InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Banana phone!"

Thomas Julian Kemp (asterismos) wrote in nevermore_logs,
@ 2014-11-14 21:05:00

Entry tags:

jameson kemp, lena rainmayr, roxanna fielding, thomas kemp

WHO: Thomas, Lena, Jamie and Roxanna
WHAT: Homecoming
WHEN: Backdated to Monday I think?
WHERE: Their house
WARNINGS: Talk of drugs? Pouty Thomas.

Thomas wasn't actually looking forward to going home. He had suffered through withdrawal and there wasn't anything else he could really do at the rehab facility that he couldn't do better at home. Except now he had to face the fact that he had lied to his wife and son. It was the worst thing he had ever done and now he felt physically and emotionally shitty.

He very nearly knocked at his own door, but remembered that was ridiculous at the last moment. He stepped inside and headed to the kitchen, requiring coffee. Half of him wanted to go hide in bed, but he would have to face his family eventually. "I'm home!" he called out, dreading what was about to happen.

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bang_a_drum
2014-11-14 08:27 am UTC (link)

Jamie and Roxanna were camped out in his room, doing their homework and having snacks. So when the door opened, they heard it, looking up at each other with matching expressions of trepidation.

"I could go and tell him you're sleeping," Roxanna offered softly. "If you want to put it off a little while longer."

Jamie sighed and stood up. "No, it's probably best to get it over with," he said, sighing heavily. "Come on."

"Maybe I should-"

"No secrets in this house, remember?" Jamie asked, tugging her out of her chair. "Let's practice what we preach." So she followed him down the stairs and into the kitchen, trailing slightly as Jamie went into the kitchen.

"Hey Dad," he said, managing a small smile. "Nice to have you home. How are you feeling?"

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	asterismos 2014-11-14 08:31 am UTC (link)
	Thomas gave them both what was an incredibly guilty half-smile. "Uhm...terrible, but I did it to myself. Coffee?" he asked, spooning grounds into the maker. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	bang_a_drum 2014-11-14 09:00 am UTC (link)
	"Only on my deathbed will I refuse coffee," Jamie informed him. Roxanna snorted. "And you'll likely start sweating caffeine at some point," she told him. "Like you have any room to talk." "True enough," Jamie said. "But, self-inflicted or not, it still sounds shitty." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	asterismos 2014-11-14 09:13 am UTC (link)
	Thomas nodded and filled the pot enough for all of them. He had already sweated out several substances, what was caffeine compared to opiates. "So you've both been alright? Uhm...not- Nothing happened while I was gone?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

bang_a_drum
2014-11-14 09:26 am UTC (link)

The two of them looked at each other and shrugged. "Nothing terribly exciting," Jamie said. "We went to Home Depot to get stuff for Roxanna's room, so it's pretty much done now."

"It's purple," Roxanna said giddily, beaming.

"Went grocery shopping, mostly stayed in," Jamie went on. "Aunt Maddy came by, left us some cookies." He removed a plate from the cupboard and pulled back the foil.

"I love that your aunt is a pastry chef," Roxanna said. "That is so awesome."

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asterismos
2014-11-14 09:33 am UTC (link)

Thomas smiled softly at Roxanna. "I'm really glad you've been able to make it like you want it," he said quietly.

He fiddled with his coffee mug, spooning sugar into it. "I should make some food too, didn't eat much and when I did, it didn't stay down." Then Thomas made a face, "sorry. You don't need to know. Augh, I feel like the most terrible person in the world."

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bang_a_drum
2014-11-14 09:53 am UTC (link)

"It's my little sanctuary," she said happily. "Which this one invades from time to time." She jerked her thumb at Jamie, who shrugged unrepentantly.

"I'll make you a sandwich, Dad," Jamie said gently. "Sit down. You're not the most terrible person in the world, I'm pretty sure there's a long list of people worse than you. Yes, you fucked up. But you're fixing it."

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asterismos
2014-11-14 09:59 am UTC (link)

Thomas wanted to argue that he should make his own sandwich; that he didn't deserve Jamie's sandwiches, but the fact that his son has offered to make one made him want to sob in relief. He sank into a chair at the dining room table and rubbed at his eyes tiredly.

"I lied to my son for the first time in his life, after promising I never would. Pretty sure I'm horse shit. But that's not your problem, it's mine. I'm going to try so hard to make it up to you. How do you feel about ponies? You want a pony? Or a Power Wheel! You used to ask for those all the time. I mean, you were five..."

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flare_star
2014-11-14 10:15 am UTC (link)

Jamie just looked at him, smiling slightly. "I do not need, want, or have the space to keep a pony," he said. "I'd end up making Roxie take care of it because school is eating my brain. And I'm probably too big for a Power Wheel."

"I wanted a pink one when I was five," Roxanna said, sipping her coffee. "Big surprise-never got one."

"I'm pretty sure 19-year-olds want Harleys if they don't get Power Wheels," Jamie said, then he looked over at his dad. "Neither do I need a Harley. Dad, I still love you, and holding onto anger makes me tired. Yeah, it might take some time to build the trust back up, but you're my dad, and you're only human. No expects you to be perfect, but you're definitely not horse shit either."

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sat_by_the_fire
2014-11-14 10:51 am UTC (link)

Thomas offered Jamie a tired smile back. "Okay, no guilt ponies. What about a guilt car? A pink one, just for Roxanna?" He was going to say more, but Lena walked out of their bedroom, her hair wet from the shower. Thomas stood, expecting her to be upset with him.

"Thomas!" she exclaimed, delighted, which shocked Thomas. He continued to be surprised when she ran over and went to her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. "Oh, honey, I'm so glad you're home."

"I- H-hello," he said, wrapping his arms around her. "I uhm...sort of expected you to be upset with me still."

"Oh bleh," Lena said, sticking out her tongue. "I love you and you're getting help. That's all I need to know. I don't feel like feeding that massive guilt complex any more. Besides, I missed you. And dammit, I just took a shower, or you could have joined me."

Thomas' eyes widened at that. He definitely hadn't expected to be seeing Lena naked any time soon. "Heh- Uh. Damn my timing?"

"Sit and eat your food," she said, flapping her hands at him. "Listen to Lena!"

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flare_star
2014-11-15 06:33 am UTC (link)

"Ew, pink," Roxanna laughed, wrinkling her nose. "However, if you wanted to buy me a black Mustang...I'm totally kidding, by the way."

"See, Dad?" Jamie asked. "We're all really glad that you're home. No comment about the guilt complex, because you know I have one too."

"Preach," Roxanna said, draining her mug. "And speaking of food, I got all the stuff to make those mini chicken pot pies, so if no one has any objections, I'll cook dinner."

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asterismos
2014-11-15 06:38 am UTC (link)

Thomas chuckled and he finally felt the tight knot in his chest release a little bit. His family still loved him even though he had seriously fucked up.

He sat back down, Lena beside him having dragged a chair so close she was pratically in his lap. He wrapped an arm around her and gave her a gentle kiss. "I missed you too," he said softly.

"Damn right you did, I'm amazing," Lena grinned back at him. "You'll be okay, babe. Just never lie to me again or I'll take your balls, okay?!" She said it brightly and with a huge, glowing smile, but Thomas still stared at her in horror.

"Oh she means it," he told Roxanna and Jamie. "That's a deal. No lying. No more pills. I'll tell you when it's difficult. Check. I'm still- I used to have to keep so much to myself just to keep going. So I'm still learning." To Roxanna, he said, "dinner sounds awesome though. I'm seriously starved and this sandwich is delicious but I think I could probably work my way through ten of them at the moment."

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flare_star
2014-11-15 07:49 am UTC (link)

Roxanna started pulling out bags of vegetables and some chicken breasts, passing a knife to Jamie. "You get to chop carrots. Don't cut your finger off."

"Aye aye, Cap'n," Jamie said, pulling the carrots closer to him.

"I don't doubt it for a second," she said, trimming the fat from the chicken as she spoke. "My mom always says, she can forgive a lot of things. Being lied to isn't one of them."

"Your mother sounds very wise," Jamie said, tossing a bad bit of carrot into the trash. "But yes, Dad, seriously. Tell us when it's bad. You always told me to tell you when I couldn't handle things. Well now it's your turn."

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	asterismos 2014-11-15 07:59 am UTC (link)
	Thomas smiled lightly at Jamie and he nodded. "I did say that, didn't I? I'll learn. Maybe...maybe if you guys could ask every day too, it'll train me to bring it up?" "Sure," Lena answered easily. (Reply to this) (Parent)