Page 26 of Redemption
“No, Gabriel,” I said firmly. “I can’t be a part of this. I don’t want the raise or the bonus.”
With that, I stood up from the booth. His hand reached out for mine, but I pulled away before his strong grip could stop me.
"Sophia," he said as I turned to leave, his voice steady but laced with concern.
I paused before glancing over my shoulder at him. His gaze held mine, a silent plea in his eyes. He opened his mouth to speak again, but I didn’t let him. "Gabriel, this... this is a lot to take in. I need some time. A lot of time." I could see the hurt and disbelief in his eyes. He had always been so sure of himself, so confident. But now, he just looked confused and betrayed. I turned on my heel and left him there, alone in the dining room full of strangers. I looked back as the door closed behind me. The waitress was placing two plates of fish down on the table as he stared at the narrow drink menu.
Gabriel
The vaulted ceilings and large rooms made my new beach house feel like home, not that I missed home. I was just glad I didn't have to crawl back onto a shitty air mattress after what happened with Sophia a few days ago. I hadn’t seen or heard from her in three days now, she had called in sick each day since I told her the truth like she asked. It was obviously a bullshit lie to avoid me, but today was the day I was supposed to meet her at the art gallery.
From my kitchen window, I had an unobstructed view of the beach. The early surfers were already out. I sipped my coffee thoughtfully as I watched their silhouettes against the backdrop of the rising sun. I pulled open the glass patio door and stepped out into the warm, humid air. The sun on my naked body, coffee, and a cigarette in hand—God, it was the perfect day. I took a drag from my cigarette and watched the pure white smoke curl up into the salty sea breeze. Today felt different. She would call, asking where I was and why I wasn't at the gallery.
My phone chimed from inside, piercing the serene sounds of morning waves and distant seagulls. I flicked the cigarette off the patio with a smile before returning inside. My bare feet paddedon the cold marble floor as I made my way to the living room and grabbed my phone.
“Your movers have arrived. Thank you for using Island Moving Company.”
It wasn't Sophia, but still, it was only a matter of time. The doorbell echoed through the cavernous rooms, drowning out the silence. After putting on some clothes, I flung open the front door and took in the lanky appearance of two guys.
“Sup, I'm Cody,” the taller one said, his voice uncomfortably hoarse. His shirt, faded and stained, hung loosely around his gaunt frame. The other one looked equally filthy.
“What do you two junkies want?” I asked.
Cody itched his shaved head while his eyes darted around nervously. “We’re your movers.”
“Really?” I said, incredulous.
The other one wiped his nose while staring at me with unnaturally dilated pupils.
“You're Gabriel's, right? I'm Matt.” He reached out with a pale, bony hand.
I felt like I was looking at a stain on a shirt I couldn’t explain, except these two stains were on reality. “It's Gabriel, not Gabriel's. Have you ever heard of someone named Gabriel's?”
A nest of unruly black hair fell into his eyes as he lowered his hand.
“Couldn’t say I haven’t.”
I had thought about canceling the furniture I ordered and planned to send the refund to a new account once I made one with a local bank. I didn’t need the money now, but looking at these two made me wish I followed through on that plan.
“So, you two are my movers?” I asked.
“Yes, sir, and we are ready to work,” Matt said with too much energy.
I leaned against the door frame and ran a hand down my face. “Got some heavy lifting for you this morning. Better get to it.” I waved them away.
I watched as they shuffled down the patio stairs, their flip-flops pattering with each step. Cody moved with nervous energy, the thin muscles in his arms twitching as he reached into the truck and pulled out the first box. Matt was slower but somehow able to lift five times his weight. They began bringing boxes and small furniture inside, and by the third trip up, they looked exhausted. They both moved slowly now as they disappeared inside the truck.
A few minutes later, Cody reappeared, tugging wildly at a large black floor vase wrapped in bubble wrap. I knew its fate before he shimmied it off the bed of the truck. With the full weight of the vase relying on his thin arms, it slid out of his hands and shattered on the ground.
I bolted down the stairs. “Jesus Christ! Ready to work, my ass!” I shouted. An elderly woman tending to her flowers looked up at me with a quivering chin and wide eyes. The horrified expression on her face revealed her unfortunate misunderstanding in my poor choice of words. I flashed her a smile, which had no effect.
I turned my attention back to the two idiots, and they took a step back. Cody’s mouth moved like he was trying to find words, but nothing came out. Through gritted teeth, I pointed at the shattered remains of a vase I didn’t remember ordering. “Clean every last shard of this shit up.” Without a word, they fell to their knees, scooping up the ceramic shards without thinking about what they would do with them. I grabbed the blue trashcan next to my garage and flung it in their direction. Whatever substance they were on inspired them to move at breakneck speed. Or maybe it was fear. Cody gave a meaningful look to Matt as they each scooped up a final handful. They were communicatingsilently, the way brothers do. A memory flashed in my mind of Damien and me at their age when we were always fucking up and dealing with the consequences. I shook my head at my own sentimentality.
“Be careful with the rest of it, alright?” I said. They both nodded without looking at me. I walked up the stairs and sat down on the cool marble floor inside, watching the front door sway in the breeze. A quick glance at my phone told me what I already knew: Sophia still hadn’t reached out. I had no choice but to wait. Calling her before she could make up her mind would only make her more hesitant to consider things logically. She would retreat if I forced her to face the issue. I stood up and grabbed a beer from the counter, shaking my head as I cracked it open. Those two idiots had me drinking before noon. I finished it quickly and grabbed another. There really should be a way to see who your movers are before you hire them.
I tried to enjoy the warm beer, but the sound of flip-flops slapping the stairs drew my attention back to the open door. The two worthless movers stood there, empty-handed. I watched them with a blank expression. They didn't say anything; they just stood there, sheepishly staring back at me.
“What?” I said before finishing the second beer.
