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DECEMBER 30TH, 2017 — ❝ I MISS HER. I MISS HER A LOT. ❞
The Christmas holiday without Eloise was incredibly lonesome, as Tom had spent it in the airport, just as he was spending today, waiting for his layover flight to come in. He'd dressed in a disguise so no one recognized him, and if he was honest with himself, he didn't want to be bothered.
Every now and then he absently went to fiddle with his favorite ring, only to remember he'd given it to Eloise--and he'd feel butterflies every time he thought of her. He missed her, dearly. When he got to the airport after his first flight, he realized he hadn't brought any books--so he went to buy one, and came out with one of Nikolai's, and one of Eloise's.
After he'd left Eloise, there, at the hospital, news had come out just minutes later that Maria Van-Peterson had been escorted out of a hospital for disruptive behavior, and then, arrested for assaulting a hospital security guard. Her husband was taken in for questioning, but he later was released, and he paid Maria's bail.
Tom couldn't help but feel a bit smug at the fact Maria was starting to make her own career decline, especially after an article was written and published about her obsession with trying to ruin her ex-husband and daughter's career.
So, here Tom was, sitting in the airport alone, reading Eloise's newest book, and missing her terribly. He wished he didn't have to go, but that was just the way life worked. The way his job worked.
And life sucked.
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By the time Tom reached England, where he was going to spend the next couple of weeks in London, he was very tired, and still upset about leaving Eloise behind.
So when his agent picked him up, and dropped him off at his house, Tom looked around the empty house, and went up to his room. He wanted to mope and watch a movie.
But when he opened his bedroom door, his eyes widened, and he exclaimed, "ALICE!"
Alice was lying on his bed, a bathrobe the only thing she was wearing over her lingerie. She grinned over at him, and innocently asked, "What?"
"Get out," Tom practically growled, "get out of my house, get out of my room, get off of my bed!"
"Oh, come on, Tom," Alice rolled from her back to her belly, and gestured for him to come closer. "We'll just have some fun. Like old times, right babe?"
"I'm not your babe," Tom snapped, "I've never been your babe. Aren't you married?"
"Oh, marriage isn't going to stop me from loving you," Alice rolled her eyes, and sat up, sitting with her legs tucked underneath her. Shaking his head, he came over to the bed, and lifted her up, and set her back down on the floor.
"I need you to get the fuck out," He angrily whispered, hitting away her hands, which she tried to put on his face. "I need you to get out of my fucking life."
"I work for you, Tom, so kicking me out of your apartment isn't going to do that." She smiled, and then leaned forward, only for him to push her away, and say, "No, Alice. I'm firing you. Get out of my apartment. Delete my phone number. And get the fuck out of my life."
She took a step back, and said, "No you're not."
"Yes I am. So get out . . . Get out before I call the police for home intrusion." Tom walked around her, gathering her other clothes off of the floor. He shoved them into her arms, and took her by the shoulders, leading her towards the door. "You no longer work for me Alice, effective immediately."
After closing the front door on her, he leaned back against it, thinking about what he'd just done. He pulled his phone out of his pocket, and texted his management that he'd just personally fired Alice, and to not let her come to any of the premieres to help him get ready.
It felt . . . It felt good, to finally let her go, Tom thought, it felt good to finally let her go.
