Ripley's Return

Only part of the truth

The next time Tom woke up it was pure daylight, Peter was already awake sitting beneath the bedside table and smiling at him. He watched me while sleeping, Tom thought, turning red like a tomato. "Good morning" Tom said smiling back at Peter while he was stretching himself and giving a yawn, still a bit tired.

"How long have you been watching me", Tom asked curiously. "Just for a while. You look too cute while sleeping, haha, surely also when you're awake." He laughed. Tom grinned. "I love you", he said. "I love you too" said Peter and leaned over to kiss Tom.

During breakfast with Grace and Melly, they talked about various things. Tom for instance talked about the job he wanted to make if there were possible workplaces he could send an application to since he would be staying with Peter. Tom also said that since he left his poor conditions moving out of Boston to go to Italy, he always wanted his own money, he felt bad for that he kept spending Herbert Greenleaf's money and that he was the one to profit from Dickie's heritage. He would be glad if he could achieve that alone without any help from others. But first of all, he needed to find that job.

Not to forget he talked about his childhood when only Peter was listening, that his parents died early, about the way his aunt talked about him to her friends and how she was never satisfied with him. That there were days she shouted at him for no reason. Times when he didn't go out of his room because he feared she would do it again or worse that she would hit him. There were no times in his childhood where he felt loved or understood. Where he could be how he wanted to be.

"I'm so glad I found you", Tom said to Peter. "I'm glad you told me, I know
how bad something like that is, not that I was mentally abused like you but there were some moments with people who insulted me cause o' my sexuality. They didn't understand it, that's why I kept it a secret most of the time, until that day Melly wanted to date me, I couldn't tell her otherwise. And not that she told anyone, but I didn't want to hide it anymore after that." "And that's what I love about you, you're so brave, nothing can drag you down but me? I'm just a mental wreck" "You're much more than that, Tommie, you're the one I love, and nothing can prevent me from that."