Afterwards: An "After" Fanfiction

Chapter 14: Steal My Girl (Part 2)

Carol placed Hardin on the couch with a thin blanket and a thin frown. "I hope these accommodations are acceptable." She turned off the lights without waiting for so much as a response from the other, heading straight upstairs to her daughter's room.

When she opened the door, she saw Tessa staring begrudgingly at the new dress hanging on her closet door.

"Mom, please don't tell me this is the dress you picked out for tomorrow." It was a high-necked, ruffled ensemble, longer and uglier than anything Tessa had ever seen before. The lengthy sleeves ended in a doiley-like pattern, and the white skirt ended just above her ankles.

"You bet it is." Carol furrowed her brows. "I want you to look presentable, especially since you decided to defy me with your surprise guest. I set him up on the couch downstairs, by the way." The latter part of her statement was a warning to her daughter: this is where Hardin would stay for the entire night. "Just try it on, you might like it."

Tessa took the dress down from the hanger with a groan. "I highly doubt that."

Carol sighed as she helped her only child button up the back. With a slight smile, she turned Tessa towards the mirror, keeping her hands on her shoulders. "See? You look like a proper lady."

"I look like a pioneer." Tessa deadpanned.

"What do you have against the outfits I choose for you? Could it have anything to do with the troublemaker downstairs? Is he trying to convince you to dress like a groupie?"

The younger woman rolled her eyes. "He's not a troublemaker, mom. He's...sweet."

"Your father was sweet too, and look where that got me."

The mention of Richard made both of them fall silent. After his death, Tessa's father was like a distant and forbidden memory. No pictures of him decorated the halls, no trinkets or belongings remained in the closets, and his name was certainly not mentioned often.

Eventually, Tessa slunk over to the bed and put her chin in her hands. The only things that belonged to her in this room were a couple of conservative dresses, some bed sheets from college, and a few items of jewelry. Her mother had allowed her to stay in this room each time she visited, but she always felt like a guest. She wondered if Carol would eventually erase her too, just like she had with Richard. "I'm not like you. I can make my own mistakes. I know with...dad...that things didn't turn out the way either of us wanted. But Hardin is not dad. He's smart. He has a good head on his shoulders. Sure, he may be rough around the edges. But he would never do to me what dad did to us. He's not an addict."

Carol came to sit on the edge of the bed. It took her a while to formulate a sentence, but eventually, she tentatively placed a palm on her daughter's ruffled sleeve. "I'm just looking out for your best interests. When I look at Hardin I see your father and I just don't want you to be hurt. I've picked out better boys for you in the past." She offered a smile, but it was met with a deep frown. "Just trust my judgment for once, Theresa. It may seem plain and boring now, but in time you'll see it's the safest choice." With that, Carol straightened the collar of the dress, squeezed her daughter's shoulder, and took her leave.

Now alone, Tessa pulled the stuffy fabric away from her skin as fast as she could. She flopped down on the bed with the fabric pooling around her middle, gazing at the starch white ceiling as she counted the minutes until her mother fell asleep. Yes, her mother had set her up with Noah in the past, and that had worked out okay for a while. But in the end, he wasn't someone Tessa wanted to be with for the rest of her life. She wasn't too sure Hardin was either, but at least with him, she was willing to consider the possibility.