Barbara sat in her car outside Tommy's flat. She'd been there for some time looking at Charlotte's business card and thinking about all the incredibly thoughtless things she'd said that evening. She wanted desperately to take it all back, to rewind the clock and stop it at the kiss. He had kissed her, after all these years! And she had slapped him.
"Stupid, stupid, stupid."
Banging her head against the steering wheel and mumbling to herself did little to help but she kept on anyway. Until a tap on her window and a familiar voice startled her.
"You'll give yourself a bruise."
She stopped punishing herself and just rested her hands and head on the steering wheel.
Tommy opened her door and extended his hand. She had no choice but to take it. When she stepped out he pulled her into a hug. Barbara didn't fight him, she held on instead.
"I'd invite you in for a cup of tea, but I need you to do one thing first."
She pulled back and looked him in the eye. "What?"
"I need you to shut up."
She started to balk. "Why should I…?"
Tommy held up a finger to stop her. Barbara was tired of fighting, so she capitulated by running her fingers across her mouth like a zipper.
He smiled at her action and slid his arm round her shoulder. "Come on in, I have a lot to say."