Falling For You [Tom Hiddleston]

17

Claire's POV

Caleb was sound asleep - snoring loudly as ever - when my pain pills wore off and I woke up. I laid there, debating whether I wanted to get up to take more or not when my phone lit up. Seriously, who'd be contacting me this time of night? I decided to check the screen in case it was my brothers; last I'd heard they were due back soon.

I didn't know what to think when I saw it was Tom...again. I declined the call and turned down the brightness but he didn't take the hint, continuing to call three more times. He was remarkably persistent, I'd give him that. After the third time, I just let it ring and go to voicemail; maybe then he'd leave me be.

When a notification showed up for voicemail, I debated with myself for longer than I cared to admit whether I should just delete it - unheard - like all of the others...or if I should listen to it. My curiosity got the better of me, so sliding out of bed with my phone in hand, I silently crept into the bathroom and shut the door before perching on the counter.

My thumb hovered over the message, finally touching play and raising the phone to my ear. I closed my eyes as I listened to Tom's rich, distinctive voice saying my name just as he always did, with a slight roll of the r. Until that moment, I'd never realized just how much I'd missed hearing him speak.

He sounded exhausted...and a little drunk based off the slurring of his words. When the message ended, I realized I'd only been listening to the cadence of his words instead of hearing what he was actually saying, so I replayed it - actually listening this time.

Clarissa, darling, please pick up...I'm begging you, please - just take my call...I'm so, so sorry for all that I said that day - I didn't mean a word of it, I promise...I just miss you so, so much, darling...

There was a long pause where Tom sighed heavily, and there was so much emotion packed into such a small sound - far more than I ever expected. My throat tightened painfully as I fought back real tears, pausing the message while I attempted to regain control of my emotions.

Tom Hiddleston was easily one of the greatest actors I knew - but he wasn't acting - not right now. I don't know how exactly I knew that, but I did. Wiping my face with the hem of my shirt, I pressed play again to finish listening.

Please pick up, Claire...I just...I just need to hear your voice...I need to know you're okay, being there with...with him...I can't help but worry about you, darling...and I miss you...Call me when you can - I don't care what time of day or night it is...Just...please call me...so I know you're okay...and I just want you to know -

The message cut off there - he must have run out of time on the voicemail. I sat there in disbelief for a long moment before texting Luke; I knew Tom well enough to understand that replying directly to him would only encourage him, and that wasn't wise right now. I sent him a screenshot of the voicemail transcription first as I decided what to write.

Tell Tom I won't be able to
talk to him until I'm back in
the UK in a couple days. He
can't be calling me right now.

I made sure it sent before I deleted the conversation. I set my phone aside as the floorboards creaked; Caleb was up. I listened to his progress across the room and chased down some more pain killers with water from the faucet. On the plus side, it didn't hurt as much to swallow as earlier, which was good but my neck still ached.

"What are you doing?" Caleb asked gruffly, turning on the light. I let him think he startled me, letting out a painful squeak and splashing water around as I backed away from him. "Just me, sweets. Just me."

I stared at him for a moment, not approaching him. He reached over and picked up the bottle of pills, reading the label before setting them back on the counter with a decisive click. He turned off the water I'd left running and tossed a towel over the worst of the water mess I'd made.