Page 14 of Save You
Before I have time to come to terms with what’s about to happen, the door has already burst open. A woman with short, black curly hair and an outfit that is only half done up, looks before her with a deep-set scowl on her face.
“She’s blonde?!”
Tom runs his hand through his dark, messy hair before trying to manhandle Elspeth out of the room, all the while mouthing an apology to both me and Mrs Topple. Alas, Elspeth has other ideas, and thrashes back against his chest. Tom braces himself against the doorframe just as she seizes the opportunity to march over to me with what can only be described as a murderous look in her eye. I’m studied under an exaggerated sneer. She looks me up and down as though I physically repulse her. Once satisfied that she’s made me feel like crap on the bottom of her shoe, she turns back to face Tom, who is now looking just as murderous as she is. She throws her hand out toward me and points, “This is who you’re turning me down for?”
“Hello,” I say calmly, finding a voice from I have no idea where, “my name’s Rose. Tom has told me all about you, Elspeth, lovely to finally meet you.” I try to shake the finger that’s still pointing at me, but all I get is a narrowing of her eyes, and a cheeky grin from Tom.
“She’s American?” she asks with an exaggerated laugh. “And a dim-witted, little, mousey wife too! I can’t believe you are turning me down for this, this…” She’s spitting out each word with pent-up venom, letting everyone in the room know how much she hates me, even though she’s the one who, to all intents and purposes, is sleeping with my husband.
“I never turned you down, Elspeth,” Tom says as he folds his arms calmly and confidently, “I told you I wouldn’t run away with you because I was happily married with a child on the way. If you want something more than what I’m offering, you know where the door is, sweetheart!”
“But she’s nothing compared to me!” Elspeth runs over to him and clings to his shirt. “She’s not even pretty!”
“Er…I am in the room!” I put my hand up like a kid at school, trying to make light of the fact that this bitch has just openly insulted me in front of my fake husband.
“Shut up, Yankee!” Elspeth growls at me. “Be a good little wifey and let the grownups talk. You’re nothing but an incubator!”
Something about the way she told me to be silent while others decide my future gets to me. A distasteful memory from the past that stabs so painfully, I have to pull myself up to try and run away from it all.
“Excuse me,” I mutter quietly and begin to shuffle as fast as my bump and swollen ankles will allow me to.
“No!” Tom shouts. “Rose, sit back down and ignore whatever this unwanted visitor tries to say to you. She’s outstayed her welcome. Elspeth, get out and pretend like you don’t even know me. We’re done!”
“Oh, you are kidding me!” she laughs nervously before changing tact and clinging onto his shirt in what looks like desperation. “Tom, please…”
Her actions and words appear to land on deaf ears, all the while he refuses to touch her. Instead, gets up real close to her face and openly snarls.
“Take your crap and get the fuck out of my house! No one talks to my wife and future mother of my child like that. No one!”
For a brief moment, I feel bad for Elspeth in her half-dressed, sorry state, looking fit to burst with tears. However, she then turns back to me and sneers with such derision, all sympathy quickly dissipates.
Tom silently watches her leave before diverting his gaze back to me with a much softer set of eyes and a sheepish smile upon his face. We look at one another for a moment or two, completely unsure as to what to do or say next. To be honest, I’m not entirely sure if he’s going to yell at me or apologize. He does neither. Instead, he places those warm hands of his on my arms and pulls me in for a hug, one that tells me he’s sorry and not to listen to any of the abuse that was just hurled at me.
“Well, I must say, that’s the most excitement I’ve had in years!” Mrs Topple giggles, prompting Tom to finally let me go and help me back inside of the chair again.
“How are you doing today, darlin’?” he asks as he takes hold of one of my swollen ankles between his hands and begins rubbing it with such a tender touch, you wouldn’t believe how angry he just was.
“Better than you, it would seem.” My answer earns me a cheeky boy smile and a wink.
“If you don’t mind me saying, you two are a rather odd couple!” Mrs Topple declaration snaps me out of my little euphoria over Tom’s heavenly foot massage. “I’m glad you stood up for your wife, Tom, but to be playing away under the same roof where your wife is struggling with being post due, is rather callous, don’t you think?”
Mrs Topple delivers the accusation with curiosity rather than condemnation, but I can see it still hurts him. He’s about to answer her, but I feel the need to chime in, being desperate to defend him after all that he has done for me.
“Oh, it’s ok,” I say with a shrug and a nonchalant expression, “I’ve encouraged Tom to seek intimacy elsewhere. Tom works hard and needs a loving touch; one I can’t give him right now. Right, sweetheart?”
Don’t get me wrong, if Tom was my real husband, and this was his child, there is no way in hell I would want him going anywhere but with me. I didn’t much care what Carl did with other women. In fact, I would have preferred him to seek sexual satisfaction elsewhere, but I have never wanted him near me. Unfortunately, he always sought my body above all others, whether it be to rape, abuse, or whatever he decided to do to me that day. However, if I was with Tom, I can admit that I would only want him to desire me.
However, seeing as this is all for my benefit, I can’t stand by and let him take on other people’s judgments, especially when he has tried so hard to protect me. When I look at him, he is staring right back at me, as if conflicted by something I can’t work out.
“You’ve got a very understanding girl there, Thomas,” Mrs Topple says with a grin. “Far better than any of those other women you bring home. I’d give her a kiss if I were you. The poor girl must be physically and emotionally drained, regardless of how good she’s being about it.”
Tom and I look at one another with instant awkwardness, with him running his nervous hand through his hair, and me fidgeting with a piece of cotton between my fingers. Suddenly, and without any kind of warning, Tom reaches up and pecks me on the lips before drawing away again. It’s enough to shock me with a healthy blush, but it would seem Mrs Topple is not sated with his feeble attempt. Just to make her dissatisfaction clear, she tuts at him.
“Call that a kiss? For the woman you love? For the woman carrying your baby inside of her? Even my Percy could kiss better than that! Come on, boy, give it a bit of welly!”
She punches at the air with her frail fist and we both burst out laughing.
“You’re a feisty old girl, aren’t you, Mother?” Tom teases her. “Ok, Mother, just for you!”