New Beginnings: A Hessa Story (2)

Chapter 20: Hardin

"What the hell are you doing here?" I ask as Landon struts into the room with a cocky smirk on his face.

"I'm here to take you home, asshole. So maybe try being a little nicer to me."

"Tessa's that fucking pissed at me that she won't come pick me up from the hospital? Are you fucking kidding me!" I slide my shoes on.

"All she said when I spoke with her this morning was that she was super busy cooking for tomorrow, so she asked if I could pick you up since Nora is doing the cooking on our end."

I don't buy that. Tessa is avoiding me since our conversation we only had a few hours ago, so I know I am expecting an unpleasant conversation when I eventually get home.

"Nora told me what Lucy said."

"Landon, I don't wanna talk about it." I put my hand up and begin to gather my things. I am still sore from my surgery. I have a decent size incision in my lower abdomen, and the doctor gave me this long list of everything I need to do so it doesn't get infected. I'm not good with lists, so hopefully Tessa isn't too pissed at me and can help.

"It's just messed up, dude. Practice what you preach."

"What?"

"You would flip out if Tessa were talking to another man about your personal relationship, let alone a man who had feelings for her and she only knew for a month."

"Tessa does do that though. She's done it with Noah, with Zed, and with Robert. I am not the only one who talks about our relationship to other people."

"Those aren't random people that she's known for a month."

"She's fucking kissed each one of those assholes-"

"It's not the same thing." He crosses his arms over his chest.

"Yeah you're right... it's worse." I never kissed Lucy, or even felt any sort of romantic feelings towards her in the slightest.

"Whatever. I'm not gonna argue with you, but if I were you, I would brighten up your attitude before you get home." He walks out of the room. Fuck he's right. I can't walk into the house with this pretentious attitude or else Tessa will literally leave. I need to just admit to her what I said. I can't risk losing her over something so fucking stupid.

I run to catch up with Landon as he walks out of the hospital. "I'm sorry, okay?"

He doesn't answer, he just keeps walking.

"Hey!" I grab his shoulder to stop him. "I said I was sorry."

"I'm not the one you need to be apologizing to." He quickly turns back around and continues walking. What's his problem?

"What's your problem?" I ask him with attitude. It's one thing for Tessa to be pissed at me, but there is no reason for Landon to be giving me a hard time right now.

"Let's just go." We get to Landon's car, and I make no move to get in the car. "Hardin, come on."

"I won't ask again, what's your problem?"

"Just get in the car." He opens his door, but I don't open mine. I know Landon hates fighting in a public setting, so I wonder if he'll bite onto the bait I'm waving in front of his face.

He looks around, noticing the parking lot is empty. "Fine." He slams his door and walks over to me."You are just a dick. Like honestly." He states, and I am surprised by his bluntness.

"You don't even know the whole story." I can only imagine what kind of warped bullshit Nora told him.

"All I know, is that I would never talk poorly about my wife to another woman, nor would I talk about our personal problems with another woman who I've only known for a month, and who had romantic feelings for me."

I can't even argue with him, because that's what I did.

"I just needed someone to talk to-"

"You couldn't talk to your girlfriend about it? You know how much Tessa wants you to be honest with her."

"This happened years ago, Landon. I don't know what the fuck you want me to do about it."

"I just see you continuing to make mistakes, and one day it's gonna cost you. I'm surprised it hasn't at this point."

A few people come out of the hospital, so I decide to move this conversation to a more private location. Abruptly, I get in the car, and Landon follows suit shortly after.

"She said she wouldn't marry me unless I tell her what I told Lucy." I admit to Landon, and his eyes widen.

"She said that?" He questions, and I nod. "So why don't you just tell her then? How bad can it be if you're claiming that you never said anything about her?"

"It really isn't that bad, but I know Tessa will be hurt by it. I just... I told her about my frustration with Tessa not marrying me, and how I was losing hope in her getting pregnant since we kept getting negative pregnancy results. I told her things about how I feel that Tessa doesn't even know..."

"Dude, not cool." He shakes his head, and begins backing out of the spot. "So is keeping this information in worth destroying your relationship with Tessa?"

"It's not only that... there's other stuff that I know if Tessa ever found out about..." I don't even want to think about her leaving me.

"Stuff like what?"

I tell him about Josie, and everything that happened between me and her. Thankfully, Landon stays silent the whole time while I tell him.

"You're telling me that you messed around with her best friend from high school before she even met you?"

I nod pathetically. "Yeah."

"I don't think she'll be upset about that, I mean... if what you are saying is true, that you didn't know Josie and Tessa were friends, and it was before you met, I don't think you did anything wrong particularly."

"I don't know..." I just have a feeling that all of the shit with Lucy, plus the shit with Josie will send Tessa over the edge, again.

"Just be honest. You are only digging yourself a deeper hole, Hardin."

He's right, I know he's right. The more I put off telling Tessa, the more stuff seems to accumulate.

"I just don't want to hurt her."

We pull into my driveway, and Landon surprises me by laughing. "Have you ever thought how much you're hurting her by not telling her?"

"I'm gonna do it. I'm gonna tell her." I tell myself more than I tell him.

"There you go." He pats me on the back as I get out the car and walk to the door. As my hand goes to reach the knob, I pause. I am absolutely terrified to admit my mistakes to Tessa, to finally tell her about everything I said to Lucy. Landon honks the horn and moves his hands, signaling for me to go in. I give him the middle finger and step inside, awaiting either the worst or the best possible situation for Tessa and me.