Accidental Love

Step by step

"Luke? It's me. Are you on your way?" Tom stood at the door to the hospital, phone to his ear as he scanned the carpark.  No sign of Luke's car yet.  

"Hey Tom - yes, everything ok?  Are you still there?" Luke's voice sounded like he was in a tunnel, but it was just the hands' free.  

"Yeah, just wondered if you could swing by my house and pick up my I-pad? I think Becky's going to be in for a while, and I want her to have something to look at other than the ceiling!  I'm pretty sure it's in the study, next to the laptop.  I don't want to leave at the moment, the doc is due any time to talk to us, and I'd like her to have it today." he leaned against the wall, watching the comings and goings of the busy hospital.  Here at least, everyone - quite rightly - was too busy to notice him, and for that, for once, he was truly grateful.  

"No problem, Tom, I'm not that far away from it at the moment.  How's she doing?  What's going on?"

"It's all a bit up in the air, but basically, the accident did more damage than initially thought.  Seems there's swelling putting her spinal cord in jeopardy.  We'll know more soon." he rubbed his forehead as he spoke, his head beginning to hurt.  He needed to drink more. He needed to sleep. 

He needed to get his priorities right, he thought. 

His girl was lying in a hospital bed... whoa.  His girl?  Yes, he decided she was definitely his girl. "I need to go Luke, see you soon, man?"

"Yeah, no worries.  See you soon."

Luke and Tom hung up, and he wandered back to the ward, a little dazed, a little confused, and a whole lot scared.  What could he possibly hope to do for her? 

For one of the few times in his life, Tom felt utterly useless.  He vowed he would do everything in his power to be there for her. Do whatever he could. For as long as it took.

As he approached the bay where Becky was being treated, he realised there was a small group of staff clustered around her bed.  The little boy in him wanted to run away, not face whatever horrible truth was about to be revealed.  The man decided he needed to grow up and be there for her.  No matter what he was about to hear, he would be strong.  Wouldn't he?

"Ahh, here he is!" The doctor turned and smiled as Tom entered the bed-space.  "Please, come in and sit down, Mr Hiddleston, Becky has just been saying you'd like to hear what we have to say."

"Sorry I wasn't here, I was just on the phone with my assistant.  Please, go on." he squeezed Becky's hand, and she smiled at him weakly, mouthing "thanks" to him as they listened.  The doctor started off by introducing the other staff. "These are my F1 juniors, they are all interested in orthopaedics so this is an ideal case for them - if you have any objections to them being here, please just say, there is no offence taken I can assure you."

"No, please, it's ok," Becky agreed. "I have no issue with that at all."

"Good, thanks.  Now," he paused."First things first.  The damage is NOT permanent." he smiled."I thought I should say that straight off.  The swelling will go down, but you MUST be careful.  While it's in this state, it's vulnerable to being bruised or damaged more permanently.  So, you must stay on bed rest until the swelling has subsided and the vertebrae are back in line.  After that, you can move about and get the strength back in your muscles.  They will atrophy very quickly if you don't exercise them.  But GENTLY, ok?" he smiled at them both. 

"This type of injury is rare, can be scary but is not often permanent.  I'm just sorry there isn't a way to predict if and when the swelling will occur.  Nine times out of ten, if it doesn't happen right away, it won't, but sometimes?  Just bad luck.  The main thing to take away from all this is that with careful handling and patience, there's no reason why you can't make a full recovery."  He walked over and gently patted her shoulder, "I'll be back to see you tomorrow, for now, though, just rest and talk it over between you.  You're going to need some support for quite a little while."  

He turned to Tom and held out his hand, "Nice to meet you, Mr Hiddleston. Sorry that it was under these circumstances." The junior doctors behind him all smiled a little starstruck, their astonishment at Tom being in the room overriding their fledgling professionalism. 

Tom nodded, "likewise - thanks, Doctor, for explaining things so clearly. We have a lot to talk about.  See you tomorrow." 

With that, the medics all left, and the two of them sat for a moment, just taking in the news.  Becky was the one to break the silence. "Tom?"

"Yes Pingu?" he smiled down at her, half hoping she was about to voice the same thing he was. 

"I'm going to need someone to help me, at least in the short term. If I promise to pay you back for as long as it takes, or until the insurance pays up, since this is a result of the accident -  do you think you could help me hire a nurse for a little while?  Just a few weeks, till I'm back on my feet?" she was scarlet in the face. The shame of not being able to afford to pay for help herself weighing heavily on her.  "I wouldn't normally ask, but this is, well, this is not normal, is it?"

"Oh darling, no, it's not.  And for that reason, no, I won't." he smiled, and her mouth dropped open in shock.  Surely he wasn't serious?  Was he going to deny her this?  She shouldn't have let it cross her mind.

"You're coming to stay with me, love. I have a full ensuite guestroom.  You can stay as long as you like. Bring as much stuff as you like.  With NO expectation of anything in return, certainly no money." he paused, taking her hand and looking into her eyes, "NOTHING other than your wonderful company. It would be my genuine pleasure to have you stay. More than a pleasure - you'd be helping me out, too, if I'm honest." He looked a little sheepish.

"Me? Help you?" she was confused, and it wasn't the painkillers. "How so?"

"I have been wracking my brains trying to work out how to make up to you for all the trouble and pain I've caused you.  This will be a little step towards me doing just that."  he kissed her hand. "You mean the world to me, Becky, even now, after such a short time. I couldn't imagine not having you in my life.  Letting me help you means that selfishly, I get to make that happen."

"Oh Tom," her eyes filled with tears, happy tears. "I don't know what to say." she swallowed hard. "To hear you say such lovely things about me?  It's more than I ever imagined possible.  I would be honoured to stay with you.  I promise to be a good house guest, I will even make your tea when I'm able!"

"Sounds like a deal to me.  Now, Luke is on his way, he's bringing a little something to keep you occupied while you're in here and I will try to pop in as much as I can, but I PROMISE to see you - one way or another - every night." he smiled the smile she knew so well, his eyes crinkling and his face lighting up.  Her heart leapt. Was he beginning to feel even half of what she did?  

"Tom?" she decided to take a chance. What had she to lose? "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course love, we are about to live together," the thought made them both more excited than they would have admitted. He moved closer and leaned in towards her. "I have nothing to hide. Ask me anything."

She paused and took a breath, "Do you, I mean would you, once I'm better, would you go on a proper date with me?  As a couple, I mean?" 

"What do you think our dinner was, love?" he smiled and stroked the hair from off her face. "That was a date, was it not?"

"Yes, but I meant.." she realised she needed to stop talking. She realised because he was now only a hair's breadth away from her face, his breath on her lips.

"You meant like, closer, like we are...." he felt his breath hitch and become ragged, for God's sake kiss her! his mind raged at him, but there was something undeniably, painfully, deliciously enjoyable about this anticipation.  Anticipation he was about to fulfil.

Before he got the chance, a cheery voice called out, "Tom! Becky! There you are!  God, the traffic was a nightmare!"

Tom groaned and stood up, "Luke, what....timing!" he rolled his eyes, and Becky sniggered.  "Sorry, love," he whispered.  He loved Luke like a brother. He just wanted to smack him six ways from Sunday every now and again!