I blinked, taking in her words. Pressure? I was raised on pressure. In fact, I was so used to shouldering the pressures and burdens for everyone else, her declaration nearly offended me. She had no business carrying her problems alone!This child is basically my mini-me.
She stuffed her hands in her pockets. Fidgeting. “Annnnnd…”
I knew there was more to the story.
“This contest is citywide, sponsored by Robin Creek. I didn’t want any speculation from Mrs. Maine or anyone else that I had special favors because I’m associated with someone who works for the city. I think it would be better if you didn’t come at all.”
I frowned, my heart sinking a little. “That’s silly. Who would think something like that?”
“Ummm…Mrs. Maine,” Gabriella said. “She’s been talking to people about me. She asked at my job—well, my old job—to see if I’m undocumented. She’s looking for a way to disqualify me from entry. Totally desperate.”
A hot wave of anger surged through me.How dare she?The thought of someone like Mrs. Maine prying into Gabriella’s life like that made my fists clench involuntarily. “That’s because she knows you’re gonna beat her one day,” I hissed.
Gabriella shrugged. “Anyway, I didn’t want you to get caught up in all of that, especially after everything you’ve already done for me. You have enough troubles of your own to—”
I held up a hand to stop her. “Gabriella, enough. My troubles are your troubles, and your troubles are my troubles. We’re family now.”
Gabriella smiled weakly. “I know. I just don’t want Mrs. Maine or anyone else thinking I’m where I am because of anything other than my cooking.”
Her words hit me hard, and I nodded, understanding more than I wanted to. “I get that. But you don’t have to hide things from me to protect me. Come. Sit down.”
We settled next to each other on the couch. As I looked at her, something stirred inside me. I wasn’t just seeing Gabriella as my tenant anymore; I was seeing her as someone I truly cared for, someone I wanted to protect and guide—not unlike my own daughter, but with a different kind of bond. This young woman, with all her talents and dreams, had somehow slipped into my life and found a place in my heart, not as a responsibility, but as family.
As I formulated thoughts, I realized the speech I was about to give Gabriella was one that I also needed to hear. We were so similar in how we interacted with others, it was almost scary. And I could see that people-pleasing spirit in her, the same as it had been in me. I never liked Lorenzo, but the truth of the matter was that he broke up with her when it should have been the opposite, a long time ago.
“Listen, Gabriella. I know we’ve had some conversations about my ex-husband. About my daughter. And Lorenzo.” I paused, carefully measuring my words. “You know, all of us—me, you—we’ve been so busy protecting everyone else’s feelings that we’ve forgotten our own. I see it in you, that same urge to shield everyone from discomfort, to keep the peace.”
Gabriella looked down, picking at her nails. “I don’t want to hurt people. And I don’t want to be a burden.”
“I get that. But trying to protect everyone else’s feelings at the expense of your own… It’s not fair to you. I spent years doing that. Years trying to keep everything together—trying to make Eric happy, Terri happy, all the people we needed to impress. I thought it was my job to keep the family afloat, but all it did was drown me.” I sighed. “And you? You deserve better than that, Gabriella.”
She glanced at me, her eyes glistening. “But I feel like if I don’t, I’ll lose people.”
I leaned forward, turning toward her. “The best, strongest relationships are the ones where people can be honest—where they can share what they really feel and know that the other person will still stand with them, no matter what. That’s what I’m learning, and that’s what you’re teaching me, Gabriella.”
Her eyes widened slightly. “Me? Teaching you?”
I nodded. “Yes. You’ve been showing me what it looks like to stand up for yourself, to follow your dreams even when it’s hard.”
Gabriella’s lip trembled for a second, but she quickly composed herself.
I reached for her hand. “You’re stronger than you think. And if we’re going to be in each other’s lives, we need to be able to tell each other the truth. That’s how we build the kind of relationships—friendships—that last.”
She wiped a tear from her eyes. “I’ve moved around so much in my life. The last time I had a semi-friend was in high school. Marcia. We were best friends from ninth grade until our junior year.”
“What happened?”
“Her boyfriend tried to kiss me. And I told her. But instead of getting mad at him, she got mad at me,” Gabriella said with a tiny whimper. “I texted her, inboxed her, but she just… It’s likeshe didn’t want to lose what she thought she had with him. They stayed together. Went to homecoming and prom together. The whole time I was thinking I should have kept it to myself. Then I’d have a friend.”
“Oh, Gabriella. I’m so sorry Marcia chose him over you.”
“I saw them on the ‘gram. They’re married now,” she said. “So they were destined to be together, I guess.”
I laughed. “Honey, just ’cause they’re married don’t mean the drama has ended.”
Gabriella tilted her head onto my shoulder. “I hope she’s happy, though. I really do.”
“I do, too. Who knows? Maybe they both matured. But you did the right thing, Gabriella. You’re honest. You told her what happened. Maybe she was embarrassed, or she wasn’t secure enough to walk away. The choice Marcia made was hers; it’s not a reflection of whether you were a good friend. I happen to think you’re an amazing friend. I mean, you’ve talked me into making more friends. How about that?”
