After The Truth

Hardin Chapter 54

The call ends and I swear my life has just flashed before my eyes, I gently place the phone on the counter and exhale deeply. I slowly walk over to her and sit down next to her on the couch.

"Who was it?"  She asks.

I look up at her.

"Har?"

I don't answer her.

"Was it Nick?" Her voice says shakily.

"It was planned Parenthood..........you wanna tell me anything I should know?"

She scoffs.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Your doctor said they've been calling you for a month because you missed your shot, Theresa we haven't been using a condom this whole time. You could be fucking pregnant right now." I stand up and tower over her, she stands up and faces me.

"Hardin are you kidding me! I changed my number so how the hell was I supposed to know they were calling me, and my shot..............I've just been dealing with so much lately and I completely forgot." She covers her face with her hands.

"So this was the plan huh, get pregnant so I'll have to go to Paris with you?" I yell before I can stop myself.

She slowly removes her hands from her face.

"Are you serious Hardin! WHY WOULD YOU EVEN SAY THAT?!"

Her face is all red.

"Tessa I..."

"No.......just no, I can't deal with you and Nick today. I'm gonna have a heart attack and die in a few seconds." She walks away and heads for the bedroom.

"So you're not even a little bit concerned that you have a child growing inside you?" I call across the room.

She turns around and scolds me.

"OF COURSE I AM YOU ASSHOLE! I'm terrified! I'm not ready to be a mother and you sure as hell aren't ready to be a father............but my abuser just threatened to come after me, and my boyfriend..........the man who is supposed to love and protect me........" she sniffles.. " he's more worried about the fact that I missed a shot! Am I'm so scared........" her bottom lip trembled.. " and I'm sorry." She slowly falls to the floor and pulls her knees to her chest.

I climb off the couch and run to her, I drop in my knees in front of her and pull her into my arms.

"I'm sorry Tess.........I'm sorry baby......I'm sorry." I whisper.

I feel her shake in my arms.

"It's gonna be ok.........it's gonna be fine, just breathe." I tell her.

She buries her face in my neck.

"I'm so scared Hardin." She mumbles,

"Look at me baby." I move her face and hold it in my hands forcing her to look at me.

"I will protect you from anything, but we need to go to the doctors.........please." I beg.

She nods her head, I slowly help her to stand.

"I need to change." She says quietly.

She disappears into our bedroom and shuts the door behind herself.

I pull at my roots.

"FUCK!"

I can't be a father, I'm not ready to be a father! My entire life is ruined if she's actually pregnant........and I can't believe I just assumed she was on her birth control, I should have asked........but I just get so caught up in the moment with her. It's the way she fucking takes control of my body.