Secret Love

Pleased to meet you....

"Mum! Mum! It's Loki! Over there... look, it's LOKI Mum!" Clare ran over to Flick almost beside herself with excitement, Jenny almost walking backwards in an effort not to lose sight of their amazing encounter.

Flick was just saying to her mum that if the girls were happy, and she didn't mind, they could stay for the whole holidays. They'd made a plan to broach the subject of her girls slowly, carefully, in a way that wouldn't scare the living shit out of Tom. If she

That plan, in the space of thirty seconds, went sailing out the window.

She looked up, "dont be silly Clare, he doesn't......" Oh dear god in heaven.  Her stomach clenched, and her heart leapt into her mouth as she tried not to react. Eyes flicking to her mum, she felt a wave of panic engulf her. What should she do? Say? Her mum put a hand on her arm.

"Calm pet, stay calm." She smiled as she murmured, "He's seen you, and look....he's waving. He hasn't run. Let him set the pace."

As she slowly stood, Tom walked towards them, the "Hi, I'm Tom, please dont faint or swear!" Smile plastered on his face.

So THIS was the secret. His heart sank, but not because of the girls, because he was disappointed. In himself. Why didn't she think he'd understand? They were children, beautiful ones at that. Carbon copies of their mother.

All this ploughed into his brain in a matter of seconds as he walked over. Putting his hands firmly in his pockets to stop himself from simply hugging her, he stood and faced his fate. He knew their future rode on this first encounter.

"Hi!" He smiled, and Flick held her breath. This was NOT how she'd ever imagined telling... "pleased to meet you. I apologise if I gave your girls a shock.  May I be permitted to know your names?" He looked at them, giving the performance of a lifetime.  All he really wanted to do was gather her into his arms and tell her it was ok.

There was silence for a minute, and then Jenny piped up.

"Im Jennifer, and I'm 11.  This is Clare, and she's 13. This is our Gran..."

"Nancy Watson... and NO, I'm not telling you MY age, Mr Hiddleston!" She laughed, the ice melting at an alarming rate. Flick stood silent, still battling the urge to run.

Tom took her outstretched hand and kissed it gallantly, making her smile, and the girls giggle "Please, call me Tom."

"And you are?" Tom turned to her, head on one side, smiling politely.  Flick felt a prod in her back and snapped out of the waking nightmare that was her life at that moment.

"My name.... yes.... my name is Felicity Wilks... Flick. She smiled, and this time, the blush? The awkward smile? Entirely genuine. "I'm so sorry, we seem to have interrupted your run, Tom. We really should let you go....." she desperately wanted to get the girls away before it got too difficult - for any of them.

Tom shook his head. "Please don't worry. I was merely passing some time. I'm a bit at a loose end today, and since it's a nice day, I thought the park would be the place to go." He smiled and not for the first time, Flick was astounded at his acting.  It was genuinely as if they'd never met.  In a good way.

"We thought that too, Mr Tom!" Jenny piped up cheerfully. "We're staying with Gran for the summer. We dont have a Dad, so she helps out.  Mum gets a rest from us, and we get to stay up late, you know!" She chattered on with no filter whatsoever. Clare rolled her eyes and put a hand over Jenny's mouth.

"Don't listen to her. She's just a little blabbermouth. He doesnt need to know about Dad.... and we dont get to stay up late..." she glared at her sister, then winked at her Gran.  Both Tom and Flick suppressed a smile.  A smile that vanished as soon as Clare released Jenny and started her own interrogation.

"Where's your family, Mr Tom? Why dont you have anyone to go to the park with?" It was a question only a child could get away with asking within 5 minutes of meeting.

Tom smiled and shook his head. "My... family isn't here today. They.... she.... had to go visit her mum. I think she's having a nice time, though." He looked into Flick's eyes, and she could see the smile.
Inwardly, Tom was screaming.  It's ok, I won't leave you. Outwardly? Charm and politeness personified.

Jenny grinned up at him. "You could stay with us? We've got sandwiches, and coke and everything! Couldn't he mum? Couldn't Mr Tom share our picnic?"

Flick smiled and shook her head. "Sweetheart, that's such a lovely thought, but I'm sure that Mr. Tom has lots of things he needs to be doing." Her voice gave nothing away, but inside, she was shouting.  'Please say you'll stay....'

In the end, it was Flick's mum that made the decision. "Clare, Jenny? Why don't you two go and get us some ice cream from the little van on the corner - see? Just down there. We'll be able to see you,  so you'll be perfectly ok. Tom? Are you up for an ice cream? I have a feeling you might be needing something to cool you down....." she looked at him, and he realised in that moment she knew.

"That, my dear Mrs Watson, would be an honour." He fished in the pocket of his running shorts and found a tenner. "Here....Clare?" He handed it over, "take this, and if by a miracle there's any change, get some water too, please?" He looked at the two older women. "I'm suddenly feeling like my mouth is dry and my heart is racing.".

Clare and Jenny scampered off without a  second thought, giggling and chatting all the way.  Once they were safely out of earshot, Flick's mum turned, eyes still glued to their little charges.

"So, you're the man who's stolen my daughter's heart then eh?" She said quietly.

"MUM!!" Flick was mortified at her bluntness.

Tom laughed and discretely slipped his hand around hers.  Without missing a beat, he replied, "If I've stolen it, it's only to replace the one of mine she captured the moment we met."

"Oh, he's gooooood! Flick, he's good!" Her mum winked, and Flick looked at Tom with an astonished expression. Never, in a month of Sunday,  would she have expected such an admission. Or indee,  for it to be true in the first place.

"So...." Nancy continued, "How do you want to play this? They're on their way back. We need to be on the same page."

Tom smiled and stole a quick kiss on her hand before the girls got too close, then let go. "I'll let Flick lead the way, I'll always let her lead they way with her girls." There was a moment where he almost sounded wistful,"her girls. " Flick felt sorry for him. He had the capacity to be a wonderful father.

Then he seemed to flip a switch, and as they girls arrived back, ice cream and water in hands, he said loudly.

"Don't know about you lot, I need a seat, and I can see you have a rug under that tree over there. Shall we?" He turned to the girls."Last one there has to run up the hill a million times....."

The girls turned, thrusting ice creams at them, "Mum hold these....." but Jenny squealed."No fair! I've the littlest legs...." as Claire took to her heels.

Tom grinned, and he too thrust his ice cream at an astounded Flick. Grabbing Jenny, he hoisted her onto his shoulders. "Come on, little one, we can beat her!"

Screaming with joy, Jenny was carried to victory, Clare arriving seconds later. The three of them fell into a screeching giggling heap as Flick and her mum brought the goodies at a more sedate pace.

As they walked over, Flick had a hopeful feeling it just might be ok.  They were a tight unit, her, her mum, and the girls. Outsiders rarely penetrated it.  Not even John's parents. In all this time, they'd only ever appeared at birthdays and Christmas. Each time, bring presents and silent judgement.

Surely even they couldn't hold Tom against her? Could they?