20. Thomas
20
THOMAS
T homas woke the next day with a jolt. He sat up in bed and rubbed his eyes, aware that something was different.
‘Morning.’ Lena was smiling up at him.
She had stayed the night!
They’d had gin and tonics and then some wine with their food and they’d talked into the small hours. By that point, Fifi had been snoring on her bed in the lounge and Thomas and Lena had been on the sofa sharing a blanket because it had got quite cold. The June days were warm but the temperature dropped in the nights after dark, and so rather than light the fire, they’d snuggled close under the blanket. They’d talked about lots of things but kept it light — favourite movies, books, Netflix series and so on. It had been a form of getting to know you at a dating level and he’d really enjoyed himself. But then they’d realised the time, and he’d offered to walk Lena home. She’d resisted the offer, claiming she’d be fine, and so he’d suggested she could stay in his bed and he’d take the sofa. Lena though, had said she would stay but only if they cuddled up in his bed.
Nothing had happened other than cuddling. They had kissed chastely, and he’d spooned her, then they’d fallen asleep, exhausted by their day on the beach and sated by the food and alcohol they’d consumed.
‘Did you sleep well?’ Lena asked, pushing her hair back from her face.
‘Very well.’ He smiled.
‘Me too. Must’ve been all the fresh air and talking.’ She reached over and touched his arm, and he covered her hand with his.
‘Talking definitely has a soporific effect on me.’ He winked and she giggled.
‘Are you saying that I bored you?’ She sat up and pouted.
‘Not at all. I think it’s just the process of sharing things. It helps me sleep.’
‘Well, you know what to do then,’ she said. ‘Keep talking!’
‘Are you hungry?’ He tucked a few strands of her red hair behind her left ear and then gently stroked her cheek.
‘I am actually.’
‘I’ll make us some breakfast.’ He turned around and grabbed his phone off the bedside table. ‘I have time.’
‘Oh, sorry. Do you have plans?’
‘I’m working up at the rescue sanctuary again today.’
‘Of course.’ She nodded. ‘I’d forgotten.’
‘We have time to eat though.’ He leant over and kissed her forehead then got out of bed. He was wearing sleep shorts and a T-shirt, so he pulled joggers on over the shorts and grabbed a hoodie. ‘Avocado toast OK?’
‘Perfect.’ She lay back down and stretched out and Thomas paused for a moment and gazed at her. She was so beautiful he could look at her all day long. Especially when she was in his bed. But he wasn’t ready for anything other than cuddling. His confidence had taken such a knock that he couldn’t let himself be that vulnerable. Not yet anyway. And Lena had told him she felt the same way about waiting to see how things went and getting to know each other better. They were, it seemed, on the same page. Anyone could have sex, but Thomas had never wanted to be like that. For him, intimacy was an enhancement to a relationship not the only part of it that mattered.
Downstairs, Fifi greeted him enthusiastically, then he opened the bifold doors for her to go out, filled her bowl with food and set about making breakfast and coffee. He hummed as he worked, a sense of contentment warming him. Being held through the night had been comforting and the endorphins must have had a positive effect because he felt really good this morning. Thomas didn’t mind living alone but there was something nice about having company and knowing that there was someone else in the cottage.
When the toast was done, he put the pot of coffee and mugs on the kitchen table then called Lena. She arrived in the kitchen with her hair like a red halo around her head, a soft blush in her cheeks and a light in her eyes that he’d seen in his own in the bathroom mirror. The connection they had was clearly good for both of them.
They’d just sat down to eat when there was a knock at the front door, the sound of a key being inserted into the lock and then, ‘Thomas? It’s only me.’
Thomas met Lena’s eyes, and her mouth dropped open in surprise.
‘It’s Marnie,’ he said. ‘She has her own key.’
‘I gathered that. How are we going to explain this?’ Lena’s eyes were so wide that Thomas couldn’t help himself and he laughed.
‘We’re adults. We don’t have to explain anything.’ He gave her hand a squeeze.
‘Thomas, I brought some fresh bread that Bligh made this morning and—’ Marnie froze in the kitchen doorway as she took in the sight before her. ‘Oh… Hello . I didn’t know you had company.’
Her wide smile told Thomas that his sister was delighted.
‘Marnie.’ He gave a nod. ‘This is…’
‘I know, I know!’ She waved a hand and came to the table. ‘Hello, Lena. Lovely to see you.’ She put the bread on the table, pulled out a chair and sat down heavily, holding her bump as if it might fall off. ‘Oh, that’s better.’
‘Are you all right?’ he asked.
‘Yes, fine. Bligh’s at home so I said I’d walk over here with the bread and get some exercise. My body aches so much at the moment that I can’t get comfy at night, so I like to walk it off when I get up. Honestly, I’ll be glad when this little one is out in the world.’ She spoke mainly to Lena as if she couldn’t take her eyes off her. ‘So, you stayed over did you?’
‘Marnie!’ Thomas warned.
She turned to him and took his hand. ‘Stop stressing, Thomas. It’s fine if you had a sleepover. Lovely, in fact. You know, it’s been a long time since Thomas has shown any interest in anyone. I’m so happy to see you two getting along so well. It’s made my day.’ Her eyes strayed to Thomas’ plate. ‘Is that avocado toast?’
He smiled then slid the plate over to her. ‘Do you want a herbal tea?’
‘Mint would be grand, thanks.’
He made tea while Marnie ate his breakfast. Marnie and Lena chatted about Marnie’s pregnancy and Lena’s writing, about what she thought of Porthpenny and what her summer plans were. He made himself a piece of toast that he ate while standing and Fifi sat at his feet gazing hopefully at him until he gave her a small piece.
When he took the tea to the table, Marnie stood up and said, ‘That was delicious, thanks. And now I need the loo. Again.’ She rolled her eyes then left the kitchen and Thomas looked over at Lena.
‘I’m so sorry about that. Marnie is lovely but she can be a bit of a bloodhound.’
‘She’d have been a good journalist,’ Lena said with a smile.
‘That’s very true,’ he agreed. ‘But she means well.’
‘It’s fine, honestly. She clearly cares about you and wants you to be happy and that’s a good thing.’
‘She’s a good sister.’
‘Evidently.’ Lena drained her coffee. ‘But I should probably get going so you can get ready for work.’
He helped her gather her things then walked her to the front door. They stood there gazing at each other, a thousand words buried in their hearts just waiting to be shared. He placed his hands on her shoulders then moved them up to her face and cupped her cheeks.
‘I wish you didn’t have to go,’ he said softly.
‘I don’t want to go,’ she said. ‘But you have work, and I need to write.’
‘It’s true.’ He cleared his throat. ‘Can I phone you later?’ He wanted to ask to see her, but he also didn’t want to crowd her or overwhelm her. They both had emotions to process and seeing her again this evening would probably be overdoing it. He knew how much he liked her, but he also knew he had to process what was happening between them.
‘I’d like that.’ She moved to her tiptoes and kissed him softly on the mouth then sighed. ‘Right, I’m going. Have a great day.’
‘You too.’
He watched as she walked along the path and then down towards the harbour. When he closed the door, his chest was tight. Saying goodbye wasn’t easy at all.
‘She seems very nice,’ Marnie said from the top of the stairs, breaking into his thoughts.
‘She’s amazing.’ He rubbed at the back of his neck and released a long sigh.
‘But you’re scared?’ she asked as she descended the stairs and stood in front of him.
‘Terrified.’
‘And that’s OK. It’s natural. Normal. But I can sense that she’s a good one, Thomas. She won’t hurt you.’
‘We need to get to know each other better,’ he said.
‘She spent the night! That’s getting to know each other, I’d say.’
‘Nothing happened. We just talked and ate and slept.’
‘Really?’ Marnie’s brows rose slowly.
‘Not that I want to discuss my sex life with you, dear sister, but yes, nothing happened. I don’t want to rush this and ruin it. We both feel the same. We want to take it slowly and see if how we feel is real.’
Marnie rubbed his arm and smiled. ‘That’s very sensible of you, baby brother. I’m proud of you. There aren’t many men like you out there, I’m sure.’
‘What about Bligh?’
‘Oh he’s the best there is.’ Marnie’s smile broadened. ‘I do love him.’
‘I know you do, and he loves you. You’re perfect together.’
Marnie glowed at the praise. ‘I think so. But I want that for you too, Thomas. I long to see you happy and settled with a woman who will truly love you.’
‘That would be nice. But let’s take this one step at a time, eh?’
‘Yes, that’s a very good plan.’ She gave a small nod. ‘Do you think my tea is ready?’
‘It is. Come on and I’ll see if I can find you a biscuit.’
‘I’m going to be the size of a mansion by the time this baby comes.’ She padded off along the hallway and Thomas followed her.
‘Not a mansion, but maybe a shed,’ he teased.
‘A small shed?’ she asked as she sat down, and he handed her a mug.
‘Definitely.’ He kissed the top of her head then went in search of biscuits.
When he found them, he placed them on the table and sat down. Fifi spotted the packet and came to sit next to Marnie, resting her head on Marnie’s leg.
‘This girl is beautiful,’ Marnie said. ‘Are you going to keep her?’
‘I don’t think I can let her go now,’ he admitted.
And silently he said, I don’t think I can let Lena go either. The idea of life without Fifi or Lena is unbearable.
‘Which one are you talking about there?’ Marnie asked as if reading his mind. Then she looked at him and said, ‘Ahhh, I see. You want to keep them both.’
‘Eat your biscuits,’ he said with a wink. ‘And then I need to get ready for work.’
Thomas tidied up the breakfast things while Marnie made a fuss of Fifi, and he found himself imagining a life where he had both Lena and Fifi in his home. It looked like it would be a wonderful life indeed.