17

After talking to Spencer about my new project I also caught up with Maria. We talked for straight two hours. She was busy with Jason and this time it was serious. They both had confessed their love for each other. I teased Maria the whole time about it. During college, one night, she had swore that she would never fall in love. And now when I reminded her about it she didn't remember. We both knew she was joking. There was a week left for the wedding. The engagement party was in three days and then the wedding. Everything was ready.  

In the afternoon I found myself roaming in the backyard. Picturing the whole wedding. People talking and laughing, the band playing, Selena walking down the aisle. There were unknown happiness and satisfaction within me watching her marrying the love of her life. It's like in the movies how we desperately hope for the lovers to live happily ever after.

I sat down on the grass thinking about other things being alone with myself. With the wedding preparations in full swing, I didn't have time to relax. Being a maid of honor was sure a difficult job. It could suck out your strength and if you ever made a mistake then it's a whole new story. My job required a lot of fieldwork but this one was way above. I survived the day before yesterday's party and god knows how I did it. Kaley was the only consolation there but it didn't deter Glendora. So did my face to face talk. It is amazing to see her denial but I may be wrong too. If Dylan and Glendora really liked each other, I would ensure that I wouldn't be an obstacle for them.  

My phone rang and I saw a reminder flashing on the screen. I had to check the guest list with Edward. That was totally his area. He had all the connections.  

I decided to close my eyes and stayed for a while sitting and doing nothing thinking about nothing, clearing my head. Something which I didn't do very often.  That didn't last for long. As soon as I closed my eyes immediately his face flashed.  

"Ugh..."  I got up shaking my head and my hands as if to get rid of it. I walked towards the villa.  

Passing by Robbie's room I made my way towards Edward and Clara's room. I found their room's door ajar. I could hear three people talking. I peeked through the gap to see Dylan and Clara sitting talking very seriously. Clara looked a little a bit uneasy.  

"You called me to talk about what?"  

Dylan?! He was supposed to be in the office. What is he doing here with Edward and Clara? What is he talking about? Anyway, I decided to go in but the very next moment made me as still as a rock.  

"We wanted to talk about you and Tessa, Edward said.  

"Yes, we wanted to know that how are you doing with Tessa?" Clara asked.  

"I think we are doing fine, Mrs. Reynold," Dylan answered.  

"Oh okay good to know it's fine." Clara smiled catching Edward's hand satisfied with his answer.  

"Is that all Mr. and Mrs. Reynold?"  

"No that is not all." Clara said. She poked Edward hinting him to talk. Edward looked awfully pale.  

"Alright. Since you are the closest we will tell you this. It's something about Tessa."  

"And Tessa doesn't know it." Clara added.  

What were they talking about?  

Edward got up taking a deep breath. He looked at Clara.  

"Go on darling." Clara patted him. "Sit down and tell it."  

He sat back taking Clara hand in his for support.  

"Thirteen years ago Tessa's parents expired in a car accident. Their car had collided with one shipment truck. They were rushed to the hospital but they couldn't make it. Within three days they expired."  Edward paused for a while. Clara rubbed his back to encourage him.  

"The shipment truck belonged to me. It was already delayed by a couple of days. So that very fateful night I had personally ordered for it. I had no idea that this would happen. The driver of the truck died on the spot as he was thrown out of the truck over the cliff. All of the witnesses had died. The consequences were even worse. As soon as the media got the air of it they presented the whole story in such a twisted way. The matter went to court. It was getting a horrible day by day. I later learned that the deceased couple had a child too who was transferred to the orphanage. I immediately offered to be the guardian of the child to provide for her. The whole matter was dragged for months. To legally become a guardian was also not so easy. The orphanage wasn't ready to give her up to me. The media had totally successfully painted me as a ruthless man and worse. Only after the adoption, everything calm down."  

"But we didn't adopt her just to stop all the mess." Clara added. "We felt more guilty after realizing that a child was orphaned. It still troubles us."  

"I have tried my best but I..." Edward said.  

"The reason we are telling you this is that we don't want her to lose any more loved ones. I don't know what does she think about us." Clara said.  

Silence fell on the group. And on me a heavy unknown sinking feeling. Something which I couldn't estimate. All this time I thought it was me. Again they began talking something but it was inaudible to me. So I leaned forward to hear more clearly which was probably not a wise thing to do. The next very moment the door's gap widen open revealing me eavesdropping. It was awkward.  

"Oh, dear!" Clara exclaimed.

 Her reaction came in a bit late but it was better than the silence. Yet it was not helping my embarrassment. I silently cursed myself over and over again. They still didn't say anything.  

"I came by to discuss the guest list and confirm it with you. I'll come by later I guess." I turned to get out here as soon as I could but the next thing made me stop.  

"How much did you hear?" Edward asked me from behind.  

I turned back towards them. I looked straight towards Edward avoiding Clara's face and also with very difficulty avoiding Dylan's. I don't know what he will be thinking of me. I looked aside to avoid Edward's gaze.

"All of it."  

"God..." He cursed.

"Look Tessa.."  

"I understand it's nothing really."  

"No Tessa listen to me. I really am sorry about it. I didn't mean to-."  

"Edward you don't have to apologize for something you didn't do. You weren't driving that truck. You didn't change the weather. You were just as innocent to the day's incident just like my parents."  

"But if I hadn't just-"  

"Edward." I looked towards him again. "How can I forgive you for something you haven't done?"  

He looked up finally. Now Edward was a really good looking man for his age but at this point, he looked too old. Guilt could be very effective.  

"But you should have told me this before you know. Should have told me before." My voice trailed into a whisper. I was about to burst out at any moment. "I have to go and talk to Selena about the wedding thing. Excuse me."  

The whole thing weighed upon me now. While I spoke I didn't realize the gravity of it but now I felt it. I walked away from that room towards, through that corridor. I was walking faster by each passing second. Down the stairs, I went out from the back of the villa into the backyard. I heard a very familiar voice calling me from distant behind. He was calling me.  

"Tessa!"  

I looked back to see him. He was jogging toward me. I was about to cry it was evident and he couldn't see me like this. I started running.  

"Tessa, dammit!"  

I ran fast and I looked behind for a second. He was running very fast for me. I ran faster and faster. Crossing the backyard I ran into the thin strip of forest. I stopped for a second to catch my breath but the next thing I knew I was slammed against the tree. The impact causing the dry leaves to fall over us.  

"Leave me alone."  I shouted at him pounding at his chest hitting hard. In the process of hitting him blindly, I accidentally slapped him. The sound of the slap echoed and only the rustling of the falling leaves.  

"Tessa!"  

He shouted at me causing me to flinch at the ferocity of his voice. He looked very pissed but it didn't matter to me.  

"Get off me!" I again started pounding at his chest but I couldn't free myself from his grasp.  

With each second his grip tightened. I felt as if an anaconda was wound around me. So tight I couldn't move an inch.  

After all that kicking, screaming, and shouting finally exhausted I slumped. I gave up hitting him. When he saw I was silent finally he told me to do the weirdest thing.  

"Cry."  

"What?"  

"I said to cry."  

"What? Are you crazy? God you are, get off me."  

"Tessa!" He shook me back and forth again.  

I looked up to see him. His eyed which always looked so uniquely beautiful dangerously blazed in anger. But in them, there is something else I saw too. He was concerned and worried too. I don't if my eyes deceived me or what but that's what I saw. His gaze fell on my cheek.  

"I am already crying, aren't I?" I said with a very shaky voice.  

He smiled sadly at me. I slumped back again. I felt limp. And I buried my face in his. I finally cried. He wound his arms around me as I cried. We stood there for a long time like that.  

"He should have told me this before." I said in between my tears. "I saw my parents die right in front of me. One of the most brutal things I bore and they think I can't handle the truth. I don't why I am crying I mean I said so myself that it doesn't matter but.."  

"You said something logical back there. It really couldn't be helped. I am sorry."  

I nodded while buried in his chest I clutched his shirt for support. I was so weak. We stayed still like that for a long time. It became dusky and we still sat under the tree. I just sobbed in between. When I sobbed he would hold me tight again. Sometimes I would whisper something to myself and he rubbed my back. He caressed my hair running his fingers through them as I rested my head upon his chest.  

"I miss them, Dylan. It's been a long time since they have gone but-"  

"Ssh."

I cried so much. I had never cried so much before only when my parents had died. Here again I mourned for them. Everything replayed in mind. All the good times spent with them. How the officer guided me to their room. How they smiled at each other before they left me alone here in this world. Right now I wasn't alone but sooner I would be. And that fact brought tears back again. In this whole charade, I forgot how I ruined his shirt.  

"Don't worry about the shirt." He said as he gazed above in the sky. His face is tight as he gulped.