nextgenerationmarvel | A Constant Disappointment

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A Constant Disappointment

Dolemeck had adjusted well within the school. He was happy to have been able to go swimming (even if he just floated there), he was making new friends, had access to an amazing art room with sewing machine, and had almost everything he could ask for. Professor Franklin's suggested reading for his citizenship class was helping him quite a bit. He was understanding more and more about the country that will soon become his home.

Just as he was about to call it a day, Dolemeck took out his ear buds and turned off his music player. He then looked over at his phone and realized he had missed a phone call just a few minutes ago.

"Not often I get one of these. Perhaps it's Bobbi asking if I want to go pick berries, again." He thought to himself as he looked at the number it came from, and then played the message.

Hey, Dole! I was asked to come to the States to perform on the Late Show! Would you like to have dinner afterwards at the Oyster Bar? It's been awhile since he spent time together, son. I thought this would be a great opportunity to see how you are doing in your new school. Give me a call back when you can, little one.

He nearly dropped the phone after hearing the message. His Father was in the country, and he wanted to spend time with him! While he was used to the disappointment of his Father bailing at the last minute, he was hopeful this time. Enough that he tried to walk as quickly as he could with his leg braces on to Professor Franklin's office.

"Professor Franklin!" He busted into the room, forgetting to knock in his excitement. "My Da is in the country! He's going to do a gig for the "Late Show" and then meet me at the Oyster bar in the City! Can I please have permission to go?"

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Franklin was a little surprised by the sudden entrance but managed to come up all smiles easily enough.

"Well, I'll have to send Rachel a quick message, but I certainly don't' see why there'd be any trouble with that." He shuffled his things around a little bit. "The Late Show? Wow, pretty prestigious assignment? You going to see if you can get tickets for it?

How are the readings going, by the way? I hope you're feeling less intimidated about this citizenship test."

"The readings have been going well. I feel more confident that I will be able to gain Citizenship when the test comes along. Thank you for those book recommendations, they helped greatly, Professor Franklin."

He was all smiles until the question came up about the show. "Well... he did not say anything about me getting tickets to the show. Da just said that he wishes to see me and talk about how things are going."

"Was the Late show really such a big deal, he wondered. He then realized a small problem about going to the city. One that he would have to ask about.

"I do not know how I will get to the City. Would I be allowed to hire a cab?"

"You'll have no problems with that test, Dolemeck. None at all."

Franklin nodded. "It's probably not really something you can get on the day of, unless you were really, really lucky. Might be worth asking about, but I don't think we could make any guarantees. there.

And of course you'd be able to get a cab. If money's an issue, we have petty cash for that sort of thing."

Franklin smiled at him. "How long has it been since you've seen your Dad?"

"In person? The last time I saw him was two years ago." He held up two fingers. "The majority of the time I just spoke to him over the phone or on video call. But that is few and far in between."

He returned to a bright smile, before shaking his head.

"Do not worry, Professor Franklin. I have a bit of money to me name. Getting a cab would be no problem. I just wanted to make sure it was allowed was all. Some schools require an adult to accompany a minor if they wish to go off campus, so I wanted to check on that before I went off to see Da."

"Well, actually ... you probably would, since you're not likely quite as familiar with New York as some of our more local students. At least until you met your father, in which case you're under his guardianship."

Franklin thought for a second. "I'm just going to give Rachel a quick call and make sure everything's all right for me to take the time out. Should be, though."

"Really? You will come with me to see Da?" he got even more excited, now. "I will give him a call right away and let him know! And I should go get ready, I heard the "Oyster Bar" is rather posh!"

He moved out of the room as quickly as he could on his leg braces. Dolemeck headed back to his room to call up his Father and let him know he was coming to see him. To his delight, his father picked up the phone and sounded happy about the arrangement as well. They set a time, and now... he had to pick out an outfit.

Dolemeck sat with his back straight and his hands on his lap at the restaurant. He had dressed in a suit that he had taken with him when he left England, trying to make himself presentable when his father would show up. While most people would be amazed at how fancy the restaurant is, he was more focused on seeing the Father who had been absent for so much of his life.

He eventually turned his attention over to the menu, then to Professor Franklin, who was accompanying him on this trip.

"This menu is so expensive..." He pointed out.

It was a pretty fancy place, though he had to keep in mind that Dolemeck's family was not exactly poor. Not that he was either, but his tastes tended to run towards humbler fare. Good barbecue, the like.

"It's amazing what people can charge for food, isn't it? I remember taking Katie to one of the fancy Michelin-starred places once. Was it good? Yeah. I'd still rather have a good rack of barbecue ribs." Franklin laughed.

"Do you know when your father's supposed to come?" Franklin checked his watch idly. Maybe he'd got the time wrong or his father had been held up or something.

"I have never had barbecue, before." He admitted sheepishly. "I was used to getting some Indian take away, kabobs, or even a gyro back at home. And never anywhere so fancy! Dayton wanted me to live modestly in a sense. Not care if I had money, and only care about me education. Unlike my brother Charles who believes he is entitled."

Rarely did Dolemeck reveal much about his family. But he felt like he could trust Professor Richards, so he could allow him to see behind the closed doors of the Night family.

"Da said around eight o'clock." he looked at his own watch, seeing it was getting closer to eight thirty, now. "Perhaps he was asked to do an encore?"

"... you've never had barbecue? Okay, that solves it, we're having a barbecue at the Mansion ASAP." Someone never having barbecue was an unacceptable state of affairs. It was a travesty.

"Either that or he got held up coming out of the theatre. Traffic isn't exactly light in New York." It was a good thing for Dolemeck that they hadn't needed to take a car there after all. If Franklin was going, it was simplicity itself simply to teleport.

Franklin took a sip of his Coke. "Maybe wait another ten minutes before ordering? Do you have his number on you? You could give him a text, maybe?"

"That is a good idea." He took out his phone and began texting his dad. "I am still at a loss over what to order, honestly. They have quite the selection of seafood here! Not that it is a bad thing, but the choices are astonishing!"

After the ten minutes passed, Dolemeck had not gotten a text back. He placed an order for a bowl of New England Clam Chowder... as it was the least expensive thing he saw on the menu. He tried to keep smiling for Professor Richards, not wanting to show he was worried.

Franklin's hackles were beginning to rise a little bit. Not because he was worried about bills, because he wasn't- it actually wasn't all that expensive at the Oyster Bar, on second look. Franklin got some of the popcorn shrimp to share with Dolemeck, and some of the clam chowder for himself.

He was starting to think that Dolemeck's father was going to be a no-show.

Another hour passed, and there was no text or call from his Father. He was getting even more nervous and embarrassed at the fact his father was a no show. His soup was gone, and he had shared some popcorn shrimp with Professor Franklin while discussing American and British history.

By nine ten, Dolemeck decided to call his father instead. He was a bit surprised to actually hear someone pick up.

"Da?"

"Dolemeck?"

The voice on the other end was not his father, but one of his bandmates, Garret.

"Aye, Garret? What are you doing picking up me Da's phone? Is everything alright? He was supposed to meet me for dinner over an hour ago!"

" Bloody fookin' hell..." Dolemeck blinked as her heard Garret start to curse. " I'm sorry lad, that was not directed at you. Your Da never told any of us of your plans and well... he's a bit in disposed after the show."

Dolemeck's lips formed a thin line, and his eyes narrowed some at such news.

"What do you mean "indisposed"? Where is my Da, Garret? I want to see him!"

" We are staying at the Marriott Marquis in Times Square, in the Presidential Suite. Lad, I really do not think you should come and see him right now. He's very... tired."

"I do not care. I have not seen Da in more than two years, Garret. he promised to see me, tonight... and I am going to make him uphold that promise." He hung up his phone, looking over at his Professor. "I am sorry, professor Richards. I need to go to Times Square to see Da. I will pay for your meal..."

"You will not." Franklin replied with a faint smile, but he was being serious. He didn't know what Dolemeck's money situation was, personally. It wasn't a big tab- no drinking (obviously- Dolemeck was a minor and a student and Franklin didn't imbibe) and an appetizer and a couple of soups.

After squaring the bill and getting the location of the hotel, it was not difficult for Franklin to teleport over there, far less obtrusively than one might imagine.

"If your father's ... indisposed, I'll have to stay with you. I can't release you if he is." He was ready to teleport away at any moment if things turned bad. "You sure you want to go see him?"

"I need to." He sounded serious. Not as easy going or happy as he normally did around the school. The two took the elevator up to where the presidential Suite was, after the front desk called up and got approval by Garret. Once on the floor, Dolemeck was greeted by a rather rough, balding looking man in a leather vest and pants. An aging rock star if there ever was one. The two men embraced for a moment before Garret spoke.

"Lad, I am serious, you do not want to go in there." Garret looked sympathetic, as though he cared for Dolemeck. "But I am not going to stop you if you want to see your old man."

"Garret, I know you mean well. But he's my Da, and he broke his promise to me. Not just that, he ended up causing me to drag one of my teachers into this bloody mess. What if I got here alone? I would not know how to get back! I need to confront him on this."

Dolemeck left Garret and Franklin in the hallway as he went into the Suite his father was staying in. Garret turned to look over at Franklin and speak to him.

"Dolemeck's always been a good lad, you know? He does not deserve what his Da puts him through. It's why I wanted to protect'im." He shook his head, just as some loud yelling could be heard, and some nearly clothed groupies fled the suite.

Franklin nodded as they went up. He had a seriously sinking feeling about this, but Dolemeck was old enough to make up his own mind about this. He'd be there in case things went south.

Franklin sized Garret up. He seemed sympathetic enough, but he wasn't about to just up and trust someone without reason. The whole situation stank. His lip curled slightly as he heard the yelling and the groupies poured out.

"... he shouldn't need to be protected from his own father." It wasn't an accusation, not at Garret. He went into the suite after Dolemeck, intent on sizing up the situation. Would it be simply awkward, or worse than that?

Dolemeck was shaking, and in tears as he was confronting his Father. There were a few alcohol bottles around the room, signs of a party, and other activities.

"You bloody promised me! You... you promised me you would stop doing such things!" Dolemeck was yelling at his Father, who was putting on a robe and stumbling out of bed.

"You need to calm down..." Sigfried's words were a bit slurred as he walked towards Dolemeck. More like stumbled. "The show ended early and I just thought I would have a little fun... there was no harm. You are being stupid!"

"I'm being stupid!? You were having sex with women you just met, you are drunk, and you forgot about seeing me in a restaurant! If I had gone there by me-self, I would not know how to get back to the bloody school! You put me in danger... and for what!? This!?" he used his powers to lift one of the alcohol bottles from the floor and smash it up against a wall. "You promised you would never drink or party again. Someone in the state you are in right now nearly killed me, and you promised! It's obvious... you do not even love me enough to keep your word. You just said those things for the press, didn't you!?"

"Would you just shut up? Who are you to tell me wot I can and cannot do!" Sigfried fired back at Dolemeck, waving a finger in his son's face. "You are bloody nothing, that is wot you are! if it wosn't for me... you would not even be here!"

"Does Mum even know what you are doing!?" Dolemeck shouted once more. "You are not just betraying me, but her! Dayton was right when he warned me about idolizing you! You do not care about us, just yourse- "

Before Dolemeck could finish that sentence, Sigfried sent a mean left hook toward his son's face. he looked wide eyed, a doe in headlights as he could not focus enough to protect himself.

Edited 2014-06-13 01:15 (UTC)

To say that Franklin was disgusted with the scene was an understatement. This drunk was Dolemeck's father and the kid deserved so much better than that. Why raise his hopes in the first place if only to dash them so completely?

He tensed up when Dolemeck lifted up the bottle. He couldn't blame him, not really, but provoking a drunk wasn't a particularly wise thing to do. His lip curled with disgust as Sigfried spoke again.

And just as Sigfried wound up to punch Dolemeck, he'd already turned into a far more durable state, carbon steel, catching the punch in midswing. Fast as the actual blow might've been, drunk as he was- he couldn't be more obvious telegraphing it.

It probably hurt a lot. Franklin didn't particularly care. He shrugged the man off.

"You're pathetic. Get help." He looked over at Dolemeck. "We're going back, okay?" He shifted back into his normal form and put his hand on the kid's shoulder.

"Aye..." He gave a nod of his head to Franklin, before looking back down at his Father after his punch was caught and he fell to the floor. He swallowed hard before speaking once more. "Do not... do not call me, again. Do not ever get my hopes up, anymore. I know why Dayton has legal guardianship of me, now. What he was protecting me from all these years. Good bye, Sigfried."

Just as Sigfried began to yell nonsense and calling him names, Dolemeck left the room. He turned back to Garret, giving the man a quick hug before leaving. Garret looked just as pained as Dolemeck did, even sighing as he began to head back into Sigfried's room. He spoke to Franklin before disappearing.

"You take care of that lad. He needs a good role model... not a fairytale, aye?"

Franklin let Dolemeck say his piece before leaving the room with him. He nodded towards Garret.

"We will, I promise you." Franklin locked eyes with him for a moment, before going onto the elevator with Dolemeck. And just as soon as the doors closed, there was a flash of light and they were in the elevator at Xavier's.

"I'm sorry you had to see that." Franklin spoke at last, putting his hand on Dolemeck's shoulder.

He was about ready to break down into sobs. His whole body trembled as he fought them off.

"No, it is I who am the sorry one. You should have... you should have never seen that, Professor Franklin." His voiced quivered much like his body. "I never understood why Dayton never wanted me to spend much time with Da. Now, I wished he told me the truth. I did not... I never wanted to find this out."

"I only saw the man on stage. The performer... not what was behind all the smoke and mirrors. What does that say about me?"

Franklin turned slightly so he was facing Dolemeck fully.

"Hey. Don't apologize to me." Franklin said, softly but surely. "I'm okay." It wasn't his father there, after all, just a mean drunk. "Your brother was trying to protect you. Maybe it wasn't the best thing to do, but ... some things you only know in hindsight."

His eyes met Dolemeck's. "You wanted to believe the best about your father, because you love him. You're not the one who needs to be saying anything about themselves."

"Why doesn't he love me back, then?" He was now wiping tears from his eyes. "He just... he used me for press back home. To claim sobriety after I was nearly killed. He even did a whole campaign about it! All while... while he was living a lie! I was just a prop to him, he never cared."

Fighting back tears was a losing battle.

"Please... please do not tell anyone about this. I do not want them to know. I just..."

"I don't know what he feels in his heart." Franklin replied. "But the way he treated you there is inexcusable, and it's his fault, not yours."

"Don't hold back. Let it out. You'll feel better afterwards." There was more than one occasion in his life where he should have cried, but stubborn pride stopped him from doing so.

Dolemeck did just that, he broke down and let it all out. His hands moved to cover his face. It was impossible to stop the tears that came out, or the sobs that wracked his body. Everything he knew about his father, everything he was lead to believe was a painful illusion. And now that the illusion was gone, the reality hurt unlike anything he had ever experienced.

"Why? Why did Dayton not just tell me the truth?" He slammed his fist up against the elevator's side. "It would have been better than finding out like this! Then falling for another broken promise, another disappointment! Instead... I spent years waiting for Da to show up to events, award ceremonies, birthdays... just waiting for him! He's too in love with himself to love Mum, me brothers, or even me. I do not matter to him, I never did! I was just... just something to garner him praise and publicity! Just an object... not a son."

Edited 2014-06-15 07:37 (UTC)

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A Constant Disappointment

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