Red Sweater Tom

Phone Interuption

You feel Tom's other hand very lightly grabbing your waist, which sends goosebumps all over that side of your body. Your eyes start to close instinctively. He's so close you can feel his breath on your skin.
-
Suddenly you hear a familiar jingle. You freeze, not knowing what to do. Tom freezes also, then let's out a loud, frustrated sigh and steps away. He pulls his phone from his pocket, looks at the caller ID, and rolls his eyes. He looks at you apologetically, and says "I have to take this, I'm sorry darling," then walks out of the room.
-
You stand there, still frozen for a few moments, then turn back to the spot you were previously in.
-
~did that just happen? Did that really just happen?~ the burning sensation in your hand tells you that, yes, it really did just happen.
-
You snap yourself out of your thoughts just in time to keep the pudding from burning. You move it to a different area on the stove and continue to stir it until it cools a little. You then leave the stove and take a step out of the kitchen, leaning around the corner to see if Tom is still on the phone.
-
He still is, but notices you leaning around the corner. He moves the phone away from his mouth and looks at you as if asking what you need to say.
-
You mouth "almost ready" and he smiles and nods, then gives you a quick thumbs up. Then gets back into his seemingly serious conversation.
-
~what is up with him today? He is acting so... Odd...~ you ponder what is going on. Then conclude it's probably just work.
-
Not even 10 minutes later, you are walking towards the living room with two bowls of your not-burnt (for once) pudding. Tom smiles at you, still on the phone, then holds his finger up to tell you it'll just be one more moment. You smile at him then turn towards the tv. You pretend to get the movie all set up, but your ears are focusing on his hushed conversation.
-
"...I'm sorry, I hate to be rude, but I can't take anymore of this convers--" the other person cuts him off. "Yes, I understand this is very important, but there is nothing we can do tonight." The other person responds. "Yes, I do--" yet again, Tom gets cut off. "What? Oh-- can't hear-- in-- tunnel--" *click*
-
Tom slams his phone on the table then walks over towards you and his bowl of pudding.
-
"What was that all about?" You ask him. Clearly he wasn't trying to hide the end of the conversation, so you may as well ask, even though you know he won't give you a straight answer.
-
"Oh nothing, just....work stuff," it's clear he doesn't want to talk about it by the expression on his face, so you don't bother digging deeper.
-
"Well, I hope it's something a bowl of pudding and a movie can take care of!" You say a little too cheerfully.
-
"You're over doing it, but YES, it can be fixed by a bowl of your famous burnt pudding and a movie," Tom replies taking a bite. "Correction; it can be fixed by a bowl of your NOT BURNT pudding...." He looks at you with that teasing grin he is so fond of giving you.
-
You smile and hit play on the movie.
"Oh shoot! I forgot to turn off the lights," you start to get up, but Tom puts his hand on your knee to keep you sitting and gets up to turn them off. When he stands up to see your favorite movie-watching blanket on the chair right in front of the light switch. "Umm... Tom, since you're up, can you--"
-
"Grab this?" He says picking up the blanket. He knows you too well.
-
"Yesss, thank you!" You grab the blanket and cover up immediately. You set the bowl of pudding on your lap and take your first bite. ~wow, I should burn myself every time I make pudding. Apparently that's the trick to making it delicious! And also the trick to get a little extra attention from Tom...~ your thoughts start to drift to the almost kiss, and those thoughts lead to dreams about how the kiss would have went...
-
You feel the couch moving ever so slightly and your eyes slowly open. You see Tom getting up with both of your pudding bowls in hand and the credits of the movie you just "watched" going across the television screen. ~shit, I always fall asleep!~ there's something about warm pudding and movies that just knock you out.
-
"I was trying not to wake you, I'm sorry," Tom says, seeing you waking up.
-
"Will you stop apologizing already? Haha it's okay. I can't believe I fell asleep again, though!" You say, knowing exactly what he will respond with.
-
"Oh, is that so? You thought you'd actually stay awake through this one?" He shakes his head at you, but has a smile on his face to show that he isn't mad.
-
"What time is it?"
-
"It's only 9:45, it was a short movie. Good though, I quite enjoyed it. You probably would have liked it too!" He laughs quietly.
-
"Well...it's not late... Do you wanna watch another short one?" You ask, not wanting him to leave yet.
-
"Sure, that sounds good, we can watch that one I wanted to watch since we both know you'll fall asleep again."
-
"I will not!" You try to argue.
-
Sure enough, Tom was right. You managed to get through the first 15 minutes of the movie, but you're already finding yourself drifting off. Soon enough your mind is filled with dreams.
-
~end part 3~