In-Between: A Hessa Story (1)

Chapter 57: Tessa

I really thought my body was doing better, but here I am, throwing up in the Gibson's toilet. I didn't have this much morning sickness with my first pregnancy, so the fact that this is different is a promising sign. I know I've been in the bathroom for too long; I don't want people growing suspicious. After I am sure my stomach has expelled everything from it, I rise to my feet and wipe my mouth with some toilet paper. I look in the mirror, and I don't think I look too much like a mess.

I open the door to join the crowd in the main room when someone startles me. Lorraine is standing right in front of the door.

"Tessa, darling, are you all right? You've been in there for quite awhile." She questions me, and I feel my cheeks flush.

"Oh yeah... I was just fixing myself up. Always got to look our best right?" I smile, and she hesitantly returns it.

"Of course, dear." She slowly walks past me into the bathroom and shuts the door.

Damn it, how long was she standing out there for? Did she hear me throwing up in there? This could very well be a disaster. Though, I feel like if she did hear me vomiting, she would've called me out on it just now.

I run into Hardin on my walk back to the main room.

"What are you doing?" I ask him.

"I was worried, you were in there for a long time. Are you feeling better?" Hardin lowers his voice significantly as he asks these questions.

"Yeah, I think I'll be okay for the rest of the night." 

"Good."

"Well, actually I have to tell you something." I have to tell Hardin that Lorraine might have heard me in the bathroom.

"What?" Hardin gives me a worried look.

Just as I am about to open my mouth, Lorraine walks up behind me.

"What are you two doing out here whispering?" She puts her hands on both mine and Hardin's shoulders.

"Nothing!" I smile up at her, hopefully convincing her that everything is okay.

"Wait, what is that on your hand?" She points to the engagement ring on my finger.

"Are you two engaged!?" She gasps and claps her hands loudly. This woman is so overdramatic with everything she does and says.

"Yeah."

"Congratulations! You two make an adorable little couple." She reaches over and squeezes Hardin's cheek, and I can't help but laugh. The face Hardin makes when she squeezes his cheek is priceless. Hardin doesn't even like when I squeeze his cheeks most times.

"Well let's get back in there, I think Hardin's father is gonna tell one of his infamous traveling stories! Come along!" She takes me and Hardin by the arms and drags us back into the room.

We spend the next two hours listening to Ken tell a whole bunch of stories from his travels with Karen to Italy, and Landon mentions his new job that he officially accepted a couple of days ago. Nora tells everyone that she got promoted to head chef at the Lookout, and soon, it's Hardin and my's turn to give updates about our lives. Hardin goes first.

"Um... I have been writing some new stuff, which is exciting I guess."

Lorraine coughs. "Will it be like those other books you wrote? Or will it be more light hearted?"

Lorraine was very vocal about her distaste for Hardin's book, After. She claims it promoted 'bad behavior' and 'toxic relationships.' It took a lot for Hardin to keep his mouth shut as she publicly attacked his books. Thankfully, Hardin's family and I had his back, but it was still annoying that she did that.

"I guess you'll have to wait to find out." Hardin lifts his glass to her and takes a large sip. I don't even care if that comment was snippy or rude, she deserved it.

"And Tessa..." Karen points her hand towards me, urging me to speak.

"Well, I am currently planning a wedding for my ex-boyfriend." I tell everyone and they gasp.

"What!" Landon yells.

"Yeah, how awkward is that right!" I laugh to break the weird tension in the room.

"Well, that's ridiculous honey! Why would you do such a thing?" Lorraine questions me.

"Well..." I don't want to get into the whole my-mother-made-them-lie-to-me story with everyone, so I'll just avoid that. "Noah, my ex-boyfriend, and I are good friends, so it's not terribly awkward." I shrug.

"Oh, being friends with your ex is never a good idea. Take it from me." She points to herself.

"Noah and I have been friends for a long time, even before we dated, so he is more than just my ex." 

Hardin coughs. I can tell he is uncomfortable with this topic, so I try to change it quickly.

"So anyways, there's that, but on brighter news, as many of you know Hardin and I are officially engaged." Hardin wraps his arm around my back as I put my hand on his thigh. He smiles, giving me a tiny peck on the cheek.

"Congratulations again!" Karen exclaims as the timer goes off in the kitchen.

"Oh, that'll be the turkey." Nora gets up from the couch and runs into the kitchen. 

"Dinner should be ready in about fifteen minutes. I hope you all are hungry because we have a lot of food!" I hear Nora yell from the kitchen.

"So, what did you want to tell me before Lorraine interrupted us?" Hardin asks me.

"Why didn't you tell me you were planning Noah's wedding?" Landon comes storming over, our conversation getting interrupted yet again.

"I'm sorry, everything's been so hectic!"

"That's crazy, Tessa! How did that even end up happening?" Landon asks, and the last thing I want to do is explain this story to him right now.

"It's a long story." I snuggle closer to Hardin.

"Tell me! I got to hear this!" Landon pushes me to tell him, and of course, I am incapable of saying no to my best friend. 

I sit there for ten minutes explaining it all to Landon. Hardin looks completely spaced out while I tell Landon the story.

"Wow, Tessa... I don't know what to say." He is stunned silent.

"Yeah, it was pretty messed up what she did."

"Have you spoken to her since?"

"No... well, I texted her 'happy thanksgiving' this morning." I look at my phone for the first time since I have gotten here and I have a couple missed calls from her.

"She has tried to call me." I show both Hardin and Landon my phone.

"Well, I think you should speak to her. Even after what she did, she is still your mother." Landon makes a good point. She is still my mother...

"Okay folks! Dinner is served!"

"I'll call her after dinner then." Hardin grabs my hand to help me to my feet, and Landon nods as we all walk to the dinner table.