Forgive Me, My Love ~ ReddNook

Chapter 12

Tom's ears twitched attentively, when he heard a strange noise behind him. He peered over his shoulder but couldn't see anything. He sniffed suspiciously. His tail bristled, he knew that smell. That is..

"Tom?" Sable's worried voice distracted him. "Everything okay?" He looked at her and smiled. "Yes, yes. I am fine." Tom's eyes wandered restlessly around the area. What is Redd doing here? Is he spying on me?

Sable put her head on his shoulder. He could feel her warmth and inhaled her sweet scent. Tom nervously dug his claws into the sand. His face was glowing. What now, what now?! Say something! He looked up at the sky, which was sprinkled with twinkling stars.

"Look," he whispered. "The stars, aren't they beautiful?"
Nice one, Tom ... Sable followed his gaze, her eyes lighting up. "Yes, almost magical," she breathed. "Maybe we'll see a falling star."
"Yeah, maybe."

Tom blinked. "What would you wish for?" Sable looked at him lovingly and smiled. "I know something." She gently put her paw on his cheek and slowly pulled him closer until their lips touched.

Tom's heart raced. A kiss! Every muscle in his body was frozen. He couldn't react, he couldn't reply. Something was stopping him. It was a short and gentle kiss, that lasted no longer, than a few seconds.

For Tom, however, it felt like an eternity. Sable let go of him and gave him a perplexed look. She hadn't expected that reaction from him. Tom didn't want to know what his face looked like at that moment. Probably a mixture of fear, embarrassment and confusion.

Sable abruptly broke eye contact and stammered hysterically: "I-I'm sorry, I don't know w-what's gotten into me!" Tom wanted to say something, but his throat was blocked. What's wrong with me ?!

Isn't that what he always wanted? He did love her, but why didn't he feel any joy when she kissed him? Not even any tingling sensation, nothing at all. Why was he acting like a stupid boy who had his first kiss?

"Y-You don't have to apologize," Tom muttered when he finally found his voice. "I'm sorry, it just came ... unexpected." Sable blinked silently, even looking a bit offended.

Tom was gradually releasing himself from his cramped posture, still trying to understand what was going on. He'd screwed it up, clearly. What did she think of him now? Sable stared at the sea and sighed.

"It was a mistake," she whispered. "This date was a mistake and that kiss in particular was a mistake." Tears shimmered in her dark green eyes. "I should have known, that you don't feel the same way." Tom gave a startled gasp.

Sable rose, the light of the moon reflected in her deeply sad eyes. "I ... I'd better go." Her voice drowned in a sob, she turned her back on him and hurried back the way.

"S-Sable!" Tom yelled, jumping up and almost collapsed again because his legs felt like pudding. He wanted to go after her, but then decided against it. It would bring nothing. He hurt her. Tom trotted home sadly, trying to find a reasonable explanation for his behavior.

When he got to his house, his questions were still unanswered. Did he love Sable or not? Actually he did, right? Then why had he reacted so strangely when she kissed him? Why hadn't he returned the kiss? Then he ended up at the very beginning again.

The questions rolled endlessly in his head. A vicious circle. Tom unlocked the door, went in and immediately switched on the light. "I'm back," he mumbled limp. Surprised that no one answered him, he called his nephews a few times, but no one answered.

Finally he remembered, that Timmy and Tommy had to be with Redd, because they really wanted to see his boat. "They probably have more fun than me," grumbled Tom and a baseless anger at Redd overcame him.

The tanuki walked slowly into his room and threw himself into bed without anything to eat or change. Tom was so exhausted that he fell asleep after a few minutes.