A Question Of Love

"Tom wants to see you, to explain." Mandy sat in front of Jamie, holding her arm to make her listen. It had been a fortnight, and she still wouldn't even speak his name, let alone countenance any kind of conversation.

Not because she hated him, no, that had indeed been a lie. It was because she DIDN'T that she had to be like this, she reasoned. If she let even one chink in her defences slip, she would crumble. Life would be just too hard to bear.

"I don't care. I don't want to see him. I told you I hate him for what he did." she wouldn't look at Mandy. If she looked, she would give the game away.

"Have it your own way" Mandy sighed "Won't matter soon anyway, he's leaving for the States. God knows when he'll be back. If ever." she stood up and went to walk out of the room. In her head she counted backwards from 5.....4....3...

"Wait what?"

Mandy paused the countdown and smiled inwardly. "I said, he's leaving, For America. A new series being filmed. He's a producer too so will have lots of pre - and post - production to take care of. " She turned back and leaned on the doorpost. Luke had filled her in, a final last ditch attempt to get them back on track.

Tom had been a grumpy, depressed mess for the last two weeks. The incident at the party seemed to have taken all his spirit and ground it into the dirt. If Jamie was a raging torrent of hellfire and venom, Tom was the opposite. Defeated and broken.

"So... when does he go?" Jamie asked quietly, moving to sit beside her friend. "Is it official yet?"

"A month or so and no, there is going to be a press call - Kevin's coming from the States. This is huge. A major character development opportunity. Not to mention bringing someone back from the dead."

"Loki?" Jamie was intrigued, despite everything she was still a fan. Mandy smiled gently and nodded. Some things would never change - thank goodness.

"Wow. Do you think Luke would let me come to see it? The announcement I mean? Just in the background. Nothing major. I'd love to be there, see the reaction."

Mandy hugged her "Of course he will. On one condition. You meet with Tom, clear the air before he goes. You might not see him again, ever, you don't want his last memory of you to be throwing your drink over him. Do you." It wasn't a question. It was a statement.

"No, no I don't." Jamie conceeded. "I - I have a confession?" she screwed up her courage and her eyes. Mandy knew what was coming but she needed to get Jamie to say it.

"Go on, this should be good." she smirked and Jamie rolled her eyes.

"Don't make this any harder than it already is please." she took a breath "I still love him."

Mandy said nothing at first, just hugged her. Pulling back she said "I thought you were going to tell me something I didn't know?" she smiled and Jamie felt the tears well again. This time in gratitude for the friend who'd never once let her down, even when she'd let herself down.

"Hang on just one minute Luke, do you have NO recollection of what she did the last time she laid eyes on me? I may be alot of things, but a masochist I'm not. Why on earth would I want to risk another soaking at best and a slap in the face at worst?" Tom shrugged as he spoke to his friend on the phone. He was sitting looking out of the window at the sunshine, thinking he should really go for some fresh air. It had been a long day, another in a long week and an even longer couple of months.

"Because, as I've told you before, you need to make a move. You're leaving soon and you need to fix it with her before you do. I'm not suggesting you marry her - not unless you want to that is - but just get things back to somewhere that she's not throwing things at you. Now, send her the bloody text ok? What's the worst that could happen? She ignores it. At least it's not going to cost you a dry cleaning bill this time!" Luke laughed and despite himself, so did Tom.

He knew when he was beaten. "Ok, ok, I will. I'll text her when I hang up here. Might as well get it out the way. " he looked at himself in the mirror in the hall as he walked through to his office. God he looked drawn. He needed to get a grip. Yeah, his mind told him, and you know what of.

"Right, see you on Friday. Press conference starts at 3, DO NOT be late, ok? Kevin is flying in tomorrow morning, so we'll have time for a meeting in the afternoon.  You can have that chat beforehand so be at the venue by 2 at the latest. If she'd coming, tell her to get a taxi and charge it to me, ok?

"ok, I will."

"And Tom?"

"Yes?" he was curious now. "What?"

"Don't mess this up, ok? This is your last chance. Just ask her to come and say you want to talk to her. In private. Got that?"

"Yes, Luke." he started to hang up and then stopped. "Luke?"

"Mhmm? What is it, mate?"

"Thanks," Luke could hear the despair in his voice. Luke shook his head, Tom did deserve another chance. He only hoped Jamie had the strength somewhere inside to give it to him. She would never regret it if she did. That much he did know.