Chapter 5
Tom woke up with perspiration. The nightmares that had been stopped a while were haunting him again. He kept lying with eyes closed, trying to avoid the reality of his surround for as long as possible . But a soft sound forced him to open eyes. The room was almost dark, the fires had been extinguished. Only the moonlight was reflecting through windows giving the room a dreamy effect. Tom turns to the source of the sound and found the child lay crumpled on bed letting out a whimpering sound. The moonlight fell on his angelic face. Tom couldn’t help but admit that the boy looks beautiful. A part of him felt proud. His son will grow up as a very handsome man, more handsome than him.
The child let out a sob startling Tom. Tom took a long breath and rose from bed. Reaching other bed he crouched beside the boy and tries to hear what the child was muttering.
“I didn’t do anything. Please listen to me.” Whimpers the boy. “ Don’t leave me alone”, please come back.” The boy was shaking frantically not sure from cold or fear.
Tom couldn’t bear the sight. The boy was having a nightmare. He was frightened. All disgust and fear Tom held was faded by the sight. Tom bends and picked his son up and kept him close to his chest. He never held any child before. When he got engaged to Cecelia he hadn’t given thought of raising own family. He was only twenty one then. He never believed Merope was really pregnant let alone thinking of her child. But today by holding the boy close something stirred inside him. No he didn’t feel love all of a sudden. But he felt really sorry about him. The child had inherited mother’s traits; he didn’t chose to be born this way. The child is lonely and isolated. In his age Tom had his mother, nanny and maids surrounding him. He can’t even imagine how it was growing up alone without anybody to love.
The boy’s body stiffened in his grip but didn’t wake up. “Did none ever hold the child?” Tom snorted, “Why is he wondering? Nobody likes him, orphanage doesn’t remember his birthday either. Tom’s heart filled with sadness. He was only concerned about his distress but he still got his family to care for him. He had the family fortune to lead life in luxury. But what did his child get? His life seems no less traumatic than his father’s. Tom pressed his lips on his son’s forehead while comforting him. Slowly little Tom’s body relaxed. The nightmare has been passed.
“Its okay junior. relax and sleep” he whispers to his son in the way his mother used to.Slowly small hands clasped around his shoulders as little Tom comfortably slumbers in father’s chest. And with son his father too slowly drifts off on the small bed.