Chapter 29

"So what's going on with David? He never asks us to go over," Alex Lambert asked his wife.

Eva poured him a cup of coffee and joined him at the dinner table. "I don't know what he wants. He sounded pretty serious though.

Alex sipped his coffee. "I just hope he isn't in any type of trouble."

"I don't think he is but it must be important."

"Fine I'll be there. I'll try to get out of work earlier so I can shower and get dressed on time."

Eva watched her husband gather his briefcase and grab his car keys. He walked over to kiss her good-bye softly on her lips. "Well I'm off to work. I will see you tonight."

"Bye hun," Eva said softly as he walked out the house.

Her house was quiet once again. She missed David living there. She missed so many things that had now changed.

"Becca sounded scared?" Ron echoed Sonia as he hurried eating his small breakfast.

"Yes she did. I'm worried about her. I mean she hardly comes around anymore. I hope it's nothing serious."

Ron scoffed. "Well she's not hanging with that Wilkinson girl, so she is probably OK."

"I know Amber and Becca don't talk anymore and she never really told me why."

"Ah they probably got mad at each other over some guy. I'm sure you and Eva used to do that right?"

Sonia laughed. "Yeah a few times."

Ron stood up. "Well I have to get going. I've got three faculty meetings that I have to attend and they are all before noon."

"Ok sweetheart, just be sure to be home early tonight. Becca and David will be expecting us."

"I will be here early. I love you." He kissed his wife goodbye and headed off. Neither of them knew what the day had in store for them.

Gabriel was busy changing out the oil on a car, when he looked up and saw Neil and Jeff standing by the front door. He nervously grabbed a towel and cleaned his hands. He walked over to the front door hoping they were only there to get a car fixed or for an oil change.

"Hey buddy I see you're really trying to impress blondie eh?" Neil said laughing.

Gabriel sighed. "What do you all want?"

Jeff narrowed his eyes at him. "You need to come back and work for us."

Gabriel nodded. "No way. I told you I'm done with all that."

Neil laughed again. "No you don't seem to understand do you?"

"Once you're in, you're in. You get it?" Jeff interfered.

"We are telling you for your own good to come back to the business with us. Trust us," Neil continued.

Gabriel frowned. "Trust you? Oh yeah right. Now if you two aren't here to get a car fixed, then I suggest you leave."

Jeff and Neil eyed each other suspiciously. "Fine. We're going but this isn't over."

Gabriel watched the two men leave. He wished he had never gotten involved with selling drugs. Now he had to keep coming across the two men and hoping they would stop harassing him. He had a new life now, yet the two men wouldn't let him forget the way he used to live before.

Rebecca paced the room back and forth that evening. It was almost seven and yet neither her nor David's parents had arrived. David was opening a bottle of red wine and noticed his cousin looking nervous. He put the bottle down and put his arms around her.

"We're going to be OK Rebecca." His words were so comforting.

Rebecca felt her stomach in knots. "I hope so. David I'm just so scared. I don't know what to expect."

"Well we aren't going to see smiles that's for sure."

Rebecca laughed weakly. They both turned almost startled when they heard a knock at the door. Rebecca took a deep breath. "I'll get that."

Rebecca saw her mother and father standing at the door. It'd been over a week since she'd seen her father. "Becca! Hi sweetie," Sonia said cheerfully giving her daughter a hug.

"Hey Mom, hey Dad," Rebecca said softly turning to give her father a hug now.

"Well how is my beautiful daughter? You don't come visit me at my office like you used to," Ron said sternly.

"I'm sorry daddy, I've just had a lot on my mind. Come on in please."

Ron and Sonia walked in and saw David. David went to greet his uncle and aunt with a hug. "David, I hope you've been taking care of Becca, she hardly comes to see us anymore," Ron told his nephew.

David glanced at Rebecca who looked so nervous. "I do take care of her. Believe me she's doing really well in school and I make sure she does all of her work." David winked at Rebecca making her smile.

"Well I'm glad hun. I just miss my baby," Sonia said giving Rebecca a kiss on the cheek.

"Oh mom, your too much. Now both of you please have a seat. I'll get you some wine."

Rebecca moved on to the kitchen and David followed. She grabbed two wine glasses and began to pour the wine. She was so nervous that some wine spilled on the counter.

"Calm down baby, it's OK," David comforted her.

"How can you say that? We are about to tell our parents that we are lovers! David this is going to be so hard!" Rebecca whispered.

"Would you rather keep living a lie?"

"No of course not. It's just... I'm..."

"I know your scared just like me."

"Yeah but we do have to do this. Let me go take them some wine hopefully that'll calm them down for the news they are going to hear."

David nodded and watched her go take Ron and Sonia their wine.

A few minutes later, Alex and Eva arrived. David greeted his parents. They both looked very happy and David could feel his heart pounding. He knew they wouldn't be accepting, what parent would?

After drinking some wine, and a simple dinner that Rebecca and David cooked together the six of them sat in the living room talking about work, school and everything else. Rebecca waited impatiently for the "right" moment to speak out. She was so frightened and knew that David would eventually say something first. He was stronger than she was.

"So you are not seeing that Wilkinson girl anymore huh David?" Ron asked his nephew.

"No. We broke up a long time ago Uncle Ron."

Ron laughed. "Well see, you don't come visit how am I supposed to know about what's going on with you?"

David shrugged and smiled weakly. "I know I'm sorry."

"Last I heard David had a small crush on a girl named Callie if I recall," Sonia added.

"No Callie is old news too mom," Rebecca blurted out.

"Hmm it's not good to be alone David," Sonia said.

"I know it's not," David replied quietly.

Eva giggled. "My son is a charmer. I think he could get almost any girl he desired."

"Well I only desire one," David said.

Alex raised a brow. "Oh? And now who's the lucky girl?"

David took a deep breath and grabbed Rebecca's hand holding it in his. "She is. Rebecca is my girl."

Alex laughed but then realized his son was not joking. "What?"

Eva and Sonia gasped and Ron stood up. "You have to be joking David. Rebecca is your cousin!"

David held Rebecca's hand tighter. "Well it's true. I love Rebecca and I want to be with her for the rest of my life."

Alex stood up as well to hold his brother back. Ron looked as if he was about to take a punch at David. "Why are you holding me back? Your son took advantage of my daughter! He should be ashamed of himself and so should you!" He screamed at his brother.

"Ron it takes two to tango so you better watch what you say about my son!"

Rebecca felt tears gliding down her face. "Stop it! Please!" She begged.

"Young lady you need to come home with us now!" Sonia said firmly.

"No! I'm not going home! Don't you see what we are trying to tell you? I love David and he loves me! I refuse to go home!" Rebecca cried.

Eva was furious, just too shocked to speak out. She slowly got up and put her hand on Alex's arm. "Honey let's go home. I think maybe they just need to really think about all of this. Maybe it's just some kind of... phase."

"It's not a phase mom. I'm in love with Rebecca," David insisted.

"I ought to kill you!" Ron shouted trying to hit his nephew.

"Stop it daddy. Please don't say things you don't mean," Rebecca sobbed.

Ron calmed down and moved away from David and Rebecca. Alex didn't have to hold him back anymore. He narrowed his eyes at his daughter. Rebecca looked her father straight in the eye. "Young lady, you are no longer my daughter," He said and rushed out the door.

Rebecca began to cry more and Sonia looked as if she wanted to hold her daughter but then ran to catch up to her husband.

Eva and Alex remained but were silent. "Mom? Dad?" David asked trying to get some kind of respond from his parents.

Alex spoke first. "You two don't know how hard this was for all of us to hear. I hope you two have really considered the consequences you will face being... lovers."

"We have Dad. We've considered everything and realize we want to be with each other no matter what. We love each other. Dad? Do you hate me?" David asked cautiously.

"No I could never hate you. You're my son and I will always love you no matter what. Becca, that goes for you too."

Rebecca wiped her tears and David put his arms around her. "Thank you both. We really appreciate it," Rebecca said softly.

"Well we are going home now, and hopefully Ron and Sonia can calm down," Alex said.

"Thank you."

"Goodnight." Then Alex and Eva left.

David held Rebecca in his arms and she finished crying. "We did it babe. They know about us. You'll see, they will have to accept us."

"I hope your right David. I hate the fact that my father practically disowned me tonight but I want to be with you more than anything."

"We will be together baby. I promise." David only hoped for the best.

Ron and Sonia drove home in silence. Sonia put her hand over her husbands and could feel his pulse racing. Ron looked straight out to the road. She could see tears beginning to swell in his eyes.

"Ron? Honey?" She finally asked after a long silence.

"I can't believe them. Who do they think they are to think that we'd be ok with this? Where did I go wrong in raising my daughter?"

"You didn't go wrong. Rebecca has a mind of her own. We brought her up right and I know Eva and Alex brought David up right-"