Savannah looked at him. "Okay, so if you're right about parents and their impact on children, then the fact that you screwed up for twenty years means that they were sucky parents. While the fact that when given the chance to make your own decision and prove what you can do you decided to step up means that you are a good person despite your upbringing. I mean, I'm just going with your theory here, but it sounds to me like an accurate analysis. You know, based on what you just said," she said with a little smile.
"Okay, no hug, I promise, but this isn't pity, Thomas. This is... I'm a mother. I'm young, my kids are all babies still, but I can't imagine not supporting them, no matter what, and yes, I know that my own parents didn't do that, so it's not like I'm criticizing your parents. And contrary to popular belief, I don't think that life is a Disney movie. I don't think you are perfect, I don't think I'm perfect and I don't think my kids will be, but I do believe in supporting good actions, no matter who does them. Questioning a person when he does something good is so... foreign and not because of who you are, but because we're human and we should help each other. So maybe you have screwed up in the past, and far from me to say that you're a good guy, but that doesn't matter, because here, now when it mattered, you were a capable man. You don't have to be friendly, even if that's what I'd like, you don't have to smile or joke or be everyone's friend, against something I'd like to see, but the point is that you need to be none of those things to be a good person. And, you keep talking about drugs, and I'm not saying they aren't a problem, but I've seen Brian deal with them, I've seen Tommy deal with them, but you? You haven't had problems with them since you came back, so you know, maybe they have their reason, but maybe before they get over the past, you need to. You need to stop thinking about what you did in another place at another time, and focus on what you're achieving here, and maybe if you do that, then you can finally accept that everything I said last night was nothing but the simple truth. Hopefully when you see it, then they will see it too," she said, before turning to Douglas. "And you should see it, too. You're his twin. How can you not see it? I don't know what you did at home, but you've both learned so much and you should see it."
"Hey, don't start with me. I didn't say anything." Doug looked at her, before looking at TJ. "She's not completely wrong with this," he said softly. "Not that you'll change their minds, but you should know that you're doing good."
Savannah looked at Thomas with a smirk on her face, before turning on the bed and hugging Douglas again. "Well, you are a smart man."
Douglas groaned and took her hands and pulled them away from his neck. "Space, personal, room, let's try those words together, Savannah."
"Space, personal, room and hugs," she answered with a grin. "Oh wait, I added another word." Still she pulled back. "Okay, question, since space is so important and money is so important, where you happier there or here?"
Doug didn't even have to think about that one. "Yes! But not because of the houses, jets parties or money. I was doing what I wanted, I was going to be president one day." He wasn't even going to touch the subject of Susan. There was no way that she'd understand why his 'mistress' meant more to him than either of his two wives.
"And there's nothing here that's a little better?" Savannah insisted. "You two talk about Thomas' screw ups, but now he's here and he's clean...."
Doug glared at her. It wasn't fair. He missed his job and his aspirations, but she was right about TJ. He'd do anything to live in a world where TJ wouldn't think of killing himself again and this world had done the trick. "You're a bitch, you know that? ... But some things are better," he said with a sigh.