Confounded: Part II - 11. Chapter 11

CHAPTER 11 --==Kit’s POV==--

As we drove home I just gripped the wheel with one hand and looked straight ahead; Tom kept quiet the entire time. He stiffened just a tiny bit when I drove through the gates and up to the house. Exiting the car, he slammed the door closed and went inside, leaving me to park the car in the garage. Then I followed him inside and walked straight into a warzone.

“…ere were you! You had us worried sick!”
Silence.
“Oh no, you don’t; get back here. I’m not done with you yet. Where were you!”

I stepped into the kitchen and threw the car keys in the bowl; it earned me a glance from Tay before he returned his attention on his nephew.

“You do whatever you want, don’t you, hmm? No matter what the consequences. No, don’t look at Kit; he just did what I asked him to do. He’s not gonna save you.”
Tom remained silent.
“Well? Are you gonna say anything?”

He didn’t even acknowledge, or react, when Taylan then dealt out a punishment that was harsher than anything I’ve ever been given, by a landslide.

“The silent treatment? You think that works with me? Fine; no TV and no leaving the house for the entire summer. No computer access. Bed by eleven, rise by six; Mitchell will wake you and you better get your sorry carcass out of bed when he does; no more sleeping in. We’re done treating you with kindness, if you repay it with this crap.”

Tom still didn’t speak and I have to admit that it was effective. The wrong way, as effectiveness goes, but effective nonetheless; it drove Taylan right up the wall.

“That might work with your parents; not with me. Now get out of my sight.”
Tom left the kitchen and it stayed silent for a long time after he’d left. Then I breathed out slowly.

“Wow.”
Taylan sent me a glance and then smiled, be it a bit sadly.

“Yeah, that went pretty good, didn’t it?”

“You just gave him a punishment worse than even prison. Inmates have more room than that.”
He sighed and sat down.

“Yes, but did you see what it did? Nothing. Not even a blink.”
I’d seen it. And I could tell Taylan the exact reason for it but it wasn’t my place to tell. Tom had to do that himself.
I was still considering to at least lift a tip of the veil when I got read the riot act myself.

“And as for you, Kit; hanging up on me? I should deal out the same to you for doing that.”

“People who live in glass houses should not throw stones, dear husband of mine,” Dad’s voiced suddenly spoke up from the doorway, his tone steely. “Kit; go to your room. Now.”

Gladly!

**********

Their fight was explosive, to say the least. Doors and walls couldn’t really contain the verbal hits flying back and forth until dad, and very forcefully at that, told Taylan to shut up and get out of his sight. The door in the hallway slammed, making my own door vibrate with the impact and I winced. Yikes! Dad really was mad! I'd never heard him slam a door before. Quickly moving to and opening mine, I caught a glimpse of Tay storming past with eyes suspiciously moist and tears smeared on his cheek. He stopped when he saw me and turned away, wiping his eyes before looking at me.

“What is it, Kit?”

“Are you alright?” I asked.

“No.”
He hiccupped a few times and I went over, drawing him into a hug.
“He never told me that before; to get out of his sight…”

“Shh….he’s mad.”

“Understatement.”
Of the century, yes.

“He loves you.”

“I know…the whole damn neighborhood knows; he yelled it loud enough.”
I grinned; yeah, I’d heard it.

“What’d you say to make him do that?”

“Offer him a divorce?”
WHAT!

“Are you crazy?”

“I was angry too, alright!? I wasn’t even thinking straight, I didn’t expect him to be so mad, sheesh! Anyway, that’s what he said, too. This thingy only comes off when I’m fumes, sixty years from now.”
He wiggled his wedding ring at me. He sniffled.
“That big oaf actually thought I meant it.”

“Then don’t say such things.”

“Oh, believe me; I’ll never do it again.”

“Good,” I said, snickering. “That one’s all on you.”

“Bleh, don’t remind me. Now I gotta make it up to him.”

“I’m sure you’ll think of something.”
I gave him a tighter hug and he groaned.
“Think it’s safe enough for me to go back in there?”

“It’s your corpse. I’m staying clear for the next few hours. And you can tell him he can sleep in the spare, tonight.”

**********

Dad was still in a mood when I ventured into the office he kept at home. He was sitting in his chair, staring outside, turning his ring absentmindedly on his finger.
Regarding me for a minute when he noticed me coming in, he then turned and rested his elbows on the desk, rubbing his face with his hands.

“How is he?”

“Tom or Tay?”

“Tay…”

“He’s upset.”

“Yeah, well; so am I. He…” He halted when I sent him a pointed look. “What…?”

“He was crying…and he said you get to sleep in the spare, tonight.”
That caused a deep groan and a soft curse.
“I think you overdid it just a tad.”

“Yes, thank you; I don’t need my barely adult son giving me relationship advice.”
Raising my hands I walked out backwards. Not touching this one. There was no sense continuing this when he was like this.

“Fine, I was just…never mind.”

“Kit!” he yelled as I exited, sighing deeply. When I stuck my head around the doorpost, he motioned me to come back in. “I’m sorry. You’re trying to help and I’m…slowly coming to my senses again.”

“It’s okay.”

“How’s Tom?”

“Upset as well. I think. I dunno. He didn't say one iota.”

“What is it with these Slattery’s and us Gilmore’s? Do we have some sort of button that only they know how to push?”
I grinned at that one and nodded.

“Tom sure knows how to press mine.”

“So where was he?”
I hesitated then, which made Dad frown.
“Kit?”

“Dad, it’s…I know why he is the way he is. Why he’s acting the way he does toward Uncle Roman and the others. But I can’t tell you. It’s not mine to tell.”
Narrowing his eyes, Dad thoughtfully regarded me for a long time.

“Is it as bad as those therapists told Roman?”

“Yes. It’s bad. It’s the kind of thing that I can imagine could cause what it does to him. But now that I know; maybe he’ll start talking…but if I tell you guys, and he finds out…”
Dad sighed and thought for a long while. Then he nodded.

“I understand. Alright, if you really think it’s the right way to go. Maybe he will trust you. I’ll talk to Taylan…umm…when he’s willing to talk to me again.”
He grimaced and made a face at me.
“Remember what I told you about boyfriends?”
He’d given me a few pointers, last year, right after my coming out to them, one of which had been not to pick a boyfriend like Taylan.

“Yeah?”

“Well…still thinking of getting one?”

“No, not so much now, no.”
At that, a corner of dad’s mouth turned upwards and he waved me out of the office.

Once outside, though, I thought about his question again. And actually? The true answer was yes. I would.

And for some reason, I saw that image again, in my mind, of Tom.

Laughing.