After Forever & Ever

Chapter 109

"I'm sorry babe...I hope you feel better." I respond.

"Thanks, can I call you tomorrow?" He asks me.

"Yea...that's fine." I tell him.

"Goodnight." He says to me.

"Night...Love y." and I stop because he already hung up.

His tone is definitely having me worried he doesn't sound like he's been or himself and I know he just had surgery and his knee hurts but it still makes me worried.

All night I can't stop thinking about Hardin and it keeps me up.

I wait for him or Trish or someone to contact me all morning and nothing.

Vance finally calls me and tells me Trish left this morning to come back claiming a disagreement between her and Hardin.

He doesn't know about what...

I can only be patient so long and I finally give in and call him and no answer. A few hours pass by still no answer. Vance tries calling....and no answer.

Vance doesn't want to alarm his rehab facility or have them think he's using or anything but he asks if they will check and see if he's home.

They do...,and they tell us he's home.

He finally answers me.

"Hardin what is going on? Are you okay?" I ask him.

"I was sleeping." He tells me.

"You have been ignoring our calls all day." I say raising my voice.

"I feel like shit Tess. I'm dizzy, my ears haven't stopped buzzing." He tells me.

"Is that Normal?" I question.

"I don't know but I feel like putting my head through a wall because I feel like it would feel better." He says to me.

"I'm so sorry babe. Why did your mom leave?" I ask.

"Hardin?!" I question into the phone because he doesn't answer.

"What?!" He says raising his voice...."what's wrong?" I ask.

"I already told you." He responds annoyed then he hangs up on me.

I try calling back and straight to voicemail.

I call Vance.

"Hey I just talked to Hardin...he said he's dizzy his ears are ringing and he was just super agitated with me...I'm worried." I tell him.

Vance takes a deep breath... "I'm wondering if we should go there." He replies.

"I could leave Emery with my mom and I could go." I tell him.

"Are you sure?..:I can go with you." He responds.

I convince him it's better if I just go...so that Hardin doesn't think we are ambushing him. And I just want to see for myself that he's okay or help him if he needs me to.

I can't get any flights out tonight so I get the 5am flight tomorrow morning.

I grab an Uber as soon as I land and I head to his place. I knock on the door and no answer so I check the door and it opens.

I walk in and go into his room. He's sleeping with his knee propped up over a pillow. I look over at his nightstand and I see a pill bottle. I have a seat next to his bed and take a look at it. I read the side of the bottle Joseph James Perry....oxycodone.

JJ his supposed friend gave Hardin Oxy....

"Hardin!" I say moving his arm.

"Tess?..."he asks confused.

"What is this?!!!" I say putting the bottle in his face.

"I didn't take any." He replies.

"Why do you have them?" I ask still yelling at him.

"I....talked to JJ told him I was feeling like shit and he brought those over. I said I didn't want them and he left them there....in case I changed my mind." He tells me.

"Well I'm dumping them down the toilet." I tell him.

"No! Don't do that I'll give them back." He tells me.

"You did take some....didn't you?" I question because of his response to me getting rid of them.

"Tess I didn't." He insists grabbing my hand.

His eyes look glassy but I don't know if that's from him not feeling good or him taking drugs.

I want to believe him but this looks bad...

He gets up and grabs his crutches that are leaning up next to his bed.

"Where are you going?" I ask.

"To the bathroom....is that okay?" He says annoyed. He's definitely super on edge and that has me worried.

He gets back in the room and just stares at me standing in the doorway.

"So why did you come here?" He asks.

"Nice to see you too Hardin....."I reply annoyed.

"You said you weren't able to so I'm just wondering why the change?" He asks.

"I just wanted to make sure you were okay." I tell him.

"Well I'm fine." He says as he makes his way back to his bed.

And that whole interaction we just had tells me he is clearly not fine...