Chapter 36: Not Perfect
Thomas was washing his dad's car as Rad pulled up to the house parking on the sidewalk. Rad gets out of his truck and sees Thomas washing the car. "Hey mate, still grounded I see," Rad said walking up to the driveway. "Yeah, unfortunately I still am," Thomas while washing the car. "How long are you suspended for?" Rad asked. "Four more days," Thomas said now finished with the car. "I used to get grounded all the time," Rad said with a chuckle. "Gee I wonder why," Thomas said, crossing his arms and looking at his uncle. Rad shook his head as he puts his arm around his nephew's shoulder and took him inside the house. Walking inside the house Bandit was on the couch reading the newspaper while Chilli was watching TV.
The uncle and nephew walked into the house. "Hey mate, did you get the car washed?" Bandit asked. "Yeah I did," Thomas replied. "Homework finished?" Bandit asked. Thomas sighed, "Yes dad," Thomas replied tired of hearing it. "Alright mate, get out of here," Bandit said, putting down his paper. Thomas nodded as he went to his room. "Still going hard on the kid mate?" Rad asked, looking at his brother. Bandit sighed as he sat up. "Unfortunately I have to, it hurts me but I have to. He ran away," Bandit said looking down from his brother. "At least he ran to someone he knows," Rad said sitting down. "But it's the fact he ran away from me and I'm his father," Bandit said, feeling hurt. "Are you jealous of Stripe mate?" Rad asked. "I'll go make tea," Chilli said as she stood up and went to the kitchen. "No I just… I don't know what Stripe has that I don't," Bandit said, still looking down. "Stripes… well… he's Stripe," Rad said rubbing the back of his neck. "Do you think he would open to you?" Bandit asked, looking at his older brother.
This took Rad by surprise. "Me? Why do you ask?" Rad asked. "Well… you and I have history with his mother so maybe someone other than me could talk to him about it," Bandit said nervously. "I don't know Bandit… talking about Emily is well... painful," Rad confessed. Bandit nodded in response. "Right, I'm sorry mate," Bandit said looking down. "But I'll give it a try," Rad said with a smile. Bandit looked up at his brother and smiled. "Thanks mate," Bandit said as Rad stood up and went to Thomas's room. Thomas laying on his bed playing his guitar until he heard a knock on the door. "Come in," Thomas said as Rad came into the room. "Hey mate," Rad said coming into the room and sitting on the bed. "More chores or more homework?" Thomas asked while putting his guitar down. "You know he's doing this because he loves you right mate?" Rad asked. Thomas nodded, "yeah, but my two weeks is almost up and I'm getting tired of it," Thomas said, laying down.
"Well mate, you did run away from home," Rad pointed out. "I just went to uncle Stripes," Thomas said, laying away from Rad. "Is there something you want to tell me mate? Like why would you run to Stripe instead of your dad?" Rad asked. "It's just uncle Stripe gets me ever since I was a kid," Thomas said, now sitting up looking at Rad. "And you think your dad doesn't get you?" Rad asked. "He does but… I feel like I can talk to uncle Stripe about certain things like I used to talk to my mom about certain things," Thomas answered. "Oh," Rad said looking down. "Uncle Rad, we don't have to talk about my mom if you don't want to," Thomas said looking at his uncle. "No, that's the reason I came in here," Rad said with a reassuring smile. "Okay… then what do you want to talk about," Thomas asked. "Your dad and uncle filled me on with what that kid said to you and I know that must have hurt," Rad explained.
"Wouldn't it hurt you? If someone would have said that to you?" Thomas asked, looking at Rad. "Mate I… I don't have those feelings for your mom anymore but yes it would hurt me more than anything," Rad explained Thomas looked away from Rad before speaking. "I'm sorry uncle Rad," Thomas said, still not looking at his uncle. "What are you sorry for mate?" Rad asked, putting his hand on his nephew's shoulder. "I don't want to talk about my mom if it hurts you," Thomas said now looking back at his uncle. "Mate I've moved on and I'm okay with it," Rad said with a smile. "But inside you still care I know you do," Thomas said, looking his uncle in the eye. "Your right mate, I do still care because what me and your mom had was something else," Rad confessed. "Then how did my dad come into the picture?" Thomas asked. Rad suddenly felt uncomfortable about that situation. "Look mate I made choices I regret but I can't let those choices define me about your mother and me," Rad explained. "Oh… okay," Thomas said, understanding his uncle's wishes.
"They've been talking in there for a while, should I go in there?" Bandit asked, looking at Chilli. "Let them talk, it'll be good for them," Chilli said, getting her purse. "Where are you going babe?" Bandit asked as his wife came over to him and gave him a kiss on the head. "I have lunch with the girls at work, will you be okay with the kids and Rad?" Chilli asked. "Sure," Bandit said with a smile. "Good," Chilli said, kissing her husband before leaving. Bandit sighs as he grabs his paper and starts reading it. "So when's the wedding?" Thomas asked, lighting up the mood. "What?" Rad asked, surprised by Thomas's question. "You and Frisky, don't you want to get married to her?" Thomas asked with a smile. "I do, but I don't think we're ready," Rad said rubbing the back of his neck. "Come on uncle Rad you're not getting any younger," Thomas said, poking fun. "Thanks mate!" Rad said a laugh.
"And really have kids of your own? What's stopping you?" Thomas asked. Rad chuckled looking down from his nephew. "I just want to take my time this time mate," Rad said rubbing the back of his neck again. "Well Uncle Rad I'm happy for you," Thomas said with a smile. "Thanks mate that means a lot coming from you you," Rad said with a smile. Suddenly there was a knock on the door. "Come in," Thomas said as Bandit came into the room. "Hey mate, do you want to come with me to get your sisters?" Bandit asked. "Sure," Thomas said. "Are you coming to uncle Rad?" Thomas asked, looking to his uncle. "Why don't you go with your dad and I'll stay here," Rad said standing up. "Okay," Thomas said as he walked out of his room. "Did he open up to you?" Bandit asked, looking at his older brother. "I think he opened me up mate," Rad said with a chuckle. "Really? How so mate?" Bandit asked. "Well… talking about Emily made me realize how much I really miss her," Rad confessed. "Oh bro, I'm sorry if I overstep with you talking to him about Emily," Bandit said, feeling guilty. "No mate it's alright I… I just haven't talked about her in awhile since telling Thomas we used to date," Rad explained. "And Charlie," Bandit added.
"Yeah… and Charlie," Rad said looking down. "Hey, let's talk about something else mate," Bandit said with a smile. "Well you better go get the girls," Rad said looking at his brother. "Oh right!" Bandit said now going to his car. Getting into the car Bandit buckled up as well as Thomas did. "Did you have a nice talk with uncle Rad?" Bandit asked, looking at his son. "Yeah it was nice talking to him," Thomas said with a smile. "Mate I need to know something," Bandit said looking at his son. "What is it dad?" Thomas asked, looking to his father. "Do you like your uncle Stripe more than me?" Bandit asked, placing his hand on his son's leg.
"Dad, I told uncle Rad there just some things I tell uncle Stripe that I feel more comfortable with," Thomas said looking at his father. "Oh," Bandit said looking away from his son. "Dad," Thomas said, making Bandit look at him. "Yes mate?" Bandit said, looking at his son. "Uncle Stripe may be my favorite uncle and I'm starting to open up to uncle Rad more but your my dad and I love you more than anything and I'll start talking to you more," Thomas said giving his dad a hug. Bandit felt warm from his hug with his son as he hugged him back. "Thanks mate," Bandit said before breaking the hug. "Now let's go get your sisters," Bandit said as he started the car.
Meanwhile Chilli was eating lunch with her colleagues Catherine and Cindy. "Oh Chilli, it's so great to finally get away from the work life and just have lunch with you," Catherine said with a smile. "Yeah it sure is nice without Mr. Waldron breathing down our necks in security," Cindy said looking at her friends. "Tell me about it," Chilli said with a chuckle. "So how's life at home?" Catherine asked. "It's good the kids are doing great and Bandit's doing fine," Chilli replied before drinking her lemonade. "What about the troubled teen?" Cindy asked. Chilli was a little surprised by that comment. "What do you mean by that?" Chilli asked. "Oh come on Chilli, the School board does talk outside the system and we all heard what Thomas did," Catherine said looking at Chilli. "Yeah, breaking Zach Shepherd's nose is just the beginning to a life long time to a criminal life," Cindy pointed out. "That's not true," Chilli said, getting defensive. "I'm just saying Chilli, you better talk to your girls about Bandit's son's behavior," Catherine said taking a bite of her chicken salad.
"Hey! He's my son too!" Chilli said, getting angry. Catherine and Cindy were surprised by Chilli getting angry with them. "And he's great with Bluey and Bingo," Chilli added. "Chilli we didn't mean to upset you it's just things like this can be a serious issue," Cindy said. "And I'm handling it myself and Bandit both are," Chilli replied. "Well if you ask me I'd send the kid to anger management," Catherine said eating her chicken sandwich. Chilli gasped at her so called friend while looking at her. "Catherine," Cindy said looking at her friend. Chilli then stood up from her seat and grabbed her purse. "Chilli wait, sit down," Catherine said, realizing what she said was wrong. "My son is not perfect, but I love him with my whole heart and I promised his mom that," Chilli said before leaving her friends. Chilli went to her car and got in it. Chill wiped the tears from her eyes and then looked at her phone seeing the Lock Screen with her family on it. Chilli smiled at it knowing that her family meant everything to her. And then she remembered what she and Emily talked about before she died.
(Flashback)
Two months before Emily's death
Emily gets on the phone and calls Chilli. "Hello?" Chilli said on the phone. "Hey Chilli it's Emily," Emily said with a cough. "Emily! How are you doing?" Chilli said. "I could be better," Emily said with a chuckle. "I hope your feeling better, how's Thomas?" Chilli asked. "He's doing the best he can," Emily replied. "Is he holding up well?" Chilli asked. Emily coughed before answering. "Better than when I told him about the cancer, how's Bandit doing?" Emily asked. Chilli sighed before answering. "He's still a little hurt but he's doing his best," Chilli answered. "I'm sorry Chilli," Emily said with another cough. "What are you sorry honey, it's not your fault," Chilli said sitting down on her couch. "Chilli I want to be honest with you, I'm dying and I just told my ex husband that I still loved him and I don't want you to feel that I'm getting in between you and him," Emily explined.
"Emily, you're his first wife and the mother of his son and I don't blame for still having those feelings," Chilli said looking down. Emily then started to tear up. "Can you promise me something Chilli?" Emily asked on the verge of crying. "Sure Emily anything for you honey," Chilli said softly. "Take care of my son for me, love him like your own and be there at his graduation, birthdays, Christmas's and wedding," Emily said with tears coming down her face. Chilli's heart felt heavy as Emily told her this. "I don't want him to go on in life without a mother and your the next best best thing," Emily said, choking on her words. Chilli started to tear up before answering. "What if he doesn't want me to be his mother?" Chilli asked with tears coming down her muzzle. "He'll open up to you, his dad will make sure of it," Emily said with a weak smile. "Mom I'm home!" Thomas said from downstairs. "He's home, I'll call you later Chilli," Emily said breathing weakly. "Okay Emily and I promise you I'll be the best mother to him that I can be," Chilli said with a smile. "Thank you Chilli, goodbye," Emily said with a weak smile. "Goodbye Emily," Chilli said as she hung up the phone.
(End of Flashback)
Chilli sits in her driveway wiping her tears away before heading into the house. Chilli walks into the house and finds Bluey and Bingo playing in the living room. "Mum!" Bluey and Bingo said, running to her and hugging her. "Hey kids," Chilli said, hugging her daughters. "Where's your dad?" Chilli asked. "He's on the deck with uncle Rad," Bluey said looking up at her mother. "And your brother?" Chilli asked. "In his room," Bingo replied. "Okay, why don't you two go play outside while I go talk to your brother," Chilli said with a smile. "Okay!" Both girls said as they went outside. Chilli sighed as she went to her son's room. Chilli then knocked on the door with her son saying "come in" Chilli then walks into the room and she's her son on his laptop. "Whatcha doing?" Chilli asked. "Just finishing up a project for school," Thomas said as he turned and looked at Chilli. "Mom, what's wrong?" Thomas asked, noticing his stepmom looked Exhausted.
"Nothing really, just a bad day is all," Chilli said with a smile. "Will you be okay?" Thomas asked, now worried for Chilli. "Oh yeah I'll be fine, I just had to see you," Chilli said still with her smile. "Do you want me to get dad?" Thomas asked "no honey I'm… I'm fine," Chilli said as she fought back her tears. Thomas noticed this and stood from his desk and gave his stepmom a hug. "What's wrong?" Thomas asked while hugging her. "It's just something your mom asked me to do and I'm thinking if I'm doing a good job or not," Chilli explained now letting her tears go. "I just hope I'm being a good mother that you need," Chilli confessed, holding Thomas tightly. "Mom, you don't have to worry, you're doing great," Thomas said with a smile wagging his tail. This made Chilli feel at ease as she too started wagging her tail. "Thank you son," Chilli said still holding her son. "Can I be ungrounded now?" Thomas asked with a chuckle. Chilli laughed as she lets go of her son. "Let's go talk to your father about that," Chilli said with a smile and she and Thomas went out of his room and went to join Bandit, Rad and the girls outside.
Kodiwolf321 A/N: I'm glad to see that Chilli will always defend her kids even though Thomas isn't hers she'll always defend him as a mother should. While we are exploring how Rad and Emily in "When Loves Around" should we explore how Rad's feeling now in here some how? Let me know what you think and I'll see you in the next chapter!