Friday Morning, the Lindholm House, Discovery

Friday at Cassidy’s was a flurry of activity. Miss Harwood giving him a big kiss and well wishes before departing for school. Tess arrived not long after. After a quick breakfast of fruits, cereal, and a dollop of yogurt, Cassidy helped him get clean. It was decided he would travel with the nurse to the Lindholm house, tucked safely away in her brassiere.

He could help but feel anxious with the prospect of seeing his mother. How would she react? She would be concerned, then she would get mad. He was kind of glad there would be others there to deflate her anger.

Preparations complete, they took Cassidy’s car, the ride over uneventful. Janine greeted them at the door, taking their jackets before leading them into the sitting room on the first floor of the house.

Cassidy instantly recognized the pretty raven haired woman with arctic blue eyes in sitting room, Serena Hall, the lawyer.

“You remember Serena?” Janine asked, smiling and looking from the nurse to the attorney.

Cassidy nodded and smiled, extending a hand, “Miss Hall.”

Rising to her feet, “Miss Lane,” Serena returned pleasantly shaking Cassidy’s hand.

Turning to Tess, “I don’t think you’ve met my friend Teresa Wentworth,” Janine introduced.

“Tess,” she said, smiling and proffering a hand.

“Serena,” replied the lawyer, shaking Tess’s hand before smooth her skirt and sitting back down on the divan.

“Do either of you want anything to drink, coffee, tea?” Janine asked.

“No thanks,” Cassidy said, taking a seat on the long couch. “Why is your lawyer here?” she asked.

Janine was about to answer, but Serena raised a hand, “I am here at the behest of Mrs. Lina Lindholm,” she replied.

Tess frowned, “A lawyer? Why are you here? Obvious it has something to do with Tom,” she concluded.

Serena nodded. “I am not at liberty to discuss any information or details pertinent to my presence here,” Serena replied politely, external visage and demeanor remaining professional.

Unbuttoning her blouse, Cassidy Reached into her bra and carefully removed Tom and set him on the hand carved coffee table in the center of the furniture.

Stretching and yawning, Tom looked up at Cassidy and grinned before looking at his sister and Janine. When finally he turned his attention on a woman he didn’t recognize.

Serena sat there expressionless, her brain trying to rationalize the fact there was a miniature person on the table in front of her. She couldn’t believe it. It was definitely him, hair perhaps a little longer than the photos she had obtained.

“Tom,” he said, walking to the edge of the table nearest her and beaming her his dazzling smile.

It wasn’t some trick, it wasn’t some illusion. The youth was standing right there. “I, uh,” she said, the erudite and articulate barrister at an unaccustomed loss for words. How? She chuckled nervously, looking at the others in the room.

Janine hid a smile behind her hand as she pretended to clear her throat. Tess smiled and gently shook her head while Cassidy watched Tom.

“Come on,” Serena said, shaking her head and making a snorting type noise.

Spreading his arms wide, “Live and in the flesh my babies!” Tom said, mimicking the voice of Hulk Hogan’s Thunderlips character.

“Really?” Serena asked, expression growing serious.

“No, just kidding, really this all just an optical delusion,” Tom replied, nodding affirmatively as he waved a hand in front of his face, “this is all just a dream.”

“Tom,” scolded Tess, shaking her head before looking at the attorney. “He’s always been kind of cheeky that way,” she explained.

Arms folded across her chest, “It’s true,” added Janine, nodding, blonde hair bouncing.

“Ah, grazie, grazie,” Tom said bowing.

Seeing Tom like this, the pieces of the puzzle began to align and Mrs. Lindholm’s directives achieve clarity. She meant to have custody of the boy. Invalid? Well, he certainly couldn’t look after or provide for himself in his current condition. But why?

Jessica Lindholm appeared in the doorway, “Hi Tom,” she said softly, nodding her head slowly.

Turning to face her, he nodded.

Starting to step into the room, Jessica was halted by Janine when her sister raised an interposing hand.

“I just wanted to say no hard feelings,” Jessica said contritely around the Janine’s block.

Smiling, Tom touched the sensitive laceration he sustained the last time he saw her, “No problem, no hard feelings,” he repeated.

Jessica nodded and smiled, reluctantly drifting out of the room when she realized there was no way on earth she would be allowed anywhere near the tiny lad.

“There is no way this can possibly be true,” Serena declared, blurting it out and shaking her head vigorously.

Tom laughed, “Lawyer right? Truth? You want the truth? You can’t handle the truth!” he barked, this time using Jack Nicholson’s voice for the classic line from A Few Good Men.

Shuffling forward some more, Serena reached out a hand and very gently touched Tom on the torso before quickly pulling her hand back.

“It’s okay, he doesn’t bite,” Tess said, noticing how both Cassidy and Janine both seemed to look away at the same time.

“I just can’t get over it,” Serena muttered, piercing blue eyes bright and wide absorbing every detail of him.

Appearing in the room, “There you are,” Lina said, broad smile of her beautiful face, “Thomas,” she added warmly, circling around the chesterfield to sit.

He grinned at her and nodded.

Sitting next to Serena, Lina nodded, “You’re looking well, except perhaps for that cut over your eye,” she said, smiling down on him.

Tom shrugged and spread his hands as if it was nothing.

“I conversed with your mother just a few moments ago and she said she would be arriving in a few hours. I was hoping in the intervening time you and I might have a private moment to converse prior to her arrival,” she stated, ignoring the curious looks from Tess and Janine. Serena remained focused on the tiny youth before her.

A lopsided grin appeared on his face, “Of course,” he assured.