I Lied

(Monday Night, July 29th)

"I know you want what's best for him," Officer Kolinski suggests.

"As we were all nicely pointed out when we got here," Mal counters, "I don't know what abuse is when I see it."

"It's simple enough," Rinehart informs. "Just tell us, do you think he's safe here?"

"Safe is a subjective term," Mal whispers as her eyes shift, and she recalls Evie's insistence that Ben wouldn't be safe if she'd said anything.

"Have you seen him get hurt here?" Kolinski simplifies.

"No," Mal stares down, before she notices him write something down and show it to the other. "Wait," she takes a deep breath, and they look at her. "I lied."

Rinehart frowns, "Okay. Would you like to be honest about why?"

"Habit, I guess." She shakes herself from her thoughts, "I haven't seen Ben get hurt, but I know he was. He has a really bad bruise on his stomach. I'm sure his father punched him." She watches them look at each other, "That does count, doesn't it?"

Officer Rinehart nods, "It does. Is there anything else you can tell us?"

"I saw Adam slap Belle," she informs. "He apologized with a coconut cake."

Kolinski looks at Rinehart, "Her statement won't be enough. People will just think she's trying to weaken the monarchy."

"It will be enough," he reassures, "once we see King Ben's bruise and convince Her Highness to step forward." He turns to Mal, "You're welcome to come—unless you'd like to remain anonymous."

"We never did discuss what to do with the other kids, once the king's parents are brought into custody," Kolinski comments.

"If Belle comes forward," he addresses, "then we won't need to worry about that."

Kolinski looks at Mal, "Do you know if Belle has ever hurt her son?" and she eyes away in contemplation. "Mal?"

She faces them, "She doesn't really hurt him. She just… It's complicated."

"Try to explain," Rinehart prompts.

"They just seem a little emotionally dependent on each other," Mal unsurely answers. "I don't think Belle wants Ben to get hurt, but I feel like she doesn't want to be left alone. So, she'll make excuses for Adam, and that's really hard on Ben because then he feels like she's picking Adam over him, and…" Mal falters, "I'm pretty sure Ben cares about his mother more than he should, and she knows about that. She'll use that to get him to do almost anything she asks, even if he doesn't want to do it."

"Are you trying to say Ben is attracted to his mother?" Kolinski clarifies.

"I still have to ask him," Mal admits, "but he's talked to Evie about it. All his mother has to do to make him do something his touch his shoulder or talk all sweetly. And I don't care if half the time she's trying to get him to help himself. He's powerless when it comes to her."

Kolinski faces his partner, "The other kids might be safe with Belle, but if what she said is true, it might be beneficial to separate Her Highness from the king."

Rinehart nods, "Let's go check on him."

After Rinehart knocks on the door, he looks at his partner. Kolinski smiles, "He never answers." Rinehart knocks again, "King Ben. It's Officer Rinehart and Officer Kolinski. Can we speak to you again?"

After a moment, the door opens, and Ben frowns, "May I help you with something?"

"There's some claims we'd like to address," he answers. "Can we come in?"

"Sure," Ben shakes his head, before he turns around and the officers step into the room. Kolinski nudges his partner, and after the door's closed, Rinehart notices Ben wobble to a seat.

"King Ben. Are you okay?" He explains, "You seem unsteady."

"It's nothing," he dismisses. "I just haven't been in a mood to eat."

Kolinski steps forward, "Someone has suggested that you have an injury on your stomach." and Ben frowns at them. "May we see?" Ben wets his lips as he glances away, before he lifts his shirt and examines the dark bruise. "It's a hematoma."

"How long have you had that?" Rinehart inquires.

"A couple days," Ben frowns.

"How much does it hurt?" Kolinski questions.

"When it gets touched." Ben thinks, "If I breathe too hard."

Ben hears him speak into his walkie and widens his eyes at Rinehart, "What… What's a ten fifty-two?"

"It's an ambulance," Rinehart answers. "We're going to have to ask you to gather any immediate belongings: phone, wallet, and medication."

Ben's mouth gapes, "Is this really necessary?"

"Do you think it is?" he inquires.

Ben eyes down, scratches the back of his head, and breathes, before he finds his backpack and mutters, "I suppose it's been a couple months. It's about time it happened again."

"Excuse me?" Rinehart takes interest.

"Nothing," Ben irritably answers, before he puts a notebook and pen, a box of beef jerky, and some Diet Coke into his backpack. He places a finger to his mouth, "Shh. If you tell anyone about the soda, they will take it from me."

"Your medication," he prompts.

Ben picks the bottle of liquid off his bedside table, before he raises his brows at them, "You mean, this?" He unscrews the cap and chugs the remaining liquid. "It's gone. I can't take it with me."

"It's time to go downstairs," Kolinski orders, and Ben pulls his backpack over his shoulder before charging through them.

They follow him down the hall, but Ben's father stops them, "What's going on here?"

Ben's brows furrow, "Fuck you." before he heads down the stairs.

His father follows them, "Hold on. You can't just take him."

Belle meets them at the bottom of the stairs, "Ben." before she looks at the officers. "I told you I'd comply with your demands."

"And we'll keep that in mind," Kolinski comments, "after he gets to the hospital."

"The hospital?" she concerns.

"Yes. The hospital," he affirms. "Your son's injured. He didn't tell you?"

Belle looks at Ben, he eyes down, and she faces the officers, "May I ride with?"

"Just you," Kolinski's eyes widen, before they walk out the doors and the ambulance is heard. It stops in front of them, and the officers escort Ben to the paramedic. "He has a hematoma. Symptoms are stomach pain, dizziness, and loss of appetite."

Ben frowns at man, "I'm fine. Really."

"I'll be the judge of that, Your Majesty," he proclaims, before he nods to the back of the van. "Can you get in or do we need to take out the stretcher?"

Ben sighs, before he gets in the vehicle and the other paramedic chuckles, "Good choice." Belle steps forward, and he questions, "You riding with?"

"Yes," she frowns.

"Well, come on," he prompts, and after they get inside, he shuts the doors.

"Lay down for us," the first man instructs, and Ben lies back on the stretcher.

After he lifts his shirt, his mother gasps. The man lightly presses it, and Ben winces. "How long have you had this for?"

The vehicle rides off, and he stares up, "A couple days."

"And how did you get it?"

Ben takes a moment, "I was playing with a weighted ball."

"A medicine ball?" he inquires, as he reexamines the shape of the injury.

"King Ben?" the other prompts. "Was it a medicine ball?"

When he fails to answer, his mother repeats the question in French. Ben's frown deepens, "That doesn't help me."

"Sorry," Belle apologizes. "He's still having some memory issues, since his fall a few months ago."

"Should we take note of that?" one of the men asks the other.

"No," he answers. "We need to focus on immediate injuries." He looks back at Ben, "You said you were playing with a weighted ball. Who with?"

Ben thinks, "William. I was playing catch with William."

"Does William have a middle name?" he asks.

"William Ludwig," he recalls.

The female doctor draws a dotted line around the bruise, "Most of the time these things clear up on their own, but there's extra risk with abdominal hematomas. If it passes the marker, we'll have to do surgery."

"Surgery?" Belle concerns.

"To drain the bleed," she explains.

"Thank you," Ben's mother appreciates.

The doctor smiles, "Your welcome." before she looks at Ben. "If you need anything—"

"Press the button," Ben finishes. "You're going to want to get in contact with my primary physician about my medication."

She frowns, "You don't have any medications listed on your chart."

"Exactly," Ben proves.

"Well," she slowly resolves, "I'll make sure to contact him about that."

After she leaves, Belle questions, "Why didn't you tell me?"

Ben quietly answers, "I thought it would go away." before he meets her brown eyes. "But things always happen, and you defend him. What I say doesn't matter."

"It does matter," she asserts.

"It doesn't change anything," Ben revises. "Telling you about these things doesn't keep it from happening again, so why should I take the time to complain? It's my fault, anyway."

"Your father can't help it when he gets unwell," she reminds him.

"And I can't help it when he leaves the castle to come to my work and punch me in front of my boss," Ben's voice raises. He sees her shock and sighs, "You know, it's gotten to a point, where I question if he's not doing this on purpose." She stays silent, and he explains, "He hasn't been apologizing to me lately, and he had valid reasons in his mind to do these things."

"He's just embarrassed," she excuses.

"He punched me in the stomach, because you were so upset about my eating," Ben continues. "He said I should be used to stomach pain. He did it on purpose. For you. So, I'd eat more, and you wouldn't be sad anymore."

"Ben," she uneasily starts. "I've been sad a lot for a very long time. As worried as I am for your life, it did not make me feel this way." She contemplates, "It only caused me to break down and express what I felt."

"Did you tell him that?" Ben points out, and just as Belle begins to find the words, Charming and Chad enter the room.

"Chad," Ben eyes over him, before he notices William next to him.

"In the future," William points out, "if you're using me as an alibi, let me know first."

Belle looks at Ben, "When did you have time to call them."

"King Charming," he slowly replies, "is my primary emergency contact now."

"Ben," she sighs. "Your father—"

"I don't want to die with my friends thinking I'm blowing them off," Ben frowns. "With Charming as my primary contact at least they will know where I am."

"Your father's not going to be happy to hear this," she warns.

"What's he going to do?" Ben quietly counters. "Hospitalize me?"

Charming comments, "The doctor said the bruise is an inconsistent shape for a ball." and Ben's eyes shift. "Did your father do it?" He eyes past them, at the wall. His father would back him against the castle brick, and he'd punch an inch away from his face. The brick would crack. Red specks would hit the floor. He was lucky it wasn't him. His father could have hit him, but he didn't. He should be grateful that'd he'd been able to control himself so well in that moment. "Ben?" His father's just ill. Ben is ill. What's stopping social services from taking his kids away the next time he attempts suicide. He'd lie motionless, the room a mess, and the kids would be screaming with tears in their eyes and red-stained faces. "Belle," Charming turns to her.

She hesitates, "It is possible that Adam could have done this."

"Ben," Chad prompts. "I think you should turn him in." There was the white levers and the loud rumbling voice in the background. The clap of keys and creak of notes became soundless, as he'd neared his ear, muffled stomps in his numb eardrums. He'd looked, and his father was gone; however, when he reappeared into view, his mother had leaned in, and Ben turned his head down as they kissed.

- Posted: 01/06/2020

- Welcome to a whole new world of problems. I hope you enjoy!