Chapter 14 - Thomas Takes Robert’s Empty Chair
Two years later, Robert invited Thomas to Christmas dinner.
Thomas hesitated at the doorway.
Robert opened it wider.
“You planning to stand there all night?”
Thomas smiled.
“You used to be friendlier.”
“You used to be in prison.”
“Fair.”
They hugged.
Awkwardly.
Then longer.
Michael watched from the hallway.
Robert remained Dad.
Thomas remained Thomas.
Eventually Michael called him his biological father when explaining the
relationship to others.
No title was forced.
Jennifer attended too.
She and Michael had developed something resembling siblinghood.
Mostly sarcasm.
When Michael reached for the last dinner roll, Jennifer slapped his
hand.
“I’m older.”
“By three years.”
“Still older.”
Thomas laughed so hard he nearly spilled his drink.
Margaret attended separately.
She and Robert had not reconciled romantically.
After long counseling, they decided to divorce.
They were surprisingly kinder after ending the marriage than they had
been during its final years.
Margaret lived nearby.
She respected Emily’s boundaries.
Usually.
When she forgot, Emily reminded her.
Margaret no longer treated correction as betrayal.
The restitution program from the old Carter fraud paid former employees
and descendants where records allowed.
Robert sold a vacation property to contribute additional funds.
Thomas contributed part of his settlement after his conviction was
formally reviewed and the historical record acknowledged the forged
evidence and coercion surrounding his plea.
The past could not be made clean.
But it could be made more accurate.
At dinner, Robert raised his glass.
“No speeches.”
Everyone stared.
Robert smiled.
“That was the speech.”
Lily applauded.
May you like
The family laughed.
Nobody needed Christmas to look perfect anymore.
