Temporary Fix

(Day 157: Tuesday Afternoon)

"What did you need to speak to me about?" Fairy Godmother asks, as Mr. Conrad sits down across from her.

His brown eyes meets hers, "I need to admit to something." He pauses, "Ben Florian has come asking for extra credit a couple times now, insisting that he needs an A, and when he was one point off from getting it I gave it to him anyway."

The headmistress raises her eyebrows, "He insisted that he needed an A?"

He hesitates, "I think there might be abuse involved."

"I'm sure there is," she seriously comments, "but that does not excuse you from giving him an unwarranted grade. As I'm sure you're well aware, abusers find excuses to hurt their victims. This was only a temporary fix."

He nods with a frown, "I know." before he faces her. "What can we do?"

It takes a long minute for Fairy Godmother to inform, "Ben is not coming forward, and neither is Belle. All we have is our word against theirs, and hearsay will not hold up in court."

"So, there's nothing we can do?"

"Royals get away with a lot of things." She sighs, "This is my least favorite by far."

"I gave him my contact info," he lets her know. "I'm hoping that if he does find the courage to get help, then this way he has someone in his corner to turn to."

Fairy Godmother nods, "That is very nice of you."

The professor nods in return, "I understand if you would like my resignation. I shouldn't have changed his grade. I should have come to you as soon as I started to suspect his troubles."

"Then why didn't you?"

It takes him a moment, "I didn't want to believe it. No matter how young he is, he's still king. He has every resource and opportunity at his disposal." Mr. Conrad shakes his head, "I didn't want to believe that someone with so much power could still need so much help."

The headmistress continues to frown, "All you've done is try to help. I don't blame you for not wanting to see the signs. It's your intentions that matter. So, no, I will not be needing that resignation. You're staying here. We could use more staff like you."

Mr. Conrad smiles, "Thank you."

"Ben," Doug can't help but say as they sit at the table with their textbooks, and then Ben faces him. "About what we talked about, I think you should get emancipated."

"Emancipated?" Ben furrows his eyebrows in confusion.

"Become responsible for yourself legally," he explains. "Find your own place to live."

Ben almost laughs, "I can't do that."

"Why not?"

"Because," Ben loudly responds, before he sadly smiles and softly says, "I can't leave her with him. If I do this, then it's all over. She will always be his."

"Ben," Doug evenly responds, "your mother isn't going to leave your father for you."

"But at least this way I can take care of her," he reasons. "I can help her if something happens."

Doug nods with pursed lips, before he faces him, "You want to talk about help? If Belle is any mother to you, then if something bad does happen— if she does decide to leave— then she's going to make sure you get out first. And it's a lot easier for one person to escape somewhere than two."

Ben lifts his head up, "You're saying I could get her killed?"

"I'm saying," he corrects, "that if you really want to help your mother, then you will help yourself first."

Ben shakes his head, "I don't know if I can do that."

"Okay," Doug breathes, before he faces him again. "Think of it this way. If you have a place of your own to live, then your mother will have a place to go if she needs to get out." Ben doesn't say anything, so he continues, "But if you stay with her and your father, then even if the both of you can get out… you might not have anywhere to go." He looks off, "Anywhere where you wouldn't be putting anyone else in danger, anyway." Ben eyes down in contemplation, before Doug quietly urges, "If you won't do this for yourself, then you need to do it for the people you care about. You could give your mother a safe place— Mal a safe place." His green eyes plead, "Your people would always have a fair king. They wouldn't have to risk the end of your leadership, just because eventually you have to go home."

Ben lets out a breath as he thoughtfully nods, "Okay. I'll look into it."