Thank You
Chapter 3 A Heart to Heart
Mr. Whistler breifly backtracked to the kitchen table and collected the drinks before continuing to follow behind Chip. He left Chip to sort himself and his thoughts out, as he sat the cups down on the coffee table. He could only wonder what was going through Chip's head.
It took a minute for Chip to snap himself out of the trance he felt himself slipping into before he continued his explanation, "I caused this whole mess cause I had a reputation to uphold." He then curled himself up into a ball on the couch, hugging his knees against his chest in the fetal position. "I'm so selfish that I lied to you." Chip tried his hardest to hold back a few choked sobs he felt creeping up on him but it was to no avail. His dad carefully sat down beside him, not wanting to scare him, deciding right then to give him a moment before asking anything else. Chip was probably dealing with a lot more now since he had just found out the truth of him and Cricket's rivalry. The older man did however place a hand on his sons shoulder and rubbed it gently. Despite their toxic relationship, he still had compassion for Chip.
It had been hard, basically raising Chip on his own, managing the farm since his wifes passing years ago and before the move to Big City, but Mr. Whistler had managed to do it.
Feeling the soft touch, something clicked in Chips head and he began feeling remorseful. Seconds later, after a sniffle escaped him, the truth came out. "I...I didn't mean to lie to you but I knew you'd can me and I'd be out of the company if you knew my true intentions. I singlehandedly caused the feud between me and the Greens. The reason it took me till now to see that was all due t-to how self centered I am. After that incident, I was s-so caught up in a cycle of revenge and one upsmanship that it drove me to the p-point of psychotic madness." As soon as he said that, Chip felt a weight being lifted off of him. He then sat back up and straightened himself out. 'Huh, I actually think I feel a little bit better but how dad's going to react to the rest of this is the question.`
"You didn't look that way to me when I found you earlier son." Mr. Whistler admitted. "And just how psychotic mad are we talking?"
After grabbing a tissue and drying his eyes, Chip took a deep breath, "I don't expect you to beleive me but I was that insane. I lost many sleepless nights cause I was too busy chipping away at plans that were doomed to fail. I spied on Cricket, obsessed with trying to figure out him and his familys game which included an excessive amount of conspiracy boards and red string, I faked a petition to try and destroy the Greens house, I put Big Coffee out of buisness! I bribed the owner of said coffee shop into early retirement."
Chip had to take a breath after that. He had definitely built up quite the negative track/criminal record.
"Wow, that is quite the reputation." Mr. Whistler didn't imagine his only son would stoop to such levels to get the upper hand. Then a raised eyebrow sparked another question. "Chip, I just have to wonder; is that why you got banned from Big City?" Mr. Whistler was treading into dangerous territory. He could only envison what Chip had done. Nothing could be worse than pelting an innocent child with tomatoes that were meant to be eaten or trying to put a wrecking ball through an entire family's house...Right? Nothing could be more insane than everything Chip had laid out already...right?
The blonde rubbed the back of his neck as he ripped the final bandage off, "Well, mainly yes and after the mayor told me I was banned, I may or may not have attempted to murder Cricket with a helicopter to be rid of him for good. My psyche snapped right then and there. Like I said, I was psychotic mad." Chip then quickly turned his head away. The awkward silence that followed the response (and upon seeing the horrified expression lacing Mr. Whistler's face) told Chip everything. Chip had really laid all the cards out on the table now.
At the same time he pondered to himself: what would he have gained from killing off his main rival? Jail time was more than likely but would he also have felt guilt?
"Really, all this over a chipped tooth? One little mistake on your part sparked this whole ordeal?"
Did Chip really have to repeat that? Was his dad not seeing the clear picture here? "Yes, and why aren't you mad at me and giving me a punishment, if I was you, I'd be furious with me." Clearly reality had zipped past the former ceo but Chip was too oblivious to take notice. As was the case with many things he had done. He only thought of himself and money. Chip was however ready for any punishment his father could give him but Chip could only imagine that wouldn't help anything on his part.
Mr. Whistler's anwser left his son with his eyes wide.
"Well, I'm surprised that you didn't get arrested for everything you tried to do. Of course, being banned is pretty much the same thing. But I'm not gonna punish you. You've told me the truth and you've taken responsibility for what you've done, which included lying to me. I think that says enough. I'm not mad Chip. Honestly, I thought years ago you'd take an interest and embrace the farming lifestyle like the rest of us but you never did." Farming practically ran in the Whistler family, that was until it got to Chip, then the genetics seemed to skip over the younger generation.
"Dad, if we're being frank, our interests were and still are on two completely different levels." The blondes eyes wandered to the family portraits that adorned the wooden walls. Many of them depicted Mr. Whistler and his wife back on the farm during their country co-op days, most of which Chip didn't recognize, given they were all taken before Chip was even thought of. "You and mom were both country folk but I just wasn't interested in that." Chip almost hated to admit his opinion but he had been open and honest with his dad so far...for probably the first time in years, so why not continue? "The Greens did make me work for them before I could convince them to sign the contract, cause none of them believed I had any sincerity. The work is so much labor that I don't know how farmers manage to do it, it just seems exhausting. So much so that I actually passed out while giving them a hand in the garden."
Silence then settled into the room, lingering there for a few solitary minutes. "Well Chip, you're not as used to manual labor like me. I put in the work for many years to grow the plantation the family had back in the country, but as I've told you before..." The older man didn't get to finish that statement as Chip interjected.
"I know dad. You gotta put in the work before you can reap the rewards. The Greens told me that too. I'm starting to think that's the philosophy of farmers."
Bingo Bango.
Mr. Whistler clicked his teeth, glad to know his son was finally grasping at what he had been told over and over and that the info wasn't just going in one ear and out the other. This serious heart to heart talk was paying off, "Now you're getting it." That reply sparked a smile from Chip as a reciprocated response. Chip reached his hand forward and pulled his mug closer to him, slugging down the rest of the coffee then returning it to the table. "So where do you plan on going now?"
Chip scratched the side of his head. He didn't really know, his thoughts were buzzing around his head like a swarm of fruit flies that he was finding it difficult to think. "Not back to Big City that's for sure. Everyone hates me now." Reality quickly overtook Chip again, "Oh...actually I think everyone started hating me after that video went viral." His smile suddenly faltered.
"Well, that's not entirely true. Not everyone completely hates you." His dad informed. Carefully right after saying that, he lightly wrapped his arms around Chip in a comforting hug. The younger blonde jumped a little but soon found himself leaning into him, hugging him back.
"Of course you don't hate me. I suspected nothing less." Chip fought hard against the urge to roll his eyes while he anwsered. "And I guess I have nowhere to go now. If I try to go back to Big City, I'll more than likely be arrested at first glance." He huffed a sigh of defeat at that but was also glad he didn't end up in the slammer. Otherwise he wouldn't be here, repairing a love/hate relationship with the only remaining member of his family.
After pondering over something for a few moments, Mr. Whistler soon came up with an idea for Chip's current living situation. He pulled back from the embrace and stood back up. "I think I've got the solution that will benefit us both." He motioned for Chip to follow him. Chip's curiosity was suddenly peaked as he got up and followed his dad down the hallway.
A/N
Sorry for the long wait but here we are. Finally the heart to heart. I was thinking it would be good call and I was right, thanks again Noodlepals9084.
Oh! You thought this story was finished...nope! I've got plans for one more chapter. One with a big heartwarming moment so stay tuned. ;)
This is nice, getting into a new fandom. And about my upcoming story, I'm gonna take it in a different direction than what I had said in the previous authors note. Be sure to keep an eye out for that. And until next time, keep smiling! Bingo Bango. :P