Letters to the Star Whisperer

-35-

         

The dinner was a bit slow at first, but lucky Aspen talked a lot. She got people into the conversion. She asked Tom about work, and how he knew Ethan. She asked what he did and if it made him happy. Peter had very good manners for being such a little kid. He never interpreted anyone, and chewed with his mouth closed.

Ethan was impressed. When he was a child, he was always loud and always got spanked. His brother got all the attention. He still did.

Aspen was going on about her landlord, Joy, and was saying some funny stories. She had Tom laughing pretty hard. Ethan had no idea what to say. He had nothing to say to Tom, who he had worked with for years and years. Aspen acted like they have been best friends for years when they just met face to face an hour ago.

"Right Ethan?" Aspen asked.

He was guard off guard, "What?"

"Gluten free. That's how you got your job?" Aspen asked him. "You got the job right on the spot."

She was talking about his new pizza job. He turned red. Ethan really didn't want Tom to know he was working at a high school type job. "Um, yeah. The owner was laughing so hard."

Tom smiled. Not a cocky smile that many people would when they found out where he was working. It was a nice friendly smile. "I am happy that you found a job, sir."

Ethan tried to give a smile back. "It's not too bad. It's actually fun. I never had a pizza job before."

"Well, I know that working with your father made you misery," Tom told him. He looked up from his plate, almost speechless. He put his fork down and just stared.

"Was it that oblivious?"

Everyone was quiet then. He didn't know what else he could say. Luckily Aspen said, "It's time to take the dogs out. Hey Peter? Do you want to see some tricks they can do?"

"Yeah!" Peter said. "Daddy, can I?"

"Are you finish with your dinner?"

"Yes, I am. Thank you for cooking," Peter said facing Aspen.

She gave a sweet smile. "You're so certainly welcome."

Once they and the dogs were outside, it was just Ethan and Tom. Ethan started to take the plates and placed them in the sink. "So, how is the company going?"

"It's about the same really. It's odd not having you around, sir," Tom said.

Ethan nodded, not sure if he could see him or not. "Right on. .. am I replaced yet?"

Tom took a moment to answer that. "If you mean someone has filled your position, then the answer is yes."

That felt like a slap. His father, who he hadn't spoke to since he was fired, must have been so excited to have someone else do his job. "Wonder what jackass my father hired," Ethan laughed walking back to his chair.

Tom just laughed, rubbing his chin. "He hired me. . . I'm the new sales manager."

Ethan's smile faded. "I didn't mean it."

"It's okay, sir. I understand you being mad. I don't think you should have been fired. I think personal reasoning got in the way of your father's choice."

He shrugged. "I'm glad he did it."

"Oh?" Tom said, cocking his head. "You are?"

"Yeah. .. I am actually. .. happy. I don't feel so empty anymore. I don't feel so lonely."

"I didn't realize you were so sad," Tom said.

Ethan nodded, rubbing his hands together. "Yeah. .. I didn't either."

"Your roommate, it seems like she's doing good for you," Tom said.

"Aspen? Yeah. We only known each other barely a month, but I don't know. She makes me want to change. ..and live for myself, you know? Like, working for a pizza store. I don't mind at all. It makes me feel happy to do it. And she makes me want to try new things, and not get drunk every weekend. She's. .. different. Good different, though. You know?"

Tom smiled. "She seems different than any other girl you've been with."

He held up his hands. "Oh no, it's not like that. We're just friends, that's all."

For a few moments, it was quiet. They could hear Aspen and Peter calling for the dogs, telling them they were good boys. Finally Tom smiled. "Okay, if you say so."

Another moment paused before Ethan rubbed his eyes and then stated, "Listen, when I say this, I don't mean to offend you, or be rude. .. but I had no idea you were married and had a kid."

Tom's face went pale. "I'm. .. I'm not married. It's just me and Peter."

"You're a single dad?"

Tom swallowed and nodded. "Yes. I was married, about three years ago. Peter's mom, after he was born, she was very depressed. I thought everything was okay, but, it wasn't. On the surface, she was happy and carefree, and we were all happy." He gave a long sigh as if he didn't want to talk about it, but had to finish the story anyways. "Then, a little after Peter's first birthday, she just lost it. She was having meltdowns, and picking fights with me for no reason. It was just the littlest thing. I had to get Peter out of the house, I didn't want him to be around us fighting. I didn't know what was wrong. I couldn't make her happy. Then, I found her in the closet one morning, when I thought she had gone out of town. She. .. she overdosed."

Ethan's mouth hung open. "I am. .. I am so, so sorry."

Tom held up his hand. "It's okay. It's getting better. I've talked to so many therapists. Luckily, Peter won't remember any of it." Ethan could see tears starting to surface, he could see Tom trying to press them down. "She was depressed for a very long time. I didn't know, and for the longest time, I blamed myself. I should have seen the signs, but I didn't. I am starting to know that it wasn't my fault. Things are looking better. You just need to be reminded mostly every day that it wasn't your fault. .. then after a while, you believe it."

Ethan just nodded. Before he could say anything, Aspen and Peter came back in. "Daddy! I got the doggie to shake! Aspen showed me!"

The tears that were there, it was all gone as soon as his little boy's arms were around his neck. "That's great, Peter!"

Ethan had wondered, how many times Tom cried without anyone looking at work. What must have been going through his head throughout the day? Why didn't he talk to anyone about his wife? How did no one know about that?

Did his father know about it?

After twenty more minutes of small talk, Tom told them that they needed to get going home. Peter turn to Aspen and said in the sweetest voice, "Thank you for dinner. It was really good."

"Aw, anytime buddy," Aspen said. That seemed to make her really happy.

Ethan just nodded. He walked out the door with them as Aspen stayed in the doorway watching them. Tom and Ethan shook hands as they walked. Peter got into his car seat, waving goodbye. Ethan waved back. As Tom opened his door, Ethan said, "Hey, I just want to say, I'm sorry."

"It wasn't your fault," Tom said.

Ethan shook his head. "No. I'm sorry for being a jerk, playing pranks on you all those years. I'm sorry for dumping all my work on you, and just being such a. .. a douchbag."

Tom just laughed. "It's okay. I actually liked working with you. You were fun, and the pranks made me forget on bad days."

He just nodded. He suddenly gave him a hug, something he didn't do very often. Tom was taken by surprised, but gave a little pat back. Ethan gave two pats on his back, and then let go, giving one more hand shake. "I'm happy my father hired you."

He waved them off as they drove away. He stood there, thoughts cluttering his head. He looked up, to see the stars were starting to come out of hiding.