A Question Of Love

Confession

They were like two halves of the same whole. 

Over the next few weeks, Jamie and Tom rebuilt and then built on their relationship. They really were like one person split into two. 

Except when they weren't.

Everything was perfect except for one thing. Tom's conscience. It just kept getting in the way.  Making him a little quiet sometimes, making him cry when he thought she couldn't hear him.

But she did.

She wanted to ask him, she really did but something made her hold back.  What she did do was speak to his mum.

Over the weeks, she'd become close to Diana.  Very close. The revelation at the press conference had quite literally outed them to the world, and Tom had received a happy but scolding  call from his mum.

"Bring her over. This weekend. No arguments, Thomas. And YOU are to make yourself scarce. I want to speak to her woman to woman."
"Yes, mum, of course mum, sorry mum." He'd apologised and dutifully took Jamie the next Saturday.

Diana had greeted them both with a smile, a hug, and a kiss.

"Jamie, my dearest girl, so happy to meet you at long last. Come away in. We have so much to talk about.  Now you - " she turned to Tom "you can go to the supermarket and get something to make for tea." She pushed him out the door. "And dont come back for AT LEAST an hour, ok?"

She took Jamie through and sat her down. "Now dear, lets you and I have a good chat.  There's lots we have to discuss."

Tom came home to the two of them sitting looking at old photo albums of Tom and his sisters.  He swallowed hard, and Jamie laughed.

"Oh Tom, thank goodness your taste in trousers has improved!"

To say Tom was relieved was an understatement.  Perhaps he could get away with this.

What Tom didn't count on was that damned conscience of his. Relentlessly prodding him until it was all he could think about.

"I have to tell her, Luke. I have to. What if it all comes out anyway?  There can be no lies, no secrets." He ran a hand through his hair as he stood in the tailor's shop, being measured for his latest suit.

"You really think so? And what good will it do apart from making YOU feel better, eh?" Luke shook his head.  He would never normally agree to lies, especially where Tom was concerned, but this? This wasn't lying. This was potentially romantic suicide.

"But if she found out I slept with Sarah - and drunk slept at that - what do you think she'd do? Tell me it's ok? I seriously doubt it."

"Tom. Listen to me. For once, honesty is NOT the best policy." Luke was seriously worried. This could go very wrong very quickly.

Tom decided to ignore him.

"Darling? Are you busy tonight?" Tom called Jamie as he left the tailors and walked to the Underground.

"Hi sweetheart, never too busy to see you. How did the suit fitting go? Does it look smoulderingly handsome?" She giggled as she imagined him blushing at this.

"It went well, thanks, love. Going to look nice for the wedding. Luke seems to think he'll be too hot, but there will be a nice breeze, so we should be ok."

"That's good. The dress fitting went well. Mandy was really pleased with hers. She cried when she saw me. It was so sweet. We're looking at flowers  tomorrow. I know they will do them there, but it's always good to have an idea." Jamie was feeling on top of the world. It was only about six weeks till the ceremony on a paradise island in the Carribean.  Secluded and private, just the ticket. "So, that said, you want to come over later?"

"About 8 ok?" He sounded a little nervous, making her curious.

"Yeah, anytime you like, you have a key." She laughed."You know, I don't know why you dont just move in now, darling. It would be so much easier on you. Since I moved down, we've spent more time together than apart!"

"We've talked about it, love. Not till, well, not yet, ok?" He smiled. The fact she was so keen made him feel so loved. That's why he had to tell her, there could be no skeletons waiting to ruin their future. The future that was ,he hoped, still hurtling towards them at speed.

"Ok, see you later, darling. Love you."

"More"

He hung up and put his phone in his pocket.  His stomach churned, and his mind reeled.  Was he really doing the right thing? Yes ,yes, he was.

Jamie put down the phone and sat back. "He sounded a bit odd. Hope there's nothing wrong." She turned to Mandy."Have you noticed anything?"

Mandy put down her cup and felt a wave of fear run up her back.  Tom being desperate to speak to her could only mean one thing. Confession time.

This could go spectacularly wrong.

"Well, the thing is, I think he feels there is something he needs to tell you.  So that you can go into your future with no skeletons." She took Jamie's hand. "The thing is.."

"He slept with his ex Sarah.  The weekend after..." she took a breath then continued."When he said he loved me and then ran away."

Mandy's mouth hung open.  Never in a million years had she expected to hear those words from Jamie. She couldn't even begin to imagine how the rest of this conversation was going to go.