24/7 - Tom Hiddleston

Meeting for the first time

Tom and I are shocked. I still have the bracelet in my hand, I clench it just a bit harder. Tom is looking at the phone then at me not knowing what to say or do.

"I am sorry, I think there has been a misunderstanding," I don't know what to say, what if it is true?

"Hannah, we saw you on tv and managed to get your details from your work, the kind receptionist helped us out," The unknown caller says. Of course, she gives random people my phone number. I can feel my hands and throat tensing up. I was abandoned so if this really is them, I don't want to speak to them.

"Well, I don't want to speak to you so if you can please remove me from your phone," I say wanting to leave the call.

"Why-"

"Because you abandoned me! Why else? I had to go through life without you! I had to struggle and pay and do everything by myself with very little help!" I shout with tears starting to roll down my face like an endless stream.

"Hannah please just listen to us," I can't even talk my throat feels like it has swollen up, It is getting hard to breathe and everything is going blurry.

"Hannah? Focus on me, you're having a panic attack I need you to lis-" I faintly hear Tom say as he holds me close to him, then, it goes black. I don't know how long I am out for, but all I see is black. In a flash, I wake up in my bed but not my bed. Tom's bed. I am so confused and then I start to remember;  I had blacked out on a call with... my parents? Tom walks in.

"Hannah! You're up, how do you feel?" Tom says sitting down next to me on the bed. My head is pounding. I feel like I am in the middle of a hangover.

"Yeah, I'm fine. How long was I out for?"  I say rubbing my head 

"1 hour, I called the hospital for advice, I didn't know if you needed medical attention," Tom says taking my hand and looking at the bracelet I am wearing.

"What happened to the callers?"

"Well. I talked to them for a bit, they are coming for dinne-"

"What! Why did you invite them! I don't want to see them," I shout my heart racing, I can't see them. 

"Look get to know them and see how it goes, please, for me. They seemed genuine enough on the call," Tom says whilst I roll my eyes and stand up. My knees are about to give way, but Tom gives me a hand. He has cooked dinner. Only for us, they are coming tomorrow. He has prepared dinner for two on the spacious wooden table. There is spaghetti with tomato sauce. Since when can Tom cook? 

"Wow, smells amazing Tom," I say looking up at him.

"Well, I was just hoping you would wake up in time for it to still to be warm," He whispers, kissing me gently on the forehead. I feel sick to my core just thinking about meeting my parents after all these years. If they had to see me on TV before they decided to phone me, were they not looking for me before? Did they even care they left a kid in a foster home?

"Thank you, Tom" I knew I couldn't eat, but I really want to try so I don't upset Tom. After our meal, we go to the sitting room and talk for what seems like hours about my parents and what we have planned. My stomach keeps turning every time I even think about them. I think all about my past and how it could have been so much better if I had had them for support, but no. I had to be alone.

"Look let's let them explain and then see where it goes from there," Tom says clearly noticing I am anxious. 

" I have an idea," He says grabbing my hand and pulling me out the door. I still have clothes that are suitable for going out thankfully. I am so confused. I have no idea where Tom Is taking me. In the car, Tom leans over to me and says.

"This is to help you, Hannah, If you meet your parents, maybe you can have something you have never had, a family, you always tell me how you wish they were there for you,"

"Tom, I already found my family; You and Charlotte are my family, to me at least," I mumble, I have a strong sense that I do not want to see my parents.

"Love you," Tom whispers grabbing my hand as we pull up near a massive field looking over London.

"24/7, oh wow Tom! This is beautiful," The field has wildflowers and long grass that are as soft as clouds. I have become speechless as Tom grabs my hand and a blanket and we make our way over to a patch of grass. Tom lays down the blanket and we both lie down on it. We look up at the stars and stay there for a while it is gorgeous and all I can think about is Tom and Charlotte, I start to fall asleep and then wake up back at the house in the morning.

"Morning darling," Tom says handing me a tea from our favourite cafe.

"Morning, thank you for bringing me home," I say taking the tea from his hands. Then I remember, my parents are coming for dinner. Yay. 

"Look at these pictures of us I took, you were seriously tired so you won't remember them," Tom shows me pictures of me and him lying under the stars together, I feel like crying, I wish I could just go back in time to that very moment where everything felt right.  For the rest of the day, I and Tom hang out and get ready. Then something he says catches my attention

"Hannah, why don't you paint us? Paint us under the stars," Tom says looking excited.

"Maybe one day," I whisper, I can't seem to stop thinking about my parents who will be over soon.

~~later~~

Knock. Knock. They are here. My stomach turns into a never-ending not. I slowly walk up to the door with Tom behind me. I hesitantly open the door and see them. They look like me, but older. The same piercing blue eyes. They come in and we sit awkwardly around the table.

"So... Why was I put in a foster home?" I say. I need to know.

"We were too young for you Hannah. We were only 18 and starting college, I didn't want to take your life by abortion so we decided to put you in foster care" I am grateful, but 18! that means they are 53. They lived their entire life together not caring that I was alone. 

"You could've come back for me you know," I say 

"We are truly sorry and we thought we could spend time with you now and get to know each other and, by the way, you got your art talent from me," My mum says. I find that rather shocking. She doesn't look at all like the artistic type. 

For the rest of the night, Tom and my parents talk and we all play games and watch movies. It feels right having them with me, but something feels off about them and I can't seem to put my finger on it. I have a great night and I plan to meet up with them tomorrow without Tom.

 The movie we pick is 'Avengers Infinity War'. Turns out my parents love Marvel too and love Loki, so that's interesting. We all watch the movie with snacks and a few moments of talking about Loki's death. Tom loves talking about how he had to act certain scenes in certain ways that make us all laugh. I am enjoying everyone's company and seeing them smiling. After several hours, my parents have to leave.

"Thank you so much for having us. Hannah we missed you," My dad says looking me in the eyes then at Tom. 

"Thank you for coming," Tom says shaking my dad's hand. After my parents leave me and Tom talk

"So that went well didn't it?" Tom says as he starts to clean up where we have been.

"Thank you, Tom, for inviting them," I say as I kiss him on the cheek to then be pulled back into a proper kiss, I love it when he does that. After a while, we head to bed and I can't stop smiling, everything is perfect once again. 

I wake up to a call from Charlotte at 1 am, I decide to pick up, It might be an emergency 

"Hello?" I say trying to make out what Charlotte is saying.

"Hannah! You need to come home soon, our apartment, it has been broken into and everything we love is gone!" I hear Charlotte gasping down the phone. I can tell she is crying. She sounds like she can't breathe but at least James is there to comfort her.

"What! I am coming home right now!" I say as I run out the front door after rapidly getting changed and hopping into the car. I quickly text Tom to let him know what's happened so when he wakes up he will know where I've gone.