Chapter 4: Sunday

Tom woke up, arose from the couch, and looked out the window. The wind had picked up overnight and the trees had lost their first few leaves, but were still mostly green. Still, the sky was clear and Daria should have a nice trip back to Raft. Except for the party at Terry's and the ensuing fallout they had a nice weekend together. Daria's train would leave early in the afternoon. So, Tom wanted to be certain she had a good brunch to hold her until she was back in Boston. Food on the train was mostly overpriced packaged stuff. With those thoughts he headed into the bathroom to shave and shower. When he was done and had dressed Tom opened the door to the bathroom to leave. Standing there was Daria holding her toiletries case. She had put on her glasses this morning.

"Good morning beautiful," Tom said and leaned over to give Daria a kiss. Daria turned her head and he kissed her cheek.

"No kissing until after tooth brushing!" Daria exclaimed. "Would you start some coffee please?"

"For you, anything," Tom replied. "While you get ready, think about whether you want me to make you brunch here or we can go out. Your choice!"

"Right now I just need coffee. I would prefer to take it intravenously if you don't mind."

"Coming right up. See you in a few minutes."

A little while later the two were sitting on the couch drinking their coffee. Daria turned to Tom and remarked, "I've been thinking. I guess I can't really blame you for what happened at the party last night. It wasn't your fault and I know you wouldn't knowingly have taken me to a party like that. Oh, and let's go to that pancake place I saw near the train station for breakfast."

Tom felt relief wash over him. He had been tense all through the night. So afraid of losing her, he had even awakened twice with their relationship weighing on his mind. "I don't know what to say. Thank you? You know that I try to be sensitive to how you feel and I will usually ask you before trying to get you to try something new."

Daria looked down at the floor. "Witness you sleeping on the couch. I know. You are gentle with me, Tom. I need to appreciate that more. I probably need to appreciate you more. I'm not real good at this girlfriend business. My grade is probably only a 'D' in this."

Tom looked at his girlfriend. He gently grasped her chin and raised her face so that he could look into her deep brown eyes. "I don't grade you. We are working on our relationship together. A grade only reflects performance at a given time. I am looking for ours to be a much longer relationship. I certainly hope you don't see it as some sort of short term 'fling' or something like that. Please don't just cast me aside."

Looking back at Tom Daria quipped with a half-smile, "I wouldn't dream of giving your mother or Elsie the satisfaction." Both of them laughed. "Seriously, Tom, you are a gentle man and I appreciate that. I need that. Thank you for being patient with me. We will work on this relationship together. I have never ever stopped liking you. You know that was never the issue."

Tom replied, "I know." Then he kissed her.

As their lips parted Daria whispered to Tom, "This is all well and good, but your girlfriend is starving. Somebody already said last night that she is 'scrawny' so you better do something about it!"

Smiling Tom responded, "Then we are off to get pancakes! I'll carry your backpack for you. By the time we are done eating it will be time to go to the train station."

Tom and Daria each had a big stack of blueberry pancakes for brunch. They chatted and made plans for Fall Break, which was only a few weeks away.

As Tom watched the train carrying Daria pull away from the station his thoughts were that the weekend went well despite the disaster at the party. He and Daria had weathered their first crisis together. No doubt it would not be their last. But, at least they were both committed to working on their relationship. She would call him when she was back in her apartment. He would call her later in the week.

…

Please note: The characters in this story are fictional and are the property of MTV. They are used without expressed permission. This work is fan fiction and was created purely for the enjoyment of the author and those who choose to read it. This is not for sale and no income is to be derived from it.