When You & I Collide

The sun glared in through the passenger window and bounced off of Evie’s Ray Bans. She undid the window and let the cool breeze tickle her face and cool her down. She spared a glance to her right and soaked in Tom’s burley frame next to her. He was dressed casually today in a grey slogan T-shirt and jeans with a pair of huaraches. His arm rested on the steering wheel lazily, whilst he leant the other on the open window. From the side, Evie could see his thick set lips, slightly parted, murmuring lyrics to the song on the radio and she smiled, her stomach doing small flips. It was crazy when she thought about it. Here she was, bringing Tom Hardy to her hometown to meet her family having lived with him for nearly a year. After the events of the last week, Tom had cancelled all his meetings and events and decided he wanted a holiday. Evie protested, but Tom insisted it was nothing to do with her, he just needed a break. She knew it was purely a distraction, but reluctantly agreed, partly due to the fact that everything between them having a fight had somehow been forgotten in the midst of everything else and if she was honest with herself, she could do with being back home for a bit. Despite her time in London, she was normally pretty close to her family and missed them terribly. She had 3 brothers and spent most of her childhood, scrapping just as hard as them, or climbing trees just as high as them. They toughened her up, but were still very protective of her, which was one of the reasons she had omitted most of the incidents with Sam previously. They had been briefed now though prior to them arriving and were aware that Evie did not want to discuss it. Most of her injuries were superficial, and had nearly disappeared, save for the stitch left in her lip. She had a small scar that would run through the left of her cupids bow. Tom had said it gave her character and she like the thought that he had studied her mouth. She felt very nervous bringing Tom here. After the initial shock, her parents would certainly be questioning their relationship, and she wasn’t sure how to answer it. Hell, she didn’t know how to explain it to herself. All she knew, was that there had always been static between them and over time, this had risen to an electricity she was unable to control…
After a while, they pulled up to a large gravel driveway lined with sweetgum trees. The summer sun shone through the leaves creating a picturesque view, it looked like a painting. The trees eventually opened up to a large rustic looking country house with a wooden beamed windows, giving a pretty feel. Evie took a deep breath and plastered a smile on her face, stepping out the car which Tom had opened for her. She couldn’t quite meet his eyes, too nervous for what the weekend would hold.
‘Evie!’ An older lady bounded down the steps and swooped Evie up in a loving hug. She looked just like Evie, except for streaks of silver in her blonde hair. And her Icy blue eyes were a stark contrast to Evie’s emerald Greens. She plastered a big kiss on her cheek and turned round, taking Tom in her sights, sizing him up. She was clearly not star struck, Tom thought inwardly, which actually made him relax a little. He was just as nervous as Evie. He wasn’t quite sure what had made him convince Evie to come home, he just wanted to get her away from London. He could see the happiness being sucked out of her right before his eyes and he felt desperate to see her smile. He needed to leave as well. After everything that had happened he felt a fierce protectiveness over her and the thought that her ex had laid harm on her whilst he was there and he couldn’t do anything about it made him boil with rage. That rage was fast consuming him and his mind needed a distraction. The incident left them both feeling very fragile and it was a snap decision to just up and leave.
He smiled nervously, rooted to the spot. This woman had a look of steel and Tom could feel her protectiveness of Evie radiate from her. ‘Nice to meet you Mrs Hanlon, thank you for having me this weekend’ he leaned in to take her hand, when he was suddenly pulled in to a tight embrace. ‘you’re welcome anytime Hen’ Her mother replied in a thick Glaswegian accent. He visibly relaxed at her warm welcome and followed them both in to the house.
The next hour consisted of more greetings as Evie’s brothers and dad traded manly handshakes and talked about football, getting to know Tom over a crate of Lager. They all congregated in the back lawn, round the large slate table. The garden was half an acre in size at least with a large decking area that was covered in wooden beams with hanging bulb lights. More trees lined the bottom of the garden which was gone to a delegate log cabin for guests. The family dog Xena had taken a liking to Tom as he casually laughed with the guys, throwing the dogs ball every now and then, before dropping down to give the burley German shepherd a big cuddle. Evie was helping her mum in the kitchen, the patio doors were wide open, letting the breeze cool them down. They were prepping food for a BBQ that her mum insisted on having now Evie was home, and Evie fell naturally back in to her role as her mother’s understudy in the kitchen. The woman was an absolute legend with food and a good many parties were centred on her dishes.
Evie’s sister in laws arrived and embraced her immediately and Tom smiled as he noticed the stress vein that usually sits on her furrowed brow dissapeared and her shoulders dropped, the tightness in them visibly more relaxed. They eventually all gathered round the table and began passing food round and sharing jokes and stories, most at Evie’s expense.
‘ did she ever tell you about her sleepwalking Tom’ her brother James shouted through a mouthful of coleslaw. His mum slapped his arm for his rudeness. Evie widened her eyes but it was too late, her brothers started describing the times she would sleep walk in to their rooms and wake them all up by dancing or singing.
‘What about the time she got so drunk at Christmas we found her asleep in front of the fridge holding a bowl of leftover sprouts’ Tom spat his beer out, laughing and raising his brow to her in disbelief.
“What?! I loved my vegetables!” She retorted, sipping her wine.
The sun was set now and the lights flickered on a timer, illuminating the decking. The temperature had dropped slightly, that Evie pulled her thin cardigan on but it was still warm.
‘ Evie, can you give me a hand sorting the guest house out for tom?’ Her mum asked, giving her a knowing look. It was a tight ship run in the Hanlon household; if you weren’t married, you weren’t sharing a bed. Not that Evie was thinking about sharing a bed with tom anyway.. she blushed and cleared her throat, following her mother to the cabin.
‘ we’ve missed you sweetheart how you holding up?’ Her mum asked, pulling out the clean bed linen from the cupboard, Evie taking the other end before they spread it on the guest bed.
‘I’m good mum... really I am’ Evie replied, reinforcing the latter after getting a stern look.
‘Well I’m worried about you hen, if I’d known any of this was going to happen I’d have never let you leave in the first place’ tears filled her mother’s eye and she cleared her throat loudly and went to grab more pillows, ever the strong woman of the family. ‘ mum you can’t keeo me locked up! Look it happened and it was my fault for being stupid but that not a representation of my life in London. The last 10 months have actually been great. I’ve saved sooo much money I’m actually getting a place of my own!’ She said proudly.
‘Yes thanks to that lovely chap out there. He’s mad for you Evie you know that right?’ Evie looked at her in surprise at her mums intuitiveness.
‘Och! Anyone can see that Evie he hasn’t taken his eyes off you all night. I tho Got you were introducing us to your partner!’ Evie blushed and brushed off her mother’s comments. ‘But I’m warning you pet, he’s staying here tonight’ her mother added pointing down and giving her a look that could cut steel....

By around midnight her brothers all retreated to their old rooms with their partners and Evie and tom were casually lounging in the deck chairs look up at the stars whilst their parents washed up in the house. It was quiet now save for the crickets making noise like a background sound. Tom closed his eyes and breathed slowly, a smile on his lips. ‘ I could stay here forever’ he said without looking at Evie, and took another swig if his beer. Evie continues to look up smiling, the heady smell of the wine causing her to take a sip too. ‘It will always be my home’ she replied. She turned to look at him, he was lying back, one arm behind his head, and he looked so peaceful. ‘Thanks for this Tom, I had no idea how much I needed this’
He opened his eyes and looked at her, worry streaking his features. ‘I know you did’. They looked at each other for a few seconds, until Evie’s broke contact and stood up. ‘ I’ll err show you to your guest house, it’s not as extravagant as your place but it’s cosy’ she courtseyed playfully directing his to the bottom of the lawn where the log cabin was dimly lit. Tom said his goodnights to her parents and followed Evie, walking behind her watching her walk gracefully down the garden path. When he walked in the log cabin he was pleasantly surprised to see the inside was sleek and modern with a breakfast bar, stand alone bath and an inviting king size bed. Her mum had gone all out and left tea and biscuits for him along with fresh towels and a bathrobe. He instinctively yawned and Evie took that as her cue to leave. “Well... goodnight” she said gingerly. She paused, and looked at tom, waiting for something. For some reason, he hesitated, the first time in his life. He was nervous. Actually fucking nervous?! He shook himself mentally and took a step toward her so they were but an inch apart. He lifted his thick hand and easily cupped the side of her face. Neither of them blinked, staying perfectly still. He swallowed and he noted her sucking her bottom lip. He ran his thumb along her lip and felt her suck her breath in missing a beat. He could see her chest moving slightly faster. He studied her face for a sign that this was ok, that his touch was welcome. Ahhh blinked, as if to give him the signal, and he moved in. Befire their lips touched, a loud barking selerated them as Xena came bounding between them and she made a beeline for Tom, throwing her ball his way. Tom fell back and laughed, ruffling the excited dogs ears. When he looked up Evie was already half way down the garden. He straightened up and seen that she took one look back, smirking as she walked playfully back to the house, leaving him leaning against the doorframe. He looked down and pet Xena again. ‘Thanks for the cock block mate’ ....