"before reading chapter six"

If you ask me, Alex will be very silence in his first conversation with his father. He won't know what to say or do. Maybe he will tell Tom something about his life in England, about his hobbys, his old school and his friends. But on the other side both will be differentiated of each other for the first time. I can imagine, that Tom will learn many things about his son, which he had never seen for 16 years.
Maybe they could have a disagreement where Alex is at fault, for example he can accuse Tom, that he never had contact him. I think it won't be easy for both. His father will have feelings of guilt and Alex is disappointet of his father.