Gabriel's Promise (A Romantic Comedy) (4 page)

Chief

I'm sitting here in the living room, now mind
you I didn't mean to eavesdrop; I was just taking a much -needed breather in
between Sam's moods. Lord knows what kind of mood she'd be in when they got
back; but then I heard him tell her that he'd spoken to me when I could've
sworn I told that boy to leave me out if it. Well...I'm sure I'll be hearing
about it later, but now I have bigger fish to fry.
My Sam seems stuck in the seventeen hundreds, I had no idea the girl was so
green. I guess that's what I get for letting the Bronte sisters raise her, the
girl always had one of their novels attached to her nose.
Now the boy had the right of it, and I would've thought that my delightful
Miss. Priss with her antiquated views would appreciate that. Of course being
Sam, she could just be being contrary for the sake of being contrary. I rolled
my eyes at the thought of both of them.
I hope I'm not gonna have to get too involved in this courtship nonsense, I had
no time for it and Sam is a handful to begin with, you add hormones and affairs
of the heart into the mix and I'd have a minefield on my hands.
Lord I should've sent that boy packing the first day he showed up here. Good
Lord was that only yesterday? Seems like so long ago; well that's life with Sam
for ya, never a dull moment. Deep, deep sigh.

SAM

Way to sound like a hayseed Sam geez, why
can't you ever shut up? Yes I 'm talking to myself I have some of my best
conversations this way, seeing as how most people are dumber than a bag of
rocks.
I can't wait to get my hands on one Chief Holder, he practically gave me away
and didn't even bother to say word one to me about it, well we'll just see
about that.
I know I'm rambling, but what do you expect? Mr. Fancy car is interested in
dating me, what the h e double hockey sticks am I suppose to do? Who can I ask
for advice? I can't ask Charlie since I'm not speaking to him ever again in
this millennium, those two vapid waste of space are out, and Brand’s a boy he
would be no help, but it would sure be good to have someone to tell me what I'm
supposed to do. My friend Mandy might've been of some help but she's gone for
the summer. Maybe I can watch a movie about it, I'll have to check. Not now
though, because it's time to get ready for the lodge.

Going through my stupid closet all I see are
jeans and tees, or sweaters, nothing fancy, I never needed anything fancy to go
to the lodge before.
Way in the back I found this yellow dress that Mandy got me for my birthday, I
never wore it because it made me look like a canary. Bright yellow really, what
am I big bird?
Well I'm not driving myself crazy it's jeans and
..
.
something
and that's that.

Chief

Well...Miss. Priss came through the door
after their little talk, took one look at me and stuck her nose in the air.
Oh boy, I know what that means, doghouse, and not just any doghouse, this one
was made for a mastiff.
I gulped nervously, only heaven knows what she has in store for me, I know one
thing,
it
won't be good. She's been up in her room for
the past few hours, either trying to get ready for her pseudo first date, Lord
knows that could be a disaster of monumental proportions Carrie Bradshaw my
girl isn't or plotting my demise.
What, you don't think I saw S.I.T.C? I live in small town New York not outer
Crimea, the only person who hasn't seen it is my little gingersnap because
according to her it’s all sniveling tripe.
Anyway either she's up there trying to outfit herself, or she's building
something illegal that goes boom, for which I will be blamed because it's
always the parent's fault.

"Sam sweetheart it's almost time, you
ready?" Deathly silence, I looked at Don Juan de Mariner who just came
down the stairs decked out like he was headed to the Ritz.
"Son where the blazes are you going?" He looked around all kinds of
confused.
"I thought we were going to the lodge."
"The lodge yes, the lodge is old jeans and flannels son, not dress slacks
and button down shirts." I had to roll my eyes, I mean am I gonna have to
teach these two everything?
"Sorry chief but I didn't pack anything like that, maybe next time."
He had the nerve to clap me on the shoulder in what I believe was a
condescending
way ,
young people, they think they know
everything.
Speaking of which, time to give Naomi Campbell another nudge, yes I know, two
different ethnicities but the same personality if you get my drift.

"Sugar blossoms." That's my trick
for softening her up whenever she gets mad at me, not that it ever works, that
child hasn't been soft since the age of three.
A shoe or something, came flying down the stairs, I guess that was my cue to
leave well enough alone.
" This is all your fault." I fumed at big mouth beneath my breath.
"What's all my fault, what are you talking about?"
I had to whisper since I was in enough trouble already and if I wanted any
peace in the next decade I had to tread carefully.
"I told you not to involve me didn't I? Couldn't you tell the girl you
were interested without calling me into it? It's a real shame that you had to
sell out an old man to make your life easier. Now she's all kinds of ticked off
and who knows how long that will last, all I know is if she doesn't let me have
my cobbler tonight I'm taking it out of your hide."

GABE

We were bickering in low voices back and
forth when we heard her on the steps.
I think my boy stood up and did the happy dance, she looked amazing; she was
dressed in this yellows dress that came to her knees, it had thin straps and
belled out when she walked. The top had some kind of gathering that molded her
pert breast beautifully. Maybe she needed a shawl or something to cover up,
couldn't have other guys looking at her and who knew who was going to be at
this lodge.
The color did something to her light colored eyes, she'd left her hair free
flowing with just some sort of sparkly clip holding up one side.
"Wow, Sam, you look ...lovely." I wanted to cuff the chief as I saw
him rolling his eyes out the side of mine.
"Yeah, precious you look..."
"Shut it." Oops, she gave him the death glare, I guess he was right,
she was mad at him, though for the life of me I couldn't figure out why.
She came fully down the stairs and I took her hand in mine which made her
blush, which in turn made my dick hard. First chance I get I'm finding a
sporting goods store I needed a protective cup to hide my constant condition
around this girl. How was I suppose to get through tonight with her looking and
smelling like that? And that innocent air about her, man, I'm a goner for sure.
Charlie for some unknown reason tried to run me over with his chair on the way
to the door but I didn't spare him a second thought, I had eyes only for my
flower who looked ready to be plucked.

GABE

We took Charlie's truck to the lodge, I took
in the passing scenery for what it was worth pretty much just the same places
I’d seen on my walk but at least now unlike then I could actually concentrate
on what I was looking at. The town square revolved around the local courthouse
that for some reason reminded me of the Capitol building. People were out and
about most of them sitting in front of a little store front mom and pop type
ice cream parlor, maybe one day before I had to leave I’ll take Samantha there
for a cone.

When we arrived everyone in the place turned
to watch our entry, most of them were at least a hundred years old but there
were some younger people there as well.
I saw two blondes making a beeline for us and almost jumped out of my skin when
I felt Sam take my hand. Of course their eyes zeroed in on that telling action.
"Hi Sam." She was right, they simpered, it hadn’t taken me long to
figure out who they were and her show of possession made my chest swell, maybe
there was hope for me yet.
"Diana, Paula." By now she had a death grip on my arm but I'm not
complaining, the chief seems to be coming down with some sort of coughing fit
and I was about to ask if he was okay when my prickly pear kicked his chair
none too gently. I hope she didn't hurt
herself,
those
flat things on her feet didn't look like much protection.
Whatever, it put paid to his coughing
fit.

They were both looking at me as though
waiting for an introduction, when I realized Sam wasn't about to do the honors
I took matters in hand.
"Hello ladies, I'm Gabriel." I tried to shake hands but Sam made it
clear she was not letting go so it was a bit awkward.
Meanwhile the chief is rolling his eyes all over his head like he's having a
seizure, what was with him? I can't say I didn't like Sam's little show of
being territorial. It was funny and sweet at the same time. She just never
ceased to amaze me, her social graces were missing altogether but that didn't
seem to matter to me, she was unique.
"We're going to eat now and don't you two find excuses to come hobnobbing
over there we'll be stuffing our faces and won't have time for small talk, see
ya." With that Lady Di steered us towards their usual table in the dining
hall. She left those two poor girls standing there red faced, I didn't know if
I should laugh or scold her.
The chief as usual was rolling his eyes at us.

"Miss. Priss you take the cake, you
really do, it's a wonder I can hold my head up in this town with a harridan
like you for a daughter."
There didn't seem to be any heat to his words and she didn't seem to take
offense other than to give him another death glare before declaring, "Shut
it, before I tell Sheila your sugar's too high this week."
"Now why you wanna go and do some fool thing like that? You know she's
worse than you...I mean, come on now my little bluebell you don't have to do
that, I'll behave, you know how I look forward to the cobbler here." He
gave her an innocent smile and I snorted, yeah like that was going to work.
He hung his head and apologized or at least he tried to.
"I'm sorry for calling you a
harridan,
you're the
best daughter in the whole world, a real gem, a princess among women.
Maybe it would've worked if he hadn't been rolling his eyes the whole time he
was spewing that drivel and I knew if I could see it so could flower, so in the
end all he got for his effort was a "Shut it." and then she put the
menu up to her face.
I'm thinking I might need to take the chief to the eye specialist and get him
checked out, it can't be healthy to roll your eyes in that way as often as he
did. Interesting as always.

GABE

"So what's good here Samantha?" She
still had ahold of my arm and I wondered if she realized she still did until I
noticed her staring daggers at someone or something across the room.
When I followed her glare I found Diana and Paula on the receiving end, with
their heads together, whispering as their eyes remained glued to yours truly.
Uh oh, my girl was not a happy camper.
"Sam would you unhand the poor man? He's not gonna run away, no need to
get all clingy already."
She ignored him and kept her eyes pealed on her quarry. I had a hard time
stifling my humor, who knew my little hellcat would be so territorial? I love
it, since I felt pretty much the same way. She'd hooked me with one damn look
wait until Jon heard about
this,
he'll laugh his ass
off.

When she finally relaxed her grip I took that
to mean the stare down was over, so I repeated my question.
"So what's good here?" I took her hand under the table, which made
her draw in her breath, which in turn alerted the chief that something was up,
which he soon figured out because his daughter was blushing like a ripe cherry
tomato. I rubbed my finger over her palm and acted as though it was the most
natural thing in the world. She finally relaxed enough to answer my question.
"You'll have to ask the carnivore, I only ever get the vegetable lasagna
or the mushroom ravioli.” She pointed at the chief who muttered something about
rabbit food under his breath.
"And for your information pop, not that I'm talking to you, but for the
sake of clarification..."
"Ooh, big words." He wriggled his eyebrows at her to which she
snarled.
"The reason I was holding onto him is because if either one of those
nitwits get their hooks into him the poor man would suffer a fate worse than
death."

I was pretty sure that wasn't it but I held
my tongue; I guess the chief felt the same way because he just huffed and
looked at his menu.
"The prime rib's the way to go son...I don't want to hear a peep out of
you Dame
Goodall
, I like meat, most red blooded men
do, I can't survive on grass and grains, I'm neither a cow, sheep nor goat.
"Are you calling me a goat?"
I thought it prudent to diffuse the situation before it became violent, so as
the chief opened his mouth to reply I cut him off.
"What about fish?"
"Fish is fine, I like fish." She squeezed my hand.
"Fish is fine I like fish." He actually mocked her I guess he has a
death wish. Sparks were coming out of her eyes, until the waitress came over
with a jovial smile.

"Well hello Holders, and guest."
"Sheila this is Gabriel, Gabriel Sheila. The introductions were made and
we shook hands. I saw my girl smile a real genuine smile for perhaps the first
time since we met except for when that Brandon kid came over, I didn't like
that one bit.
"How's it going Sam, this one being good? She tapped the chief who was
unusually quiet on his shoulder. He was suddenly looking very uncomfortable.
"I wish Sheila, but you know how it is, he hasn't been taking his meds
again, threw everything off and you know what doc said, when that happens we
have to watch his food intake, so definitely no red meat, no sweets of any
kind, and absolutely no caffeine." She shook her head, sober as a judge.
Had I not known better I would've believed
her.
The poor waitress was hanging on her every word, meanwhile, the chief beginning
to look bilious, I don't think even Sam turned that shade when she blushed.

"Oh and no salt, for at least a week, so
if he shows up here without me you be sure and see that he eats right. We want
him with us for a long, long time."
He started sputtering all over his face, but neither female paid him the least
bit of attention. I kept my trap shut in fear that she'd spoil my dinner as
well. Though I was going to have the prime rib. I couldn't have Samantha
starting out on the wrong foot thinking she could dictate to me.

I ordered my meat with a fully loaded potato
and ignored the rumblings coming from Sam.
When Sheila told Charlie she had just the thing for him I thought he was going
to cry. He looked like a little lost puppy.
Samantha meanwhile was beaming from ear to ear as happy as could be. What was I
getting myself into? I did see a little of my old friend in her though, but she
was her own unique brand of...something. Our kids were sure going to be
something.
Say what now? Better leave that alone for now.

When Sheila brought out our food Sam
literally bounced in her seat and clapped, at first I thought she was really
excited about her vegetable lasagna, until the waitress placed a plate of
steamed veggies in front of the chief, I kid you not, I think he whimpered.
There had to be every green vegetable known to man on his plate. Broccoli,
spinach, kale I think I even saw some zucchini on there for good measure. I
would've laughed if it wasn't so mean. Then again he knew the risk, should've
kept his mouth shut.
Of course he tried to get me in trouble by eyeing my plate, but my tiger lily
had that covered.
"Try it mister and this will be our one and only date."
Needless to say the chief was
on his own
.