Chapter 19

"You're here early."

Thomas looked up from the reports he was completing to see Austin standing in his doorway.

"These past couple of weeks have been hell, I just wanted to tie up the loose ends and get this whole 'dethroning' attempt out of the way," Thomas replied. Their plan to infiltrate and destroy their rival organization was successful. They did lose some of their men in the battle but their plan, for the most part, did pan out.

"I was just taken aback to see you here so soon after a job, you're usually....getting other things out of the way." Austin smiled, hands in his pocket, his jacket folded across his arm.

Thomas understood what Austin was trying to insinuate, that being that his jobs often ended with enjoying the pleasures of a warm feminine body next to his. The problem wasn't in the shortage of women but rather in the fact that the one woman he wanted was nowhere near him and he was impatient to have her at his side again.

"I am not really in the mood, I just want to go home and sleep in my own bed," Thomas responded without returning Austin's gaze.
Austin gave a secretive smile. He'd never once heard Thomas Lynne express excitement to go back home. He'd been avoiding his house for years. "Ahh, I see. Tell Avril I said 'hi'" he leaned off the food frame and he was gone.

Thomas stared at the empty space that Austin occupied only seconds ago. The mention of Avril made him anxious to get his work done and find himself back home. He wondered if she would be happy or excited. The more he visualized her reaction the more he hoped she was ecstatic. He turned his attention back to the reports. Once completed he emailed the file to his father, removed himself from behind his desk, and immediately made his way to his father's office. Standard procedure dictated that he wait a day or two for the reports to be looked over, but he didn't possess the patience.

He stood outside his father's office door for two extra seconds before raising his knuckles to caresses the boundary.
He pushed the door open and saw his father smiling at him. His dad wasn't much like Thomas, he was definitely a lot more good-humored and easy going than Thomas was. He was a man who never made a problem out of anything.

"Nice to have you back in one piece." His father stood up and walked around his desk to give his son a heartfelt embrace. They never spend time together outside of all things work-related. That made risky missions worrisome to the senior Lynne. He always wondered if the last time he saw his son truly was the last time.

"Nice to be back in one piece." Returned his father's embrace with the same enthusiasm. "How was your check-up with the doctor?" Thomas questioned as his father's embrace ended and both men took their seats.
His father sighed. "I told you, don't worry! The doctor says I am doing fine as long as I stick to my diet and take my medication. My chances of another heart attack are minimal." he reiterated the news with a hearty laugh.

"Then I guess the question is are you sticking to your diet and taking your medication?" Thomas questioned. He couldn't help but worry. His father was the only person he really had.

"You won't get rid of me that fast." His father gave a reassuring smile that satisfied Thomas.

"I have something I wanted to talk to you about." Thomas turned serious now. The tone and atmosphere in the room morphed.

"Sure. I am really happy to have you back at work. It's been really boring when I forced you on vacation. No one to question my authority." His father laughed.
Thomas smiled lopsidedly, passing his fingers through his hair. The irony of what he was about to say wasn't lost on him in the slightest. "That's what I wanted to talk about. I am not coming back just yet." he let the words penetrate into his father's thoughts. The smiling senior turned serious.
Thomas' father stared at him skeptically. "What do you mean?"

" I want to go back home. I will still be on duty, I can just work from there." Thomas had considered this a lot. His father stayed in this city and Thomas did occupy his own condominium, however, he wanted to go home, to the house he grew up in, to the house that Avril Stock was hopefully waiting for him to return to. He did admit the latter aspiration was far-fetched considering his one-sided attraction but he ran with it. He needed to know if there was something there or whether that night was a fluke.

"Since when do you want to work at home?" His father questioned. His son had been scraping tooth and nail to be called back into work and now that he was, he was unsatisfied?

"I just realized how much I missed the old place." Thomas didn't lie, he preferred to think of it as if he just omitted a few minor details. What could he have possibly said? I am sexually attracted to your friend's daughter. The same daughter that was entrusted to you to ensure she was safe and behaving herself at University? He was certain those words would have earned him a stiff warning.

"I see. Well, considering that you rendered great merits on this last job, I don't see any reason to deny your request." His father seemed to consider his request.

"Thank you, sir," Thomas replied and exited. A spring in his step and fresh air in his lungs.
Thomas' father absentmindedly scratched the side of his beard as he always did when he found things suspicious. He never knew his son to want to stay at home, hell that was the reason why he had put him on mandatory vacation in the first place.
He pulled out his cell and dialed the only person who could shed some light on this matter.

"Trish?" his voice was deeper, more controlled as her name rolled off his tongue.

"Mr. Lynne! How are you?" Trish would know that voice if it was drowning in a sea of screams.

"I have something I need to discuss with you." he wasn't sure if this was the right step.

"Let's see. I am doing well, Mr. Lynne. Thank you for your concern." she replied sarcastically.

"Oh, forgive my manners." he quickly tried to make amends.

"I forgive them too much already to say no now." Trish exhaled. "Just tell me what you need." she did nothing to hide her obvious irritation.

"No, you are right to berate me. I was senseless. I really do want to know about you as well." and he wasn't lying.

**************
Thomas stopped off for gas, something about having to stop to refill his tank when he was ten minutes away from home irritated him. Mostly because he thought himself a complete idiot for not ensuring his tank was filled.
He leaned beside his car, arms folded across his chest and legs crossed. If this was a patience test... Thomas didn't stand a chance. His gaze ran over to the mini-mart, someone exited and usually, Thomas wouldn't look twice but this person ignited a sense of recognition within him.

His mind flashed back to when Avril had gone to the movies with her boyfriend and clear enough, this was the same boy. Thomas couldn't help but stare at him as he made his way to his car. He handed a bag to the person occupying the passenger seat, Thomas couldn't see who sat there it was only when the occupant stuck her head out of the window to give the boy a kiss on his lips did he see a blond girl.
Thomas' mind reeled. While he was grateful that he didn't have to see Avril kissing another man the fact remained that If that was Avril's boyfriend, then there was two explanations, the first being that they broke up, which Thomas thinks it's still pretty fast to move on and the second is that he is cheating on her. Either way, Thomas wanted to walk over there and break something...A limb perhaps...

He guessed he would have to find out from Avril. If this boy was in fact unfaithful, she needed to know...He didn't care if she hated him afterward, it was important that she knew the truth. He couldn't have her attached to someone who was disrespecting her in public.
Thomas didn't quite understand why this boy would want to cheat on Avril, or rather he didn't understand why anyone would. Being a victim of a cheating partner, he had strong opinions. It was the one thing in a relationship he could never tolerate. It was disrespectful at best, if someone wanted something or someone new he didn't understand why they couldn't just say that instead of making themselves and everyone a fool. It was a sure-fire route to a messy breakup.
He shook the thoughts away. That topic brought up too many memories. Memories he wanted to keep dead and buried.