Chapter 42: Unstable
Thomas was whimpering and tossing and turning on his bed, even growling a little bit before speaking. "No, dad," Thomas said to himself. Thomas continued to toss and turn while sweating. "Dad!" Thomas shouted sitting up in bed, waking up. Thomas turned around and, noticing he was in his bedroom, looked at his phone and saw that it was time for him to get up. Thomas was breathing hard, now tearing up from his nightmare about his father dying. "It was just a dream, just a dream, dad's okay… he's okay," Thomas said to himself, trying to dissociate himself from the nightmare he just had. "He's okay… right?" Thomas said, getting worried. Thomas then jumped out of bed and left his room. Thomas went to the kitchen where everyone was starting to get ready for breakfast. "Hey mate," Bandit said with a smile looking down from his newspaper and looking at his son. "Hey, dad," Thomas said nervously. "You okay sweetie? You look like you've seen a ghost," Chilli said, placing down some waffles.
"I'm okay… I just… had a bad dream, that's all," Thomas said sitting down at the table. "Really, about what?" Bandit asked, now concerned for his son. "It was nothing," Thomas said now eating breakfast. "Okay, if you want to talk about it I'm all ears mate," Bandit said getting his paper ready. Despite knowing his father would help him get over the nightmare he just had, Thomas simply couldn't do it, as the mere reminding of the nightmare made him tremble. It was already hard enough losing his mother but the thought of losing his father too would be too much for him to bear. Bluey and Bingo ate their breakfast then asked to go outside and play with the other kids in the neighborhood. Chilli gave them the okay to go outside while Thomas continued to eat slowly, what wasn't normal for the teen, especially if it was Chilli's good cooking. Thomas then reached for his cup of juice only to find himself shaking and hard to breathe. Thomas then accidentally dropped the glass on the floor.
"Mate?! Are you okay?!" Bandit said, looking at his son. Thomas started to take control of his breathing and looked at his dad. "I'm sorry, dad, I'll get this cleaned up," Thomas said, rushing to get the broom and dust pan. Bandit and Chilli looked at each other with concerned looks on their faces about their son. Thomas cleaned up the glass and threw it away as Bandit stood up and went to touch his son on his shoulder. Thomas then flinched at the sight of being touched remembering his dream clearly of his father dying. "Mate? What's wrong?" Bandit asked softly. "It's nothing, dad, I'm gonna go outside with the girls," Thomas said in a hurry to go outside. Bandit was confused by this as he knew something was up with his son and he was sure of it. Thomas went outside and sat down at the porch and watched his sisters play with their friends.
Thomas felt nervous to his core about his dream. He knew his dad was well and healthy and had nothing to worry about, but the dream felt so real. Not to mention that his mother also looked healthy before cancer came around. Thoughts raced into Thomas's mind of all the mistreatment he did to his dad over the years and now he had realized that he's the last dog he'd want to see passing away and for that he's truly grateful to have his father in his life. Suddenly, a ball rolled in front of Thomas, knocking him out of his thoughts. "Big brother could you pass the ball?" Bluey asked as she ran over to her brother. Thomas then kicked the ball over to his sister and sat back down as Bluey grabbed the ball she noticed her brother seemed off. "Thomas?" she asked as she walked up to her brother with the ball in hand. "Yes Bluey?" Thomas asked, looking at his little sister. "Is something the matter? Do you need your pills?" Bluey asked. Thomas smiled at his sister, thankful that she was concerned. "I do actually, could you go get me them and a bottle of water for me?" Thomas asked. "Okay!" Bluey said placing the ball down. "I'll be right back, wait for me!" she said to her friends, before heading inside.
Bluey then comes back with the things her brother needed and sat down next to him. Thomas took his pills and placed the water bottle next to him after drinking from it. "Are you okay now Thomas?" Bluey asked her brother. "Yeah, I think I will be, thank you, little sister," Thomas said hugging his sister. "Bluey! Are you coming?" Rusty called to her. "You better go play with your friends," Thomas said letting go of his sister. "Okay," Bluey said as she grabbed the ball and went back to her friends. Thomas sighed as he stood up and went to the garage, hoping to find someplace where he could dwell in his thoughts without being interrupted. Moved by curiosity, Thomas looked through some boxes and found his dad's old skateboard. "I haven't skated in a while…" Thomas said, taking the skateboard out. He then took the skateboard and started to skate around the street, while also making sure not to intervene with his sisters and their friends. Bandit and Chilli both came outside and watched all the kids playing.
"Wow, Thomas can really shred!" Bandit said, watching his son on the skateboard. "Like father, like son," Chilli replied to him, causing Bandit to fill himself with pride. Thomas was really in his element while skating on the skateboard. Despite loving skating on rollerblades and ice skates, there was something about the skateboard that was really appealing to him. Thomas didn't notice his parents were watching him until he looked up at them. "Looking good, son! Keep going!" Bandit exclaimed. Seeing his dad watching him skateboarding and even cheering for him like that triggered some flashes of his dream to appear before his eyes, seeing his dad in a hospital bed sick and dying, taking his last breaths. As Thomas lost focus from what he was doing, he hit the curb and landed in a flower patch. "Thomas!" Chilli and Bandit both called out to their son before Bandit rushed over to him. "Nice going Heeler," Thomas said sitting up.
"My flowers!" Wendy, their neighbor, shouted as she rushed out of her house. "Thomas are you okay mate?" Bandit asked, rushing to his son and helping him up. "I'm okay," Thomas replied, brushing himself off. "Bandit! How many times do I have to tell you to watch the flowers," Wendy said, trying to save her flowers. "Sorry Wendy, my son crashed into your flowers much like I did when we were teenagers," Bandit explained. "I don't… wait did you say your son?" Wendy asked looking at Thomas. "Yeah, this is Thomas, haven't you already met him," Bandit said, putting his arm around his son's shoulder. "He's got Emily's eyes," Wendy said with a smile. "You knew my mom?" Thomas asked. "She used to stay with me when she was in the foreign exchange program," Wendy explained. "And I see you got your dad's old skateboard," Wendy pointed out looking at it. "Oh yeah, you do, mate," Bandit said, taking the skateboard. "Your mum even sighed it," Bandit said, pointing out her handwriting. "Emily was here?" Thomas read out loud. It was then that Thomas started feeling sick in his stomach. "I gotta go," Thomas said, taking off for the house. "Thomas? Mate?" Bandit called, while watching his son run off to the house.
"Is he okay Bandit?" Wendy asked. "It's been a rough year for him, Wendy" Bandit answered, rubbing the back of his neck. "I bet it was, Emily meant so much… for all of us, especially for him" Wendy said. Thomas ran past Chilli and headeded into the house and into his room. Breathing hard and having a mild panic attack, Thomas went to his laptop and video called Dr. Beagle. "Thomas? How are you doing? We're not scheduled for another few days," Dr. Beagle said, adjusting his glasses. "I think I'm having a panic attack, it's about my dad," Thomas said breathing hard. "Okay, tell me what's on your mind," Dr Beagle asked. "I don't want him to die," Thomas said, now crying. Chilli had come inside the house worried for the reason her son raced into the house. Chilli walked over to her son's room and was about to knock on the door until she heard crying. Despite knowing she shouldn't do it, her concern over Thomas made Chilli to start listening.
"I don't want him to die," Thomas said while crying. "What makes you think he's going to die? Is your dad sick?" Dr. Beagle asked. "I had a dream last night that felt so real and I felt like… I was drowning without him," Thomas explained. "I see, this could be the anxiety buildup from our last conversation about how you felt about being a mistake to your father," Dr. Beagle explained. Chilli's heart broke from hearing that. She never knew Thomas felt like that against all odds of his father. "What if it's true then? What if it's all true about me being a mistake," Thomas said looking down. "I'm going to tell you what I think from being a friend of your fathers," Dr Beagle said again adjusting his glasses. "Your dad would never think that way of you and the way I see him with your sisters and other kids that aren't his own, he's a great dad to keep around and you can't let your fears and anxieties get the best of you in the moment," Dr. Beagle explained.
Thomas started to calm down and breathe. "You're right Dr. Beagle, thank you," Thomas said softly. "Are you okay now? Do you want to continue this conversation or save some for our upcoming appointment?" Dr Beagle asked. "I think I'm good, I just needed to let this out of my chest," Thomas said. "You did the right thing, my boy, never bottle things up, always let some pressure come out," Dr. Beagle said. "I think… I need to go tell my dad I love him," Thomas said with a soft smile. "Good, you need that," Dr Beagle said with a smile. "See you soon Dr Beagle," Thomas said waving goodbye. "See you soon, Thomas," Dr Beagle said as the video call came to a close. Thomas took a deep breath, before going to his door and opening it. Thomas was surprised when he found Chilli there with tears in her eyes. "Mom?" Thomas said looking up at his stepmom. Chilli then pulled in Thomas for a hug and hugged him tightly.
"Mom, I…" Thomas started. "You're not a mistake, Thomas, don't ever think that," Chilli told him. "You… listened to my talk with Dr. Beagle?" he asked. "I'm sorry, dear, I didn't want to, but I was so worry about you and I came to see if I could help and by the time I got here… I couldn't help myself," Chilli confessed, while finishing the hug. "So, did you also listen about…" Thomas started. "About your dream? Yeah, I did… And I understand that you're scared in losing your dad, but you shouldn't be," Chilli said. "Easy said than done…" Thomas retorted. "I know what you're feeling, I also feared in losing my dad, after I lost my mum… I'm still am, that's why I always very worried about him, but you shouldn't let that thought prevent you from enjoying your time together," Chilli said. "So you share the same opinion as Dr. Beagle," Thomas said. "Marcus is good at giving advices… and so are mums," Chilli replied. Thomas then made a smile. "Thanks, mom, you're the best," he said, while hugging Chilli. "Thank you, sweetie," she replied, hugging him back. After they finished the hug, Thomas adopted a more determined look. "I need to talk with Dad," he said, before passing by Chilli, who watched him moving away while smiling and tearing up.
In Bandit's study, Thomas told him what he has been feeling and why. "So that's it…" Thomas said. "That's why you've been acting so strange? Because you had a dream of me dying?" Bandit asked. "It's not just the dream… It's… a fear I've been having after we got to reconnect, to lose you when I come to love you again, after years hating you, I feel like… I am a mistake, that everyone I love is doomed to get sick and wither… just like mom," Thomas confessed. There was a pause and then Thomas felt his father's hand being placed over his. He looked up and saw his father smiling tenderly to him, while tearing up. "You're not a mistake son, I understand why you may think that, you loved your mother so much that her death caused you a lot of pain and, despite you're healing, you're still afraid of the same thing happening," Bandit said. "But, dad, I… don't want to lose you… again," Thomas said.
"You have never lost me, mate… and you never will, no matter what happens, I will always be in your heart," Bandit replied, while pointing to Thomas' chest. That caused Thomas to make a big smile. And so, father and son went for a big hug. "Thanks, dad," he said. "You know you can count on me to help you with whatever is in that mind of yours, but it's not just me, you also have Chilli and the girls, and the rest of the family, not to mention your friends, no matter what happens, you'll always be surrounded by dogs that love you very much," Bandit said. "I know that… and I'm very lucky to have all of you in my life," Thomas said. "Good boy," Bandit said, while rubbing his hand on his son's head. "So, what do you say in making a friendly skating competition, you can show your old man what you've got," Bandit replied, while getting up. "That would be great… as long you're up for it, you aren't exactly as young as you used to," Thomas teased. "Ah, you'll see your dear father still got it," Bandit replied, while giving a noggie to his son. And so the two of them got out of the study to go skating together.
Kodiwolf321 A/N well guys here's a new chapter from me and Rakoon1. Thomas had felt like a mistake only because he felt like his father would be happier with kids like Bluey and Bingo and having a wife like Chilli, but that's not the case here Bandit will always be his father even when the times that Thomas didn't want him too anyways guys hope you enjoyed this chapter and now we're on to the next one!