Tom Hardy Character Imagines

Love Unexpected (Part Three)- Tuck Hansen

"So has Elsie had a good birthday?"

Yesterday had been Elsie's seventh birthday and they had celebrated with just a small birthday dinner with her grandfather. Elsie wasn't really one for parties or anything like that and she had been more than happy to have an extra few gifts in lieu of a big celebration. And the fact that today they had arranged to go to the zoo with Tuck and Joe for another day of birthday celebrations had sweetened the deal even more.

Three weeks had passed since the museum outing and each of the following Saturdays had been spent with Tuck and Joe at the park having a picnic. Jen had been relieved when Tuck hadn't suggested any more days out because work was still slow to come in, and Jen was really having to penny pinch even more than usual. However, when Tuck had discovered it was Elsie's birthday, he declared that the least he could do was take her out to celebrate and Jen couldn't say no. Hell, she wouldn't say no anything if it meant being able to spend time with Tuck.

She was actually rather ashamed that she was growing more and more attached to him as the days and weeks went by. It didn't help that during the week, they spent all of their time texting and sometimes Tuck would even call her in the evening when Elsie had gone to bed and they would just chat about anything and everything. She was truly falling for him and it was terrifying because although she had a feeling he kind of liked her too, she knew she was out of his league in so many ways.

"Yes and no," Jen shrugged, stepping out of the way of a stroller that almost ran over her toes. They were in the primate enclosure and as usual Joe and Elsie were off together ignoring their parents. "For some reason she got herself all obsessed about her dad, and she convinced herself that he was going to call her or send a card or something.

"And he didn't?" Tuck guessed.

"Exactly. I mean she's never seen or heard from him in five years, you know, so I don't really understand where it all came from."

"I think maybe I might have an idea," she saw Tuck grimace before he groaned slightly. "Last weekend she mentioned something to Joe about her dad; about how she never sees him and that she's jealous he has me. She told him that her grandpa is kind of like a dad because he's her dad's dad but then he's not really because he's too old. I should have said something but I just didn't think that it was that important and, well, I'm really sorry."

"No, don't apologise," Jen could feel her eyes watering slightly. "It's not your fault. You weren't to know that it was anything more than a passing comment. If anything I should have known. I should have..."

She had to pause so that she didn't start crying to him. She had promised herself a few years ago that she would never cry over Elsie's father ever again and she wasn't about to break that promise. Even if the reason she was about to cry was because of Elsie and her feelings.

"You alright, Jen?" Tuck's kind, soft voice and his concerned hand on her shoulder made her have to blink harder but eventually she cleared her throat and sniffed.

"Yeah, I'm good," she answered. "Just... adulting sucks. You know, I'm so glad that I'm not stuck with that loser any more because he was a waste of space and I didn't even really love him; I just loved the idea of someone who loved me, you know? I didn't get that growing up and I realised too late that I was looking for it in the wrong place. When I found out I was pregnant, I tried to convince myself I was happy and in love right up until the day he left, but when he packed up his shit and went I actually felt relief that I didn't have to lie any more. Sure, I was shit scared too but I knew I could manage on my own because I pretty much had been doing it all on my own any way, you know? He would just sleep all day and go out partying all night while I went to college and worked delivering leaflets with Elsie in her stroller in the evenings. Elsie's grandpa helped out a lot and still does, luckily, but it was never the point. The point was that she had a dad and he didn't give a shit, so I just figured that with him out of her life he couldn't hurt her. I guess I just didn't think about the fact that not having him here was going to hurt her as well."