Swan Song

It Seems, My Love, You Do Me Wrong Part 2

The morning after, when Lock woke up, he got ready for school without even saying hi to his brother, deciding instead to leave the inevitable fight, then make-up session, for later. However, when he got downstairs, he heard sobbing from the living room, so he entered it. Inside was Charlotte, sitting on the couch, crying into the palms of her hands. For a brief second, he contemplated pretend he'd never seen a thing, but the memory of his uncle with another woman made him take a step inside. He knew that he could be cold and calculating at times, which often came in handy, but he also knew that he couldn't treat the people around him based on their usefulness to him, because then they would no longer be people, but mere pluses and minuses, and he would be left alone.

"Aunt Charlotte, is everything ok?" He knew it was a stupid question, but also knew people appreciated stupid questions when they were sad, because they, though completely unhelpful, at least showed concern.

"O-Oh, Lock," the woman replied, wiping her tears away with her sleeves, "it's you. Y-Yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry."

"Is it uncle Oscar again?"

The man's habit of having affairs was the worst kept secret in all of Pandora, so he could speak about it without revealing the latest dalliance. He took a seat next to her, but she wasn't looking at him, and instead hung her head low.

"Yeah."

He could've judged his uncle at that moment, but knew it would be unfair. The man had always been good to him, after all. Lock saw himself in a similar situation. He was kind to Alice and Oz, and yet had been cruel to Lily. If he started hating Oscar now, then karma would dictate that Oz and Alice should start hating him.

"I'm sorry," he said, patting the woman on the shoulder.

"I just don't know what to do," she replied. "The first time he cheated, I was crushed. I cried for weeks on end, but eventually forgave him. Still, it was never the same after that. I started growing paranoid, doubting his intentions every time he left the house. Even so, he managed to make me fall for him again. Then he cheated again, and I felt like even bigger a fool than the first time, since by then I already knew what he was capable of. I forgive him, and love him, every single time, but he keeps doing it. I don't think I can hang in there anymore." Catching herself in the middle of the rant, she smiled at her nephew. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to trouble you with-"

She didn't get to finish, because Lock leaned in and hugged her. "It's ok."

Charlotte broke down crying again, completely ruining the boy's jacket. "What do I do, Lock?"

"Leave him," he advised, knowing it would hurt his uncle, because the man really did love his wife. "I love uncle Oscar, but you're not happy with him. Leave him."

"I-I can't do that," she cried. "I have nowhere else to go. My family disowned me when I failed to marry the eldest brother. I'll be homeless."

"Nonsense," said Miranda Baskerville, barging into the living room. "You can stay right here with us, Charlotte." Lock didn't look up at his mother, and instead excused himself, taking the jacket off and heading to school.

When he opened the door and stepped outside, he walked into someone.

"Watch where you're going, boy," his father said grumpily, making the boy feel even smaller than a few seconds ago. "Well? What are you quivering for? Get going. Don't you dare be late."

"S-Sorry, father," Lock whispered, moving to let the man in, and then walked outside, shaking the entire time, and not from the lack of a jacket. Cold weather could be dealt with. It's being treated coldly that causes problems.