Unsuccessful

You Cannot Heal Yourself by Wounding Me...

Tessa's Point of View...

I always thought that silence brings you peace. I never imagined that for once silence of someone will bring me heartbreak and pain.

That's how I feel as I sit with my husband, in his car, driving our way to his mother's home. Lilly called us about 20 minutes before, ever since then Hardin has been nothing but quiet. The only time he talked to me was when he exit our bedroom asking me to join him as soon as possible.

I have never seen Hardin so focused before. It's like he is on a mission, like a man in the army, set and focused on his goal. He doesn't look at me when I put my hand on his leg in an attempt to calm him down.

I know he is worried, I understand him. But, knowing that this reaction from him is for the woman who ruined his life, and blackmailed him all his life is a fact that is beyond my sense of imagination or level of understanding.

To change the atmosphere in the car, I switch the radio station to Hardin's favorite frequency.

The song..You are the reason...begins to play in the background. Our song. The Song Hardin picked up for our first dance as our wedding song. But the moment the song begins, Hardin moves and turns off the radio with his left hand. He turns and faces me for the first time.

"Sorry..Tess. Not in the mood."

I only nod and settle back in my seat. I relax my back on the leather material of the car seat and turn towards the window, admiring the beauty of Washington at night. We cross some shops, all shut down knowing it's too late at night to keep them open. Some of the restaurants are still open, serving their last orders to the handful of customers left at their disposal.

I was about to turn back from the window when Hardin's favorite ice cream shop passes my eyesight. Without understanding Hardin's mood, I excitedly turned to face him.

"Hardin, your favorite ice cream shop. Maybe we can stop, and get some ice cream for your mother."

Hardin doesn't move, he continues to drive, breaking almost every speed limit known by the people of Washington.

"Tess seriously. Mom is worried about Renne and your suggestion is to get her ice cream."

Another stab at my heart. All I was thinking about doing something nice, something to divert Hardin's mind at. Something nice for him and his mother. But he looks at me differently. For the rest of the ride, I don't say anything to him. I just sit and wait for us to reach our destination, at Lilli's house.

It takes Hardin about 40 minutes to cover a ride of an hour to reach his mother's place. He doesn't even wait for me. The moment he parks his car, he unlocks his side of the car door and sprints towards the front door. I am left stunned by his behavior towards me, it's like I don't even exist to him. He notices my absence when Lilly opens the front door and asks for me. I unlock my side of the car door and slowly walk my way to join Hardin and his mother.

Hardin's mother steps forward and wraps her arms around me in a warm and comforting hug.

"Sorry to both of you. I know it's too late to make that call. Please come inside, it's getting cold to stand outside."

None of us say anything, both I and Hardin follow Lilly into her home. As soon as we enter the living room, the room temperature hits us. Lilly was correct, it is getting cold outside. For the last few days, the night temperature in Washington is dropping severely.

Hardin takes a seat beside me on the couch as Lilly rushes to her kitchen to fetch some tea for us. She comes out holding a large tray with three cups and a kettle of hot tea. I take the tray from Lilly's hand and ask her to get herself comfortable as I volunteer to help her serve the tea. I hand Lilly her cup, then I give it to Hardin and finally pour myself a cup of tea. Silence surrounds the living room as all of us get busy finishing the tea.