New Love (36 page)

"She’s my friend Lauren, and was invited. Unlike the trash you brought with you," he said. “That shit was not cool. We’re done, and you’re leaving.”

“Hey Tessa you happy?” s
he yelled “You can have him now!”

“Lauren she doesn’t want me, she’
s in love with Lucas, and she’s my good friend. Now could you please not cause a scene?”

She glared at Tessa and Tessa flipped her off.

“That is a naughty finger" Lucas laughed kissing it he picked her up.

“Sorry about this
Lucas,” she said, “I can walk.”

“Maybe I
want to carry you” he kissed her.

“Hello Tess
” Ben’s Mom said, “What happened to your foot, honey?” she asked as she grabbed the first aid kit out of the cupboard.

“Horseshoe injury” she
smiled, “But we won, so it was all worth it.” she laughed.

Lucas
cleaned her toe.

“Oh Tess
… that’s right on your nail bed, does it throb?” she asked.

“Yes” she smiled.

"Here take a couple of these," she said and gave her some pain meds. “I hope you don’t lose that nail Tess.”

“I better not
-- I won’t be able to wear flip flops, or any open toed shoes. That’ll piss me off…Oh sorry.”

“No
, I would be pissed off too” she laughed.

Ben walked in, “You okay gi
rl?” he grabbed her foot. "Ouch," he went to kiss it and stopped. “Shit, sorry.”

Lucas
smiled, “Forgiven.”

“Tess she’s gone and so are the girls. W
hat did you say about them, the group that’s molesting your boyfriend’s ass with their eyes?” He laughed and Lucas chuckled. “They won’t be back; I had a car take them home.”

“What happened Benjamin?” his mother asked.

"Lauren and her girls acted like freaks,” he laughed. “Tess told me she thought it was on purpose. I didn’t think she was like that until Tess had to dodge the next three. I should have seen it. I’m sorry.”

“If the world would just realize how right I am all the time it would all be perfect” she giggled.

Lucas looked at her, “You okay?”

"Tired
Lucas,” she yawned and started giggling.

"Okay let's go outside a
nd sit.”

“Mom what did
you give her for the pain?” Ben asked his mom.

“Hold on let me check” her eyes widened, “Tylenol with codeine I grabbed the wrong bot
tle, I am sorry. No wonder she’s tired.”

“Mom!”

“Let me go explain myself to John,” she said.

“Ben be nice to your Mom.
I can't feel the pain anymore" she smiled as she scolding him and laughed.

"Alright baby
-- let's go," Lucas carried Tessa out.

~

“Is she okay?” John asked Lucas.

"Yes.”

“You want to take her home or stick around here?” he asked.

“I
can wait although if we leave now we will be home before midnight," he said looking at Tessa.

“Alright, I’
d like to stick around for a few more hours. Can you stay with her till I get home?”

"Sure,"
Lucas said.

“No hands policy at my house Lucas remember,” John said.

“I do,” Lucas said.

“You two taking off?” Ben asked when John left.

“Yep, she won’t be any fun for a few hours anyway,” he lifted her arm and shook it with absolutely no response from her.

“Alright sorry
Lucas.”

“Not your fault. Trust me I know all about crazy ex’s,” he laughed.

“Yeah I remember” Ben smiled, “Sorry about everything you all have been through, been a rough year for you, Lucas.”

“Can I as
k you a question Ben?”

“Shoot,” Ben
sat down.

“Do you want Tessa?”

“Not now.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Lucas asked confused.

“I
don’t share, do you?”

“I would never with her.”

“Then you have nothing to worry about. Take care of her, she’s an awesome girl. By the way, nice ring” he patted Lucas on the back.

“Ben
, thank you for being there for her that night.”

“Links
… I think we’re having a moment.” Ben chuckled, “If she loves you like she says, I hope things work out for you. And your boy Tommy was a great guy. I’m sorry for your loss man.” He hugged Lucas and Lucas hugged him back.

Tessa opened her eyes, “Awe you two are hugging. I love you both, by the way Ben” she
smiled “I told Lucas everything, do you know I am going to marry Lucas someday, soon? Lucas can we go to your house I want to show you that outfit, and the whip.” she laughed and fell back to sleep.

“Wow,
” Ben chuckled.

“Alright then, we’
ll be leaving, take care man.”

~

They pulled into the farm, and Tessa sat up.

“Hey
Lucas we’re home?”

“Yes.”

He opened her door and grabbed her hand and helped her out.

“My stomach’s not feeling so well.”

“You haven’t eaten all day, let’s go get you something.”

Tessa grabbed saltines out of the cupboard and ate a few.

"That's a little better," she hugged Lucas.

He
warmed up some left over soup.

"That's going to piss
me off.”

“What baby?”

“My toenail falling off” she pouted.

“It might not and if it does
, there are bandages,” he smiled and handed her soup.

She drank it from the cup
, “Thank you.”

She watched as he ate his and smiled at him, he smiled back.

“You want to go upstairs?”

“No hands policy
, Tessa.”

“Then I will tie them up,” she smiled and walked up the stairs.

Tessa took a bandana and tied his hands above his head to her headboard.

She laughed, “What to do what to do
?” she said walking around looking at him, “I pick you, every time, my favorite toy to play with.”

“Tessa, then play baby” his voice was gruff.

“You are all tied up, you don’t have a say,” she laughed and looked at him.

“You serious
ly think this can hold me?”

“No
, but I
am
thinking about getting a gag,” they laughed, and she jumped on him.

They lay in each other arms naked and asleep. Chewy barked alerting them to the fact that someone was coming in.

"Love you, Baby," Lucas jumped up to get dressed.

He pulled her up and helped her into her pajamas and they ran downstairs. He sat in the recliner, and she
lay on the couch. Both pretended to be asleep.

John shook his head and walked by. “
Lucas, you awake?”

“She’
s fine John, the drugs and the fact that she probably hadn’t eaten since breakfast didn’t help, but she’s fine. She ate and was awake for awhile,” he looked over at Tessa.

“No hands
Lucas?”

“No sir
, none at all.”

John walked in his room, and Tessa opened her eyes and winked at him and patted the couch. He smiled and
lay behind her.

~

The next week Tessa brought him lunch every day. They ate in the construction trailer with Ryan and his father, Jade rode with her most of the time. They snuck away for a few minutes each day. After class, Tessa would take Jade home two days a week, the other three Jade would drop her off and take the Jeep home.

~

On Friday, Jade had an appointment. Tessa and Tommy’s Mom would be there with her. Jade was excited. Her doctor was in Ithaca, and they promised to stop and tell the boys the baby’s sex after her appointment.

Jade lay on the bed, and the technician rubbed the cold jelly on her stomach.

The tech took the paddle and moved it around. She smiled when she saw what she was looking for. She went through each part measuring and taking photos.

She looked at them and asked, “Do you want to know
what you’re having?”Jade shook her head yew, “Any guesses?”

Tommy’s mom guessed girl and Tessa guessed a boy, Jade said a baby.

“Well two of you are right” she laughed. “It’s a boy!”

Jade immediately started cryin
g and rubbed her belly, “Tommy… we’re having a little you.”

Tessa
and Tommy’s mom cried each hugging Jade. The technician even became emotional. She knew the story of the accident from the first ultrasound.

“
Thomas James, you’re going to be the most loved boy in the world," Jade said as she rubbed her belly.

“Is that the name you picked Jade?” his mother asked.

“Of course it is. Actually, I think you picked it first.”

Jade was naming their son after his father. The most perfect pe
rson she’d ever met.

The doctor went over the ultrasound and talked to her about appetite increase and the fact that her hormones were changing and
to expect her emotions to intensify. Her baby was healthy and growing; he was absolutely perfect.

They left and went to lunch, none of them ate much. As happy as they were
that he was healthy it was one of those days that the loss hurt so very badly that it could not be ignored.

Tommy’s mother asked Jade to come over after her class to look through things that she had kept of Tommy’s. She agreed and got in the Jeep, and they drove to the job site.

“You sure you want to do this right now?” Tessa asked.

"Of course I am," Jade
smiled.

~

All the guys were at the picnic table out in front of the trailer; Lucas was giving instructions for after lunch. They sat and waited until they knew they were done. Ryan wasn’t paying attention to Lucas but staring at the Jeep. Lucas looked back and saw them. He smiled and motioned them over.

“You ready?” Tessa asked Jade.

Lucas dismissed the guys.

“Well
, what’re we having?” Lucas smiled.

"I
t's a boy," Jade’s smile was precious; she was so excited to share the news with Lucas, Tommy’s best friend.

Lucas
hugged her and Ryan picked her up and twirled her around.

“Of course it is” he smiled and bent down and rubbed her belly.

“Hello little TJ,” he laughed, “Oh wow!”

"He just kicked," Jade said. “Ryan
, I think he likes you.”

“Either that or he didn’t want my hand on your belly,” he laughed.

"Come on buddy kick again," she rubbed her belly and nothing. “Tessa you try” she said grabbing her hand again nothing. “Lucas come here! It’s Lucas Tommy, kick him I know you’d wanted to many times before” she laughed and so did Lucas, and nothing. “Ryan will you come here please” she said, and she took his hand and put it on her belly and he kicked. “He likes you” she laughed.

"I like him
, too," he smiled.

“No way
-- let me try again.”

“Give me your hand
Lucas,” Ryan smiled, he put Lucas’s hand under his, and he kicked.

“
Wow that was so cool!”

She put her hand on her belly and nothing.

“Ryan could you help me out? My future God son seems to prefer your hand,” Tessa laughed.

Jade looked at Ryan and smiled and blushed. Tessa smiled, and she felt his kick. Ryan
couldn’t look at Jade but he was smiling when he pulled his white hat down covering his eyes.

“
He’s going to be an amazing kid Jade,” he walked away, head down and hands in his pockets, “See you all later” Ryan called over his shoulder.

~

They had planned to all hang out at Lucas’s on Saturday. His mom and her friend were going away for the weekend.
A first
Lucas thought
they normally just hung out at the pool or in the bedroom
. He was happy for his mother.

Tessa’s phone rang and as she was in the kitchen cooking while
Lucas cleaned the pool. It was Jade, and she needed her to pick her up from Tommy’s. Jade seemed very upset. She pulled in and jumped out of the car.

She was about to knock when Jade opened the door.

“Jade, please don’t go,” Tommy’s Mom pleaded, “I’m sorry.”