losthunter | Writing Prompts: Explosions and Breaking Free

Hunter nervously tugged at his tie for the fifth time in the last two minutes. He tapped his fingers on the chair, as he sat in the main foyer of the judicial office. The dark blue suit that he wore felt itchy on his skin. He glanced at his lawyer, who just gave him a reassuring smile.

On the other side of the room, sitting among several high-paid lawyers, was Rob Kingson, his father. The expensive suit that the news anchor wore looked like it had just been tailored for this occasion.

Hunter couldn't find the nerves to even look at him. And in his mind, it was better not to try to capture a moment, since he doubted very much that his father wanted anything to do with him any more.

It had taken such a long process to get to this moment, where now father and son have one final chance to state their case before the judge. A judge who would rule if Hunter was eligible to receive the trust fund, left for him by his now deceased mother.

Hunter had been very young when his mother died. There were no family photos taken, to be left behind as a memory. All he had was his vague memories, and an artistic rendition of how his mother had made him feel. In a strange way, Hunter knew that his mother would have accepted the changes in his life a lot easier than how his father had treated the whole situation. His mother would not have locked him away from the world.

The only sound in the foyer right now was the street noises of cars passing by, on a busy street just outside the main door, and the soft sound of a radio playing in someone's office. Hunter closed his eyes for a moment, reflecting on all the hurdles that he had overcome to get to this point. The lawyer that Rhys had found was an excellent recommendation. Not only had he filed for a judicial review on the trust fund, but he had also filed all the necessary papers so that Hunter's name was legally changed. He was no longer Kyle Kingson in any legal sense. That had been a freeing moment.

The judicial clerk entered the foyer, and signaled to the parties that the judge was ready to see them. Rob and his lawyer team took the lead position heading into the judge's chambers. But Hunter was content to trail behind, with his lawyer. It gave him a moment to steady his emotions, before entering the chambers.

The stern judge glanced at both Hunter and Rob, before delivering his decision. It was a simple closed case -- the trust fund had been created to be given to Hunter on his 21st birthday. It was his money. There was nothing that Rob's lawyers could do to argue the point. Hunter had not broken any laws. He had only changed his name recently, so he was still legally 'Kyle' at the time of his 21st birthday. And considering the fact that Hunter was now 25, so there was some interest also due to him, making the final amount a little larger than initially estimated.

With a flourish of his pen, the judge made it official. Hunter would receive the funds into one of his accounts within 24 hours. It was over. He could now concentrate on putting the money to good use, instead of fighting so hard for what was rightfully his.

Leaving the judge's chambers, Hunter heard Rob call out to him, "Kyle, wait!"

He stopped, turning to face his father, as Rob signaled to the lawyers to wait for him in the foyer. Hunter gave his own lawyer a slight nod, to indicate that he would be fine.

"What do you want?"

"I wanted you to know... I didn't mean for things to get this far. I just thought I was doing what was best for you," Rob folded his arms around his chest. Hunter braced himself, recognizing the gesture as something his father had done many times before, right before using a guilt-trip technique. "I am still your father."

"You never acted like my father," Hunter quickly argued.

"But Kyle..."

"No. It's Hunter. And if you want to talk to me, or make things right, you will call me Hunter. I don't know if this is one of those times when you want me to lie to you, to protect your delicate emotions, but I am done playing those games. I have taken a new path and embraced a new life."

"When Kendra visited me, I took her lessons to heart, and became a better man because of it. I know she had tried to help you too. But you never could see past your own selfish needs. And because of that, you will never be a better man," Hunter continued.

"I am not hiding anymore. And the people in my life who truly mean something to me... don't need me to be false or to lie to them."

Rob was quiet for a long time. Then, he spoke. "I don't know what to say."

Hunter took a deep breath. "I am not going to wait and hope that things can be better between us. It would be better for both of us to move on, and just move forward."

"I don't regret anything that happened. It made me a better person. And a better friend for those people who have been there for me. It is time to say goodbye."

There was a brief pause, as Hunter waited for Rob to say something, but once again there was nothing more to be said. With a turn, Hunter headed out into the foyer, to meet up with his lawyer again. At least, tonight they had something to celebrate. A new beginning, even though it included a tough end to the father-son relationship.