Chapter 18
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Tessa
I step into the motel room, dripping water onto the carpet, my cheeks pink from laughter. Looking over my shoulder, I give Andrew one last look and a small wave with my fingers. From the car, he shoots me a wink and reverses out of the parking lot.
Andrew had a class this afternoon, and I’m grateful for some space to collect my whirling thoughts.
Biting my lip with happiness, I push the door shut behind me. With a start, I turn to see Chase with his hands locked behind his head, watching me from the bed with a knowing smile. Ignoring him, I cross the room and grab a towel to soak up the water dripping from my hair.
When I sneak a look over, his smug eyes are still trained on me.
“Can I help you?” I snap, trying to sound irritated, but an idiotic smile is fighting to break free.
“My god, look at that, Reap. You’re lit up like a Christmas tree.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I avoid his gaze and work hard on forcing my mouth into a scowl. The sound of the toilet flushing comes from the bathroom.
A disheveled Blossom comes striding out in a matching pink bra and panty set. “Wow, you really are all shiny ain’t cha?” She flashes me a big smile as she slides into a pair of cut-off shorts and a white tank top.
I flop onto the empty bed. “You know what, I’m not even going to ask the obvious question here,” I grumble.
“Look, MB, she can’t stop smiling,” Chase goads.
Shit, I didn’t realize I started smiling again.
“Oh. Em. Gee. You had SEX! Good for you. I’m sure you needed a good one-night stand after all that sexual tension.” Beth bounces onto the bed next to me. She pulls her knees in as if she’s a child and it’s story time.
“You’re both crazy. I’m just tired.” I avoid all eye contact and try to clear my mind. The female Blackwells have creepy psychic powers, I’m sure of it.
“Whoa. Whoa! Plot twist. It was with my BROTHER?” She jumps up on the bed, a leg straddling each side of my body as she looks down at me.
I groan, covering my face with a pillow. “Jesus, how do you do that?”
“Twin magic, duh.”
I reach out and sweep her leg out from underneath her. She crashes onto the mattress and crawls next to me as she cackles with glee.
I turn onto my side to face away from her, but Chase’s face pops up instead. He lies down on the opposite side of me, the mattress sinking from the huge impression his body creates. They’re squished against me on the tiny bed creating the worst human sandwich known to mankind.
With a huff, I flip to my back. Unfortunately, I can still feel them watching me from either side. I’m surrounded and outnumbered.
“So, are you guys together now, or what?” I mutter, still looking up at the ceiling and praying for a topic change.
“He wishes.”
At the same time, I hear Chase. “Stop trying to change the subject.”
“The date last night went. . . well,” I say carefully. I feel them both grinning at me. I sneak a peek at Chase, and sure enough, a huge toothy grin is slapped across his face.
“You guys are creepy involved in my life, you understand that, right? It’s creepy.”
“Yup,” they respond in unison.
“It feels like a dream. I just—it’s hard to process that he remembers me, you know?” I’m not sure if I’m talking to them or myself.
“You gonna run?” Blossom’s worried eyes look back at me.
“No,” I say softly. “No matter what happens, I’m here to stay. Promise.” Relief ripples through her features.
“We’re here for you,” Chase says with a nudge to my shoulder.
“I know.” And I do, he’s never let me down before, not when it counted.
“Something is already different about you. I like it,” he adds.
“Me too,” Beth pipes up.
“It’s just me.” I shrug.
She smiles over at me. “Yeah but you’re so. . .”
“Happy,” Chase finishes.
“My cheeks do hurt a bit,” I grumble, making them both laugh.
Chase sits up and sighs. “MB, you mind giving us a minute?”
She hops off the bed and straightens her top. “I’m starving and it’s lunch time anyway. I’ll go grab us all some food.”
When the door closes behind her, Chase turns to me with a serious expression. “I was waiting to tell you this, but now is as good a time as any. My dad got released from jail, and even though the family convinced her to sign a restraining order, Ma refuses to press charges. He’s out there somewhere, likely pissed off and unstable. I’m gonna find an apartment eventually, but for now it’s best if I move in with Ma to take care of her while she’s on the mend. Make sure he doesn’t come sniffing back around. I’m gonna find a job of course too. . .” He chews on his lip nervously.
“Sounds like you’ve got it all figured out.” It was a matter of time before we went our separate ways, but that doesn’t make it hurt any less.
“But you can come stay with us if you want. Ma said you could have Sam’s old room,” he rushes to add.
I give him a smile. “That’s very nice of you both, but I think I have a place to stay until I get back on my feet.”
“It’s gonna be weird not living together,” he confesses.
“I hate it already,” I admit.
When Beth comes back, we all sit on the floor and watch a rerun of Friends on the tiny motel television while we eat burgers and fries. With her help, we get everything packed up. It doesn’t take long, considering everything I own fits into a single, black duffle bag.
Chase checks us out, then it’s time for goodbyes. It’s not like we won’t ever see each other again, we’ll still text and hang out all the time, but it’s the end of an era. We’ve done virtually everything together for the past four years. I know it’s time for us both to move on, but fuck, if it isn’t hard as hell.
He must sense my thoughts because he wraps his arms around me in a bear hug. “If you need me for anything, I’m here.” He tries to sound nonchalant, but his gruff voice betrays him.
“I know. I love you, asshole.” Then, in a low voice only he can hear, I add, “Thank you for saving me.”
His brown eyes meet mine. “You’re my best friend, and I’d do it all over again in a heartbeat. Just don’t forget, Reap, there ain’t no rest for the wicked.” I choke out a tearful laugh and watch as he gets in his beat-up Honda and drives away.
“Ready brotherfucker?” I turn to Blossom who’s leaning against her car.
“Yeah, new rule. Never call me that again.”
“You're still no fun.” She pouts, but her eyes sparkle with laughter.
I take a minute to admire her. Blossom has well. . . blossomed, for lack of a better word. Her layered blonde hair falls in perfect waves over her shoulders, the tank top hugs her perky tits and slender waist, and the tiny shorts show off her smooth legs.
“You got hot Blossom,” I admit before tossing my duffle in the trunk.
“Uh, duh. Plus my hair is on fleek right now.” She tosses her hair over her shoulder as she slides into the driver’s seat. I get in the car shaking my head, it’s still like we speak two different languages.
Beth drops me off at my new temporary home, but not without a promise (threat) to have another girl’s day out soon.
Standing alone with all my worldly possessions, my hand freezes when I raise it to knock on the front door.
Maybe this is a bad idea.
Maybe I should figure out something else.
I turn to leave but force my body to turn back.
Heart of a princess, strength of a reaper.
I knock, and after a few moments, the door opens and I’m face to face with the closest thing I ever had to a parent.
“Mrs. Blackwell, I. . .”
“Welcome home, dear.”
ʢ ʢ ʢ
“Blossom please, I don’t think I can go on much longer,” I whine.
I promised her a full girl’s day, but I figured I would have a couple weeks to prepare, not a couple of days.
“One more store, promise.” The tips of her hair fly through the air as she whips into another shop. The door jingles when it swings open, and Beth is already making a beeline to the shoe section.
I pause for a moment when I catch my reflection in a floor length mirror. It’s been a few days since I learned that Andrew’s memories had returned, and I don’t recognize the woman staring back at me. Instead of looking rigid and uncomfortable in my own skin, my shoulders are relaxed and my posture is carefree, inviting even.
Andrew and I have had one date since the gallery two days ago, with a mutual agreement that after everything we’ve been through, it would be best to take it slow—not to rush anything. We did well to keep it casual, but it’s proving harder than we anticipated to keep from ripping each other’s clothes off, especially after getting a taste.
My phone buzzes in my pocket.
I grin when I see the name. Speak of the devil.
Prince Charming: How’s the torture going?
Me: Slow and painful.
Me: She’s starving me.
Prince Charming: When do I get you back to myself?
Me: Tonight? If you want me.
Prince Charming: YES.
Prince Charming: I mean yeah, sure. I’ll pick you up at 7?
Me: K.
Prince Charming: I’ll honk the horn when I get there.
Me: HAH! You know that’s not gonna fly with your mom.
Prince Charming: I hate when you’re right.
Me: Get used to it Blackwell.
Blossom strolls over and attempts to look at my screen. “What are you grinning at?”
I laugh. “Shut up. Your brother is taking me on a date tonight.”
“Another? You two were quite cozy last night on the couch when I came home. . .”
I smack her. “Oh yeah? Well that goes two ways. What’s going on with you and Chase anyway? When you aren’t screaming at each other, you’re banging. It’s a little hard to keep up.”
She groans as she flips through dresses on a rack. “I wish I knew. I mean we kissed for the first time that night of the Spring Fling you know? I didn’t just lose my best friend that day, but I also lost my first serious crush before I even realized the extent of my feelings.” I try, but fail to hide my guilt when she looks over at me. “Stop whatever you’re thinking. I know you both did what you felt you needed to. Honestly, I thought I got over him. I dated new guys and had a blast. But he was always there in the back of my mind. Then you guys showed up out of the blue with him looking utterly delicious, and my heart and mind stopped communicating. I want to hate him for leaving, but I also understand why he did. I just, I don’t want anything serious, that way he can’t hurt me again.” She lets out a big breath and her shoulders sag.
Likely the exact fears her brother has with me. Ironic.
“That makes a lot of sense,” I reassure her. “I get it.”
“Really? Because in my head, it just sounds like a whole lot of crazy.” We both laugh, and her voice drops to a whisper, “So in all that time, you and Chase, never. . . I mean not once?”
I look her square in the eyes. “Not even once, Blossom, I promise.” I hold out my pinky and she hooks her own around it with a grin. “I will say that he was a good friend, and a damn fine cook. He’s got some issues, but we all do, and although he does his best to hide it sometimes, he’s got such a big heart.”
“Not the only big thing he’s got.” Beth coughs into her hand.
I wrinkle my nose in disgust and gag. She giggles, and before I can yell, she runs off to the fitting rooms with a handful of clothes. I shake my head, but grin at her tiny form scampering away.
“Tessa?” I look over and the smile is wiped from my face.
I don’t respond to her, all I can do is stare. She’s older now, of course, but it’s not a face I could ever forget. As if it were yesterday, and not four years ago, I remember the cold glint in her eye when she told me that some girl had taken Andrew into the woods for what she assumed was a rendezvous. Finding Andrew with his pants down would have been a thousand times better than the reality of his bruised body seizing in the dirt.
Swallowing hard, I push the images away. I don’t want to think about that night.
“I. . . I didn’t know you were back in town.” Bailey Cain stands before me, fidgeting with the strap of her purse.
“Surprise.” I flash a fake smile and wiggle my fingers as if to say “ta-dah”.
“You look good,” she says, looking like she would rather have a hundred ants crawling over her than be standing here talking to me.
“Uh, thanks? Well, this was really. . . terrible, but let’s never do it again.” I move to pass her, but she sidesteps to block me.
Taking a step back, I shake off my leather jacket and fold it over a nearby rack. Pushing up my long sleeves to my elbows, I pop my neck from side to side and give a little shake to loosen my limbs. I debate pulling out Mr. Knife but decide that might be a little excessive.
This is what my homecoming was missing, a good old fashioned fist fight.
“Should we take this outside then?” I offer. “You know, kids and shit.” I shrug, not really caring either way. Won’t be the first shop I’ve been kicked out of for getting into a fight.
A small voice reminds me that was when I was a foolish teenager, and now, I’m a grown ass woman.
Hmm, maybe this is a bad idea.
“Tessa, what? No, god no. I don’t want to fight you.” She looks flabbergasted as she stares at my clenched fists.
I hesitate. “So what then? Why the hell are you blocking my way?” I ask.
Much to my surprise, silent tears roll down her cheeks. “When I heard about what happened to Andrew, I knew I would never forgive myself. I was so angry, Tessa, but I didn’t understand shit about your life until it was too late.” She wipes her face with a sniffle, clutching her purse to her body.
We’re strangers, and yet I see myself in her. It’s pretty clear she’s carried around this guilt, and the weight of it must be heavy on her soul. I spent the better part of my life causing misery to everyone around me like a child throwing a tantrum. Once upon a time, I had a kind and caring soul. I was the girl that Andrew fell in love with, the girl I strive to be once more.
Right now, I can make sure that girl is not a lost cause.
I take Bailey’s fidgeting hand in mine. Now it’s her turn to look confused. “I forgive you, but more importantly, can you forgive me?” I ask softly.
Her mouth flops open and shut, no discernible sound comes out. “I was an asshole in school. Yes, I had the world shitting on me, but that doesn’t mean I needed to continue the vicious cycle. I’m sorry for what I did to your brother, it makes me sick that I infected him with my misery. I truly hope you can forgive me.”
Bailey nods as she wipes away more tears. “Yes, of course. I think about everything you’ve gone through, and then I think, if my baby ever went through anything like that, I would just. . . I can’t imagine, Tessa.” She moves back her jacket to show a pregnant belly, one hand holding it protectively as if that act alone can keep it safe from all the evil in the world.
“Wow.” I gasp as a tear rolls down my own cheek. “Look at you. You’re gonna be a mom,” I whisper in amazement.
She smiles and nods again. “Yeah, I’m terrified.” She laughs. “I’m so glad I saw you today, Tessa. If you’re sticking around town for a while, maybe we could go out for lunch some time?” She looks hopeful.
“Yeah, I would like that,” I agree without a hint of sarcasm.
We exchange numbers and that’s when I see it, flying in hot is a furious little Blossom. I grab her wrist just as she reels back to slap Bailey across the face.
Bailey takes a dazed step back, realizing what almost happened.
“I uh, will catch you later, Bailey.” I wheel a protesting Beth out of the shop and she yanks free of my grip as soon as we’re outside.
“What the hell, Tess? Why did you stop me?” She throws her hands up, waiting for an explanation.
“She didn’t know Andrew was going to get hurt. She was mad at me and had good reason to be. Besides, she’s super pregnant. You can’t hit a pregnant chick, Blossom.”
Her cute face scowls up at me. “Why are you bringing logic into this? Since when are you the voice of reason?”
At this I laugh. “I don’t even know. What I do know is that holding onto anger will destroy you, it will eat away at your personality until you’re a bitter asshole. Sound familiar?”
She sighs. “I suppose so. But I’m not happy about this whole role reversal situation. I’m the sweet one in this friendship, back in your lane, bitch.” I smile and pull her in for a hug. “Okay, who even are you?” Her yell is muffled by my embrace.
“Shut up and feed me, please,” I whine.
As we turn to continue on down the street, she grumbles from beside me, “And I’ll hit a pregnant chick if I wanna hit a pregnant chick.”
I laugh and lock arms with the first person to give me a chance when I was a teenager. The first to bring me out of my angry shell, and the first to fight to be my friend.
Everything is going to be okay now. Finally.
“Hurry up, we are getting you a new dress after lunch. Oh, and our nails done.” I groan. But for the first time, it’s just an act. I’m excited to join the world of the living, to do dumb girly stuff and let Beth dress me up like a doll.
Without this stubborn, fierce girl, I would have continued on, cut off from the world, alone and miserable. I owe her everything.
New perspective, new me.
Goodbye, Tessa the Reaper. I don’t need you anymore.