Starting Over

Chapter 10

Claire planned on have the little dinner party on a Sunday evening in a couple of weeks. She was going to make a roast with baby potatoes and fresh asparagus. Tom even insisted on making a banofee pie. After they closed the cafe the Friday before the party, they went together to the store to get the last bit of groceries and some wine for for the party. They decided to split the list since Tom was hellbent that he would make the pie without help. Claire thought it was adorable that he wanted to make it, so she went to gather the things she needed for dinner and for some cheese and crackers as an appetizers.

Claire pushed the buggy and as she turned the aisle, she saw Tom with his back turned to her talking to someone. She went back around the corner and leaned her head to try and see who he was talking to. It was a young woman with dark brown hair and Tom seemed upset. The girl was very obviously flirting with him, and it seemed to be making him uncomfortable. Claire couldn't figure out what was being said, but the girl seemed to be starting to get upset and crying. Tom grabbed the girl and spoke to her and dropped her arm and walked away leaving the girl crying. Claire quickly walked to another aisle and grabbed the first thing she could. She didn't realize she was in the feminine hygiene section and had grabbed tampons until she heard Tom calling her name. She turned when she heard him.

Tom (angrily) Can we go please?

Claire (drops the tampons and quickly walks over to him): Are you alright?

Tom nods and quickly walks to the checkout line, and starts bagging everything as Claire pays. They leave the store and start walking to the cafe, but Claire noticed Tom frequently turning around, almost like he thought they were being followed. Finally, Claire spoke up.

Claire: Tom, what's the matter?

Tom (grumbling as they walked): Nothing. Why?

Claire: You're obviously angry. Who was that girl at the store?

Tom (pulls out the key to the back door when they get to the cafe and opens it for Claire): No one. Don't worry about it. (He locks the door and follows Claire up to her kitchen to help out the groceries away)

Claire (noticing how tense Tom is): Tom. We can't be in a relationship if you don't talk to me, now please tell me what's wrong.

Tom (closes the fridge and throws out the bags): That girl was Ruth. She wanted to get together and see if we could work things out. I told her no and she got upset. Now you know.

Claire (frowning): Is that what you want Tom?

Tom (slams his fists on the counter): What I WANT is to not talk about this.

Claire pursed her lips and stormed outside to the patio and slammed the door behind her. She sat at the table with her back to Tom and crossed her arms on her chest trying not to burst into tears. Tom sighed and walked to the door watching her. He didn't want to have to explain the situation so she wouldn't start getting worried. He wanted to go out there and just take her in his arms but he knew she'd expect an explanation. He shook his head and went to his apartment, slamming the door behind him.

Claire heard Tom slam her loft door and jumped up and went in and went down to lock the door. She stomped her feet going back up the stairs knowing he wound hear it and went to change into the T-shirt he had l theft for her to sleep in and pulled her hair into a ponytail before getting into her side of the bed after plugging her cell phone in to charge. She smoothed the covers on herself and laid back before rolling towards Tom's side of the bed. She hated his side being empty.

After a couple of hours laying there and not being able to sleep, Claire heard her phone vibrate. She checked and it was a message from Tom.

Tom: You awake?

Claire: No.

Tom: Haha. Are you mad at me?

Claire: Yes.

Tom: Can I come apologize?

Claire: No.

Tom: please? I can't sleep either. Let me come in.

Claire sits up and sighs as she gets out of bed and walks down to open the door and finds Tom sitting on the floor outside her door waiting for her. He looked up at her, his face red from crying. Claire's heart ached when she saw his face. She kneeled down next to him and took his face into her hands and gently smiled. She leaned down and kissed him and stood up, putting her hand out for him to follow her upstairs. Tom stood up and walked behind Claire, closing the loft door and locking it behind him.

When they got upstairs, Claire went to the kitchen and started making a pot of tea. Tom came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her, kissing the top of her head.

Tom: I'm sorry, Claire.

Claire: I know you are, babe. You don't have to talk about it until you're ready.

Tom (sighing): She told me she had found me a few weeks ago and just hadn't been able to say anything. She and Jade were having troubles so she was out walking and saw me in the cafe working. Last night she said she finally got the courage to talk to me. She wanted to go have a coffee and try to straighten everything out and I told her no, that for the first time in my life I was happy with the way my life was and with myself. She said after three years together, she deserved a chance to make it up to me and when I told her no, she asked if it had to do with the girl at the cafe. I got angry and told her to stay away from you.

Claire (shakes her head and turns to face Tom): Hopefully she got the message at the store then. Anyway, it's late and we have a lot to do tomorrow for the party. (She wraps her arms around his waist and pulls him closer) Why don't we go to bed and you can apologize properly.