Walk Me Down (11 page)

Will takes a seat next to me on the stone bench. “You have to quit thinking like that, kiddo. Just live life.”

“I’m trying.”

“Is the food done yet?” Tommie yells.

We all make our way to the table, dish up our food and settle in. Rocky comes bounding up to Finn and takes his faithful seat at his feet. I laugh remembering the day the poor thing got neutered and send up a silent prayer thanking God Kara never took him away from Finn.

“So, does anyone have any funny stories?” Will asks.

“I do,” Finn pipes up.

“Let’s hear it,” Tommie says.

“Don’t you dare,” I squeal.

“Well, Tess and I have developed a bad habit of going skinny dipping after dark. The first night I lost my boxers in the pond. The next morning Rocky and Granddaddy had them sitting on the porch with them. Tessa turned around squealing to my room when she spotted them and Granddaddy just smiled.”

The whole table roars at the story, and I even find myself laughing at the memory.

“To many more memories as a family,” I say, raising my bottle of water.

“To the baby,” Will says.

“To us,” Wes adds.

We all clink glasses and bottles and say cheers.

Finn is working late tonight. He texted me earlier and told me to meet him at the fair. I bought this dress special for tonight. Scarlett and I found it at a flea market. It’s a white lacy summer dress with no straps and is very short. I go all out tonight with my hair and makeup. The old Tessa smiles back to me in the mirror.

“All because of Finn,” I whisper to my reflection.

I’ve made my choice. I’m staying with Finn and making my roots here with him. I can’t wait to tell him everything tonight under the glow of the carnival lights and in front of everyone. Not even Kara can ruin our night.

A knock at the door catches my attention. I’m the only one home as Will and Tommie are running a food booth at the fair, and Scarlett is serving drinks at the fair with Wes. So, this means it can only be one person, Finn.

Opening the door, I squeal, “Finn, I thought we were meeting…”

It’s not Finn. It’s his dad.

“This isn’t a threat it’s a promise,” he says, handing me a thick envelope.

I watch as he turns and walks away.

Sitting on the bed, I open the envelope with shaky fingers. I notice the letterhead firsts. It’s from an attorney.

Dear Ms. Tessa Jones,

You have a choice to make and I do warn you to think very carefully before you act on this letter or go running to Finn. I’m asking you one time to leave town. I want you gone tonight without any drama or fuss, and you are never welcome back here under any circumstance. If you choose to stay the following will happen. Will will lose his practice and license to practice. Don’t ask questions, I can make things happen in this small town. Tommie will be evicted from the building she rents from me. Your choice.

Sincerely,
Dr. Evans

The pages go on forever. Pages and pages of documentation and proof of his power fill my hands. There are even pictures of Will and Tommie in their practices smiling and helping customers.

Finn’s dad just made every decision there was to ever make. My dreams for the future were just shattered in the form of paper and ink. I’d never jeopardize Will or Tommie’s practices for my own selfish reasons. They’ve both worked so hard to build their careers from the ground up and who am I to take it all away when they are expecting their first child.

I sit here and write two of the hardest notes I’ve ever had to write in my life to say goodbye to the best summer of my life. The first one is to my sister and Will and the second one is to Scarlett. I don’t share details, rather just tell them I have to leave.

Pulling into the fairgrounds, I hear my cell phone.

Finn: Meet me by the Ferris wheel.

Me: Okay

I can’t do this. I can’t walk away but I can’t allow Will and Tommie to lose their practices and livelihoods.

Suck it up, Tess. Walk down the middle of that fair and give everything you have to Finn with your final goodbye. I finally spot Finn with a group of his friends and don’t miss his eyes light up when he sees me. He rushes over to me, swooping me off my feet and twirling us around in a circle.

“You are fucking gorgeous, Tess.”

“I love you, Finn,” I say in a rush holding all my tears back.

“What’s wrong?”

Finn immediately picks up on my distress, cupping my face and waiting for an answer.

“Nothing,” I lie. “I want you to walk me down this fair and show everyone in town who you belong with.”

I know it’s incredibly selfish asking him this knowing I’m leaving him, but it’s just what I need to let him go.

“Any fool already knows who you belong to.”

Finn walks me down the county fair.

My hand spends the whole time memorizing his. We pass several booths, and I want to stop and scream to the world what is happening, but in slow motion, step by step I lose Finn and our love story.

“Finn,” a random voice shouts.

We both turn towards the sound to see a group of men.

“Hey,” he hollers back.

“Do you mind?” He asks, gesturing to the group.

“No, but I have to use the restroom,” I say.

“Okay, meet me back here.”

Grabbing his face, I say, “I love you, Finn. I thought I knew love and had felt love before, but I never did until you. Thank you.”

“Tess, I love you, too. Is everything okay?”

“It is now,” I whisper.

The next sixty-two steps of my life are the hardest I ever attempted. I leave one final note on Finn’s truck before pulling out of town.

Finn,

Never forget that I love you. I’m leaving town because your dad has requested so. I hope by saying this much it doesn’t cause any more trouble. Just know I wanted to stay, but our greatest fear came true. I’ve left Tommie, Will and Scarlett similar letters. No one knows where I’m going and it truly is the best for all of you. I’ll always love you, Finn Evans.

Tess

PS- Thank you for the best summer of my life.

Driving back into town rivals anything I’ve ever had to face. I’ve been gone for months, but have kept in contact with Tommie on a weekly basis. I’ve never been able to bring myself to contact Scarlett or Finn. Tommie begged and pleaded every time for me to come home, and I explained to her I couldn’t. She said they knew everything, and they didn’t care what Dr. Evans could do to them. Little does she know that things will never be the same and Dr. Evans will be really hell bent on war if I ever come back.

Tommie is due to have her baby this week. She called last night with horrible news. Finn found Granddaddy Jimmy dead in his bed. I drove twelve hours straight to get home to Finn and to be there for the birth of Tommie’s baby.

Stepping out of my truck, I first spot Tommie and Will outside the funeral home, and I make my way to them. I hear Kara’s voice and then soon spot Finn. She’s right by his side, standing in the place I belong.

“Tessa,” Scarlett yells.

And that’s when all heads turn, and I feel the need to cover my protruding belly with both hands to protect my unborn child from all the stares.

Tess & Finn’s story will continue in Walk Beside Me

Winter 2014

www.hjbellus.com 

Acknowledgments

What a wild ride!  I’m so blessed to be able to write my stories.  Thank you to all my readers and fans for loving on each one.  This journey has been absolutely amazing.  I’m looking forward to the next part of it.   

Walk Me Down Playlist

-
Walk Me Down the Middle

(The Band Perry)

-Play It Again

(Luke Bryan)

-Drink a Beer

(Luke Bryan)

-Give Me Back My Hometown

(Eric Church)

-Redneck Side

(Justin Moore)

-My Kind of Woman

(Justin Moore)

-Whatever It Is

(Zac Brown Band)

-My Eyes

(Blake Shelton)

-I Don’t Dance

(Lee Brice)

-Goodnight Kiss

(Randy Houser)

-Whiskey in My Water

(Tyler Farr)

-All Over the Road

(Easton Corbin)

-Follow Your Arrow

(Kacey Musgraves)

-If I Didn’t Have You

(Thompson Square)

-Who I Am With You

(Chris Young)

-We Are Tonight

(Billy Currington)

-Drunk On a Plane

(Dierks Bentley)

-Smoke A Little Smoke

(Eric Church)

-I Hold On

(Dierks Bentley)