New Beginnings: A Hessa Story (2)

Chapter 3: Hardin

Dull pain, that's all I feel when I wake up. I check the time on my phone, and Tessa has already picked up my mother from the airport. She is probably on her way home with them now. I feel my stomach in knots, which is strange because I'm not nervous about tomorrow at all. I'm excited; it's been a long fucking time coming. If I'm nervous about anything, it's Tessa's bachelorette 'party' tonight, aka Kim and Nora taking her to some sleazy bar to see an underground band that no one has probably ever heard of. She shouldn't be exerting herself too much, and even though she tells me how she won't go crazy, I'm not one hundred percent sure if I believe her. The last thing I need is to be freaking out all night at the idea of Tessa passing out again. Our wedding is tomorrow, as in twenty-four hours, as in at this time tomorrow, Tessa and I will be saying 'I do'... well, that's the plan anyways. I still have to tell her about my past with her friend from high school, plus other things. I haven't been completely honest with her recently when it comes to a lot of things. Fuck, maybe I am more nervous than I thought. I just want everything to be perfect for her, and I don't want my past mistakes to screw everything up like they usually do.

I figure Tessa will be home soon enough, so I won't call her, but I do want to talk to somebody. I can't just lay here anymore and drown in my thoughts. My stomach pain has not subsided, but maybe calling Landon or something will help distract me from the difficult conversation I am bound to have with Tessa.

"Happy wedding eve! How are you feeling?" Landon asks me.

"Like shit. I got butterflies and pains everywhere." I honestly tell him.

"That's normal. Remember what I was like the night before my wedding? I was a huge mess!"

"Yeah, I do remember."

It makes me feel a little better remembering the complete shit show that was the night before Landon's wedding. He rung me at 3 AM freaking the fuck out, nervous that he was jumping into the whole marriage thing at too young of an age. I talked him off the edge that night. It seems we both have the capability to calm each other down, which if you were to say that just five years ago, I'd say you were fucking insane.

"So? At least you're not calling me in the middle of the night."

"I guess you're right, but there's still time."

"So, Tessa is staying over at our place tonight?" He reminds me of the stupid fucking rule that the bride and groom shouldn't sleep together the night before the wedding.

"Yeah."

"So, you'll have the house all empty to yourself?"

"Unfortunately not. My mum and Mike are staying here."

"Oh, well that's nice I guess. You can catch up with your mom."

"Yeah... Tessa is picking them up from the airport now."

"Don't sound so depressed. You're getting married tomorrow!" Landon tries to cheer me up, but it doesn't work. This fucking pit in my stomach just won't go away.

"I know."

"Are you ready? Tux picked out? Vows written? Do you have Tessa's wedding band?" Landon starts listing stuff that I know I've had done for years, just hoping that Tessa would one day say yes, but one thing he says pops out: vows.

"Oh my fucking god." I slam my head against my pillow. I forgot about the vows! I told Tessa I had already wrote them, which I only said because she told me she wrote hers. I have been putting them off for so long.

"What is it?"

"The vows. I completely forgot about the vows."

Landon is silent on the other line. "Shit." I hear him swear.