26 Family Problems

Gold District,

CCT

The Blackwood home had always been gloomy but the second young master had always tried to make it lively, he was the soul of the house. The elders didn't care for much, Brandon left for work early and returned late, Judith was out most of the time except occasionally inviting her friends over. Ever since Carl was kicked out, Ryan didn't talk much at home unlike before. Even though his parents were not always around, he played with his brother and even the maids. These days, he would go to school, come back, eat dinner with his parents after that, he would lock himself in the room until the next day. There was no sound of laughter, It was quiet like a graveyard.

It had been months since Ryan had that bubbly smile on his face. Ever since his brother left, he no longer felt comfortable at home. He wanted to leave, he wanted to go to Carl but as he didn't want to burden him, he tried talking to his father to bring him back. Even though he told his father Carl would never do that, his only reply was, "You don't know what humans are capable of." May be he was referring to himself, who knows?

He tried pleading with his mother to no avail. He begged his paternal grandparents, as usual they acted like they couldn't be bothered. After all, it was for only five years. Besides, who wanted to associate themselves with man who forces himself on women, even his own mother. Even if it was for ever, with Ryan, the Blackwood name would not die. So instead of helping their grandchild, they cursed at his dead mother for raising a r-apist. They never liked his mother, so they never liked him either so even when Ryan insisted on his innocence, he was ignored. After all, apart from marrying into another rich family, what benefit could Carl possibly bring to them? Without the Blackwood name, he was nothing.

Ryan was disappointed at their behaviour and because of their behaviour, he didn't feel safe at home. He felt dispensable. They could be nice now, sooner or later, if and when he looses his value, he would be kicked out. He couldn't even trust his mother to save him. All of a sudden, he started having nightmares occasionally. He didn't feel safe in his room so he moved to Carl's room. For the first few nights, he slept peacefully without any nightmare.

As time passed, the nightmares became frequent. He would dream that when he woke up, his mother would have given birth to more outstanding children so he was abandoned as they felt he wasn't important again. Being abandoned, being hunted down, he couldn't sleep, those were the things he dreamt about constantly.

He couldn't breathe in his home. It didn't even feel like home. He decided to ask his maternal grandparents to speak to his mother, and as usual, their daughter refused to listen to them. They couldn't do anything about it and so they felt fear for their grandson, would he also be treated that way?

His mother did not notice the change, likewise his father. His mother was too busy attending parties, being a socialite to care for her son. After all, he was sixteen, he wouldn't need a babysitter. He stopped eating with them, slowing he began distancing himself from them. Still they didn't take notice, his father was too busy with the Blackwood family, his mother was too busy at the spa.

Not long, Ryan developed insomnia as he couldn't sleep at home in fear that when he wakes up something would go wrong. He couldn't tell Carl too. Soon, he collapsed, he had to be hospitalized. He didn't tell anyone about the cause of his insomnia so he was given drugs to induce sleep. He would take the drugs, at first, it would work, put him in deep sleep. However, the nightmares began again and with the combination of the sleep inducing drugs, he couldn't wake up from his sleep, he struggled to wake up put he felt like a force worse pressing him down, preventing him from talking or even opening his eyes.

Finally he had a heart attack, luckily, a maid discovered him as she came to take the dishes he ate with before going to bed as he stopped eating in the dinning hall. Again, he was hospitalized. His mother blamed Carl for the situation. After all, if her son wasn't so worried about him, he wouldn't have an heart attack.

She talked her husband into believing Carl was at fault. Thankfully Carl wasn't by his side if not he would have received whips on his back again. Ryan was in a coma for three days. At least he got the much needed sleep. When he woke up, he immediately called his maternal grandparents to come take him away. With the excuse of missing them, he moved in with them. He managed to tell them everything, he was able to calm down as he felt safe with them. His parents weren't too pleased with this development and as usual Judith Blackwood blamed Carl for making her son hate her.