Trial

He survived the car ride to the rich looking neighbourhood in Cambridge, stepped out and breathed in the fresh air smelling of fallen autumn leaves. Lin pulled the chestnut brown briefcase out of his car and exhaled slowly. His exterior did not reveal anything about any of his emotions, but actually he was rather nervous about what was to come next. This was the first time he would visit the professor's house and it made him almost sick with anxiety, however that wasn't something he would tell anyone. No. The fate of his thesis depended upon this meeting. He would not let the chance of having professor Martin Davis as his thesis advisor slide by just like that.

Lin considered himself to be extremely lucky to be invited to his house, but it was not without reason. Not fond of telecommunication, Martin Davis preferred to speak to Lin in person and cordially invited the student to his house. The man had injured himself during a field study – read: a haunted house - and was rendered unable to come to the labs for a while.

Lin was lucky, but it meant that he would be eye in eye with that kid. It was fine if it was the other kid, but that child was not something he wanted to deal with considering the current situation. However, when Lin glanced at the front of the house of Professor Davis, he saw the boy with arms crossed over each other and a cold blue stare boring back into his brown eyes. If it were possible, he wished his nerves would have frozen over from that chilly glare.

Calm down. Ignore him, he's just a kid, Lin mentally said to himself as he eyed the boy warily, but another voice rang through his mind. No, Lin. This is Oliver Davis. Adopted son of professor Davis. A doctor at young age. Treat him with respect.

"Martin can't fetch you and Luella isn't here, so I was asked to let you in," the boy explained, before Lin could even ask why he was standing there.

They hadn't known each other for very long back then. Lin had seen both boys around, but had never quite spoken to them separately. It was always Eugene talking to him, who was honestly quite annoying, and insisted on being called Gene. Emotional and talkative. It reminded Lin of his younger siblings. However, Oliver Davis was very much like himself. Quiet, grounded and perhaps more stuck-up. Though he acted quite adult-like for his young age, Lin believed the boy acted as childish as Eugene did sometimes, but in a different way perhaps. Due to the similarities, Oliver and Lin conversed not very often.

The boy lead him into the solemn-looking house, which wasn't as solemn-looking on the inside. It was a relatively normal and spacey family home. Martin Davis had taken place at the sofa with his broken leg displayed for Lin to see.

"Good to see you again, Lin. As you can see I'm unable to move around for a while, I hope you didn't mind driving to my place. Take a seat over there."

Lin took the seat the professor had pointed at.

"I certainly don't mind. It can't be helped."

"Good to hear. Would you like some tea or coffee? My son will take the orders," the man said with a little smile. Lin gave Oliver a quick glance. Well...

"Tea please."

It would soothe his nerves and hopefully placate the uncomfortable stares from the boy.

"Tea for me as well," the man said to his son.

Oliver went to the kitchen with a nod and brought back three cups of tea on a plate. Wordlessly he placed them on the coffee table, while Lin took out some documents out of his briefcase and handed it to the professor.

"This is the data I propose to use for my research," he explained.

During their discourse, Oliver settled for reading a book near the window. Lin found it oddly curious that he didn't join into their discussion and instead opted to say nothing. Occasionally he would stare at Lin disapprovingly as if he just said something stupid, at which the professor would give his son the reprimanding eye. Lin was not happy with his presence and wished that Eugene would appear to somehow bait his brother out of the living room and into a lab.

Almost an hour later into the conversation the other brother finally descended from the stairs, while rubbing his left shoulder and craning his neck. He was wearing light blue pyjamas, his face was impassive and his black hair stuck out on all sides. It seemed that he had spent all night up, for it was nearly noon already.

"Sleeping in, weren't you?" The professor said with his eyes still fixed on Lin's documents. Oliver simply averted his eyes from his still sleepy brother and went back to reading his book.

"Good morning Eugene," Lin greeted with a curt smile.

The boy paused for a moment, which Lin noticed, before he answered with a smile, "Good morning, Lin."

When Eugene disappeared into the kitchen, there was a choking sound from the other boy, and then some laughter. Lin couldn't believe his ears. Oliver Davis was giggling and curled over his book as if he was trying to hold back on laughing.

"I knew you couldn't keep the act up," the boy in the kitchen said with a monotonous voice.

"Shut up!" his brother yelled, "I fooled Lin for nearly an hour. I was completely immersed in my role. I dare you to try that for even longer."

"No thanks," he replied. "I have better things to do than role playing an idiot in my free time."

The sound of boiling water became more audible when the other boy jumped up from his seat, and stormed to the kitchen with the book still in his hand. Lin didn't want to know what he was going to use that for.

"Who's an idiot?! Martin did say Lin was coming at eleven something, and which idiot scientist decided to pull an all-nighter? Come on, you did promise to-"

The banter in the kitchen went on. The professor heaved a troubled sigh and regarded an astonished Lin with pity.

"I suppose you want some coffee now?" he said with a very sympathetic voice.

Lin adjusted his tie to become a little looser and gave a slight nod.

"Yes, I think some coffee is due now."

F.A.Q.

Why did he wait for Lin outside?

This way Lin would make a quiet entrance and not wake the brother up by accident.

Why did Martin not say anything to Lin?

Actually, this is a great source of embarrassment for Martin. Half of the time the professor has no clue to which son he is talking to. Especially in the morning. Gene in particular is very good at fooling him, and has made him his personal victim. Noll just plays along for the amusement.

What about Luella?

Luella is an expert at telling them apart. When Martin isn't sure of his case, he looks at his wife with desperate and twitchy eyes in the hope that she'll save him from impending embarrassment. If Luella is in the mood of saving her husband, she'll use eye movements to get the message across. Eyes go up if it's Gene. Eyes go down if it's Noll. When both are present, she'll try to point out Gene with an eye movement.

When his wife isn't present or is ignoring him, Martin Davis is a lost cause.