Daddy.
“Tessa, honey.” He pulls me into his arms, swallowing me into a loving embrace. He kisses the top of my head and releases one hand to shake Andrew’s, who is standing behind me now. “How long has she been like this?”
“Since your call. She comes in and out of it, but she hasn’t said much. I think she’s still in shock.”
My dad nods and walks us into the house. He stops us near his study and releases me, allowing Andrew to pull me back into the safety of his body.
“I just need to grab a few more things and then we can head up north. Feel free to have a seat in the living room. I’ll only be a few minutes.”
“Thank you, Robert.”
Andrew leads me down the hall while my dad disappears behind his study door. We walk to the small loveseat, where Andrew pulls me into his lap. I can feel his lips press against my head and I finally snap out of my trance, noticing everything around me.
Andrew, my Andrew, is here, holding me, comforting me, loving me. And my dad is here. He’s coming with us. Both of them are here with me so I’m not alone.
I turn my head and half smile at the most beautiful face I’ve ever seen. “Andrew?”
His hand continues to smooth over my hair, gently threading his fingers through the strands. “Yes, love, I’m here. I’ve got you, don’t worry.”
“We’re at my dad’s house?”
He nods and kisses the tip of my nose. “Yes, your dad is coming to help us out.”
Realization finally sinks in as the haze clears from my brain. We need to go up north, to the institution, to finalize things and see my mom. And it gives me great relief that Andrew and my dad are coming with me, so I don’t have to do this alone.
I’ll never be alone again.
“Thank you. For everything. For sticking it out with me, for helping me, and for being here so I’m not alone.”
“You will never be alone. I promised that you would never be alone again and I meant it. I’m here and so is your father.”
His beautiful blue eyes are still filled with pain as they move back and forth over my face. I trace his lips with the tip of my finger, running it along the curves before trailing it down his chin, letting my hand fall limply into my lap.
“My mom is dead.”
He nods, holding me tighter in his arms. “Yes.”
A tear slips down my cheek though it doesn’t hurt this time. “Okay.”
Andrew holds me, knowing that I don’t need anything more than to feel his arms around me.
The fog has lifted and I’m finally coming back into myself, putting together bits and pieces of the last hour of my life. “And Daddy? Where did he go?”
Just then he enters the room, placing his suitcase on the floor before walking toward me. “I’m here, honey.”
Remembering that he held me at the entrance to the house, I stand upright and close the distance to him, wrapping my arms around his waist. I bury my head in his chest while he holds me.
“It’s okay, Tessa. Daddy’s here.”
I step away and look into his sad eyes, the same eyes as mine. Andrew approaches behind me and presses a kiss to my temple.
“I think the shock has worn off,” he says, wrapping his arm around my shoulders. I cling to his waist and press my head against his body, thankful to have his support.
My dad looks at me and gives a genuine smile. “You haven’t called me Daddy since you were little. I just realized now how much I’ve missed that.”
I release Andrew to give my dad another hug, noticing that he is hurting from this as well. He was married to my mom after all. He had to have cared about her at some point.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see someone else enter the room. “What in the hell is going on here?” Sharon sharply states. I jerk back, startled by her outburst and Andrew wraps his arms protectively around my waist, pulling me back into him.
“Sharon, stop your yelling. Tessa’s mom has passed away and understandably she’s upset.”
She walks over to the three of us, putting her hands on her hips and scowls. “So what does that have to do with you? You divorced the woman years ago. Why do you care about what happened to her?” she asks, tapping her foot impatiently. Andrew’s grip tightens around my waist as she glares at me, her mouth firmly locked into a sneer.
“The hospital called me because they were unable to reach Tessa due to a mix-up in updated contact information. And since I was the next person on the list they called me. So I’m taking Tessa and Andrew up north to help them take care of everything.”
“Like hell you are!” she bellows. “She’s your EX wife! You don’t owe her shit anymore.” Her voice echoes throughout the house, swirling around me and creating those feelings of inadequacy again.
My dad straightens up to his full height and turns an angry eye to Sharon. “Yes, I am Sharon. Tessa needs me right now and I’m going to help her. She won’t have to do this alone.”
Sharon swings her icy gaze to me and I shrink back. “She has her current fuck buddy to help her out. She doesn’t need her dad running to help her with every little problem that life throws at her. You’ve helped her with too much as it is. She’s an adult. Let her fucking figure it out on her own.”
Andrew moves me to the side protectively, trying to stand as a shield between me and my cruel stepmother.
“I would advise you to change your tone, Sharon. You are out of line. Tessa needs the both of us right now,” Andrew says. My eyes bounce between the three of them, watching each expression morph into something else. Sharon’s morphs to disgust, Andrew’s changes from disdain to anger, and my dad stays eerily calm, except for the red slowly creeping up his neck.
“Sharon, this is not up for discussion. And I sure as hell do not need your permission to do anything. I’m leaving tonight with Andrew and Tessa to help them with her mother’s estate. It’s the least I could do after what happened all those years ago. Show some respect for God’s sake. She lost her mother and you’re acting like it doesn't matter.”
Sharon scoffs and stabs her pointed finger into the middle of his chest. “The least you could do? If you owe anyone anything, it’s me. I’m the one who saved your life from that little brat over there. I’m the one you should be thanking and showing gratitude to.”
Confusion takes over the anger in my dad as he tilts his head to the side. “What are you talking about? What did you save me from?”
“If I hadn’t intercepted that fucking phone call from Child Protective Services, you would have been held back in your career, putting all your focus into poor little Tessa instead of the law firm. I saved you when I told them you were not interested in taking her in when her mom was committed. Don’t you see? She would have held you back. She would have dragged you down like the little leech she is. You wouldn’t be in the position you’re in today without my intervention. So I’m the one who needs you. You’re my husband, not her fucking dead mommy’s!” Sharon explodes, releasing years of resentment and anger all at once.
I move to Andrew’s side, still clinging to him but now I’m morbidly curious what Sharon’s involvement in my adolescence was. But my curiosity is nothing compared to the fire that shines in my dad’s eyes as he stalks slowly toward his wife. Sharon straightens her posture, but there’s a slight tremble in her arms, letting us know that she’s not quite as put together as she appears.
He leans in close, leaving only a foot of space between them. “Am I to understand this correctly? Child Protective Services called me and you decided to send her to live in foster care, with some strangers instead of her own family? You sent her to live in filth, made to believe that I didn’t want her and let those people treat her the exact same way? She’s my daughter, my flesh and blood. You turned her away when she needed me most and you think I should be grateful for that?”
Anger radiates from his body towards Sharon, who has taken a defensive pose, but is not backing down. She actually believes she didn’t do anything wr
ong, that she saved him from a life of burden to a teenage daughter who would do nothing but bring him down.
Sharon straightens her shoulders again, matching his glare. “Yes, I did. And I paid a lot of money to make sure the case moved along quickly and quietly. You didn’t need some bratty seventeen-year-old girl hanging around, especially one who opened her legs to whoever came knocking and then didn’t even know how to properly satisfy him.”
Shane. Holy shit, she’s bringing up Shane. My lungs feel deflated as I try to breathe, except it feels like I’m suffocating. How could she be so cruel?
Andrew takes a step toward Sharon. “If I were you I would watch your mouth. You are talking about my girlfriend who has had countless assaults and other indecencies done to her that should never be wished upon anyone. Abuse takes on many forms and so far both of her maternal role models have done the opposite of what she’s needed. It would be in your best interest to not speak ill of her again.”
Sharon swings her icy gaze to Andrew, letting a slow, creepy smile play upon her lips. “She has you snowballed, just like everyone else. Let’s face it. She’s not some innocent little girl who needs rescuing. She’s a manipulator, a whore, and a spoiled brat who doesn’t want to deal with anything. And why should she when daddy dearest will come clean up the mess for her.”
My dad moves to stand between Sharon and Andrew, looking down upon his wife with unrepressed hatred. “I don’t owe you anything, you gold digging snake. You didn’t do me a favor by keeping her from me. You destroyed my life.” He reaches down, grabs her left hand and takes off her wedding rings. “Get the fuck out of my house right now. I will send your things to you. You are nothing to me and no longer welcome here. And, believe me, I will destroy your life if you step foot in this house again. Leave, now!” he bellows, letting his voice echo around the completely still room.
Sharon’s face pales. “You’re throwing me out? How dare you! You’re choosing her over me? She’s a nobody!”
“No, I’m choosing my daughter. You, Sharon, are the nobody. And if you want any sort of decent settlement in the divorce, I suggest you leave right now and never look back. My lawyer will contact yours,” he says, effectively dismissing her with an eerie calm.
Sharon’s shoulders scrunch up as she clenches her fists at her sides. “Fuck you!” she screams and turns on her heels, stomping out of the room. Moments later we hear the front door slam and her car tires squealing out of the driveway.
I can feel Andrew’s whole body relax in my arms before he pulls me around to the front of him, framing my face in his hands.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes,” I whisper. I turn to look at my dad, who appears absolutely heartbroken. Shame and regret play across his face as he takes a cautious step toward me.
“Tessa, I’m so sorry. I never knew. I swear to you that I never knew what Sharon did. If I had received that call all those years ago, I would have come for you. You must believe me.”
He opens his arms and I instantly gravitate to him, wrapping my arms around his middle. He holds me close, kissing the top of my head and I feel the first tear slip down my cheek. It’s not a sad tear, but one filled with relief. He does love me.
“I know now you would have. It’s not your fault. I don’t blame you for Sharon’s actions. They’re hers to take responsibility for, and hers alone.”
When I step back, I see his eyes are watery and watch as a tear slowly rolls down his handsome face. He brushes it away and doesn’t speak any more on the subject. I think enough has been said already.
“I’m sorry you had to witness that Andrew. I’m sorry any of us did. But you will never have to deal with her again, either of you.”
I nod my head and link my hand with Andrew’s, watching him bring it up to his lips and gently press them against the back.
“Let’s just focus on what we need to do over the next few days,” Andrew says, leading us toward the front door, grabbing our coats on the way out.
“I could only get a couple days off from work, unfortunately, which means I need to be back here by Wednesday,” my dad says.
“It’s okay. I called Christopher and Kara to let them know what’s happening, clearing both our schedules for the week so we can take our time getting everything done.”
We walk into the garage and watch as my dad places his suitcase in the trunk of his car before turning to us. “You’ll follow me up there?” he asks Andrew, who nods in response. “I’ve already made hotel reservations for us so we will be all set when we arrive.”
“Excellent. Thank you, Robert.”
We exit the garage and head back to our car. Andrew holds open my door and waits for me to buckle my seatbelt before shutting it and getting in on the driver’s side. He gives me a smile and begins following my dad for our journey north.
Andrew keeps a hand on my knee as we make the two and a half hour drive to where my mother is, or was I guess. The pain isn’t quite as bad anymore when I think about her. Having Andrew nearby helps quite a bit, as well as knowing that my dad is there to help me too.
We don’t say much as the world passes us by. Once we’re out of the metro area, the scenery changes as we leave behind the urban jungle for long stretches of trees and the open road. Towns are sprinkled here and there and are barely visible from the highway. The one thing I’m grateful for is that it hasn’t snowed yet so the roads are dry and not as hazardous as they could be this time of the year.
I turn to look at Andrew’s profile as he concentrates on the road. Just his presence is enough to calm me down from any stressful situation. He grounds me and brings me back to the world I now have a place in.
I switch the radio on, looking for a little white noise to drown out any remaining thoughts in my head. We listen to song after song, sometimes humming along with the melody, sometimes just letting the words wash over us in silence. Then an older song comes on, one I haven’t heard in years. Allison Krauss’s soulful voice fills the car and it’s like she’s reaching into my brain and saying the words I’m thinking as I look at the beautiful man sitting next to me. Without thinking, I start softly singing the words out loud to him.
Andrew turns his head and smiles. He grabs my hand, kissing the palm lightly as his eyes twinkle in our brief contact.
“Thank you for saving me from myself today. I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t been there for me.” I reach up and place the same hand on his cheek before he threads our hands together, resting them over his heart.
“Love, I will do anything for you. I told you, you are mine and I am yours. We will take care of each other for the rest of time and then beyond that. As long as we’re together, nothing can harm us.”
If I thought it wasn’t possible to fall further in love with this man, I was mistaken. Time after time he shows me how much he cares for me, wanting nothing more than my happiness. He makes me feel as if I’m the most important thing in the world. And I honestly believe that he will save me from everything and everyone, including myself.
When we arrive at the hotel, Andrew parks our car next to my dad’s and gathers our luggage together. After checking in and getting our room keys, we say goodnight to my dad, agreeing to meet up in the morning so we can get things started. As we ride the elevator to our room, I slump against the wall, feeling the weight of the day’s events finally dragging me down. I begin to move but am swept up in Andrew’s arms instead as he carries me down the hall. I want to protest, but my body is so tired that all I can do is lay my head against his shoulder and cling to him.
Andrew drops our bags on the floor at the foot of the bed and slowly sets me down.
“You’re tired. Come, let’s get you ready.”
He strips me out of my clothes, tapping the body parts he wants me to move. Before long I’m in one of his shirts that hang limply on my body. He strips down to his boxer briefs, scoops me up and settles us both under the covers. Holding me against his chest, he nuzzles his face into my h
air, whispering sweet endearing words to me.
“I love you.”
“Everything will be all right.”
“You are so beautiful.”
“My brave, strong girl.”
I twist around, needing to see him before I succumb to the sleep my body is so desperately craving. “Andrew?”
“Yes, love?”
I press my lips against his softly, slowly moving them with love and appreciation. “You are my hero, you know that? I feel so much stronger around you. You make me brave and give me hope when I think it’s lost. Nothing is quite as scary as it seems as long as we’re together. You are my everything and I just want you to know that.”
He smiles and kisses me again, reassuring me without words that he feels the same as I do.
“WAKE UP, LOVE.”
I stir and rub my face into the pillow, wanting to stay in the warm cocoon the blankets have created for me. Pulling the covers over my head, I sink further into the mattress, hoping it’s enough to make the world go away.
“Don’t want to,” I grumble through my protective fortress.
Andrew laughs and drags the covers down my body, leaving me shivering with the sudden assault of cooler air. I liked my big warm blanket wrapped around me, although it’s nothing compared to being wrapped up in Andrew’s arms. I sigh wistfully as I open my eyes, not instantly recognizing my surroundings. Then I remember the reason why I’m sitting in this hotel room.
Mom.
I brush away the tangled mess that I call my hair from my face as I sit up, turning to see the bright smiling eyes of the man I love. He’s dressed in black pants and a gray button-down shirt. His hair is still wet from a recent shower and he smells like his body wash and cologne, my two favorite scents.
I let my body slump forward, landing on his shoulder while I deeply inhale his calming scent. He laughs and kisses the top of my head, seemingly amused at my lack of energy this morning.
Fated to be Mine Page 23
