Chapter 74: Tessa

                                    

                                          
The hospital has gotten much more crowded since we were last here. I'm thankful we took the bus, or else we would've had to park and walk at least a mile to the entrance, and the food would have been so cold by then. I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket, and I notice that Kim is calling me. In fact, she's called me three times. I'll call her when I get back to Mike's house since we are almost to Trish's room. If it were super important, she would've texted me that it was. I just realized now that Kim probably doesn't know Hardin and I are in England right now. Maybe Hardin told Christian? Not likely.
                          
"Thank goodness, I'm starving!" Trish exclaims in excitement as we enter her room. She places the magazine she was reading on the small table beside her bed, and it takes me a second to realize that she's alone in the room.
                          
"Where's Mike?" I ask.
                          
"He's on the phone with some close friends and family in the hall, just letting them know what's going on."
                          
Trish opens up the box and reveals her salad. By the way she's smiling, you would think she just won the lottery. "Ah yes, just as I remember it. I haven't been to that place in ages."
                          
"I saw Margie there, Mum."
                          
"She still works there? Damn, she didn't lie when she said she'd work there until the day she died."
                          
"She looks well, and she told me to say hi to you."
                          
"Oh that's so sweet." Trish's expression grows sour. "Any forks or napkins?"
                          
"They didn't give us any?" Hardin rips the bag from his mum's hands. "Fuck. Well, I'll go see if there are any in the cafeteria here."
                          
"Do you know where it is?" Trish asks.
                          
"I'll figure it out." Hardin stomps out of the hospital room, acting super annoyed over some forks and napkins.
                          
"Do you like fish and chips, Tessa?"
                          
"I do yeah!" I shovel some more fries... I mean chips into my mouth. Trish is staring at me like she wants to ask me something, but doesn't know how to ask it. I know that expression since I've seen it so many times throughout my life. She places her fork down and motions her hand for me to come sit on the side of her bed.
                          
"Tessa dear, may I ask you a question?"
                          
"Of course." I tell her as I place my fish and chips next to her magazine on the table.
                          
"It's about Hardin. I'm just wondering how he's doing with all of this. I know he won't tell me how he truly feels about anything, so I think you're my best chance at getting the truth."
                          
She isn't wrong. "Hardin's doing better than I thought he would be. When I first told him about the accident, he really broke down like tears and everything. I know Hardin will never admit how much you mean to him, but you are the most important woman in his life. You're his mother, and he loves you so much."
                          
Trish begins to cry again and I feel terrible for making her so emotional, but I know these aren't tears of sadness. "That's sweet, Tessa, but we both know the most important woman in his life is you, and now your little baby girl. How is he doing with that?"
                          
"He's been super supportive. He's pretty much the reason I've stayed sane and held onto hope." I contemplate telling Trish about my internal battle of whether or not to leave Hardin if I miscarry again, but I don't think now's the right time. Not after she's just experienced such a devastating loss.
                          
"I'm glad that he's being the man you need him to be. I just know he'll be an amazing father."
                          
"He's scared of becoming a father, you know, since he never had a true example of a present, decent father."