BILLET-DOUX ✦ CLASSIC ROCK

62 - tom petty ³

For YankeeRoseVanHalen ! Tom requests are always my favorite, they seriously add years onto my life.
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Tom was hiding something. It didn't take a private investigator to figure that one out. Tom had always been horrible at lying, especially to you. Usually, it never took long for Tom to grow either too nervous or too excited and spill the beans entirely. You had learned the hard way that if you wanted your surprise birthday parties to remain surprises, it was best not to check up with Tom.

This time, he was doing a pretty good job keeping this secret to himself. Your only inkling of suspicion came from the increased telephone calls Tom was making and why he insisted upon running off to the grocery store for four hours each morning. You didn't think Tom was cheating. No, he loved you to death. He wouldn't ever consider that sort of thing. But there was something going on at least. That much you knew.

"So I told him, y'know, then why are you holding her hand like that if you don't like her, right?" You were in the middle of a very riveting phone call with your best friend, Gen, over the morning newspaper.

"Yeah I know!" She responded. "And can you believe he was out with Deb the next day? Ugh, men."

You turned the page of your newsprint, skimming over one of the articles. "Oh, trust me, Gen, I know."

You and Genevieve had been friends since you had been in diapers, practically spending most of your lives together. Even after you had moved in with Tom in California, you two kept in touch religiously. You never missed a call from Gen in the mornings to catch up on hometown gossip and other scandals you were missing.

"Speaking of, what have you and Tom been up to?" Gen asked teasingly. You could picture her leaning over her countertop, messy curls tied up in a bun with that shit-eating grin on her face.

You rolled your eyes good naturedly. "Not much. He's been so busy making music that I've hardly been seeing him."

"Ah, the cost of fortune and fame," Gen groaned theatrically.

As you were taking a sip of your steaming coffee, you caught sight of Tom coming into the kitchen behind you. He was clearly in a rush, hopping to get his shirt tucked into his pants and trying to scarf down a slice of bread at the same time. You covered your mouth to keep from laughing out loud.

"Hey, Gen? I need to cut this short. Fortune and fame is losing his pants again." The sound of Gen's cackling echoed in your ears as you put the phone back on its cradle.

"What're you in such a rush for, Tommy?" You directed your attention to your husband bouncing around the kitchen like a man possessed.

Tom froze, apparently not expecting to be caught. He still had half a slice of bread hanging out of his mouth and his red button down was only partially tucked into his jeans. He mumbled something before swallowing the rest of the food in his mouth.

"Nothin', baby. Just late." Tom continued to tuck his shirt in, running a spindly hand through his feathery hair that stuck up in cowlicks.

"Late for –" You never got to finish. Tom had dropped a kiss on the top of your head and disappeared out the door. Even more strange.

Tom was gone for the rest of the day and into the evening. You didn't see him until you felt Tom crawl into bed next to you, whispering a few words of love into your hair as he settled into a slumber. You remained awake, watching the rise and fall of Tom's chest and wondering.