The morning when they came for Belinda to take her to the clinic was chaotic. Denton, the family lawyer, Dr. Seymour, the family’s therapist, and a handful of nurses came to the house in a big white SUV similar to a luxurious ambulance. They brought papers to show Belinda that what they were about to do was legal and none of the procedure was against the law.
She shouted at them, threw things at them, she called them “Motherfucking money eating ass kisser life sucking assholes” as Marlon recalled the action. His mom can really put on a show. She ran around the living room trying to get away from her captors with a kitchen knife in one hand.
There was one nurse who documented the whole event on video because they needed it for proof and also for examination and case study. Marlon stood silently in the corner as he watched everything unfolded in the living room. The house staff were all there watching in horror. His dad was standing at the front porch smoking a cigarette, something he hadn’t done in years.
After 20 minutes of playing cat and mouse, Belinda’s scream for “Help! they’re going to kill me! Help! I’m being taken against my will!” was worrying. Dr. Seymour had to do something to keep everything under control. He took a syringe from his doctor bag and asked the nurses to held Belinda, forced her to stay still while he injected tranquilizer through the vein on her neck.
Dr. Seymour told Belinda what’s inside the syringe and told her that she was going to feel very sleepy before she relaxed and finally falls asleep. “I’m sorry Belinda, you will feel better when you wake up.” She fell asleep in less than 15 seconds.
Then they put her on a gurney and rolled them into the vehicle. “I’m sorry you had to see that kid,” Dr. Seymour said to Marlon by the threshold.
Marlon shrugged.
“We’ll help her get better,” Dr. Seymour added.
Marlon nodded.
“When are you coming to my office? I hope you made up your mind to come back for therapy?”
“Maybe,” he said after a long pause.
Dr. Seymour gave him a half smile and a pat on the side of his arm, “Come visit your mother when you can, it would help to have a family session as well.”
“Sure,” he said.
The team left soon after. Josh was going to follow them in his car.
“I have to go Marlon … will you be alright?” he put his hand on Marlon’s cheek.
He nodded without looking Josh in the eyes.
“I’m sure Dr. Seymour can do a lot more than any of us can … she’ll be okay there,” Josh was comforting himself too because this was his decision more than anyone else’s.
Marlon didn’t respond.
“Listen … I will be back to check on you here, I don’t know when … I can’t be in two places at one time … please …” Josh inhaled deeply, “Please … stay away from trouble … you can invite your friends to stay or have a little party, it’s fine, but please … no trouble … can you do that?” he put both hands on his son’s face now and forced him to look at him in the eyes.
“Yeah, no worries,” Marlon said quietly.
Josh pulled him to his embrace and kissed the top of his head, “Call me if you need anything, here …” Josh pulled out a credit card from his pocket, “For everything you need … use it wisely … nothing illegal, okay?”
Marlon took the card and looked at it, money was never a problem because he had his own. His idle channel was still generating money even though he hadn’t produce new contents lately. But he took the card anyway because he knew that was his dad’s way to show him that he loves him, Josh had more money than he had time for his family. Marlon took what he can get.
Josh got into his car and drove away, he waved his son goodbye in his stylish sunglasses before disappearing toward the gate. Marlon went back to the house, his sigh echoed between the walls of the huge mansion that he now has all to himself. It would be the first time he was left unsupervised without Eli.
He threw himself on the sofa and took out his phone.
Marlon: Do you want me to pick you up and go somewhere?
Hazel: Aren’t you suppose to be in school?
Marlon: Can’t today, they picked up my mom this morning.
Hazel: Sorry about that … I’m at school.
Marlon: After school? Or do you have plans to have sex with your boyfriend today?
Hazel: DELETE THAT MESSAGE RIGHT NOW!
Marlon: (Laugh emoji) Sorry … deleted … well?
Hazel: Meeting Lee after school, but you can pick me up at home later.
Marlon: Meeting Lee for … s. e. x.?
Hazel: You know people can still read it as a whole word? DELETE!
Marlon: Fine … deleted … jeez …
Hazel: Where are we going today?
Marlon: Bungee jumping … hang gliding … sky diving … sex shop … get high … peep show … your choice baby … (tongue emoji)
Hazel: Ice cream it is … (laughing emoji)
Marlon was giggling the whole time he was texting.
Marlon: Oh by the way … fancy a party this Friday? My dad said I can have a party this weekend …
Hazel: Lee is leaving Saturday
Marlon: ???
Hazel: For South Korea!!!
Marlon: Invite him along then, don’t say I didn’t invite you this time … hey you can even do him in one of the bedrooms … (spraying water emoji)
Hazel: Hmmm ….
Marlon: No! Not in my house! Not you anyway.
Hazel: What??? What does that mean?
Marlon: No, I’m serious, party Friday night? Are you coming or not?
Hazel: (Typing)
Marlon: Is that a no?
Hazel: (Stopped typing) (Continue typing)
Marlon: I’m not good with rejection … I’m not having a party if you’re not coming
Hazel: (Stopped typing) (Continue typing)
Marlon: (Getting annoyed)
Hazel: We’ll talk later? It’s still a few days away … I’ll see what I can do …
Marlon: I’ll pick you up at 2?
Hazel: 3 is better … see you later …