olivia , tom hiddleston

twenty

chapter twenty
that makes us a family, right?
Wednesday 7th March 2018

It had only been a week since Tom Hiddleston had taken Lyra and Asher to their school. However, it had already become his favourite thing to do.

The wind blew softly against the man's cheeks as he and Olivia walked hand in hand through the playground to stand outside Lyra's door. It was Asher's birthday, and the pair were both tingling with nerves as they thought of the gifts they had got the boy.

As Tom and Olivia hadn't wanted to push the "co-parenting" on each other, they'd got him separate presents. Neither of them had admitted their love, but they didn't feel it was necessary.

"You understand you're part of our family now, right?" Olivia blurted out as she watched Tom's thumb rub soothing caresses into her skin. She looked to him, a small smile on her lips. This was it. This was her moment. She had never felt so sure of anything in her life, as she gazed into his piercing blue eyes. This whole activity felt so right that she wanted to pounce on the man and shower him with kisses.

Not only was her partner in love with her children, but he enjoyed these moments more than even herself. Tom and Olivia were stood hand in hand in a school playground, waiting for Olivia's children. And she had never felt more like a family until this moment.

"The kids, they love you with all their hearts, and I can see you love them just as much." Olivia went on, but she hesitated, as she always will, when it comes to admitting her feelings. "And that makes us a family, right?"

"Olivia," Tom mumbled, as he pulled her to a quieter spot in the play ground. "You have absolutely no idea how happy that has made me feel."

"But what sort of family is one where we don't love each other?" Olivia asked, carefully and wearily.

Tom stared at her, and his eyes glasses over with a clouded and hurt emotion. "You don't love me?"

"I love you so much." She whispered. Tom's lips began to form into a smile as the creases in his face formed roads of possibilities and joy.

"I love you too." He replied loudly, he was proud, and incredibly joyous. Tom was about to pull Olivia into a kiss, until he was interrupted by heavy slapping feet and large excited breathes. "Mummy! Tommy!" Lyra exclaimed.

"Hello, honey. How was school?" Olivia smiled after Lyra gave her the signature sloppy kiss.

"Amazing!" Lyra heaved out, and she looked about she was burst with information of a long and exciting day. "Oh no! I left my lunchbox!"

"Don't worry, darling, I'll get it for you." Tom volunteered, but secretly, he was dying to chat to Andrew, Lyra's teacher again. The pair had hit it off quite easily over the last week, finding common ground in a love for Wimbledon and Shakespeare. Andrew had often commented on how great of a teacher Tom would make.

"Thank you, love." Olivia smiled softly at him, and the two girls waited patiently for him to return. Lyra just babbled on about her day, which included art class, maths, religion and golden time. She was ecstatic that her and her friends had played tag for 40 minutes because of their good behaviour.

"Mummy, mummy!" Lyra started to Bob up and down on her feet as she saw Asher's classroom door open up. "Is Asher opening his presents when we get home?"