Tested Love: A Christian Romance (The True Love Series Book 2)

by Juliette Duncan

  She replaced the photo and reread his email. She should reply, but what would she say? Could she tell him she was married in an email? But if she didn’t… Just then, footsteps sounded in the hallway and she quickly closed the lid of her computer.

  Chapter 13

  A few days later, Tessa was bringing in a basket of clean laundry and had to jump out of Jayden’s way as he raced for the phone. She stared after him as he skidded to a halt and picked up the phone.

  “Hello,” he answered eagerly, but after hearing who it was, his expression changed and he handed her the phone. “It’s Stephanie.”

  Tessa took the phone from him and placed it between her ear and shoulder as she carried the basket into the bedroom. “Steph, how are you?”

  “Not good.” Stephanie’s voice caught in her throat.

  Tessa plonked the basket onto the bed and sat beside it. “What’s wrong, Steph? You’re not crying, are you?”

  “I have been.” Stephanie sniffed. “You’re not going to believe this, Tess, but I was fired this morning.”

  “Fired? What for?” Tessa straightened.

  “When I arrived this morning, Rod walked into my office and told me my services weren’t needed anymore.” Tessa heard fresh sobs collect in her throat; her friend was barely able to get the words out.

  “Oh Steph, that’s terrible. What reason did he give?”

  “Seems I’m not cut out for the job, Tess. All my case studies have been subpar and none of my recommendations seem to improve situations for the long term.” Stephanie drew in a shaky breath and blew her nose.

  “Don’t say that, Steph. You’re good at helping people sort their problems, like you did with Ben. In fact, you’re the best counsellor I know.”

  “You mustn’t know many, then.” Stephanie succumbed to a fresh wave of sobs.

  “Steph, is there something you’re not telling me?” A sinking feeling had developed in Tessa’s stomach as the probable reason for Stephanie’s dismissal occurred to her.

  Stephanie continued to sob quietly.

  “C’mon, Steph, what happened?”

  Stephanie blew her nose again before answering. “Rod said it was because of breach of client confidentially.”

  I knew it. Tessa held her tongue.

  Stephanie sucked in a deep breath. “When we lived together, I used to tell you about my patients. You warned me not to, Tessa. I should have listened.” She went quiet for a moment. “You told me I’d get in trouble for it.”

  “I’m so sorry, Steph. Can’t they give you another chance?”

  “I’ve already tried. I promised Rod I’d never do it again, but he wouldn’t budge. I just don’t understand how he found out. I mean, you’re the only one I talked to about my clients and you’d never tell anyone.” Stephanie gasped. “Ben! He’s the only other one who knows.”

  “Stephanie, no!” Tessa’s breath caught. “Ben would never do something like that. He loves you like a sister.”

  “He wasn’t pleased when he found out I’d told you his life story. I wouldn’t put it past him.”

  “You’re overreacting, Steph. You’re upset. But don’t blame Ben. I have no idea how Rod found out, but it wasn’t me, and it wasn’t Ben.”

  “Well I don’t know who, then.” She began to cry.

  “Stephanie, listen to me. You’re good at what you do, and you’ll get through this.” Tessa paused. What advice could she give to someone who normally was the advice giver? God? What can I possibly say that will help? Tessa breathed in slowly as words formulated in her mind. “Stephanie, what would you say to me if I came to you and told you I’d lost my job?” She waited. Stephanie took her time, but when she finally answered, her voice was steadier.

  “I’d tell you that God was in control and you needed to trust him.”

  “Yes, and…”

  Stephanie sighed, and Tessa imagined her rolling her eyes. “God can work all things for good for those love him and are called according to his purposes.”

  “And…”

  “Tessa! Stop it!”

  “No, Steph, I won’t. You know the theory—now it’s time for you to put it into practice. And you can’t go blaming others for your own mistakes—you know that. I’m sorry I’m being so blunt, but it needed to be said. How many times did I ask you not to disclose confidential information to me?”

  Stephanie sighed heavily. “I know. It was wrong, but how can I tell my mum, Tessa? She’ll be so disappointed.” She succumbed to a fresh wave of sobs, making Tessa wish she could be beside her to comfort her. But Ben would be home any minute and she hadn’t got dinner ready. Maybe Stephanie could come to them.

  “Come over for dinner, Steph. It won’t be anything fancy, but we can talk more about it then. And we can pray.

  Stephanie gulped. “I can’t face Ben, Tessa. Not yet. But thank you.” Stephanie’s voice caught again, and she swallowed hard.

  Tessa exhaled slowly. She was torn. Should she drop everything and go to her friend, or stay here for her husband? Her grip tightened on the receiver. God, what should I do?

  She made her mind up. “I understand, Steph, but Ben won’t bite your head off. He truly does care for you. I’ll try to pop over a little later, but hang in there, okay? By the way, is Hannah there?”

  “No.” Stephanie struggled to get the one word answer out. “But she should be home soon.”

  “Okay good. I’ll call you after dinner and let you know if I can make it.”

  “Thanks Tess.” Stephanie sobbed into the phone.

  “I’ll pray for you in the meantime, Stephanie. But listen to me. It’s not the end of the world. God can teach you a lot of things through this if you’re willing to learn.” Tessa closed her eyes and wrapped her hands around the receiver. She hadn’t meant to sound quite so harsh. Stephanie’s sobbing on the other end of the phone tugged at her heart. “I’m sorry, Steph. I didn’t mean it to come out quite like that.”

  “It’s okay, Tessa. I deserve it.”

  When the phone clicked, Tessa sent up a quick prayer for her friend. She felt bad about the way the conversation had ended, and hoped Stephanie would be all right.

  When Tessa told Ben the news about Stephanie’s dismissal, he wasn’t surprised. “You can’t get away with doing the wrong thing forever, Tessa. Eventually you get caught.”

  “But she assured me I was the only one she’d spoken to about her patients, so I don’t understand how Rod found out.”

  “I had nothing to do with it, Tessa, if that’s what you’re intimating.”

  “I know you didn’t, Ben.” She hesitated, and reached out her hand.

  He narrowed his eyes. “But Stephanie thinks I did, right?”

  Tessa couldn’t deny it, so she remained silent.

  Ben let out an annoyed sigh. “She’s wrong, Tessa. I had nothing to do with it.” He shook his head. “She’s only got herself to blame.” He finished wiping the kitchen bench before turning and meeting Tessa’s gaze. “I guess she won’t want me at her graduation if she thinks like that?”

  “No, Ben, not at all. She needs our support more than ever. If you don’t go, it’ll just make her believe it really was you. I don’t think she really believes you’d do something like that, it’s just her way of coping with the shock. She’s lashing out at whoever she can.”

  As Ben fixed his eyes on her, Tessa’s heart fell. She hated the underlying tension that had existed between the two of them ever since she’d told Ben about Michael’s email. And now, she got the feeling he didn’t accept what she’d said, and that she also believed it was him who’d betrayed Stephanie.

  With the uncomfortable tension with Ben still floating in the air, Tessa thought it best to stay home, so she phoned Stephanie instead. Hannah answered and said Stephanie was asleep. Tessa breathed a sigh of relief, although she felt a little guilty at doing so. She prayed silently for her, asking God to work something good in all of this, and joined Ben on the couch.

  Stephanie’s gra
duation ceremony was on that Friday night at the Southbank Convention Centre. Tessa had doubted if Ben would end up coming, but she’d convinced him it was the right thing to do, and she took his hand as he sat beside her in the huge auditorium. Stephanie’s mother had at the last minute been unable to come due to an emergency on the farm. Stephanie had said she was relieved in one way. It gave her more time before having to admit her failure.

  Throughout the whole of the ceremony, Stephanie stared at her hands, only looking up when her name was called. Her gaze was vacant as she walked onto the stage to receive her certificate. Seeing her like this tore at Tessa’s heart.

  Stephanie’s cheeks were tear-stained when they met up after the ceremony. Tessa threw her arms around Stephanie’s neck and hugged her tightly. “It’ll be okay, Steph, you’ll see. Chin up.”

  Stephanie forced a smile and wiped her cheeks.

  Tessa urged Ben forward. Stephanie held her body rigid and lifted her chin as Ben leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek.

  Ben’s face was pinched. “I don’t know how to make you believe me, Stephanie. It wasn’t me who told on you, and I have no idea who did.” Tessa cringed at the sharp tone in Ben’s voice.

  “I can’t think of anyone else who would have.” Stephanie narrowed her eyes. “Doesn’t matter now. I’m sure you think I deserve it.”

  Ben’s voice grew even more irritated. “I only want the best for you, Stephanie. But believe what you want.”

  “What are you going to do now, Steph?” Tessa asked, trying to diffuse the situation.

  She turned to Tessa and shrugged dejectedly. “I don’t know, Tess. I think I’ll spend a few weeks with my mum on the farm. Being away from everything for a while might help clear my head.”

  Tessa smiled warmly at her and hugged her tightly. “Don’t be disheartened, Steph. Stay strong. And remember, God is with you.”

  Chapter 14

  With Stephanie about to go away, Tessa was more eager than ever to form a friendship with Margaret Smith. She needed another woman to talk with, even if Margaret was a little older. In fact, she could have been Tessa’s mother. Tessa figured that could be a good thing. Margaret had raised three children, so perhaps she could give some advice regarding Jayden. Tessa had been reading the books on step-parenting Stephanie had given her, but it wouldn’t hurt to get some real life know-how on raising a teenager.

  Margaret didn’t live too far away. When Tessa drove up for their agreed upon lunch date, Margaret was in the front yard snipping the dead heads off the rose bushes lining her front fence.

  “Welcome to my humble abode,” Margaret said, greeting Tessa warmly. She removed her old gardening gloves and led the way inside. “Come right on in.” The living room was spotless. A large colourful mat sat in the middle of the dark timber floor, surrounded by a lounge suite, which although old and well used, still looked inviting and comfortable. Photos, which Tessa guessed were of Margaret’s family members, stood in fancy frames on top of the mantelpiece, and white chandelier light fittings adorned the extra high ceiling.

  “I love your house, Margaret. It’s so quaint and oldie worldy. It’s lovely.” Tessa smiled warmly at the older woman.

  “Thank you, Tessa. I must admit to quite liking it myself.” Margaret chuckled. “We’ve lived here all our married life, so it holds a lot of memories.”

  Margaret headed into the kitchen, but not before tossing her wide-brimmed floppy sun hat onto a chair as she passed by. “Silly me, always forgetting to take this off in the house.” Margaret’s chatty, good-natured personality made Tessa smile. After putting the water on for tea, Margaret rejoined Tessa in the living room. “I’m truly glad you could come, Tessa. I always enjoy getting to know new folks.”

  “Thank you for asking me.” Tessa pointed to the framed photos. “Your family?”

  “Ah, yes.” Margaret picked up each one in turn. “This is my husband, Harold. We’ve been married forty years next year. And these are our two daughters, Chloe and Sophie. They’re twins—you can probably tell just by looking at them, and you’ll never believe this—they went and married twin brothers!”

  “Really?” Tessa laughed.

  Margaret chuckled and nodded. “They’re all in London now, and I’m worried I won’t be able to tell my grandbabies apart when I see them next.” She picked up the last photo and her smiled faded. “And here’s Harrison, my baby.”

  Tessa leaned closer. Harrison? Not Harrison who worked for her, surely? She peered closer still. Although considerably younger in the photo, it was him, no question about it. His high cheekbones, big brown eyes and jet black hair confirmed it.

  “Harrison works for me, Margaret. I had no idea.”

  Margaret blinked. “Really? I didn’t know you were a vet, Tessa.” Something about Margaret’s expression wasn’t right.

  “Yes—I’m Practice Manager at the moment, although I’d love to be back doing hands on work. It’s a small world, isn’t it?” Tessa stepped back a little. Margaret stared wistfully at the photo for a second longer before replacing it. What was going on here? Surely it was the twins Margaret was missing; Harrison lived nearby.

  “Yes, it is,” she said in a faraway voice, but then her expression lightened. “What about you, Tessa? Do you have children?” Before Tessa could answer, Margaret touched Tessa’s arm lightly. “I’m sorry, Tessa, I just remembered you told me you were recently married.”

  “Yes, I am, but Ben’s son lives with us. So yes, I do have a child—actually, I have a teenager…” Tessa lifted her eyebrows and let out a slow breath. “And he’s really testing me out, I’m afraid.”

  Margaret chuckled, her face lighting up. “Teenagers have a habit of doing that.”

  The kettle began to whistle. “Come on, it’s time for lunch.” Margaret hurried into the kitchen and filled a red china teapot with steaming water. She indicated to Tessa to take a seat and gave thanks for the food. She uncovered a plate of dainty sandwiches, and encouraged Tessa to take as many as she liked. Tessa chose an egg and lettuce sandwich and also a chicken and salad, and placed both on her plate, but all of a sudden she didn’t feel like eating. In fact, the smell of the egg made her nauseous. Not wanting to be rude, Tessa nibbled the chicken sandwich. As she chewed, she thought about Margaret’s behaviour. Something wasn’t quite right. But dare she ask? She’d hoped Margaret might give her some input with how to handle Jayden. She had no thought it might be Margaret who needed help.

  Tessa washed the sandwich down with a sip of tea and then decided to ask. She cleared her throat. “Margaret, is everything all right between you and Harrison?”

  Margaret’s face fell and for a long moment she said nothing. She twisted her tea cup between her hands before smiling rather sadly at Tessa. “Harrison doesn’t talk to me anymore. We haven’t seen each other since he left school, and that was a long time ago.”

  “But why? You live so close.” Tessa’s brow furrowed. How could anyone, let alone her son, not want to see this sweet, kind woman? Tessa leaned forward in her chair and gazed sympathetically at Margaret.

  Margaret sighed deeply. “It’s a long story.”

  “It’s okay Margaret, I’m happy to listen.” Tessa smiled encouragingly at her.

  “Okay then. Stop me if you want.” Margaret drew in a deep breath and began. “When I was growing up, my parents struggled with money and we were poor my entire childhood.” She wrapped her hands tightly around her cup. “I was determined to make a better life for myself, so I studied hard and became a journalist. When I met Harold, I had a high-paying job with a women’s magazine. After we married, Harold was more than happy for me to keep working, even when the children came along. He understood my need to give the children a better life than what I’d had growing up.”

  Margaret bit her lip and stared into her cup, a pained expression growing on her face. “The job required me to travel a lot. I missed more birthdays and rugby practices and school events than I should have. Harrison was always
asking where I was or why I couldn’t watch him, and then one day he just stopped asking and didn’t want anything more to do with me.” Margaret’s eyes misted over, and Tessa reached out and lightly touched her arm. “He had everything he needed, apart from a mother who was there for him.” She lifted a tissue to her eyes and looked up. “I deeply regret not spending more time with him and the girls. If I could go back and change things, I would, but at the time, I thought I was doing the right thing.”

  Tessa sat quietly, digesting all that Margaret had said. Her honesty and desire to give her children a better life was touching. Listening to Margaret, the thought came to Tessa that behind many a happy facade lay a sad story. Even my own mother had a sad story she’d kept secret for years. The thought didn’t alleviate Tessa’s concerns over her situation with Jayden, but it provided comfort to know she wasn’t alone. Others had their unique set of problems they faced daily, and it was unrealistic of her to expect that her life would be free of challenges.

  But how unfair that Harrison couldn’t see his mother had acted out of love. Another thought came to Tessa—maybe that’s why he’s giving me such a hard time—he thinks I should be a stay-at-home mother. She cocked her head and drew her eyebrows together. Surely not, not in this day and age? Every mother works, don’t they?

  Tessa met Margaret’s questioning gaze. “I was just thinking that might explain why Harrison doesn’t like me as his boss.”

  Margaret’s eyes watered again. “I’m sorry if he treats you badly, Tessa. I’m to blame for that.”

  Tessa reached across the table and grasped Margaret’s hand. “Oh, Margaret, you’re not. Parents make mistakes, but when children become adults they have to take responsibility for their own behaviour. Your daughters didn’t turn out like Harrison, did they?”

  A smile came to Margaret’s face. “No, thank God. They were always proud of my work. We talk over the phone every week and Harold and I are going to visit them in London during the winter.” Her expression faded. “But Harrison, well, I guess boys take things differently.” She sighed and took a sip of tea before drawing her eyebrows together. “You’ve barely touched your sandwich, Tessa. Can I get you something else?”