olivia , tom hiddleston

twenty three

chapter twenty three
this isn't my home
Sunday 18th March 2018

"Via?" Tom asked as he walked into their bedroom after tucking Asher into sleep. Olivia was lead on the bed, buried in cream sheets and face hidden behind a book. "Can I speak to you about something?"

The woman sat up and her eyebrows furrowed in concern. To comfort his girlfriend and show that there was nothing wrong, he got onto the bed and sat next to her. He took her hand and rubbed circles with his thumb. "What is it, Tom?"

"Last weekend, I suggested we travel together for my press tour..." He started, and he swallowed slowly. The actor had been nervous to talk about this for a while, hence why it had taken him a whole week to mention it again. "And you didn't look too happy about it. Can we talk about that?"

She sighed slightly, but nodded and put a bookmark in her book and set it aside. "I think it's too soon."

"Hasn't everything so far been too soon? Look how well we're doing." He tried to make the mother see his side, but he knew Olivia would win. Her arguments were always more appropriate and selfless, she had children to think about.

"You fly out to South Korea on the 10th, correct?" The mother started, which Tom nodded too. "By that point, we won't have even been dating three months. And you want me to take weeks out of not only my life, but my children's life?" She ran a hand through her hair before she continued.

"I don't think there's any going back from the stage we're at. All four of us, no matter how it happens, may be heartbroken if we don't work out. So I get why you want this to happen so badly. But a holiday is too much for me an my agent to handle in terms of press. It's like an official outing to the public that we're a family."

"But we are a family." Tom responded, and his heart panged. His eyes began to get teary as he realised what Olivia was saying. "Or am I the only one here who believes I'm part of your family?"

She remained silent as she mulled it over. Olivia had winced at her daughter when she had called Tom her dad. There was an obvious reason for that, and the woman despised herself for it.

"Olivia?" Tom pleaded. "So what? I've just been playing pretend?" He was heartbroken. He loved Olivia's children more than anyone in his life, he had been taking care of them, teaching and guiding them, being there for them when they were upset. Because it only suited his girlfriend. But when he finally wanted to take another step to solidify his part with the Jones', Olivia had shattered his heart with a flick of her finger.

"No, Tom - god, no." Olivia tried to argue, but Tom could read her expression plainly.

"This whole time, I'd fooled myself to believing that you were happy with us. You don't shudder at the kids calling me dad because it's too soon, but because you just don't like it!" His voice had risen to a shout, and Tom knew he would wake the children up. But seeing from Olivia's reaction, they're not his problem.

"I'm not ready for us to be a family yet, Tom." The woman had tears rolling down her cheeks, but Tom couldn't care less. He was the one truly hurt.

"You fucking led me on, Olivia." Tom never swore, and it caught the woman off guard. It was a burning slap to her face as she realised the extent of her crime. "I don't want to be around you right now." He was already stood up from his anger, so he grabbed his coat.