A few days later, when Nicole and Peter were unpacked and at home once more, she went to Mike and asked him to take her to see Davy.
"Mike, take me to see Davy," she said. Mike, who was reading the paper, looked up, startled at her blunt approach, and asked:
"Can't you get there yourself?"
"Yeah, but, well, I don't wanna go by myself," she replied.
"Can't Peter take you?" he asked, concerned.
"He could, but I want you to, Mike," she said. He looked confused for a second but nodded.
"Alright, I'll take you," he agreed.
Mike drove Nicole to the hospital to see Davy. She went in to see him first. She tried to persuade Mike, but he was reluctant, and told her he'd go in by himself when she was done. So Mike stood in the hallway as the guard opened the door to Davy's room.
The room was very modest. There was only a small bed, a radio, and some books. On the bed sat a lump, covered by a blanket. Nicole entered the room.
"Davy?" she asked. The man closed the door behind her. The lump under the blanket turned in her direction. Slowly, two hands came out from under the blanket and moved it up. Two brown eyes became visible, and the hands moved back to reveal Davy.
"What are you doing 'ere?" he asked, surprised.
"I came to see you," she said simply, and sat down on the bed next to him. "How are you doin'?"
He shrugged. "I'm fine."
"Davy, what happened? What are you doin' here?" she asked, looking into his eyes.
Davy looked at his feet and shrugged again. "Not as if you'd believe me," he mumbled.
"Tell me anyway. I wanna hear."
He shrugged. Then he looked into her eyes. "It's not Petah," he said with conviction.
"Why do you think that?" she asked. Davy shrugged.
"I can just tell. Something in me brain is telling me it's not 'im," he said. "Truthfully, now, haven't you noticed anything strange about 'im lately?"
She thought for a minute. Peter had seemed a little reluctant to do anything lately. After she'd told him the baby was born, he seemed to be uninterested in her at all. And when nighttime came, he seemed to be more interested in sleeping, or doing something else, rather than her, as he used to be. She nodded.
"That's because it isn't 'im," he insisted. "It's not Petah. 'E's got you all hypnotized."
"Davy, you realize how stupid and ridiculous this sounds?" she asked. He nodded and sighed. She changed the subject. "Thomas has been worried about you," she said, conversationally.
"Really?" he asked, perking up a little. "Do you think, maybe there's a way I could see 'im. Just so 'e knows I'm alright?"
"I'll see what I can do, Davy," she said, smiling. She stood up. "You're going?" he asked.
"Mike's here. I want him to talk to you," she said. He nodded, and she gave Davy a quick hug before leaving.
"You can see him now," Nicole said, bringing Mike out of his thoughts. He looked at her.
"Do I really have to?" he asked.
"Mike!" she said indignantly. "He's your friend. He needs to know that you're still his friend. Support him."
Mike nodded sheepishly and went into see Davy.
The door opened. Davy turned to see his next visitor enter the room. He moved back and sat in the corner of the bed. He nodded towards the other side of the bed. Mike sat down on the bed. He looked at his hat, which he was holding in his hands and started to fiddle with the pom-pom.
"Davy, listen, about this...I'm really sorry," he began.
"Don't worry about it Mike, I don't blame you," Davy said. Mike forgot whatever it was that was interesting about his hat and looked up.
"You don't?" he asked.
"No. It wasn't your fault. Anyway, I know you've been having second thoughts."
"You could tell that...from in here?" Mike asked. Davy nodded. Mike looked back at his hat. "Well, listen Davy, I don't know what came over me. I'm really sorry."
Davy nodded.
(one month later)
Thomas' constant whining at his mother and father finally prompted her to take him to see Davy. He really missed Davy, he'd spent a lot of time with him before, and now he wanted to see him. Not finding a valid reason why not to allow him, she finally gave in and drove Thomas to the hospital.
She went in first and prepared Davy for Thomas. Thomas stood outside the door and waited for his mother to return. When she did, she knelt down on the floor in front of him.
"You can go in now Thomas," she said. "But don't stay too long, okay?" Thomas nodded and hugged his mother before heading into the room.
Davy was sitting on the bed waiting for Thomas. The bed faced the door so he could see Thomas when he came in. Thomas stepped inside the room and stood still until the door had been closed behind him.
Davy watched the boy carefully. He still wasn't sure this was a good idea, and he wasn't sure how Thomas would react.
But he needn't have worried. The moment the door was closed, Thomas rushed forward and threw his arms around Davy's waist.
"Hey Thomas," Davy said, relief showing in his voice. Thomas kept his arms wrapped tightly around Davy's waist and buried his face in his chest.
"I missed you Uncle Davy," he said. Davy smiled and hugged him back.
"I missed you too, Thomas. 'Ow've you been?" Thomas finally let go of Davy and sat down next to him. He regarded Davy solemnly.
"I'm worried about Daddy," he said. Davy looked confused.
"Why are you worried about him?" he asked. Thomas looked at Davy carefully, as if to see if he could trust him.
"I don't think he's eating enough," Thomas said. Davy raised his eyebrows in pure shock.
"Eating enough?" he asked, trying to hide his shock. "Why? Doesn't he like your mom's cooking?"
Thomas grinned. "Sure he does. But he's not here to eat it." Davy's eyes widened in more shock than before.
"But...but," he began, trying to think of something to say that wouldn't go against the convictions that he was fighting for. The convictions that put him in there. He scarcely dared to hope, could it be that Thomas was thinking like him? But how? But at the same time, though he was glad the boy understood him, he knew if Thomas started to say things like that, he'd be the one to be blamed.
But Thomas cut him off. "That's not my daddy," he said simply. "I can tell. My daddy's different. My daddy's name is Peter. His name is Pleter." Davy couldn't fight back the giggles. "Pleter?" he asked, smiling. Thomas nodded. "He tries to be my daddy but he doesn't do it right. So his name isn't right. He doesn't spell very well either," he added in a whisper. Davy smiled. "How do you know he's not your dad?" he asked. Thomas shrugged. "I just do," he said. Davy raised his eyebrows.
"You just do?" he asked. "There's got to be more of a reason."
Thomas shrugged and looked at the floor. "Every night I have dreams," he said. "First I had a dream that Mommy was hurt by a monster that looked like Daddy. Then I had a dream that Daddy was hurt. And then I had a dream that he was hungry."
Davy just looked at him in surprise. "Have you told anyone else about the dreams?" he asked. Thomas shook his head, no. Davy sighed. "Well, you should tell your mom, ok? And Uncle Mike or Uncle Micky. Ok?"
Thomas nodded.
A little while later, Thomas was over Mike and Micky's. It was a full moon and that meant that Micky was left alone to take care of Thomas by himself. There weren't any good movies on that night so they decided to play Chutes and
Ladders. "Hey, Thomas, how'd you like to play something else?" Micky asked.
"Why?" Thomas asked. "Because I won the last two games?" Micky grinned.
"Okay," he agreed finally, grinning. "I was getting bored of that anyway."
"So what do you wanna do now?" Micky asked.
"Uncle Micky, can I ask you something?" he asked. Micky nodded.
"Sure, pal, anything," Micky said.
"It's about my daddy," Thomas began. "I'm worried about him." He paused in his sentence as a long howl sounded from upstairs.
Micky glanced involuntarily up at the ceiling. "Why are you worried about him?" he asked.
Thomas looked at the floor. "Well, it's a long story," he began again. "First of all, I'm worried that he's in trouble." He looked up at Micky to see his reaction.
"Why are you worried about that?" Micky asked, careful to keep himself neutral.
Thomas kept his eyes on the ground. He seemed reluctant to answer. Micky looked down at him carefully.
"Well, I keep having these dreams," Thomas began. "First I had a dream that Mommy was hurt by a monster who looked like Daddy. And then I had a dream that Daddy was hurt. And lately I've been having these dreams that he was hungry. I have this feeling that he's not ok. "
Micky looked at Thomas. "You've been listening to Davy?" he began.
Thomas shook his head. "What do you mean?" Micky looked surprised. "I told Uncle Davy I was worried about Daddy and I told him why and he said to tell you or Uncle Mike. Is that what you mean?"
Micky shook his head. "But Thomas, your daddy is right next door," he said. Thomas shook his head.
"He's not my daddy. He's different."
"How do you know?"
Thomas just shrugged.
(a few days later)
Micky told Mike of his conversation with Thomas.
"Mike, he says he didn't get this from Davy. What should we do? Tell Nicole?"
Mike looked thoughtful for a second. Then he shook his head. "Micky there's nothing to prove that he's not Peter. Just the word of a five year old boy and a man who's been committed to a mental institution. It's not enough hard evidence. I don't think we should worry her. Just maybe watch him to see if we notice anything different. "
Micky nodded. "Hey Mike, you know what I've noticed?" he asked. "We haven't practiced in a while. And the last time we did a gig was when Peter and her went to Alaska, and that was without Peter. How are we going to support ourselves?"
Mike shrugged. "I don't know. Who knows how we managed to make it this long. But whenever I say something to Peter he just makes up some excuse. "
"There's more evidence," Micky pointed out. "When did Peter ever try to get out of practice like that?"
Mike looked at him and shrugged. There still wasn't any real evidence.
Like where Peter really was if he wasn't there.
