"Semi-Short Stories" [ Story Collection ]

The Trial [] 1/12 []

"Max, you got something in the mail. Valentine, hair noticeably beginning to grey, peeks into Max's, no - he peeks his head into Luna's old bedroom. In his hand is a white envelope. "It's from the courthouse. I'm guessing it isn't jury duty considering you're not eighteen."

Max had already tensed. They look up from their phone, unable to bring themselves to go to him. Val understands and steps into the room to pass the letter off to them. Max accepts it.

"Want me to stay?" Val offers a small, supportive smile. They contemplate the question and find themselves nodding.

"Yeah, you should know what it says, too." They slit open the top of the envelope with a pocket knife that had been waiting on the nightstand. Val takes a seat on the edge of the bed and watches as the other retrieves the folded piece of paper.

Silence.

"They set a date for my mother's trial."

"When is it?"

"A week from today."

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Max sets the papers aside. They exhale a breath they hadn't realized they were holding. "The sooner the better, right? I'll be able to put this behind me and move forward."

The man nods. In this proximity, Max notices the wrinkles beginning to etch his face. But they're happy wrinkles. That much is clear. "And I'm sure the trial will go well. I don't doubt that she'll be locked away and you and your brother will get the justice you deserve."

"I don't know, Mr. Swan. I've been thinking about that a lot lately. She's being accused of neglect, but what evidence is there for that? I'm safe, aren't I? It's not like she'd driven me to...I don't know, suicide or self-harm or something along those lines. I'm...I'm fine. What is there to hold against her? How could she be proven guilty?"

"She kicked you out at seventeen, Max."

"But she didn't. She was going to, so I left before she could have the satisfaction. She'll tell them that, too. She'll tell them all about how she wasn't really going to kick me out and that she was only trying to scare me into behaving and stop trying to get attention and fuck-not. She's persuasive."

"But she's done other things - she isn't supportive of who you are. That can cause damage."

"I don't think it's enough. She never physically hurt me." They shift. "I don't know what I'll even say. I was an asshole kid. It's my fault, isn't it?"

"No! Of course it isn't your fault. You're a good kid, I can tell. You wouldn't have done anything that you did if it weren't for how you were being treated." Val props his leg onto his knee. His hands rest on his ankle. "But while we're on this topic, can you tell me about your dad? You don't really talk about him."

"He acts like I don't exist, so I do the same to him." Max shrugs. They seem emotionally disconnected from the topic - or, they're hiding it. "He'd always spend time with my siblings, especially Stella - she's his favorite." They let out a single laugh. "Guess that's why I was always doing shit for attention."

"Which is completely fair. What else were you supposed to do? Parents are supposed to give their kids love and attention, and you weren't getting those things - so any attention was good. It didn't matter if it was bad."

Max frowns. "Do you think my gender issues were for attention? I wonder sometimes..."

"Do you feel better now that you can change when you want?"

"Well...yeah, I do."

"Then it wasn't for attention."

There's another beat of silence. Max eventually nods. "Thanks, Mr. Swan."

"Of course." He nods in return and pushes himself to his feet with a quite groan. He's getting old.

"Hey...can you come with me to the trial? I'd feel better if you were there."

"I'll be there. You don't have to worry about that."