Love me harder

35

Tessa's POV

"Mom..."

"Tessa, baby..." She hugs me and I start to cry. "Everything will be fine, honey. I'm here and I'm going to support you no matter what, ok?"

"I don't know what to do, mom... I'm alone in this big city and I can't do this without him."

"He is coming here next week and you can repair everything."

"I know... But... what if he doesn't want a kid?"

"I don't know what to say about this, Tessa. But all I know, it's that Hardin loves you more than anything and you two are meant to be together. I think he wants a baby with you, even if it's too soon. Now, calm down because it's not good for your health to be stressed, ok? Tomorrow morning, we can go to the doctor for some tests, ok? "

"Yes... Mom?"

"Yes, honey?"

"Why are you so understanding?"

"Because I know how you feel, I went through this when I found out I was pregnant with your sister. Your father was gone in a business trip and we'd only been together for a few months. I was only 24 and I was in my last year of residency. I had a pretty tough exam and three hours while I was in the room to give it, I was nauseous and I felt like everything was spinning around me. After I left the exam room, I went to the pharmacy and I asked for some medication for nausea, the pharmacist asked me if I was pregnant and that's when I knew what's happening. I asked for a pregnancy test and I rushed home. I knew it wasn't a good time for a baby, but I wasn't going to have an abortion. I told your father and at first, he was cold with me, we stayed apart a few months. Pregnant and alone in Chicago. It was hard for me, but I leant how to live in this way. But when the time to give birth came, I was so scared and I called your father and he was there for me. That time he knew I am the love of his life and he was mine. So, don't worry about Hardin. I think he will love this baby more than everything. He is a good man and you and him will have a beautiful family."

"It's not too soon for a child? He is not done with his residency, I am in college... He is in Chicago, I live in New York... How this will work?"

"Just you will solve this, Tessa. Talk with him and you will see that these things are coming so easily."

"Thank you, mom." I hug her tight. I'm so happy because she is here. She is the only one who can help me in this moment.

"I have to leave now, I have a surgery at the hospital, but I'm going to make an appointment for you, for some tests."

"Mom?" I say panicked.

"What baby?"

"What if something is wrong because of what happened in my past?"

"Honey, what happened was almost two years ago. You are sober and you are fine. But if you want to be sure, we can do everything to know that the baby is fine."

"What about the surgery?"

"You were to see your cardiologist regularly, so we don't worry about it. You are a healthy woman and you will give birth to a healthy baby, ok?" She kisses my forehead.

"Thank you, mom."

The next day...

I'm getting ready for the tests I have to do. I couldn't find an appointment for an ultrasound these days, but I'm going next week. Maybe Hardin will want to come with me...

"Tessa? Are you ready?"

"Yes. I just feel a little bit dizzy. But I think I will be fine."

"I will drive to the hospital, ok?"

"Yeah." I hand her the keys from my car.

After 40 minutes, we arrive at the hospital and we go to the reception. Mom talks with the nurse and she takes us to the tests room where we wait another nurse. A few minutes later, she comes to us and I go with her to take some blood samples. Everything goes quickly and we are back come in less than one hour. The results for my tests will come tomorrow and my mom decided to change her flight in two days, so she can stay more with me. And I'm grateful for this.

"What if we go to the SPA today? You can take off your mind from this."

"Yeah, it will be nice. But wait a moment." I run to the bathroom and I throw up all I ate today. That's great! I think this will be my favorite activity in the next weeks.

"I'm going to prepare you something to drink. It will help with your nausea."

She leaves and five minutes later, she's back with a glass.

"Drink this, you will feel better."

I get up and I take the glass from her and I drink it. It's water with lemon and something else, but I have no idea what's that.

"What's here?"

"Water with vitamins and some lemon."

"Thank you."

"If you don't want to go out, it's fine."

"I'm feeling better, we can go."

After a SPA Day with my mom, I felt much better. And her drink helped me a lot with nausea.

***

Today Hardin arrives in New York and I have a lot of ideas in my mind. And I don't know if I will make it just like this. I woke up around 8 am with my morning sickness, but they are better now, after I discovered how good is the drink mom made for me.

I flush the toilet, I brush my teeth and I go to prepare my drink and to take my prenatal pills, my mom recommended me to take them and I feel better. I hear a knock at my door and I go to open. It's Hardin and he has some roses in his left hand and as he sees me, his face lights up. Let's be honest, I missed him.

"Hi."

"Hi." I smile and I can't stay like this. I go closer to him and I hug him tight. I missed this. I missed him. I missed us.

"I want you back, Tess." He whispers while he rubs my back.

"I want to talk with you before to do anything." I move back and I look deep into his eyes. "Come in!" We enter in my apartment. I take the flowers and I put them in a vase.

"About what?"

"Sit down, please."

"Ok." He sits on the couch and he drags me onto his and he kisses me. Well, he couldn't resist and neither I. We kiss like it's our last day together. I slowly start to pull away. It's time for him to know about my pregnancy. About our baby. "I've missed you, Tess."

"I've missed you too. But it's time to have a serious talk."

"This can't wait?

"Sadly, no."

"Go on, then. I'm listening."

"I'm pregnant."

"You are joking."