Fighting For Us - Book 4

The West Coast Problems

While the family was busy celebrating the holidays together and helping Stefanie come to terms with a few of her issues, Tess and Jerry were doing anything but that. Jerry was hoping that while his daughter was in New York that he and Tess could rekindle and work on their marriage.

But it didn't seem to be going that way and the man was at a loss. Tess was snappy, still impatient and if he was honest, she looked bored. He often tried to set up dates with her to nice restaurants but she always said she was either tired or not in the mood. That of course confused Jerry even more for he just didnt understand. One moment his wife was happy and the next she no longer was.

But when did that all start? When Stefanie started to act out a few montha ago or before? He knew they weren't short on problems for all married people had them and sometimes the past abuse came up, something he still didnt forgive him for, especially after seeing what happened with Stefanie

"So Tess, thought we'd go to that restaurant you like. The one in Hollywood." Jerry said to his wife as she grabbed a glass of wine and sat in her comfortable chair with a book. The last thing she wanted to do was go out, and he saw that immediately.

"Im good here. I want to catch up on my reading."

"Babe, that's what you said last night and the night before that. I'm starting to think you dont want to work on our relationship." He frowned as he took a seat on nearby couch.

"Going out to dinner is not something that will help our relationship, Jerry." She snapped as she took a sip of wine and looked down at her book.

"Tess, what happend to us? I thought I made you happy? I thought we were really doing well and working on our marriage. I know the abuse..."

"Jerry, would you please stop bringing that up. Ok? This is what caused all this in the first place." Her voice was like ice, and if he was honest with himself, he had never fully seen her like this in his whole time of knowing her. Is this how she acted when they were on base? Was he blind and deaf and dumb?

"Caused all what? You hiding Stefanie from me for 10 years? I know I messed up and I know it..."

"No. Stefanie heard us that night. She heard you apologizing about the abuse like you had for a hundred times before that! You know this and it didn't make things any better her hearing that, Jerry. Im over what you did. Ok? Yet you feel the need to apologize to me forever! Just stop already! STOP!"

"Because I think you're still angry with me about it, Tess. You haven't forgiven me at all. Maybe not when we first got back together but for the last year you seem distant and far away and I don't know what I did. This was way before Stefanie started misbehaving. Tell me, what is it, Theresa?"

She slammed her book shut then and stood to her feet, her face angrier than ever as she pointed her finger at him. "We should have never gotten remarried! You should have stayed away! Stefanie and I were just fine without you! Then you showed up and whisked me off my feet again! Now look what happened! Just look! I lost my baby girl!"

Tess screamed so damn loud that Jerry sat back in disbelief. She had never ever gone off on him ever, and as she stormed out of the room, giant tears rolled down his face as he hung his head.  Maybe he deserved this...maybe this was the beginning of their healing.

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TESS POV

As I had gotten into my car to go for a drive near the beach I knew I wasn't being fair to Jerry. I hadn't been fair to him for months,  maybe even years. I tried so hard to forgive him and at some points I had, but I questioned my love for him. I had questioned it for a good amount of time as I parked my car and headed along the Hollywood Boardwalk.