By its Cover
(Monday Afternoon, August 5th)
Ben takes a sip from the protein shake, "You know, there's this underlying taste I'm starting to notice." He unsurely examines the blender bottle, "It doesn't matter if it's chocolate, vanilla, or strawberry, it all tastes the same."
"Ben," his mother starts.
"Don't worry," Ben flips the cap up. "I'm still going to drink it." He murmurs, "Assuming I don't throw up first."
"I wouldn't joke about that in a hospital," Belle warns.
He raises his eyebrows, "Joking? They're trying to get me to drink three thousand calories a day. That's six shakes. You know how heavy that is on the stomach?"
She looks away, and her mouth cracks open, "Adam."
Ben immediately turns towards the door, before his father enters the room. "Didn't feel like meeting me at the station?"
"I thought I should be here," she points out.
He looks at Ben, "Do you need us?"
"Uh, no," Ben's head lowers. "I'm good now."
"You hear that?" His father turns to Belle, "You can come home."
"He's still displaying symptoms from the transfusion," she disagrees.
"Then I'm sure he's in good hands," he disproves. "Come on. Let's go."
When she looks at Ben, he seriously whispers, "Just go."
She stands from her seat, "If you get any worse—"
"Then I'm in good hands," Ben frowns.
"Call us," she finishes, before she walks over to the doorway. She glances back, Adam places an arm over her shoulders, and they leave.
Ben turns away from the door, and he sees his father on television. Snow White announces, "It was just moments ago that King Adam was released from police custody, after the investigation into the abuse allegations against him have been dropped." She moves the mic towards him, "Your Highness. Do you have any words for the country?"
He solemnly eyes from her to the camera, "As my lovely wife would say, 'never judge a book by its cover'. My height and strength might make me look dangerous, and I may have ruled aggressively in times of war, but that does not make me a violent man."
After the footage cuts to the stage, another news anchor comments, "Thank you, Snow." He faces the policeman, "Officer Kolinski. Now that the investigation is over, is there anything you can reveal to the public?"
He nods, "We've had several anonymous sources report allegations of abuse in the royal household over the span of many months. King Ben and his mother both denied any such claim; however, with five allegations in as many months, we were obligated to investigate."
"Did the investigation produce anything?"
Kolinski hesitates, "There was confirmation that King Ben's medical needs weren't being completely taken care of, but his mother has since then met the required expectations."
"And his father?" the news anchor inquires.
"His father didn't want to trust anyone new," he divulges. "We thought that if his neglectfulness stemmed beyond being overprotective, then it would be easier finding evidence and witnesses while he was in custody." He takes a moment, "Unfortunately, we didn't find anything, and the investigation has been closed."
"Why would that be unfortunate?" he questions. "If the investigation has been closed, then doesn't that mean King Adam is innocent?"
"Officially, yes." Kolinski explains, "We would need evidence before the court can determine whether he's guilty or innocent. This is just my personal opinion, and it is not the APD's official position." He pauses, "My instincts tell me there's more here. I think it's too early to end the investigation, but without a victim or specific crime, this isn't even a cold case. It's a dead case." He faces the camera, "I'm sorry King Ben, but there's nothing more I can do."
Ben whispers, "I'm sorry too." before he closes the lid on shake.
"Your Highness," the aged nurse unenthusiastically addresses. "You've only had half of your shakes today."
"I'm only awake half the day," he irritably reminds her.
She sets the new one in front of him, "Strawberry with chocolate."
He widens his eyes at her, "They all taste the same."
Her blue eyes scan him, "Have you been offered blood, yet?"
Ben awkwardly smiles, "How about some warm beef broth instead?"
"We've gone over this," she reminds him. "Broth doesn't contain enough calories to replace one of these shakes."
"It will with coconut oil," he solves. "One tablespoon is a hundred or so calories."
"We don't have that on hand." She considers, "And isn't that high in saturated fats?"
Ben's brows furrow, "It's coconut oil. If it comes from one, it can't be that bad. Just put four tablespoons in some broth, and the problem is done."
"I'm sorry, Your Majesty, but protein shakes have more nutritional value." He folds his arms, and she asks, "Are you sure you wouldn't like a blood bag?"
He faces her, "When do I get out of here?"
She sets the small, paper cup next to the shake, "When your medication is all you need."
Ben watches her check his IV, "Maybe I don't need it."
She laughs, "If your fever were any higher, you would die. You're staying here."
He tries to smile, "Did I ever tell you about my girlfriend? She has a heat issue too." Ben's eyes shift, "I give mine to her, my fever lowers, and everyone's happy."
"Did you learn that from King Charming or pick it up on your own?" she inquires.
"Pick what up?"
"Your charm." She explains, "Something tells me you could get out of any situation."
His expression falls, "I wish that were true."
"King Ben," she starts.
He looks away and swallows his medication with the new shake, "Why are these cold?"
"There's ice."
"And milk," Ben adds. "I don't like it."
"The ice or the milk?" she asks.
"Both." He angers, "I can't do this for another four days or month or whatever. Okay? I want to go."
"Do you think your temperature is at a hundred?"
His eyebrows furrow, "No."
"Then, I guess, you're just going to have to stay here a little longer." He tilts his head, and his mouth cracks open. "I can heat up some blood for you."
"I'm really not that hungry," he complains.
"Very well." She compromises, "Hot chocolate, it is. You'll need to have more, though, if you don't want the milk."
"If you give me a huge one," he informs, "I can drink it while I'm awake."
She nods, "I think we have a thermos."
"Good Afternoon," Charming says, as he walks into the room.
"Afternoon," Ben murmurs.
He sits down, before he nods to the drink, "What's that?"
"Hot chocolate." He tries to smile at him, "I got into a really bad mood yesterday. I complained about the milk, the ice, and how cold it was."
"Therefore, hot chocolate," Charming concludes.
"A little lukewarm, though," Ben cringes. "She said the powder clumped the first time she tried it. It was too hot."
"I hear you get to try soft foods tonight," he grins. "That's exciting, isn't it?"
Ben purses his lips, "Aziz and Carlos went on Hawthorne's field trip last week. Ruby and her sister went on some wilderness spa retreat." He gestures to the television, "Audrey is hosting a fundraiser right now so that the first three floors of the low-income apartments can be built in her kingdom before winter."
"Okay." Charming settles, "So, there's more exciting things you could be doing than trying new food."
"I can't even do my job in here," Ben complains.
"Yes, you can," Charming counters. "Just ask for help. What can I do?"
"Audrey's already ahead of the game," his eyes widen, "but we have five other apartments to build—all of which have different climate and weather requirements—and nowhere near the amount of funding we need to do it."
"So, we need to find a way to get that money," he understands.
Ben awkwardly smiles, "How much do you think someone would pay for me to answer honestly to a question?"
Charming frowns, "You don't need that kind of stress."
"Don't you think the country deserves an honest king?" he debates.
"You are honest," Charming assures. "Everyone has secrets, Ben. You don't need to feel guilty about keeping your private life from the press."
"Most royal's private lives don't involve them spending half of their life in a hospital and the other half getting physically and psychologically beat by their parents," Ben divulges.
He takes a moment, "You know, the investigation was closed due to lack of evidence of a crime. If there was victim willing to come forward, there would be a case to be made."
Ben lays back against the hospital bed, "I'm really tired."
"Your mother set up an appointment with a psychologist," he informs. "I encourage that you're completely honest with them."
He faces him, "How's Chad. I thought he'd be here."
"He is," Charming reassures. "He just wanted to take a walk first." Ben nods, and he explains, "He's been stressed, not sleeping very well… Upset without reason."
"He's not getting enough fat in his diet," Ben opinionates.
"Chad's just eating lean," he defends. "He wants to be in shape for tryouts."
"And then there will be a game, and then there's going to be a recruit," Ben lists.
"What are you saying?"
Ben wets his lips, "Look." before he faces him. "The body uses carbs, right? Well, the brain needs fat. Chad's not getting enough fat in his diet for him to process everything that's happening in his life. He's not giving his brain the energy it needs to think through things."
"Chad's studying all that health stuff," he informs. "I'm sure he's researched how much fat someone needs in a day."
"He's not reducing his fat consumption," Ben opposes. "He's eliminating it."
"He's studying health," he says again.
"I study health," Ben interrupts. "Do I look healthy to you?"
He pauses, "You know how upset Chad's been, seeing you like this. Do you honestly believe he would try to do what you are?"
"Oh. I don't believe he's trying to do anything," Ben denies. "What I believe is that he's under a lot of pressure, and he does this whenever he's stressed. He plays tourney, he's the bigshot on campus, and flirting is his pastime. He loses all of that if he doesn't stay in shape, so if he feels like that life is at risk, controlling his body is the way he gets to keep it." Charming eyes down, and Ben mentions, "And it's because Chad doesn't have an eating disorder that getting him a nutritionist might actually help him." Charming faces him, and Ben stresses, "You need to talk to him, before he does hurt himself."
Charming nods, "I want you to drink your hot chocolate first."
Ben lifts the thermos, "Four hundred calories down, two thousand and six hundred to go." He strains a smile, before he lifts the warm drink to his lips.
- Posted:05/26/2020