The gurney rolled through the double doors leading from the front lobby back into the admissions area. On it lay a struggling young man—a boy, really—fighting the restraints that bound him to the gurney at his wrists, waist and ankles. His head was lifted as far off the thin mattress as he could stretch it and he was staring imploringly at a man that anxiously tailed the gurney.
“Father,” he said in a pleading tone. “Father, please.”
The man, middle-aged with gray-streaked hairs falling free from his casual ponytail, gripped the boy’s bound hand and regarded him with a pained expression.
“Oh, Squall…”
Squall turned his head in Laguna’s direction. “Daddy,” he whispered. “Daddy, make them let me go.”
Laguna’s mouth fell open and tears gathered in his eyes. Agonized, he looked up at the doctors pulling the gurney past a large desk without stopping. They frowned sternly and shook their heads.
“Squall, I wish I could—But, oh Squall, son, you’re sick and this is a place where you can get well.”
“I’m not sick,” Squall moaned, as tears streaked from his eyes and down over his cheekbones into his hair. “I’m fine, Daddy, really. Please, Daddy, please?”
“Squall,” Laguna choked out past a lump in his throat. He put a hand on Squall’s head and began stroking his hair.
“President Loire,” the chief doctor said sharply, sensing weakness in Laguna. “Giving into his pleas will not help him, no matter how bad you feel for him or how much you love him. He needs professional psychiatric care and he needs to be admitted here.”
Laguna stared at the doctor for a moment and the gurney and its procession stopped in front of a large, heavy metal door. After an anguished moment, Laguna nodded at the man and looked down to smile sadly at his son.
“I’m sorry, Squall. You don’t understand it now, I know, but this is for your good.”
Squall stared up at his father, eyes pouring tears, lips trembling, and whispered, “You mean you’re going to let them take me, Daddy?”
Laguna nodded, and tears fell from his eyes, as well. “I’m sorry, Squall, but I have to.”
Squall pinched his lips shut and took a deep breath that flattened his nostrils. He squeezed his eyes shut and when he opened them, they were narrowed in hatred.
“‘My good’,” Squall scoffed, turning his hand in Laguna’s and gripping tight.
Laguna cried out and pulled but he could not rescue his hand from his son’s iron grasp.
Squall growled as two orderlies jumped forward and twisted his wrist until he yelped and let go of Laguna. The scandalized president jumped back, cradling his hand and staring in horror at his son.
“‘My good’,” Squall spat again, straining against his restraints even more to see Laguna as the other retreated another few steps.
“The only one this is doing any good is you!! It’s an embarrassment isn’t it? To have a secret son suddenly pop up fifteen years into your presidency? You’re packing me away before anyone learns about me, aren’t you?”
The orderlies and doctors started to wheel the gurney toward the wide, metal door but Laguna’s voice stopped them.
“No, Squall, that’s not true! You know I love you! You’re sick, Squall! I swear, on your mother’s grave, this is for your good.”
“Don’t you, don’t you dare,” Squall heaved, too angry to force out complete sentences. “You’re not allowed to even—to speak of her!”
“Squall,” Laguna groaned.
“I’ll fucking get you for this!” Squall screamed as they pulled him up to the door, leaving Laguna in the hallway by the admissions desk. Squall pulled as hard as he could against the restraints and the orderlies jumped forward to hold him down. Squall glared up at the ceiling as he continued to shout at his father.
“You’d better get the hell out of here and stay the fuck away, and if you’re stupid enough to come see me there had better be at least five feet of solid glass between us and even with that I’ll still get to you, you—” He screamed and hurled invectives after his father, nearly pulling free from his wrist restraints with the strength of his anger.
“Squall, I—” Laguna said as one of the orderlies pulled open the thick door and started to push the gurney through the doorway. “Just…get well in there,” he said, waving even as tears coursed down his cheeks.
The door slammed shut with a heavy clang and though the door was very thick it did not cut off Squall’s rant. His voice could still be heard coming from the hallway on the other side.