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“Excuse me? Hello?”
“Are you alright, darling?”
“Can you hear me? Should I fetch some help?”
I jumped when I felt the shadow of a touch on my upper arm. I averted my gaze from the large red cabbage grasped between my hands to the slender yet masculine palm resting carefully just above my elbow. From his hand, my eyes followed along his coat covered forearm and bicep, all the way to his face. I had to tilt my head up slightly, he was taller than I realised.
“Hello? Sorry I didn't mean to startle you, but you’re obviously very upset,” the man asked, his concerned eyes bore into mine.
I was obviously very upset? I clutched the cabbage in one hand and brought the other up to brush at my face and was surprised to find tears. How long had I been here, in the fruit and veg section of my local twenty-four hour superstore, in the middle of the night, crying over a cabbage?
“Erm...” I looked back at the man again. Tall, slim, wrapped in an outfit of black, or at least jean’s which used to be black but were now well washed, and a black waterproof jacket, and a black baseball cap pulled down over his head, and an array of messy curls sticking out from around the sides. He was waiting for my reply, “I...I'm okay.”
“I don’t think you are, darling,” he’d removed his hand from my arm, but he was still close and clearly worried about the nutter he’d happened upon, sobbing in the vegetable aisle of Tesco, “Do you need me to call someone?”
“No...no.”
“Well is there anything I can do?” he asked, and I realised he wasn’t letting this drop. This was mortifying, he might be a stranger but he must think I’m a right looney. I noticed in one of his large hands he held two cans of dog food.
“You have a dog?” I wasn’t sure why I asked. Obviously he had a dog.
“I do,” he smiled slightly and glanced at the pet food in his hand, ‘A cocker spaniel called Bobby.”
“I love dogs...I’m not allowed pets in my flat...” oh shit, more tears.
“Woah, woah. Hey now. None of that,” the stranger quickly took the cabbage from my hands and shoved it back with the others, and he took my hand in his, giving it a gentle squeeze, “My name Tom. May I ask yours?”
“Bobbie.”
“Bobbie,” he grinned, “Now that’s a coincidence isn’t it? Short for Roberta?”
“Yes.”
“Okay, Bobbie, would you like to tell my why you are so upset? Of course you don’t have to...”
I thought back to the moments before I’d apparently had some sort of mental breakdown in the supermarket at stupid o'clock at night. I’d only popped out because I needed potatoes, for dinner tomorrow.
“Its really stupid.”
“Its not stupid if you’re this upset about it.”
“Its...its a bit embarrassing.”
“I’m not going to judge you, Bobbie,” I liked the way this man, this man called Tom who I’d never met before, said my name. It was like I was the only person in the world at that moment and he only cared about what I had to say.
“I don’t think I can afford the cabbage,” I admitted finally, I watched his brow crease in confusion. But he didn’t make any assumptions he just nodded and silently urged me to explain myself, “What I mean is... well I have my parents coming for Sunday lunch tomorrow and I only came out for potatoes. I have everything else. But then I saw the cabbage and I remembered how much they love braised red cabbage. But...but I’ve just been made redundant and...and I don’t even know if I can afford my rent and I’m not sure if I can justify seventy-nine pence for a cabbage.”
“I’m really sorry to hear about your job,” Tom squeezed my hand again, I’d not even realised he was still holding it, “I’m sure given the circumstances your parents will understand and really won’t miss the cabbage.”
“They don't know...no one knows...well you know now.”
“Ah...I see,”
“I don’t know what I’m going to do. I can't ask my parents for help, they already take every opportunity to tell everyone what a failure I am compared to my brother. They’ll revel in this...”
“You’ve been made redundant, Bobbie. They can hardly blame you for that, it’s out of your control.”
“But I am a failure. Because Mum and Dad always told me to be more careful. To save money just in case and I didn’t. I couldn't because I had to live...and now...now I’m thirty-one years old and I’m worried about buying a fucking cabbage. I know there are people so much worse off than me. But right now...right now I just feel so hopeless,” I shuddered, holding back more tears. Why the hell was I unburdening myself on this practical stranger? I felt so pathetic.
“Come on,” the man said suddenly, picking up the cabbage again and handing it back to me “Did you say you needed potatoes too?”
“Erm. Yeah,” I frowned, clutching the cabbage in both hands.
“Anything else? What about drinks? Pudding?”
“I ah...I have some beers in my fridge. Some ice cream I think. I was just going to make do,” I shrugged.
“Nonsense,” he shook his head, “Let me get your dinner things for tomorrow, and before you say anything, not as an act of charity, I assure you. But let me assuage your worries for tomorrow by doing this? Yes?”
“No...no I can’t let you do that,” I shook my head, “I’m not impoverished. I just...I need to he careful and it’s just –”
“I understand. You’ve clearly had a really difficult and stressful few weeks and you’re upset. That’s to be expected. But you’re not alone, I know I don’t know you, but I’m offering to make just one thing easier. Because tomorrow you need to tell your parents, but at least you can do so over an incredible roast dinner, now come along,” Tom finished, beckoning me to follow him, I trailed behind him as we walked through the almost empty supermarket, mostly the only people there were the night staff stocking the shelves. Tom handed me a bag of potatoes, he fetched a cheesecake from the patisserie and then picked up a bottle of white wine from an end of the aisle promotion. He’d occasionally ask a question like “Do you have gravy granules?” or “Do you have enough oil for the potatoes?”.
Around ten minutes later we were at the checkout where he instructed me to put down my harmful of goods and he added his two cans of dog food and proceeded to make polite conversation with the cashier as she scanned his goods and he bagged them up for me in a heavy duty ‘bag for life’. He handed the bag to me and took his own purchases and together we headed for the exit.
“Erm...thank you, Tom,” I said quietly as we stopped just on the path outside the shop, it had started to rain and I watched him pull his hood up, “You’re very kind.”
“Not at all, Bobbie...good luck tomorrow. I hope it goes alright,” he smiled kindly.
“Bye then,” I gave a small wave and turned and started my walk home. I felt guilty, like I owed this stranger something for his random act of kindness, of which I felt completely undeserving. I felt quite embarrassed by the whole ordeal when I started thinking about it.
I’d just hit the pavement by the entrance to the carpark and ready to make my walk home. I was hoping the rain wouldn’t get any heavier and I desperately wanted my bed. I’d actually just been getting ready for bed when I’d realised I didn’t have any potatoes, and deciding I’d sooner go out at late at night on a Saturday, instead of tearing down there at ten o’clock on a Sunday morning, I’d pulled my clothes back on and made the twenty minute walk along the main road to my local supermarket.
The sound of a car engine slowing next to me filled me with a sudden panic. Shit, now I was going to get attacked or snatched off the street, just how horrific did tonight want to get for me?
“You’re not walking are you?” relief filled me as I slowed my steps and turned to see Tom, warm and dry in his car, and driving slowly along the road next to me.
“Its not far,” I assured him.
“Nonsense, the heavens are about to open. Get in,” he jerked his head to the passenger side. It occurred to me this man had used the worse ‘nonsense' at least three times since we'd met and although I’d hesitated it was abundantly obvious this man was a genuine, good soul and was absolutely no threat to me whatsoever.
I walked around the car and let myself in, stuffing my shopping bag in the footwell, “Its really not far,” I repeated as I fastened my seatbelt.
“Its raining, you have a heavy shopping bag and it’s late, you shouldn’t be walking around on your own,” Tom stressed, “And I’d feel much better knowing I’d dropped you safely to your door, given how upset you are.”
“I’m feeling much better now, thanks to you,” for the first time I smiled, and as he took his eyes off the road for just a second he caught my expression and smiled back, “I feel a bit embarrassed if anything.”
“We are all entitled to a little melt down now and then. Otherwise we’d just bottle everything up and that’s not healthy,” Tom went on, driving along the main road, “Where am I taking you?”
“Oh just keep going until the big round about and take the third exit,” he nodded.
“So... do you mind me asking what you do? Or did? Before you were made redundant?”
“Oh, it was only a call centre job. Erm...customer service based. Nothing important,” I shrugged.
“Of course it’s important, it’s a job. Someone has to do it.”
“Unless the company goes into administration,” I let out a rueful chuckle.
“Again, not your fault.”
“Actually, I worked in customer relations,” I added, “So basically spent my days dealing with unhappy people trying to make them happy.”
“See, that’s an important job.”
“Not amazing though, like...I’m not saving lives or making a difference.”
“We can't all be heroes,” Tom shook his head.
“Take the next left,” I instructed, “Then my building is just up here on the right.”
Seconds later Tom pulled up in front of the purpose built block of flats in which I resided.
“Well, again, it was lovely to meet you, Bobbie,” Tom shut off the engine and turned to look at me.
“Yes, you too, thank you so much for the food...and the lift home. There aren’t many acts of genuine kindness these days. You’ve really helped me put things into perspective.”
“For what it’s worth...if you felt your job lacked purpose, perhaps this is your chance to make a change. I know it’s hard now, but try and see this as a fresh start,” Tom suggested, and I nodded. Of course it was an easy thing to say, but acting on it wasn’t so simple.
“Thanks, Tom,” I smiled gratefully and climbed out the car. He didn’t pull off until I closed the main front door and waved back at him through the glass.
∞∞∞
I should have asked for his number. I realised that whilst half way through my morning shower, and I was wondering how on earth I could go about thanking a man I had no way of contacting. I hadn’t even got his last name.
All I knew was that his name was Tom and he had a cocker spaniel who shared my name.
And he was lovely.
Not just because he was the kindest, sweetest man I’d ever met in my life. But he hadn’t been bad to look at either. Though I might have been remembering my rescuer through rose tinted spectacles. I dis remember his long, lithe frame, kind, ocean blue eyes and sharp , angular jaw.
No, I was fairly sure the stranger from last night, who I only knew as Tom, was an angel sent from above and if it wasn’t for the cabbage sitting on my kitchen worktop waiting to be chopped and braised in cider vinegar, then I might have convinced myself that I’d dreamt the whole thing.
I prepared the cabbage first, then the rest of the vegetables. I’d put the chicken in the oven around midday in time for my parents arriving at two o'clock. Just enough time to apply some make up and make myself look slightly less like someone who had been crying in Tesco at midnight.
I’d just finished applying mascara when there was a knock on my internal door. I frowned, my neighbours never bothered me, but it was an entry phone building. My parents had a key code but they weren’t due for another few hours.
I hurried through my small flat and peered through the peep hole and on the other side I was completely stunned and baffled to see Tom. I took a deep breath and swung the door open.
“Hi!” I exclaimed a little too enthusiastically, perhaps.
“Hello again,” he smiled warmly and I noticed immediately he was not alone. At his feet on a lead was a well behaved spaniel who was watching me keenly, likely awaiting his masters permission to greet me properly.
“I...how did you know which number I was?”
“Someone let me in downstairs, I knocked on a couple of doors, your neighbour pointed me in the right direction, the security in this building is a bit lacking, I have to say...”
“Beggars can't be choosers,” I smirked and he chuckled quietly, obviously happy that I saw the funny side of his jibe, “What are you doing here? No wait...don’t answer that, please come in first. Don’t stand out in the hall.”
He accepted my invitation and stepped through the threshold into my small living space looking around as he did so, taking it all in, “Sorry to turn up like this...I know you’re busy today.”
“No, I’m glad you did. Honestly, last night I was in such a state and this morning I realised, once I worked out that you’d not been a figment of my imagination, that I had no way of contacting you. I wanted to properly thank you for...rescuing me I suppose. Nothing like that’s ever happened to me before,” I explained, then turned my attention to the dog at his heels. I dropped to my knees and held a hand out, “Hello, you must be Bobby, that’s my name too,” I greeted the lovely chap with ear rub and he immediately covered my hand in wet dog kisses.
“How are you feeling this morning?”
“Still embarrassed,” I laughed a little, and pulled myself back up to stand “and extremely grateful to you.”
“I felt awful leaving you. But I could see you were a little nervous about spending too long in the company of a stranger. I got home last night and if I’m honest I couldn’t sleep for thinking about you.”
“Oh!” I let out a surprised sound, “Well, please don’t worry yourself over me. I’m fine, really.”
“No...I wasn't worried. Well...no of course I was a little worried,” he corrected himself, “This is going terribly wrong...what I mean to say, is that...I think a lot of things happen for a reason, I think I was meant to help you last night. But if I’m honest my intentions were not entirely honourable. You see... I saw you and it would be remiss of me not to notice how beautiful you are. I foolishly assumed that maybe the only reason a pretty girl would be crying over cabbage is because she’d been treated horribly by a man, and the romantic in me thought perhaps I could swoop in and sweep you off your feet.”
I stared at him for a second, lips parted in surprise at his admission. Then...I laughed. I couldn’t help it, I started giggling like a child.
“Oh, Tom...” I breathed, “I’m sorry, I don't mean to laugh, that’s all very sweet honestly.”
“Sweet and stupid,” he groused and I realised he thought I was laughing at him.
“Sorry, it’s not you I’m laughing at it’s just...the situation. I bet you wished you’d never spoken to me. You bit off a bit more than you could chew. I basically offloaded a world of worry onto you.”
“I feel a bit of a tit, if I’m honest. But it doesn’t change the fact that...I still think you’re a very beautiful woman. Not to mention funny and kind...and I know you’re going through a difficult time at the moment, but if you really wanted to thank me for last night, I was wondering if you might accompany me to dinner one evening this week? On a date, that is?”
“ You’re asking me on a date?” he nodded, “Even knowing that I’m a complete headcase who cries over vegetables, has no job, and soon probably won’t have a home either?”
“Knowing all those things, I’d still like to take you on a date,” he agreed.
“I...don't know...” the flash of rejection in his eyes made me feel immediately guilty, “What I mean is, I don’t know anything about you. You know practically my life story, and all I know about you is that your names Tom and you have a dog called Bobby,” the spaniel cocked his head at the sound of his name, “And I have no doubt you’re amazing guy, but I am a little guarded...perhaps we can start with...your last name?”
“Oh...” he looked momentarily surprised, “Sure...erm...it’s Hiddleston. My name is Tom Hiddleston.”
“Okay, Mr. Hiddleston,” I grinned at him, “Are you local?”
“I have a cottage, just about a half hour walk away.”
“Wow, two houses...so you’re a...businessman?”
“An actor, actually,” he looked a bit sheepish now.
“Oh,” I’d not expected that answer, then I studied him a bit closer, an actor? He didn’t really look like an actor. Though I guess he was attractive enough...
“Is there anything else you'd like to know?”
“Yes...” I bit my lip, “Would you like to stay for lunch today. I understand if that’s a bit weird... but I could totally do with some moral support as I break the news of my unemployment to my parents.”
“I’d love to stay for lunch,” he chuckled.
∞∞∞
“I did warn you about them before,” I laughed, as I leant against my hallway wall, by my front door, and watched Tom slip his boots back on, and pick his jacket off my coat hooks.
“You did, you did…but… I honestly didn’t think they’d be that bad, what does your brother actually do?”
“Oh… he’s an actor,” Tom locked eyes with me, and I laughed, “Alright, Mr Movie Star, he’s not like a famous one. He works on the West End though, he’s currently in the ensemble for Wicked. He sings, and dances.”
“Why didn’t your parents say anything?”
“Well, the minute you started name dropping Steven Spielberg and Kenneth Branagh I think you left them a bit lost for words. Hell, you left me lost for words!”
“I should have told you.”
“In your defence, you did tell me you were an actor. But to be honest, I should be the fucking actor, I should win a flipping Oscar for the act I put on in there, pretending like I’d known you ages, and obviously knew you were like super famous or whatever,” I was giggling, when Tom stepped closer to me.
“Well, seems I’ve rescued you once again. Your Mum and Dad didn’t even seem to care that much about you losing your job, when they learnt you had a boyfriend,” I could feel his breath on my face, and smell a slight hint of the coffee he’d just finished.
“I still can’t believe you told them that!”
“It was fun though right? Seeing the look of delight on your Mum’s face. She looked like Christmas had come early.”
“It was fun, I do feel a bit bad lying to them though. I hear the whole ‘when are you going to meet a nice man and settle down?’ nearly as much as I hear ‘why can’t you be more like your brother and do something with your life’,” I laughed bitterly.
“Now that’s a feeling I can relate to. My sisters are both settled down with families of their own. Every time I see Mum she hints at me ‘meeting a nice girl’. But don’t beat yourself up too much, besides, it might not be a lie for much longer, I think you owe me about three dates by now?” He smirked, and brought his hands to rest on my hips. He tugged me away from the wall, and my body lined up with his, not forcefully, but enough for me to feel his warmth through my clothes.
“Three?” I exclaimed, “How did I rack up three?”
“Alright, two,” he decided, “Because your parents left five hours ago, and I’m still here, so we can count this as one, which is why I want to give you a goodnight kiss.”
“Oh? You do, do you?” I teased.
“I definitely do,” he confirmed, as his lips grazed mine. Almost immediately, my hands which had been resting idly at my sides came up to Tom’s neck, the fingers of my left hand wrapped around the back, pulling him in closer so I could deepen the kiss, whilst the ones on my right tangled themselves into his curls. His hair was much silkier than I’d expected. I hummed into the kiss, enjoying this completely unexpected turn of events. Alright, maybe it wasn’t that unexpected, but I’d certainly not expected a kiss tonight.
Eventually, we were interrupted by a little ‘ruff’ from my third houseguest. Bobby, until this point had been sitting patiently by the front door, but clearly he’d had enough of watching his human share saliva, with the strange new woman who shared his name. The poor boy had been so confused, and every time he heard my name, he didn’t know if he was coming or going.
“Alright,” Tom pulled away reluctantly, “I should go, I need to get this one home.”
“Okay,” I sighed, sadly.
“But you’ve got my number, now, and I’ve got yours. And I’m picking you up on Wednesday at seven?”
“Yep,” I grinned, remembering the date we’d arranged earlier in the day whilst he’d helped me set the table and prepare for my parents arrival, “I can’t wait.”
“Me neither,” Tom agreed, and quickly leant in again, stealing another kiss, “I can’t wait for more of those.”
“Greedy.”
“You have no idea, cabbage girl.”
“Alright, I’ll put this out there right now. As far as pet names go, I don’t like that one.”