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Dear Lucy,

The driving lessons with Tom started off pretty well.

He quickly picked up the basics so we moved on to more advanced skills.

Conversation was brief while Tom focused on what he was taught so, I guess I let my mind wander a bit.

That was a mistake.

Before I knew what was going on, I was out of the car and headed to play in the ocean. Play in the ocean? Why would I want to do a thing like that when I was in the midst of something else?

I looked around and Tom was nowhere in sight. A quick peek at my watch revealed that it was curfew time. Not good, not good at all.

I quickly hailed a taxi since he had the truck and hurried to meet up with Tom.

I’m too late. Officer Audrey Puggle already noticed him. I quietly slid behind the wheel and slowly drove past Tom, hoping that the officer saw me there and would let him go. No such luck.

Determined to do her duty, she had him join her outside the Chandra house at 72 Rachelle Lane. I guess part of the punishment was the forced jog to the patrol car.

Knowing I was responsible, even though it wasn’t done on purpose, bothered me. How was I so forgetful of my duty? Is old age already setting in?

I fully expected him to be angry and disappointed in me, I know I am. I opted not to go immediately home because I wanted to give him time to cool down instead of risking our saying things that we would each regret later on. No need to rip the bandage off this wound.

I arrived home a few hours later and Tom was already in bed. It’s good to know that he didn’t bear me a grudge.

I spoke too soon.

I can’t say I wasn’t mad about the pranks, because you know I’d be lying, sis, but they were kind of funny. I don’t plan on telling him but they remind me of the time I “tinkered” with Dad’s computer. Dad wasn’t the one to make this discovery … Mom was … when she went to look up a recipe that a friend had emailed.

As much as I didn’t want to, I knew I had to step up to the plate and admit my wrongdoing because it wasn’t fair for Dad to be yelled at nor was it fair for her to think he had done it in the first place.

So that’s what I did as soon as I had the chance. I apologized to Tom and made things right between us.

I also made it clear that my room is off limits to him and his siblings. Boundaries need to be set and personal space respected. Tom now knows that if he is mad at me, he needs to come talk to me about it. Preferably after all parties have cooled down.

Showing respect, taking time to talk, acknowledging boundaries. All of these tie into making a relationship work. As I spend more time with your children, I find that I want our relationships work. These kiddos are filling a void I didn’t know I had.

Love,
Luke

Back to the last letter, if you want to read it again.
House at the end of Week Two