Sorting Through Life's Puzzle Pieces

Chapter 10

Tom sat in his room, staring at the small device in front of him. Their conversation had been enlightening. Reflecting on it he was still surprised by some of the things Shawna had told him.

"Mae is really very introverted. Her confidence and coldness are her shield. It keeps people at arms length. She grew up kind of isolated by it. From what she's told me, and it's not much, the way she escaped it was through books and music and movies. Now I know during our teen years we all love that but hers was quite a bit more. It's all in here. Every bit of her. This is a tool for her. She tried it as a way to connect with him and it didn't work." Shawna had motioned to the phone and as she leaned in, he felt this next bit would be important. "You've heard her sing?" He nodded, "She only does that when she is comfortable with someone. She actually thinks no one would want to hear her." He tried to argue that, but she stopped him. "I know you've heard her more than that time in the kitchen, we've all seen you spying on her when she with the kids and in the nursery." He couldn't help the sheepish expression on his face. "I have to go now. Take this with you and have a look. Her whole heart is in here. Remember, this is a coping mechanism she uses. I am trusting you with my friend, Tom. Don't make me regret it."

Sipping his tea, he picked it up, his hands shaking a little. Heaving a sigh, he unlocked it and saw that there were not a lot of apps on it. He was glad to see Tumblr was not there, after what he found several years ago and figured Pinterest couldn't be so bad. Oh, was he mistaken. After going through of her more blush worthy pins he tried a safer topic and learned some very enlightening things. She absolutely adored animals, especially dogs. He already knew she was a fan of Shakespeare, after her goading him a few times with it, so that wasn't really a surprise.

Some of the very personal pins she saved had him questioning the worthiness of the man she had married as well giving him the urge to punch him in the face. All these simple forms of love and he couldn't even give them to her.

She was indeed a fangirl and the number of pins that had him made him realize that she might find him intimidating. Gonna have to work on that. Even a few of those made him glad that he was alone as he was sure his face was lit up like a Christmas tree.

Her music was just as fascinating. And eclectic mix of current and past creations, many he had heard. He even read a few of her comments and she had a very good wit about her. He thought he could help her find some good R&B if she was open to negotiation.

She had a reading app and he actually put the phone down before he opened it. This was a very personal choice. What someone reads is very intimate and he wasn't sure he should delve that far. Pacing before the cot he left it on, he really tried to rationalize how it would be good to go through it. The only thought he had was I've come this far, might as well go all the way down this rabbit hole.

Dear lord!!!

"The little minx. How the bloody hell is she not losing her mind being all the way out here?" He then decided that that was enough snooping and called his manager for nice long chat.

"Alright, Luke. So we are on the same page with this?"

"I'm with you, but I don't see how this is supposed to work. She sounds like a very intelligent woman, what are you going to do if she figures it out."

"Duck. Now I need to get some sleep and beat the clock in the morning. See you back in London."

"Yeah, see you. You know, this is going to be difficult to keep under wraps after a while, right?"

"I'm counting on it. Get some sleep, man." Tom hung up and went to bed himself.

The next morning, he skipped his run and went to find Shawna. He returned the phone and quickly joined Maeve in the kitchen, however he didn't greet her as he normally did. Only his Angel was confused by his silence and everyone else just waited for something to happen.

After nearly the whole day of her stealing glances at him and the ear nagging silence from a usually chatty Tom, she had enough. It wasn't until she saw Tom sitting down to a late dinner by himself that she pounced on the poor man.

Mr. Hiddleston, do you have a problem with me?" He just glanced up before continuing to eat.

"Quite the opposite, Angel. However, you seem to have a problem with me, so I figured I would let you have your way. Now, since you are here, would you like to join me or are you quite finished?"

Maeve marched off, swearing under her breath. All Tom did was chuckle lowly while receiving a thumbs up from Shawna who had been watching across the room. His phone went off and he received a confirmation for the plans he had asked Luke to get handle being completed. Here we go, then.

"Alright, Charlie. Now you're sure this is all above board and my work Visa has been approved?"

"Yes, Mae, everything is good. You just need to stop at the Embassy in London when you get there. It's gonna be a real sad thing to see you go, but I know this is what you need. Do you have your flight info and your tickets? Passes? Passport? Pockets?"

Maeve chuckled at the reference to when she had first arrived and realized that while she had everything, she had become fed up with consistently rifling through her bag and screaming to the general public that she "needed more pockets" so she could just keep it all on her person. "I have it all in a single place this time and unless my pocket explodes, there is no losing it."

She threw her arms around the older man and gave a tight squeeze. "If you need me back before I'm tapped again, just give me a call. You know where to find me now, after all." Charlie just nodded and sent her out of his office.

It was the next morning as they were all checking backs at the front entrance that she got a good shock.

"Goodmorning, Angel. Ready for a long flight back?" He watched her back stiffenbefore she turned and her café ole eyes burned into his own crystal blue ones."I hope you brought something to keep you entertained, I have no intention oftalking the entire flight."