The emotions we've all been through have been so intense, it hasn't seemed like much of a break to any of us, but after Martha talks with Tommy, he appears resigned, if not happy. We settle back in at the flat and classes resume. I'm glad to see Tommy, especially, looking happier after his call to Andrea. Mike, too, is looking forward to his date with Carol the next evening.
With only a few weeks left in the semester, I'm planning to include a fairly long lab exercise as a major part of the exam, something Joynes seldom did with his exams. The kids - they're young men now, but to me they're still a couple of kids I love - come in together, arms around each other and laughing.
"What 'cha doing, dad?" Tommy asks.
"Making some notes for exams. You guys had better begin to think about it, too."
"Jeez. You're going to go easy on us, aren't you?" Mike says.
"Fat chance."
"Letting me have a look at what you're throwing at us?"
"Yeah, when I pass out the exams in class. You think you're a privileged character?"
Mike winks at Tommy. "Being the prof's son oughta get me a few bennies, right?"
"Ha!" Tommy snorts. "Remember how he come down on me for not doing that paper?"
Mike's grin vanishes. "And I thought the old man's class was going to be a snap."
"It will be if you study, so I want to see you guys putting in some serious time. I expect Carol and Andrea are going to be doing the same."
"Yeah. Andrea's already told me we're down to Friday and Saturday nights."
"Carol told me that, too." Mike says with a grimace.
"Then they're showing more common sense than most. Now, let's get to bed."
Both boys have term papers to write and I'm pushing to finish up the material I want to cover, so time flies by. Despite his grumbling, Mike finishes his exam in my class well ahead of the others, turns it in and leaves, giving me time to glance over it while the others are finishing. It looks good, but I'll have to examine his photographic work later.
When I'm grading the work that evening, I subject Mike's work to closer scrutiny than I do the other students', because he's had so much more experience. I'm delighted to find his work better, deserving of the A+ I put on his paper. There is one other A in the class of ten, the rest B's, except for one C I give a guy who has put forth only minimal effort. Mike is delighted, especially when I tell him I was particularly critical when I was grading his work.
Tommy comes in with a huge smile after the grades are posted. "Guess what, dad? I made three A's and three B's."
I have to hug him. Not bad at all for Tommy. "I'm proud of you, son." And I am. I know he will never come close to matching Mike's straight A average.
I take the boys and their girlfriends to the steak house for dinner in celebration, and enjoy seeing them have a good time together, their last time together until fall. The next morning we begin to pack our stuff. I help Tommy sort out the things he'll need for summer, so we can leave the rest packed until fall semester begins. Tor brings up our car, because we'll need both to carry everything the three of us have managed to accumulate.
"God, it'll be good to have you home where you belong, love." Tor and I haven't seen each other since the boys and I were home for spring break
"You missed me?" I tease.
"Damn right, I did. Why?"
"Thought you might decide you liked living alone better."
"The hell you say." Tor grabs me in a hug, giving me a kiss. "The house has seemed so empty, but nights have been the worst."
"For me, too. No more separations if I have anything to say about it."
"I've missed you so much I couldn't take another. Missed the kids, too. At least you had them."
"Tor!" Mike yells, and drops the boxes I sent him and Tommy to the liquor store to get for the odds and ends we need to pack.
"Hi, babe. Come here, Tommy, you get a hug, too. How'd you guys do on exams?"
After they tell him, they bask in his approval, Tommy especially. We finish packing and somehow manage to get all of it stowed in two cars. When I stop by the manager's office to turn in the keys, he says, "Now maybe Mrs. Montrose will stop her bitching about students in the building, but I'll tell you, Doctor Torrence, you and your sons are welcome back anytime. They are quiet, well behaved young men."
"Thank you. I wish the boys could stay in the flat for the rest of their time in school. We've enjoyed living here."
Suddenly he grins at me. "Guess I can tell you now."
"What?"
"The reason why Mrs. Montrose dislikes you all so much is that one afternoon she was waiting for the elevator when Mike came in. Her poodle nipped Mike's heel and he threatened to drop kick it over the moon. Wish he had, frankly. I can't stand that damn dog."
Mike lets Tommy drive his car, so Tor matches his speed on the trip home. When we get there, it's too late for the boys to hit the beach, so they unload both cars and put their things away. We go to our favorite place on the fishing pier for dinner, after which the boys go to look up some of Mike's pals. Tor and I make up for lost time while they're gone.
The next morning, Mike and Tommy are off to the beach as soon as they've grabbed some breakfast. Tor and I lounge around, enjoying each other. It's good to be back home and re-establish our normal routine. I notice that both boys write letters to their girls at least two times each week and often more, resulting in our mail box being filled with something besides junk mail. Either Tommy or Mike, usually both, pick up our mail before Tor or I can get it.
After two weeks of sun, Tommy has darkened considerably, and Mike has a nice deep tan. "I'm sure gonna miss the beach," Tommy says as he begins to pack to return to school.
"That's what weekends are for, bro. You better come home every one of 'em." Mike tells him.
"You bet. It ain't gonna be the same at school no more."
Tommy refuses our offer to go with him and help him settle in the dorm. "I gotta do this myself," he says and hugs us all.
I hand him the cell phone. "Keep this safe and charged up. Give us a call when you get there, so we know you're okay."
"Okay." He hugs me. "I love you, dad."
"I love you, too, babe. Be careful."
He hugs Tor and Mike, then drives off slowly.
"Damn, it, I miss him already," Mike says that evening, after Tommy calls to let us know he arrived and everything is fine.
"I know, Mike. We do too," Tor says. "I hope he gets along with his roommate." Tommy had expressed some doubt about him.
Friday night Tommy comes home as I expected. Mike and he immediately begin to compare notes on courses and what's going on, on campus. Tommy tells us at dinner that he's just gotten a new roommate. It appears that both Tommy's assigned roommate and his new one had both requested changes. This one is a transfer student in library science, so Tommy has something in common with him. He and Mike spend Saturday on the beach, then Tor and I go to Mass with them on Sunday. After dinner, Tommy leaves for school, this time with less emotion.
I'm surprised when Tommy calls Thursday night and asks if he can bring his new roommate home with him for the weekend. I tell him yes and hang up wondering. Tommy is so very slow to accept people.
"I can't believe Tommy's actually bringing some guy home with him," Mike says as we're making up one of the twin beds in the guestroom Friday afternoon.
"I know. He must be pretty outgoing for Tommy to accept him so fast. All Tommy said is that he's a transfer student from Minnesota and wants to see the beach. You might take him sightseeing while they're here."
"Save that for another time. The water oughtta be warm enough for us to swim, if this guy can. I'm betting he wants to catch some rays."
"Whatever. Let him call the shots."
"Okay."
I'm in the kitchen preparing dinner when I hear car doors slam, then Mike and Tor both say, "Well, shit!" at the same time. A few seconds later, I hear the front door open and Tommy introducing his roommate to them as Stephan Wolf. After their replies, I hear them coming this way.
Tommy's arms go around me in a hug. "Hi, dad, this is Stephan."
When I look at him, I almost drop the fork I've been using to turn the roast. Stephan is a little taller than Tommy, wearing shorts and a T-shirt, a nice looking kid. It's the hook on his left arm and prosthetic left leg that startle me.
"Nice to meet you, Doctor Torrence."
I shake hands with him. "Tommy, take Stephan up to his room. Dinner will be ready shortly."
"Okay. Come on, buddy."
Tor comes in and yells for Mike to come set the table, then turns to me. "I'm not believing this."
"Well, now we know why Tommy's so loose with him."
"That kid looked at my hook and grinned. I don't think he gives a damn who sees him with all the hardware."
"Let's hope his attitude spreads to Tommy."
Over dinner, Tor asks Stephan what he would like to do while he's here. Stephan instantly says he wants to see the ocean and spend some time on the beach.
Mike grins. "Cool, man. I thought you would. We'll have a great day tomorrow."
"You swim?" I ask.
"Quite well, sir, but I've never been in the ocean before. We have a lot of lakes in our area."
"I'm glad you swim, but the ocean can be treacherous here. Mike, I don't want you guys in if there's any undertow."
"No problem, dad. You know I check it out for Tommy."
We all sleep late, so it's nearly ten when the guys take off. Tor helps me with the cleaning, then we make sandwiches from the leftover roast for our lunch, knowing the guys will find something on the beach. Mike still likes to eat, and I don't object to him having fast food as long as he gets a good dinner.
They come in about six. Stephan is so red I'm afraid he is going to be in pain, if he's not already, but he laughs when I ask. "I'm fine, sir. I can always tell when I've had enough, then I put on sun-block. I want to get enough so this crazy Indian stops calling me paleface."
Tommy grins. "You always be paleface like my brother, Anglo."
Mike gets an arm lock around Tommy's neck and scrubs his head with his knuckles. "Okay, redskin, knock it off before I scalp you."
"It's Indian who scalp paleface. Don't you know no history?"
Tor and I are laughing. "Damn, you're worse than a bunch of fourth graders. Go get ready for dinner," I tell them.
As soon as we're at the table, Tommy says, "I guess it's good we had Mike along today."
I'm immediately afraid they got in trouble while swimming. "Why?"
"Stephan and me took off our hardware and we all went in. All of a sudden Mike was back on the beach chasing some kid. Little bastard had one of my feet and Stephan's hook, going down the beach with 'em. Damn! Ain't nothin' safe no more."
Mike grins. "If his mother hadn't been there, I'd of torn his little butt up."
"She say anything?"
"Told me not to touch her child. I told her to keep her little brat from bothering things that don't belong to him, and if she didn't like it, they could go back where they came from. Damn summer people."
Tor laughs. "I can see you're going to be the next beach poster boy for the tourist bureau."
"Like hell!"
The boys are enjoying themselves if the amount of uninhibited teasing is any sign. With a sense of humor I've not often seen, Tommy is always quick to retaliate with some quip when Mike or Stephan make some crack about his being Native American. Tor and I have had to join in their laughter at times.
When Tommy and Stephan are ready to leave on Sunday afternoon, I look at Tommy and ask, "Shall I change Stephan's bed, or leave the sheets on it?"
"Leave 'em," Tommy says quickly. "We'll be back next weekend."
Stephan grins. "Okay! I've had a great time, Professor Torrence. Thanks."
"Our pleasure."
"No wonder Tommy isn't unhappy as we thought he was going to be. Stephan is a good kid. I'm glad they're rooming together," Tor says as we watch them drive off.
After several weekends with the three boys in the house, Tor says, "This damn place is beginning to look like a motel."
"It's worth it. Look what it's doing for Tommy. I mean he's really come out of his shell, and his grades are holding up. Mike's having a great time with them, too. Sure, it's a little extra work, but Mike helps a lot, and so do you."