Our Time Will Come - An After Story

31

Hardin

"Thank you all for joining!" I announce, while welcoming a bunch of fans to my virtual book event. The best thing about promoting my book virtually, is that I don't have to wear pants. Tessa and I are both working from home today, she's attending Skype meetings in the bedroom and I'm here in my office.

"I hope you're all well and have your questions ready about the-"
"Hardin Hardin Hardin" I'm interrupted by my overly excited wife barging through the door. "The babies are kicking for the first time! The babies are kicking!" she yells. I'm quick to close my laptop, ending the livestream. Fuck the fans.

I sprint over to her, placing both hands on her swollen tummy. "Oh my god, it's amazing" my breath is taken by the most phenomenal sensation of both babies moving around in their mommy's tummy. "I've been waiting for this" her voice is soft and I can tell she's about to get upset. "Come here" I tell her, embracing her in a cuddle. We were beginning to get worried as we are now twenty weeks pregnant and this is the first time Tessa has felt the babies move. We both let out a synchronised sigh of relief as we realise that everything is going to be okay, we are finally at that stage.

"Darling, did you just end your event on over three thousand people?" She covers her mouth with her hand, stifling a giggle. "Yeah I did and I don't give a fuck. You, Emery and Auden and those two Babies of ours will always come first" I assure her, placing a kiss into her hair. "Paul is going to kill you!" She adds, concern in her voice. "Paul wont do shit he's too busy playing Minecraft in his mother's basement" I mock. I haven't insulted him in a while so he had that coming.

"I got up and ran out of the room in the middle of my Skype with Miss Beaumont, the nightmare client from hell" she admits, continuing to laugh.

"Why don't we just fuck work off for the day?" I suggest, I'm feeling kind of rebellious. "Hardin, I can't. I'm far too busy. I have a wedding to attend next week and there are still some things that need completing before the big day" she rambles. "Just one day baby? We can spend it however you like" I use my persuasive powers. "However I like?" She repeats. Oh no, what is she going to suggest?

"Okay so can we go to the mall? And visit 'Mama's and Papas' to look at strollers? then get nuggets?" She says so quickly that I have the urge to check her pulse, god she's excitable today. "Yes, we can go to the mall and visit 'Mama's and Papa's ' to look at strollers and then get nuggets" I mock, without breathing. "Yay" she cheers. "But first, I have to go and apologise to Miss Beaumont before she hits the roof" she smirks, while wandering back into our bedroom. I chase her, tickling her from behind, causing her to let out a schoolgirl giggle.

We arrive at the mall and after being stuck in traffic for over an hour, Tessa is not a happy bunny. I decide that I want to live and suggest we head to the food court and eat first before shopping. Once Tessa is no longer hungry and cranky, we are good to go.

We head back down to the mall and I'm startled by a flock of cameramen gathering. I grab a hold of Tessa's hand and try to get us past them as fast as I can, but fuck, they're fast and are managing to follow us. I visit this mall all the time and this has never happened before. What the fuck, this is just weird.

"Hardin, Hardin! Is it true that Derek Halifax gave you a check of one hundred and twenty five thousand dollars?" One insufferable woman whines. "What the fuck has that got to do with you?" I scoff, continuing to walk as fast as my legs will take me. Why would that snooty bastard give us that cheque and then gloat about it? He knows what the media are like for shit like this!

"Hardin be careful what you're saying, there are people filming" Tessa whispers, warning me not to cause the huge scene that is brewing inside of me. "Hardin, is it true that you took your wife's Virginity as part of a bet?" A middle aged, fat fuck of a man yells from a far. "You know it's fucking true, I wrote about it in my book you sad fuck" I spit. Why is he even asking that? Oh, I know. It's because it's no secret that I've got the temper of a raging Bull and they want to get a rise out of me, so they have something else to write about in their shitty papers. Not happening.

"Come on baby" I whisper to my wife while removing us from this pathetic situation. We eventually escape the pathetic losers and head into Mama's and Papa's. Tessa takes a seat on a bench inside the store and she doesn't look too good when she starts to hyperventilate. My poor baby. "Honey it's going to be okay, they're gone now and they're only doing it because they've got nothing fucking better to do" I tell her. "Look at me, breathe in and out. In and out" i instruct and she obliges.

Tessa

Despite the agro and my anxiety getting the better of me, Hardin and I make the decision to continue with our shopping trip. "Let's not let those bastards ruin our day baby" he tells me and i nod, my pout turning into a smile. I saunter off to the strollers section in the store and fall in love with one at first sight.

It's a leather twin carrycot stroller and it's a beautiful light grey colour, each of the hoods have white fur around them. It's pretty enough for baby girl and neutral enough for our little man. "Hardin, I can't leave this, it's too beautiful" I turn on my puppy dog eyes. "Tessa, no matter how much money I have I can't justify spending two thousand dollars on a stroller. That's crazy!" He stresses. I say nothing but continue to stick out my bottom lip and hope that he falls for it. "Oh what the hell, let's get it" he gives in. I squeal like a school girl, clapping my hands together at the excitement of pushing the twins around in this beautiful stroller.

Hardin rolls his eyes as I saunter off to the baby clothes, but I can't contain my excitement as we pick out the twins an adorable outfit. Hardin chooses baby boy a blue pair of cotton dungarees with tiny elephants printed on them and a white T-shirt to go underneath. I choose baby girl a beautiful pink dress, it has ruffles all over it and comes with a pink bow and matching pair of booties.

After a couple of hours, we leave the mall through the back exit, where no one will swarm us. I climb into the car and leave Hardin to put all of our shopping into the boot. I can't control the smile that is creeping upon my face as I picture our tiny tots wearing those adorable outfits in their beautiful stroller. I'm automatically taken back to when Emery and Auden were that tiny and begin to get emotional. They're so grown up now and soon they aren't going to need their Mommy anymore. "What's up now baby?" Hardin places a hand on my thigh as he climbs into the car. "Nothing, shall we pick up Emery and Auden on the way home and take them for ice cream?" I sniffle, my bottom lip wobbling. Hardin just stares at me like I'm losing the plot. "Sure baby" he reassures me.