Chapter 34

Chapter 34
As Gabriel led Joslyn to the rooftop restaurant, the cool night air mingled with the warm glow of the candles, creating a serene atmosphere around them. The city skyline spread out before them like a glittering tapestry, and Joslyn's soft gasp of wonder at the view made Gabriel's heart swell with satisfaction. They settled into their seats, and a waiter approached with a courteous smile.

“Good evening, sir and ma'am. Welcome to the Lumière Nord,” the waiter greeted them. “May I start you off on some appetizers? Our specials for the night are the fig and prosciutto prostini, the honey-glazed pork belly, and the pear and gorgonzola tart.”

Gabriel turned to Joslyn for her own choice, then back to the waiter. “The pear and gorgonzola tart sounds perfect,” he responded, and Joslyn nodded in agreement.

“Excellent choice,” the waiter replied, jotting it down in his notepad. “And for the main course, what would you like to order?”

Gabriel leaned back slightly, considering his options as he glanced through the menu. “I think I'll have the grilled filet mignon,” he decided.

“And I'll have the same,” Joslyn chimed in with a smile.

The waiter noted their choices. "Very well. We'll bring your appetizer shortly while you wait for your main course. What would you like to drink with your meal?"

"Red wine, please," Gabriel and Joslyn said almost simultaneously, sharing a small laugh at their synchrony.

The waiter smiled politely. "Very good. I'll be back with your appetizer shortly."

As the waiter left, Gabriel turned his attention back to Joslyn, a warm smile on his face. "You really do look stunning tonight," he said, unable to help himself. The words slipped out like a confession, raw and honest.

Joslyn blushed, a shy smile playing on her lips. "Thank you," she replied, her eyes meeting his briefly before turning to take in the view. "This place is amazing. I never knew there was a spot like this in the city."

Gabriel nodded, taking a sip of his wine. "Yeah, it's one of my favourite hidden places," he admitted, his gaze lingering on Joslyn. "I thought it would be the perfect place for us to have some time together."

Gabriel looked across the table at Joslyn, the soft candlelight reflecting in his blue-green eyes. He took a deep breath, a smile playing on his lips. "So, I know I've been pursuing you for years now, but I practically still don't know anything about you, except that I want you to be mine. Gullible, I know."

Joslyn laughed, a blush creeping up her cheeks. "Well, here I am," she teased, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "What do you want to know?"

Gabriel leaned in, his expression becoming more serious. "For starters, I've met your dad and your brother, but I haven't met your mum or any other siblings, if you have any."

Joslyn's smile faltered slightly, and she let out a dry laugh that didn't quite reach her eyes. "I don't have any other siblings, and as for my mum," she said, her voice tinged with a hint of bitterness, "way to jump right to the heavy stuff."

Gabriel's face softened with concern. "You don't have to tell me anything if you don't want to," he said gently. "I don't want to push you."

Joslyn shook her head, taking a deep breath. "No, it's okay. You've been a part of my life for so long, and you've seen so much. You deserve to know."

Gabriel watched Joslyn carefully as she gathered her thoughts, his hand reaching across the table to rest near hers—an offering of silent support.

"My mum passed away," she began softly. "She had glioblastoma, a type of brain cancer. It was a long and painful journey for her... for all of us."

His eyes widened slightly, and he reached across the table to gently squeeze her hand. "I'm so sorry, Joslyn. That must have been incredibly difficult."

She nodded, a pained expression crossing her face. "When we first met, my mom was just starting to feel sick. She was diagnosed about a month after that night. It was... devastating. She tried chemo at first, but eventually, she decided it wasn't worth spending her remaining time in the hospital. She wanted to be with us, her family."

Joslyn paused as the waiter arrived with their appetizer, setting the plate of Pear and Gorgonzola Tart in front of them silently. They nodded their thanks, and he left them alone again, the moment of interruption giving Joslyn a brief respite.

"She deteriorated quickly," Joslyn continued after a moment, her voice steadier now. "We watched her health decline, and there was nothing we could do. A month before she passed, she couldn't walk anymore. We tried to get her back on chemo, but it was too late. The tumour had spread to her spinal cord."

Gabriel's heart ached for her, a visceral pain that tightened in his chest. "You went through all of this on your own?"

Joslyn shook her head. "I had my dad and my brother, but it was hard. After she died, my brother went back to the military to cope with the pain. A few months later, he went missing in action."

Gabriel's eyes softened with understanding. "I remember you seemed different when we met again about a year ago. I had no idea you were going through so much."

Joslyn sighed, the sound heavy with exhaustion. "I was trying to find my brother. We looked for him for months, and when we finally did, he was in a coma. He's been in that state for six months now. And it doesn't help now that my dad is acting distant and not involving himself in our lives anymore. It feels like I've lost both my parents."

Gabriel squeezed her hand again, his heart heavy with empathy. "You've been incredibly strong through all of this, Joslyn."

She managed a small smile, appreciating his support. "Thank you, Gabriel. It means a lot to hear that."

Gabriel squeezed Joslyn's hand again, feeling a deep connection to her struggles. The weight of her words settled between them, but instead of pushing them apart, it drew them closer.

Joslyn broke the silence first, picking up a piece of the tart. "This is actually really good," she said, trying to lighten the mood. "I think I'm ready for the main meal now. In other words, I'm hungry."

Gabriel chuckled, grateful for the shift in conversation. "I agree, it's delicious. I'm looking forward to the filet mignon."

He glanced at Joslyn curiously. "So, if you could go anywhere, where would it be?"

Joslyn's eyes twinkled with amusement. "I've actually been pretty much everywhere, Gabriel. Being a flight attendant has its perks. I've seen a lot of the world."

Gabriel chuckled. "Right, I forgot about that. So, where would you still like to go, if you had the chance?"

Joslyn thought for a moment, her gaze drifting to the city lights beyond. “I'd love to visit France. You know, not the actual France, but a place in the country—Bora Bora, especially. The beaches, the overwater bungalows, the lagoons, it all just seems like the perfect escape from reality.”

Gabriel raised an eyebrow. “I've heard Bora Bora is beautiful. It sounds like a dream.”

Joslyn nodded enthusiastically. “Exactly. It'd be an amazing place to just unwind and be away from everything. What about you though? If you could go anywhere, where would it be?”

Gabriel grinned, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “I think I'd like to go to Bora Bora. Sounds like a fantastic place.”

They both laughed, the tension from earlier dissolving into the easy flow of conversation. Just then, the waiter arrived with their main course, setting down the perfectly cooked filet mignon in front of them. Gabriel and Joslyn thanked him as he left.

As they turned back to each other, Gabriel leaned in slightly, a playful glint in his eyes. “If I'm being honest, Paris has always been high up on my list. La Ville de l'Amour. The city of love. It sounds like a beautiful place to visit. But then again, Bora Bora also sounds great. Especially because a certain someone I know might be there one day,” he teased with a playful smile.

Joslyn laughed, her eyes shining with amusement. “You're quite the charmer, Gabriel.”

Gabriel chuckled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “It's a born trait, I suppose. You should meet my Dad,” he said with a smirk.

Joslyn laughed again, shaking her head. “You're impossible.”

Their conversation flowed effortlessly as they indulged in light-hearted banter. They discussed everything from travel dreams to funny moments from their past, each revelation drawing them closer together. Gabriel found himself captivated by the way Joslyn's eyes lit up when she spoke about her adventures, the way her laughter filled the spaces between their words.

As they neared the end of their meal, Joslyn leaned back in her chair with a groan, her face a mix of satisfaction and reluctance. “I'm close to bursting from being so full,” she said, rubbing her lightly protruding belly. “But I don't want to stop eating this dessert. It's too good.”

Gabriel nodded in agreement, his gaze shifting to the chocolate lava cake before them. “This is amazing,” he said, taking another bite. “I think it might be one of the best I've ever had.”

Joslyn smiled, savoring her own bite. “Agreed. It's definitely worth all this.”

Gabriel looked at her with a playful glint in his eyes. “We might need to come back here just for their dessert. What do you think?”

Joslyn smirked, her eyes dancing with mischief. “Is this you asking for a second date?”

“It just might be,” Gabriel chuckled, his heart warming at the ease between them.

Joslyn laughed softly. "I'm all for it. But next time, maybe we should start with a light meal beforehand."

Gabriel grinned. "Deal. I'll hold you to that."

They both smiled as they went back to focusing on what was left of their chocolate lava cake, sharing the last few bites between them. The city glittered around them, the night air carrying the promise of something beautiful—something neither of them wanted to let go.