Of Commitment

Of Commitment (Hessa) - part 3

Tessa's POV

We eat in silence. Hardin is on my right side and I see him looking at me sometimes. We had a short talk, but we were interrupted by my mother and I decided to not talk with him for now. The food is so delicious, Trish is cooking a very good food.

Why we are at this dinner? It's an engagement party before the wedding from next weekend. I know what going to happen today. He will give me a ring and we will have the occasion to know each other. But I don't want to do this... But I don't want to disappoint my family. They are too powerful and I can't do anything. I just hope they don't have anything planned for us, like kids, jobs, holidays and other shit, because all the dinner they talked about this and I was so absent from their discussion.

Christian: "Tessa? Do you want wine?"

Tessa: "No, thank you Mr. Scott. I don't drink alcohol."

Trish: "Hardin! What if you will show Tessa the backyard?"

Alice: "I can show her!"

Christian: "Alice... Yes, Hardin. Go show your fiancée the backyard."

Hardin: "Ok, fine." He stands up and he gives me his hand. I take it and we go outside, in the backyard. We slowly walk, but don't say anything, but I decide to break the ice. If we want to live with each other in peace, we have to know each other.

"So... What are you working?"

"I'm working for my father. You? I know you are still in college."

"Yes. I'm in my second year of literature. And I want to start to work this summer in a Publishing House."

"You don't have to work, Tessa. We have enough money, so you don't have to do this."

"Can we talk about this, Hardin?"

"About what?"

"About everything."

"Yes, fine. Let's sit on the swing." We go to the swing and we sit there.

"I don't want to be a housewife. I'm young, I'm just 21 and I want to live my life as a normal woman. I want to finish my studies, I want to work. I don't want to be a prisoner and I hope you will respect this decision."

"I'm not going to force you to do anything, Theresa. This marriage is just a facade. It's not like we're going to fall in love."

"Yeah, that's right. Hardin? We have to move in together after?"

"I think so... But we can live in my apartment and you have enough space there. But anyway, I know that our parents have everything planned and we will move in a house."

"Yeah..." I sigh.

Alice: "Hardin! Tessa! Come in!"

Hardin: "Let's go."

He stands up and he goes inside. This time he is not waiting for me. That's nice. I also stand up and I go inside, where our families are smiling and I know it's time for him to give me the ring. This is how my life will be in the next years? Hardin takes out from his pocket a black box and he opens it. There is the beautiful ring I've ever seen. A rose gold ring with little blue and white diamonds. It's so beautiful!

Carol: "What a beautiful ring!"

Trish: "It was mine and now it's Tessa's."

Hardin: "May I?" He takes my hand and I nod. He takes the ring and he puts it on my finger and it fits perfectly on it.

Christian: "Do you like the ring, Tessa?"

Tessa: "Yes, it's beautiful."

*

Your wedding day should be the perfect day in your life, but no... For me it's not. I'm forced to marry a man that I don't know and I have to live with him for the rest of my life.

I look in the mirror and I arrange the dress. How I can be happy when I'm roing this? I have to admit that Hardin is not as bad as I thought, but why to do this when there are no feelings involved?

Carol: "Tessa? Are you ready?"

Tessa: "Yes." I turn to her.

Carol: "Wow! You are gorgeous, honey. This dress fits perfectly!"

Tessa: "Yeah..."

Carol: "I have a surprise for you, honey." A surprise? What kind of surprise she can have?! Not a good one. "I will be back in a minute."

She leaves and when she comes back, I want to cry. My best friend, Kim is here. I can't believe this! I run to her and I hug her. I didn't know she will come! This wedding is a small one, just with our family and close friends, but it looks like my mother wants me to be happy.

Tessa: "Kim! I can't believe you are here!"

Kim: "I can't miss your wedding day." She smiles at me. "You are so beautiful, Tessa!"

Tessa: "Thank you."

Richard: "Tessa? Oh... You are so beautiful... It's time to go."

Tessa: "Ok..."

My mother and Kim leaves and my father takes my hand and we go to the isle where Hardin is waiting for me. He wears a black suit which fits perfect on his body. Tessa, don't. Remember that this is just a facade. You are not going to fall in love with him. You can be friends, so you can live together in peace. He's not going to force you to do anything, so everything will be fine. Maybe some time in this life you will find your happy end.

Richard: "Take care of my daughter, Hardin..."

Hardin: "I will." He takes my hand and we turn to the civil officiant."

He says his long discourse and then it's time to say "yes".

CO: "Theresa Lynn Young, do you take Hardin Allen Scott as your husband?" I feel every look on me and my answer is delayed. Shit.

Tessa: "I do."

CO: "Hardin Allen Scott, do you take Tessa Lynn Young as your wife?"

Hardin: "Yes, I do."

CO: "With the power the state New York invested in me, I pronounce you husband and wife. Congrats! You can kiss the bride."

Hardin comes closer to me and he let his hand on my cheek. He sticks his lips of mine and I let him to kiss me and I kiss him while I open my mouth, so he can stick his tongue in my mouth, our tongues dancing together. Don't fall in love, don't fall in love.