The Falling Man

Chapter 43

Ethel POV

I shuffle awake the next morning after reuniting with Tommy once again. I knew deep down it was bound to happen one day, but as the years passed and still no sight of him, I lost the belief. He always found a way to just show up completely unexpected though. There's an empty wine glass left on the bedside table, from the night before. I resorting to drinking to the point where my brain would cease to think of the Birmingham man and the way his eyes looked at me. I sit up and look to the window where the morning sunrise seeps through. Andrew sleeps soundly beside me. Rubbing the sleep out of my eyes, I rise out of bed and head to Andrew's kitchen where I am met by the after effects of having friends over after the pub.

I clean up the many bottles and disregarded snacks before making myself a cup of tea. I sit in his window sill and observe the chirping birds outside. I find myself glancing towards his phone, willing it to somehow ring and hear the deep voice of one man. I soon hear footsteps approaching and shake the thoughts away. I look up to see my boyfriend and send him a smile. He chuckles and comes over to kiss me. It's short and I almost find myself wincing. I did have strong feelings for the man but my head is quite literally a scrambled egg after last night.

"Tea?" He asks still standing over me. "On the stove." I reply averting my eyes. He walks away with a tired sigh. My mind replays Tommy leaned against the wall, me sat on the stool closely in front of him. I never forgot how handsome he was but I did forget just HOW handsome he was. He oozed confidence and strength. He was sex. I hear the sound of hot tea being poured into a cup from the kitchen as I think these thoughts. As Andrew clatters around, I find it impossible to rip my mind from the thoughts of the other man.

I hear him gulp and release a sigh once again, I finally look over to him, my face I imagine completely blank as the feelings of guilt and sadly disgust for the man in front of me fills my body to the brim. He sends me a big smile, "Morning." He says in a sing songy tone. I can only find it in myself to fake a chuckle, before I take a sip out of my mug and avert my eyes once again.
—

Shortly later, I bid my farewell to my boyfriend and make the short walk to my home. I had moved shortly after the expansion. For mutiple reasons, one being I had a new exceptional amount of money, and another being not wanting Tommy to show up. I knew he still knew where I lived though as I saw Peaky men watching over my house every once and awhile. I walk up to my front door and it squeaks as I open it. I slam it shut and throw my keys on the nearby shelf in the entry way. I breathe a sigh and saunter off to run a bath, which usually provides some sort of relief from my overwhelming thoughts whenever I have them.

Once the bath is run, I hop in and splash the warm water over my face before dunking my head completely. Coming up to smooth my hair back and lean against the back of the tub. I run my hands over my face once again, trying to get clarity on the events of the last 24 hours and all the mess that came into my head as a result of it.
—

It's been a week since the big reunion and my head feels clearer now. Me and Tommy were never going to be together, it was a mess from the start in France and it always has been; he will never commit to me, so I will not to him. I'm walking to a local tea house with my friend Earl, us two chitchatting about nonsense. When we arrive he chooses to read while I go through work documents. This was a common thing for us to do. I catch him staring at me, but think nothing of it and return to my work. After about an hour of us sitting at the tea house, I bid my friend farewell before heading to my favorite bookstore. It's my favorite because they have cozy couches with a fireplace in the back. I sit there and read for awhile, this has become a normal routine for me in this new era of my life. I love it.
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Another week has passed and life continues on as normal. I sit in a work meeting, "We have come to an understanding there's no such as the truth. I just find that very destructive." My colleague speaks up. "I'm sorry, I don't think that's a fair judgment." I say back to him. Working with my brothers prepared me massively for my role of working as a political consultant for one of the Irish Representatives that hold a seat in the House of Lords here in London, John Vesey. With the last name Switzer and prevalent work expierence, working in building my brothers business, gaining my role in the position was actually quite easy.