The Stories Behind Us

A Father Daughter Relationship

A fifteen year old Tessa was sitting with John at the mechanic shop; trying to sort the many car parts they had just gotten in the night before. "Hey Tess you missing something?" John asks as he finds one of Tessa's cap behind the shelf where they put some of the parts.

"Well that is where it went off to! I been looking for that thing for three months Tessa says while trying to grab the hat from John.

"Not so fast grease monkey. What do you say?" John asks to Tessa who huffed in annoyance.

"Give it back John." She exclaimed trying to jump for the hat which was a few inches above her head

John just laughed at her, "What do you say Tessa?" John asked her again.

Tessa crossed her arms and rolled her eyes at him, "Fine! Can I please have my hat back?" Tessa asked; as John handed it to her.

"Sure thing." John says making Tessa roll her eyes playfully at him

"You know you can be very annoying sometimes right?" Tessa asked him as John chuckled.

" Yep I know, but you still need someone to keep you on your toes." John remarks.

" Now you are sounding like my father!" Tessa told him while laughing sadly

Tessa then sighs at the mention of her late father. Just a few months prior; Tessa's father's race car crashed, and he passed away shortly after.

John sighs as well at the mention of his best friend and work partner. John missed him, and he knew Tessa definitely missed him. Now he had to be there for Tessa when it seemed no one else was.

Everyday Tessa came into the shop with new bruises or scratches; from her step family, and John would have to help the girl. School did not help either. Tessa was an easy target for bullies so, by the time she got to the mechanic shop. She needed someone who actually loved her.

John was definitely not trying to replace her father, but he knew that Tessa needed something that was steadfast. She needed the reassurance someone was still there for her, and would not leave her.

A few years ago; three to be exact. John's wife died while giving birth to their daughter. Who also died that day. John knew there was no one else he would want to be with so he had been a widower ever since. The one thing he did have left though was Tessa and her father. Who helped him through it, and even though he did not get to talk to his friend before his passing. He promised him that he would continue to take care of Tessa and help her through it just like her father did for him.

It tore him apart to see Tessa hurting, and he so wanted to get her out of that household, but Tessa said she still had a promise to keep.

Tessa shakes away the sadness and said, "We finally got another motorcycle motor in. Now we can finally fix that motorcycle that the Luis' wanted us to fix Tessa says trying to change the subject. John nodded

"Yeah and we are pretty much done with sorting. So what do you say. Want to get some grease on you." John asks throwing her a coverall before she could answer.

Tessa catches the coveralls in her hands "Of course. When have I ever passed on a chance to fix something?" Tessa questions jokingly as she quickly puts on the coverall; as John did the same.

"Alright then let's start working John told her.

The next day John was finishing up on a car that was brought in earlier that day when he hears the door open and running.

John quickly looked up from his work seeing Tessa sitting on one of the chairs holding back tears. Alerted by this John got up and walked over to Tessa, "Hey Tess what is wrong."  he asked quietly kneeling down beside the girl.

Tessa just sighs as she looks at John sadly, "John why do you care about me?" She asks sadly

John was taken aback by this, but quickly recovered, and replied, " How could I not care about you? You are amazing, sweet, not to mention talented." John told her.

Tessa sighs as she looks down, " No one else thinks that." Tessa told him.

As John sighs trying to decide on what to do. Hey Tessa follow me John say carefully taking her hand in his helping her up.

"Where are we going John?" Tessa asked confused as she got into John's truck.

"To my apartment I have a few things to show you." John told her as he started up his truck heading to his home.

At John home he led Tessa inside and motioned for her to sit on the couch as he went to find something in his room.

Tessa sighs as she looks around the apartment. Where she had saw her father crash on the television. She then waited for John when she heard something fall. "You okay in there?!" Tessa asked John.

"Just fine!" John answers though he sounded irritated.

Tessa started to get curious and carefully got up to see what John was doing. She quickly found John's room where she saw John throwing stuff on the bed. "John what are you doing?" Tessa asked laughing at the  mess.

"Looking  for this." John  says emerging from the closet with a binder in his hands.

"And what is that?" Tessa asked as she followed John back to the couch where they both say down.

"It is a photo album, that your father gave me when my wife passed." John explained as he flipped through a few of the pages before showing her the page he wanted to show her.

Tessa looks at the page John pointed to. "Was that you." She asks as she looks at the first picture on the page. John nods

"Yep your father called me up; that day totally freaking out. By the time I got there your father was almost kicked out of the hospital." John told her.

" You can not be serious." Tessa told him laughing at the idea.

"I promise you I am not kidding. Anyways once you were born he was the happiest man in the world. He was so excited to have a daughter. And I felt so happy for him. I was about to leave when they took that picture. I did not see you again until you were eight." John told Tessa who flipped the page that showed her and John a week after they had moved back here.

"I remember this I was so nervous to meet you even though my father told me you were a nice man." Tessa told John who laughed remembering the encounter as well.

Before they looked at another picture of them together.  "Wow we sure did a lot together." Tessa remarked as she continued looking. Before finally understanding something that John had been trying to show her. "Wait you were always there for me like father was." Tessa told John.

John just nodded, "Yeah I was and I always will be." John told Tessa as he ruffled her hair a bit.

"Now that I can believe."  Tessa says smiling as she hugged John. "Thank you John... for everything. I definitely do not think I would be able to make it without knowing I have you to help me through." Tessa told John.

"I  think that feeling is mutual Tess." John told her as he got up from the seat. Tessa following behind him.

"So John what are we going to do now?" Tessa asked him.

"I  guess go back to the shop if you want to. We still have work to do." John told Tessa who saved her hand dismissively.

" Oh we can work later how about we go get some ice cream first." John she told him.

John laughed, " Ooh is Tessa really being spontaneous." John joked as they head towards the truck.

Tessa laughed, "Everyone needs to spontaneous sometimes plus I am starving I have not eaten since yesterday she told John who sighed for a second really annoyed that Tessa's step family did not feed her much.

"Alright come on let's go get some ice cream then we will head back deal."

"Deal!"  Tessa told him. As she hopped into the truck.

A/N
I was going to wait to release this until I finished a Living Nightmare but can not wait any longer. I hope you enjoy if you do vote and comment. Also after watching this movie over and over again I finally think Joe is John's real name, but I am to lazy to change it.