Tess

With the arrival of lunch, Tess collected a meal and sat at a table with Sam and Tatiana, the tray of food in front of her untouched as she stared down at the screen of her phone at the messages from her mother and from Lina. Obviously Lina version of sharing everything was very different than her mother’s.

Janine’s mother was a nice lady, but she certainly had her own agenda and the request for a phone call was undoubted a need for confabulation to align excuses to peddle to her mother to keep Tom small and handy. Not that she blamed the older woman, Tess herself had allowed herself to imagine what a tryst with a tiny person would be like and the thought of it was very titillating. But this was Tom and she felt like she was the only one who seemed to be working in his best interest. Tom himself seemed to be taking delight in being passed around like a little party favor to be used and abused before being handed off to the next girl.

She was glad her mother was coming, glad she didn’t have to be the only voice of reason.

“You look lost,” Sam commented, smiling at her friend.

Tess smiled and shook her head, Actually, I think I just found myself,” she replied.

Sam frowned.

Tess nodded again, thumbs dancing across the screen of her phone as she composed the message to her mother. In it, she outlined the event that saw Tom shrunken down, her efforts to seek assistance from her grandfather and his partner Harrison Kinsley. She omitted Tom’s numerous physical interactions with various people, but highlighted the fact that he was currently in the care of a registered nurse.

“What are you doing?” Sam asked.

Tess looked up and smiled, “Coming clean,” she said, re-reading her message.

“Tom?” she whispered.

Tatiana looked up, interest written on her face, “Tom is coming back to school?” she asked, eyes lighting up.

“Hopefully,” Tess replied, pushing herself away from the table.

“You done? You haven’t hardly touched your food,” Sam said, nodding at the untouched tray.

“I have to go,” Tess said, saving her message to draft.

“You ditching?”

Tess nodded, reaching for her tray. She was going to go over to Cassidy’s place and tell Tom straight out. Then she was going to send the message and she honestly didn’t care if he wanted to pout or not. Cleaning off her tray, she definitely a walk in the brisk air would help prepare her resolve for her brother’s protest. 

By the time she arrived at the apartment building, her cheeks were rosy. Pressing the button, she waited for the buzzer to permit her entry. Once inside, she took the elevator up to Cassidy’s floor and made her way down the carpeted corridor to the right apartment.

Come in Tess,” Cassidy said, lowering her eyes.

Tess immediately got the sense something was amiss, “Is everything okay?” she asked, stepping through the threshold but keeping her eyes on the nurse.

Closing the door, Cassidy lead the girl down the short hall into the living space of the apartment where Lina Lindholm was seated on the chesterfield, Tom in the palm of her left hand.

“Hello Tess, this is a surprise. I was hoping you would call me,” said the older blonde woman, smiling up at the girl. She had arrived shortly before Tess, full of apology to Cassidy for her daughter’s misbehavior and assurances it would be appropriately addressed.

Tom raised a hand and waved, “Giant Tess,” he greeted.

“He’s had a bit of a fall,” Cassidy said, taking the girl’s coat.

Moving closer, Tess took up a seat on the couch next to Lina and extended her hand.

Moving her hand closer, Lina shuffled Tom into Tess’s hand.

Frowning, she spotted the gash over his eye, “That looks like it will leave a scar,” she commented, examining the rest of him. Other than the eye and some bruising, he appeared relatively unhurt.

“Chicks dig scars,” he said with a sly grin, “makes me look dangerous,” he added.

Tess looked from Lina to Cassidy, then back to Tom, “Mother is coming the day after tomorrow,” she informed.

“Lina was telling me that her attempt to dissuade mom was less than successful, though the ruse of me running off with Janine does hold some merit. My phone has been absolutely crazy,” he replied.

“I can’t do this anymore Tom, I can’t keep trying to cover for this situation while you get off playing in girls’ underpants. I’ve prepared a message to send her telling her just about everything that’s happened,” she advised.

Putting his hands up, “Tess, hold up now,” he said, cocking his head to the side and raising his hands.

Looking at Lina, “I’ve excluded all the, um, dalliances, including you and Janine,” she said.

Lina nodded slowly, “I see,” she said, letting out a breath.

“I think it is for the best,” Tess affirmed.

“For you or Tom?” Lina queried.

Tess smiled, “Both of us,” she replied.

“Tess come on,” Tom protested.

She shook her head, dark hair swaying, “I’m only telling you this as a courtesy Tom. I think that gash over your eye illustrates my point. You live in a world fraught with peril with your head up your ass, or anybody else’s I suppose if you think you are living on borrowed time. I can’t sit idly by,” she stated.

Shaking his head, Tom staggered a little, vertigo causing him to lose his balance. Dropping to a knee to steady himself, his head still throbbed. He wanted to talk, but a wave of nausea rolled through his stomach.

“I rest my case,” Tess said, eyes on the tiny form in her hand.

Cassidy frowned. It was hard to argue with the girl after the damage he sustained during Jessica’s attempted abduction. He had been lucky. What if he had broken something? Or worse, died? Did she want to keep him there? Yes. She had absolutely loved sharing him with Katie, but at what cost to him?