Chapter 2

1997, Two weeks later

School has been boring as usual, but the day has been fruitful nonetheless. Leo is walking home briskly, excited about the new sketches he made during the day in his notebook. He is itching to start building small-scale models as soon as he gets home. He is taking stock in his head if all the parts needed are in his tinkering box. He's so lost in thought that he almost gets run over by a car at the crosswalk.

When he gets home, something is strange. The first thing out of place is the smell of cigarette smoke. Then some things are missing from the living room: some pictures, an armchair, the TV. He finds his mum in the kitchen sitting at the counter with a glass of wine and a cigarette.

"Since when do you smoke, Mum?!" a question and a disapproval. "What happened?"

"Leo, sit down." his mum says. Her tone of voice sounds serious. "Your father was here earlier today. He took his things away. We are divorcing.".

"It's because of me, isn't it?" Leo asks sadly. The house has been calmer without his father, but he cannot help missing him. He remembers the good times; wrestling on the floor, watching football, getting his first electronic screwdriver, building things together. There were good times, though lately more bad than good.

"Leo, I told you, it's not because of you. We just, we didn't get along much lately. We tried, but we could not work it out." She is struggling to explain.

"I don't think he ever liked me." Leo says.

"He was so happy when you were born. We both were. It was the happiest day of my life." she smiles at him. "He loves you in his own way, but it's just… well, he doesn't really know how to love someone well."

"What do you mean, mum?" Leo asks. After all, he is only ten and this talk of love goes a bit over his head.

"For him, loving is all about control. But to really love somebody means you give them freedom, you give them a choice, even if that choice hurts you." she says. "You'll understand it a bit later. He believes in you, and he knows that you can do anything you set your mind on. But he has always wanted you to do it his way. Perhaps to be someone he could never be."

"And you, mum? Who do you want me to be?" Leo asks quietly.

"I just want you to be you. My baby who is growing up way too fast and who is sleeping with a stuffed monkey, but talks to me about science and I realize I cannot follow." his mum now hugs Leo with a tear in her eye.

"You know," she changes the subject "I had a meeting with your headmaster today. He thinks that you should follow a special learning plan for gifted students. You could finish school faster, he says. Do you think you would like that? It may be more challenging, but the teachers seem to think it would be the right thing for you."

Leo thinks for a moment. Hard work is not something he is used to, but he is intrigued. "So I could start studying physics and advanced maths now?"

"Yes, I think so." her mum replies.

"I think I would like to try that." Leo replies, excited.

"Good. We will meet them tomorrow to sort out your study plan. And if you don't like it, you can still go back to your class." she smiles.

1997, two weeks later inside the Framework

When the classes end, Leopold starts running down the street in the direction of his old house instead of going home. It has been two weeks since he went to live with his father and he hasn't heard from his mother since. He tried calling her one night but no one picked up the phone.

He is having a hard time getting used to the new private school; there is more discipline and rigid rules, his classmates are extremely competitive (mostly from hoity-toity families, he has no idea how his father can afford this place), and since he can outsmart them on almost all subjects with little effort, after two weeks, he already has a reputation and no friends. He misses his old life; he wants to ask his mother about going back to his old school, his old house. Most of all, he wants to know she is all right.

When he finally gets to the house, the window-panes are closed and the door is locked. He rings the bell, but doesn't expect an answer. He fishes out the key from his backpack and opens the front door. He feels a cold rush of air and can tell immediately that the heating has not been turned on for a while. He goes to his old bedroom, where he finds his tinkering box the way he had left it. Chimp is on his bed. After a moment of pause, he grabs the monkey and stuffs it in his rucksack. He goes to his parents' bedroom, and then rummages around the living room for possible clues, but to his frustration, he doesn't find anything. He opens the fridge door and sees the milk has gone off. Mum has not been here for at least a week. Empty handed, and not knowing what else to do, he tracks across the city to his new home.

When he enters the door, he finds his father sitting at the kitchen table. His eyes are cold as ice and although he is not yelling, Leopold feels his bubbling anger as he asks through gritted teeth:

"Where have you been, boy?"

Leopold considers for a moment coming up with a lie about a friend or an afterschool project, but finally opts to tell the truth: "I went to see Mother. But she was not there. I know you are hiding something from me, what aren't you telling me, Dad?"

"What you did was reckless and disrespectful and there will be consequences, boy. But at least you are not lying anymore. If you want to know what happened to your mother, fine, I will take you to her. But remember, everything I do, I do it in your best interest." he adds and grabs his coat.

After a long and silent ride they arrive at a big, dark building, which looks like a prison from the outside.

"What is this place, Father?" Leo asks. Instead of replying, his father motions him to follow. They enter a dark reception area, with orderlies dressed in white. A guard stands in their way: "Visiting hours is only on the weekends." he says.

"My son needs to see his mother, right now. Can you get me the doctor on call?" Alistair Fitz asks. When the doctor arrives, they talk with his father in hushed voices and Leopold cannot make out what they say. He looks around and manages to read one of the staff badges "psychiatric hospital". Finally the doctor tells them to follow and shows them to a dark room.

Leopold sees his mother on a bed, but even though her eyes are open, there is no recognition in them, when he holds her hand.

"Mum, mum, it's me. It's Leo." he pleads, but there is no response, and his mother's hands feel cold a limp.

"She had to be sedated." explains the doctor. "She was hysterical again, out of control. She needs to stay with us to get better for a while."

Leo looks at his father. "I only wanted to spare you from this, Leopold. There is nothing for you to do here. Let's go home, son."

They drive back in silence, and Leopold closes his eyes pretending to be asleep. But still the pieces make no sense. Sure, his mother was unhappy, and his parents often fought bitterly, but there was never an indication that she was sick.

When they get back to their house, he mutters good night and starts to head to his room. He has no appetite.

"Stay, Leopold." his father commands. "We still have to talk about actions and consequences. You chose to disobey me, you were reckless and disrespectful. You need to learn this, better sooner than later; your choices always have consequences in this world."

With this, he pulls off his belt. Leopold stares at him with disbelief. He cannot be serious, this cannot be happening. His father has hit him on rare occasions before, always in drunken rage. Not like this, deliberately, with purpose. He braces himself, resolved not to cry out.