Chapter 120 – Tommy Fallout

"Douglas." John said.

"Yes, Sir." Doug said.

"Can you sit at the table in JP's place?" John asked.

"Yes, Sir." Doug said, retaking his seat.

"Nathan." John said. "Please take a seat as well."

Nathan took a seat. Before anyone else could say anything, Lee and Elizabeth stepped over.

"We are going downstairs." Lee said. "I will be back to finish the dishes."

"What is left?" Gran asked.

"Just what didn't fit in the dishwasher," Lee said. "We have that running by the way."

"Don't worry about it." Gran said. "Go, make sure Elizabeth is okay."

"Yes, ma'am." Lee said.

Lee and Elizabeth went downstairs. Once they had turned the corner, Gran counted to ten and then faced the people sitting at the table.

"Now." Gran said. "This is my house and there are rules here. Anyone who speaks out of turn will be immediately kicked out of the house until further notice. Am I clear? Nathan?"

"Yes, ma'am." Nathan said.

Gran went around the table and got a yes from each person, finally she turned to Thomas and Charlotte."

"Thomas?" Gran said. "Am I clear?"

Thomas nodded.

"Charlotte?" Gran said.

"Whatever?" Charlotte said. "I am contesting …."

"No." Gran said. "You will contest nothing right now. I asked if I was clear on what the rules are. Yes … or … no – do you understand what is going to happen if you don't follow my rules, in my house."

"Yes." Charlotte sneered.

"Good now that we are clear." Gran said. "We have three issues that will be resolved and I mean it will be the last time that we sit down and talk about these things. I have said that there will be no more discord in my house. That includes any talk about JP and Elizabeth. That is a closed issue. JP made his choice and it is a closed matter. Like it or not he is an adult and he can choose what he wants for his life. It is also a closed matter as far as JP taking over Coal Creek. James and I have explained that it was our choice to make and if you don't like it, you are free to leave."

"So the three matter on the table." James said. "They are:

1. Charlotte's ability to post about JP on social media

2. Tommy and

3. Whether Thomas and Charlotte can stay in this house."

"So on the first matter." Gran said. "Charlotte's ability to post about JP."

"About that." Peter said. "This is an injunction preventing any release of information of either JP or Elizabeth. Because she is considered in protective custody, the judge agreed and because there are threats against both JP and Elizabeth no additional information will be released about them unless they authorize it. JP authorized the release of certain information when he agreed to jump at the Charity Classic, but even they understand the need to keep things more low key. They will post official photos, but otherwise have no comment about the contestants."

"You can't do that." Charlotte said. "I have a right to post whatever I want."

"No you don't, dear." Thomas said.

"What do you mean?" Charlotte huffed.

"It means that Peter is correct." Thomas said. "I have gotten this injunction several times for people that are in protective custody to prevent others from knowingly posting about them. No judge is going to put a victim in more danger. If they have an injunction, they will also have someone monitoring social media and anyone who posts about either of them, especially pictures or location, will be asked to remove it. Anyone who refused could face charges."

"You can't be serious." Charlotte huffed.

"Completely serious." Thomas said. "I had the paperwork in the works when I handed the case to Devin. I figured it was coming."

Charlotte grunted twice.

"Then this matter is closed." Gran said. "You have been warned about posting on social media and if you chose to still do so, we will not back you. We will tell the judge that you knew about the injunction, but thought the rules didn't apply to you."

Doug raised his hand.

"Yes, Doug." Gran said. "Was there something to add?"

"Yes." Doug said. "I just want to say that Lee and I have talked to Jack about why he wants the social media ban. It is more than keeping his location secure. He told us that by being on social media, it is just opening yourself to trolls that just want to take you down. Because we respect Jack, we have agreed that all of our accounts are private and even then, we closely monitor what is posted."

Nathan raised his hand.

"Nathan." Gran said.

"I agree with Doug." Nathan said. "Jack showed me his facebook page. It is all about the horses, Coal Creek and Thornton Thoroughbreds. There are very few pictures of him, other than official jumping photos. I don't even have social media. Not only is posting opening yourself to criticism, but you are also giving people a road map to find you."

"Thank you, Doug and Nathan." Gran said. "I agree that social media is not worth the time. I know that we have accounts for the farm, but those are needed for business and we are careful what is posted."

Jack got to the seating by the outdoor fireplace before he dropped to the couch. He pulled his knees up and put his head down. Father Mark took a seat next to him. He was going to give Jack a moment or two to see if he said anything. As much as Father Mark wanted to help Jack, he wasn't sure what the bigger issue was. Instead of saying anything, Father Mark just put his hand on Jack's back and silently prayed for his cousin.

After several minutes, Father Mark realized that Jack was crying. It was the first time that he remembers Jack crying in several years. The fact that Jack was crying, Father Mark knew that Jack really was a mess of emotions.

"Please talk to me." Father Mark said.

"I don't even know where to start." Jack said.

Jack sniffed a couple of times and finally sat back on the couch.

"I haven't cried in years." Jack said. "Now I can't tell you how many times that I have cried in the last week."

"Crying isn't a bad thing." Father Mark said.

"It accomplishes nothing." Jack said flatly as if repeating something he had heard several times.

Father Mark also knew that it was probably something that Jack had heard since he was a child.

"I am sorry that is what your mother, my aunt, taught you." Father Mark said. "I will tell you that tears aren't a bad thing. I also don't want to hear that men don't cry or anything else like that. I don't care if you cry and I am sure that Elizabeth won't mind. It shows that you care and your emotions run deep."

"I guess." Jack said.

"No, I guess about it." Father Mark said. "I can't tell you the times that I have sat in my room and cried over the things that I have seen and heard. It is a way for us as humans to express our emotions. Not only to express our emotions, but to release them as well. Sometimes the only way to get an emotional release is to cry. Happy or sad, tears are not a bad thing and I don't want you to ever hear you say otherwise again."

Jack didn't say anything, but just sat there.

"Thank you Margaret." John said. "Thomas, I told you that I would step in if you didn't get control of your house. Tommy getting kicked out of school again, threatening household staff and causing trouble in general looks bad for Thornton, Inc. I know that people think if you can't control your household, how do you run your business? I have had to speak to several clients and assure them that I don't agree with the way that you have raised Tommy and that I don't run things that way.

I have given you plenty of time to do something, it wasn't until he had pushed Margaret too far that you chose to step in and tried to correct this behavior that you have let go on for too long. Your lack of control is starting to affect my business and that is completely unacceptable. I have warned you for long enough, now it is time for me to step in and do something. I will not let you continue to turn a blind eye to things when it affects my business, my bottom line."

"So you think you can just step in and take my baby." Charlotte said.

Gran looked around the table once more.

"Good." Gran said. "Then this matter is officially closed and I don't want to hear another word about social media or posting on it again. Let's move on to the issue of Tommy. John?"

Nathan motioned to Gran, who nodded that he could speak.

"Charlotte." Nathan said. "Jack and I told you that is part of the problem. You still treat Tommy like a baby. He is almost sixteen years old and thinks he can do whatever he wants without any consequences. He talks back to his grandmother, he tries to push you around. He had physically lashed out at both me and Jack. From my understanding, he was also extremely rude to both of the stable hands that were helping him with cleaning the tack.

I am sure that they didn't tell you, James, but the things that Tommy said to one of them was completely out of line. If he was my son, I would have washed his mouth out with soap, turned him over my knee and made sure that he never spoke to another person like that again. He made a young man that works for you want to leave. Tommy made him question if he was good enough as a human. Tommy has no right to treat people like that or speak to them and tear them down just because they work as a stable hand. My two and half year old niece is better behaved than Tommy. As it was pointed out to me, you Charlotte should have never put me in the position to discipline him. I am not sorry that I stepped in, but I shouldn't have been put in that situation in the first place."

"Nathan is right." James said. "And I for one am sorry that you felt that was your only choice. Please forgive me, Nathan."

Nathan nodded.

"So what is going to happen with Tommy?" Gran said. "I know that we talked to you about taking control so he could learn and you said you had a plan. I am just worried with Thomas and Charlotte going back early next week, that Tommy is going to hurt one of us being in the house, especially with the way that he was tonight. It is not fair to put this on Nathan, JP or the others here."

"Tommy won't be back in the house." John said. "At least not for the next two weeks. I talked to you both, James and Margaret. Then I talked to Ed, he let me know that there was an empty double room down at the bunkhouse. That is where Tommy will be. At least for the next two weeks, he will have round the clock personal security. Tommy will do what they tell him, when they tell him or he will learn the hard way what happens. They will provide him with basic clothes and food. Nothing more than what is absolutely needed. During the day, he will be cleaning tack and only Tommy will be cleaning tack until it is done right and passes inspection.

When that was finished, Ed assured me that there were plenty of other chores that he would have for Tommy to do. Not only are there several hundred stalls that need to be cleaned each day, but Ed said something about setting up several new greenhouses and there are several stacks of logs that need to be split and stacked."

"I am not worried." James said. "There is plenty of work to be done to keep him busy."

"Who are the people that will be dealing with Tommy?" Thomas asked. "I mean he is only fifteen."

"Peter." John said.

"John authorized me to find and hire two bodyguards." Peter said. "They are trained in dealing with unruly teenagers. They will live in the bunkhouse with Tommy. Ed added a cot to the double room for Tommy, while Nicholas and Blaine will take the two beds. One of them will always be close to Tommy. He will not leave the property in the next two weeks, other than Church if you desire to take him. Just know that one of the guards will be going with. They will deal with Tommy and his attitude."

"So who are these people?" Charlotte asked.

"I just told you." Peter said. "John has vetted them and agreed to my hiring of them. At this point you don't need to know anything else. It is because you have failed to deal with Tommy that John has resorted to this."

"So what happens this fall?" Thomas asked. "I have enrolled him in McQuid up in Rochester."

"I know." John said. "I will pay for it as I said I would. I have also talked to the headmaster up there. Monsignor O'Brien was glad to learn that if I deemed it necessary, I would provide private security for Tommy. He also understood that you will not be allowed to visit him other than official visit days and school holidays."

"What do you mean?" Thomas and Charlotte said together.

"It means." Peter said. "When we more fully explained the situation to the Monsignor, he said that Tommy would be on the strict plan. That doesn't allow outside contact for the first month of school and then very limited after that until the Thanksgiving holiday. In the middle of September, Tommy will be allowed to call home once a week, with permission from his resident advisor. Starting in October, you can schedule one visit for two hours every two weeks. Phone calls and visits can be denied if the boys don't follow the rules."

"It also means." John said. "You can't call Tommy or visit him whenever you want. You will be allowed to write to him and he can write to you. Just know that you can't send him packages. If you try to send him things that aren't allowed, such as money or a card to use, his mail can and will be monitored, both coming and going."

"With the papers that were filed." Gran said. "Will we be listed as his guardians and contacted if something happens?"

"If you want." Peter said. "Given the situation, John will be notified if something happens regardless. You can be notified or you can designate that Thomas and/or Charlotte be notified."

"Additionally." John said. "If either Nicholas or Blaine or any other security are up there with Tommy, they will be able to speak and sign on his behalf."

"So like what Devin was able to do for JP?" Chris said.

"Yes." John said. "I have the forms. We will sign them and file them if needed."

"Thank you, John." James said. "I sure hope that this works."

"I have spoken to both Nicholas and Blaine." Peter said. "After briefly describing the situation with Tommy, they assured me that they can straighten him out. From everything that I have read, their methods are very effective. This is not the first time that they have done this. I am not going to say anything else regarding them. Right now, I think that the less that you know the better. The last thing that we need is you trying to interfere."

"To that matter." John said. "Try to interfere and there will be severe consequences. I have already told you that I am fully prepared to cut you off and I mean it. I am extremely unhappy with the way that you two have handled things, including the way that you have treated JP and his friends. There is a part of me that wants to cut you off, just because I have held back.

However, I will say that there will be no more chances. Push me again and I will cut you off until you can prove to me that you have your heads screwed on straight and have gotten with the program. James, Margaret, Caroline and I raised you both better than this. I don't know what has gotten into either of you, but it ends and it ends now."

"Anything else regarding Tommy?" Gran said. "Either speak now or I am going to consider this issue closed and it will not be up for discussion again. After two weeks, James and I will sit down with Ed, Nicholas and/or Blaine and decide what the next steps will be."

"Can you please try to conference me on that discussion?" John asked.

"We can do that." James said.

"I already made a note in the calendar." Peter said. "Just let me know when you are meeting and I will arrange John's schedule."

"Good." Gran said. "Anything else. This will be the last time that we discuss Tommy for the next two weeks. We will inform JP, Elizabeth and Lee about what is going on, but there will be nothing else. Last chance."

Gran looked at Thomas and Charlotte. They didn't look happy. They whispered between themselves and then sat back. Charlotte crossed her arms and glared at everyone. Neither said anything so Gran took it as a closed matter and was prepared to move on.