PART II
Later that evening, Trevor showed Calem where they were going to sleep.
"Since my parents are away," said Trevor, "we can sleep in their room tonight. The bed is big enough for two."
"Okay!" said Calem. "It looks comfortable."
Calem wandered around the apartment. He opened the door to Trevor's sisters' room. Lila was in there playing with her dolls.
"Hi, Calem!" said Lila. "Do you wanna play dolls?"
"Um...okay," said Calem.
"Then I have the perfect doll for you!" said Lila. She took out a Ken doll. It was very gay-looking, obviously.
Calem flinched.
"No thanks," he said. "I already have a doll. I'll go get him."
Calem went to get Cal out of his bag. Cal was dressed in Calem's usual outfit. Calem brought Cal back to Lila's room.
"This is my doll," said Calem.
"Aww!" said Lila. "He looks just like you."
"His name is Cal," said Calem.
"I've got my Barbies out," said Lila. "Let's play!"
Calem and Lila played together for half an hour. Then, Calem and Trevor decided to watch some TV. Calem thought the high school show that Trevor liked, Cornwall High, was hard to stomach since it had a lot of swearing and sexual references. Trevor then let Calem watched a show that he liked, Celie, which was a cartoon about a talking Spheal and her Water Pokemon friends going to elementary school. The show had a lot of parental bonuses, but it was quite tame, and Calem and Trevor liked it.
Later, Calem and Trevor talked in Trevor's parents' room.
"Your apartment is a really fun place, Trevor," said Calem. "I really lucked out when you chose to invite me!"
"Yeah...sure..." said Trevor.
"I better thank your parents when they get back," said Calem. "They must be really nice."
Trevor was feeling a bit uneasy. He knew that he had to tell Calem the truth about his parents leaving him and his sisters. So he took it like a man and told him.
"Not really," he said.
"Huh?" said Calem.
"They're gone, Calem," said Trevor.
Calem started to feel sad. He sat down on the bed.
"Gone?" asked Calem. "You mean they're dead?"
"No, Calem," said Trevor. "They've gone away."
"Do you know when they'll be back?" asked Calem.
"I don't know, Calem," said Trevor. "I really don't know."
"Where are they?" asked Calem.
"They left us," said Trevor. "Mom and Dad went on a journey around the world. They've been gone for over a year and a half now and only come back for Christmas." Trevor saw that Calem was feeling very troubled. "I know...it is awful. You're lucky to have your parents."
"But why?" asked Calem.
Trevor sat himself next to Calem.
"They wanted to train their Pokemon," said Trevor.
"Why couldn't they have taken you and your sisters with you?" asked Calem.
"I don't know..." said Trevor. "I really don't know. My parents are kind of boorish, and don't always want to spend time with their kids."
"Oh..." said Calem, standing up.
Trevor saw that Calem was feeling upset, and a few tears were coming down from Calem's eyes. He tried to pat Calem on the shoulder, but it felt awkward for Trevor to reach up since Calem was much taller than him. But Calem didn't mind - it helped him feel better.
"Don't cry, Calem," said Trevor.
"What if my parents decide to go on a journey and leave me behind?" asked Calem. "I wouldn't want them to leave me behind."
"I'm sure they wouldn't," said Trevor. "Your parents love you. They're a lot nicer than my parents."
"But don't your parents love you?" asked Calem, trying to get rid of his tears.
"I'm sure they do," said Trevor, "but they've always had a weird way of showing it. My sisters and I were put under the care of our nanny, Marie-Helene, for much of our childhood. After all, they had the money to ensure that a full-time nanny could look after us."
"What happened to your nanny?" asked Calem.
"Two years ago, Marie-Helene announced that she was going to have a baby," said Trevor. "But by then, Anna was old enough to look after us, so we didn't need Marie-Helene anymore. Anna has done a good job looking after me. So it makes up for the lack of parents."
Calem still felt sad. He sat down on the bed, and Trevor sat down next to him.
"Whenever my parents traveled far, they always took me," said Calem. "I know my older sister watches me when they can't take me somewhere - or my grandparents could take me. My dad's parents usually take me, since my mom's parents live all the way in Cyllage City. What about you, Trevor? Why didn't they leave you and your sisters with yours?"
"Eh," said Trevor, "Dad's parents live all the way in Shalour City, and they travel a lot too. Mom's parents divorced when she was a teenager, and Mom's father is dead. Dad's parents also have to care for my great-grandmother. She's kinda frail - she can't walk without assistance."
"What about your mom's mother?" asked Calem.
"I don't talk to my maternal grandmother," said Trevor. "She's very nasty. She lives across the Azure Bay. I'd rather not associate with that old bitch."
Calem gasped.
"You shouldn't talk about her like that," said Calem.
"Sure I can," said Trevor.
"My grandparents are all wonderful people," said Calem. "I'd never talk about them like that. I don't get how a grandparent can hate their grandchildren."
"I know," said Trevor. "It sucks, doesn't it?"
Trevor knew that he really resented his family. He felt kinda jealous of Calem. It was hard knowing that Calem's family was so close-knit, in contrast to his more distant family.
"Do your dad's parents and grandma love you?" asked Calem.
"Of course," said Trevor.
Calem was feeling a little better, but he still felt uneasy.
"I'm afraid that my parents will leave me alone while they travel the world," said Calem. "I know it sounds silly, but I'm scared."
"You don't have to worry, Calem," said Trevor. "Your parents aren't like my parents."
Calem was intrigued by this.
"They aren't?" asked Calem.
"Think about it," said Trevor. "You are in a very different situation from me. You're autistic - Serena told me that you are. Your parents can't just leave you behind for so long because you need a lot of protection. You're also a lot more sensitive than I am. I don't think you would take it as well as me."
"But what about Lila?" asked Calem. "She's only eight years old."
"It's pretty hard to upset Lila," said Trevor.
"Oh," said Calem.
"In addition," said Trevor, "your parents are very hands-on and take good care of you. Do they call you when they're away?"
"Yes," said Calem. "They do it at least twice a day when they're away from me!"
"Excellent!" said Trevor. "My parents can go for two weeks or more without calling me or e-mailing me or even checking on my Facebook. It sucks!"
"It must suck," said Calem.
"I wish my parents were more like yours," said Trevor. "Your parents are attentive and compassionate and understanding. Sometimes I wonder why my parents even had me and my sisters. When they are at home, they don't speak much to us. They also act very lackadaisical about parenting. It's fucked up! I feel like they care more about Pokemon training than their own kids. You're lucky that you've got parents who listen to you when you speak and comfort you when you're upset."
"I'm glad about it," said Calem. "I love my mom and dad."
"Why don't you give them a call and tell them?" asked Trevor.
Trevor handed Calem a phone. Calem dialed his parents' number.
"Hello?" said Cecilia, who was on the other line.
"Hi, Mom," said Calem. "It's Calem."
"How's your sleepover going?" asked Cecilia.
"Fine," said Calem. "Trevor told me about his parents. And I just wanted to tell you something."
"What did you want to tell me?" asked Cecilia.
"I love you," said Calem. "I love both you and Dad."
"I love you too, Calem," said Cecilia. "So does your father."
When Calem got off the phone, Trevor asked Calem about it.
"Did that make you feel good?" asked Trevor.
"Yes," said Calem. "I felt happy about it."
"What do you want to do now?" asked Trevor.
"Have some more fun," said Calem.
Calem and Trevor played together for the rest of the night. Then they got into bed at 10 PM. Once Calem and Trevor were both in their pajamas, they got into Trevor's parents' bed. Calem had Cal, dressed in pajamas like his, cradled in his arm.
"I had a lot of fun tonight," said Calem.
"I'm glad you did," said Trevor.
"Don't feel bad about your parents," said Calem. "Just try to think positive about things. That's what Serena always tells me."
"Right," said Trevor. "I'll think positive."
"Goodnight, Trevor," said Calem.
"Goodnight, Calem," said Trevor.
Calem and Trevor slowly fell asleep.
THE END