After Forever & Ever

Chapter 154

Tessa-Present

Vance and I have learned our lesson more than once and we aren't willing to take any chances so we decide we aren't leaving the coffee shop. We basically camp out from until her shift is over.

The whole time we were waiting I couldn't help but look at Vance and how much he has aged over the past....well since Hardin came back into our lives. He looks tired...but so do I. We all do....

I feel like in the past 6 months there hasn't been a night that I haven't woken up in either a hopeful dream or an absolute nightmare. But nothing could be worse then the one I have been living in the one where I don't ever know if I will see him again....if he will see our daughter again....if he will meet his son.

And if he is out there do I even want that...after what he did. What he's put me through....what he has put us through....

I mean I know I do. I can play it in my head a billion times but all I want is him. And that's it.

And knowing we are this close....this fucking close to finding him is eating at both of us. We both can barely sit still. Vance has got out of the car and paced at least a half a dozen times. He was never a smoker but since all this started cigarettes have become his go to and he's ran through at least a pack just since we have been sitting out here....

She finally walks out.... "you are still here?" She questions in a slow tone. As we both quickly jump out of the car almost as an instinct.

"We weren't willing to chance it." Vance replies.

"Okay....I usually catch the bus home." She tells us.

"We can drive you." Vance quickly follows with.

"Uh alright..." she responds reluctantly.

When she gets in the car I think we both try to play coy but we just want answers.

"Do we really have to meet at that bar or can you just tell us or give us whatever you have?" Vance blurts out.

"There is no way Reed will get out?!!" She questions with fear in her voice.

"No not this time." Vance replies confidently.

"I have to know that for sure because that's the only way I can give you what I have." She replies.

"I promise you...please just tell us where he is." Vance begs.

"The letter is at my apartment." She replies.

"So you don't know?" I question.

"I assume it's in the letter he told me he was going to tell me where he was....but he never did. All his letters had no return address and the letter he addressed to you I never opened." She replies and I surprisingly believe her.

"But he's alive and okay?" I quickly question choking back tears because I'm just overwhelmed by all of this.

"Yes....he absolutely is alive and okay." She tells us.

I think both Vance and I let out the biggest sigh of relief. But also confusion.

"Why did he do this Julianna?" I ask.

"I'm hoping that whatever he wrote in the letter can explain it exactly how he wanted to do that instead of me giving you an explanation that he wouldn't have maybe wanted." She replies....which I guess I can accept but I just hope that we actually get that from the letter.

We get to her place and she invites us upstairs. She tells us we can have a seat at the table. When she comes out of her room she has an envelope and she hands it to me.