Chapter Four
Gabby's Mercedes purred down the quiet street of her youth. Everything looked familiar. All the bushes were trimmed. The tulips were awake and plump. Expensive cars lined the driveways. It was upper-class finest at its chicest.
"Are we the lamest ever for missing spring break of our senior year?" Gabby turned to her best friend, Diniece who sat next to her with her brown head buried in a law book.
"What? I'm working," said Diniece "I'm trying to build a better future for myself at my internship. You're the one that has schoolwork to do. How did you even get three teachers to give you extensions all the way from winter quarter?"
Gabby shrugged as she made a right turn. She'd never had problems getting people to do what she wanted them to do. Not since she was a kid. Everyone seemed to bend to her will. Except one person.
Her car pulled closer to her home. Across the street was the Obademi residence with its brick front and wrought-iron gate. The gate was shut, but Gabby knew another way in. Even though the Obademi and Hernandez houses were on opposite sides of the street, they were at the end of the lot and shared property around the back.
It didn't matter that she had access. He wasn't there. He was never there. He hadn't come back home since "the incident" three years ago. Three years with little to no contact. He seemed to instinctively know her schedule. And any time she was home, he conveniently was not.
That was going to change. Once she passed these classes and had her degree in hand, she was moving to D.C. She was all but guaranteed a seat in the national orchestra as a cellist. If they were in the same city, Prince could no longer run from her.
But first she had to actually graduate college. So, no spring break for her. She would be following her best friend's model and burying her head in her unopened school books for the next week.
Gabby pulled into her parents' driveway. There were no cars at her home either. Her father was likely at work. As a United States attorney, he often worked long hours, but he'd always made certain to make his presence felt at home when his children were younger. Her mother was just as busy with her charity work and her role as a sought-after socialite.
Gabby and Diniece would need to entertain themselves for a couple hours until dinner. They got out of the car and rounded to the trunk. Diniece pulled out her suitcase. Gabby did the same. Her report card, which had been stuffed into an unzipped pocket, fell out of her backpack. Diniece picked it up.
"Girl, I don't see how you're gonna change these D's to anything higher in the alphabet in just a week."
Gabby grabbed the foul report back. "You let me worry about that."
Diniece looked across the street as a car pulled up. The gates to the Obademi residence opened, and the car pulled in.
"Is that Judge Obademi?" Diniece asked.
Gabby groaned inwardly. Judge Abeni Obademi had never liked her. She was always kind. But Gabby knew that she wasn't Prince's mom's favorite person. Even though she was everybody else's favorite.
Judge Obademi opened her car door and waved to them. Gabby smiled and waved back. Thinking that was the extent of their interaction, she set her feet to turn and go into her house. But she startled when Judge Obademi moved steadily toward them in her heels and pants suit. Gabby blinked and set her feet in motion into the street. They met each other halfway in the road.
"Hello Ms. Jordan," said the judge extending her hand to Diniece. "It's good to see you again."
Of course, Gabby thought. The judge would be more interested in her friend who was studying criminal justice than she was in the girl who'd lived next door to her her whole life. Diniece was staying with Gabby's family over spring break because she was working with Gabby's father as part of her internship.
"Your Honor, it's good to see you, as well," said Diniece. "While I'm working with Mr. Hernandez I'd love the opportunity to come and talk with you, pick your brain, get any career advice, if you have any time at all."
"Of course," said the judge. "You just call my office and I'll have them set something up."
Mrs. Obademi turned to Gabby as though she just realized she were there. "And how are you, Gabrielleia?"
Gabby's hands fluttered, wondering if she should extend her hand or offer her long-time neighbor a hug. If it had been Mr. Obademi, she'd already be swept up into a bear hug. If it was one of her sons, Gabby would be squeezing the life out of them. But she never quite knew how to act around the matriarch of the Obademi family. So her hands fluttered. And out spilled the report card.
Judge Obademi reached down to pick the paper up before Gabby could react. Gabby knew the woman was used to seeing the straight edged letter A's on her sons' report cards. Her hazel eyes looked at the abundance of fat, rounded letters on Gabby's report with disdain. She handed the paper back to Gabby as though it were poison.
"That's just a progress report," said Gabby. "It doesn't take into account some late work."
Oh that's great Gabby, tell her you aren't turning in your work on time too. But that was better than the truth. Which was that she wasn't turning in her work at all.
It wasn't as though Gabby was a party animal. She just hated school. Had always hated school. She didn't see the point of school.
Since before the time she could talk, she knew exactly what she wanted to do with her life. She wanted to be Mrs. Yohaness Obademi. She didn't need to go to school for that. She'd already learned everything she needed to know about Prince. What he liked to eat. How to make him smile. What his favorite everything was. She knew everything; except how to get him to stand still and realize his love for her.
"Are you home for a minute before you go off to the beach?" asked the judge.
"I'm not going to the beach. I'm staying home and doing some extra credit work," Gabby stuttered. "In fact, I've been invited to perform at the governor's mansion tomorrow night."
The judge grimaced.
That may not have been the right thing to say. The new governor was not favored in some circles. Gabby knew that. She caught many of the telecasts were he said outrageous things about minorities, women, and immigrants. She was not a fan either. But classical music knew no politics. The governor's dinner and playing there was an honor; one that would seal her position in the National Orchestra.
"Well, it's nice to have all the kids home for a change," said the judge.
Gabby's ears perked up like a hunting dog spotting prey. "All the kids?"
"Yes, Yohaness is in town. But I'm sure you knew that. You were always chasing him around like a little puppy."
Diniece snickered. Her friend knew better than anybody her preoccupation with Prince. Diniece had dragged Gabby out enough times over the last three years only to watch her reject man after man that didn't live up to her perfect Prince.
Gabby didn't respond to the judge's quip. She held her tongue until she could learn where Prince was at this very second.
"It's a shame about Chris' accident," said the judge. "Thank goodness he's going to make a full recovery. I wish my youngest would give up that infernal racing."
Gabby had not heard about her brother's friend's accident. She knew Crow well. He had been a fixture at her house when her brother was younger.
"Yohaness is investigating the case as part of his role at the FBI's Civil Rights Division," said the judge. "There may be a hate crime element."
Gabby nodded, taking in every tidbit of information. "So, he's investigating. So, he's probably talking to Christopher at my brother's place?"
Mrs. Obademi shook her head. "No, dear. Christopher was in an accident." She spoke slowly, enunciating her words as though speaking to a child. "He hasn't been released from the hospital yet. I believe that's where all the boys are."
Gabby nodded her head vigorously, ignoring yet another quip. "Oh, right. I forgot. Well, it was really nice talking to you Mrs. O. I hope you'll come over for dinner while I'm here."
The moment the judge walked away, Gabby returned her attention to her best friend.
"Gabby…" Diniece began in a warning tone. But then she just shook her head in defeat. She knew that once Gabby made up her mind, there was no changing it.
"You have to drop me at the hospital," Gabby said.
"What about your homework and raising your grades?"
But Gabby was already yanking her luggage up the front stoop. "I'm gonna have to change first."