Gabriella, then turning to Mary. “I do
prefer to be called Joey.”
“Joey it is.” Mary said. “What are you making Gab? Pizza?”
Mary asked, as Gabriella was placing the pizza into the heated
oven.
“Yup.” Gabriella replied. “Do you want to eat with us?”
“Oh, I would love to but I have plans with a few of my friends for
dinner.”
“Oh well ok.” Gabriella said, a bit disappointed. She wanted her
sister and Joey to get to know each other.
“Well it was nice meeting you, Joey.” Mary said. “I’m got to go
downstairs to get ready now.”
“Ok Mary, hopefully see you later.” Gabriella replied.
“I’ll be home tomorrow to have dinner with mom and dad.”
“Oh, well Joey and I will just have to be around for it.”
“Yeah. It would be cool to get to know you better.” Joey added.
“Great. See you both tomorrow.” Mary said, walking out of the
kitchen.

After Mary walked out of the room, Gabriella set out dishes
on the table for hers and Joey’s Pizza.
“So that was your sister huh?”
“Yup.”
“She looks like you.”
“Well sisters tend to look alike.”
“I guess so.”
“Do you and your brother look alike?” Gabriella asked, then
beginning to wonder what Joey’s brother looked like.
“A little, not as much as you and your sister look alike.”
“I can’t wait to meet him.”
“Soon, my dear.”
“Ok.” Gabriella paused for a moment. “Joey, may I have your
guest list by Monday please? I need to order the invitations if the
weddings going to be at the end of September.” Gabriella said,
hoping her request wouldn’t stress Joey out.
“So your dress will be ready by the date you picked?”
“Yup. He assured me.”
“That’s good news.” Joey said, feeling Gabriella could have found
the time to mention it sooner.
“Yes and I found the perfect wedding veil to match my dress.”
Gabriella informed Joey, with a smile on her face.
“That’s awesome.” Joey said, matching Gabriella’s smile.
“I know. I was ecstatic when I found it.”

When they were through eating dinner, Joey and Gabriella
went up to their room to get ready for their separate night out
“So where are you ladies going?” Joey asked, as Gabriella began
to get ready.
“I think were going to Starfall and then Cascades.” Gabriella said,
leaving out that they might stop at Mackenzie’s too. She felt
awkward telling Joey they may go there, considering he was
kicked out.
“Oh.” Joey said, giving Gabriella an ‘anything else’ stare.
“I’m going to drive myself out and meet the ladies so I can be
home early. The girls always want to after party when we’re
through with the bars, but I want to make sure I get home to you.”
Gabriella said, tapping Joey on the nose as she said ‘you.’
“That’s wise.” Joey said, will approval. If Gabriella was to go to
an after party, Joey wouldn’t know what to do with the situation.
He was glad Gabriella wasn’t into playing the game of finding out.
“Thanks.” Gabriella said, taking Joey’s words as a compliment to
her plan. Joey started to laugh. “What’s so funny?” Gabriella
asked.

Joey didn’t want to clear up the reasoning of his laughter.
His laughter was more of a release of worry he had on his take of
Gabriella going out without him for the night.
“Nothing.”
“Then why are you laughing?”
“Because you said thanks.” Joey said, trying to clear up his
laughter.
“Why’s that funny?” Gabriella asked, not understanding what Joey
found funny.
“I wasn’t complimenting you.” Joey said, as he started to laugh
again. Gabriella had enough of being laughed at.
“Stop laughing at me.”
“I’m not laughing at you. I’m laughing with you.”
“I’m not laughing.” Gabriella pointed out.
“You should be.”
“Why. I don’t get what’s funny.” Gabriella said, in a sturdy tone,
insisting Joey clear up why he was laughing.
“I said that was wise of you to bring out your own car because if
you didn’t, you and I would have a terrible day tomorrow fighting,
if you came home at a time after the bars were closed, especially if
you went off to some after party.”
“So what was funny?”
“What was funny, is that you said, thank you.”
“Oh. I get it. So it’s funny that I said thanks to your saying that
wise of me. While I find out later that you don’t think I’m wise at
all, instead you’re happy that I’m not going to after party?”
“Exactly.” Joey said, holding his arms out for Gabriella to come to
him.
“Joey. That’s not funny. So if I wanted to go to an after party. . . ”
Gabriella started, but was soon cut by Joey.
“You’d call me and I’d join you.” Joey said, making the
conversation finalized.

Joey grabbed Gabriella into his arms, considering, she
wouldn’t come all her own. Joey gave Gabriella a big kiss on the
check. “I’m out of here my darling. You better be good tonight,
and behave yourself. Your friends are trouble.” Joey admitted,
sweetly.

Gabriella didn’t protest or argue. After hearing and sharing
the stories of what each of them had done last Saturday night after
the club, Gabriella knew Joey was right.
“I’ll be a good girl.” She said.
“I’m hoping you will be.”
“And you? Will you be a good boy?” Gabriella asked, looking
down at her feet as though she couldn’t bare to look into his eyes
for the answer. Joey lifted up Gabriella’s face so she would have
nothing else to do, but to look into his eyes.
“Forever?” Joey asked, in response to Gabriella’s question.
“Forever.” Gabriella replied, giving Joey a kiss on the lips. Joey
went in for a deeper kiss.

When the kiss were through, Joey said,
“I’m going to miss you tonight! I hope I can make it through”
“I’m going to miss you too, but it’ll only be a few hours. What
time do you expect to be home?”
“When you text me saying you’re on your way home.” Joey said,
sharing the plan he had just made with Gabriella.
“Oh don’t base your life around me.”
“It already is. Everything’s about you now.” Joey said, sure he
had told her that before. “Haven’t I told you before that you come
first?”
“I think you’ve mentioned something like that before.” Gabriella
said, remembering the moment. Joey gave Gabriella another kiss
and then asked,
“well what about me, do I come first in your life?” Joey then gave
a puppy dog face, questioning Gabriella on where he stood in her
life.
“You sure do.”
“You better work on that.” Joey said, feeling Gabriella didn't say
much to assure him, he did indeed come first in her life. Joey
didn’t leave Gabriella time to say anything else, as he kissed her on
the lips again. “Be good tonight. I have to leave for Gavin’s now.”
Joey said, then he procceed to walk out the door.
“Love you.” Gabriella called out, as Joey was in the bedroom door
way.

Joey turned around and winked at Gabriella without saying
‘I love you’ back, and then was out the door. Gabriella was upset,
he didn’t say he loved her back. She wondered if he chose not to
say so because in his mind she hadn’t done a good job convincing
him, he came first in her life or because she was just expected to
know. Gabriella brushed the situation off, after looking down at
her ring finger. Gabriella had her engagement ring on over her
tattoo. The tattoo was still visible under the ring, but without
someone actually taking her hand to examine what was under the
ring, one wouldn’t be able to tell the tattoo was there. Gabriella
wanted all the boys who may be out tonight to know, she
permanently was taken, and just how serious she was over Joey.
She decided to wear her engagement ring on her right ring finger
instead. She hoped it would be an act speaking louder then words,
wanting to prove Joey, he really did come first.

Gabriella met Sara, Josephine and Jemma at Starfall.
Starfall had a decent crowd for a Saturday night. The girls were
sitting down at the bar, with Gabriella on the right end, next to her
was Sara, then sat Josephine, and on the left end Jemma. The girls
were owing and awing over Gabriella’s engagement ring, Joey had
designed for her.
“So why did you guys get those ridiculous tattoos’ then?” Jemma
said, being herself.
“I think the tattoos' are hot.” Josephine said, leaning over Sara to
get another look at Gabriella’s ring finger.
“The tattoo’s are a little more permanent then rings, don’t you
think?” Gabriella said, defending Joey’s decision to get the
tattoos’.
“I’d say.” Sara said, in reply to Gabriella. “You’re just jealous that
Joey and Gabriella are that serious about each other.” Sara said, in
reply to Jemma’s comment over the tattoo’s being ridicules.
“Me?” Jemma barked. “I’m not jealous, please. I just think that
on the third day of being together getting a ring tattoo is
ridiculous.”
“I think it’s romantic.” Josephine said, looking down at her own
ring finger. “I’d get one with Joey any day.”
“Hey, I told you at the club, he’s mine.”
“Oh yes you did.”
“Oh Jesus. The club, lets not rehash that night.” Sara said, trying
to break up the tension brewing among the girls.
“Have you spoken to Tie since?” Jemma asked laughing.
“I don’t have his number. If I had his number, I wouldn’t have had
to take the train home all by myself.” Sara said, realizing that none
of her friends had answered her phone call that morning. “And
none of you were around for me.”
“Hey if you have a chance with Vinny, you take it.” Josephine
said, waiting for her friends to agree.
“Ewe. Vinny’s a cheater.” Jemma remarked.
“Speak for yourself.” Josephine remarked back.
“Well, has he called you since? Or is he back with his girlfriend?”
Jemma questioned.
“Yes, he did call actually. We got together last night.” Josephine
said, happily with a grin on her face.
“Really?” Gabriella asked, with surprise.
“Yup. I’m not sure if his girlfriend and him are still together. We
didn’t do much talking.”
“Oh so you’re his booty call, got ya.” Sara said, still a little upset
that none of her friends were around for her after the club.