Caspian tried to look out for his brother. He didn’t know what Keller knew. At six, did he even understand why his parents treated him like a red-headed stepchild? Caspian wasn’t sure if that was something he should talk to Keller about. Was it even his place?
Recently, Keller had been getting into fights. He’d already been kicked out of one kindergarten program, and if he didn’t stop misbehaving, he would soon be expelled from his current one, too. His troublemaking also extended to their home. A few weeks back, Keller came into Caspian’s bedroom while Caspian was at breakfast to pee in Caspian’s bed. Unfortunately, their momstillbelieved that Caspian had been the one to wet the bed. After that incident, Keller had brought in cockroaches, dropping them into the electronics Caspian had scattered around the room. Caspian had started having to lock his bedroom door when he wasn’t in it to keep Keller out of his things.
He didn’t know how to help Keller, but nothing Caspian saidseemed to be getting through to his little brother. And Caspian had learned a long time ago never to bring his parents’ treatment of Keller up to them. His Aunt Lauren had tried that, and now his mom no longer spoke to her sister-in-law.
Caspian felt bad about wanting to go to the private, gifted school, and not just because it would make him feel like an X-Man in training. But in all honesty, beyond needing to be around people who were like him and spoke his language, he really just wanted out of this house. Away from his overbearing parents who self-diagnosed a sneeze as his cancer returning and his little brother who took out his misery about his existence on Caspian.
Please let me go, he thought desperately to his mom.Please…
* * *
Keys, Age 15
“All rise!”
The shoelace of Caspian’s dress shoe caught on the leg of his chair. Gravity and momentum had him landing on his ass on the floor rather than standing on his feet as the bailiff ordered. His cheeks flamed with embarrassment, and he mentally cursed himself for his clumsiness.
A throat cleared. “Mr. Davis, are you planning on joining us?”
Caspian was tempted to say “no”, but also knew that he couldn’t let this one act define his future. He’d already had one of those experiences, and it was still affecting his life fifteen years later.
Getting to his feet, he brushed off his black slacks, though these floors were so clean that it likely wasn’t necessary. Force of habit, he supposed. His cheeks still red, he faced the judge across the courtroom. He could practically feel his father glaring daggers at his back. No doubt the newly appointed Vice Admiral had stopped his wife from checking on Caspian when he fell.There were criminals in this building who weren’t as angry about being here today as Larry Davis was.
His mom was already on her second tissue box.
Caspian wasn’t heartless. He hated himself for making his mom cry, but he would have hated himself more if he’d let her tears sway him.
“Sorry, Your Honor.”
“Are you okay, son?” Judge Callahan was in his mid-fifties with kind eyes that Caspian truly appreciated. He supposed that was a good trait for a family court judge to have.
Caspian nodded once. He didn’t excuse his actions—because really, what excuse was there for getting one’s shoelace caught on a chair?—and instead waited in impatient silence for the judge to announce his decision.
Still, Judge Callahan gave him another once-over before he continued. “Normally, I wouldn’t entertain a case such as yours, Mr. Davis. I do not take emancipation cases lightly, but yours is certainly a unique one.” He picked up a thick stack of paper. “I’ve also never had a fifteen year old do so much research prior to stepping into my courtroom. Although, the detailed schematic of how you live your life in,” he glanced down at a piece of paper, “Az-ar-oth was not necessary.”
Caspian’s flush returned.
“I sympathize with your situation, Mr. Davis. Graduating high school at thirteen is a feat in and of itself. Your admissions counselor at MIT wrote quite a detailed plea for your case as well. I am truly impressed by you. However, I would be remiss if I did not take into consideration the feelings of your parents.”
A sinking, nervous feeling filled Caspian. He couldn’t go back home. It was even more of a prison than it had been through his childhood. Ever since he’d graduated high school two years ago, his parents had limited his computer usage and projects. For two years, MIT, Caltech, and many other prestigious schools with advanced computer science courses had been trying to get him toattend their universities. They offered full-ride scholarships, living expense allowances, and even a personal driver in one case.
His parents had declined them all.
Caspian wasn’t sick. He hadn’t been sick since he was four years old, and yet his parents continued to act like he would trip and fall into his coffin at any second. The excuses were many. The universities were too far, he wasn’t ready for the advanced classes, there wasn’t any family who lived in that area, the climate was too hot, too cold, too dry, too wet… Caspian was pretty sure his mom would have stated the same excuses if the university in question was across the street from their house.
For two years, he fought with his parents because the law stated they had a legal say in his life. He was a teenager and couldn’t make decisions for himself.
It had taken a lot of time and research, but Caspian had finally compiled his case to become emancipated. He wasgoingto college.
Or…he hoped he was. He honestly didn’t know what he would do if the judge denied his request. Run away?
Judge Callahan continued without pause as Caspian’s panic steadily rose. “Considering your case is uniquely delicate, I spoke with your parents privately. I also talked with your brother.”
There was something in the judge’s voice with that statement that Caspian couldn’t decipher. Keller had been in a juvenile detention center for the past seven months after he broke into a neighbor’s house and set it on fire. His reasoning? The family’s youngest son had looked at him wrong. Thankfully, no one had been hurt, but the charge of arson could not be ignored.
Caspian hated the anger and the guilt he felt about, not just Keller’s actions, but also his life. The only silver lining he could think of was that Keller would get the help he deserved in juvie, and maybe he could come to terms with his existence away from their parents. The last time Caspian had reached out to speakwith him, his eleven-year-old brother had told him to “fuck off” and to never contact him again.
Had he said the same thing to Judge Callahan when he’d called? There was a good possibility if the judge informed Keller that he was calling in regard to Caspian filing for emancipation so he could finally attend college.
