Along Came Awkward

"Oh for fucks sake," Laura groaned dropping her head miserably into her hands. Today. Today was the day that Tom would see why it's not so easy. Needless to say her stress level was easily beyond a ten. Other than the fact that today would probably ruin her relationship with Tom, today was going pretty well. Her husband had gone away on another business trip to return in just under a week. Her hair looked nice and her house was clean. The lunch she had prepared turned out better than expected too. If she didn't feel so miserable about herself, she would probably conclude that it was a good day.

The doorbell rang and she peaked outside seeing Tom at the door. "Fuck," she mumbled. She didn't want him here first. "Oh well," she sighed before sauntering to the door. "This'll have to do."

"'Ello," Tom smiled meekly before passing her. Laura frowned and followed him in to the living room.

"I made some lunch. We can have some in a bit."

Tom nodded before sitting on the couch. Laura sat near him and stared in her lap. The air was thick and quiet. She hated the quiet, especially around him. It made her think of when Tom and her had sex and all they did was sit in quiet. It made her feel even more wretched than she already did.

Tom crossed hands and place them in his lap. He wasn't worried. He wasn't nervous. He simply just waited. Tom knew deep in his heart that today would make or break their relationship - or whatever it was that they had. Their relationship was on the edge of falling apart since day one and it wouldn't surprise him in the slightest if it did. Not that he wouldn't be heartbroken, he would. Tom really did care of her.

The screeching of a bus's breaks polluted the air outside. Laura's eyes widened. The high pitched noise only amplified in her head resembling the sound of nails being slowly dragged down a chalkboard. It was time. She took a quiet breath before standing up and making her way to the door. Tom watched as her trembling hand grasped the handle and turned. It seemed as if time has stopped.

Tom smiled to himself as he grabbed Laura and held her in his arms. They had just gotten done long boarding and were laying in bed after the second time they had sex. This time was different, however. This time Laura was letting Tom hold her. She had herself cuddled into his side fitting her body perfectly against his. She seemed like a puzzle piece that finally complete Tom. The only thing that bothered him was that they still haven't kissed. He wasn't planning on pushing her though. He wanted to kiss when she wanted too. It was only then that it would feel right.

Laura raised her fingers and began tracing little shapes on his chest. It made her upset still that she couldn't be with him. She wanted nothing more than to wake up scrunched into a little ball in his side every day. She wanted to kiss him. Hell, there was nothing more that she wanted then his lips on hers right now.

It just wasn't who she was though. She may not love her husband, and sure she has slept with Tom, but to Laura, the lips were a place for a couple only. They were almost sacred to her to be reserved for those who she loved and those who loved her as well.

A part of her didn't even want to be with Tom just so when he found out why in a couple days, she wouldn't end up alone and afraid. She couldn't depend on her husband and if Tom left her, she would be alone for sure. The only thing that would be left would be her job as a school teacher and chi-

"Sunshine?" Tom whispered.

Laura's darkened thoughts snapped up to Tom. She looked into his blue eyes seeing that he was just as flustered as she was. Her dry lips rubbed together before speaking, "you don't have to call me that."

They both were calm despite their racing thoughts and racing hearts. "What do yeh want me to call yeh?"

She licked her lips and closed her eyes remembering back to day one when they had first met. Sunshine is what she asked Tom to call her. Sunshine is what everyone had called her. It was the nickname bestowed upon her that made her think of happier times with her old friend. Every day the name held less and less meaning when the man she wanted to be with said it. He could be her new source of happiness. "Call me Laura."

Tom's brows scrunched together as he looked at the peculiar girl. "Laura," he repeated before a small smile found its way on his face. "I like that."

Laura nodded and continued drawing patterns on his chest. She drew an 'I' and paused, a shape of a heart and paused, and a 'u' and paused.

Tom kissed the top of her head and pulled her closer. "I heart yeh too, Laur."

Just as the memory flashed before his eyes, the clicking of the door opening snapped him away from what may have been the last happy time with her. "Mommy!" A young girl's voice rang.

Tom's brain had a lapse as he failed to process what was in front of him. There she was, the reason why Laura and himself couldn't be together. She had a daughter. She had a daughter with him, the other Tom. It all made sense now. From the drawings on the refrigerator to that day when her husband was talking about paying the bill for a camp. She had a daughter.

Laura picked up her daughter and waved the bus driver from the summer camp off. She graced a sweet kiss on her cheek before grinning. She missed her a lot while she was away. "Tom," Laura smiled. She seemed radiant now, a drastic comparison to how she was just a few moments before. "This is Lily, my daughter."