Confounded: Part II - 20. Chapter 20

CHAPTER 20 --==Kit’s POV==--

I sat there for what felt like hours and about half an hour before dad knocked softly on the door and stuck his head in, Tom had fallen asleep; I didn’t dare move, cradling his head with one hand and my other arm wrapped around his middle. At some point, he’d moved into my lap, his knees on either side of my hips, his face pressed against my throat; my shirt was soaked where he’d first pressed it. His arms, one almost strangling one side of my neck at first, and the other equally tight around my middle, has slackened some as he’d fallen asleep.
It was dark in here.

“Kit?” dad softly called, making me look up.

“Yeah?” I answered, equally soft, squinting some against the light the opened door beamed in.

“Can I talk to you for a minute?”

“Can’t it wait?”

“No, it’s kinda important. Need help?”

“Yeah, could you…?”

Dad came in and helped me untangle Tom, lifting him away as if he weighed nothing. Nodding with his head, he directed me to pull back the duvet so he could lay him in bed.
Covering him with it, he then invited me to step outside.

“How is he?” Dad asked, closing the door quietly behind him.

“He’s….upset.”

“I imagine so; Taylan filled me in. How are you?”

“Me?”

“Yes, you.”

“I’m fine, why?”

“Taylan told me what you guys were talking about before…”

“Oh.”
Damn it Tay! Was nothing secret around here?

It wasn’t as if I wanted to hide it from dad but did we have to do this now?

“So I’ll ask again; how are you?”
Sighing, I guessed that there was no way out of this. Dad would insist, I knew that much.

“I don’t like it when he hurts,” I answered, opting for the truth, then pausing to add, “It makes me mad.”
That raised an eyebrow.

“There’s nothing to be mad about, Kit. You didn’t cause this, you know.”

“I know that. It’s just…I dunno. It makes me mad, that’s all I know.”
Dad regarded me for a while and I looked away, feeling my cheeks burn up.

“These feelings you're having…they are real?”

“Yes. I can’t explain it, dad…it just happened.”
He nodded knowingly.

“It can sneak up on you, when you least expect it. Does Tom know? How you feel, I mean?”

“No.”
The silence that ensued was almost thick enough to slice.

“You're going to tell him?”

“Yes. When he’s ready to hear it.”
Dad smiled at that and pulled me over, wrapping me in a tight hug.

“You are amazing,” he whispered in my ear. “Sometimes I think you’re miles ahead of the rest, you know that?”
There wasn’t much I could say to that but it was nice to hear. Then he let me go and took a step back, leaving his arms to rest on my shoulders, seeking my gaze.

“Do you think Tom needs help? Professional help?”

“Didn’t they try that already? Uncle Roman, I mean?”

“Yes, they did. And they never got as far as you’ve gotten in these past few weeks. He might be more receptive to it now. But at some point, it’s time for a professional to step in again. Help him climb out of whatever dark place he’s been for the past year.”

“I can help him,” I said, knowing that I could. I was certain of it.

“I’m sure you can, son, but…at some point…we care too much. We want to help and do it ourselves, and we lose track of the whole picture. And we then maybe do more damage than good. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
When I didn’t react immediately, he gently shook me.
“I know your intentions are good. And I'm not saying you can't be there for him, but he's probably going to need more help than you can give him. As your dad, it’s my job to make sure that you’re happy and safe. Don’t underestimate what this stuff, going on with Tom, can do to you. A professional can take over from here. Now they know where to start. You’ve done a lot for him, even if he doesn’t know it.”

I knew what he was saying, understood it too, but that didn’t mean I had to like it. And for some reason I didn’t.

“He shouldn’t go through that alone. Not again. Reliving that…”

“So…maybe you should go with him? He might want a friendly face there?”
That could work. It made me feel better about it, anyway.
“Even though you’ll just be there, not sit in on the sessions. But for him to know you’re there; it might help convince him to go. So, we realize it’s a lot to ask of you, but would you give it a go? Ask him to see someone? He might accept it from you…”

“Sure…” I answered, unable to hide my doubt. “Do I have to do that right now, though? I mean; he’s sleeping.”

“No, no; let him sleep. Poor guy must be exhausted.”

“Mmk. I’ll ask him tomorrow. And speaking of exhausted; I’m not entirely here anymore either, so would you mind…?” I asked, jerking my thumb over my shoulder and letting my voice trail off.

“Yeah, you go get some sleep too, son. I’ll see you in the morning. G’night.”
Dad pressed his lips on my forehead and smiled, then turned and went back to the living room.