Forgive Me, My Love ~ ReddNook

Chapter 38

Tom stopped. "I'm sorry. I have to keep working." But Sable just kept talking. "It would be better if you split up with Redd," she said in a sharp tone. "Otherwise you will suddenly find yourself back again with no money."

Tom was so taken aback by the statement that he couldn't find the words. "What are you talking?" He asked then. "Redd is cheating on you!" Sable growled. "He's only after your money!" Tom tried to stay calm.

"That's not true. He's changed, didn't you notice?"
"He's just pretending to be, like he did last time!" She replied. "As soon as he has won your trust, he steals from you and disappears again. Do you really think he loves you? He doesn't even know what love is!"

Tom put his ears back in anger. "Stop talking so badly about Redd! What are you thinking of ?!" The hedgehog lady put her hands on her hips. "What are you thinking of? How can you be so naive as to trust a fox, who once took advantage of you !? That's idiotic, Tom!"

"Redd has changed!" He repeated. "Foxes never change!" Sable insisted. "They're cunning, mean, and sneaky. And that wretched bastard is one of the worst kind!" Tom couldn't hold back any longer.

"Take this back now!" He yelled at her. "I love Redd and he loves me. You're just jealous, Sable!" Caught back, she gritted her teeth grimly. The tanuki took a deep breath and gradually calmed down.

"I don't want to argue with you," he said. "On the contrary - I want to get along with you again, and be able to talk to you like we used to." Sable stared coldly at him. "As long as you are with this fox, I don't want anything to do with you."

Tom sighed sadly. "I just wanted to help you," she continued. "Because I'm worried about you." Her voice softened. "And because I don't want you to get hurt again." Tom carefully placed a paw on Sable's shoulder.

"It won't happen," he assured her. "Redd knows he screwed up. He wouldn't hurt me again, believe me." She was silent for a while, until she turned away from him, shaking her head, and walked past him.

After a few steps she stopped again. "Just don't imagine that you can crawl back to me if it doesn't work out between you again."
"I don't," Tom said quietly.

"Good," Sable muttered, then kept walking. He looked after her with a thoughtful look. Why can't you just accept my decision?

After a long day at work, Tom was happy to finally be home. Tired, he dragged himself into the living room and threw himself on the sofa with a sigh. He closed his eyes but did not fell asleep. He thought of Redd and suddenly missed him terribly.

Tom could visit him, after all it wasn't a long way. But every muscle in his body resisted it. He was too exhausted. The tanuki raised his head when he heard the front door swing open. It must be the boys.

Tom straightened up and went into the hallway. "Hey kids. How was work?" Timmy walked past him with bowed head and wordlessly climbed the stairs. Confused, he looked after his nephew. "Timmy, what's going on?"

The boy paused but did not turn around. "Tommy is so mean!" He yelped. Before Tom could reply, the tanuki had stormed upstairs. "Geez," he muttered. Only then did Tommy appear and closed the door behind him.

"Hello, uncle Tom," he greeted him in a monotonous voice. "Hello, Tommy. Do you know what's wrong with your brother?" Without a word, Tommy shrugged his shoulders and went into the living room. Then I'll have to talk to Timmy first, Tom decided and climbed the stairs.

He knocked on the door. "Timmy? Can I come in?" He heard a sob. "Go away!"
"I just want to talk to you," Tom said gently. Silence.
"All right," Timmy finally muttered. The tanuki entered.

Timmy lay on the bed and cried into a pillow. His uncle sat down next to him and gently stroked his back. "Why are you crying, hm?" He sobbed. "Tommy... Tommy was totally mean to me all day."

He raised his tear-streaked face. "He said that I only make mistakes and that I am too slow. He even said that I am too stupid for this job and useless. Only because I once miscalculated a price! That's so mean! I'm not stupid!"

Timmy took a shaky breath and more tears ran down his cheeks. Tom hugged him tightly. "Hey, calm down. Everyone makes mistakes, but that doesn't make you stupid." Timmy buried his face in Tom's chest.

"Tommy said, he wished I wasn't his brother. T-That hurt me so much ..." The older one looked horrified.

"Did Tommy really say that?" The tanuki nodded. "But why is he saying that?" He mumbled more to himself.

"I don't know," his nephew whimpered. Tom got up from the bed. "I'll talk to Tommy. Maybe he'll tell me what's wrong with him." Timmy wiped the tears from his face. "Okay..."

"Don't worry," Tom said gently. "Everything will be fine."