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Chapter 6: Home and Away

Tamzin:

I didn't get it. Matt hadn't so much said a word to me for a week now. At first I put it down to jet-lag, but as the days went on I knew it was more than just trans-whatever-ocean blues. Besides, he'd said that he couldn't wait to be home.

As a result, I was spending more time at the gym, and more time out of the house. But then the other half of me was trying to make more of an effort, trying to make his favourite meals. Trying to get him smiling again.

One week since we'd touched down in London, Matt came into the kitchen of our shared apartment, carrying a box. At first I presumed it was Christmas decorations with less than a month to go until the 25th.

"What's that?" I asked, looking up from my magazine. Matt looked tired, really tired, but at least he was speaking to me.

"Found all of my stuff from down south." He shrugged, referring to where he grew up in Devon (in the UK). "I knew Mum never wanted to throw it out and I just found it under the bed."

"What were you doing under there?" I asked instead, wondering why he was rooting around on the carpet.

"Just looking for stuff." Oh, 'stuff'.

"Anything interesting?" I reached out to grab his t-shirt to pull him in closer. So far today he'd been to the gym with his trainer and had a meeting with his management.

"Nah," he said and pulled out the other chair at the breakfast bar. "I was going to ask you something, actually?"

"Yeah?" I stared at my freshly manicured fingernail. Apology maybe for being off with me all week?

"Are you coming to Australia next time?"

"When is next time?" Of course I knew but I still asked, more so to see if he knew his schedule like his PR always kept on at him to do so.

"Fly out the fifth of Jan." Matt looked down at his lap before back up at me.

"Yeah," I nodded. "I've got to be back by the sixteenth though. That's my deadline for my project."

"Ah," he said, pretending to know. He did know, he'd just forgotten. "That shouldn't be a problem, but if I get this new casting then I'll have to stay longer."

"Course, makes sense." I flicked my magazine shut and kissed his jawline, taking in his familiar scent of the latest Prada men's fragrance.

"Want me to book the apartment?"

"I'll do that." I smiled, "you'd better win something. And the after party had better be good."

"It's always good!" Matt protested, putting the box down and huffing.

"Whatever," I winked and sighed. "Anyway, I wanted to ask you something too."

"Yeah?"

"Yes. You've been really odd this week, what's up?"

"Nothing?" He shrugged again, "just back to normality and not being able to go out without allocating half a fucking hour for autograph signing."

"Ah." I placed my hand on his. "Why didn't you tell me!"

"Because you've got a Christmas to sort out and uni deadlines to meet. Besides, I'll be fine in a few days."

And I really, really wanted to believe him- but something within was telling me that there was something else. Something that he wasn't going to share.

--

Mercifully, a few days later he'd seemed to have shaken the dark shadow that had cast over him. He'd invited Alex and Rob over for a drink one evening after we'd both been working during the day.