Scattered Seeds

Chapter Forty-Nine

The doors to the lift opened. Tom walked down the corridor of the great building that housed UNICEF UK in its upper levels, unsure of what to expect.

He’d not yet heard from Jess.

Following Luke’s steady advice, Tom left her alone after his friend delivered the package for him. He handwrote the letter to Jess while still in Madrid, scanned and emailed it to his publicist, and then instructed Luke via phone with precise detail on how to surprise her.

Tom hoped the gesture would be enough to at least soften Jess’s temperament. Even if she never spoke to him again, Tom kept telling himself to be satisfied with the fact that he tried his best to show Jess what was still thriving in his heart for her.

As he approached Conference Room 2122A the lanky actor reached up to adjust the subdued silver tie that complimented his slate grey suit.

“You’ve got this, Hiddleston,” Tom amped himself up. He stretched to relieve some of the tension building in the vertebrae at the base of his neck and exhaled, puffing angled cheeks out. “Break a leg.”

The stark white room was filled with professionals ranging from young assistants scurrying to fill coffee cups and water carafes, to white-haired men in designer labels chatting about various topics.

It was the latter crowd, the private sponsors of UNICEF, that Jess was tasked with impressing. While she was able to scavenge a certain amount of the money Samuel was looking for by pooling overages from other UNICEF projects and hosting multiple fundraisers, prying open the purse strings of Old English Money was easier said than done. The American had a daunting mission ahead of her, and Tom was there to offer whatever support he could.

After their strained bonding time on the hallway floor Tom felt a new, deeper connection with the doctor. The younger man realized there was a side to Jess that he didn’t comprehend yet; a darker place she kept close that only Samuel seemed able to tap and fully appreciate.

Tom’s nerves still strained with the thought of all three of them being in the same room together. However, an underlying sense of calm – not unlike the serenity that enveloped him just before taking the stage on opening night – was nestled in Tom’s chest as he stepped in amongst the bustling business class.

Samuel stood in front of one of the large windows lining the back wall of the long rectangular room. He was conversing with a UNICEF Medical Officer recently returned from Sudan, and they were comparing climate conditions, health needs, and political snags.

When Tom walked in the doctor met his eyes, gave a slight nod, and then resumed listening to his fellow physician.

Tom, not knowing anyone else in the room, remained quiet as he made his way to the last chair at the end of the lengthy table. Keeping a well-practiced amiable expression on his face, Tom settled in the large cushioned, swiveling chair and allowed his muscles to relax a little.

The hum of various exchanges, active bodies finalizing last minute preparations, and the low buzz of the building’s HVAC system began to lull Tom. His thoughts turned in on themselves as multiple ideas, dreams, and ponderings rolled through his mind. For a brief moment Tom forgot how anxious he was about facing Jess.

Samuel took a seat two chairs to Tom’s left, and the actor’s eyes drifted over to the doctor’s.

“How is she?” Tom asked with a quiet voice.

Samuel moved in his chair, sorting file folders into neat rows in front of him.

“I wouldn’t know,” he replied, cocking his head and giving Tom a smirk. “She ended it that very day.”