Tempest
Chapter 14
"Tom, were are only trying to figure out what's going on. You're drinking like a fish. You become very angry when we bring Sasha or the kids up. You've never been great to Antonia but you would at least be polite. And Hannah? She's terrified of you." Mike asked.
"She's terrified of her own shadow." Tom remarked.
"She has good reason, but…the remark she made to me was that she missed how you were when she was young. My kids all trusted you. Christine and Darien were constantly trading babysitting and my kids always called you Uncle Tom, remember?" Mike asked, trying to use a softer approach.
"Yeah. I wish I could go back to back then." Tom said. Mike and Russ exchanged a look.
"Because of Darien?" Russ asked.
"Partly but not entirely. The kids trusted me." Tom answered.
"They have to get used to having you around permanently. Its going to take time." Russ said.
"They don't want me around. Sasha either. She doesn't want to retire and settle down. I'm tired. She isn't." Tom said.
"So, support her from home. Buy a house the kids want to come home to. A house that she'll want to come home to and eventually, it'll be what she wants too. I know that Antonia isn't your cup of tea, but that is what she created for me, and eventually, all I wanted was to be home. Even if you're alone for awhile, you will be creating a place for them. A sanctuary." Mike explained.
"It's the being alone I'm concerned about." Tom admitted.
"Maybe find a house close to friends then. Friends to stay accountable to." Russ suggested.
"I would like to find a house here, close to the beach." Tom said.
"Well, you are welcome to stay here while you do that but you have to start treating Antonia a bit better. Maybe lay off the alcohol a bit." Mike suggested.
"It bothers me that Hannah is that scared of me." Tom remarked.
"Then do something about it? I can't change what happened to Hannah. Neither can you for that matter. But, you can help her learn she can trust other men besides me and Henry Bell." Mike said.
"Not traumatize her further." Russ added.
"If you are committed to this—you need to stop drinking. I would say, you are going to have to stop completely and on down the road, you might be able to drink an occasional beer or glass of wine. It might be a rough few days." Mike said.
"I just want my kids and Sasha to want to visit and to not scare Hannah so badly." Tom said. Mike was a bit surprised at how Hannah's reaction bothered Tom but if it helped, nothing else mattered.
"So, you need to change and then create a place and a person they would want to visit. And once they see you at peace, they will want to. The reason they don't now is because you aren't at peace." Russ explained.
"Tom, you often ask what I see in Antonia. Its that. Peace. Simplicity. She loved me even when I didn't love her back. And when Hannah showed up with a baby, she loved her and Hunter. No, its not the same as with Christine, but it is what I need now after all those losses and trauma. You can become that person for Sasha and the kids. And frankly, you can be that person to your friends, rather then someone we dread dealing with." Mike said.
"I guess I should apologize to her. And to Hannah for scaring her." Tom remarked.
"That can wait." Mike said.
"Sometimes, the best apology is changed behavior. I agree that you need to apologize but I also agree it can wait. For the time being, just treat them better." Russ said.
"Tom, apologies or not…we all wanted to solve this for you. None of us knew how. As much as Hannah wanted her 'Uncle Tom' back, so did I. And despite all the losses and pain, you can be that person again." Mike added.
"I want to be." Tom said simply. Mike just squeezed his shoulder in response.
Later that afternoon, they all gathered at the table and were eating together. Shockingly, Tom even complimented something Antonia had made, took a turn holding Hunter and was drinking sweet tea instead of a beer. Maybe Tom was going to change. And now, Mike could concentrate on a normal marriage with Antonia, helping Hannah and spoiling Hunter rotten.