Love Letter

Time to think...

Ali woke the next morning to an empty bed. Well, maybe not quite empty.  A note lay on the pillow next to her.....Ali smiled and pulled it over to her.  She read it, smiled, and scrunched it to her chest. Today was going to be a good day. A VERY good day.

After the upset, she had watched, now in tears herself, as Tom dressed and left. 

"I... I need some fresh air. Can... can you forgive me? I just... I'll be back." He bolted for the door, leaving her sitting, mouth hanging open in shock.  Where had it all gone so horribly wrong?

She stared at the door for a moment, as if it would burst back open again, and Tom would stride in, tell her it was all a big misunderstanding, and yes, he would marry her.

But how could he? He hadn't waited. She hadn't asked, and he wouldn't say yes. Tears streamed silently down her face.  Suddenly, she felt incredibly alone, incredibly afraid, and incredibly sad.  Had she just lost the love of her life?

She decided to speak to the one person she could rely on to see past the angst. Past the drama, past the words into the heart of the matter.

Pushing back the beautifully silken sheets, she wandered over the lush carpet and into the living room. Again, empty.  All that was left was a brief whiff of aftershave and a discarded sweater she would recognise anywhere.

Lifting it with the reverance of a holy relic, she pressed it to her cheek.  Soft as a cloud, scented with spices and orange, blue as his eyes. It was Tom in a nutshell. "Oh, Tommy. I'm so sorry, love." She whispered. Slipping the jumper on, it was like a warm hug.

She padded over to where her handbag lay on the coffee table. Rifling through it, she found her phone. After checking her texts and finding none, she sat down. Her fingers flew over the keyboard,

"Darling. It's ok, I promise it's ok. Please come back. I love you. I worship you. It's ME that's not worthy of you. Please Tom, come home to me?"

She pressed send and closed her eyes. "Please come home. I can't do this without you." She whispered.

After a moment, and being sure that for now he wasn't responding, she looked up her contacts. Pressing one, she wiped away the relentless tears.

"Ali? Thank God! I was just about to call Luke. Are you ok, love? What's happened. I just got a very garbled call from Tom. He was sobbing, and I couldn't understand a word.  He hung up, and he's not answering now.  Darling, what's happened?"

"Oh, Mum..." Even in all the horror, she still felt loved and supported. "It's a disaster. I've made a mess of everything, and he's gone. Walked out. I dont know where he's....." she trailed off into hysterical sobbing. 

Diana listened, her own heart breaking. This was not what it seemed. It was not the end of a relationship. It was two people, desperately in love, walking on eggshells around each other. It was a tragedy waiting to happen, though.  Unless she could get them both to see sense.

"Shhhh lovely, it's going to be ok.  You and Tom have faced more together in the short time you've known each other than most couples do in a lifetime.  You're just a little lost, is all."

Ali sniffed hard, trying to get a hold of herself.  "Thanks. I just needed someone to tell me he still loves me."

"Oh, you daft pudding. He will ALWAYS love you. Even an old woman like me can see that!" The gentle humour reassured Ali that in all likelihood, this was not, in fact, the end of the world.  "Now, you get yourself sorted, have a cuppa and something to eat. I know you, you'll just shut down, and you can't do that, ok? I'll call Luke and get him to track Tom down.  If I know my boy, and believe me after all this time, I should, he won't be far. He won't want to leave you in case anything happens."

Ali slumped against the sofa and smiled for the first time. "Thanks." She said quietly, "thanks, mum."

She hung up and looked around. The suite was beautiful. The view was beautiful. The experience should have been beautiful. All she could see, though, were his tears. All she could feel was his pain. 

Standing, she grabbed her suitcase and trundled it through to the bedroom. They hadn't even got that far when they had decided to check out the bed. As she picked her clothes up off the floor, she allowed herself a little smile.

Now, thinking about it, she really was hungry.

"Luke? It's me. I'm going radio silent for a bit. I promise to stay safe. I just.... it's just.... sorry, mate. Be in touch in a bit."  Tom hung up. Slipping his phone into his jacket and pulling his cap more firmly down on his head, he left the hotel. Turning to his left, he walked down to the ocean front.

The boardwalk was crowded with people, couples, and families out for a walk. Dates and birthdays, romances, and family outings. All mingled. All enjoyed the remainder of the sunshine and the relaxing comfort of  the Californian vibe.

Tom knew exactly where to go for a bit of peace.  Walking along with the sun on his back, he left the tourist strip behind and reached the jetties used by the local fishing fleet. Finding a quiet corner that jutted into the bay, he sat down and dangled his legs over the edge.

The wind was light, and the warmth of the sun soothed his raw nerves. The pelicans wheeled and dived after the remains of the fish being discarded from the moored fleet.

It was a scene that probably hadn't changed in years. Day in, day out. Rain or shine, war or peace, things had gone on. Sure in the knowledge that some things were stronger than the sum of their parts. 

Bits of wood. Bits of string. Bits of metal. Put them all together, and they not only made a boat and a net. They made a life and a home and a family for these fishermen. 

What had he done? Taken something that was supposed to be a beautiful affirmation of love and made it into something quite the opposite. Through panic, through short-sighted weakness, he'd thrown away the one woman in the world whose love was chosen to be his.

Not by birth or accident, but by choice.

Now? He'd be lucky if she ever spoke to him again. But he had to try.

It was dark by the time he got back.  Ali was pacing the room, her face pale, her mind frantic. 

Luke and Diana had both called and reassured her that he was safe. She wanted to see for herself. She needed to see for herself.

The door opened, and Tom walked in, the picture of fear.  She didn't wait for him to speak, she flew across the room and into his arms.

"Thank God, Tom, thank God you're back." She hugged him tightly, then without pausing, she said,"Thomas Hiddleston, we've faffed about enough. You and me? We are getting married, and I'm not taking no for an answer!"