Derek proposed a year after Tyler died and we were married just before Tessa started school.
"Come on Tess! You don't wanna be late for your first day of kindergarten!" I'm in the middle of packing her lunch bag when Tessa dances her way into the kitchen.
"There's my girl," Derek scoops her up into his arms and throws her over his shoulder.
"Daddy!" She giggles and play kicks.
"Let's go, I wanna get there early to get pictures," I say.
At the school, the camera Derek bought me years ago does its best to capture the innocence and beauty of our little girl.
Tessa's hair is long and curly. Her blue eyes are only revealed by the hair tie holding half her hair up. She's wearing a yellow plaid dress that her grandma, Tyler's mom, bought for her.
Derek and I decided together to not tell Mrs. Jones the truth of how her granddaughter came to be, she didn't need to know the monster her son had become the last years of his life. She deserved to have the good memories of Tyler to hold onto, and she loved seeing the remnants of him in Tessa.
Tessa's cheeks blush as I take photos of her to remember her first day of kindergarten.
"Mommy, do I look pretty?" She rushes over to look at the camera.
I kiss her cheek and hug her tight.
"You look beautiful, my angel."
Derek picks her up and props her on his hip, then wraps his other arm around my waist.
"Come on, Mama, you gotta let her go so she isn't late," Derek smiles at me then at Tessa.
"Will you carry me to my class, Daddy?"
"Of course, pumpkin."
He puts her on top of his shoulders and walks her up to the classroom, I stay behind to watch and capture a picture.
They reach the schoolroom door and Derek sets our girl down to walk into the class after Derek shakes her teacher's hand and introduces himself. From behind Derek's leg, Tessa Riley waves goodbye to me and blows me a kiss. I catch it in my palm and blow one back. She smiles big.
Time slows and for just a second, I smell the smoke of a cigarette and wonder if Tyler can see his little girl today. But nobody is smoking near us and I decide he can, that he's watching over her from somewhere past our earth.
Tessa looks back at me just before skipping into class and I can see the pieces of Tyler in our baby girl.
Derek walks back to me.
"Come on, Mrs. Carter, let's get you to work."
I wave a final goodbye to Tessa, even though she's already in her classroom and can't see me, and finally understand that there can be love that comes from heartache. I forgive Tyler for what he did to me, knowing it's time to let go and move on.
Thank you, Tyler.
YOU ARE READING
Thank You, Tyler
Teen FictionWith dirty blonde hair and dark blue eyes, Tyler is a bad boy. He and Kelly were in love once, but that all changed last year. Kelly's spent the past few months repairing herself from the damage Tyler caused, but after running into him working at th...
