Home is not a house

Chapter 2

Tw for this chapter: Razor mention, abusive parent mention, crying

Tommy followed Wilbur out to an old Dodge Durango. It was a blue chair that had threw rows. Tommy was wearing a pair of Phils shoes since he couldnt go to the store shoeless.

"You can sit in the front if you would like." Wilbur smiles at Tommy and Tommy just nods. He sits in the front seat, looking at how the floor of the front seat had trash, guitar picks, and a few random sets of clothes. "Oh sorry about all that! I need to clean out my car!"

"It's fine." Tommy assures him and Wilbur nods. Tommy had been in way worse cars before, the inside being covered in trash to the point where he couldn't sit in a seat but crammed into trunk. Those car rides were not fun.

"So, what do you like to do for fun?" Wilbur asks as they start to pull out of the driveway. Tommy just shrugged, he can't remember the last time he did anything for fun, it was always something he had to or was forced to do. "Do you play any video games?" Tommy shook his head, he's never been able to just watch tv.

"Haven't been able to watch tv." Tommy admits softly, Wilbur just nodded. Wilbur was trying to think what Tommy has gone through, with the flinching, the quietness, the no tv watching and the no shoes. Wilbur has his doubts that he really gave them to some other kid.

"Well that's going to change. We do a family movie night every week, dad thinks it's a good way to spend time together and our therapists think it's a good way to calm down after a long week." Wilbur explains and there's one word that caught his eye, therapists.

Tommy had never been to a therapist, he was never allowed. But the idea of therapy, it sounded nice. Someone listed to your issues and would try to help you fix them. They wouldn't judge you or hate on you, they would listen to what you have to say.

Wilbur noticed the way Tommy changed faces, from a heavy sad one to a slightly less heavy sad one. He looks at Tommy out of the corner of his eye as they began to pull into a Target parking lot.

"Okay Tommy we're here. Now since it's getting close to 8pm I doubt too many people will be here, but if it gets too much let me know. If there's too many people, if there's too much noise, anything just let me know. If you feel like you can't say anything just tap me three times." Wilbur explains and Tommy nods, seems simple enough. He doubted that he would bother Wilbur if something went wrong because he didn't want to be more of an issue, but it's a nice thought.

"Okay." Tommy smiles and Wilbur opens up his door, Tommy doing the same. They walk into the store and Wilbur gets a cart, pulling out the list from his pocket.

"Alright let's get hygiene, then clothes and shoes, and Dad wants you to pick out a comfort item." Wilbur says reading from the list and steering the cart towards the hygiene area. Tommy looks at Wilbur confused, comfort item? Wilbur notices his confusion. "Dad let us each pick an item that we can have for comfort, stuffed animal or something like that. It's supposed to be for when we're scared or in need of comfort, just something you could hold and it can help you calm down."

"Oh. I have my blanket." Tommy offers and Wilbur nods.

"Can I ask about the blanket?" Wilbur asks and Tommy nods before speaking. Currently the blanket was back home, sitting in his bag that he put in the closet to attempt to hide it. The blanket was protecting two things, Tommy's razor blades and his money.

"I've had it since I went into the system. When police picked me up from my mom after my mom died I was allowed to choose one thing to take with me so I took my blanket." Tommy explains and Wilbur nods.

"Well it's good that you have it still. But there's no harm in another comfort item. Now, which toothpaste do you want?" Wilbur asks.

~~~