angel. h.s ✔️

twenty seven.

       

"Hello?"

My statement came out as a question as I stared at the last person I'd expected to see on my porch step at seven thirty on a Tuesday evening, but the blue eyes staring back at me were real.

I hadn't seen him since I blew up at him last Thursday and that brief drive on Friday afternoon with Harry but Tommy hadn't brought it up or even spoken to me since and I was wondering if he was going bring it up at all.

Knowing him, it was unlikely.

"Hi sweet cheeks."

Tommy's greeting accompanied his step forward into the hallway which caused me to take a step back automatically, his strange half smile never faltering as my own eyes flicked down to his hands.

I chewed the inside of my cheeks as my eyes drifted over the things Tommy was holding, the bunch of red flowers staring obviously back at me. Tommy's laugh filled the hallway and kicked started me into moving as I shut the front door.

"These are for you." Tommy held out the flowers towards me and I forced a smile onto my face as I took them from him, "And look its holding a little heart." Tommy thrust the brown teddy bear towards me and I studied it.

This was a first.

Admittedly the last few days had been full of a lot of firsts, Harry and I shopping together, Harry and I going to dinner, although that sounded too formal, it was just hanging out where food happened to be served, Harry texting me all weekend.

The last one was probably the strangest one, the one that had taken me a while to get used to considering since Fran and I stopped talking I wasn't used to constant communication with a friend. Tommy's texts were few and far between but I didn't particularly want to communicate with him much lately anyway.

"Thank you." I smiled, squeezing Tommy's arm as he thrust a box of chocolates into my arms as well and I thought I was going to throw up for a brief moment. I knew I wasn't going to eat these, he knew that I wasn't and I knew that he knew I was aware of that.

Just another sick little Tommy joke.

"You know the weirdest thing happened just now," Tommy started as I carried his "gifts" in my arms as I trailed behind him into my dining room. This was going to cheer Mum up, seeing him tonight and to think I was having an enjoyable night.

"Hm?"

"As I coming down the road, a car from opposite side suddenly pulled out right across me and sped away." I wondered how to tell him I didn't care.

"Mum, Tommy's here!" I called out, knowing I should at least warn her before she saw him.

"Where was the car?" I asked Tommy half heartedly as I left his gifts on the table as Mum stepped over the threshold.

"Tommy. Hi." Mum's pursued lips stayed on her face as Tommy looked down at her, her brown eyes slid towards me as I stared at her, not bothering to explain.

"Hi Janice." Tommy smiled although it looked more like a sneer.

"Ms Tate will do." Mum smiled tightly and I bit my lip.

"House opposite yours." Tommy spoke, turning his attention back to me ignoring Mum as she returned to the kitchen and I could feel my heart thumping in my chest at the tension in the house, why couldn't Tommy just fuck off?

"Black car?" I asked.

"Yeah, right opposite your house." He reiterated and I raised an eyebrow as I ran a hand through my hair.

"We think Kim from thirty six is having an affair." I shrugged easily, I hadn't seen the car for a while though but to be fair I hadn't really been paying much attention to the comings and goings of our neighbours now that I had an almost social life.

"That's terrible!" Tommy acted shocked and I laughed at the irony. "You shouldn't joke about that May, no one should cheat on their significant others."

I wanted to spit in Tommy's face, his words clearly not sincere considering I knew what he'd done in Liverpool and now it just felt like he was rubbing it in, mocking me.

"Think you drive the same car as her husband, they probably panicked." I shrugged as I chewed my thumb.

"Funny cause I saw the same car on Friday night, why weren't you here? I wanted to see you." Tommy asked and I swallowed thickly.

I knew that would come up, I had hoped otherwise.

"Oh I didn't know that, you should have texted me." I smiled politely, vaguely aware that it was the smile I used with tiresome customers.

"I was at the hospital." I lied easily.

"What for sweet cheeks?" He almost sounded worried. Almost.

"Spending time with some of the patients, you know how I used to?"

That wasn't a lie, I used to do that but unsurprisingly Tommy didn't like it so I stopped. I enjoyed it though, spent a few Christmases doing it too.

"What for? That's gross."

"Are you staying for dinner?" Mum cut in and I was glad I didn't have to answer Tommy, I wasn't in the mood for it, my good mood had diminished significantly since he'd arrived. Even with his gifts and nice words and loving looks.

"Can't unfortunately." Tommy pretended to look sad even though Mum's tone wasn't particularly warm or inviting and I almost started comparing how she acted with Harry to how she acted with my actual boyfriend.

"Just wanted to stop by and spend some time with my darling," Tommy squeezed my arm and pressed his cold lips to my cheek and I flinched, for a moment seeing Luke Jones instead of Tommy.

"I have to go back to work, but I was wondering if you'd like you go out tomorrow night?"

"Oh?" I asked, I hoped I was feigning enough interest to fool Tommy.

"Dinner and a movie?" He asked and I chewed my lip remembering what had happened the last time we'd gone out to dinner the fear drenching me like ice water.

"Just me and you this time." Tommy smiled.

"I miss you and it's getting close to Christmas and I know its your favourite time of year and I think we need to spend some quality time together because I love you and we've been together for so long we've lost that little spark but we can get it back because we're a team aren't we? Me and you May."

I was taken back by his little speech, his words almost seemed heartfelt and I could feel my heart thumping even though I should have known better, but even Mum seemed shocked.

"Okay." I agreed slowly, a small smile forming.

I still wanted to know about Tommy leaving the snakes and hopefully I could worm some information out of his about the apparent 'take down' of Harry, information I needed knowing I wasn't helping by sitting on the limited knowledge I already had.

"Great! I can't wait, dress nice yeah? I'll pick you up at six, is that okay?"

I nodded, I was pretty sure that was the first time he'd ever asked if it was okay with me.

"I love you." Tommy smiled as I walked with him back to the front door and I couldn't stop from beaming at him.

Maybe this was a change, maybe I really was getting the old nice Tommy back. I could only hope.

"I love you too." I pressed my lips against his before he stepped out onto the porch and made his way down the path and I rubbed my arms through my jumper as I watched him.

My eyes drifting towards the house opposite mine, the large black car was back but I couldn't see if anyone was in it. The silver car someone else in that house drove was in the driveway and I rethought my affair idea.

I waved one last time before shutting the door and resting my head against the cold slab before jumping at the sound of my Mother clearing her throat and I turned to face her a little. The short interaction with Tommy wearing me out.

"Harry is so much better."