I finally hear Tommie’s voice. “Are you ready, Tess?”
“Yes,” I reply
“Okay, we’re going to ask you to leave now. We’ll be in contact with you when the procedure is done or you are more than welcome to wait out in the waiting room,” Tommie instructs.
Blondie pipes up, “Thank you so much. Take care of my boy for me. Finn and I have some catching up to do.”
“Kara, it’s not like that and you know it,” Finn hisses.
“Can’t blame a girl for trying.”
Kara giggles at her own joke, and all this mess makes me want to stab my left kneecap with a scalpel.
“Tess, walk these two out while I get to work, and remember to switch the phone to go directly to the answering service.”
Finn walks over to their puppy, pets
his head and begins to speak, “You’ll be alright, little buddy. Sorry about the nut thing, but I promise you a full day of fishing and fetch at Granddaddy’s. These girls will take good care of you, Rocky.”
He instantly straightens, stands up and walks straight towards me, grabs my hand and shouts over his shoulder, “I’ll meet you at the truck, Kara.”
Halfway down the hall, I realize I’m allowing Finn to drag me.
“Stop, Finn.”
He doesn’t loosen his grip or slow his speed. Finally, we hit a dark corner of the office, and he spins me around to face him.
“She’s not my girlfriend.”
Silence
“Listen to me, Tessa. She’s my ex and needed help.”
Silence
“Fucking listen to me.”
Raising my head, I reply, “I did. Now leave me alone.”
I push off Finn and make my way back to the front office. I find Kara waiting for Tommie and immediately switch the phone to get the fuck out of the front office.
“Finn, where did you run off to? Mom and Daddy are waiting on us for lunch. Let’s go, baby.”
“Ex, my fucking ass,” I mumble under my breath.
“Tessa, don’t,” he warns.
Kara catches Finn’s warning and the anger in my eyes. The three of us freeze and everything in the office suddenly becomes very tense.
“This is her,” she hisses.
“God dammit, Kara. I’ve told you over and over again we’re done and have been. Just because you come home for the summer doesn’t mean I’m here on bended knee for your presence. We’ve been done for months.”
“Finn, you know we’re meant to be together forever. We’ve been together since first grade.”
“Alright, I’m going back to do my job, you two lovers can work this out on your own.”
“Tessa, please,” are the only words I hear, as I turn my back and go help neuter his dog.