Ripley's Return

The reunion

He jumped up and opened the door. "Tommie!" "Peter!" - They hugged each other. Both were so happy that they met again. Tom pointed to the dining table Melanie was sitting in. She also got up to greet Peter, they kissed each other right and left, and Tom realized that they had known each other for quite a while and had not seen each other longer than Tom and Peter.

That afternoon, Tom finally went to the Catholic Church of Northern Ireland to confess and to get rid of all that was burying him, to tell someone who could not pass it on.

First, he described the two murders, then how he could even go and see his aunt because he did not let anything be heard of him for so long. He had no parents anymore, they had died when he was little, so his aunt was his only relative. He also confessed that he had fallen in love with Peter, although he left behind his fiancée in America, but he had never really loved her. His aunt had forced him to marry her – the engagement was not even romantic - but she had said "yes." Probably she had another boyfriend anyway, Tom did not want to worry about her anymore he would not have to visit his aunt, because as long as he did not write her a letter, she did not even know how to reach him.

The pastor listening to him from the adjoining cabin began to read Bible texts to him. Texts that encouraged him, that everything would get better, that God forgave murderers too.

Now he knew that God was behind him, but he had to improve, otherwise, this second chance would not be justified. It was never allowed to come back to such an incident, he did not even know before his first murder that he was capable of killing a human being. He finally had to draw a line. He swore it.

He wanted to forget the worries and live happily ever after, possibly with Peter. He wished with all his heart that it should come like that. He had often dreamed it and had woken up in the night and lay awake for a while until he could fall asleep again.

He was no longer alone, he had God, Peter and Melly, who assisted him. He sensed that Melly was also on the same wavelength with him, that was good.

Peter, one had seen, also had to like her very much. But Tom finally wanted to talk to Peter alone.

Tom left the big church with thanking words.

After half an hour's walk, he finally returned to Peter's home.

When he knocked on the gate again, Peter opened the door. Grace had already set for dinner and when Tom sat down to talk to Peter and Melly, she served them freshly made spaghetti. "How long may - eh - may we live with you?" Tom asked Peter. "You can stay as long as you want," he replied with a smile. "Most of all, I already offered it to you then, Tom - I think Grace will not mind cooking for four instead of two, and if so, I'd be willing to jump in."

"No, no, of course, I do not mind that," Grace said, "It's always nice not to be all alone and disconnected, talking to more people"

"You're absolutely right, Grace - nice that you came," his gaze turned to Tom and Melly. At that they made eyecontact and smiled at each other and back at Peter and Grace. "Thanks for having us"

Suddenly Peter started to tune in to "Amazing Grace" and Tom and Melly joined in. Grace blushed, she felt honored, no one had even thought of dedicating this song to her, although everyone knew it, and she loved being baptized that way.

After this wonderful event, Peter asked Tom in Italian if he could do it as well as he did then. Tom answered with "Sì" - he had never heard Peter speak Italian before until then they had always talked in their mother tongue.

In recent months, he had made no effort of speaking Italian, after all, he was in Greece, but he was glad that he had not forgotten it in this period. Peter and Tom talked in Italian for quite some time. Tom did not know if Grace or Melly understood any of their words, but he did not mind that either. Grace and Melly got on as well as they did and chatted.

Tom focused only on his conversation with Peter and was not distracted by the ladies' entertainment.

Peter asked him about everything he had done in Greece and whether he had met people there.

"No, would I be here otherwise? I did not meet anyone there - or let's say - actually I'm glad I did not make friends with anyone there. Otherwise, my return would not have been possible so soon. I mean - er - if I can put it that way ", you noticed Tom's excitement, usually, he was not so shy with people he knew well.

"I longed for you, very much actually. After your sweet English accent, your way of talking while tilting your head. I missed everything about you" "Oh Tommie, I felt the same way", for a while the two smiled at each other. You could tell something was between them, something that connected the two. They understood each other without words.