New Beginnings: A Hessa Story (2)

Chapter 55: Hardin

"Yeah. I was the same way, so she probably got it from me. I didn't eat a vegetable until I was fifteen." I tease.

Tessa rolls her eyes. "It's not funny, Hardin. Of course you joke around because she hates me more than you. I'm always the bad cop."

"That's not true."

"Yeah, it is! She's always, 'Daddy please' with you and always 'I hate you, Mom' with me."

"She's a child... I wouldn't think too much about it." I push her hair behind her ears. "She loves the both of us."

I don't think she believes me, but she'll learn that this child loves the both of us equally.

"Now it's time for you to eat your vegetables." Tessa shoves another plate towards me filled with different vegetables.

"Yes ma'am." I kiss her cheek before sitting down and eating the dinner that my beautiful wife made for me.

-

I am woken up by a car horn loudly sounding outside my house, which is a daily occurrence in the loudest city in the world.

A dream. It was just a dream.

That was such a strange dream. That was the first time I ever had a dream about Tessa and my's child. It felt so real too. It felt like I was actually holding my daughter in my arms.

Daughter. Oh my god.

I always assume it's a boy, so why did I just dream it was a girl? I liked it though, having a daughter. Oh no...

I look to the side of me to tell Tessa about my dream, but she isn't there. Wait, what time is it? I get out of bed, and see a piece of paper fall onto the floor beside me.

I came in and noticed you were sleeping, so I chose not to wake you. We're probably still at the bar, so come meet us there when you wake up. If you see this past midnight, Happy New Year babe :)

xoxo, Your wife

What fucking time is it? I look over at my alarm clock and it's nearly 11 PM. What the fuck? I thought I was asleep for fifteen minutes tops, not two hours. I can't believe Tessa didn't wake me up. I pull out my phone from my pant pocket, and call her. She answers on the third ring.

"Hey." She answers, and I can hear the loudness of the bar around her.

"You guys left without me?" I yell into the phone.

"You were sleeping, and you never nap, so I though it would be better just to let you sleep."

"You should've woken me up!" I clear my throat that's still a little dry from just waking up.

"We're at Freddy's if you still want to join." She tells me. No shit I want to join.

I groan. "I'll be there in thirty."

I hang up the phone, and quickly slide my shoes on. Driving into Manhattan on New Years Eve is a fucking nightmare. It's crowded like nothing I've ever seen before, and it's a disaster to try and get anywhere, but I guess I'm gonna have to do it because Tessa didn't wake me the fuck up earlier. I hope I can make it before midnight.

I'm twenty minutes into my drive and it's already bumper to bumper traffic on the bridge. I'm not fucking surprised, but I'm annoyed as fuck. I'm startled by my phone ringing through the sound system, and it's my mum. I literally just spoke with her before, so why is she calling me now?

"Mum? I can't really talk right now." I try to say through all the beeping because of the traffic.

"I just wanted to wish you a Happy New Year since it's around New Years in New York."

"Oh, thank you."

"Is Tessa there? I would like to wish her that as well."

"I'm in the car right now on the way to her, so I'll tell her you say so."

"Thank you." I hear what I think is a sob fall from her lips, and then a sniffle. Is she crying?

"Are you crying?" I ask.

"I'm just so happy for you. I know I say this a million times, but I truly am. I didn't think... I never thought we would make it to this point, so each New Year with you still here is truly a blessing."

"Okay, Mum..."

"I know, I'm sorry for getting emotional but I can't help it. There was a point in my life where I was expecting to wake up one day and you would be dead, Hardin."

What? I don't know how to respond to that.

"Each day I'd wake up, and I'd thank God that you were alive, even when you were drunk or high the next day. I'd pray every night that you would wake up the next day, and I'm so glad I haven't had to do that since you met her."

There she goes again. Fuck. I didn't expect to get emotional on New Years Eve, but the mention of how Tessa has saved me always gets me going.

"Mum, please..." I say softly. My eyes were watering, and I hated this feeling.

"Yes, yes okay. I'll leave you to go celebrate the New Year. I love you.

"Love you, Mum."

I slam my hands on the wheel as I sit here in standstill traffic. I take out my phone and text Tessa that it's a parking lot right now, but right as I go to hit send, people actually start moving.

"Thank fucking god." I say as the cars begin to pick up speed.