Len snorts and angles the screen between us. Immediately I see a picture of Juliet’s family.
“What is this?” I ask.
“The news? Contrary to popular belief, I do, in fact, know how to read. Hey,” Len says as I turn the screen and scan the article. It’s something about education reform and Senator Caplet’s commitment to family.
“His policies suck,” Len says.
“You follow his career?”
Len blows some air out through his lips. “I’m an informed citizen,” he says.
He reaches over me to grab the mouse, but I slap his hand away. I have an idea. My fingers are already on the keyboard. I type “Richard Caplet” into the search page of theSan Bellaro News, and a thousand articles come up.
“Obsess much?” Len asks, amused.
I methodically click through, moving backward in time. Two years, three years, four, five, scanning the headlines for what I’m looking for. When I get to the last section, there it is, in big, bold font, dated over ten years ago. But the headline is something I never expected. I read the words once, twice, and then look at Len to see if he’s reading the same. I click open the article.
There is a picture of my dad and Juliet’s father, and typed above the photo are the wordsBETRAYED BY HIS OWN BROTHER.
Scene Two
Richard Caplet’s campaign had a surprise disruption Tuesday night. On the heels of Steve Monteg’s announcement that he would be running as Mr. Caplet’s opponent in the upcoming mayoral election, Mr. Caplet received word that his brother and former campaign manager, Paul Caplet, would be supporting Mr. Monteg’s candidacy. The two brothers have been close up until this point, and it’s unclear what made Paul Caplet flip. Paul Caplet is a professor at the local college whom many anticipate has his own political aspirations. When asked about his endorsement, the professor replied, “Steve Monteg is the right man for our town and our state. I put my full trust and faith in his powers of leadership.”
Len finishes reading and sits back in his chair. Students are starting to file into the lab, picking up their assignments and taking their seats. Neither one of us moves.
“I don’t get it,” I say.
“People do strange things for power,” Len says.
“Not my dad. You don’t know him. He’s a teacher.”
Len nods. “I understand,” he says. “But this all happened a long time ago.”
“This is why Juliet called my family backstabbers.” I sit back and hit my chair with athunk. “She was right.”
“He must have had his reasons,” Len says gently. So softly, in fact, that I turn to look at him, just to make sure that he’s the one talking. He is.
“It doesn’t matter,” I say. “My parents still turned their backs on their family.”
“Did they?”
I throw my arms up and gesture toward the screen. “You just read it!”
Len takes a deep breath and speaks slowly, like he’s explaining arithmetic to me. “I just think there are many different definitions of ‘family,’ that’s all. Maybe the Montegs were your parents’.”
“It just doesn’t make any sense. I know my parents. They’d rather be Switzerland than choose a side.”
“Being Switzerland has its own faults,” Len says. “Bad weather, for example.”
“And why have they never told me about this? That this was the reason Juliet’s family left town?”
Len is quiet.
“He won, you know,” I say. “Rob’s father was the mayor for four years when we were kids.”
“I know. I remember.” Len looks at me. “So Juliet’s family took off with their tails between their legs, huh?”
“Honestly,” I say, “I don’t really remember. I was barely seven.”
