What's Past is Prologue (A Tom Hiddleston Fanfiction)

Chapter Fifteen

June 28th, 2015, London, England, UK

It was a miserable rainy day. The kind of sticky, humid rain that only happens in the summer, where your hair frizzes to three times its normal size, and your clothes are sopping either from the precipitation, the moisture in the air, or your own sweat that you can't control because it's hot as Hades in your fourth floor, un-airconditioned office. Okay, that last one is a bit specific. But in actuality, many buildings in London other than the offices of DuVille Designs don't have the magic that is air conditioning. Like my flat, for example. Meaning when I woke up that morning, made my last pot of coffee, promptly spilled said coffee on my blouse and pants, and had to change into a short-sleeved, jade, pleated dress, I had to do so in an un-airconditioned, un-caffeinated state.

I understand there are worse things in the world. But my bad luck wasn't finished yet. Once I stepped out of the underground, I realized I'd left my umbrella on the train, and had to inelegantly jog to work in hopes that would somehow keep me drier. Ultimately, I arrived at work a sweaty mess with the high-heel from my right shoe in my hand and a soggy bum from the puddle I fell in when my heel broke.

Happy Birthday to me.

Thirty years old. Still making a fool of myself, still trying to figure out how to do my own taxes, and still single. But, at least I had a job I loved in a beautiful city. Right?

None of my coworkers mentioned my birthday. I knew for a fact Carol in HR had a calendar with everyone's birthday written down in bright red Sharpie. A few weeks ago we all had chocolate lava cake for Chris's birthday and had all pitched in a few pounds to get him a fancy new stylus.

But when 5:00 rolled around... nothing. I'm not saying I needed a gift to be happy. Just, maybe... acknowledgement that I had survived another year. I wasn't incredibly close with anyone in the office, though I would consider Juliet and Sarah friends. We did get lunch together every other week.

As I shut-down my computer and grabbed my purse, ready to leave for the night, someone cleared their throat behind me.

"Hello, Ellie." James. I thought everyone else had already left for the evening, but there he was, holding the keys to his Porsche.

"Oh, hi, James. I was just leaving for the night, but is there something I can help you with?"

"Oh, no. I was just dropping off some paperwork in Carol's office, and I couldn't help but notice that today is your birthday. Happy birthday, Ellie."

Oh, god no. Keep it together. Not in front of him! I started crying. I couldn't help it. James, of all people. James was the only one to talk to me that day. The only one to tell me happy birthday. Not even...

And I realized what it was that hurt the most. I had a terrible morning, had gone barefoot all day, and no one talked to me at work... but the worst thing was not hearing from Tom.

We hadn't seen each other since the night he told me he had set up a date with another woman. Even the morning after, I snuck out quietly, feeling like a naughty teenager. Our only communication was a few text messages every now and then. He told me he was travelling for a week doing press for his upcoming films, and I told him to be safe and have fun. He told me he got a part in a miniseries set to be released next year. I told him congratulations. The only time I saw him was on the internet or TV; flashes of him and Elizabeth Olsen from their date in the West End.

I missed my best friend.

"Oh, erm..." James shifted uncomfortably, unsure whether he should console me or just leave. He opted for the latter. "I'm terribly sorry. Have a good night. Or, erm... a better one I suppose."

I cried for another ten minutes before finally pulling myself together long enough to put my coat on and grab my purse. I hobbled down the sidewalk towards Regent's Park station and silently thanked Mother Nature for taking a break from all the rain. Taking my phone out of my purse, I found Tom's name and took a breath before hitting the green button.

He answered on the second ring. "Hello?"

At the sound of his voice, my vision was once more blurred with welling tears. "Tom?" My voice was shakier than I meant it to be.

"Ellie, are you okay? What's wrong?"

"I broke a heel," was all I could think to say. There were so many different answers to that question, but that's the first one that fell from my lips.

A full-bellied laugh resounded through the speaker of my phone. "Is that all? You had me worried something terrible had happened."

Just hearing Tom's laugh lightened my mood the slightest bit. "They were my second favorite pair," I said, quietly.

"Well, it's a good thing they weren't your favorite then, isn't it?" He chuckled, and the corner of my mouth instinctively turned upward. "Where are you?" he asked.

"I'm tottering towards Regent's Park station from work. Why?"

"Just wondering. One moment, darling." I heard a woman's voice in the background, but I couldn't understand anything she said. "Just put it over there. Yes, that's fine," Tom told the mystery woman who I could only assume was Elizabeth. Who else would he be with? "Ellie, I apologise, but I have to go. We'll talk later, alright?"

Just when I thought maybe things between us hadn't changed after all. "Oh, uh, sure."

"By the way," he piped up, "Happy Birthday, El."