Promises (TP 6)

43 - Children

After having kept her past secret, Tessa was remarkably strong sharing her story. It hadn't escaped him how she retold the story like a book report. His mind could fill in the blanks of waiting two days for word and thinking the worst. Once the worst was confirmed, she had to keep going and have her baby alone. He was already taken with her youngest. She never had a father, but she was not shy with him.

Her story explained a lot, including her need to be a mother over everything else. She put her life aside for her girls. If they were going to have a chance, he would have to convince her to change. Hadn't she already told the girls Gabby could babysit. The woman he met at Korra's party never left her children.

He arrived home a few minutes before eleven. He had been leaving his own children more than he should. Kevin's curfew was ten and Gabby had agreed to be home then too. Hannah wasn't home and her friend's car was still in front of the house. It surprised him Lexie didn't have an earlier curfew.

Gabby asked. "Dad, did you have fun?"

Fun didn't describe most of his evening, but he nodded.

"Were you on another date?" He nodded again. "Do you like this one?"

Time to ease the truth in slowly. "I do. Where's your sister?"

Gabby looked out the window. "She's outside now."

She walked in four minutes late. "You're late."

"Barely. I was outside saying goodbye to my friends. Where were you tonight?" She looked at him and he hoped he had redressed properly. Was his shirt backwards or inside out?

His voice was even. "I had a date."

Hannah frowned. "Another one? I thought you were done with all that."

He shook his head. "Not done at all. In fact, I definitely like her."

As much as he wanted to announce she was coming for dinner, he couldn't spring that news right before bed. Let them have a good night's sleep, and he'd rock their world in the morning.

As soon as Kevin woke, he told him to eat breakfast. He wanted to get out on the water early because he had a lot to do before dinner. He hadn't thought through the dinner part of his invitation. What was he going to make that wouldn't cause her to run the other way? His best bet was the grill, and since they had burgers the day before, it meant chicken. It was only the first decision because chicken required sides.

Hannah appeared before Kevin finished his breakfast. "You're up early."

She shrugged. "I'm working today until five. Thanks to you and your dinner rule, I can't see my friends."

The ice cream shack had opened for the summer. Gabby had worked Friday night and Saturday during the day, and Hannah had worked Saturday night. He hadn't thought about their work schedule. When she came home at five, Tessa would have already arrived.

He spoke his next thought. "I wish Gabby were up."

"I'll get her," Kevin said, oblivious to the reason. He liked the idea of waking his sister.

Hannah was toasting a bagel and Kevin was back to eating his cereal when Gabby shuffled into the kitchen. "Why am I up?"

He had eaten hours before, which was a good thing, since his breakfast was too digested to come back up. He couldn't remember the last time he felt so nervous. Perhaps his first surgery.

"Because I need to talk to the three of you, and Hannah is going to work soon."

Three pairs of eyes stared at him. It reminded him of when Erica told them she was sick. What an awful day. His news was better, at least he thought so.

"I've been seeing a woman for a couple of months now."

Hannah said, "No, you haven't. You've been home."

He nodded. "Mostly on Wednesdays, but that doesn't matter. I've invited her to dinner. We're ready to involve our children."

"Children!" Gabby looked surprised.

"Yes, the thing is that you've met her. Yesterday felt very deceptive, and that is part of the reason it seemed to be time."

"Met her?" Kevin was confused.

"It's Tessa. Tessa Simon."

Hannah spoke first. "The woman that's on the scholarship committee. Kristi said she won't vote for me. Kristi doesn't like her."

He sighed. "Kristi doesn't know what she is talking about with the scholarship. Kristi likes her now, but didn't at first because she was opposing her on the school hours. That's when we met."

Hannah said, "She said she's hiding secrets and couldn't be trusted."

He wanted to kill his friend. "She doesn't feel that way now. You can ask her. Tessa's secret is the pain of her husband's death. Unlike mom, it was an accident and traumatic. She doesn't like to talk about it, and so it has created speculation. Just because we're dating doesn't mean that will change. She has told me, but we may never talk about it again."

"I can't believe you're doing this." Hannah definitely wasn't happy, and the other two weren't smiling either.

"Dad, you're telling us you're going out with Maya and Chloe's mother?" Gabby formed a question, but he thought it may have been an exclamation.

He nodded. Hannah exploded. "Those kids are little. What do you want with little kids at your age?"

"Hannah, I'm not ancient. I'm also not marrying her."

"But you might?" Gabby's voice was unsteady.

He nodded. "It's possible, but I'm not there yet. You three will be the first to know if I decide to."

Hannah stomped her feet. "This is insane."

"Hannah, you're leaving soon. It's me and Kevin that will be here and would have to live with them if that happened. Don't be such a bah..."

Patrick winced. "Gabby! Hannah will always live here. Even when she's away at school, this is her home. I don't expect this to be easy on any of you, but when they come today, I expect you to be polite. The girls already love Gabby and Kevin."

Kevin said, "Abbie is going to be jealous."

"Kev, I think you're right. Does anyone have any more questions? If not, I'm going to surf before I plan dinner. Kev, are you coming or do you want to stay behind and talk about this with your sisters?"

"I'll come."

"Dad, I'll help you with dinner later."

"Thanks, Gabs. Hannah, are you okay?"

"Mom..."

He put his hand up to stop her. "I loved your mother, but she made me promise to move on with my life and be happy. Right now, Tessa makes me happy. Your mother would be glad."

If he knew his wife, she was probably looking down on him laughing because of the damn broken condom.

"This is not the end of the discussion, but it is for right now. We can talk again later after our very pleasant dinner."

He stood and walked to the garage to get ready to escape for a few hours.