New Beginnings: A Hessa Story (2)

Chapter 31: Hardin

I join everyone on the couch playing charades, and it's Karen's turn. She is moving her arms like a bird, but apparently she is supposed to be acting out a movie.

"Uh... Chicken Little!" Tessa screams out, but Karen shakes her head.

"Bye bye Birdie?!" Nora yells, but that's also wrong.

She then moves her hands and creates a square. What the fuck?

"Square... uh... Bird square?" Landon is so confused as the timer rings.

"Bird Box! The movie was Bird Box!" Karen throws her hands in the air as everyone else reacts.

We play Charades for another half hour before we have dessert. Vance and my mum still haven't come out yet, and I can see the panicked look on Kim's face at the idea of her husband alone with his ex-lover.

"Let's have dessert. It's getting kind of late, plus it's a big day tomorrow." Nora nudges Tessa's arm as they go into the kitchen to bring out the pies that everyone brought. There are two blueberry, one apple and one cherry, plus cupcakes that Karen made.

As we sit and eat, my mum and Vance eventually walk out of the room. Their clothes look the same as when they went in, so I assume they didn't take them off.

"Save any pie for us?" My mum comes strutting over, cutting herself a slice of blueberry pie.

"There's plenty." Tessa smiles to try and cut the tension. Vance walks over, sits next to Kim and puts his arm around his chair.

"How's the pie?" He asks.

"Good." She smiles at him.

Tessa stands up, hitting the glass of her drink with a fork. "Can I get everyone's attention please? Well, as all of you know, Hardin and I are getting married tomorrow, like actually getting married. I say the same time as it would've been, so at 4 PM."

"And technically, this is our rehearsal dinner since it's the night before our wedding, so I just want to thank everyone for being here to celebrate this special day with us. It means the absolute world to me having you here, even some people who I haven't seen in a while." She smiles to Josie. "I love you all, and Merry Christmas." She raises her glass, and everyone raises theirs in response.

"And to Hardin..." She begins again. "I am so happy that we have finally gotten to this point in our relationship, and that we are getting married. I'll save all the sappy stuff for tomorrow, but I just want you to know that I love you." She bends down and kisses me in front of everyone.

"Cheers!" Everyone applauds.

We eat way too much pie, and share more ridiculous stories before we start the movie we watch every year. Home Alone. I think it's cheesy as fuck, but I can kind of relate to the little kid. Being left behind by your parents... I wouldn't put that past my parents to do that to me. I felt invisible in my family, even though my mother tried so hard to be there for me. Without a father, it felt like I was Macaulay Culkin in Home Alone, well without fighting intruders. Tessa finds this movie hilarious, so I watch her laughing when the intruders get hit on the head by one of the kid's traps more than the actual movie.

Once the movie ends, I can tell everyone is exhausted after a long day. This is probably the best Christmas we have had in a while. No major blowups, no injuries, no cheating... I say it's a victory.

"Well, we should get going. It's gonna be a long day tomorrow." Nora stands. "Tessa, you got a night bag?"

"Yeah, let me go grab it." Tessa runs off, but I grab her arm before she can get too far.

"Night bag?"

"It's the night before our wedding, Hardin, so I can't spend it here." She smiles as I frown. I forgot about this fucking superstition.

"Well, we already did it once, technically, so can't we just count that?"

Tessa laughs. "No, no." She rubs her thumb along my cheek before running to our bedroom.

Everyone starts gathering their things, taking home plates full of leftovers. Tessa joins us a few minutes later with an overnight bag.

"I'll bring that out to the car." Landon offers her. "See you tomorrow." He pats me on the shoulder before walking out.

I say goodbye to everyone. It's a lot of hugging and 'see you tomorrows', all the awkward shit that I hate. Noah and Shannon are nice enough to take Josie back to her hotel room. Thank god because I didn't want to have to drive her back.

"Okay, say your goodbyes. I'll be out in the car." Nora waves to me and closes the front door.

"Are you sure you're feeling alright?" Tessa touches my forehead with the back of her hand. I am marrying this woman tomorrow. Finally. "Remember to apply some more ointment, I already told your mother about it just in case."

"Tessa..." I roll my eyes. Of course she told my mum about putting ointment on, but there is no way in hell I am letting her do it.

"I'll see you tomorrow. Get some sleep." She rests her forehead against mine.

"I love you." I tell her for the millionth time.

"I love you." She briefly kisses me before opening the door and walking out, but it's not enough for me. I grab her arm and pull her back to me, kissing her more passionately and deeply. This will be our last kiss before we become husband and wife. This will be the last time she is in my arms as my fiancé.

We are abruptly interrupted by honking. Tessa giggles as she pulls away, and I give the finger to Landon who is sitting in the driver's seat.

"Bye, Hardin."

"Bye, Tess." I wave as she walks down the steps, into Landon's car, and drives away. The next time I see her, we will be saying I do.