Danger Zone

Chapter 26: "St. Elmo's Fire (Man In Motion)"

It had been four weeks now since Jules and Tom had last talked to each other. Or better, since their fight had occurred. With the exception of the couple of words and the heart she had texted him, she had ghosted him almost completely. His heart was still aching, but he had also understood that Jules needed time. He hadn't given up hope, ever. Something inside him had told him that this wasn't over.
"Jules, I know, you're still licking your wounds and I am still incredibly sorry for what I've done. I ... Can we talk? I need you."
To his big surprise and joy, her reply read: "Sure." He smiled and hit the Video Call button.
"Hey", Jules greeted him.
"Hey", he replied. "I ... Can you ...ever forgive me?" he asked, gnawing on his lower lip.
She sighed. "Tom, this will forever be between us. I cannot change your points of view. You know that, and I know that."
"But please believe me when I say that I didn't want to hurt you in the first place."
"Then why the fuck did you even suggest it?"
He paused for a moment. "Because I am an idiot."
Jules quietly chuckled. "That you are." A faint trace of a smile crossed her face. "But ... you are MY idiot!"
"So you mean there's a chance to rekindle?" he asked, a tad more convinced now that he really hadn't lost Jules for good.
"We'll see", she replied. "Fact is, what you said really pissed me off, even more so since I had told you what I had been through."
Time to come clean: "I ... was asked to." He swallowed hard. "They asked me to give you the 101 on this."
"And because you're ever so loyal, you of course obliged."
"And then I realized that I almost lost you. If you take me back, that is."
"Tom ..." She didn't know what to say and how. Because despite everything, his unwavering loyalty to Scientology above everything else, their ugly fight that had tore them apart, she knew that she loved him dearly. The little flame he had ignited in her heart a while ago was burning bright again. "Just don't rush me, please."
He nodded. "It's just so good to talk to you again." He felt his eyes getting wet again. "God, Jules ..."
"Shhhhh", she said. "Just promise me one thing: don't ever go down that road with me again."
"I ...won't." He made a short pause. "You know, when you told me that you almost died ..." Gnawing on his lip again.
Jules raised an eyebrow. "Yeah?"
Tom sorted his words. "That ...did something. And I finally understood."
"Understood what?" she asked, her curiosity and interest piqued.
"What I lost. Whom I lost."
"Come on, Tom – stop beating around the bushes. What is it?"
"I ... Scientology ruined my marriages. I cannot see Suri as often as I would like to. And on top of it, I also almost lost the one person who's seen my soul."
"Wait ... let me get this straight – are you ...leaving?" Jules could barely believe her ears.
Tom paused for a moment again. "Yeah. I am. I've been meaning to get out for a while now, but I had to meet you to finalize this."
"You're kidding."
He shook his head. "Not at all. You opened my eyes, Jules." He realized once again how much he loved her and how grateful he was that she had stormed into his life. And into his heart.
"Now that is clearly something I didn't see coming. I really thought you'd be hellbent on reeling me in as well at some point."
"I could have, yes. But your confession about how close you were to lose your life made me realize how blinded I was by the doctrine." If I could, I'd take you in my arms right now, hold you, kiss you and tell you how much I love you ...

They both fell silent for a moment. Then: "Do they know already?"
"Let's put it that way – my sisters and David saw me sorting and throwing out stuff, and I basically also fled from Clearwater because as you know, that whole place is Scientology based."
"So, you ... you're really sure about that?"
"Yep. I lost the love of my life, Nic. Suri is taboo as well. And I don't fucking want to lose you forever, too."
I love you, Tom ... This time, it was her who bit on her lower lip. "Just know – I am here for you. Because I bloody care about you!"
"I know you do", he replied with a smile. That's why I love you so much ...

After Jules had taken a lovely bubble bath to relax, she texted Nora: "Tom <3"
"So you finally did talk to him again?" Nora was all excited. She had been hoping to read that.
"Yep. I couldn't keep him out much longer. I care about him."
"Correction: you love him."
"That, too, yes." Jules replied with a grin.
"So, when will you see him again?"
"We don't know, yet. We'll talk again tomorrow and see how this goes."
"Good luck, sweetie", Nora muttered and hoped that Jules and Tom really had gotten over their rift and would finally end up as a couple. She had seen how deeply the two of them were in love, and it had hurt her, too, that Jules had been so heartbroken after the fight. "Probably you guys had to clash in order to find out how you really feel and how madly you were in love already", she suggested.
Jules just smiled. She knew that Nora had been right all along, and that Tom was the one who had torn down the walls around her and her heart. She had fallen for him in a way she had never thought possible.