An: Sometimes tradgedy is just little more fun to write that the average fairytale. Enjoy.
It was like they had been together their entire lives. After all the secrets, the lies, and the age gap had managed to force their way between them, they let down their walls and found hope in each other. They had their differences, their problems and their fair amount of arguing. Things hadn't exactly been going according to plan these last few months, but Tommy had found a way to make that change.
They lived together in a house. A house they had picked together, a house that looked and felt right, a house where perhaps one day they could see themselves starting a family, in the far, far distance. They each had their daily routines, and then they would come home to each other where they could listen to one another, touch one another, melt into one another without any other eyes upon them.
It had been a long hard day at work. Tommy was no longer Jude's producer, but he remained her muse. Together they made beautiful music.
The house seemed quieter than usual as he unlocked the door and took off his jacket. There was no smell coming from the kitchen, not that Jude knew how to cook, but she always attempted it for him. There was no noise coming from the family room where she was usually watching reruns of her favorite shows, and there was no music coming from their home studio. There was nothing, no sign that she was home except her coat hanging side by side to his on their coat hanger.
He dug his hand deep into his pocket and smiled as his hand gracefully swiped the velvet box resting on its side. He carried it around with him all day after he bought it on his way to work this morning. All day, whenever he wanted to think of her, he placed his hand his pocket and remembered everything they shared.
The floor creaked under his feet as he made his way up the wooden stairs. Today was her day off from the studio, but she showed up to take him lunch. Perhaps she was taking a nap, or taking a bath. He pondered the many possibilities as he made his way closer and closer to their bedroom door.
His hand rested upon the door knob and he turned it slowly, trying to make as little noise as possible. He didn't want to disturb her if she was sleeping, and he wanted this to be a surprise, she wasn't expecting him home for another hour. Once the door was open just enough for his head, he peaked into the room where he could make out her form in their bed, small and slender, sound asleep, so peaceful and so perfect. A smile played across his face as he opened the door a little more, so he could slide his body though.
His body froze; there next to her was another figure, a male figure, a man who was not him, sharing their bed. He felt the tears flood into his eyes faster than he ever would have imagined. He had to be dreaming, there had to be some explanation, on all days, why today?
He made his way to her side of the bed. He watched her sleep; her body fell up and down as she breathed in and out and in and out. She was so quiet and looked so happy. There was a smile on her face as she slept a smile that cut into his heart, it felt like there were only slivers left inside him.
"I came home early," he whispered to himself, "I was here for a reason," his eyes were wide and the shock was becoming too much for him.
He watched her peaceful body rest and sat down next to her, sinking into the floor and allowing him to cry silently. Her porcelain skin glowed in the setting sun. Her natural skin, with no make-up was what he loved most about her. Waking up by her side every morning and looking into eyes, her true beauty was the reason he woke up every morning. He never expected this.
"But now I understand," he laid his head into this palms. All the nights that she never came home, claiming to be working in the studio all night, the strange sent of cologne wavering after her as she walked down the hall, claiming it was her producers. The lighter that he found stuffed between the passenger seat in her car. It was all making sense and he didn't know why he had never noticed before.
He had so many hopes and dreams. Just earlier in the day he was envisioning their future together, their happy life, and the many moments that had yet to come.
"Why?" he asked himself looking up at her.
The warmth of his breath caused her to stir and she opened her eyes slowly, "Tommy?" she groggily whispered.
His tears fell down his cheeks as he watched her open her eyes. There was no time to sit and stare, "Couldn't we talk this through?"
Their problems never seemed big enough that she would resort to something this heart wrenching. There was no sign that she no longer loved him, or vise-versa, they had what he thought was a healthy relationship, besides her now obvious cheating.
"Couldn't we talk this through?" he repeated, "and make things right?"
"Tommy…" she said firmly with a hint of regret in her voice. Her eyes came into focus and she stirred in bed, glancing at the man lying next to her and then back at Tommy. He was a mess, his face what wet, his shirt was wet, and he could barely hold himself together to even look at her.
"Because I'd sure as hell like to try Jude, I'd sure as hell like to try" he spoke to the floor.
She didn't respond to his question, it hadn't processed in her head what was happening, "How long have you been there?" she didn't move.
He couldn't believe she was asking him that. That was all she could come up with? Here he was, his heart obviously broken, looking for some explanation so that he could get upset, or angry, anything but sit there like a pathetic little boy whose puppy just ran away. He wanted to be mad, but all he could do was cry.
She closed her eyes again, lying on her back, she sighed.
He sat there, unable to speak and unable to move, his body frozen in time, this was all becoming too real too fast.
Waiting for an answer, she opened her eyes again to find him staring at her, she nodded her head in understanding and shifted her weight further away from him, "I didn't think you cared…" a tear fell from her eyes.
He couldn't believe she just said that, turning this around to make him look like the guilty one, blaming him for her infidelity, "What would ever give you that impression? I love you Jude, I've never done or said anything to make you believe otherwise," he stared at her, watching as she became uncomfortable.
The man next to her remained asleep as she put her full attention towards Tommy sitting on the floor next to her, "There is nothing left that you can do."
"Nothing left that I can do?" he cried.
"You just can't understand what I've been though," she closed her eyes as the tears began to fall harder. He would never understand, she was protecting him, as much as it hurt her to watch him cry and beg and plead, this was the way it had to be. She loved him to much to stay with him.
"And if the world has changed, well I'll be damned," she continued.
"What are you talking about Jude? Tell me please, I don't understand. Where did I go wrong?" he didn't understand anything that was going on, so many questions swarmed his head.
"I'm no good at being brave," she cried, "not even on my better days," she shook her had, "There are things we cannot save, no matter how hard we try," the tears by this point were uncontrollable, as she looked away from him, and closed her eyes.
"Jude, this isn't you, I don't know what you are talking about, but this isn't you," he shook his head. Jude was the strongest person he knew; she always stood up for herself, and never let anyone tell her otherwise. She was giving up on their relationship, she was giving up on him and it hurt like hell.
Her eyes remained closed, she was hoping that he would just go away, but she knew he wouldn't. He loved her too much to just walk out the door.
"You'll do fine," she whispered, trying her best to give him encouraging words to leave.
He knew she wanted him to leave, but he was hanging on to every last thread of their relationship.
His tears remained heavy as he reached up his trembling hand and placed it on her cheek. She tensed up at the feeling of his hand on her cheek and turned her head away from him. He choked on his tears, there was no way that he could say goodbye to her. Not after everything that they had been through, not even after this. No matter how hard he tried, he could never say goodbye.
He reached his hand back into this pocket, feeling the velvet box once again. But this time he pulled it out with him. He placed it next to her pillow in her bed, as he stood up and walked out the door.
She heard the door close and opened her eyes; she picked up the box and opened it. It was a plain ring, white gold with a simple single diamond on top, she removed the ring from the box and slid it on her own finger, "Yes," she whispered to herself, "yes."
But he would never hear the words, he had already made his way down the stairs and out the front door, if this is what she wanted, he would let her have it. He loved her too much to do anything otherwise.