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As Hilda turned around to walk back to the kitchen, she discreetly wiped her tears away. Carlisle’s heart ached at the sight of his mother’s quiet sadness. He clenched his fists, a surge of determination building within him. I won’t let them down, he vowed silently. When the SAT results come in, they’ll be proud of me.
At the dinner table, Gordon casually pulled out the unfinished bottle of wine he’d served to Gerard the other night. “You’re an adult now, son, and you’ve finished your SATs. Have a drink with your old man!”
Hilda shot Gordon an exasperated look. “There’s beer in the fridge. Why bring out wine?” She walked over to the fridge and grabbed a bottle, clearly annoyed by his choice.
The father and son drank together in companionable silence, the conversation drifting between casual remarks and fleeting moments of tension. Neither spoke about the exam, but the air between them was heavy with unspoken words.
After a few moments, Gordon finally broke the silence. “Son, if you don’t pass the exam, what’s your plan? Retake it, or maybe pursue a skill?”
Carlisle paused for a brief moment, the question stinging his pride. But he set his jaw and took a swig of beer, his voice firm. “There’s no if in that. I’ll pass for sure.”
Gordon, his eyes slightly reddened from the alcohol, watched his son carefully. Carlisle’s unwavering confidence silenced him. Swallowing the rest of his words, Gordon raised his glass with a hearty grin. “Let’s not dwell on it anymore. Let’s drink.”
Hilda, her face soft with concern, glanced up at them as she sipped her tomato soup. “You two, don’t drink too much.”
Carlisle finished his beer and stood up, stretching his arms. “Dad, I’m meeting Sean to play basketball!”
Gordon waved him off, a grin breaking through. “Go on, son. Get out and stay active. You’re not a kid anymore.”
“I might stay over at his place tonight,” Carlisle added casually, walking toward the door.
Gordon raised an eyebrow. “Won’t you be disturbing his family?”
Carlisle shrugged. “Nah, his parents are usually at the store.”
With that, he walked out, leaving his parents to their quiet conversation.
Hilda sighed softly, setting her spoon down. “He’s probably just going to surf the internet with Sean.”
Gordon muttered, his voice muffled by his mouthful of nuts. “The SATs are over. Let him enjoy himself.”
Despite their concerns, the reality was that they were lenient with Carlisle, perhaps even a little too pampering. They had always tried to shield him from the harshest of pressures. After all, they’d already lost one child before him. Their world had been engulfed in sorrow when their first child was taken away just a month after birth. The pain had been unbearable, and the search for their child had proved futile in an age of limited information. It wasn’t until Carlisle was born two years later that their world began to regain its light. They showered him with all the love they had left, determined to give him the life they had dreamed of.
Meanwhile, Carlisle rode his bike toward an abandoned grain center. As soon as he locked it up, someone tapped him on the shoulder.
“Hey, Carl…”
He turned to find Kade Zimmer standing there, a cigarette tucked behind his ear, his messy hair partially hiding his face. Kade was about his age, a troubled soul with a reputation for getting into trouble. He’d been expelled in his second year of high school due to fighting, and later transferred to a vocational school. Carlisle knew how Kade’s future would unfold in his past life — filled with poor choices and culminating in a six-year prison sentence for robbery and assault. Yet, despite all that, Carlisle held no ill will toward him. In fact, he had a strange kind of respect for Kade.
After all, it was Kade who would step in to help Carlisle’s father when things got bad.
“You ran out of money for the internet again, huh?” Carlisle asked, glancing at Kade with a knowing look as he stuffed his bike keys in his pocket.
Kade chuckled, scratching the back of his neck. “How’d you guess?”
“If you had money, would you be standing outside?” Carlisle teased lightly.
Kade faked a cough. “Money’s been tight lately. Is Sean coming too?”
Carlisle shook his head, a slight smirk tugging at his lips. “No need to wait for him. Let’s go. I’ll treat you to the internet. But next time, don’t use me as a cover when you get caught.”
Kade grinned, clearly amused by the exchange. Carlisle, however, was already thinking beyond just a friendly gesture. He wanted to change Kade’s path this time — steer him away from a future that led to prison. This wasn’t just about saving a friend; it was about making sure that, no matter what, Carlisle didn’t end up repeating the same mistakes of the past.
