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“Okay, Mom.” Lyla sniffled into the phone, doing her best to hide her sadness. “I miss you too. Give my love to Dad. And Snickers. And Lulu.” Her chin dropped towards her chest as her mind wander. “No, I’m fine, Mom. Just allergies. Yes, I’m taking my — I got to go. Talk to you soon.” She hung up the phone before she completely broke down.
In the colder air of London, Lyla’s tear wet her cheeks and chin, chilling the skin. She pulled her thin sweater around her body, protecting from the cooler weather. Having moved three months ago from the West Coast, Lyla struggled with a proper fall and winter wardrobe for London.
When she entered her tiny apartment, Lyla sunk into her secondhand sofa and listened to nothing while staring at her boxes of books stacked against the wall next to the unassembled bookcases she purchased. Unpacking was not her priority. Surviving was.
Lyla never expected to move this far away from home. But when a golden opportunity to apprentice with the Royal Shakespeare Company Costuming Department came up, her mother practically put her on the plane herself.
“This is your dream, Lyla.” Marjorie Brooks said to her daughter as she read the letter. “If you weren’t going to accept, then why apply?”
“I never thought I would get an offer.” Lyla stared down at the letter on Royal Shakespeare Company letterhead. “I can’t you and Dad—”
“—will do just fine.” Marjorie interrupted. “I will make sure he goes to his appointments and takes his meds.”
Lyla sighed. Her mother still worked full time at the textile factory in town. When her father started acting “distracted”, she turned her focus on making sure he took his medication and made all his appointments. In doing so, she turned down an internship with a prestigious clothing company in New York, without even telling her parents.
“But Snickers..” She pulled the orange tabby cat onto her lap. “He needs me.”
Marjorie frowned at Lyla. “Lyla Marie Brooks, this is not going to be New York all over again. You’re going and that is the end of it.”
Lyla sat there, slack-jawed, as her mother headed to the kitchen.
A sharp knock on her door rudely interrupted Lyla’s spiral of self-pity and loathing. She groaned and figured if she waited long enough, the person on the other side of the door would leave.
“Lyla, I’m not leaving.” Tom called out from the hallway outside her apartment. “So get off the sofa and answer the door.”
She grumbled the entire way to the door and opened it up to see Tom smiling sheepishly at her. “How are so fucking cheerful at 5 in the evening?”
“Hello to you too.” Tom shoved his hands into the pockets of faded black jeans. He stared at her for a moment. “Did you forget?”
Lyla’s brow furrowed at Tom. “Forget what?” She combed her fingers through her hair, tangling her light brown locks.
“Our date.” Tom smiled, running his fingers through his recently shorned ginger curls, now even more curly than when Lyla first met him.
“Daaaattteeee….” she drew out the word as if she drawled it her memory would come back.
Tom chuckled a bit. “Your bookshelves. That you bought last weekend. And I dragged up three flights of stairs. That you promised to put…” He stepped into Lyla’s apartment and spied the unopened boxes and smirked. “…together. What happened?”
“I forgot.” A hint of redness tinted her cheeks. More like a complete lack of wanting to do anything except hop on the next plane out of here and back home to hug my cat, my dog and my parents, she thought.
“Clearly.” Tom clapped his hands together. “Well then, let’s get to work.”
It took you ten minutes to find the tools and within 15 minutes, Tom put together both bookshelves together and installed on either side of your TV.
“See? That didn’t take long at all.” He moved beside her, smiling. “Thank you for the help.”
Lyla snorted. “I handed you a screwdriver and held a board.”
“Exactly. Help.” Tom gave her a side hug. “Ready to load them up?” He already moved towards the boxes.
“Um… sure.” She pulled open one of the boxes. “I unpack and you put them on the shelves?”
“Sounds like the best plan.” He reached out his hand for the books.
Twenty minutes later, the shelves were full and the boxes empty. Lyla’s eyes teared up a bit, feeling slightly more at home. She wiped at her face.
“Are you alright?” Tom’s brow furrowed as he looked at her.
“I’m fine. Just the dust.” She sniffled and pulled herself together. She glanced outside. “Oh look, it’s dark. You should be on your way.”
Tom glanced out where dusk was barely setting in. He looked at Lyla and then at her apartment. He had come over a handful of times in the past two months and not much change except for the takeaway containers in the trash. He worried, but didn’t feel comfortable pushing the issue.
“You’re right. Don’t want to say out too.” He headed to the door. “Some of us are getting together on Friday for pints. Would you like to join us?”
“I’ll think about it.” She smiled at him.
“Good. I’ll remind you. And send you the information.” Tom opened the door but leaned in for a one last hug. “Please come out.” He whispered before taking his leave.
Lyla sighed as the door clicked shut. Her heart and head a mix of emotions as she headed in to shower and then settle onto the couch with a book, cup of tea, and leftover Indian food.
-
The rest of the week had been a blur of fittings, fabric shopping, and costume repairs. Lyla had little time to think about home. She took her lunch break to Facetime her mom back home.
“Hey, mom.” She smiled into her phone.
“Hey, sweetie. How is life in glamorous London?”
“Great!” she lied. “I’ve made lots of friends. Going out. Hardly a dull moment! How’s Snickers?”
Marjorie chuckled. “Still moping. He misses you. Your bed is going to be covered in his hair by the time you come home for the holidays.”
Lyla’s lip trembled for a moment. “That silly cat. You tell him his mom is disappointed in him. “
There was a small meow in the background.
“I think he heard you.”
“Is that Bubby?” Lyla overheard her dad in the background.
“Dad?” She watched as her dad shouldered his way into frame.
“Bubby!” He smiled a warm smile. “Have you seen my camera? I can’t find it anywhere.”
“You are not asking her that! She doesn’t know. She’s been away for three months.” Marjorie argued.
“But she knows everything.” He turned back towards the phone. “Don’t you, Bubby?”
Lyla had to fight back tears. “Try the pocket of your coat, Dad. The green one you wore to the zoo.”
She watched as her dad toddled off and then heard him screaming. He came running back. “YOU FOUND IT!” He gave Marjorie a shove with his shoulder. “I told you she would know.”
“Yes, dear. Can I finish my conversation?”
“I’m not even here.” He walked away.
“I can come home.” Lyla blurted out.
“He’s fine, sweetie. You are not coming home.”
“I can book a fli—”
“You are staying put, and that’s all there is to say about it.” Marjorie said sternly. Lyla knew when her mom said “that’s all there is to say about it.” There was no more discussion.
“Yes, Mom. I got to get back to work. Talk to you tomorrow.”
She hung up the phone. It took the entire walk back to the theater to stop crying. Everyone else in the costuming department noticed but didn’t say a word. Alice, the other apprentice, set a cup of tea near Lyla.
“Homesick?”
Lyla glanced up at Alice’s bright green eyes and concerned face. She nodded.
“And my dad has these memory problems. I was the one who helped and my mom works full time. And my cat, Snickers, misses me.” Lyla sobbed softly. “I never lived away from home before.”
Alice sat down next to Lyla and placed a hand on her shoulder. “I remember when I left for university. I cried every day for two weeks. And every time I come home and left again.”
“Really?”
Alice nodded. “I used to wear sunglasses everywhere. Not the most fashionable look indoors.” She giggled. “But then I found things made university home. A sandwich shop like the one I used to eat at. A new pub to go to with friends. It just takes time.”
Lyla grabbed the cup of tea and sipped. “There was this pork schnitzel sandwich at this local diner. My dad would take me there on Sundays. They put this gravy on it.” She sighed. “I think I’m going to head home, if you don’t mind.”
Alice nodded. “I’ll let Anders know. See you on Monday.” she hesitated before giving Lyla a quick hug. “You have my number. Call my anytime.”
Lyla nodded, gathered her things, and headed home. She grabbed a pint of ice cream and headed to her bedroom, crying.
Tom whistled as he headed into the costuming department. He had a sneaking suspicion Lyla would duck out on his invitation.
“Oh, Mr. Hiddleston!” Alice perked up as he walked in. “Your fitting isn’t until next Tuesday.”
Tom’s brow quirked. “I’m not… I was looking for Lyla Brooks.”
Alice smirked. “She left early today.” She shrugged her shoulders. “She wasn’t feeling well.”
“Oh dear. I hope she feels better.” Tom sheepishly tucked his hands into his pockets. He turned to head out.
“Wait!” Alice grabbed his arm. “I think there is something you could do to help.”
-
Lyla woke up from her late afternoon nap to continuous knocking on her door.
“For fuck sakes, go away!” She yelled as she peeked through the hole to see Tom standing there. Lyla fumbled with the lock. “Tom, what are you doing… SHIT! The pub. I f—”
“Forgot?” He smiled at her. “I am sensing a pattern. I heard you weren’t feeling well and left early.”
She grew self-conscious. “It’s just a cold. I’ll be right as rain by Monday. No need to worry.” She coughed for effect.
“But I do worry.” He raised his shoulders. “I can’t help it.” Tom held up a greasy paper bag. “Pork schnitzel sandwich. With gravy.” He pointed to the bag. “For two.”
“Alice, I’m going to—”
“Take it easy on her. She worries too.” He cautiously stepped into her apartment. “I remember missing home.”
Lyla nodded, fighting back. “How old were you?” She went to the kitchen and grabbed some plates for the sandwiches.
Tom set the bag on her small table. “Seven.” Lyla’s mouth dropped open. “Boarding school is pretty common over here.”
“Did you cry?”
Tom nodded. “But it got better. I made friends. Created a home away from home.”
She inhaled the scent of the sandwich and broke down. “I miss it so much. I miss them.”
Tom wrapped his arms around her and pulled Lyla against his chest. “I know. It hurts.”
She sobbed for she didn’t know how long, leaving two wet spots on Tom’s sweater. “I’ve ruined your sweater.” She mumbled, pulling back.
“I have seven more at home just like it, don’t worry.” Tom grinned down at her. “Feel better getting all that out?”
She nodded, wiping her face with the back of her sleeve. “Sorry for the outburst.”
“Nonsense, what are friends for?” Tom commented. “Let’s eat and why don’t you tell me all about home and your family. I have found talking about it makes it easier to deal with.”
Lyla sighed and sat down as Tom handed her a sandwich. She took a bite and moaned. “It tastes like home.”
Tom took a big bite of his own sandwich. “Oh, that is fantastic.” He took another big bite and his eyes rolled back into his head.
Lyla giggled for the first time in a long time. “I told Alice it was the best.” She settled back into her chair. “So you want to hear about my family.”
“I want to hear everything.” Tom grinned.
-
Several hours later, Tom and Lyla were still chatting over empty plates and full cups of coffee. Tom glanced at his phone.
“If I stay much longer, I might turn into a pumpkin.” Tom wiped his hands and stood.
Lyla caught the time. “Oh my god, I took your whole evening. The pub, your friends.”
“I’ll catch them next time. Besides, I spent time with a friend who needed me more.”
Lyla walked him to the door and hugged Tom tightly. “Thank you. I needed this.”
He squeezed her hard. “I am here if you ever need to cry or talk or just stare at the wall.” Tom chuckled. “Do you feel better?”
“Much.”
“Then mission accomplished. And next time, I fully expect you to come out with me. To an actual place. That serves food. I only make house calls for emergencies.”
Lyla grinned and giggled. “Deal. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Tom opened the door. “Goodnight, Lyla.”
“Goodnight, Tom.”
He gave a little wave before heading down the hallway and down the stairs. Lyla watched from her window as Tom stepped out onto the sidewalk. He turned and gave her a small smile and waved before heading down the street towards the Tube station.
Lyla grabbed her phone and sent a text to her mom.
Mom, I made a new friend today. And you will never guess who it is.