The Fast Lane

Chapter 37

"What?" Harry’s raspy voice echoed in the room as everyone sat perfectly still.  

Tessa looked up at her father. ”What?”

I spoke aloud as I processed everything in my mind. “12 years ago… he left. 12 years ago… the mob started… but…” 

I looked up at my father, whose blank face watched me as I struggled, and then down at Tessa. Suddenly I felt like my brain exploded and I began to shake my head. “Please, for God’s sake don’t just look at me,” I fussed, looking up at my dad.

He cleared his throat and rubbed Tessa’s arm.  ”Let’s all have a seat, shall we?”  He pulled a chair out from the table for Tessa and placed himself at the head of the table.  I sat next to Harry, who was looking from Rich to me to Jenna to Tessa and then around again.  I grabbed his hand under the table and squeezed it.

"I cheated on your mother," Rich began. "I had been cheating on her for a year before we got married, but at that point my mistress - your mother-" he said to Tessa. "-was pregnant and so was Tristan’s. After Jenna and Tessa were born, Tristan, your mother and I fought a lot about, well, everything I guess. She was a good woman.  She told me to leave and take care of Tessa because her mother was unemployed and all of this stuff, so I did." Harry inched closer to me and put his hand on my knee as he felt me tense up.  I glared over at Tessa, who I guess had never heard this version on the story.  She stared at her soup with huge eyes, trying to take in all of the information. "I was struggling with my job and finances.  Tessa’s mom had a brother who raced.  He won a lot and told me that I could make money by getting into the racing too, so I did.  It helped out a lot with all of the finances, especially when it came time to pay for the treatment for Tessa’s mother’s cancer treatments." 

I looked over to Rich whose eyes were full of sorrow.  He reached over and touched Tessa’s shoulder.  I was suddenly very hot and angry again.  ”Did you help pay for mom’s? My mom’s?” 

Rich looked up at me, confused. “Your mom’s what?” 

"Cancer. She had cancer too." How could he not know about this? 

He struggled to find words. “I… I- I didn’t know that she had cancer. When did she get it? Is she still receiving treatment?” 

I tensed up. Harry squeezed my leg harder under the table. “She passed away a little while back.  She was receiving little treatment,” He spoke calmly. 

Rich’s face dropped and he removed his hand from Tessa’s shoulder. I could feel the blood rushing through my body faster with each moment that I sat there and watched Rich. 

Jenna broke the silence by moaning. I stood and ran over to her, dipping her napkin back into the soup and placing it back in her mouth.  She still hadn’t opened her eyes. “Did you even know that this was your daughter?” I asked Rich. 

He looked at her and observed her sick and pale face for a moment. “I did…” He said silently. Tessa whimpered next to him and looked up, horrified at her father. She began to slide her chair away from him slowly. 

"Tessa, dear, you know I would never do that to you-"

"What’s the difference between she and I?  That’s your daughter! She’s almost dead! You’ve been watching her die for the last couple of weeks!" Tessa’s voice began to raise. 

"You said you wanted Harry!  He was taking all of our money and I needed a way to lure him to us so-" Rich stood and walked slowly toward Tessa as she slid further and further away from him. 

She looked over at me and began to shake her head. Tears welled up in her eyes and began to fall down her face. “I’m… I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry,” she repeated over and over. Rich looked angrily back at me and then turned to Tessa, slapping her hard across the face.  The sharp noise that came from the back of his hand connecting with her cheek sent chills down my spine and I reached for my gun.