After Forever

Chapter 16

Tessa

What can I tell him about me that is not going to make him feel like crap. That my life was easy after he left. That no one was there to challenge me, fight with me, or any of that. That my life kept going around after he left, and his didn't for a while there. I went thinking all this time that he destroyed me, and in fact I destroyed him. I can't help but thinking him almost dieing was my fault and that I am to blame. I thought he was bad for me, but I was bad for him.

I just start crying again, and he looks confused.

"Ok, ok, you don't have to talk about you" he says.

"no that's not it" I quickly reply.

"I just feel bad" I say.

"Don't, that's the last thing I wanted, and not why i told you. I was never honest with you back then and I knew I needed to be now, so please stop it its fine, i am fine, i just want to know about you and not just by looking at you like I once told you oh so long ago." he says referring back to that day after the stream.

I finally give in "Ok, so I went to Seattle worked for Vance for 2 years and was finishing school at the University of Seattle, that is where I met Easton. We started out as just friends and he was beyond sweet and really there for me and eventually we became more than friends. After i finished school Vance asked me to stay in Seattle and take over the branch and its where I have been ever since. Easton asked me to marry him last Fall, and we are getting married this summer. and this is why i didn't want to talk about me, because that is literally all I have. My life the past 5 years has been pretty standard and that's pretty much it."

"Congratulations" he says..."on the engagement, I am happy for you."

"oh, uh thanks...." i say.

It's  just kind of quiet between us for the next few minutes. I am still trying to process everything. I decide to get up and go get more water. This time I just decide to grab a cup and fill it at the sink instead of having him open another expensive hotel water even though he clearly can afford it. He insists on me having another water from the fridge but I keep telling him it's okay.

I stay by the counter and he comes over and sits on the stool by the counter.