Welcome Home, Tessa [Allure, Wyoming] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour)

by Madison Maxwell

  After relocking the door, she stood at the front of the store and looked around. It hadn’t changed much either. There was still the same section with greeting cards, gift wrap, toys, knickknacks, and school supplies. She noticed that her mom had added the Willow Tree collection to the figurine section and she was glad to see that. Tessa had four of them at home herself that she had collected. “Home,” she thought, not sure where that actually was any longer. Still, it surprised her since the only thing that had ever been in that section was Precious Moments. She was happy to see her mom was trying to change a bit with the times and keep everything fresh, although the Precious Moments collectables still had the biggest display. It made Tessa smile.

  She made her way to the back of the pharmacy to check the messages and faxes when she heard a tap on the front door. As she approached it, she let out a squeal while another one came from the other side.

  Tessa flipped the lock and opened the door. “Oh my God, Tessa, I can’t believe you are really here!” Lanni grabbed her and squeezed her tight. “It’s so good to see you.”

  “It’s good to be home, Lanni. I sure have missed you. How did you know I was here?” Tess relocked the door and grabbed Lanni by the hand so she would follow her back to the pharmacy counter.

  “I called the house after I talked to Anne this morning and Ally said you were headed into town to check things out. I thought I would surprise you.”

  She pulled up a stool for her and said, “Here, have a seat and we can catch up while I try and figure out what needs to be done here.”

  Lanni watched as Tess got to work as if she had worked there her entire life. “How’s your dad, Tess? I called the hospital yesterday, but they wouldn’t tell me anything and your mom was resting so they wouldn’t put me through.”

  “He’s doing as good as expected. He regained consciousness when I arrived at the hospital yesterday and the first words out of his mouth were Tessa Rose. He recognized me right off. Not so much for my brother, sister, and mom. They were pretty stunned when they saw me, especially Brad. He told me he was going to get me a pair of sweats to wear around town to keep the cowboys away from me, and that he was going to keep his gun loaded,” she told her as she rolled her eyes, secretly loving the compliments from her brother.

  Lanni laughed and said, “Well, Tess, you have to admit, you are one hot bitch! The women in this town are going to hate you with a passion and the men are going to go crazy over you. I can’t wait to go out with you. I think we should go to The Spur Saturday night. The DJ is really good and it’s been way too long since we have gone out together and never here. What do you say we get a group together and go?”

  Tessa took in her friend’s appearance and how much she had also changed from high school. She had more self-confidence, and without the glasses, the stringy hair, and frumpy clothes she had also become a beautiful woman. Tess wondered if she herself hadn’t moved away if she still would have changed and become the woman she was now. Maybe moving away had nothing to do with it. It was just growing up that had made the difference. But having to be independent and take care of herself had made a difference. She wouldn’t have been able to do that here. She wanted to take care of herself and make her own choices and deal with everyday problems on her own, especially without the interference of her mom. She also didn’t want everyone to know her business and that’s what always happened in such a small town. The gossip mill worked really fast and she was sure that by tomorrow morning everyone in town would know she was back. She loved her sovereignty and reveled in the fact that she had succeeded on her own.

  “Sounds like fun. My sister had mentioned going also. I’m sure by Saturday I will need to unwind a bit and if my dad seems to be doing better I wouldn’t feel guilty about going. So tell me, who usually hangs out at The Spur?”

  Lanni started listing the cowboys that were always there on a Saturday night. Some of the names were familiar, others Tessa didn’t know. “A lot of the guys we went to school with have either left or gotten married, but there are quite a few cowboys new to the area that you don’t know. A lot of them work as ranch hands. Danny Newman and my brothers Rayne and Scott are always there along with the Thompson triplets, Steven McKenzie, the Collins boys, the Montgomerys, and Jake and Andy Reynolds usually make an appearance.” The last names she said with a sigh.

  “So what’s up, Lanni? Which one is it, Jake or Andy?”

  Lanni looked at her and acted confused. “What do you mean Jake or Andy? Those hard-headed cowboys don’t mean anything to me. I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Tess smiled and let it go for now, but could tell something was up with Lanni and one of the Reynolds boys or maybe both. Lanni had always had a thing for either one or the other but nothing had ever come of it as far as she knew. From the looks of the pink that was tingeing Lanni’s cheeks, something was definitely going on with one or both of them.

  Lanni hung out for almost two hours as they caught up on life in Seattle versus life in Allure. Lanni glanced at the clock and said, “Oh my gosh, look at the time. I gotta take off. I told my sister Jackie I would watch the kids for her so that she and Mike could go out to dinner, and I promised the kids I would smuggle in ice cream so I’ve got to make a quick stop at the store. Three kids, three different ice creams, but I love to spoil them. How about I swing by Montgomery’s Grill tomorrow on my lunch hour and bring you lunch? Then we can spend some more time catching up. You have no idea how glad I am that you’re back, Tess. I’ve missed you so much.”

  Tessa gave her a hug. “That would be wonderful. What time to do you take a lunch break?”

  “Anytime I want. I run that clinic for them and do as I please,” she said with a giggle. “We’re closed from twelve thirty to one thirty so I’ll be by then.” Lanni ran the physical therapy clinic her brothers owned. They had both gone to school to be physical therapists and when they came back and opened the clinic they were having a hard go of it. Working with patients wasn’t a problem but the answering of the phones, scheduling, billing, and all the paperwork involved was too much. Lanni had a business degree and had been working at the bank. They talked her into working for them and she fixed all the problems. The three of them worked really well together.

  “I’ll see you tomorrow. Have fun with your nephews and niece.” She gave Lanni another quick hug and locked the door behind her. Lanni was youngest of five, three were girls, and she was the only girl that was yet to get married and have kids. Between her sister Jackie’s three kids and Annie’s little girl, she tried to spend as much time as possible with the kids and they kept her busy. From the sounds of it, she was a fun auntie and Tessa wanted to be the same. Lanni had told her so much about Sophie since they shared her as a niece and she was constantly sending her pictures. It was great that Lanni wasn’t only her best friend, but also a part of her family since her brother Brad had married Annie. Tessa smiled, getting excited about the fact that in just a couple hours she would finally be able to see that precious little girl with her own eyes. For the next hour she filled all the prescriptions that came in, wiped down the counters, and hung up the copy of her license and jacket, then locked up to head home.

  Ally had just finished her laundry and was packing her bag when Tessa walked in the door. “Hey, everything go OK?” Ally asked.

  “Yes, it hasn’t changed much. I filled a few orders so they will be ready for pick up in the morning. Lanni stopped by and she’s excited about Saturday night. I gotta tell you I’m kinda looking forward to it also. Let me change out of these clothes then we should probably head to Brad’s.”

  Tessa quickly changed into a pair of jeans and T-shirt, grabbed the present she had brought for Sophie, and was putting her leather jacket on when she noticed her sister watching her from the bottom of the stairs. “What?” Tess asked as she looked at herself as if something was wrong with what she was wearing.

  “Seriously? You got your navel pierced?”

  Ally must have seen it when her shi
rt rode up putting on her jacket. Brad wasn’t going to be happy now that Ally knew. “Yeah, a couple years ago.” She didn’t want to elaborate on it any more than necessary knowing that Ally would want to get one now, and since Tessa had one it would be easier dealing with Mom and Dad if they found out. She could just hear Ally now. “But Tessa has one so I thought it would be OK.” Sometimes their parents forgot that they were adults that made their own decisions regardless.

  “Did it hurt?” she asked as soon as Tessa reached the bottom of the stairs.

  “Yes, it was horrible. We’ll talk about it later. Let’s get going. I’m excited to see Sophie.”

  Tessa smiled shaking her head, knowing Ally didn’t want the conversation to end just yet, but she cut her off again. “Should I follow you in Mom’s car so you can take off right after dinner?”

  “No, I have to come back this way anyhow and if you want to stay longer than that I’m sure Brad wouldn’t mind bringing you home, and we will be talking more about that belly ring, Miss Change the Subject.”

  Tessa laughed and was sure Ally wouldn’t let it go. One thing she had to remember was now that she was home she would be answering to her parents. Didn’t matter how old she got. Just like her brother and sister. Well, her brother not so much now that he was married and a male. She hadn’t really answered to anyone in a very long time so that would be another adjustment she would have to deal with. She would stick by her decisions about the belly ring and the tattoos and try to keep those hidden as long as possible.

  When they arrived at Brad’s, he was on the porch drinking a beer, talking on his cell phone. “I’m sure everything will be fine, Ma. Don’t worry. We can get you whatever you need and since Tessa’s here and staying at the house you don’t need to worry about anything there. Make me a list of everything you need and I’ll bring it up on Wednesday. Hey, the girls are here for dinner so I’m gonna let you go. Get some rest, love you, and tell Daddy we love him. Bye, Mama.”

  Brad clipped his phone back to his belt and gave each of his sisters a quick hug. “Is everything OK with Mom?” Tessa asked.

  “Yeah, she said that they are going to move Dad to a rehab center in Casper on Wednesday and that there is a facility next door for family members to stay at. She’s going to stay there because it’s cheaper and closer than a hotel. She needs me to bring her some stuff from the house so maybe you can help me get that ready before Wednesday. He looked real good this morning. The doctors came in after I left. Everything go OK at the pharmacy?”

  “Everything went fine. Lanni stopped by. We’re all planning on going out to The Spur Saturday night, if everything continues to improve with Daddy.”

  Brad had a snarly look on his face. “You both need to keep your butts out of The Spur, but I know I can’t stop you, so if you’re going to The Spur then I need to get you those damn sweats before Saturday. Don’t want any fights breaking out on your first night out in town.”

  “That’s right ’cause I sure don’t want to see my handsome husband get his pretty face messed up!” Annie said as she walked up to Tessa and gave her a warm hug. “Welcome home, Tessa. You look amazing. Brad wasn’t kidding when he said he needed to load up the shotgun.” The screen door banged open and a little curly blonde head came flying toward them.

  “Auntie Ally Gator, you finally here!”

  Ally picked up the bundle of fire and gave her a quick squeeze, glaring at Brad and asking, “Who the heck told her to call me that?”

  Brad laughed. “Sorry, squirt, she heard me telling Annie about Tess calling you Ally Gator yesterday and I guess it stuck. It’s better than Auntie Squirt, isn’t it?”

  Sophie wiggled out of Ally’s arms and marched right over to Tessa with her hands on her hips. Wow, was Brad ever gonna have his hands full with this little spitfire. “Are you my Auntie Tessa Rose? Daddy said you bloomed. Daddy’s silly. Only flowers bloom.”

  Tessa looked at Brad with tears in her eyes, and then looked at the precious little girl in front of her. She squatted down and said, “Yes I am, Sophie, and I’m so glad to finally meet you.”

  Tessa had barely gotten the word “yes” out of her mouth when Sophie threw her arms around her neck and squeezed tight. “My daddy is so happy you home now. He said that he might have to shoot him some cowboys though. I don’t want daddy to shoot the cowboys so we need to hide his gun,” she said trying to talk with a whisper, but everyone could hear.

  Brad just smiled and shrugged. “What can I say, she’s a sponge. Gotta watch what you say around her.”

  Everybody laughed when Tessa said, “Don’t worry, Sophie, your daddy won’t be shooting any cowboys. He’s just being silly. Hey I brought you something.”

  Annie went to check on dinner while Tessa sat with Sophie, playing with the puzzles she had brought her. When Annie said dinner was ready, Sophie insisted on sitting right between her aunties. Dinner was amazing. Tess forgot how good a home-cooked meal was. She cooked on occasion and was actually a pretty good cook, just out of practice. At home when she cooked for herself it was just throwing something together fast or heating up takeout or leftovers, but most of the time she ate salad with chicken. That’s probably one of the reason she had lost so much weight. She would definitely have to watch what she ate while she was home.

  They talked about the new baby and laughed when Sophie got up from the table and patted Annie’s tummy then kissed it.

  It was so wonderful to be with her sister, brother, and his family. Tessa just wished that her parents could have been there, but then Tessa wouldn’t have been. She would have still been in Seattle probably eating salad and missing out on what a wonderful family she had been absent from for far too long.

  Ally got ready to leave after Annie had loaded her up with leftovers and dessert that would last her for the week. “Thanks, Annie, you’re the best. You’ll keep this poor college student from starving for another week.” She hugged her then turned to Tessa. “I’ll see you Friday night, sister. I can’t wait until the weekend. I’ll call you tomorrow after I stop in and see Dad. Love you.” Ally picked up Sophie and swung her around blowing a raspberry on her cheek, which made her giggle.

  Brad helped her take all the food containers to the car and told her, “Be good, squirt. You call me if you need anything. Drive safe and text us when you get home.”

  Not to be left out, Sophie said, “Bye, Auntie Ally Gator Squirt.” They all laughed again and waved to Ally as she pulled out of the driveway.

  Tessa helped Annie with the dishes while Brad took Sophie to the bathtub. “He’s a really great daddy. I’m just in awe of him. He has become an incredible man,” Tess told Annie.

  “Yeah, he’s pretty amazing. I wasn’t sure where we were headed when he was still traveling from one rodeo to the next and taking college classes as well. I didn’t see him much and thought maybe he was seeing someone else. But truth was, he just didn’t have the time to spend with me, let alone anyone else. Once school was done and he had the money for the down payment on the ranch, he asked my daddy for my hand and the rest is history. I wish you could have been here. The wedding was perfect and the only thing missing was you. I’m just so glad you’re home now. Brad’s really missed you and worried about you being so far away and on your own. I think it was good for you though. You really do look amazing, but I need to see it. Lift up that shirt and show me this belly ring. That’s all I’ve heard about since yesterday. I won’t be able to get one until after the baby is born, but if your brother has his way I’ll have one the day after.”

  Tessa laughed as she lifted her shirt and showed Annie. “Want to see something else Brad doesn’t know about?” Tessa turned around and pulled her shirt up around her shoulders.

  “Oh my God, you’ve got a tattoo?”

  Tessa laughed, “Actually I’ve got three, but this is the only one you can see.”

  The tattoo on the back of her left shoulder was a small red rose. She told Annie that the one on her butt cheek was a pair o
f lips that her friend Heather had dared her to get and that Heather had the same tattoo. Then she told her she also had a small heart with a little bit of scroll work on the front of her right hip just above her hairline. “Didn’t that hurt down there?” Annie asked as she pointed where she assumed the heart tattoo was.

  “Yeah, but it was worth it. Didn’t hurt much more than the Brazilian wax I get every three months. I love it. It’s kinda naughty, you know? No one knows it’s there but me.”

  “What’s kinda naughty?” Brad asked as he walked into the kitchen.

  “My belly ring, Brad. I was just showing it to Annie since you’ve been talking so much about it. Where is my perfect little niece?” Tessa changed the subject quickly so Brad wouldn’t ask any more questions.

  “Sophie is tucked in bed but wants her Auntie Tess to read her a bedtime story. You up for that?”

  Tessa smiled. “Are you kidding? I can’t wait. Point me in the right direction.”

  Annie grabbed her hand. “Come on, I’ll show you the way then I’m taking a long, hot bath, and we will definitely be talking more about this Brazilian wax.”

  Annie gave Sophie a kiss and hugs good night then hugged Tess. “I’m really glad you’re home, Tess.” Then Annie went to draw her bath. Tessa cuddled with Sophie to read her a bedtime story, loving the feel of this beautiful little girl in her arms. Sophie was out before page four. Tessa carefully got up from the bed, kissed her on the forehead, tucked the blankets up around her, and turned off the table lamp. Brad was standing in the doorway watching her.