A Question Of Love

Funny Business...

Tom turned to Luke and laughed. "You do realise that you just added another person to the party on Friday? Bob is going to have a kitten! He's bound to moan at the extra cost for lunch."

"You know something? For once, I don't actually care! I have the distinct feeling that Jamie and her friend are going to be worth their weight in gold. At least we know they'll be a laugh." he winked. "I was right, wasn't I? She's pretty!" He side eyed Tom as he leafed through his notebook.

Tom looked at him and rolled his eyes. Luke was nothing if not persistent. "Yes, she was, very.
Will you stop it? I can set myself up fine, thanks very much, I dont need you acting as Cilla Black, you know. Blind Date has finished for a very good reason!" They both laughed, and Tom stood up. "Well, I think I'm going home now. It's been quite a week, I need to just chill for a bit. If there's anything comes up, just give me a call, ok? Think I might go to Suffolk for a couple of days. See Mum, maybe." He shrugged non-committally, and Luke nodded.

"No worries, have a good one, speak to you Wednesday. I'm in Edinburgh on Monday and Tuesday. Got a meeting with some Arts Festival folk. Maybe something for you later in the year if all goes well. McKellan did Hamlet there last summer, and it was a complete sell-out. Maybe something similar for you. I'll let you know."

"Ok, see you later!" Tom raised a hand in goodbye and left. He walked quickly out into the sunshine and stood for a minute. Taking a deep breath, he soaked up the sun and the gentle heat. Roll on summer, he thought to himself as he headed for the Tube.

As he rattled his way through the subterranean tunnels, the packed carriage actually allowed him to pass more or less unnoticed in the crush. His mind wandered back to the facetime call with Jamie.

The more he thought about it, the more he agreed with Luke. She was definitely very pretty. She sounded like she had the other thing that made a woman attractive to him - a sharp, witty, and independent mind. He was looking forward to getting to see more of both aspects. That and a decent steak! It had been ages since he had a decent steak.

His mouth watered at the thought, and he found himself hoping Jamie liked steak, too. He wanted nothing more than for her - and the others, of course - to be happy. He put in his earbuds, pulled out his phone, and started to listen to a playlist on his phone. Now,THAT he thought would make an excellent icebreaker. What is on Loki's playlist? He made a mental note for Friday. Closing his eyes and concentrating on the music, he passed the rest of the journey in peace and quiet.

Jamie and Mandy walked along arm in arm. The canal was a favourite walk of theirs. It was, as usual, fairly busy with cyclists, walkers, and the odd jogger. Now and again, they stopped and watched a narrowboat navigate it's way towards King's Cross, where they'd started from.

On a good day, they usually walked all the way to Regent's Park Zoo, but today, their destination was a bite to eat in Camden Market. Over the years, they had seen it change from an edgy, slightly bohemian mix of goth shops, tattoo parlours, vintage emporiums, and some slightly questionable cafés into the tourist mecca it was now.

It didn't stop them from enjoying its ecclectic mix of people sounds and smells, though. The giant 3D emblems over the shops providing the splash of the avant garde the area was famous for. Today, they decided to stop off in the main food area. The aroma of curry, chinese, burger, and all manner of more exotic fare assailed their nostrils.

"Mmm, I wish there wasn't so much choice!" Jamie moaned with a smile."I want EVERYTHING!" Mandy laughed loudly.

"I bet you do. Never met ANYONE who could out-eat you, Miss! It's not fair. The amount you stuff away, you should be like Hulk. But oh no! You have to be as svelt as Black Widow dont you. Me? I'll only ever be Korg! Large and lumpy!!" The two of them collapsed in hysterics yet again.

"Oh Mandy, dont be daft. You're beautiful. RDJ just doesn't know what he missed!" Jamie hugged her friend. "Truthfully? We were built for comfort, not speed lovely lady, how many stick insects did Gaugan or Botticelli paint? None." She shrugged and pulled Mandy over to the nearest foodstall."Come on, Venus, choose your poison!"

The stallholder looked aghast at her choice of words, and the two women looked at each other and exploded into laughter yet again, tears rolling down their faces.

Tom walked out of the Tube station and looked around, pulling his cap just a little lower. He didn't mind people spotting him, he didnt even mind if they spoke. It was, as he always acknowledged, the price of his success. He couldn't very well ask people to part with their hard earned money and time to support his work, then tell them to sod off because it didn't suit him to thank them when he got the chance. What he DID mind was the subterfuge. The telephoto lenses and the hiding in bushes to watch him buy toilet roll and dog food. He was only a normal human being, for God's sake, who on earth would have any interest in whether he preferred Andrex or Cushelle!!

As he walked home, he passed the market in Camden, and for a minute, his stomach rumbled. It had been a long time since he'd actually eaten anything, Luke was a slave driver he moaned in his head. Pausing, he walked in and sniffed. Mmmmm, delicious smells wafted to him, and he felt drawn in. No! He stopped himself. It was too busy, and he would be even later getting to Suffolk if he spent the next hour stuffing his face. He could get a sandwich to go in any one of the little Deli's en route to his house.

And anyway, Bobby would be waiting. He smiled as he thought about his little furry friend. Bobby was a bright spot in his otherwise increasingly solitary home life. Not that he minded, to be honest, sometimes the peace was a good antidote to his hectic schedule. But just sometimes...

With self restraint even he didn't know he possessed, he walked on through the market and past the seating area. Again, in the crush, no one really noticed him. Those that did had that 'dont I know you?' moment.

He was still listening to his music, so he was barely aware of the noise. Noise that included two women laughing as he passed them, holding each other up as they tried to explain to a very disgruntled stall holder they weren't really insulting his food.

As he crossed the road and headed towards Primrose Hill, he looked across at the park. It was a nice day, lots of people enjoying the green space and the views. As he looked, he stopped. There was a blonde girl sitting on a bench with a friend, looking at her phone. A familiar looking blonde girl. No! Surely not! To his amazement, he was more excited by this coincidence than he would have ever imagined.

Quickly, he crossed over and through the park gates. He almost jogged up to the bench.

"Hi Jamie!" He grinned and raised a hand in greeting. They turned and looked at him, a look of utter shock on their faces. Not as shocked as Tom, though.

"Errr hi!" She replied, somewhat dumbfounded. "Think you have the wrong person! But I'm flattered nevertheless!"

To his utter mortifiation, it wasn't her.

Apologising profusely, he backed off and walked home. You utter pillock Hiddleston, he thought to himself. What the hell were you thinking? He blushed at his own stupidity. Chance meetings like that were the stuff of fanfiction and tv dramas. Not grown men who should know better.

Oh well, he thought as he turned the key in the lock, there was always Friday. He smiled and bent down to stroke Bobby's head. Friday couldn't come quick enough. Something now told him it would be quite an event.