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Character: Thom Reston (This is a very minor character in the Lincoln Rhyme series by Jeffery Deaver. I'm taking what little is known about him and extrapolating from there.)
Abilities: Thom is a normal human. He is a skilled nurse practitioner/caregiver who specializes in working with long term care to quadriplegics but who is also licensed for physical therapy.
Along with his medical credentials, Thom is a very skilled cook and housekeeper but he is also a bit of a jack of all trades. Through his relationship with Lincoln Rhyme, he has been exposed to the world of CSI forensics and has proven to posses a very keen eye for observation, picking up on bits and pieces of evidence that were missed by even Lincoln's keen eye.
Flaws/weaknesses: He's a mortal, normal, run of the mill human. That said, he is very stubborn in his care giving duties, to the point of getting shot in order to protect his charge. Sometimes his devotion to duty overrides his common sense as well as his understanding of his own limitations.
This hints at a certain level of arrogance and youthful inexperience in understanding his own mortality. As Lincoln one time describes Thom's actions as needing 'immediate gratification' being a byproduct of that youth.
Also Thom's intense focus on what's best for his patient can also blind him to the larger needs of those around him. In one instance, Thom's desire to push Rhyme to use the phone himself slows down the process of getting word to the steam company to shut off a valve turn on that ends up killing a woman. If he had just dialed the number as Rhyme had asked, maybe there would have been enough time to save her, maybe there wouldn't have been but that was not the time for Thom to have been trying to make a point.
History/background: Thom is the third child of a fairly wealthy family and he was a bit of an 'oops'. His older brother, Keneth Reston Jr is 15 yers Thom's senior while his sister Maryanne is 8 years older than Thom. They were kind to their younger brother but for the most part had little to do with him while he was growing up. Too busy with Ivy League boarding school and debutante parties.
As he has an older brother and sister who were well on their way to being the upstanding family scions expected of the 'Reston' name, Thom's childhood was a series of nannies and other 'caregivers' rather than direct influence from his father and mother. Thom was one of the lucky ones, a child who's parents at least paid enough attention to make sure he had the best and so he grew up with strong role-models as caregivers.
Thom would be the first to admit that while he can not name any one person above the next, it was the combined influence of these caregivers in his life that helped spark an interest for such a career in the young Thom. Since there was no need for Thom to go into the family business, his brother was already an executive officer in the family company or marry well into society, Maryanne had that locked down before she turned 18, when the time came he was given enough money to pursue whatever field in life he so desired.
At first Thom saw himself following in the footsteps of his own caregivers and pursuing a career with children but he quickly learned that not many parents were going to want to hire a gay man to care for their precious bundles of joy. Taking a year off, Thom traveled extensively and considered his options. Hide his sexual orientation and continue to pursue the life of a live in tutor / caregiver for affluent families, constantly at risk of exposure which would bring scandal down on his family or find another career choice. He eventually came home and after a surprisingly understanding conversation with his mother, found himself pursing an application to one of the top nursing schools in New York the next day.
Though by the time we meet him in The Bone Collector Thom is fairly young -in his mid twenties- he obviously has a gift for his chosen field. It is mentioned in The Empty Chair that Thom is as much a master of dealing with broken spirits as he is with dealing with broken bodies, a gift that just came naturally to the young man as he never pursued any psychological training beyond what was necessary for his core nursing courses.
Regardless it's a gift that's served him well over the past 6 years while dealing with Lincoln Rhyme, a brilliant but quadriplegic criminal investigator and professional pain in the ass. Dealing not only with Lincoln's broken body, his broken soul but also his self destructive temper meant Thom had to not only be good at his job but creative as well. Still after being fired six times and quiting six times, the fact that Thom has always come back and Lincoln has always wanted him back, speaks to the depth of understanding and connection the two men found together.
Though caring for Lincoln has always been a 24/7 job, Thom had the good fortune to come in to contact with a man named Peter Hoddins. Peter is an award winning journalist, who helped Lincoln write his books and visited the townhouse a couple of times early in Thom's employ. Handsome, well spoken and with a good sense of humor, Thom found himself drawn to the slight older Peter almost from the beginning and was surprised when Lincoln, who seemed to make it his life's work to cause Thom as much grief as possible, not only supported but actively encouraged the relationship.
Lincoln might not be in a position to cut Thom a lot of slack but it's obvious that he thinks the world of Peter and when he can he makes sure Thom has time to nurture and enjoy the relationship the young aide shares with the writer.
Personality: Thom is unflappable. He handles emergencies with calm, professional grace and as Lincoln has often reminded him, is up to his own armpits in piss and shit taking care of an invalid. Thom does not judge and his well born manners making him a bit of a "Goddamn Martha Stewart" when it comes to keeping house, yet at the same time Thom has shown a certain level of sensitivity for his boss's desire to not be disturbed by excessive cleaning. Still, Thom is clever enough to pull off some cleaning in and around Lincoln's griping, having learned over the years when Lincoln really means what he says and when the feisty old crip is just being a pain.
Thom takes pride in his appearance and in his work. This is obvious when Lincoln first hired him and said he could wear jeans and a t-shirt if he wished but Thom has dressed smartly and professionally every day since. Quiet and meticulous, Thom exhibits an almost boyish sense of glee when his food or housekeeping duties are remarked upon and can get into a bit of a snit when Lincoln casts disparaging remarks upon said same.
Thom does not wear his heart on his sleeve as a rule, and the only time he is mentioned to have gotten emotional was when Lincoln asked him outright to kill him. There was a time when Thom genuinely understood that Lincoln was at a point in his life where life itself was a chore and he wanted release. One time when Lincoln asked him to assist him, Thom broke down and refused. He broke down not because he couldn't stand the thought of Lincoln dead but because while he would stand by and let Lincoln die, while he would make no attempt to stop Lincoln from pursuing other methods of suicide, Thom himself could not take a life.
Though he can empathize with Lincoln's plight, Thom's job is to care for, bully, cajole, cheer-lead and aide Lincoln in making the most of the life he now leads and Thom takes his job seriously.
As well as his physical aide, Thom has become a little bit of everything for Lincoln, especially in assisting with the CSI work that has given Lincoln a new lease on life. With his stable nerves and quiet of manner, Thom exhibits a backbone of steel when it comes doing his job and taking care of people. With an almost innate understanding of what his boss needs, Thom has stared down angry FBI agents, lunatics with guns, a serial killer setting fire and numerous other hazards that most caregivers don't face. He does it with aplomb and the quick wit, that has been honed in the years of living and putting up with Lincoln Rhyme!