Tom, I love you.
That's all I need you to know. I need you. Tell me to stay. Say that you'll leave her. Let's just do this. What have we got to lose? Be with me, just like we talked about. I just want you, all of you. I know you feel the same. I write this, baring my soul and putting everything out there, just hoping to Christ you feel the same. This isn't a stupid crush, we've both felt it.
If you read this before I get on that plane, then just kiss me and tell me you feel the way I do. Tell me you want me just as much, and I'll stay. I'll stay for you. If you don't come, then I know you and I were never meant to be, and that you didn't feel the same. I won't contact you again. But, I'm really hoping you do, my flight leaves at 7am.
Love, Summer.
I cursed loudly to myself. "Damn it."
That was three bloody years ago. Why the hell was I just finding this now?
Summer left. She went to the airport, got on the plane and I'd never heard from her since. Well no fucking wonder. I'd assumed she didn't want to hear from me. Clearly, I was wrong. Her leaving gave me the push I needed in my otherwise miserable life. So, I packed my shit, and moved into my brothers where I'd been drowning myself in a gallon of liquor every night. Finalising my divorce was nothing but a relief.
Ever since, I'd been living in self-pity.
Unbeknown to me, the cleaners had found a note underneath a pillow in the spare room. I'd only come back to this house for a once over before I sold it.
"Tom?"
Turning around, I shoved the piece of paper in the back pocket of my jeans and looked at Alice. "Did you know?" I asked but I already knew the answer.
She damn well knew. The look on her face told me everything I needed to know.
"Tom, please, it's not as simple as it sounds. Her parents made it really hard when she left, hell you know what her mother was like. You were married to her! I did this for you, to protect you."
"For me? Have you been in contact with her since she left?" I'd gone to her fathers, but he slammed the door in my face. She nodded, and my jaw clenched. "Where is she?"
I wasn't kidding around and she knew it. Timidly, she finally answered. "Australia."
Beginning to write down an address, I stopped her with a bitter laugh. "Oh no. You're coming with me." That way I knew it wasn't a trick. "This whole time, you've seen how miserable I've been and you did nothing but go off behind my back and visit her." I wasn't having it. "Text her, and say you're coming for another visit. Don't even think about mentioning me."
"This isn't a trick, but Christ, Tom, I don't want to freak her out. Things are so different now, and she's missed you but a lot has changed."
Shaking my head, I scoffed loudly. "Yeah, three damn years have passed. That's what's changed."
"No, it's not like that." She sighed. "Life is complicated. She could be married for all you know."
Reaching for my laptop, I didn't take my eyes from the screen as I searched for a flight booking. "You would have said she was married, but you didn't. So, don't fucking play that shit with me."
It was a long flight, eighteen hours to be exact. Everything in my body told me to go back home but I couldn't. I needed to see her again. Once we landed, I hired a car, making Alice drive us to her place. She'd been extremely quiet. Trying to convince me to change my mind. Three years was too long, and she may have moved on but, fuck I loved this woman, after all these years, I still loved her.
Standing alone in front of the white apartment door, I knocked and waited. My stomach was sick with nerves, what if she was married? Or, had moved on. Jesus, I didn't think this through, and as the door began to open, those worries tripled, until I laid eyes on her after all this time. There, Summer stood with a little boy on her hip, and I think my heart stopped.
"Tom." Her voice soft, full of panic as her blue eyes grew wide, as she stared back at me. The little boy with dark brown hair snuggled against her side with a yawn and she looked from him to me. "I.. Umm.. Oh my god."
She was beautiful, just as I remembered. I gave her a half smile, as I pulled out the crumpled-up note from my pocket. "I found your letter."
"That was years ago."
Nodding, I took a step forward and glanced at the kid. "Yes, although you obviously left something out."
There was no doubt, the boy she held in her arms, was mine.
