TITLE OF STORY: Persuasion
CHAPTER NUMBER/TITLE/ONE SHOT: 15
AUTHOR: cryimmortalbird
WHICH TOM/CHARACTER: Actor Tom
GENRE: Romance/Drama
FIC SUMMARY: Laura is an up and coming screenwriter; she and Tom meet and they hit it off almost instantly, but some troubles from Laura’s past threaten to ruin their burgeoning relationship….
RATING: M, for some swearing and occasional smut.
Chapter 15
Laura’s P.O.V.
We returned to our flat together that evening. Tom asked me worriedly if I’d rather stay at Ben’s for a few days before moving back into our flat, that it wasn’t going to be too much for me. I shook my head and smiled. Our two weeks apart felt like months, and though we were still almost cautiously, desperately tender with each other, both so overwhelmed that we could be reunited, I couldn’t bare the idea of not being with him that night. Even just to lie in the same house as him would be enough.
Benedict fed us a small dinner that neither of us had much appetite for but ate all the same, and then we took our leave. I hugged Benedict tightly, starting to say how I could never thank him enough but he wouldn’t hear it. “I did what any friend would do. It makes me so happy to see the two of you together again,” he said, looking briefly over my shoulder to where Tom was unlocking the car. He looked back at me. “You both fit together. You are both such wonderful complete people on your own, but together you both become something else.”
The drive home with Tom was almost silent, but he held my hand intermittently at every opportunity he could whilst driving. Nothing needed to be said. Upon getting home, we didn’t trip through the front door giddily like we might once have done; instead we entered gently, and smiling started to slowly remove the others’ coat and scarf. Then I continued to carefully unbutton his shirt, whilst he swept my hair back from my face and lifted my jumper off over my head. The whole time I kept staring into those beautiful, gently blue eyes, which kept staring back into mine. We were both now topless and it was then that Tom leant down and pressed his lips against mine. It was unlike all our other kisses – there was something intangible about it. Things started to get out of control then; we staggered into the bedroom, barely moving our bodies away from each other the whole time before Tom swept me up onto the bed. Before I knew it he was on top of me and now we were basically ripping the others’ clothes off, our kissing ferocious and impassioned. Feeling his naked body against mine after all the distance between us made me shudder with pleasure, and I sat up then flipped him onto his back so I was on top. We both of us couldn’t help moan for the pleasure, whispering each others’ names, then before long moaning them, punctuated by gasps as we both came.
Afterwards, we lay together holding each other. Tom’s skin under my fingers was warm and smooth as I lightly traced circular patterns over his chest and arms. “I love you,” I said simply, because it was so obvious. Of course I loved him, and somewhere within myself I knew that I’d never love anyone else the same way and I didn’t want to. Tom tilted his head down to look into my eyes, unblinking and gently sincere. “I love you too,” he said plainly, as if it was obvious to him as well. “It’s because I love you so much that I want this. It won’t be easy – no one has an easy ride, and this doesn’t mean we’ll never have problems ever again. But for you, I will spend my life trying to be the best version of myself; to be the most honest, caring, understanding and hardworking partner that you deserve.”
“And I’ll do the same for you,” I said. “I’d do anything for you, and that’s the most either of us can do.”
It was so obvious, the most loving and obvious thing in the world.
TITLE OF STORY: Persuasion
CHAPTER NUMBER/TITLE/ONE SHOT: 14
AUTHOR: cryimmortalbird (formerly hmswatermelon)
WHICH TOM/CHARACTER: Actor Tom
GENRE: Romance/Drama
FIC SUMMARY: Laura is an up and coming screenwriter; she and Tom meet and they hit it off almost instantly, but some troubles from Laura’s past threaten to ruin their burgeoning relationship….
RATING: M, for some swearing and occasional smut.
AUTHORS NOTES: So talk about a slow update… I now also write under my new url instead of ‘hmswatermelon’. I can only apologise and hope this story still interests some of you out there!
Chapter 14
Laura’s P.O.V
This is such a bad idea, I told myself furiously. Meeting up secretly with people is what got you into this whole bloody mess in the first place.
Nevertheless, my feet continued to carry me numbly towards the coffee shop, completely disregarding any orders my head was giving. As soon as I entered I saw him instantly, staring vacantly out of the window and my heart gave an involuntary lurch, my throat tightening up. For some reason I hadn’t told anyone I had finally agreed to at least talk to Tom, probably out of stubbornness, I suppose. I’d resolved that I was only here to reaffirm all I had told him before, that I felt nothing but contempt for the man; but my quickening pulse indicated otherwise. He spotted me finally and managed a ghost of a smile. I quietly slipped into the seat otherwise, and as he opened his mouth to speak, I suddenly remembered a conversation I’d had with Stefan only two nights ago.
“Go back, Laura,” he’d told me sternly over the phone.
My mouth dropped open in shock. “What? How can you even say that to me? No. No, no, no.”
“Oh come on, Laura!” he’d yelled in exasperation. “This is ridiculous! You don’t seriously mean you still believe all that crap David told you? Tom’s a wreck, for christ’s sake, and so are you.”
“I’m not a wreck, don’t patronise me!” though I felt my throat tighten as I said it. “And it’s not crap, he has proof. You’re just being childish because you don’t like David.”
“No, I don’t like him, because he’s a lying scumbag.”
“For fuck’s sake Stef, you’re meant to be my friend, I thought you were on my side!”
“I am on your side!” he insisted, “Which is why I’m trying to help you before you do something you regret. You’re not stupid so I don’t understand why you’re behaving like you are; ignoring Tom while he’s trying to fix things.”
“Oh… yeah?” I spluttered. “Well, I don’t appreciate you getting everyone to do your dirty work for you. Everyone’s been saying this; even Benedict called me the other night, treating me like a child!”
“That’s because you’re behaving like one.”
I was utterly speechless for a few moments so Stefan took the opportunity to have even more of a rant. It sounded like he’d been saving it up for months, not weeks. “Look, we’ve all been calling because we care about you; both of you. Now you say there is ‘proof’, have you seen it?”
The abruptness of it startled me for a second and I faltered. “What?”
“Have you seen David’s alleged ‘proof’?”
“No! No, I… I didn’t want to…” I trailed off.
“Well maybe it’s time you did,” he snapped before hanging up, a loud buzzing filling my ear.
And that was when the first seeds of doubt started to be planted in my mind.
Tom’s P.O.V.
I almost couldn’t speak I was so taken aback, having her so close once again after all these weeks apart. Before Laura had walked in I was still harbouring that burning anger and jealousy but now that she sat in front of me, it all just appeared to melt away. Her green eyes were still regarding me coldly but there was something softer about her this time. Seeing as how she seemed to be waiting for me to say something, I decided to jump right in and cleared my throat.
“Listen, “ I began hesitantly, wary of her gimlet eyes, “I just want to make this clear that this is not me trying to beg for you to come back. I have resigned myself to the fact that that is never going to happen, but… but I want to make things clear. I never believed you cheated.” Her eyes widened slightly at that but she still didn’t interrupt so I carried on. “Not really. I was jealous, insecure and above all extremely stupid, which are not excusable reasons. But I… I guess what I’m trying to say is that if this really is the end, I don’t want you to go away from it thinking that I truly believed that you betrayed me, because I don’t. And I’m sorry. For everything.”
She continued to regard me with the same stony expression and for a moment I thought she was going to start off on another snarling tirade. Instead, she blinked slowly and licked her lips hesitantly before saying in softly controlled voice, “Thank you.”
I was a little surprised. “You’re… welcome. I just thought you deserved a proper explanation.”
Laura nodded slowly, her eyes fixed on the table. “I want to say I’m sorry too,” she said quietly, “and I am for not telling you that David was still trying to contact me, that was wrong. That much is very obvious.” She finally forced herself to look at me. “But I can’t… I can’t…”
“You can’t believe that I didn’t cheat on you,” I finished listlessly, feeling instantly deflated.
Laura continued to look at me a second more then hastily got to her feet, almost tripping over herself as she struggled to extract herself from the maze of chairs and tables. “I’m, I’m… I’m going now…” she said with a tremor in her voice. I didn’t even have in me to protest before she’d already swung the door behind her and I sank back down once again. I didn’t know if this had been a waste of time or not.
Laura’s P.O.V
“Well maybe it’s time you did…”
Stefan’s condemning words rang in my ears as I tripped back to David’s flat in a numb stupor. I’d been so caught up in my in haze of rage, jealousy and self-pity that I hadn’t been able to bring myself to look at the pictures I’d been told about. Which is the sort of thing David would know I would do. I could barely get the door open fast enough with my sticky spare-keys. As soon as I stepped inside I heard the shower going and I knew exactly what to do. As usual, David had left his phone on the kitchen table; normally I wouldn’t dream of looking through someone’s phone, but this time it was necessary. My hear beat heavily, I felt I could almost feel it in my throat and my sweaty fingers fumbled through photos, albums, screen-shots, folders, web-history, anything, looking for an iota of this so-called proof.
And I found nothing. Absolutely nothing. I’d even checked in the trash and any evidence of deleted history but there was none. There was nothing to see. There never had been.
“Laura, what are you doing?”
David stood in the doorway, dressed in jeans and t-shirt and rubbing his wet hair with a towel. One look at my face was enough to tell him what and the smile disappeared from his face.
“There is no proof, is there?” I said quietly. When he didn’t answer I continued, “You told me there were pictures, texts, emails you had that proved Tom had slept with this girl. There aren’t any, and you haven’t deleted them because that’s not the sort of thing you’d do. So I’ll ask you one more time; there is no ‘proof’ is there?”
He gulped slowly before saying blankly, “No.”
A wild, mirthless laugh escaped my lips. David still did not move from his spot so I simply pushed past him to get to the spare room, avoiding his frantic grasps and pleads of, “No, sweetheart, I can explain…”
These whining fell on deaf ears as I continued to push my things hastily into my suitcase. I was having serious flashbacks of when I’d done this before. I lugged myself and my small collection of belongings to the door, David still dogging my heels, and then I rounded on him.
“Ok, just tell me this then,” I exploded. “Why?”
“Because I love you!”
“No, you really don’t.”
“Well I care about you enough that I couldn’t bear to see you wasted on that talentless arse-wipe twat…” but David never got to finish his sentence because that was when my fist collided with his nose.
“Don’t ever speak like that about Tom again, ok?” I snarled. “And don’t you dare say you love me because if you were you wouldn’t let me do something as cruel as what I did. Only a completely heartless fuck-wit like you would behave so atrociously towards someone as good as him, who has done you no harm.” I took one last good look at his astonished, bleeding, smashed face. “Goodbye, David,” I said firmly and I finally shut that door behind me for good.
Out on the streets, surrounded by my luggage, hyped on fury and adrenaline as well as horror as what I had truly done to Tom hit me, I started to experience another over-whelming state of deja-vu as I once again found myself stuck with no one to run to. Then I remembered; Stefan hadn’t been the only one persistently trying to get me to sort things out with Tom. I flicked through my contacts, took a deep breath and hit dial. Please pick up, please pick up. My hopes were for the moment pinned on the reliable Benedict Cumberbatch.
I sat on Ben’s sofa, sniffling into the cripplingly strong cup of tea he’d made me as soon as we’d got back to his house, straight after firmly sitting me down and shoving a box of tissues under my nose. Benedict came back into the room with his own tea and set it down before sitting beside me. He didn’t say anything, just looked at me understandingly and kindly, prompting me to burst immediately into very loud, messy tears. “I’ve…been…such…an…idiot!” I choked snottily, tears dripping into my tea. “I can’t believe…I can’t believe I did that…to him!”. I now managed to put down the trembling mug in my hand and blew my nose noisily. “He must hate me.”
Benedict finally spoke up then. “He doesn’t hate you,” he said, firmly but gently. I laughed disbelievingly but he pressed on. “He doesn’t, Laura. He still very much loves you.”
“How can he?” I countered. “How? After everything I did.”
Ben sighed and gently took my hand. “I won’t lie to you,” he said, not unkindly, “he’s hurt. Very much so. But then, so are both of you. And he knows that too. He loves you, Laura, and Tom is man with a lot of deep feeling and integrity. He’s not about to throw that away lightly.”
“He’ll never want to see me again, I know it,” I said helplessly, shaking my head. “Why would he? I wouldn’t want to see me. I know him well enough to know that I’ve harmed him beyond the point of forgiveness. He’ll never want to see me again.”
Ben shook his head, now smiling lightly. “You’re wrong.”
I looked at him cuttingly. “What on earth would make you think that?”
He looked up at me, and I saw the glimmer of a secret about his face. “Because he told me,” Benedict said.
My mouth fell open. “You spoke to him? When?”
Down the hall, I heard the doorbell ring once, short and abrupt. Benedict unfolded himself from the chair he’d been sat in and stood up, making his way to the door.
“About ten minutes ago, while I made your tea,” he said, as he walked out of the living room to go and open the door.
If I was speechless then, it was nothing to how I felt a moment later, when Benedict re-entered the room, followed by the only person I really wanted to see, and also couldn’t bear to face.
Tom’s P.O.V
She looked an absolute mess, and yet due to the agonising time apart she’d never looked so beautiful to me. As I entered the room, she shot to her feet, clattering the mug of tea she’d been holding down onto the coffee table in front of her, to stand there shaking. Although she looked soft and gentle, dressed in dark jeans and plain grey jumper, and her curly red hair was brushed but bounced round her face, in contrast her skin was pale and drawn, with dark circles under her eyes which were red from crying. I’d never wanted to hold her so much but I forced myself not to rush to her, not knowing how she’d react. Laura just stood there for a moment, with a look of shock and something else on her face. There remained a deafening silence for a moment longer, before Benedict coughed lightly and said “I’ll leave you two to talk alone, I’ll be in the kitchen if you need me,” shooting me a small smile and shutting the door quietly behind him. Laura and I stood and stared at each other a little longer. Eventually, I spoke.
“Laura, I’m so sorry…”
But that was as far as I got before she interrupted, shaking her head and scrunching up her eyes to stop herself crying.
“No, Tom, please don’t. Please, I’m sorry. I can’t… I can’t forgive myself for what I did to you, it was so awful, so please don’t try and be nice to me, I don’t deserve it.”
“Oh, so you think I was blameless in all of this?” I said abruptly, the anger I felt directed largely at myself. “Laura, what I was… there are no words. The girl in the photo, the one that kissed me… there’s no explanation or excuse other than I was drunk and reacted too late to get her away from me before a photo was taken. It meant nothing and I didn’t ever consciously try to encourage her, I should have told you straight away, but I was worried and stressed with David having contacted you, and more than that I was deeply ashamed. But nothing compared to the shame I feel right now.”
Laura stood quaking silently for a few more seconds before speaking herself. “I know it didn’t mean anything. I know that you’re truthful and sincere in everything you’ve just said.” Her bottom lip trembled a little. “I love you so much, but I let fear and past hurt make me act in ways that I don’t recognise, and that you didn’t deserve. I don’t know how you can ever forgive me.”
I could see that she was about to start crying again and I knew that if she did, so would I. Without thinking I crossed the room in two strides, took her in my arms and held her tightly against my body, burying my face in her hair. It took a second for me to realise that her arms had also gone around me and gripped my back tightly and desperately. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” she sobbed quietly into my neck. I leant back and held her face in my hands.
“I love you,” I said simply. “And I will always be honest with you, and trust you, if you will allow me to.”
Then, and only then, looking into those huge green eyes that I adored so much, did I finally kiss her. And with that, the broken bridge between us started to finally join together once again.
Hey, I've just seen something about how you were close to not writing? and wanted to say that you are an amazing author; I love the Tom&Abigail series so please, please, please do keep writing! I love the blog like so many others and you are stunningly kind to so many of us here, me included. *FORCEFUL HUG*
Thank you! I can’t get over the messages today. You all are so incredibly kind. I’m a ball of feels right now. Tom and Abby are such a huge accomplishment for me, as I’ve said. I’ve taken on some massive challenges with them, comedy, drama, angst, fluff, romance…. they’ve run the gamut with me. And I adore writing their dynamic.
I love what I’ve read of Persuasion! That was some pretty powerful stuff in there. And I can’t wait to get back to it once my schedule settles out a bit. You are incredibly gifted.
I promise. I’m still writing. Another Tom and Abby in a little bit. Thank you so much!! From my heart, thank you.
CHAPTER NUMBER/ONE SHOT: Chapter 13
AUTHOR: hmswatermelon
WHICH TOM/CHARACTER: Actor Tom
GENRE: Drama, Romance
FIC SUMMARY:
Laura is an up and coming screenwriter; she and Tom meet and they hit it off almost instantly, but some troubles from Laura’s past threaten to ruin their burgeoning relationship….
RATING: M, for some swearing in this chapter.
AUTHORS NOTES: Since becoming un-anonymous, I've had some amazingly lovely comments, so thank you so much to everyone who reads this. Enjoy! x
Previous chapter
Chapter 13
Tom’s P.O.V.
I could hear the phone ringing consistently on the other end of the line, but still no one answered. I swore under my breath angrily and started checking through the emails on my computer instead, still holding the phone precariously between neck and shoulder. Still no replies. This time I just hung up the phone for good as it was blaringly obvious to me now that if she hadn’t answered the first fifteen times, she definitely wasn’t going to now. It was worth a try though.
It had been over a week since Laura had left now and while I kept trying to tell myself not to give up, that we could sort this out, truth be told I was starting to give up hope. The crying and deep melancholy phase was starting to slowly withdraw and be replaced with a fiery determination to make things right. But I couldn’t do that if she wouldn’t let me, and at the moment it appeared Laura wasn’t willing to play ball. And truth be told, I was starting to get sick of all this over-the-phone business; it only encouraged the risk of even more miscommunication which was something I couldn’t afford if I was really going to give getting us back together a real shot. There was no way in hell she’d let me come and visit her, so I’d just have to find out the address from my new informant.
“Stefan?” I barked down the line. “I need David’s address.”
“Hello to you too, Thomas,” Stefan drawled in reply. “May I ask why?”
“I’m going to go and talk to her,” I told him firmly, already shrugging into my jacket as I spoke.
“I’d try to warn you off, but I’m sensing there’s no point, right?” he said with tired resignation.
I smiled grimly to myself. “None whatsoever. So; address please?”
“You do realise this is a somewhat awkward position you’ve put me in, right?” Stefan pointed out irritably. “I’m on no one’s side here, and I do count you as one of my friends now, but I’m not just some go-between for you two. You need to sort this out yourselves.”
“I know, I know! Which is why I only need you to give me the address, why else do you think I’m going over there right now?”
I waited in anticipation as there was a heavy, prolonged silence on the other end. Eventually though, he sighed and tutted. “Ok,” he said heavily. “Let me just get the address book...”
**
The door stood in front of me was a little tatty, if I was honest. The white paint peeled a little, the letter and number on the door was rusty and even the hinges looked worn and in need of repair. A horrible possibility flashed in my mind; what if he opened the door? I knew, in my heart of hearts, that nothing had happened, but I wasn’t emotionally equipped to deal with him right now. I just needed Laura. That was all I needed. Just Laura. With trepidation, I pressed the doorbell.
To my joy and relief, it was her that opened the door. While my face involuntarily split into a smile hers became a grey mask of disgust and repulsion. She’d no sooner opened the door before she started to close it but I quickly stuck my large foot in the door. “Laura,” I said in earnest, my voice cracking a little. “Please, just wait. I need to speak to you.”
“There’s nothing for you to say,” she said shortly.
“Yes, there is!” I said desperately.
“Was my lack of response to your calls not clear, Tom?” she hissed, a slight wobble in her voice betraying her.
“Please, I just need a moment.” Our eyes locked momentarily and in that brief silence I thought I sensed a glimmer of hope in her huge green eyes. I gulped. “Please.”
Laura sighed heavily, checked over her shoulder and put the door on the catch before stepping outside to, leaving the door a crack open. She leant against the door frame and folded her arms across her chest. “Shoot.”
I was about to open my mouth, but suddenly confronted with the situation before me and the terrible realisation that the woman I loved no longer trusted me caused the words to die on my tongue. I swallowed anxiously and tried to start again. “Laura,” I began, “I’m sorry.” That was as far as I got. Laura laughed mirthlessly and looked me straight in the eye.
“Is that it?” she asked. “Sorry? Do you honestly think I can forgive you for cheating on me just because you’ve been so manly and managed to come up with an apology? You know, it’s not actually the fact that you did it; it’s the fact that you did it knowing that I’d gone through this before, though he never had the gall to blindly accuse me right back.”
Her voice was so cold and laced with venom that I could only open my mouth dumbly in response.
“Tom,” she continued, “I’m trying to get back on my feet at the moment. So I really, really do not need you doing this to me. I just don’t.”
“Laura, I never – “ I tried to say but she just shook her head. When she spoke her eyes were pleading.
“Please stop this and leave me alone. I can’t... I can’t cope seeing you like this anymore.”
Our eyes searched each other’s a little longer and for one fleeting moment I hoped against hope she didn’t mean it, but before I knew it she’d fled back inside. I stared in a daze at the door for a few more seconds before turning away myself, until a man’s voice called me back.
“You’ve got a fucking nerve.”
It was David, stood in the doorway. I hadn’t spoken to him face to face since that night at the wrap-party where he’d shouted at Laura. I turned and tried to make my face impassive.
“I could be wrong,” I said, “but I really don’t think any of this is your business.”
“Well, seeing as how I care about Laura and you say you care about her, actually I’d say it is my business.”
“Well then seeing as how we both disagree, it appears we seemed to have reached a bit of an impasse, doesn’t it?” I struggled to keep my voice level.
David simply smirked and shook his hand in mock despair, walking slowly over to where I stood. “For Laura’s sake, I’m going to ask you nicely,” he said in a dangerously low voice. “Back off. Leave her alone and try to come to terms with the fact that she is never coming back.”
My jaw tightened in fury and I let out a harsh bark of laughter. “What, are you really that certain that she’ll stay with you?” I sneered.
“Yes,” he replied simply, that smug smirk still playing on his lips. He tilted his head and observed me amusedly. “Why, is that a genuine worry of yours Tom? That she really will come back to me? Because to be honest, the fact that in your mind it is a possibility actually does give me some hope, then.”
I struggled to resist from smashing his face in there and then and instead somehow managed to keep my fists locked by my sides. My incessant twitching however must have been very noticeable however, as it seemed to cause David some amusement. He snickered.
“Listen,” he continued, now looking bored. “Just drop it. Leave the poor girl alone like she asked you to. In all honesty, I think it’s the least you could do.”
Before I had a chance to retort he’d already swanned back inside and slammed the door in my face. I stood motionless for a moment before my legs went in automatic mode and I started to slowly walk away again. I had come here resolute to not give up trying to talk to her until everything was sorted; now I was unwavering in that fact that I knew I couldn’t take another emotional beating like that ever again. The only emotion I could feel right then was sick at the thought of the woman I loved being deceived by someone like him.
Random reading here! I wanted to send a note to the author of 'Persuasion', but then I saw it was submitted by an anon! Anyway, it took me to Chapter 4 and I'm just hooked! Now I have to go back and read from the beginning. I love the author's writing and the way she portrays the characters so naturally. I'm excited to go back and read more, especially for the scene in his trailer. Mmmmm....
When you get to chapter 12 of Persuasion the author comes off anon, and she is hmswatermelon. And she’s been lovely about the feedback she’s gotten. Very humble and very appreciative. It’s a good story for those who haven’t read it yet!! - Kris
Random read brought me to Persuasion chapter 11. Wow!! Lots of distress and miscommunications and mistrust issues between Laura and Tom. (I will send an ask to the author who became un-anonymous for chapter 12) But hell, this was dramatic and angsty. I'm hooked. I'm going back to chapter 1 and reading the entire story. Excellent idea. And I have a new story to read!! :-)
Hey, anon, thanks for doing the random read! Since you submitted this anon, please make sure you go back and like the original random read post so that we can get your name in the drawing! Thanks for reading Persuasion and we hope you love the rest of it! Let us know what you think, yeah? xx Jenn
TITLE:Persuasion
CHAPTER NUMBER/ONE SHOT: Chapter 12
AUTHOR: hmswatermelon
WHICH TOM/CHARACTER: Actor Tom
GENRE: Drama/Romance
FIC SUMMARY:
Laura is an up and coming screenwriter; she and Tom meet and they hit it off almost instantly, but some troubles from Laura’s past threaten to ruin their burgeoning relationship….
RATING: M, for some swearing
AUTHORS NOTES/WARNINGS: So, I have decided to become un-anonymous. I don't know whether this is a good idea, but I can't actually see why it would be a bad idea so... there we are! Enjoy!
Previous chapter
Chapter 12
Laura’s P.O.V.
I hugged the blanket close to myself once again and sipped the cup of tea he’d given me to try and warm myself. I couldn’t believe where I was; sat on the sofa drinking a beverage prepared for me by none other than the man who had hurt me once before. But at least he hadn’t had the gall to accuse me back. It wasn’t the same flat we’d shared together, David had moved not long after I’d left. I knew the heating was on and I’d had a hot shower and everything, but I was still cold. I shivered and hugged the blanket to me again just as David walked in with his own tea. He smiled at me and sat down on the armchair opposing mine. “Feeling any better?” he asked.
I gave him a weak smile in return. “A bit.” I was too tired to cry any more.
David sighed and passed his hands over his face. “I’m so sorry, Laura,” he said gently. “I really am. I hoped... I really hoped that it wasn’t true, that you wouldn’t have to go through any of this again, because you don’t deserve it. But... but I couldn’t just watch you head towards a train crash when I could at least try and warn you first.”
I was slightly taken aback. “Well, thanks,” I mumbled.
“I saw what I did to you,” he continued in soft earnest, “and I was a dick. I’ve been a dick these last few weeks too. And I know there’s nothing I can do to make up for everything, but I can at least try and help you.”
Despite myself I smiled again, a proper one this time. “Thank you,” I repeated. “Really. And I’ll be out of your hair as soon as I can. Stefan should be back from his holiday tomorrow and I can call him, then find a place to rent and... try and sort my shit out.”
“You can stay here as long as you like,” David assured me. He saw my slightly startled expression and started to try and back track but I cut in.
“David, I’ve just broken up with my boyfriend...” I said, horrified at what I thought he was implying.
“No, that’s not what I meant!” he panicked. “I just meant... I only meant that... there’s a spare room. And you can stay there for however long you’re comfortable.”
He looked at me worriedly for a moment, like I’d misinterpreted his meaning again but I was too tired to argue. And too heartbroken. I stood up, still clutching my tea and blanket. “I’m gonna try and get some sleep,” I told him. “I’ll call Stefan tomorrow.” I walked off back to my room before he had a chance to say anything else or see my tears. I was too busy killing myself over Tom to add any of his complications on top of it all.
When I did call Stefan the next morning, he and Kirsty had just come back from his holiday twelve hours ago. He was sympathetic and shocked to hear what had happened but to my ear sounded a bit disgruntled and fretful, like he was also worrying about something else. He promised to be round as soon as he could to talk to me, and as I hung up the phone I wondered if he was jet-lagged, but then realised he wouldn’t be because he’d only been in France. Like the good friend he was he came over though. I was in David’s living room when he arrived and I heard him and David talking frostily in the hallway. Stefan had never really warmed to him even when we were dating so when we broke up... you can imagine. I stood up to greet Stefan and he hugged me tightly and I buried my face into his neck and allowed myself to cry and few salty tears. David stood awkwardly in the doorway for a second before mumbling, “I’ll leave you to it,” and shuffling away, leaving us alone together. Stefan sat with me on the sofa and listened patiently, unlike him, to my full retelling of the lead up to and eventually breaking up of me and Tom. And the end of it he regarded me sadly but steadily and said carefully, “Can I offer my opinion?”
“Be my guest,” I snorted, wiping my runny nose.
He took a deep breath. “Well,” he said, “firstly I would like to say how awful this is. I hope you know that and that you know I will always be on your side. And I honestly can’t believe Tom would accuse you of cheating, but...” He trailed off.
I blinked at him. “But?”
“But do you really think it was clever to carry on... associating with David without telling him?” he said, wincing slightly even as he said it.
“Of course it wasn’t clever; it was the stupidest thing I could have done!” I said, trying to hold back the sobbing once again. “But he should have listened to me, not just blindly accused, when he’s guilty too.”
“And there is proof?”
“Of course there’s bloody proof! Why do you think I’m such a wreck?” I exclaimed. Stefan took my hand tightly and tried to calm me down.
“Ok, ok,” he said calmly. “I just don’t know why you stayed... here.”
“Because I had nowhere else to go last night,” I muttered. I wiped away my tears angrily and looked up at him before asking hesitantly, “So, I have a huge favour to ask; can I stay at yours and Kirsty’s for a while?”
Stefan sucked in his breath and bit his lip. “It will only be for a short while,” I assured him. “I’ve got money, I just need to find a cheap flat and then I’ll go.”
“I don’t know,” he fretted.
“It would only be for a couple of weeks, less even,” I assured him, but he still didn’t look convinced.
“I know, but we kind of need the space at the moment,” he tried to say.
“Stef, you’re my best friend! I’m just asking for this one favour, why don’t you want to help me?”
“I do, I do! But it’s more complicated than that!”
“How is it complicated?” I demanded. “What’s going on?”
“Kirsty’s going to have a baby!” he shouted at last. There was a silence for a moment and I felt my mouth drop open.
“Oh my god,” I said quietly. Stefan still looked a mix of scared and angry and frustrated. “How long have you known? I mean, how far along?”
“10 weeks,” he said, smiling despite himself. “We only found out a month ago. This holiday was going to be the last one just the two of us; we won’t have time before the... baby arrives. We weren’t even going to tell anyone yet.”
“Oh my god.”
Stefan winced slightly. “I know.”
“Oh my god.”
“I know.”
We stood staring at each other in numb shock a moment longer before I threw myself at him and hugged him with all my might. Stefan chuckled throatily, caught off guard and I withdrew, a little bit embarrassed.
“Sorry about that,” I said a little sheepishly.
“Don’t worry,” he replied smiling, and then his face dropped slightly. “I’m sorry – you’ve just gone through something shit and I’ve totally started making it about me.”
“Stef, you’re having a baby!” I pointed out in disbelief. “You and Kirsty are going to be parents. I mean, you’re going to be a dad. A dad! You shouldn’t feel guilty about this.”
“Yeah, well,” he said wearily, sitting down heavily on the sofa again. I plonked myself beside him, waiting for him to carry on with that old recognisable worried frown etched on his forehead. “I’m kind of freaking out, to be honest,” he admitted. “It wasn’t planned at all. I mean, I’m pleased, of course I am, fucking over the moon. And we had said we wanted to have children... but in the future. When we’ve bought a house and got married and got savings and stuff. When I was ready, you know?” He passed his hands over his face and laughed mirthlessly. “What am I going to do? I don’t know the first thing about being a parent.”
“So?” I countered. “Neither does anyone. Not really. I understand this must have been a shock for both of you, but it’s not a complete change of plan, just a little amendment. You’ll be a great dad.”
Stefan raised his head and looked fearfully at me. “You think?”
I nodded fiercely. “I really do.”
He smiled at me gratefully, all traces of worry suddenly disappearing like clouds clearing the sky. “Thanks, Laura.” He stood to go and added, “But that’s why we can’t help you out right now. We’ve got to start clearing the spare room, while maybe looking for a place to rent instead of buy and I don’t think Kirsty could handle it, so it’s not that we don’t want to, it’s just...”
“Stefan, it’s fine, I get it!” I assured him, though this had just brought me crashing back down as I remembered what the problem was; that I wasn’t with Tom any more. I steeled myself, determined not to cry anymore, plastered on a smile and gave my best friend a fierce hug. “I’ll be ok, I promise.”
“And you’ll call me if there’s anything I can do?” he asked.
“Yes!” I protested. “Now go, and don’t worry about me. Tell Kirsty I said congratulations. I’ll give her a call myself soon.”
I kept up the smile as I showed Stefan to the door but as soon as it closed I was a wreck again. David offered me dinner, just some pasta he’d made, but I declined and holed myself up in the spare room to wallow in the desolation that had become my life. I was thrilled for Stefan, I really was, but at the same time it hurt me deeply that as everything was coming together for him, for me everything was falling apart. I curled up underneath the musty duvet and hugged a pillow close to my chest, pretending it was the man I needed most right now and tried desperately not to cry any more.
Tom’s P.O.V.
The loud ringing of my phone bore into my ear drum, a persistent banshee sound that caused me to snap awake so fast that I fell onto the floor. For a moment I was disorientated and confused; my watch told me it was only ten o’clock, so why had I gone to bed? I looked around myself briefly from my position on the floor and I slowly remembered I wasn’t in my bedroom at all but the living room. An empty wine glass, blaring television and messed-up sofa told me that I’d clearly dozed off in front of the TV amidst my wallowing. The phone rang again angrily and I snatched it up, not bothering to look at the caller ID. “Hello?” I croaked pitifully into the phone. I made an effort to clear my voice and spoke again more clearly; “Um, hello, sorry, who is this?”
“It’s me, Stefan,” said the voice at the other end.
“Stefan!” I practically yelled into the handset. “Hi! How..um, how did it go? How is... she?”
“How do you think?” he said somewhat irritably. “She’s a fucking mess, of course. As are you by the sounds of things.”
“Where- where is she?” I asked a little hesitantly.
There was a pause on the other end before he said, “At his.”
My blood ran cold. “David’s?” I asked, my cold now replaced with hot trembling rage. “I.... I knew it!”
“Calm down!” shouted Stefan from the other end. “She’s staying in his spare room, they’re not... they’re not sleeping together.”
“How do you know?” I asked furiously, white lipped with rage.
“Because I know Laura and she’s not stupid. In fact she’s the opposite.”
“Why can’t she stay at yours?” I pleaded. “Just for a little while..."
I heard Stefan sigh on the other end. “You both know why,” he said tiredly. “And I’m not comfortable with her staying at his right now either, to be honest. But she’s not got a lot of other options at the moment, she’s a grown woman and a pretty stubborn one too."
I sighed. “I know she is.
When Stefan spoke his voice was a little softer and kinder. “She won’t do anything though, you know,” he told me. “I can assure you."
“I know,” I replied, trying not to lose control of myself. “I just don’t know why, or how she could think I did that
“I don’t know Tom, because although you deny it and I want to believe you, she says there’s proof.”
“He says there’s proof,” I muttered darkly.
There was another pause between us before Stefan said, “You never really thought she did sleep with him, do you?”
A great surge of shame flushed my face though there was no one around. “No,” I admitted. “Not really. I was paranoid and jealous and stupid, but I never truly thought that.”
“Then why don’t you tell her?” he exclaimed in exasperation.
“What difference would it make?” I said miserably. “As you said, she’s a stubborn woman.”
I hung up before he had a chance to reply, before he had a chance to hear my pitiful weeping about the whole bloody mess we were in.
