Unapologetically Sorry

Unapologetically Sorry

The night air felt heavier than usual as Tessa drove away from Jordan’s house. Her grip on the steering wheel was tight, knuckles pale, breath shaky. Naya sat quietly in the backseat, humming softly to herself in her small world .

Tessa blinked hard, trying to keep tears from blurring the road. Dinner had lasted only thirty minutes, thirty minutes of polite smiles that turned into humiliation and disbelief. Thirty minutes of being blindsided.

She reached for her phone and called Maya.

“Hey Tess,” Maya’s voice filled the car, bright and surprised. “You’re calling so early? Are you okay?”

“I'm heading home.”

“Why? I thought you’d be there for at least another hour or two.”

Tessa let out a humorless laugh. “Maya… you won’t believe what happened.”

“What happened? Are you okay? Is Naya okay?”

“We’re fine. But that dinner was a disaster.”

Maya gasped. “What? How? What did that idiot do?”

“It wasn’t even Jordan. It was his mother,” Tessa said, voice breaking. “Maya, the woman kept acting like Naya was her granddaughter.”

“What?!”

“Yes. She said Naya looks like her father. She kept smiling and asking questions and God, Maya, she asked if Naya could start coming over so they could ‘spend quality time’ together.”

“She WHAT?!” Maya’s voice thundered through the car. “Tessa, are you serious right now?!”

“That’s not even the worst part,” Tessa whispered.

Maya gasped again, lower this time. “What could possibly be worse than that?”

“She said we could get a DNA test done. She said that to my face, Maya. She basically called me a liar. And then she kept talking like Naya was theirs like they had some right to her.”

Silence. Heavy, trembling silence.

“Tessa…” Maya finally breathed. “That is the worst thing that can ever happen. I knew something was off about that guy. I knew Jordan was trouble. He set you up. He and his mother set you up. They wanted to take your child away from you.”

Tessa swallowed hard. “I don’t understand any of this. I’ve never told him Naya was his. Never. Not once. So why would he say something like that to his mother?”

“Because he’s empty upstairs,” Maya spat. “He’s a delusional bastard and you were the one who let him back into your life, your home, with your child.”

Tessa shook her head, blinking away tears. “He wasn't that bad, and he's a better man.”

“Tessa, open your eyes!” Maya cried. “A grown woman sat across from you and claimed your child. Your child! She talked about a DNA test! That is not normal! That is not harmless!”

“I know,” Tessa whispered. “I know, Maya. I just… I’m trying to breathe.”

Maya softened. “I’m sorry. I’m just angry for you.”

“I know,” Tessa whispered. “I’ll be home in a few minutes. I’ll call you later.”

“You better. And Tessa? Block him. Block his number tonight. Don’t give him access.”

“I will.”

“You promise?”

“Yes.”

“Good. Now drive safe.”

Tessa ended the call, her heart thudding painfully as she pulled into her driveway. She exhaled shakily. Naya had dozed off. She carried her inside gently.

Once inside, she set Naya down and helped her change out of her dress. She brushed her hair carefully, and Naya yawned, eyes half open.

“Mom,” she murmured softly, “who is my daddy?”

The question hit Tessa like a brick to the chest.

Her throat tightened. Her hands froze.

“I…” she whispered. “Baby, your daddy is…”

But no words came out. No explanations. No truth. No lies. Just silence.Her vision blurred as tears spilled before she could stop them.

Naya looked up at her, innocent eyes full of softness. Then her tiny fingers reached up and brushed away Tessa’s tears.

“It’s okay, Mama,” she whispered. “You don’t have to tell me now if you’re not ready.”

Tessa’s sob turned into a shaky laugh, and she hugged her daughter tightly. “Thank you, sweetheart,” she whispered. “I love you so much.”

“I love you too, Mama.”

“Do you want me to read you a book?”

“Yes, please.”

She read to her, slowly, softly until Naya’s breathing steadied into peaceful sleep.
Tessa kissed her forehead, switched off the light, and closed the door quietly.

In her own room, she collapsed onto the bed and covered her face with both hands.
Should she tell Naya the truth? Should she tell Damien the truth?

But the thought alone made her chest tighten. Damien had enough on his plate. Naya was her entire world. Revealing everything now felt like stirring chaos, not healing anything.

She sighed deeply and lay back, staring at the ceiling.

Tonight had been too much.

Way too much.

Just as her breathing began to steady..

KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK.

Tessa froze.

She glanced at the clock. 8:32 p.m. A small part of her lifted with relief. “Maya,” she murmured to herself. “She came.”

She padded barefoot to the door and pulled it open, and her heart dropped. It wasn’t Maya, it was Jordan.

Her breath caught. “What are you doing here?”

Jordan looked pale, almost frantic. His hands were shoved into his pockets, and he shifted from foot to foot, guilt etched across his face.

“I came to apologize,” he said. “Please. I had to see you. I would have called, but I thought it would be better if I came myself.”

“No,” Tessa snapped. “You shouldn’t be here.”

“I didn’t know my mom would say all that,” he rushed. “I didn’t know she would assume…”

“Jordan, stop.” Her voice shook with anger. “Tell me something. How did your mother even know I had a daughter?”

He swallowed.

Tessa scoffed. “Exactly. Because you told her. You told her Naya was yours.”

“No, no, Tessa, listen…”

“Don’t lie to me!” she shouted. “Do not stand here on my doorstep and lie to me!”

His voice cracked. “Tessa, I swear, I didn’t.”

“What did you think would happen? That you and your mom would corner me? Pressure me into giving you a child that doesn’t belong to you? Have you lost your mind?”

“I wasn’t trying to pressure you,” he whispered. “I just… I thought maybe you didn’t want to raise her alone. I thought maybe…”

“You thought wrong,” she snapped. “You thought stupidly. You crossed every boundary I set.”

“Tessa, please.”

“No.” Her voice was ice. “I don’t want to see you again. I don’t want you near me. And I don’t want you anywhere near my child. If you ever show up here again, I will call the police on you. Do not test me.”

Jordan’s eyes filled with hurt, but she didn’t care. Not tonight.

“Tessa, please, just let me explain.”

“Goodnight, Jordan.”

She shut the door with finality.

Outside, on his porch across the street, Roderick leaned on the rail, arms folded, listening to the faint voices.

He couldn’t catch every word, but he heard enough. A slow smile curled across his lips.

“I knew he’d ruin it,” he murmured to himself. “Always knew.”