About My Mother

(Day 159: Thursday Afternoon)

"About my mother," Carlos unsurely begins before he shakes his head. "I've thought about this all night, and I still can't think of a way to say it."

"Just get in a room with Ben," Mal mumbles. "Hash it out there."

He turns to her, "What did you say?"

Mal makes a face, "Nothing." before she nods up. "Go on."

"She did hurt me," Carlos faces the headmistress again. "It's been going on for a very long time, and… I don't know what changed. When I was younger she did it a lot less, and there was always a clear reason why. But when I got older… Now, it's happened almost every day, and it happens whether I do my chores or not." He looks down, "Maybe she thought if she stopped… giving me attention, then I'd stop doing my chores again."

After he falls silent Fairy Godmother questions, "How did you feel when you got that kind of attention?"

"Intense?" he unsurely answers, before he remembers, "But then, there's this calming feeling, and by the time it's over… I'm just relaxed."

Mal thinks, "Are you relaxed, because it's over or because it happened?"

He takes a moment, "I don't really know." before he pauses. "All I know is it got to a point where I kind of actually looked forward to it sometimes."

"You looked forward to it?" Fairy Godmother seriously repeats.

"Sometimes." He quietly explains, "Other times I would just get all nervous, knowing that it would be happening soon."

"Sounds like sex," Jay inputs.

"Would you shut up?" Carlos shouts at him. "I'm trying to open up here." Jay doesn't respond, and Carlos takes a deep breath before facing the headmistress, "The reason why I've been thinking about going back, it's not even about the pain. I promise. I mean, I'm a klutz. I get hurt all the time, and I sabotage myself enough the way it is."

"Then why?' she inquires.

He looks down in thought, "Because. I have no one here."

When he faces Fairy Godmother she comments, "You have your friends. You have Jane."

Carlos continues to frown, "But my friends aren't my mother. My mother would tell me what to do, how to do it, and when to do it. But now… all I have is my choices. Everything I do is just some pointless direction with no real reason behind it."

"Yeah." Jay comments, "It's called freedom." but Carlos doesn't even look at him.

"You need direction," Fairy Godmother assumes. "A parental figure."

Mal notices Carlos's expression, "No." and they look at her. "He just needs someone to order him around, give his life meaning." His face shifts, and she sees the underlying relief. He didn't have to say it aloud or hold it in. She took care of that for him, and even though the others may not be so certain, Mal knows and Carlos knows Mal knows. She smirks. She can help him now, and it might actually put her mischievous desires to something good.

"So. King Ben, what may I help you with," the lawyer questions as Ben takes a seat across from him.

He meets Mr. Droits blue eyes, "I'd like to know about emancipation."

He slowly starts to frown, "For you or someone else?"

"Is there a difference?" Ben concerns.

"I would say so," the man seriously answers. "Emancipation is the process of disowning your parents. You would lose your inheritance."

Ben shakes his head, "I don't care about the money."

"It's not just the money," he widens his eyes. "It's the crown. You could lose your right to it if you were to do this."

Ben opens his mouth before awkwardly smiling, "But I've already been crowned king. That can't just be taken back."

It takes a long moment for Mr. Droit to advise, "I wouldn't take the chance."

"But I'm an only child," he points out, "and my parents are the only family I have." He notices the lawyer hold his silence. "What? Am I wrong?"

The brown haired man hesitates, "If you go back far enough there is always someone who could inherit the throne if you don't, but even if there wasn't you know the law very well. Your kingdom would just be given to another royal family, and if you were to disinherit your parents the previous king would choose who takes his place. Not you."

"If he still wants someone to take his place," Ben lets out a breath.

"In my personal opinion," the lawyer discloses, "you make a much better king. A king is nothing without his kingdom. You're aware of that. Your father wasn't."

"I don't want to abandon my people," he carefully states. "I just don't know what to do."

Mr. Droit takes a minute, "Ben. What led you to this question of emancipation?" He places a hand to where his shoulder had fractured, his eyes lowering, but no words leave his mouth. "Is it your father?"

Ben darts his eyes to him in terror, and his arm drops down as his quietly breathes, "What would my father have to do with this?"

He continues to frown, "Keep in mind I'm not allowed to break client privilege." before he pauses. "But there was a time when your mother sat where you are today."

Ben's eyes shift, "What was she here for?"

He hesitates, "She wanted to know if it was possible to divorce a royal."

Ben glances down, "Is it?"

"It is." His blue eyes are thoughtful, "But she decided the cons weren't worth it."

He shakes his head, "I don't understand. My parents always seemed so happy, even when things aren't the most perfect."

"People don't always ask for divorce because they no longer love the person," the lawyer informs. "Sometimes there's more personal reasons."

"Like what?"

Mr. Droit takes a moment, "Ben. Are you afraid of your father at all?"

He awkwardly smiles, "Why would I be afraid of him?"

"Has he ever hurt you?" he questions on.

Ben forces his eyes to stay on his, "He would never want to hurt me."

"But has he?"

Ben narrows his eyes, "This is ridiculous." before he stands from his seat.

When he turns around Mr. Droit shouts, "Stop." and he turns back around in shock. The lawyer calmly continues, "Just because you can't be emancipated does not mean there are no other options."

"No," Ben shakes his head. "I was just being stupid. This isn't necessary."

"Ben," the lawyer stresses, "you can make a difference."

"How?" his widens his eyes in disbelief.

"When your mother chose to leave that led you to sit where she sat," he sternly reminds him. "I don't want to see a third person sitting here, offering me the exact same rhetoric the two of you have."

It takes a long minute for Ben to calmly conclude, "There won't be." before he turns around to head off again.

"So, you really can't get emancipated?" Doug quietly questions.

Ben slowly shakes his head, "Not unless I want to give the people back to my father."

"Ben," he begins.

"No," Ben asserts. "No life is worth more than the millions I rule over."

"I was just going to say," Doug explains, "that the choice you made must have been really hard. You're a good king, putting your people's needs ahead of your own."

"What happened to there's no kingdom without a king?"

He takes a moment, "At least your people have you when you made this decision. We couldn't handle having your father in charge again." and his green eyes meet his. "I'm really glad you didn't leave us."

"Yeah," Ben lets out a calming breath. "You're welcome."

After momentary silence he questions, "So, how does it feel to be going back home?"

There's this emptiness. Not emptiness, actually; it's more like this deep sense of knowing, but he can't translate what it means. "It doesn't mean anything." He faces him, "It's the same year after year. This summer won't be any different."