The conversation that Hardin and I had last night was a rough, but necessary one. I still feel like if I lose this baby, I owe it to both of us to end things. It breaks my heart tremendously, and I don't know how I'll survive without Hardin, but I cannot be selfish. We are still getting married though. I can't stop that from happening because we already told so many people. Speaking of, I have to tell my mother about our Christmas wedding. While Hardin is still sleeping, I sneak out of the bedroom to call her.
"Good morning, Theresa. Why are you calling this early?" It's 10:00 here, meaning that it's 7 o'clock back in Washington.
"Sorry, I didn't realize it was so early. I just wanted to let you know that Hardin and I are getting married here at our house on December 24th."
"The day before Christmas?" She asks.
"Yeah, we thought it would be easier since everyone will already be here for the holiday."
"I see. Well, I think it's a lovely idea." She approves.
"Great, so if you want, bring an extra pair of nice clothes, or you can just wear your Christmas outfit two days in a row."
"Please Theresa, don't you know I would never wear the same outfit to two different occasions?" She laughs, and I join her. Who would have thought that my mother would be the one to make me laugh. "How are things with the pregnancy?"
I decide not to tell her about my hospital experience, she doesn't need to know. "They're going well. We are going back to the doctors in a few weeks."
"Good. I'm glad." Suddenly, I hear someone say something on my mother's side.
"What are you doing up?" She asks, but I don't think she's talking to me. "Yeah, this is Tessa... sure...."
"Tessa!" Heather's voice comes booming through my phone speaker.
"Hi, Heather."
"I just wanted to let you know that I finished Hardin's Christmas present, and I think it looks great!" She tells me.
"That's awesome! I'm so excited to see it!"
"I'm excited to come to New York City! I have never been!"
The past couple of years, David and Heather went to his parent's house for Christmas, but now his parents are going on some cruise to the Caribbean this year, so she gets to come to New York for the first time.
"You'll love it! And guess what?"
"What?"
"Hardin and I are getting married on the 24th, and I was wondering if you wanted to be one of my bridesmaids?"
"Really!" She sounds thrilled by my request. "Yes, of course!" She cheers.
"Good. You don't have to wear a fancy dress or anything, you just get to stand up beside me when I get married."
"I'm gonna go buy a new dress anyway! This is so exciting! Dad, Carol, we need to go dress shopping!" She abruptly hangs up, but there is such a big smile on my face at the happiness in her voice.
Everything is planned out. I told Kim that Abby and Gracie will be our flower girls. It's really happening. I don't know who Hardin will have, besides Landon, for groomsmen. I won't be surprised if he doesn't have any.
I feel someone's arms wrap around my waist from behind me, and I feel the familiar touch of Hardin's lips on my neck.
"Good morning." I giggle as his breath tickles my neck.
"Morning, love."
I take out both Hardin's and my cereal, and pour him a bowl.
"What do you have planned for today?" He asks me, and I freeze. I want to make Hardin a really nice dinner tonight to thank him for everything, plus I haven't done anything special for him in so long.
"Well, I was thinking of finishing shopping with Nora today." I say because I need to go out and get some stuff for this dinner, but I know Hardin won't want to leave me alone after what happened only yesterday.
"I'll go with you instead of Nora." He offers as he shovels cereal into his mouth. I don't know how to get Hardin away from me for a couple of hours, but then an idea hits me.
"Why don't you have Landon come too? Here I'll text them."
"I'm gonna go shower while you do that then." He kisses my cheek and walks away.
T: I need your's and Landon's help. Are you busy today?
She responds immediately.
N: We don't have any plans, what do you need help with?
T: I want to make Hardin a special dinner as a way to thank him for everything, but I need him out of the house.
N: You want Landon to take him out?
T: Well, I know he won't leave me alone, so I was thinking we could all go out shopping, but then I'll somehow sneak back home and make dinner. I just don't know how Landon can stall Hardin for hours.
N: Landon and I need to go shopping anyway for your wedding, so that works.
N: Wait! I have an idea. What if I can get you two dinner at the Lookout? Robert isn't gonna be in today, so I can ask Sylvia, the co-manager. We're good friends, so she should say yes.
T: Sylvia is co-manager!? How did I not know that?
N: Hahaha, yeah both her and Robert got the promotion. Well, do you want to do that?
T: That sounds good, Nora. Thank you :)
N: I'll call her now and ask.
I wait patiently for Nora to tell me whether or not this plan will work. She texts back ten minutes later.
N: Sorry girl, unless you want dinner at 2 AM...
T: No no, it's okay. I should just make him something here.
N: I'll go shopping with you and help you cook.
T: You would really do that?
N: You two need this 'date night', so I'll gladly work on my day off!
T: Thank you. So when do you want to go shopping?
N: We'll be over by 3 so we'll have enough time to cook and eat by 6:30.
T: Sounds perfect!
"What are you smirking at?" Hardin startles me as he rubs a towel through his freshly showered hair.
"Oh, nothing. Landon and Nora are gonna come shopping with us."
"Okay..." He sounds confused, but doesn't question me on why they have to come.
"Well, I should go shower." I tell him, and Hardin sighs.
"Why didn't you just shower with me then." He is frowning and pouting like a toddler who just got told no.
"I'm sorry, I was busy texting Nora." I walk over to him. "You can join if you want."
I can tell he is deeply considering it, but shakes his head. "No, I have work to do anyway."
"Me too. Just be ready by 3." I poke at his bare chest, and he giggles.
"Yes, Mum." He teases, and I smack his arm as I make my way to the bathroom.
-
"Come in!" I yell as the doorbell rings. Nora and Landon come through with Addy in a carseat.
"You ready?" Nora winks at me, and I look around to make sure Hardin isn't around.
"Yeah, can you do it, Landon? Can you stall him?"
"I can try my best, but you know Hardin..." He shrugs. This is going to be a huge challenge for Landon, but I appreciate him trying.
"I was thinking when we get to the mall, we all shop around together for a little bit, but then you and I go off to some girly store or something, but in reality, we'll be driving home since we're taking two separate cars."
"Yeah, that sounds good, but what if he-"
"Who's ready to shop!" Hardin pops in, causing us all to jump.
"We are gonna have to take two separate cars since we have Addy." Landon holds up the carseat he's holding in his hand.
"Well, let's go." He ushers us all out.
-
We spend the first half an hour shopping in Macy's.
"What do you think of this for your wedding?" Nora asks me, holding up a beautiful long, blush dress.
"I like it. I think it'll compliment your skin tone." I tell her. I wish I was as tan as Nora. Unfortunately I have no exotic ancestry that would make me tan, so I suffer from only being pale and red all year round.
"Okay, I'm gonna go try it on." She tells me, and I walk over to Hardin and Landon in the tie section.
"Which tie should I get?" Landon asks Hardin as I walk up.
"I don't care, man."
"You're never any help. Tessa, grey or blue?" He holds up both, but they honestly look the same.
"Um.... I like the blue one."
"Okay, good."
"Tessa!" I hear Nora call from the dressing room, and we all go in.
"How does it look?" She spins around, and it was like the dress was made for her body.
"You look so good!" I clap as Landon walks up. His face flushes.
"Wow." He looks Nora up and down, and I smile at the moment they are sharing together.
"I haven't worn a dress like this since our wedding day." She looks at her self in the mirror.
"Okay, you have to get it!" I tell her, and she nods.
"I will. Now go." She has to physically push Landon out of the dressing room so she can change.
"Tessa, are you gonna get a dress?" Landon asks me, and my eyes widen.
"Oh, um. I already own something that I'll just wear. I don't need to buy a new dress." I don't think Nora told him that I went wedding dress shopping. Hardin doesn't seem to notice the awkwardness in my response.
"How about you?" He turns to Hardin.
"I already have something too." He picks at his nails, obviously bored shopping just like I knew he would be.
"Wow, that's so special..."
"Shut the fuck up, won't you." Hardin rolls his eyes and walks away.
"It's fine." I touch Landon's arm. "It's special in our own way."
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean that."
"I'm gonna get this." Nora says as she exits the dressing room, but then realizes Hardin's absence.
"Okay guys, I think this is where we split." Nora immediately whispers. "Babe, take him to some kind of sport or camping store, I don't know. We'll go to some store that you boys won't be interested in. Does that sound like a plan?"
"Got it." Landon and I both say, and I like the idea of this secret mission we have going on here. I think Nora is having more fun with this than I am.
Hardin is standing outside of Macy's against the wall. "So, where to next?"
"Well, I want to get some sports stuff." Landon says, and Hardin gives him a strange look.
"Sports stuff? What kind of sports stuff?" Hardin asks, and Landon freezes.
"Umm... golf..." He says, and Nora widens her eyes at him and mouths 'what the fuck'.
"Golf? Since when do you play golf?" Hardin asks. I put my head into my hands, this plan is already going to shit.
"You'll see once you become a dad, it's just the next step in manhood." He nervously laughs.
"Well, how about while you two do that, Tessa and I go shopping somewhere else."
"I'll go with you two then." Hardin walks over to Nora and me.
"No, no!" Nora yells. "We're gonna go to... Victoria Secret. Girl stuff, you know? Try on bras and all that jazz." Nora doesn't realize that she is talking to Hardin, who will literally do anything to watch me try on bras.
"More of the reason for me to go." He smiles down at me, but I shake my head.
"You two should go." I shove him back over to Landon causing him to frown at me.
"Tessa, I'm not leaving you alone, remember?"
"Oh please." Nora grabs Addy's stroller. "I'll take Addy. You two go do some guy sporty stuff, and we'll do girl stuff." Nora pulls me along, but the sad look on Hardin's face makes me want to say fuck it to the entire plan and stay with him.
I rip my arm from Nora's grasp, and walk over to Hardin. "I'll be fine, go do some guy stuff."
"Tessa..." Hardin whines.
"I'll give you a private show when we get home of everything I buy if you go with Landon." I offer him an opportunity I know he can't refuse.
"Goddamn it." He shrugs. "Let's go fucking golf shopping." He finally says to Landon. I thank him and kiss his cheek. Landon walks over, wraps his arm around Hardin's shoulder and pulls him towards Dick's Sporting Goods, winking at us over his shoulder.
"Let's go." I shake my keys in her face, and we make one quick stop before we leave the mall.