Welcome Home

Resting in peace

Mia dozed as they drove. Tom glanced across and smiled. She was shattered and needed this little break in spades. He was just overwhelmed to think he was the one thing she felt she could trust in all this madness. She looked so peaceful as she slept. He wished she could feel it awake, too.

He knew, despite the front she tried to put on most of the time, she was still scared. He couldn't begin to imagine what her mind replayed from that night. All he knew was he wanted to take away the painful fear, take away the uncertainty, and replace it with his love.

They arrived just as dusk was falling. Tom's mum stood waiting at the door as they drove up. He'd confessed the true nature of the 'little place' he was taking her to during the drive. At first, she'd panicked and said she couldn't. She'd almost collapsed with nerves.  His mother? His sister? What would they think? She was rolling up, sans any kind of house gift, with their precious Tom. An intruder, a flaky one at that. She'd cried and almost begged him to take her back home.

For once, though, he'd actually refused her something. He knew the truth - his mum and his sister would love her almost as much as he did. And she would discover they were every bit as wonderful as he knew them to be. Emma's bad habit of winding him up aside, that was!

As he helped her from the car, Mia yawned and stretched. Looking around, she smiled. It was a beautiful house, an old Victorian style villa with a pretty garden and a porch covered in roses . If anyone had a more picture-perfect country house, she couldn't imagine it.

Opening the small gate, Tom gently guided her towards their welcoming committee. To say Diana Hiddleston had been surprised at Tom's call would be an exaggeration. He'd been in love before. He'd brought girls home before. What did surprise her, however, was the look on his face as he walked up with her.  This wasn't his usual slightly shy, embarrassed at being caught kissing a girl, self. The Tom that approached tonight was a proud - and worried - man. His whole demeanour radiated love and concern. Mia was, it seemed, different. How different remained to be seen. 

Diana stepped forward and opened her arms, "My dear, you must be Mia." she hugged her warmly. "You look worn out, my dear, but you are so very welcome here. Please come in and rest."

Mia felt overwhelmed, yet again, the Hiddleston family was just impossibly wonderfully welcoming. 

"Thank you, thank you so much, Mrs Hiddleston. I'm so sorry I haven't brought you anything. Tom didn't tell me till it was too late!" She smiled sheepishly, and Diana laughed.

"Oh, but my dear, you HAVE. You brought me my boy!  He's so busy these days I haven't been able to pin him down for a visit for quite some time.  Now come away in, and we'll get you settled." She threaded her arm through Mia's and took her indoors.

As she did so, a pretty young woman with Tom's eyes appeared at the kitchen door.  She waved a teatowel and called over. "Hi! I'm Emma, pleased to meet you! I have so many tales to tell you!" She winked, and then as she caught sight of Tom, threw the teatowel in the air and launched herself at him screeching like a banshee.

"Tommmmmmeeeeeeeee!" He caught her and swung her round laughing.

"Nice to see you too, sis!" He kissed her cheek, and they walked back into the kitchen. Their voices muffled as the door shut, and Mia climbed the stairs.

Entering the guest room, she put her bag on the bed and watched as Diana closed the curtains and lit a side lamp.  Then she came and sat on the bed, gesturing to Mia to do the same.

"My dear, your eyes look like you have been to hell and back. I have no right to pry, and no need to know anything you dont want me to, but if there's anything I can do, even just offer a shoulder, please just tell me. Tom told me about the attack, that in itself would drive most people over the edge. You, my dear, are stronger than you think, but never forget WE are all here for you - if Tom lets us within 10 feet of his precious girl, that is!" She winked and smiled, lightening the atmosphere.

Mia sat for a moment, then nodded slowly. "Thank you, Mrs Hiddleston. It's been... challenging, to say the least. But Tom - and now you - are so kind.  I'm just so tired. Of being scared, of being sad and of being just plain tired.  Tom is a wonderful, caring man. I can see he's been taught by example.  He makes me feel there is nothing in this world that can hurt me anymore, and there is nothing I wouldn't do for him. Thank you for this." She took Diana's hand "when my Fiance Craig was killed, I never thought I would be happy again. Love was for other people. My heart couldn't cope. But meeting Tom changed all that." She smiled, and the eyes that previously showed her devastation now glowed with a deep love. Diana knew that they were destined to be together forever, even if they hadn't quite realised that far ahead yet.

"There's one thing you I'd like you to know. "Mia said quietly "We haven't, I haven't wanted..I felt I couldn't" she faltered for a second, why was she telling her this most intimate detail? Why? Because she wanted to make sure Diana realised just how committed to him she was. This wasn't a quick 'roll in the hay' and use him as a quick fix. This was far more. She blushed as she dried up, and Tom's mum smiled kindly.

"I understand completely, Mia. Thank you for trusting me with that. Please don't think there is anything you can tell me that will embarrass me so nothing in turn should embarrass you - if we are to be as close as I predict we will be, there will be many more times we both need to lean on each other." She kissed her cheek gently. "You really are very special." she patted her hand and then stood up.

She could see exactly why Tom loved this genuinely beautiful woman. She'd met many of Tom's girls over the years, but there was something quietly genuine about Mia. She would always  love him for who he was, not what he was. "Come on, let's get a cuppa.  Supper won't be ready for a bit."