Season 3 Young Royals (Version 1)

22. Evaluation

Jan Olof had phoned August on Saturday just after Wilhelm's television interview. August was in the middle of his evaluation for addiction to Vyvanse and didn't hear his phone vibrate.

The results of his evaluation: he had been abusing the medication and was displaying numerous symptoms of addiction. It was recommended he be checked in to the center for at least two weeks.

August refused their recommendation and promised to follow up with the clinic once a week, and to attend weekly sessions with his school psychologist who would communicate with the treatment center.

They told August he needed to reduce the dose gradually over the next few weeks before quitting completely to mitigate the withdrawal symptoms.

August wasn't convinced his dependency was as serious as they made it sound, and all he really wanted was to head back to Hillerska for the evening and try to sleep. He had agreed to the plan but he wasn't sure he'd follow up with the clinic or even with Boris, even if he couldn't deny some of his symptoms were worrying him.

He saw the missed call and voicemail waiting for him from the palace and panicked momentarily, worried that they had somehow found out where he'd been. He looked at his stepfather, but saw no sign that he may have informed the Royal Court. He held the phone to his ear, stepping to one side for privacy while Rickard listened to the clinic staff about ways to be supportive and help his "son".

"Hello August, this is Jan Olof from the Royal Palace. Her Majesty the Queen would like to see you on Tuesday afternoon at five pm. Please confirm your availability with me as soon as possible. Tack och hejdå."

He considered some of the possibilities of why she wanted to speak to him: the socialist had told them, although unlikely he realised, because what would be the interest? The Royal Palace had enlisted someone else to keep a closer eye on August since they'd named him Wilhelm's backup...the Royal Palace was like the Mafia in a lot of ways he thought. Another possibility was that the Royal Palace had changed their minds and decided he was no longer necessary because Wilhelm seemed to be doing fine. August hadn't really had any news from them over the last week about preparations or long term plans, which made it seem that perhaps their plans had changed.

Since that morning on the drive over, when Rickard had told August the way his father and mother had been treated by the Queen and the Royal Family at the most difficult time in their lives, August began to see things differently. He felt almost a sense of betrayal that the Queen wouldn't have insisted on helping his family, even if the Royal Palace had decided it was problematic. He supposed that the Palace wouldn't want her associated with a family member who had a drug problem, but Rickard said they'd used it as an excuse to put distance between the Queen and his father for some other reason...

He hesitated but realised he didn't really have a choice but to call back and confirm that they could pick him up at Hillerska on Tuesday.