The Future Awaits
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Chapter 22
The week before spring break, Tommy comes in from a date, with Mike following a few minutes later. The moment Mike comes through the door, Tommy starts to sing, "Mike and Carol under a tree, k..i..s..s..i..n..g!"
Mike's face turns scarlet. "How'd you see us?"
Tommy stands, crosses his arms over his chest, and puts on a stern face. "Indian see all in woods at night."
"What were you and Andrea doing there, big chief?"
Tommy looks embarrassed.
Mike laughs. "Ah, ha! Told on yourself, didn't you, wise guy? You don't tell on me and I won't tell on you. Okay?"
Tommy finally grins. "Indian should learn to keep big mouth shut."
Mike drives on our trip home for spring break, giving me time to think about something I've been trying to avoid; the effect on Tommy when the semester's over in six weeks. Mike and I will be returning home for the summer while he remains on campus to make up some of the credits he lost by changing majors.
After some disquieting thought, I decide to ask Martha to help. The second afternoon we're home, I go to see her and explain my fears.
"I know you and Tor meant well by taking Tommy into your family, and the change in Tommy has been nothing short of miraculous. His anger is gone and he's a completely happy young man. I've noticed that he even behaves much younger than he is at times. I rather think it's an attempt to recover some of the childhood he was denied by having to be self-sufficient. If there was someway he could come home on weekends it would lessen the impact of his separation from you."
"You mean if he had a car?"
"That would certainly help, but can you afford another so soon after buying one for Mike?"
"Lord, No!" I stop and think. "Mike will be taking classes here this summer, and he can use ours. We could let Tommy have his."
"How will Mike feel about that?"
"He lets Tommy use it and he's reasonable when I need it. I expect being without it for the whole summer is going to make him unhappy, but it's the only solution I can see."
"Talk with him about it. I don't think you should put off talking with Tommy either. It would be best if you do it while you're here, so I can talk with him if I need to."
"Thanks."
That very evening, fortunately, Mike goes to see if he can find some of the guys he played soccer with. He wants Tommy to go with him, but I tell Tommy I need him to stay home. Tommy looks worried when Tor and I sit down with him in the living room.
"What did I do wrong?" he asks.
"Not a thing, babe." Tor says. "We just want to know about your summer classes."
Tommy relaxes. "I'm signing up for twelve hours."
Tor nods. "Heavy load for summer. Think you can make it?"
"Sure. I really like the classes I've had so far."
"Good. Be sure you sign up for a room in one of the newer air conditioned dorms before they're all filled."
"But I'll be liv …" That's when he begins to realize the situation. "I …," he looks at me, "you and Mike ain't gonna be there?"
"I'll be back here at the institute, babe, and Mike's classes for the summer will be here as well." I see his face crumple and tears begin to trickle. I go over and sit down beside him, putting my arm around his shoulders. "I'm sorry we're not going to be with you, but you can come home weekends, if you want. Is Andrea going to take classes this summer?"
He shakes his head. "I'm gonna be alone," he suddenly wails.
"Only for the summer. You and Mike will room together again in the fall."
Tommy runs to his room and I hear the door slam. Tor looks at me, shaking his head. "I didn't think he'd take it so hard."
"I was hoping he'd be better about it, but, damn it, he's feeling abandoned. Martha told me he might."
"He's old enough to know better. Hell, he's a man. Mike didn't act this way when he left for school."
"Look, Mike was a little guy when we got him, so he felt secure. But you know damn well how emotionally immature Tommy is. We've been the only family he's known, now he feels we're kicking him out."
Tor holds out his hands in supplication. "What the hell do we do about it?"
"You can spend more time with him while we're here and let him know you love him. I'll keep reassuring him when we go back. I wish he could stay in the flat, because it seems like home to him, but that's impossible. If he had a car he could come home weekends." I'm hoping Tor picks up on this.
"Can't, love, not after what you paid for his feet." Tor frowns in thought, then shakes his head. "Naa."
"What?"
"I wish we hadn't told Mike your car is his. I mean he's going to be here all summer, so he could use ours and Tommy could take his."
"We could ask Mike. You know he loves Tommy."
"Problem is, how much? Asking a kid his age to give up his car … ." Tor shakes his head again. "He's going to be wanting to see Carol, too, if she's in school."
"But if she's not, he'll have no reason to go up there. It will just be Tommy coming home."
"I'll ask him."
"Go see if you can reason with Tommy."
"You go; you can talk to him better than me."
"That's why I want you to go. Now's when he needs you most." I hope Mike's home soon, so we can sort things out.
Tor still hasn't come down, when I hear the garage door opener. Mike saunters in. "None of the guys are around." He looks at me. "Where's Tor and Tommy?"
"Sit down, babe, we need to talk."
He flops down in a chair. "What's up?"
"Tommy's hurting a lot right now."
"What happened?"
"Tor and I were talking to him about this summer and he realized he's going to be at school alone."
"God, he will be." Mike whispers in astonishment, instantly realizing the situation. "Andrea's not going to be there either."
"Is Carol taking classes this summer?"
"No. Why?"
"Then you'll have no reason to be going up there since your classes are here."
"What's that got to do with anything?"
"How much do you love Tommy, Mike?"
"You know I'll do anything for him, dad. Why?"
"Think hard before you answer. Would you let Tommy have your car for the summer so he can come home on weekends?"
Mike's mouth drops open. "My… my car?" He stammers.
"Yes, babe, your car."
"But what'll I do without wheels?"
"You can use the Mercedes, if Tor and I don't need it."
"Aw, shit."
"Don't say anything else right now. Go up to your room and see what's with Tor and Tommy. Don't disturb them if they’re talking, then come back down here."
He walks up the stairs far quieter than usual. He's back quickly and I see his eyes are moist. I raise an eyebrow.
He sits next to me and says quietly, "Tommy's been crying and he's hanging on to Tor. He's taking it hard, isn't he?"
"Very hard, babe."
"Doesn't he know we love him?"
"That's the problem. You know what kind of life he had, now he can't help feeling we're abandoning him."
"Will coming home weekends really help?"
"I hope it will. He loves you a great deal, Mike."
"I love him, too. God, I wish he was studying marine science like me. Then we could be together and he wouldn't feel like this."
"I know, but it's likely you'll both be leaving us after you graduate. Let's have as much time together as possible."
Mike hugs me. "He can have my car. You can give him my keys."
I hug Mike back. "I love you, babe. It will mean a lot more if you give Tommy the other set of keys and let him think it's your idea. There's no need to say anything about our talk."
Mike goes to the little table in the entry and takes out the other set of keys, then yells up the stairs, "Hey, Tommy, come down a minute. I got something for you."
When there's no answer, Mike goes in the kitchen and comes back with a beer. He looks at me before he opens it, but I smile at him. He deserves one.
A few minutes later, Tommy and Tor come back down. Tommy stops and looks at Mike, who gets up and holds out the keys. "I should of given you these a long time ago. When summer school starts, I want you to take my car so's you can come home every weekend."
Tommy stares at Mike for a few minutes, before he says, "I can't do that. You been good to let me use it, but it's your car."
"I'll use dad's. You gotta come home so's we can go swimming and fishing, and do all the things we talked about." Mike walks over and puts the keys in Tommy's hand, closing it around them. "Don't lose 'em, big brother."
Tommy grabs Mike in a bear hug, tears flowing. Mike rubs his back. "I love you, man."
To be continued...
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