There’s some minor trouble in the paradise known as Xenu Xanadu (I should copyright that). It seems that Katie Holmes totally finds her husband Tom Cruise exhausting, and Tom knows it. While Katie is in Australia filming the creepy thriller Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark, Tom has been spotted hanging out everywhere but Australia. It has just seemed like Tom is having a great time while Katie was slogging away at work Down Under. The first sign was a small, innocuous report from People that Tom Cruise was dancing his ass off at a Beyonce concert. Not only dancing, but dancing to “Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)”. Sometimes Tom is a bit adorable, isn’t he? Then a few days later, Tom and Victoria Beckham chilled out, girl-talking in the skybox, watching Goldenballs play with the L.A. Galaxy. After the game, Tom, Posh and Becks went to a club, and Tom and Becks flirted with girls while Posh sulked.

In Touch Weekly is reporting that all of this time away from each other was a conscious choice made by both Katie and Tom. According to the report, Katie is “grateful” that Tom left her because, for Katie, “The best present he could give Katie was letting her get on with her work.” Shocking!

[Katie Holmes] was thousands of miles away, but Tom Cruise was still up for a good time. After cheering on his pal David Beckham… on July 19, Tom partied until the wee hours with David and his wife, Victoria, at Hyde Lounge in West Hollywood.

“Tom was acting like he was just out of college,” says a witness. The night before, Tom was seen rocking out at a Coldplay concert, and before that, he was busting a move to “Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)” at Beyonce’s July 13 show.

It’s a far cry from the old Tom, who seemed happiest when he and Katie were attached at the hip. But according to the couple’s friends, Tom is fine with keeping his distance. And it may just be the thing that saves their marriage.

For weeks, Katie has been in Melbourne, Australia, preparing to shoot the movie Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark. But while Tom joined her and their daughter Suri, 3, there in early July for his birthday, as insider says there was tension between the couple – and Tom left on July 7 so that Katie could have space.

“Katie’s grateful that Tom went home and let her get on with the movie,” says a source.

Though Tom has always been supportive of Katie’s career, he showed that support in the past by making his presence known. Nearly three years into their marriage, though, Katie wants to be known as more than just Mrs. Tom Cruise. And that entails spending some time apart.

In Melbourne, Tom took Katie out for romantic dinners and evenings to the theater, the source says – but she was in no mood for date nights. Stresses out over her movie role, Katie fought with Tom, says the insider.

Instead of sticking around, adds the insider, Tom jetted off to Tahiti, where he went on a cruise with pals, including his old friend James Packer, before heading home to LA.

Meanwhile, Katie – whose rep says Tom will be going back and forth for visits – relaxed at the hotel pool with Suri the day Tom left.

“The best present he could give Katie was letting her get on with her work,” says the source. And he’s probably right.

“Couples try to force time together, when sometimes they really need space to cool off,” says Dr. Michelle Callahan [who does not treat Tom or Katie]. “Time apart could reinvigorate the relationship.”

[From In Touch, print edition, August 10 2009]

So Katie picked some fights with Tom too? Good for her. It’s always nice to see the Kate-Bot showing some spine. And Tom is probably irritating as hell after a while. What’s weird (to me) is that Suri is with her mom. I’d imagine looking after little Princess Suri solo, while filming a movie, is much more exhausting than anything Tom could come out with. Why didn’t Suri go with her dad for a little holiday? Maybe Katie didn’t want to be apart from Suri, even for a few weeks.

I know the demise of Tom and Katie has been called over and over again, but I do wonder about them. Those recent pregnancy rumors came and went quickly. Looks like that alleged baby bump was just Katie eating a bad burrito and being gassy or something. I really think Katie puts up a fight every now and then, and she wants their life together to be different. The question is this: if Katie doesn’t get her way at some point, will she leave?

Here’s Katie with Suri on the set of “Don’t Be Afraid Of The Dark” on July 28th and 29th. Images thanks to Fame Pictures .