Our Time Will Come - An After Story

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Tessa

Amsterdam was a dream and I'll forever be grateful for the alone time that Hardin and I got to spend together there. However.... Boy am I glad to be back, in the comfort of my own home with my babies. I have missed them more than I could have ever imagined. We arrived home this afternoon and Hardin and I have spent the last few hours sharing our stories from our rather eventful trip, with Trish, Mike and the kids.

"Tessa! Come to bed" I'm broken from my trance when Hardin kicks up a fuss. "One minute" I tell him, whilst continuing to remove my makeup in our en-suite. Minutes later, I venture over to the bed to join Hardin. I climb into the bed and he instantly pulls me closer to him. There's some kind of clingy, vulnerable energy about him tonight that I can't help but notice. Jet lagged, sleepy Hardin is one of my favourite Hardin's. We spoon in silence as Hardin runs his fingers through my hair and I could genuinely stay like this forever. Without realising, I begin to reflect on the last few months.

"I'm so proud of you" I eventually break my silence. "Where did that come from?" wonder is evident in Hardin's voice. "Well.. I think you need a bit of a 'pick me up' and I don't say it half as much as I should, but I'm proud of you baby.. and Sometimes, you just need to hear that" I whisper softly and he instantly turns over to look me in the eye. "I mean it" I tell him.  "Just think of where you'd be if you didn't turn your life around all those years ago.." I find myself massaging his shoulder.

"I don't know what the children and I would do without you, Hardin Allen Scott" I place my finger onto the tip of his nose. "I don't want to imagine a life without you, Tess" his voice is hollow and his eyes full of emotion. "You don't have to, baby. You don't have to" I soothe him. I watch my husband's smile grow and focus on the features that I adore so dearly, as his eyelids become heavier and he drifts off to dreamland. How did I get so Lucky?

Hardin

Holy.. Where the fuck am I? How can it be so dark out, yet so light? I have so many questions. I'm on some park bench and it looks like the heavens may open any second. I can just about distinguish that it's day time, but a storm is definitely brewing. I have no idea how I got here, but I have a feeling why. I'm drunk, aren't I? How could I let this happen?! Ive been sober for years!

I rub my eyes vigorously when the sun appears from nowhere. Everything is ten times brighter all of a sudden. It's almost like this isn't... real. I swing my legs around, sitting myself up on this random bench in the middle of the park. It's noisy all of a sudden and there are children everywhere. I bury my head in disgust of my own actions. My eyes widen when I lift my head and spot My wife in the crowd, she's pushing the double stroller and my immediate reaction is to shout her name, so that is what I do, but it's like she can't hear me. Either that, or she's choosing to ignore me because I got shitfaced last night. That could explain why I slept on a bench, but why don't I remember anything?

Before I know it, my feet are carrying me towards her. I'm rummaging through a crowd of happy families, shouting Tessa's name at the top of my lungs, yet she is still somehow ignoring me. I eventually grow frustrated and tap her on the shoulder. She Is quick to turn around but I am taken back by the expression on her face. It isn't the look of anger, or even disappointment, it's just .. blank.

"Can I help you?" She eventually breaks her silence. Great, She's doing the whole 'I'm not talking to you because I'm mad' charade. "Tess, whatever I did.. I'm sorry" I stress, running a hand through my hair for effect. "... How do you know my name?" her eyes widen and a flash of concern dawns open her face. Christ, she really is going to town on this whole thing. "Tessa I-" I begin to explain, but the fear in her eyes tells me that she isn't playing around. "I'm.. I'm your husband. It's me.. Hardin" my breath is stolen from me as I realise that she truly has no idea who I am. "Sir.. I'm a married woman, so I'd appreciate it if you took a rain check on the inappropriate remarks" she scolds me. I stutter for words, but give up as I realise that there are no words. I want to ask who she's married to, but I can't bring myself to do so.

I take my eyes off Tessa for a brief second, glancing at the twins instead. I gasp aloud as I take in how much older they look. They look to be at least two years old. Fuck, How long has it been?! "Saffron? Miller?" I choke up as I crouch down in front of the pram. It's like they don't know me at all. The two of them have blonde, Curley hair and are evidently the sweetest set of twins I ever set my eyes on. "H.. how do you know my children's names?!" Panic is evident in Tessa's voice. "Our children's names. I'm their dad" I frown, growing even more frustrated.

"Listen, I don't know what you want, or who you are -" she threatens, but I interrupt her when I spot Auden. I call his name and he lowers a brow as he ventures over to where his mother and I are standing. "Little man. Please tell me you know who I am" I open my arms to pull my eldest son in for a hug, but he is hesitant. "My mommy said I'm not allowed to talk to strangers" he timidly glares at the ground.

"Auden! Im not a stranger. Im your dad. Im your fucking father!" I bark, stomping my foot on the ground in a rage. "Mommy" Auden sticks out his bottom lip as he cowers into Tessa's arms. Great, I made the poor kid cry. "Shit. Why don't they know who I am?! What the hell is happening!" My subconscious rages. "It's okay baby, daddy will be here soon. He's just parking the car and putting louie on the leash" she consoles him whilst trying her hardest to not make eye contact with me. "Daddy? I'm his daddy!" I grow distressed, a flood of tears threatening to escape my ducts at any second. If this is a prank, then it's a very fucking cruel one, but good Lord.. I hope it is.

My hope is shattered, when only seconds later, Tessa releases a rather loud sigh of relief and a tall, dark haired chap arrives at the scene. When I say tall, I mean tall. I mean.. I'm tall, but there's being tall and there's looking like a Lamppost. Fuck, why am I so fixated on the guys height and not who the fuck he is? I'm desperate to see his face to reveal his identify, but it's almost as though he has no face. Every time I attempt to get closer, he turns so I can only see the back of his fucking head. He's rotating like he's in some kind of video game.

It takes me a few seconds to realise that this fucker is walking my dog. "Louie" I gasp. "Come here boy. Come here" I attempt to get my canine friends attention, but even he completely blanks me. The chap gives me the death glare, obviously wondering how I know 'his' dogs name. The man with no name shrugs off my presence and puts all of his focus onto 'his' .. my, wife and children. He places a kiss onto Tessa's forehead head and ruffles up Auden's hair, before they all walk away, ready to begin their 'family' walk.

"What was with that guy?" I hear the bloke mutter under his breath. "I don't know, he was just a drunk" Tessa shrugs. I'm pretty sure I can feel my heart physically breaking inside of me as her words reel in my head. This can't be. I'm Tessa's husband. I'm the children's father! No!

"No!" I roar, thrashing in the sheets as I'm awaken from my not so peaceful slumber. My heart races ten to the dozen as I attempt to snap out of my panicked state. My hands automatically reach for Tessa, but not being fully awake, I panic even further when I realise that she isn't here. It's times like this in which I need her. I know that feeling her warm skin against mine, would automatically soothe me, but she's absent and I'm suddenly this lost school boy who has no idea what to do.

I eventually come around, sitting myself up against the headboard. Desperate for water, my hands scour the bedside table, but there is none in sight. I take a deep sigh as I stand from the bed and make my way to the kitchen. My legs are almost Jelly like from the adrenaline, but I ignore it as I'm far too focused on the desert that is my mouth.

I reach the kitchen and am startled by My mother, Tessa and Emery all sat at the counter. They appear to be indulging in some kind of three in the morning.. feast. I continue to walk by, disregarding the fact that I'm wearing only my boxers. The three of them glare at me in synchronisation. "Crikey, what is this? A mother's meeting?" I roll my eyes as I pour myself a cold glass of water. "We couldn't sleep" the three of them say at exactly the same time. Please don't tell me that this is a bloody dream, too. "Besides, I'm not a mother" Emery rather awkwardly laughs, a little too loud. "Definitely not" Tessa unnecessarily adds. Okay?

I'm up now, and it's only a matter of time until the twins wake up, so I may as-well join them in their.. not so mother's meeting. I'm quick to grab a pair of pyjama bottoms before returning to the kitchen and taking a seat. I can't help but be aware of the awkward silence now that I have joined. The fuck were they talking about before I entered? Women, huh?