Because of You
Past and Present
Flashback 7 years ago
I arrived to Tom's apartment after getting a phone call from him about his latest audition. I could tell it was bad as soon as I pulled up. I pulled out some cash and paid the taxi driver. As I rushed upstairs I prayed he wasn't destroying his things again. I walked in to hear things being thrown around in the bedroom so I proceeded with caution because sometimes he can have the worst temper even though he's one of the nicest guys you can ever meet.
"Tom?" I called out.
"In here!" He yelled back.
I walked into the bedroom and saw him looking upset.
"I take it your audition didn't go well?" I asked.
"Nope and I'm getting frustrated." He said as he sat on the bed leaning forward.
I walked over and sat by him. I rested my head on his shoulder.
"Tom, it's okay." I said sympathetically.
"No, it's not okay. I didn't leave London to come here and not do anything. Maybe this is a mistake." He said letting out a sigh.
"No, it's not a mistake. You just have to keep trying. I have never met a person that is more talented than you and I know you will be an amazing actor just have a little faith." I said before taking off my heels and getting behind him. I started to massage his massive shoulders and let out a groan and leaned back against me.
"Thank you beautiful. How was class?" He asked.
"Good but I don't want talk about it." I said giving him a kiss on the neck.
"Next year, you will be done and designing for celebrities." He said.
"Maybe." I said. He reached around me and managed to pull me on his lap.
"I know you will." He said.
"Like I know you will be a famous actor someday." I said and smiled at him.
"I hope so. Thank you for coming by just to talk me down." He said with a smile.
I gave him kiss and got up.
"It's what I do." I said.
"I'm lucky." He said.
"Why do you say that?" I asked going over to his c.d. player. I found my c.d. still in the player so I pressed play.
"I have a gorgeous girlfriend who believes in me even when I don't believe in myself." He said.
"Together for almost a year and you are finally admitting that I'm your girlfriend. Wow big steps." I said as I headed into the kitchen.
"You know I'm not ready for a big commitment." He said getting up and following me. He wrapped his arms around my waist. "I'm happy with where we are right now with each other." He said giving me another kiss.
"I know and it's fine. Just don't remind me." I kissed him again.
"Deal." He said with a smile.
***
Two weeks later,
I was meeting Tom at his place for dinner and he had something important to tell me. I definitely didn't know what he had to tell me. I opened the door and saw him lighting candles on his table.
"Aww! All of this for me?" I asked.
"Yup, I'm having a fantastic day." He said walking over to me. He grabbed my face and gave me a sweet kiss.
"I take it your trip to London went great?" I asked.
"Yes it did but I will tell you once we eat."
"Okay." I smiled brightly and followed him to the dinner table.
After dinner,
I was drinking some wine which he kept around for me even though he was a beer man.
"What's this big news you were talking about?" I asked as he finally came back to me after clearing the table. He got my wine glass and put it on the table before pulling me up to face him. His arms went around my waist and pulled me to him.
"Well, I've got a supporting role in a movie and it's paying pretty well." He said.
"Really?" I asked excited and proud of him.
"Yep." He smiled.
I squealed and hugged him tightly which he picked me up and held me to him.
"When do you start filming?" I asked.
"In two weeks." He said. "Now that's where the bad news come in. I will be filming in London for 6 months." He said.
"Oh, um okay." I said.
"Please don't be upset baby." He said.
"I'm not. I'm happy for you and so proud. I will be sad when you leave but I will suck it up." I said
"I know and I'll miss you too. Also I want to know if you will move in here. When I get back I want my girlfriend to be here and not worrying about rent while in college. My bills are all caught up for the next few months and I'll send back some money if you need to pay something." He said.
"So in other words you want me to watch your place?" I said like a smart ass.
"No, I don't want to worry about you." He said.
"Okay." I smiled.
"He lifted me up and kissed me while taking me into the bedroom.
***
Four months later,
I was getting ready class although I was tired. My cellphone rang and I reached for it seeing Tom's number. I hadn't heard from him in almost 2 weeks.
"Hello?" I said into the phone.
"Hey Liv, are you busy?" Tom asked.
"I'm about to get ready for class what's up?" I asked.
"Listen, we really need to talk." He said and my heart dropped I knew it was bad.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
"I'm not coming home at the time I thought I was." He said.
"What happened?" I asked.
"It's really complicated." He said letting out a sigh. "I really don't feel like discussing this right now over the phone."
"Did you meet someone else? Please don't lie to me, our relationship is all about honesty." I said
"Liv..." He paused. "Yes Liv I'm so sorry. I'll find another place to live when I get back. You can keep the apartment. The lease is paid up for a year and a half."
"That's it? Just a phone call and it's over like that?" I asked.
"Liv-"
"Whatever, you can keep the apartment." I said on the verge of tears and hung up. I sat down on the bed before looking down and stroking my almost 16 weeks pregnant stomach. I found out a month and a half after Tom left. Tears started streaming down my cheeks.
"It's just two of us now." I said feeling my heart breaking because I was in love with Tom.
***
7 years later,
I was getting ready for work. I put on my Louboutins that I bought last night. After graduating from school for fashion design, I became a stylist but I traded it all when I would be away from my little girl became way too much and I opened up my own boutique which has been really successful.
"Layla Brittany Sanders! If you are not ready by the time I reach the kitchen you are taking the bus!" I yelled. I grabbed my necklace putting it on. As I headed out of my room I grabbed my purse and walked downstairs. Layla was sitting at the table eating her breakfast. I walked over and I kissed her forehead.
"Hey mommy, can I have a princess birthday party?" She asked.
"I'm already planning it." I said as I sit down. She smiled brightly and I could see parts of her father in her features.
"Mommy, why don't I have a daddy?" She asked.
"You do, he's just really busy and he lives in another country." I said.
"Can I meet him?" She asked looking at me with bright eyes.
"Eat and we'll discuss this later, I have a store to manage."
"Okay mommy." She said.
I smiled knowing that I raised a great kid.
"So, after school I'm picking you up and dropping you off to soccer practice." I said.
"Okay." She said as she finished her toast. I got up and took her plate.
"Go get your things and be back in 5 minutes." I said
She ran upstairs and I quickly washed the dishes. Layla came back down while I grabbed my keys to my Audi Q7.
"I'm ready mommy." She announced.
"Good, come on let's go." I said.
I arrived to Tom's apartment after getting a phone call from him about his latest audition. I could tell it was bad as soon as I pulled up. I pulled out some cash and paid the taxi driver. As I rushed upstairs I prayed he wasn't destroying his things again. I walked in to hear things being thrown around in the bedroom so I proceeded with caution because sometimes he can have the worst temper even though he's one of the nicest guys you can ever meet.
"Tom?" I called out.
"In here!" He yelled back.
I walked into the bedroom and saw him looking upset.
"I take it your audition didn't go well?" I asked.
"Nope and I'm getting frustrated." He said as he sat on the bed leaning forward.
I walked over and sat by him. I rested my head on his shoulder.
"Tom, it's okay." I said sympathetically.
"No, it's not okay. I didn't leave London to come here and not do anything. Maybe this is a mistake." He said letting out a sigh.
"No, it's not a mistake. You just have to keep trying. I have never met a person that is more talented than you and I know you will be an amazing actor just have a little faith." I said before taking off my heels and getting behind him. I started to massage his massive shoulders and let out a groan and leaned back against me.
"Thank you beautiful. How was class?" He asked.
"Good but I don't want talk about it." I said giving him a kiss on the neck.
"Next year, you will be done and designing for celebrities." He said.
"Maybe." I said. He reached around me and managed to pull me on his lap.
"I know you will." He said.
"Like I know you will be a famous actor someday." I said and smiled at him.
"I hope so. Thank you for coming by just to talk me down." He said with a smile.
I gave him kiss and got up.
"It's what I do." I said.
"I'm lucky." He said.
"Why do you say that?" I asked going over to his c.d. player. I found my c.d. still in the player so I pressed play.
"I have a gorgeous girlfriend who believes in me even when I don't believe in myself." He said.
"Together for almost a year and you are finally admitting that I'm your girlfriend. Wow big steps." I said as I headed into the kitchen.
"You know I'm not ready for a big commitment." He said getting up and following me. He wrapped his arms around my waist. "I'm happy with where we are right now with each other." He said giving me another kiss.
"I know and it's fine. Just don't remind me." I kissed him again.
"Deal." He said with a smile.
***
Two weeks later,
I was meeting Tom at his place for dinner and he had something important to tell me. I definitely didn't know what he had to tell me. I opened the door and saw him lighting candles on his table.
"Aww! All of this for me?" I asked.
"Yup, I'm having a fantastic day." He said walking over to me. He grabbed my face and gave me a sweet kiss.
"I take it your trip to London went great?" I asked.
"Yes it did but I will tell you once we eat."
"Okay." I smiled brightly and followed him to the dinner table.
After dinner,
I was drinking some wine which he kept around for me even though he was a beer man.
"What's this big news you were talking about?" I asked as he finally came back to me after clearing the table. He got my wine glass and put it on the table before pulling me up to face him. His arms went around my waist and pulled me to him.
"Well, I've got a supporting role in a movie and it's paying pretty well." He said.
"Really?" I asked excited and proud of him.
"Yep." He smiled.
I squealed and hugged him tightly which he picked me up and held me to him.
"When do you start filming?" I asked.
"In two weeks." He said. "Now that's where the bad news come in. I will be filming in London for 6 months." He said.
"Oh, um okay." I said.
"Please don't be upset baby." He said.
"I'm not. I'm happy for you and so proud. I will be sad when you leave but I will suck it up." I said
"I know and I'll miss you too. Also I want to know if you will move in here. When I get back I want my girlfriend to be here and not worrying about rent while in college. My bills are all caught up for the next few months and I'll send back some money if you need to pay something." He said.
"So in other words you want me to watch your place?" I said like a smart ass.
"No, I don't want to worry about you." He said.
"Okay." I smiled.
"He lifted me up and kissed me while taking me into the bedroom.
***
Four months later,
I was getting ready class although I was tired. My cellphone rang and I reached for it seeing Tom's number. I hadn't heard from him in almost 2 weeks.
"Hello?" I said into the phone.
"Hey Liv, are you busy?" Tom asked.
"I'm about to get ready for class what's up?" I asked.
"Listen, we really need to talk." He said and my heart dropped I knew it was bad.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
"I'm not coming home at the time I thought I was." He said.
"What happened?" I asked.
"It's really complicated." He said letting out a sigh. "I really don't feel like discussing this right now over the phone."
"Did you meet someone else? Please don't lie to me, our relationship is all about honesty." I said
"Liv..." He paused. "Yes Liv I'm so sorry. I'll find another place to live when I get back. You can keep the apartment. The lease is paid up for a year and a half."
"That's it? Just a phone call and it's over like that?" I asked.
"Liv-"
"Whatever, you can keep the apartment." I said on the verge of tears and hung up. I sat down on the bed before looking down and stroking my almost 16 weeks pregnant stomach. I found out a month and a half after Tom left. Tears started streaming down my cheeks.
"It's just two of us now." I said feeling my heart breaking because I was in love with Tom.
***
7 years later,
I was getting ready for work. I put on my Louboutins that I bought last night. After graduating from school for fashion design, I became a stylist but I traded it all when I would be away from my little girl became way too much and I opened up my own boutique which has been really successful.
"Layla Brittany Sanders! If you are not ready by the time I reach the kitchen you are taking the bus!" I yelled. I grabbed my necklace putting it on. As I headed out of my room I grabbed my purse and walked downstairs. Layla was sitting at the table eating her breakfast. I walked over and I kissed her forehead.
"Hey mommy, can I have a princess birthday party?" She asked.
"I'm already planning it." I said as I sit down. She smiled brightly and I could see parts of her father in her features.
"Mommy, why don't I have a daddy?" She asked.
"You do, he's just really busy and he lives in another country." I said.
"Can I meet him?" She asked looking at me with bright eyes.
"Eat and we'll discuss this later, I have a store to manage."
"Okay mommy." She said.
I smiled knowing that I raised a great kid.
"So, after school I'm picking you up and dropping you off to soccer practice." I said.
"Okay." She said as she finished her toast. I got up and took her plate.
"Go get your things and be back in 5 minutes." I said
She ran upstairs and I quickly washed the dishes. Layla came back down while I grabbed my keys to my Audi Q7.
"I'm ready mommy." She announced.
"Good, come on let's go." I said.
