Chapter 13
Harry had always been independent, so Galatea wasn’t overly concerned when he went off to the bathroom by himself. He was a curious child, after all, and his confidence always gave her comfort that he could handle himself.
Meanwhile, Caspian, noticing Galatea and Elisa entering a children’s clothing store, seized the opportunity to race across the street to the bank. Two days had passed, and if his dad hadn’t found him by now, there would surely be missing person flyers everywhere. The calm around him suggested that Alaric might have mistakenly believed Harry was him and had taken him back.
Caspian withdrew money from the account Alaric had set up for him, then went back to the store, purchasing the clothes that Galatea had hesitated to buy. He also picked up a pair of pajamas from a specialty store Elisa loved. As he approached, he saw Galatea and Elisa waiting, their patience wearing thin.
“What took you so long?” Galatea asked, raising an eyebrow. Elisa quickly chimed in with a teasing grin, “Yeah, we were starting to think you went into hiding!”
Caspian hesitated before revealing what he had been hiding behind his back. “Honestly, I didn’t go to the restroom,” he admitted. “But I did get these for you.”
He presented the items, and both Galatea and Elisa stared at the clothes in stunned silence. Elisa was the first to speak up. “Did you buy these for us?” she asked, eyes wide in disbelief.
“Yes,” Caspian nodded, feeling a bit shy.
“Where did you get the money?” Elisa pressed. “I saw earlier that these clothes were really expensive!”
Galatea joined in, shaking her head. “Yeah, Harry, you’ve got some explaining to do. How does a five-year-old afford such pricey clothes?”
Caspian bit his lip, contemplating how to explain. After a moment of hesitation, he finally revealed the truth. “I’ve been keeping something from you. I entered an international kids’ math competition—and I won first place. There was a pretty significant cash prize.”
Galatea and Elisa exchanged wide-eyed glances, completely taken aback.
“When did this happen?” Galatea asked, her voice barely a whisper. “How come I had no idea?”
Elisa was equally stunned. “Wait, when did this happen? We’re practically inseparable. How could you enter a math competition without me knowing?”
Caspian felt the weight of their disbelief but stood firm. “I’ll show you the results when we get home. You’ll see for yourselves.”
Once back at their house, Caspian logged onto the website of the organization that hosted the competition. As the page loaded, his photo appeared front and center. He quickly zoomed in on his image, deliberately covering his name, Caspian, with his hand. “Look at this.”
Both Galatea and Elisa rubbed their eyes, blinking in disbelief as they processed the sight before them. The moment they realized the truth, Galatea let out a joyful laugh. “You’ve been keeping this great news a secret?” Her voice was full of pride. “First place in the Global Youth Math Competition! That’s incredible! Why didn’t you tell me?”
Galatea enveloped him in a tight hug, kissing him repeatedly, her joy overwhelming.
“Yeah, Harry, you’re amazing!” Elisa added, laughing with excitement. “You’re my hero!”
Caspian’s cheeks flushed at the praise. He’d always been a math prodigy, something even his teachers had acknowledged. At the time, he had been so confident in his victory that the cash prize had seemed secondary. But hearing his family’s excited reactions, he felt a sense of pride he hadn’t realized he’d been missing.
His father, Alaric, had been pleased but had kept his excitement controlled, as expected. I knew you’d win, he’d said casually. Pick out a gift for yourself.
But Orion? She hadn’t shown an ounce of pride—no excitement, no acknowledgment. It had stung more than he let on.
“So, how much prize money did you get?” Elisa’s curiosity was piqued. “Spill it!”
Caspian grinned. “It’s a lot of money.”
Galatea smiled gently, trying to steer the conversation in a more appropriate direction. “Elisa, let’s not pry. This is Harry’s hard-earned money, and he deserves to keep it as his private savings.”
Elisa tried her luck, a mischievous glint in her eye. “Now that my brother’s hit the jackpot, he can’t forget his little sister. How about using some of that prize money to buy me snacks for a month?”
Caspian chuckled, his fondness for his sister clear in his voice. “My money is your money, Elisa. Whatever you want, I’ll buy it for you.”
Elisa beamed, her face lighting up with excitement. “Really?!” She launched herself at Caspian, wrapping her arms around him. “Harry, I absolutely adore you!”
Caspian couldn’t help but laugh, the warmth of the moment filling him. After two days at Galatea’s house, his mood had remained unexpectedly stable. He hadn’t felt a single wave of discomfort. Could it be that his ailment was tied to his resistance to Orion? He wasn’t sure, but he was starting to believe there might be something to it.
As night fell and the sky darkened, Orion’s panic began to set in.
“Caspian!” she shouted, her voice breaking the calm of the evening.
Harry, however, wasn’t used to responding to that name. He heard her but didn’t react, his focus solely on the Lego set in front of him.
“Caspian! I’m calling you. Did you hear me?” Orion repeated, more forcefully this time. When she got no response, her irritation boiled over, and she stormed into the room, visibly annoyed.
Harry looked up at her, confused by her angry expression. Is this how a mother should look at her child? he wondered. No wonder Caspian felt the need to run away.
“What do you want?” Harry finally asked, his voice edged with annoyance.
“Take your meds!” Orion snapped, tossing a pill bottle toward him, her eyes sharp with impatience. “You need these, Caspian. Now take them!”
Harry stared at the pills, his confusion deepening. What meds? he thought. He didn’t feel sick—there was nothing wrong with him. “I’m not taking anything!” he retorted.
“Caspian,” Orion’s voice took on a harsh edge, “let me make this crystal clear: you need these pills. If you don’t take them—”
“And what then?” Harry challenged, his eyes narrowing. “You going to hit me?”
Orion’s expression hardened. “You’re my son, and when you don’t listen, I have every right to discipline you. Now come here and take your medicine like a good boy!” she commanded.
Harry’s blood ran cold. This isn’t how a mother should act, he thought. No real mother would be so callous, especially if her child was sick. He could feel the difference between this woman and the kind of mother he believed he deserved.
“I said no!” Harry’s voice was firm, refusing to comply.
Orion’s anger flared. Without warning, she grabbed him by the collar, forcing his mouth open to shove the pills in. But Harry, quick and instinctive, shoved her away, the pills scattering across the room.
Orion stood seething, her face a mask of fury. But just as she was about to explode, the sound of Alaric returning downstairs caught her attention. She immediately switched gears, adopting a victimized expression, as if on the verge of tears.
But before she could speak, Harry was already one step ahead.