Enigma II. Fighting the Man - 9. Chapter 9 - Unwelcome Visitors

We have had an exhausting afternoon and a snack for tea. We are going to get takeaway for supper and are already squabbling about what to have. The knock on the door takes us all by surprise.

“I’ll go.”

I open the door and am totally and truly shocked to see two police officers along with the woman who had knocked the door, standing on our doorstep.

“Is Benjamin Caulfield here?”

“Why? What’s he done?” I am even more shocked to think that Ben has ever done anything to warrant a visit from the police.

“Are you River Caulfield?”

“Yes..?” I am getting nervous now. Something is not right here.”

“I am Natalie Ward from Children’s Services. I would just like to speak with Ben.” She hands me a card and as I scan it everything becomes abundantly clear.

“It was them wasn’t it? It was the Hensons. They did this. What have they told you?”

“Can we just speak with Ben please?”

“Look. He lost his parents yesterday. We both did. Can’t we just talk about this before we speak to him?” The woman’s face remains harsh. “Ben is in a bad place at the moment. Don’t make it any worse for him. Aren’t you supposed to be thinking of him and trying to make things better, not worse? Just give me ten minutes.”

She considers for a moment and then nods, still severe. “Alright. Ten minutes.”

“I’ll send him up to his room. Silver will keep him company.”

“I would prefer if he didn’t. It would be better if he wasn’t with Ben right now.”

For a moment I really don’t understand, then my eyes widen. “What the hell have they been saying about us?”

“If we could talk, please River?” She says coldly, but not as cold as my heart seems to be. The Social Worker and police officers wait on the doorstep and I head for the kitchen, my legs trembling and my mouth dry.

“Ben, I need you to go up to your room for a little while. There are some people I need to talk to.”

“What people?” He says suddenly watchful and nervous.

I try to keep my voice light. “It’s just someone who wants to make sure you’re okay and settling in with me.”

“From the hospital?”

“Kind of.”

“It’s a social worker isn’t it?”

“They’re just here to check on you Ben, to make sure you’re okay.”

“You won’t let them take me away will you?”

“Of course not.”

“I swear if they do I’ll run away.”

“No one is going to take you anywhere Ben.”

“Promise?”

“I promise Ben. It’s going to be alright, I promise.”

Ben clings to me and I have to prise him off.

“Can Silver come with me?”

“No. They want to talk to him too. Don’t worry Ben, it’s going to be okay.”

Ben is sobbing and suddenly I hate them. I hate them all. I gently guide a half hysterical Ben across the hall. The door is open but thankfully the police have made themselves unobtrusive. Ben tries to pull away, to throw himself at the social worker but I restrain him gently.

“Please don’t take me away. My Mum and Dad have gone. Please don’t take my brother away too. Please don’t do this to me. Please.”

I pull Ben close, glaring at the woman over his head. “Ben, it’s okay. I swear it’s okay. No one is going to take you away from me. Just go upstairs for ten minutes while we talk. It’s going to be okay.”

“But...but...”

“Ben, have I ever lied to you? Have I ever broken a promise?”

“No.” He shakes his head, gulping.

“And I never will. I promise everything will be okay.”

Shakily Ben nods and throwing a fearful glance at the social worker he slowly climbs the stairs, dragging his feet.

“I hope you’re satisfied.” I grind out as I motion the social worker and her guard towards the living room.

Silver is standing uncertainly in the kitchen doorway and when he sees the police officers he takes a step back, his eyes wide.

“It’s okay. Come and sit next to me. These people just want to speak to us about Ben.”

I can see that Silver is making a huge effort to control his fear, but still he is trembling when he sits beside me on the sofa. I take his hand and his grip is like a vice.

The social worker sits on the chair with her escort flanking her. However, all three have softer expressions although the social worker is still severe.

“We had a report that you removed Ben from the hospital this morning.”

“Removed? Look I know what this is about. I think you should know that my aunt and uncle... Mr & Mrs Henson, tried to take Ben from the hospital this morning. They had to be removed by security. The hospital called me to come and take Ben home. When I got there they were on the verge of sedating him because he was so upset. When he saw me he calmed down but only when I told him that I would take care of him, that no one would ever separate us again.

“Christ, two days ago he was a normal kid with a normal, safe life. He had two parents who loved him, was doing fine at school, had lots of friends. Now he has no one. Less than forty eight hours ago I had to identify my parents’ bodies and it tore me apart. Ben was in the car with them when it happened. The kid is traumatised enough, don’t make it worse.”

“We can check all that with the hospital, you know?”

“Please do. It would have helped if you had checked it before you came but better late than never.”

Ms Ward goes into the kitchen with her phone while we wait tensely. I know Silver has no idea what’s going on and he’s scared stiff. His trembling has become shaking, and he’s breathing fast. I so badly want to comfort him, but I daren’t because I know what’s coming next.

Eventually Ms Ward comes back into the room and actually smiles at me. “Your story checks out.” She sits down in the chair again and her gaze rakes over me and Silver. “There is... another matter.” Her eyes flick to Silver.

“Let me head you off on that one. My aunt and uncle have hated me since I came out to my parents. Because of them I have had no contact with my family for the last few years. They believe that I am an evil pervert. I can assure you that I am not. I am about to start a nursing degree and have absolutely no intention of infecting Ben with my ‘gayness’.”

Ms Ward looks decidedly nervous. “I can appreciate what you are saying River. As you can imagine your aunt was... vocal on the matter.” She is relaxing now and the sarcasm in her voice gets a small smile from me. “I can assure you that being gay is not an issue in this, not at all. However, there is another thing which is what truly concerns me.”

“What other thing?”

“Perhaps you would like your...friend to wait in the other room.”

Yes I would. Oh how I would. But that is out of the question. There is no way that Silver would cope with that, no way at all.

“He’s my boyfriend and he’s not going anywhere.”

Ms Ward looks even more uncomfortable. “I understand he has a history of involvement with the...er... sex industry.”

I almost explode with anger but manage to keep it in check. “If you count being kidnapped at twelve, brutalised, raped, sold as a slave and then beaten almost to death and thrown out of a car on the motorway to die as ‘involvement’ then yes.”

Ms Ward’s eyes are like saucers and she stares at Silver. “I... um... I will have to check that out.”

“Check all you want.”

She pulls herself together. “And er... I...we... understand that he has spent some time in a mental institution.”

“Not exactly but he’s had some problems, yes. I’m not going to deny that. I think a casual glance might have given that away in any event. You should know that I am not best happy with you right now for what you are doing to my brother and my partner.

“I have to wonder whether you are surprised about the fact that Silver has issues considering what he’s been through.”

She looks at Silver who is visibly shaking now. Her eyes soften but look more concerned. “I have to consider Ben’s welfare first. I need to be sure that neither of you present a risk to him.”

“A risk? What the hell are you talking about? Of course we’re not a risk.” Light dawns. “Oh, I see. Look, whatever Silver’s been through, none of it was his fault. He’s been abused, yes; suffered mentally from being in a coma for three months, yes. He’s been shot and raped and traumatised but none of it has touched him, what he is at heart. He is the sweetest, kindest, gentlest person you could imagine. He’s an artist, an amazing artist and a truly beautiful soul. Ben loves him already and he is not a risk to anyone, in any way.”

Silver is hiding his face but I feel his hand tighten in mine and I can’t help but smile. Ms Ward is smiling too but forces the smile down and focuses on me again. “I appreciate what you said and it’s clear you love Silver very much but you will appreciate that means you are hardly objective on the matter.”

My mind is racing and suddenly I have an idea. “Look... phone Dr Marshall. I have his number. He was the doctor who treated Silver at the hospital, his psychiatrist. He’ll tell you. He knows Silver very well. Or Sam... you can ring Sam. He’s a policeman, a member of the Armed Response Unit.”

For a moment I see doubt in her eyes, and then she nods. “Alright. It’s against regulations and ordinarily I wouldn’t do anything like this but... this is an exceptional situation and so if you give me the doctor’s number, I will give him a call.”

I write down the number. “Or the doctor at the hospital where Ben was. He said he’d checked us out too and he was happy to hand Ben over to me.” She gives me an odd look and then walks out.

This time she is gone for a long time. The police officers have relaxed a lot and start to chat about nothing much. They are interested in Sam and how we came to be friends. I tell them everything about him... how we met, what a good friend he’s become and how we’d organised Silver’s exhibition.

Suddenly, out of the blue one of the officers crouches down next to the sofa and touches Silver gently on the arm. If I had known he was going to do it I would have stopped him. But when I look up there is such a strange look on his face, almost as if he’s afraid of Silver or... of something else. Silver burrows more tightly into my shoulder moaning softly and shivering. This time there is absolutely nothing that is going to stop me putting my arm around him and holding him close.

“It’s aright Silver. I’m not going to hurt you, I promise. I just...” He takes a deep breath. “My brother was taken from us when he was very young. I don’t know if he went through what you did. I don’t know if he is still alive. I suppose in a way that’s why I joined the force... to look for him and to help those like him. I’m a police officer to help people like you. There’s no need for you to be scared of me. I won’t hurt you. I would never hurt you.”

To say I am surprised would be an understatement. Slowly Silver turns his head and looks at the police officer. I can’t see his face but I see the policeman’s face change.

“My name’s Pete. My friends call me P because they think it’s funny.” He looks slightly stunned now and I know why. Silver must be smiling at him. I can feel him begin to relax against me.

“You’ve been through a lot.” P says gently. Hesitantly Silver nods. “You must be a very strong person to have coped with all that.”

Silver looks at me uncertainly. I note his eyes are dry and very dark. I brush his cheek with the tips of my fingers. “He’s very strong. You wouldn’t believe how strong he is.” Silver smiles at me and the vicelike grip on my fingers relaxes leaving them numb.

“You love each other very much.” P sounds wistful. Silver looks at him again, tilting his head to one side. He nods.

“Why does that make you so sad?” He asks softly.

P jumps, startled and stares at Silver for a moment. I see emotions fly across his face and wonder again at the effect Silver has on people, almost instantly. P smiles uncomfortably, then shakes his head and gets to his feet. He sits in the chair looking a lot more friendly but slightly shaken.

“If you love someone,” Silver says solemnly, “you should be with them no matter what. I... almost died because I loved someone so much but I... I would do it again. It taught me a lot.” He turns to look at me, his eyes shining. “I would die for River.”

I’m sure that phrase is used dozens of times a day in many languages across the world. The difference is that in Silver’s case I know that he absolutely means it. P smiles uncertainly and his friend picks up the conversation, almost as if he is covering for him.

“So, you’re an artist? Have your own exhibition. I have always wanted to be able to paint but I have no talent. Which gallery?”

Silver shakes his head and I supply the details. “I might just take a trip down there. It’s isn’t so far and I love visiting galleries. I’ll take my wife, she’s even worse. Maybe we can spend some time on the beach with the kids, make a day of it.”

We are interrupted when Ms Ward comes back. There is a very strange look on her face.

“Well. I’ve spoken to Dr Marshall, who told me what he thought in no uncertain terms... of Silver and... of me. He says he will call you later to make sure everything is alright and to see if there is anything he can do for you... or Ben.”

I smile a little with relief and Ms Ward looks at Silver thoughtfully. He is scared again, very scared, gripping my hand until it goes numb. Suddenly she smiles and shakes her head.

“I have never encountered anything like this before but I am very sure of one thing – Ben is a very lucky boy to have you take care of him, both of you. If you will just let me speak to Ben for a few minutes I’ll leave you alone to get on with things.” She must catch the look on my face because she presses on. “I have to River. I need to put into my report that I have seen him. I promise I’ll be gentle with him and reassure him that I am not going to take him away from you.”

“Can I come?”

“I’d prefer if you didn’t.”

I am torn but I figure than on balance it would be best to let her. She can probably assuage his fear better than I can right now.

She isn’t up there very long and when she comes down she has Ben with her. He still looks scared and uneasy but he is smiling. Ms Ward smiles at us all and thanks us for our co operation. I start to get to my feet but she waves me down.

“Take care of your family River. I can see myself to the door.”

“I was planning to take Ben to my home tomorrow. Is that okay.”

She smiles. “Of course. We have your address on file and we’ll contact you if we need to but don’t worry, it will be fine.”

“Thank you. Thank you so much.”

“It’s fine, River. Take care. It was a real pleasure to meet you. And trust me I don’t say that too often.”

“What are you going to say to my aunt and uncle?”

Ms Ward’s face hardens. “Don’t worry about them. Leave them to me.”

“I’ll log your details and their names at the station.” P says smiling. “If you have any trouble, give us a call.” He writes two numbers on the pad by the phone.