Way Back to You [TomTord]

The Truth

+~Thompson HouseHold: Two in the morning+~

Torm sat across from his Dad nursing a cup of coffee in his hands. His Dad normally doesn't approve of him drinking the dark concoction, but he allows it today since they stayed up rather late last night.

He had so many questions to ask after seeing the CEO of the Red Company. Like why he looks similar to him, why his Dad seemed so hostile behind the mask he thought his sons wouldn't notice.

"Torm, I can see you want to ask about what happened hours ago," Tom says looking down at his own cup filled with hot chocolate. His lips quirked in a little smile for a moment. "It's visible all over your face."

The older son flushes pink having been caught in his thoughts. He looks down guilty, "I'm sorry, Dad. I just can't stop thinking about how we look so similar." He looks back up to meet his Dad's eyes with question. "Am I adopted?"

Tom sighs and shakes his head. "You aren't adopted Torm. You have always been mine, my little devil." He playfully tags Torm's old pet name. He chuckles to himself while Torm continued to fluster under his words.

"Dad..." Torm whines.

"Can't help it love, you're still a little one in my eyes." Tom settles down the tense atmosphere so his son could relax while he tries to explain. "You are my son, Torm. Always have been from the moment I held you in my arms. Tord... He..." He almost felt at lost in what to say his oldest son.

How could he tell him that their father gave him and his brother up for the woman he was with yesterday. He also didn't want this relationship to somehow strain his friendship with Tika who might get caught in the crossfire unintentionally.

"Dad, if it really bothers you, you don't need to explain it to me. I'll forget about it."

Tom shakes his head again. "No, I knew this would happen someday if you ever saw him. I just didn't expect this conversation would happen so soon and the way it appeared." He sighs in defeat. "So I will tell you." He carefully takes a sip of his drink before explaining the situation to his son.

Torm listened intently to take in his Dad's words about how he and Tomi came about in their Dad's life with Tord's involvement. The love story turned over to a heartbreaking tale of how he and his sons are left behind. By the end of the explanation, Tom had collected tears in the corner of his eyes.

"You and Tomi are my pride and joy," Tom said gently wiping away the overflowing tears starting to escape his eyes. "I understand if you hate me for keeping this from you, but I didn't want to lose the love and happiness you're meant to have growing up."

He laughs as he uses the ends of his sleeves to dry his eyes. His tears would not stop coming out. "O-Oh, look how ugly I'm being crying in front of you. I-I'm sorry..." He sniffs.

His son didn't say anything at first, but he did get up from his chair. Tom understood he probably wanted to be alone and think. However, he didn't think Torm would come up behind his chair and hug him.

"I love you Dad, thank you for not giving up on me and Tomi."

Unknowingly to both of them, from the top of the stairs, Tomi sat awake, sitting on the floor with his back pressed against the railing. He had heard everything and cries silently for his Papa.

~+Morning+~

Morning light started to peek up around seven in the morning, the occupants of the house starting to wake up. Tomi was the first to wake up and leave Torm's room where Tika still slept. He went downstairs to find his brother and Papa on the opposite couch to the wet one, both of them leaning against each other in sleep. A thin blanket covering them that he had placed over them last night when he knew they were finally asleep after they had left the kitchen to rest in the living room.