Our Time Will Come - An After Story

5

Tessa

My skin burns from the endless supply of tears that have fallen from my eyes. I can't seem to stop and I don't know why because I feel so blessed. For the first time in a long time, I feel like luck is on my side and the feeling is indescribable. God I look a state, I gawp at my ghastly appearance in the mirror. Hardin and I still haven't moved from these fancy ass women's toilets. We haven't said a word, but he's still holding me as tight as he was thirty minutes ago. Though I don't want this feeling to end, I feel sorry for the many girls who came here simply to pee, but were flipped off by Hardin. Yup, he's still as charming as ever.

"I can't believe it." my husband breaks the silence. "Me neither, it's really happening." I begin to sob, yet again. "This explains why you cried at a McDonald's commercial the other day." he smirks. "Hey, I couldn't help it. I just really really wanted nuggets." oh dear, here come the waterworks. "And so it begins." he chuckles, removing the stray hairs out of my face. With that, we break out into a fit of laughter. It feels like so long since we've truly laughed together.
......

"Tessa dear, I've been-" I'm startled when Karen frantically barges through the bathroom door, my mother following her. "Looking for you." she finishes. The expression on her face drops as she realises that both Hardin and I have been crying. Hardin is quick to rub his eyes and straighten up his shirt. "Oh Tessa, I am so so sorry about Nora and Kim. Sometimes they just don't think before they speak." Karen adds, wrapping her arms around me. Karen and my mother are the only two people, who know about our trouble conceiving and the only two people who know sensitive I can be when it comes to this topic.

If only I could tell them that I only left the table and freaked out because I was ninety nine point nine percent sure that I was pregnant but I was consumed with the fear of getting my hopes up and the test being negative, again. "It's okay." I tell her. "They don't know." I add. It's true, Nora and Kim are the best girlfriends a woman could ask for and I love them to pieces, but they're also absolute suckers for gossip and this isn't something I wish to be gossiped about. So yeah, I never told them about our struggles getting pregnant.

"I know it's hard my loves, but your time will come, it will." Karen strokes Hardin's cheek, much to his horror. He has suddenly turned a deep maroon colour and I can't help myself but laugh. My mother gives a sympathetic look before hugging me so tight that I can't breathe. Im so ecstatic that I consider telling both of them, right here right now that they're going to be grandmothers again and before I can stop myself the words are coming right out.

"I - Hardin and I have something to tell you." I blurt. "Tessa" Hardin glares at me deeply, I am lost in his warning eyes and that is the only thing stopping me from spilling the beans about the baby. Karen and my mother are glaring at each other, equally as confused as each other.

"What Tessa was going to say is.. thankyou for being so great." damn that man can think on the spot. The look on my moms face is a picture. "Who are you and what have you done with Hardin Scott." she teases. "Yeah well don't get used to it, I'm only saying this because it's an occasion, okay?" he banters. "Aww The birthday boy is so sweet." Karen pinches his cheeks, much to my amusement. It appears that the ladies have had my champagnes for me. "If I hear birthday boy one more time." Hardin Huffs while crossing his arms like a toddler. "Don't flatter yourself, she was talking about Auden." my mother adds, causing the two to let out an almighty cackle as they stumble out of the bathroom.

Who would have thought it, my mother and Karen getting along so well. It took a while, but in the end everyone grew to love my mom for the real Carol, not the misunderstood, brokenhearted version. My mom has been happily married for fifteen years now and David has brought out the best in her since the day he met her. She is finally at peace with who she is and that makes me feel happiness that I can't describe.

I quickly touch up my makeup, removing the evidence of my breakdown from underneath my eyes. Hardin places a kiss into my hair before we follow the women back to our seats. Karen must have warned everybody to not cause a fuss, because everyone is acting like we never left, talking amongst themselves. This is why I love this woman. I return to my seat and Hardin, his. I snigger as Landon scolds Hardin for holding the dinner up. "Oh don't be dramatic." Hardin rolls his eyes.

"That's why you never become between Landon and his food." Nora giggles, looking me in the eye and miming 'sorry' when I make eye contact. I give her a reassuring smile. The remainder of the night is lovely to say the least. We all get a kick out of Hardin's reaction when the waiters gather around our table to sing happy birthday to Auden and him, holding the cake that I had Nora make for them. He looks like he wants the Earth to swallow him whole.

I know that Hardin doesn't like a fuss, but I couldn't help it. You only turn forty once and we have to celebrate while we have everyone here together. Little do they know that we'll have even more to celebrate soon.