The Castaway Hotel: Next Generation - 18. A Conscientious Objector

Soren Hagan was very punctual and arrived right on schedule – Friday evening, just as he told us. He was a fairly tall man, with a slender build, and looked quite distinguished. Although he didn’t appear to be extremely muscular, I doubt anyone would have dared to refer to him as being wimpy. He looked to be in good shape, with a toned body, which was quite remarkable, especially if you considered he wasn’t exactly young. I would venture to guess that he would be able to handle himself in a physical confrontation, if need be. He was also impressively attired in his dress uniform and radiated an intimidating stature. It seemed as though this was going to be a very interesting encounter.

Mr. Hagen was also carrying a few items with him, tucked under his arm, and we were certain we would eventually find out what was in them. When he spoke, it was difficult not to notice his accent, but he was still fairly easy to understand. It was also quite apparent that Mr. Hagen was used to being listened to and obeyed, which was a bit unnerving. After meeting him, we were now wondering how Elliot was going to respond to his commanding presence.

Danny and Brandon had arranged their schedules so they were home for his initial visit. Shortly after he arrived, they took Mr. Hagen to the family room, where they could discuss things in private. Danny and Brandon chatted with him for about thirty minutes, before they went to get Elliot, so he could join them.

It appeared as if Elliot was a bit overwhelmed and awestruck, as he approached this tall man in the impeccably maintained uniform. Elliot also seemed daunted by his uncle’s commanding presence, even though Mr. Hagen greeted him warmly and even offered Elliot his hand. After they shook, Mr. Hagen told Elliot to call him Uncle Soren, and after a brief delay, Elliot eventually agreed.

After the uncle and nephew got acquainted, Danny and Brandon explained to Elliot that they were going to leave him and his uncle alone for a while, so they could get to know each other better. They assured Elliot they would just be in the other room, in case he needed anything, which made Elliot feel better about being alone with this stranger. He was still extremely nervous, but no longer frightened.

After they explained things to him, Brandon and Danny exited the family room and shut the door behind them. All they would tell me about their time alone with Mr. Hagen was that they were questioning him about his intentions and what he hoped to accomplish today.

“Elliot, I am very sorry about what happened to your father,” Uncle Soren began, “but as I am your closest living relative, I would like for you to come live with me.“

This comment caused Elliot’s body to flash an immediate reaction, which appeared to be mostly reluctance and concern. His eye bulged open, his body stiffened and his fists clenched, which were clear indications this was not a suggestion he was ready to entertain. Noticing this, his Uncle Soren felt he should offer a few more details to clarify his proposal.

“I’ve brought some photographs with me, so I could show you more about my country. I also have other portraits, so you’ll also be able to see some of the other members of your family,” Uncle Soren explained. “I felt this would help you to better appreciate what it is like in Denmark and let you see what my wife and children look like.”

After saying this, Uncle Soren opened one of the large envelopes he had brought with him.

“This photograph shows me with the Queen of Denmark and her husband, the Prince Consort,” he explained. “It was taken at a military banquet we both attended. I was allowed to have this photograph taken with the Royal Couple, because I am a distant relative of the Queen, as are you.”

Uncle Soren looked at Elliot closely, so he could gauge his reaction to this comment.

“Oh, don’t start thinking you’re in line to become King or that we will be going to play tennis or croquet at the palace,” Uncle Soren joked. “There are hundreds of relatives in line between us and the throne, but we can still trace our family line back to her.”

Elliot may have been a bit disappointed by this clarification, but he didn’t make a big deal over it. He didn’t know much about his mother’s country, but the idea of being related to the royal family appealed to his sense of history.

“Are you a general?” Elliot asked, a bit timidly.

“My rank is on the same level as that of a general,” Uncle Soren explained, “but in the navy I am referred to as an admiral.”

It seemed that Elliot understood the gist of his comment, even if he didn’t comprehend it fully. For nearly an hour, Uncle Soren showed Elliot a large collection of photos of his homeland and explained what each one represented. He also showed Elliot various snapshots of his family and identified who they were and how they were related, as well as sharing a few more intimate details about each person. Once they’d finished doing this, Uncle Soren noticed the piano and began to speak.

“That’s a very nice piano,” he stated. “I remember your mother used to play quite well.” Elliot smiled.

“That’s why my dad had me start taking lessons,” Elliot announced. “He thought I might have her talent.”

“And do you?” Uncle Soren followed.

“You tell me,” Elliot countered, as he made his way to the keyboard.

He sat down and played two classical pieces and then turned toward his uncle. He hadn’t tried to pull the same stunt on him, that he had on the family, and played each piece flawlessly. Uncle Soren was obviously impressed.

“That was very lovely,” he told his nephew. “You have indeed been blessed with your mother’s gift.”

“Thank you,” Elliot responded, while beaming inside.

“We have an excellent National Symphony,” Uncle Soren announced, since he now knew about Elliot’s ability. “Your aunt and I love to attend their concerts. Maybe you would like to join us on one of these occasions or you might even play with them some day.”

Even though Elliot had an appreciation for classical music and enjoyed playing it, the idea of relocating to Denmark just so he could go to the symphony with his aunt and uncle seemed a bit ludicrous and hasty. He merely smiled at the suggestion, but didn’t say anything, so his Uncle began speaking again.

“I want you to understand that we also have very good sports programs in Denmark,” Uncle Soren urged. “It seems our schools take sports more seriously than here in the States, so I am certain we could find you an excellent diving coach, possibly even one who has competed in the Olympics.”

“That does sound very nice,” Elliot responded.

It was obvious that Elliot had only said this to be polite. As he sat there smiling, he was also trying to dig down deep, to find the courage he would need to say what was on his mind. After a few moments, he finally got up the nerve to speak.

“It all sounds very nice, but I still don’t want to move there,” Elliot replied, much to his Uncle Soren’s dismay.

After this comment, they sat speechless for a minute or so, before Uncle Soren spoke again.

“Your Aunt Gretta and my children would love to have you with us,” Uncle Soren pressed forward, breaking the silence. “Our family has very deep feelings for each other.”

“But you said your children are grown and don’t live close by and you also told me that Aunt Gretta doesn’t speak English,” Elliot objected. “How will I get along when you’re not there? She won’t be able to help me and I’ll be completely alone and bored, because I won’t know what’s going on.”

“Yes, it is unfortunate that your Aunt Gretta does not speak English, but she does know French and German,” Uncle Soren suggested, as possible alternatives to relieve the situation. “Do you speak either of those languages?”

“No, I only speak English, although I have learned a little Spanish in school,” Elliot admitted.

“That’s too bad and it is a pity my children are living on their own now and are not close by, since they speak English too,” Uncle Soren added, with a tinge or regret in his voice. “However, I am positive you will learn Danish quite quickly and things will not be so hard for you.”

“I’m not so sure about that,” Elliot mused.

“You will discover it will not be so bad living in Denmark, once you are there,” Uncle Soren urged. “Many of the children you will meet at your school will also speak English and I’m sure they will be able to understand you and you them. This will allow you to make friends while you are also learning to speak Danish, so you will not feel so lonely.”

“I appreciate that you want to help me and all,” Elliot responded, after a few seconds, “but I really don’t want to live in Denmark. I wouldn’t mind visiting there some time, but I don’t want to live there.”

“It is a very nice place and I am sure you will grow to like living there,” Uncle Soren assured him.

“I really don’t think that will happen,” Elliot replied. “From what you’ve told me, it’s totally different than what I’m used to. I’d have to learn a whole different language and get used to a new way of doing everything, besides trying to make new friends. If you don’t mind, I think I’d rather stay here.”

“So you would prefer to live with strangers,” Uncle Soren asked, somewhat bewildered.

“They were strangers when I first came here, but they’re not strangers any longer,” Elliot explained. “They’ve been very good to me and have helped a lot. They were there for me right after everything happened and comforted me when I had those terrible nightmares. They took care of arranging for my father’s funeral and even took me back to my old house, so I could get what I wanted to bring here with me. They’ve even promised to go with me to the trial, since I want to be there when those men go to court. I’m sorry Uncle Soren, but they aren’t strangers to me now. They are my family.”

“And you do not mind having two fathers and no mother?” Uncle Soren wanted to know next.

“This may sound bad, and maybe even cruel, but I’ve never had a mother,” Elliot offered. “You know my mother died when I was born, so I never got to know her and wasn’t able to spend any time with her. That’s why I don’t feel like it’s any different living here, except now I have two dads, instead of just one. They’ve both been very good to me. They have helped me get through some really rough times and I feel very close to them now. That’s why I really want to stay here with them.”

Uncle Soren merely stared at Elliot and didn’t immediately respond. After a few seconds, he finally spoke again.

“Do they have good jobs and will they be able to provide you with the things you need?” Uncle Soren pressed.

“Yes, they do,” Elliot confirmed. “Danny is a doctor and Brandon is a dentist, so I’d say they have great jobs. Besides, it looks like my dad made a lot of arrangements for my future in his will, so I’m sure I’ll be fine.”

Uncle Soren considered Elliot’s words briefly, before he spoke again.

“But are you happy living here?” Soren asked. “Very happy?”

“Yes, Uncle Soren. I’m very happy. If I wasn’t, I wouldn’t want to stay so badly,” Elliot stated. “I’ve got two dads, two grandfathers and tons of uncles. I haven’t met them all yet, but I’m going to meet them soon and they’ve all been really nice to me so far. I don’t think I could have found a better place to live.”

Uncle Soren wasn’t sure he completely understood how Elliot could be so happy living with a bunch of people he wasn’t related to, but he could tell his nephew was being sincere. Since he felt Elliot was being honest with him, he did not argue the point further.

Once they finished their private discussion, we invited Soren to stay and have dinner with the family. We felt this would give him a chance to get to know us better and it might help him understand Elliot’s feelings about living here. On the way to the dining room, Danny and Brandon introduced him to the other family members that were still living at home and explained who each of them was. They also told him how our family came together, but didn’t bore him with the stories of those who weren’t here. They even gave Soren a chance to speak with everyone, so he could get to know them a little better. These discussions continued while we ate, and by the end of the meal it appeared as if Soren could see some of the bonds Elliot had formed with us.

After dinner, Soren spent a little more time chatting with Danny and Brandon. During this time, he discussed Elliot’s stance about wanting to stay with them and asked how they felt about having Elliot live with them. Danny and Brandon strongly, and unequivocally, let him know they were fine with Elliot’s decision and were thrilled to have Elliot as their son.

After Soren asked each of them a myriad of other questions about themselves, the family and their views on a variety of subjects, he began to soften a bit. Since it was starting to get late, Soren asked if he might be able to return the next day, so he could take Elliot out for a while, just the two of them. Considering Elliot didn’t have to go to school, since tomorrow was Saturday, Danny and Brandon agreed. However, they also made it very clear they would allow this only under certain conditions.

Danny and Brandon explained they would expect Elliot to be returned home by 6:00 that evening and asked Mr. Hagen to call if anything out of the ordinary arose during their time together. They told him that if he failed to comply, they would notify the authorities that Elliot had been abducted and press charges against him. Mr. Hagen confirmed the conditions met with his approval and he would abide by them. Having reached this arrangement, Danny and Brandon called Elliot back into the room. They then left the pair alone again, so Uncle Soren could ask Elliot if he was interested in spending tomorrow with him, so they could do something special.

“Elliot, I would still like for us to spend some more time together, so we can get further acquainted,” Uncle Soren explained. “Since it is getting late, I have another idea you might like. I made some inquiries when I first arrived and discovered I can rent a small plane for an hour or two. Since I am a pilot, I thought I could take you out and possibly give you a flying lesson. Would you like that?”

“That sounds really cool and I think it would be a lot of fun, Uncle Soren,” Elliot agreed. “I’d really like to do that, if that’s what you’d like to do too.”

Elliot and his uncle quickly discussed what Elliot should wear and bring with him, and then they set up a time to meet the next day. Elliot was extremely excited about the possibility of learning how to fly and quickly asked Danny and Brandon if it would be all right with them.

“Can I go with Uncle Soren to do this?” he asked, excitedly.

He was unconsciously hoping from one foot to the other, almost as if he had to pee.

“Your uncle already asked permission from us first, so you MAY go,” Danny agreed, while correcting Elliot’s grammatical error.

I was glad to see Danny had picked something up from me and Elliot was beside himself with excitement.

“Brandon and I have told your uncle that he may take you,” Danny continued, “but we also let him know that he is to bring you back home by 6:00.”

“Thank you. Thank you so much,” Elliot gushed, while continuing to hop excitedly in place.

We told Soren he was also welcome to stay with us while he was here, but he explained he had already made a reservation and had checked into a motel, before coming to our house. We told him we were sorry we hadn’t thought of it sooner, but he insisted he was fine and it was not a problem. However, he did thank us for our kind offer.

Now that everything was settled, Elliot said good-bye to his uncle and walked him out to his rental car. Once his uncle had driven off, Elliot bolted back in to the house and ran to tell Jesse.

“Uncle Soren is going to take me for a flying lesson tomorrow,” Elliot announced, grinning from ear to ear. “It sounds really awesome and I’m sooooo excited!”

“You’re so lucky and I’d be excited too,” Jesse confirmed. “I wish I could go with you and learn how to fly a plane.”

“I’ll ask Uncle Soren when he gets here in the morning,” Elliot suggested, and he meant it.

“No, this is for you to do with your uncle,” Jesse replied, slightly disappointed. “Maybe I’ll get to do it another time. I sure hope so.”

It was good to see. Elliot was looking forward to this outing with his uncle and we were glad he was so happy. I had been a little skeptical and wondered if Elliot would agree to do anything alone with his uncle, while Soren was here. I was afraid Elliot might try to insist that at least one of us go with him, but now I was thankful that had not happened.

Since he was so excited, we weren’t sure how much sleep Elliot got that night. We discovered later that he slept with Jesse again, and he was still smiling broadly and hopping around joyfully the next morning. Elliot was barely able to stand the wait until his uncle arrived, so when Soren finally showed up, Elliot was eager to get going. Elliot bolted out the door even before Soren had a chance to get out of his rental vehicle, but Soren made him come back inside. He wanted to speak with us first, before they took off.

After reiterating his pledge to abide by the terms of their agreement, Soren and Elliot went outside and hopped in the car. Then, Uncle Soren drove them to the small airport where he had made tentative arrangements after he first arrived. He signed a contract and paid the appropriate fee to rent a small, two-seat prop plane for this occasion. He had already provided the owner with proof that he was an experienced pilot for both planes and helicopters, so Elliot and he were able to go out and board the plane. Once they were seated inside the craft, Soren gave his nephew a few, brief safety instructions, and then radioed the tower for permission to take off.

The plane had identical controls on both sides of the cockpit, and once they were airborne, Uncle Soren explained to Elliot what he would need to do to take over flying the plane. Uncle Soren then let Elliot try his hand at piloting it solo for a while and Elliot loved every second of it. Even though Elliot wasn’t sure if he was in complete control of the plane, he didn’t let that small detail bother him. He was having fun and believed he was in control of where they were going, so he definitely felt as free as a bird and forgot about nearly everything else.

They soared above the ground in the plane for many minutes and Elliot was actually doing a fairly good job at the controls. At least, that’s what his Uncle Soren told us later. Elliot was having a blast flying over the houses, barns and other buildings, as well as enjoying the view when looking down at them. He also got a kick out of seeing the cows, horses, pigs, chickens and other animals roaming along the ground, as he soared above them. Although it was quiet windy and he had to fight against the gusts as they buffeted the plane, it was a truly exhilarating and memorable experience.

After his uncle landed the plane, Elliot thanked his Uncle Soren and told him what a great time he’d had. Then they got back into the rental car and began the trip back.

“Since you have been so nice to me,” Elliot told his uncle on the ride home, “I’d like to show you more of where I’m living now.”

“I would like that very much,” Uncle Soren confirmed.

Once they reached the outskirts of our little community, Elliot proceeded to give his uncle directions as to where he should go. Elliot took his uncle around and pointed out many of the local places that were already important to him. He showed Uncle Soren around the downtown area, as well as some of the places he liked to hang out with Jesse or his fathers. Then, he took his uncle over to see the school he was now attending.

Elliot was more upbeat and talkative now, than he had been when his uncle first arrived. It seemed as if the brief flying lesson had been successful in forming a bond between them and Elliot had enjoyed the time he had spent with his Uncle Soren. This didn’t mean that Elliot was ready to agree to go live with him, but it appeared now that they would part on friendly terms and Elliot might even agree to go to Demark and visit his family sometime in the future.

Their time together was also good for Uncle Soren. He was able to see that Elliot was a happy and fairly well adjusted boy who did like living with us. Since Soren still wasn’t certain he understood this connection, he felt he would give it one final attempt to see if Elliot had changed his mind.

“Do you still feel that you prefer to stay here, where you are living now?” Uncle Soren asked.

“I do, Uncle Soren,” Elliot replied. “I’ve had fun with you and would love to come see you in Denmark when I’m a little older, but I really do want to stay where I am now.”

“If you are happy and this is what you desire,” his Uncle responded, “then I will honor your wishes. You are old enough to be able to decide this for yourself, so I will not try to influence you further or force you to change your mind.”

Elliot beamed when he heard his uncle say this.

“Thank you, Uncle Soren. That means a lot to me,” Elliot assured him, as they began the final leg of their journey.

When they reached the house, Soren came inside and listened as Elliot told us about his day. Then we invited Soren to join us for dinner again, but this time we were going to take him out to our favorite restaurant. At first he was reticent to do this, since he didn’t want us to incur the expense, but we convinced him it would not be a hardship, so he finally gave in.

We had a wonderful meal and Elliot made sure he was seated between his Uncle Soren and his two fathers. It was really cute watching him talk to one, and then the other. Elliot took turns telling Danny and Brandon more about his day and his uncle more about his life, both before and with us, plus what happened when his father was murdered. I think that part of his tale shocked Soren, but he was grateful that Elliot had survived and recuperated so well, after experiencing such a traumatic event.

During the meal, Soren also explained that he had reached an understanding with Elliot and would no longer seek custody. He stated that he could see Elliot was happy, well taken care of and loved, so he was satisfied that his nephew would be fine remaining in our care. We thanked him for his confidence and for deciding in our favor, and then Soren explained that he only did this because it was what Elliot wanted and he thought it would be in his nephew’s best interest.

After we finished eating, we drove back to the house and I invited Soren in for coffee or an after dinner drink. He chose the later, so we adults enjoyed a drink together, while the younger ones enjoyed a soda.

Before he left, we invited Soren to come back the following day, since he wasn’t scheduled to leave until Monday. He very happily accepted our offer, so we asked him if he’d like to go to church with us or meet us after the service was over.

“I doubt your service will be similar to anything that I’m used to,” Uncle Soren began, “but I would love to join you and partake in this new experience.”

Since he was agreeable, we told him what time to come back in the morning and then bid him goodnight. He then drove to the motel he was staying at, to get a little rest.

The next morning, we were just finishing getting ready for church when Uncle Soren pulled in. He came inside for a couple of minutes and then rode with us to the church. It was a short, yet stimulating sermon, and Soren said he enjoyed the experience, once the service ended.

We then took him out for brunch with us afterward. It actually worked out quite well, since he said he was up and had eaten breakfast by 6:00 a.m. I don’t think Elliot could fathom why anyone would get up that early on the weekend.

From there, we returned to the house and discussed several more items with Soren, including the upcoming trial. Soren wanted to know more about the men who had murdered Elliot’s father and why they had done such a thing. He also wondered what the severity of their sentences would be, once they were convicted. I could only answer his queries in very general terms, since we didn’t know the exact charges or the types of evidence the police were able to gather against them. We gave Soren our best guess about what might happen, so I hope we came close to what will eventually take place.

Jake and Soren also hit it off fairly well and Jake told him about his situation and son. It was obvious Soren didn’t understand how we’d both been married and then ended up together, but he was very non-judgmental and willing to acknowledge that we loved each other and were a committed couple. Apparently Denmark is a bit more progressive than America, in terms of same sex relationships.

We invited Soren to have dinner with us again, but this time we were fixing the meal ourselves. We had planned a ham dinner for the occasion and Soren was happy to break bread with us again. By the time Soren was ready to depart for the final time, he very eloquently summed up his stay.

“I know my wife and children will be disappointed and have a difficult time understanding why I decided to honor Elliot’s wishes to live here with you,” Soren announced, “but I am convinced it is the right thing to do. I will keep in contact, to see how he is doing and will gladly arrange for him to visit us sometime in the future, if he is willing. Thank you very much for taking such fine care of him and for giving him a loving home.”

Danny and Brandon thanked him in return and wished him a safe journey back to Denmark. Soren then said his final good-bye to his nephew.

“Elliot, I must be going now, but I am very glad that I finally got to meet you, although I wish it had been under better circumstances,” Soren began. “I would be happy if you were returning with me, but I understand your desire to remain here and I am at peace with your decision. I do, however, still look forward to you visiting my family in the near future.”

He then hugged Elliot, before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a sheet of paper.

“This has all the information you will need to contact me,” Soren explained, as he handed Elliot the paper. “It has my home address and telephone number, so I hope you will keep in touch with me. Please let me know immediately if you change your mind and wish to come live with us or even if it’s just for a visit. We will welcome you either way.”

“Thank you, Uncle Soren, and I will write and call. I promise,” Elliot agreed. “I’d like to come visit you in Copenhagen someday. Maybe you can introduce me to the Queen,” he added, with a wink.

Uncle Soren laughed at his nephew’s joke.

“You will be welcome whenever you decide to come,” Soren agreed, and then they said their final farewell, before Soren got back into his rental vehicle and started the engine. Once he’d pulled out of the driveway and headed away from the house, Elliot turned and spoke to Danny and Brandon.

“He is very nice and I like him a lot, but I told him I didn’t want to live with him,” Elliot explained. “I told him I liked it here and wanted to stay with you. I hope that was all right.”

“It is more than all right and what we wanted to happen too,” Danny explained. “Now, let’s go inside and see what we want to do for the rest of the evening.”

Having heard him say this, Elliot hugged both Danny and Brandon, before joining them in the family room for a little quality time together.