Desdemona Humphries leads a rather unspectacular life. She's a great daughter, grand-daughter, and aunt. She helps her brother coach little league and helps her sister bake for the school bake sales, in between running a bed and breakfast with her f...
Desi smiled at Tom as he took his seat beside her on the plane, buckling himself in as they prepared for take-off.
"No, thank you. I'm fine."
He just smiled and nodded, settling in for the long flight. She sighed as she turned to look out the window beside her. He'd been nothing but supportive, even lengthening his stay after his friends all left to help her and her family pack up and go through years and years of memories. He'd endured hours of listening to all of them walk down memory lane, laughing with them at the antics of the three kids that grew up in that house, and crying with them at the losses they as a family had been dealt.
Desi lost count of the times that she told him he could go on without her and that she would join him in London when they were through, but he had just smiled and gave her a kiss or a hug and told her no. He was firm that his place was with her during this time and he wouldn't hear any more about it. Here they were, two days before Christmas, flying back to London. She shook her head as something occurred to her.
"Tom! I don't even know if I have an apartment to go back to! I completely forgot to call the building manager."
Tom just chuckled and leaned over to kiss her on the nose, something he did when she said or did something he found adorable. "Darling, of course, you have a flat. I had Luke check in with the manager a couple weeks ago to make sure everything was in order. Not that it would have mattered anyway."
Desi lifted a brow at that. "And just why not? I need somewhere to stay, don't I?"
He snickered before lacing their fingers together and laying them on his thigh. "Well, yes, Desi, of course. I just thought that perhaps... well, I think soon we'll be ready to talk about moving in together." He looks down at their hands for a moment before lifting his eyes back to hers. "I'm ready now, actually, but I understand that you need time to adjust to your new life here and all that. Perhaps when you are ready though, we could look for a house. That way, you could have an office to write and I could have a study, maybe a big backyard for the children... "
Desi choked on a laugh. "Woah! Where did the children come from?"
It was Tom's turn to laugh. "Well, my imagination for right now, but I assume, when the time comes for them, they'll come from the usual source."
She cleared her throat and glanced toward the window. "Yes, well, let's shelve that discussion for later."
Tom just laughed and nodded. "Yes, of course, Desi."
Tom got his way, just not when he wanted it. Desi rubbed her stomach as she walked down the hall of their new home, looking in each open doorway until she found Tom in the nursery, painting the walls a sunny yellow.
"Tom, have you by any chance seen my reading glasses? I can't find them anywhere."
Tom snickered as he laid the roller down and walked over to her, reaching out and pulling her glasses from where they had been perched on top of her head. He leaned in for a kiss as she sighed and put them on her face. "Was there anything else I can help you with, darling?"
Desi snorted as she shook her head. "No, that was it. I swear, not only am I as big as a house, but I'm losing my mind as well."
Tom arched a brow at her as he looked down from his considerable height. "I'll thank you to not call the future mother of my children fat." He leaned down to speak to her stomach, which was getting bigger every day. "She didn't mean it. Mummy's just cross because she hasn't eaten in half an hour."
Desi smacked him on the head as he laughed loudly. "Thomas Hiddleston, I swear, you are so mean to me!"
He sobered and pulled her into his arms to give her a deep kiss. When he let her have oxygen, he leaned in closer to whisper in her ear. "I would never and could never be mean to my wife."
Desi snickered as she ran her hands through his hair. "Well, I'm not your wife yet."
He lifted his head from her shoulder to smirk at her. "Yeah, about that... "
Hester chuckled as Gran handed Desi her bouquet of flowers. "Oh come on, now. You can't tell me that you aren't thrilled with the way things have worked out. You have your beautiful baby girl Bella, and you are about to marry the man of your dreams at your childhood home. How can you not be happy and excited about the way life is turning out?"
Desi grinned, nodding around a wave of emotion. Hester was right. She had everything she had ever wanted. She had a child, and most of all, she had Tom. He had managed to talk the new owners of the B&B into letting them have the house for the wedding and reception, how she didn't know, because she was honestly afraid to ask how much it had cost him. He had also flown his parents and sisters to Georgia for the wedding, along with his best man and his wife. Ben had argued, saying that he could pay his own way, but much like everyone else, he eventually agreed. Everyone they loved and cared for was here with them today, and for that, she was eternally grateful.
After the ceremony, which was held in Gran's barn, they had the reception in the dining room of the old house. Desi had nursed and put Bella to bed in her old room, shedding a tear or two in the process, at just how perfect that moment was. Presently, they were all in the dining room, getting ready to cut the cake, when Tom tapped his champagne glass with a fork to get everyone's attention.
"Ladies and gentlemen, if you'll just give me a moment to try to express how happy I am." He looked down at Desi and the love shining in his eyes along with unshed tears was overwhelming. "Who would have thought that I could find the one I was looking for when I least expected it?" He shook his head and chuckled quietly. "I suppose that's the way it works, isn't it? Well, anyway, I want to thank you all for coming today, for being here with Desi and myself. It truly means everything to both of us. Now, then... " He paused as Ben handed him an envelope. "I have a special wedding gift for my wife, and I think now is a perfect time to give it to her."
He handed her the envelope and Desi tore it open, staring in shock at the paper she found inside. She looked up at Tom to see him smiling at her as he nodded his head. "Tom? Is this... "
"Yes, darling. It's the deed to this house. Your father gave me a very good deal." Desi felt the tears starting to drip down her cheeks as Tom took her in his arms. "I know how much this place means to you, darling. Probably more than anyone else. I thought we could use it for a vacation home, have Hester run it for us when we aren't here... well, all of that can be figured out later, but for right now, yes, Desi, it's ours."
As everyone applauded and cheered, Desi just stared up at her husband in wonder. She didn't know how, but every time she thought she was at her happiest, he came along and showed her that it could be better.
Thank you to everyone that took their time to read, vote, and comment on this story. It's been a pleasure writing this and to see it so well-received, well... that means everything. I have left it open-ended on purpose because I have a feeling I'll be revisiting Tom and Desi soon in a sequel. For now, thank you all!
