The atmosphere was tense with silence, not even sounds of cutleries clinking. No one ate then. Everyone looked angry and upset, and he felt alarmed.
What is going on?
Parker looked enraged and Pierre wondered what he had gone through to show such hatred. A minute had gone by, and with a controlled tone of voice, Pierre asked, "What have athair told you?"
Pierre honestly had no idea what was even happening now. What did his father tell him? Nothing much, or nothing at all since they barely spoke to one another. Except on the day he was shipped to this school.
"I don't know what you want me to say. Believe it or not, we barely spoke. He's always been busy with work and I rarely see him at the house." Pierre started, his lilt becoming noticeable as his brother's now. They were like chameleons, adaptable in any place they were at but only at the surface.
Max scoffed, clearly not believing it. He found it hard to buy that excuse. In his mind, their father had always favoured Pierre, and it became obvious to him since he left their mother with Pierre in tow.
"Nothing at all?" His Russian accent thickened, years of anger and bitter resentment accumulated in it. "Really? Did he tell you how he left us to fend for ourselves? Did he forget about us when he took you with him? Or did you forget about us too?"
Katya chastised Max quietly, while Parker seemed pensive. When he was angry earlier, he seemed calculated now.
"What? No, I didn't…" He scrunched his face in confusion.
Pierre was shocked. Did that really happened to them? Did his father left them? He didn't know how to feel about that accusation.
It had been a long time ago, and he remembered when he tried to ask what happened to his mother and his twin, his father would lash out at him or brought up a different topic.
He hadn't tried again.
But, he frowned, he distinctly remembered something that his dad told him all those years ago.
"He did say one thing." Pierre murmured, his voice distant as though he was recalling the memory. Hurt singed through him, something that Pierre didn't think he would feel again after years ignoring it. "He said that…that mama cheated and she didn't want me. That's why she left."
There was pain – numbed – but pain nonetheless when he remembered being told that. As a nine year old, there was nothing he could do but believe when presented with the fact that his mother and brother weren't there the next day. He had believed his father then.
At that, both Max and Katya seemed aghast before the former twisted his face into rage. Like someone who was furious yet he couldn't fathom what he was saying.
Parker was stunned but then he surprised him when he only scoffed before smirking, a humourless smile on his face.
"This is just interesting. That bodach said that? Well, at least there's one thing he's consistent with. Being a dirty liar." Parker glanced at his younger half-brothers and Katya before settling back on Pierre, adding, "He lied. Did you know that Jonathan threatened to put a restraining order against Milena?"
It was like air had rushed out of him. What?
His father wouldn't do such thing. Especially to his own wife, the woman who birthed his children.
He may have been detached from his family, but he would not believe his old man to be completely and utterly cold.
"Why would…" He whispered in a daze before he shook himself out of stupor. "No, father wouldn't do that. He…he just…"
Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Max gripping his spoon tightly, his face void of emotion. Katya looked disgusted.
Parker looked solemn for once before he taunted, "He what? He wouldn't do such a thing? I know what he could do, Pierre, and trust me, he did that to your mother."
He may not like Jonathan Lachlan all that much, but the man was still his father, and suddenly anger coursed through his veins. Almost a decade later, and suddenly his long lost brothers and cousin decided to show up with this? Was he just supposed to believe what they're telling him? Ten years was long enough to not know one another. What is their intention in this?
Slowly, Pierre put his fork down, and said with a surprising calm, "How do I know that you're not lying to me right now? We haven't seen each other for a long time and now you just showed up with this? Why should I believe you?"
Parker's brow twitched as he raised them before he said coolly, "Smart, as I expected. Yes, I could make up everything I've said to this moment, but what would I gain from that?"
Pierre leaned against his chair and crossed his arms, a challenging glint in his eyes. He still didn't believe them. "Why don't you tell me?"
They could tell that Pierre was having a hard time processing it, and far from trusting them. Of course, they knew he wouldn't trust so easily – none of them would – but they were each other's only hope at this.
Yet, at this rate, Katya was worried that they would lose Pierre again, and that he would now choose to cast them away this time.
Parker seemed to analyse something as he paused in thought. Then, he nodded. "Tell you what. I'll answer your questions – nay, we will answer your questions. Then, you decide if you want to believe us or not. But what I ask in return is that you listen to what we have to say. It may be years too late, but they are years filled with truth you sure as hell won't get from the old man."
He was curious, goddammit. He already was but hearing that was like getting hit with ice and he felt like his blood was freezing every second they were stalling whatever truth they wanted to say. And God knows he had questions brimming in him, dying to set it at ease.
Pierre said nothing, but a moment later nodded his head briskly, the scowl already forming on his face
"Good. Ask away, then."
He didn't hesitate. "Why show up now, after all these years?"
Parker almost smiled. "A family reunion. I couldn't do anything when I was younger. When your whole life has been prepared and every movement controlled by powerful figures, there wasn't much you could do to stand up against them as a child. I couldn't do anything back then, and neither could you two." Parker glanced briefly towards Max and Katya, before continuing, "But things did work out a little for me, having been taken in by the Jovovitsch family when I was not even related to them. But there was one more person that needed to be reunited with. Quick guess to who that person is."
He didn't have to say it, they could see the realisation on his face. So Parker had been living with his mother's family? The three of them lived with mama…and he was stuck with his indifferent father. Pierre didn't have time to check himself for that sudden resentment.
But it was a resentment towards his father, he realised belatedly.
At that, one thought after another came rushing to his mind and unable to formulate them accordingly, he demanded them out, "How long have you been staying here in San Francisco? How did you know where I am? Why are they staying with you? Just what…?" He shook his head and scowled at them.
Parker was not affected by it. He could tell Pierre was aggravated and for a brief moment, he wondered if perhaps they had thrown this at him out of the blue. Parker couldn't stand one member of his family being left in the dark, and knowing his father, he thought it could be true. And he was absolutely right about it.
Perhaps Pierre would thank them, or maybe he would not want anything to do with them anymore. Either way, he would be at ease knowing that his younger brother was alright and that he wasn't ignorant of things.
Parker took a sip of the tea, before replying, "I've been here for six months because of my work. As for how I know you're here, well, athair's not the only one with connections. You still have people who cares about you even across the country. And for these two…" Parker smiled at them, and Katya looked at Pierre.
"We just wanted to see you." She said softly, her eyes conveying what looked like longing.
When he brought his gaze to a cold Max, she sighed quietly, and if he squint closer, he thought she might have smiled a little. Max didn't seem to want anything to do with him, but what did he know? Maybe the both of them did want to see him, even though his twin seemed very set on giving him the cold treatment.
He hadn't been very welcoming to them at first, too, but those were before he was uncovering these information.
Before he knew anything.
And he realised just then, that he had always wanted to see them too. He just never thought it would be possible…because of his father.
Have they really been missing him all these years?
And did his father really did that to them? To him?
But why?
Pierre couldn't bring himself to look at Katya much longer. He suddenly felt ashamed. Hurt, anger, disbelief, and ashamed.
All this while he was living with his father, unaware of how things are, they have been looking for him.
"Why…do you think he did it?" He asked quietly. Pierre was trying to wrap his mind around this.
It sort of made sense to him. How his dad always evaded his questions, and got rid of almost all pictures that reminded him there was a family once. And all those times, he hadn't known why.
Pierre really had been left in the dark, and maybe meeting his family again could shed some light to it.
Parker glanced at Katya and a still glowering Max, before saying to Pierre, "I could speculate many things, but having lived with him for years, I'm sure you know how much of a workaholic he is. Still, that's not all, he have always favoured the firstborns, being one himself, and when Milena tried to take you with him, he used his authority to cut her off. Fucking bastard." Parker growled under his breath.
Father threatened mama just because she wanted to bring him with her?
"So, she didn't mean to abandon me?" Pierre's voice came out as a whisper.
"Nyet ona ne. Ona nikogda ne delala." Max said almost hatefully.
He looked at Max but his twin's piercing gaze was too much.
She never did, he had said.
Pierre didn't know why, but he suddenly felt a chunk of hesitancy leave his chest. It couldn't be explained, for he didn't think he was much of a gullible person, but in that moment, he believed them.
There was a sense of certainty resting in his chest and as he looked at them all, he couldn't believe his father had treated them, treated him this way.
To separate a mother and her children…and he didn't even seem to care about him too. What was the point of all this?
He was quite for a moment. Parker was rolling his long sleeve dress shirt to his elbows, Katya was in a daze as she looked at her porcelain tea cup. And Max, he was still glaring at Pierre. It was the most reaction he'd seen from him even in school and he didn't know what to do.
After all these years, he finally allowed himself to freely think of his mother.
"How is mama?" He asked, swallowing a lump of emotion.
They all looked up at him. Katya looked like she was going to cry, Max's jaw tightened and he looked about done with all of this, as though the question had brought a fresh wave of unpleasant memories.
Pierre felt a growing dread within him. Why do they have such expressions on their face? What happened?
In a panic, he snapped his gaze towards Parker, who for once looked exhausted as well. Gone was the confident and cocky man, now he was just a boy whose energy had been drained for years.
Parker let out a ghost of smile, weary but reassuring. "Your mother has been through a lot. But she is fine." When Pierre still didn't believe him, Parker tried to continue but was cut off by Max who pushed away from the table and stood.
"I am not doing this. I don't trust you and I don't care if you believe us or not." Max sneered at Pierre before snapping his attention towards a horrified Katya. "You shouldn't have brought him here. My byli v poryadke doma." Then, he glared at Parker, which the latter only raised his brows before the former exited the dining room.
Everyone was quiet but Pierre was internally a turbulent mess. Max made it sound like it was his fault, and who knew, maybe it was his fault this all happened.
Had he done this to them? He couldn't help that thought. Maybe both he and his father did.
It had been years and they were different now, but he couldn't help the brief memory floating in his mind; Max tagging after him, smiling and gentle.
This was nothing like that – and again, even though he wouldn't let himself be blameless, it strengthened the resolve within him that his father was at fault. They filled the blanks that he had been searching the answers for. What he thought was the truth became the opposite, and while he knew he should question this further, get mad, he couldn't bring himself to.
The truth was displayed in their eyes, their sorrow, all their troubles were there.
Parker cleared his throat before saying, "It took the toll on him too, besides her. He's very close to Milena. You see, your mother…she has depression, Pierre. And it's been getting worse ever since then. It led her to attempt some things that a kid shouldn't have to witness."
Pierre's heart stilled for a beat.
"Depression?" He breathed. Pierre swallowed, though his throat was dry and it felt as though he hadn't eaten or drank in days. Something no one should witness?
O Bozhe…could it be…?
He tried to speak but no words came out.
Fucking hell.
His mother was suffering from depression? And all because of his… father's selfishness?
Everything felt too much. His brain was overload, and his sense of surroundings became distorted.
Ten years and all this while he had only wanted to know the reason why.
But he hadn't anticipate any of this. He needed to get out now. Some space and air and a place where he could think this all through again.
"I have to go," He croaked monotonously, eyes a daze and colour drained from his face. Pierre moved on autopilot; he didn't know how or what he did but all he could comprehend was the feeling like someone was steering him in a direction away from them.
He came there feeling uncertain, yet full of resentment, but now he was unhinged and he feared he'd cry right then and there if he didn't leave soon.
"Pierre," Parker stood up a moment after he did, trying to put a hand on his shoulder. Katya sighed in exhaustion as she looked helplessly at him. There was also panic in her eyes which he didn't understand.
He took a step back from them, away from the dining room now, his head spinning with all these astonishing information.
"No," He held up a hand to stop them from approaching him. "I just…I just need time to process this." And with that, he turned around and hightailed out of there.
Pierre ran.
He didn't know where he was heading, all he knew was that he needed to get away from that residence.
Various emotions whirled within him, the most prominent being rage.
He wanted to go to his father's residence and demand the fucking truth from him, to reconfirm what he already knew. A part of him hoped his father would prove him wrong, but a better part of him knew there was nothing the old man could do but admit what he had done to his family.
Pierre vowed that he would find out the other side of the story.
But first, he needed to think. And sleep.
Or else, he didn't know just what kind of damage he would leave in his wake.
He couldn't imagine what they had gone through exactly, and he could almost beat himself for not thinking further and question his father's motives. After perusing through everything in his mind, it was like the ice had slowly thawed in him – he missed them, he truly missed them all, especially his mother.
His poor mother.
Confronting his father would need to wait, much to his chagrin. His father had surprised him with his enrolment to this school, well... it would be his turn next to do the same. He forced himself to be a bit more calm– it wouldn't do him good storming around.
He looked at Katya, noting her hesitant expression. Then, he cocked his head to the side slightly and opted a thoughtful look. He wanted to know what it was that they hadn't told him, but first:
"What were you talking about with Parker?"
Katya leaned against a stone pillar before she sighed, "We were…trying to get you onto our side." At his questioned look, she elaborated. "You already know that Parker has been living here for a while, and Max and I…well, we really wanted to see you," When Pierre's brows rose, though he had an amused smile on, she let out a chuckle and said, "Okay, it's mostly me. But I know he does, too. He's just not very good at expressing himself. I think it's all that resentment." She shook her head to herself.
Pierre felt guilt caving in him. "He's resentful at me, isn't he? I didn't know, Katya. I really didn't."
Katya looked at him, gentle and understanding. "I know, Pierre. And I think, deep down he would have agreed with me. But, the both of you weren't there for them, and Max…" Her eyes downcast, she looked fragile again and it broke his heart at the sight. She then continued, "Either way, your father doesn't know that Parker and Max are here. Well, we hoped he still doesn't."
Pierre's brows furrowed in confusion. It seemed he had been doing that a lot in the past hour. And why does it seemed like there's more that he didn't know?
Fuck, why was he always the last to know about things?
"What's he got to do with Parker and –"
Katya shook her head, the usual confidence he had seen on her in place, before blurting, "We would have told you more that night but you left so quick – which we understood, of course! It's a lot to take in, I'm sure. The thing is, Parker and dyadya has some bad blood between them. But I'm sorry, that's about as much I can tell you. It isn't my place."
How does she know so much?
Parker and their old man, bad blood? He really didn't know anything about any of his family members.
He shook his head, thinking he was closer to knowing what was up with his family, but it seemed he kept finding out secrets about them.
"What about Max? Why would father not want to see him? And how do you know all this?"
She looked out towards the trees and lake not far away.
"Tetya Milena has been living with us since then. I've heard some things. I still don't know why your father avoids Max and Parker wouldn't tell me either. He said the timing isn't right, which annoys me. Despite living together for years, your brother managed to be secretive. And I thought there are no secrets in my family because of dyadya Vasily." She tried to joke and added, "Do you remember him? He's very old now but sometimes he'd carry us around town when you both would come over."
Pierre tried to wrack his mind for any memory of this uncle Katya mentioned. But even without saying it, Katya already knew the answer. She looked away, trying to conceal the look of disappointment.
He couldn't help the twang of disappointment within him either. He tried to steer their conversation elsewhere, and a thought came to mind. All this talk and there was a lot of mention about Parker's name. What really went on between Parker and his father? And why does it seemed as though his older brother was still hiding something from him? And then there was his twin's issues too.
And Katya. A part of him believed her, believed them, yet at this new knowledge, a small part of him gave way to doubt.
"Katya," She looked up at him, and he continued, "about what Parker said that night, how father favours the first born more, what did he meant? He is the eldest out of three of us. Did something happened to him?" He couldn't believe he hadn't ask this question to Parker that night. But it had been too much then, and now that he had days to ponder on it, his mind started to process them a little better.
She sighed before rolling her eyes. "Well, yes…No disrespect to your father, Pierre – no," She shook her head before nodding. "Actually, I do mean disrespect. As much as I want to tell you, it isn't quite my place. I think…" Then, her face brightened a little. "Why don't you come by again, and hear it from Parker? This is something he should tell you…but I'll have you know, that what he said that night is true. I want us to be whole again, and so does Parker." Then, she smiled at him. "He has actually become a bit of a theatrical man and I'm sure he'd want to be the one to tell you things. You should have seen him back then." Her voice took on a slight sad note.
Perhaps he should have. He wanted to know the old version of his siblings, and Katya. Of how things used to be.
He may not remember uncle Vasily, but pieces of memory of when he played on the streets in a town with them, the smell of desserts his mother used to make…the sunny smile of a woman, the sun bright and hot above her…it started to flash back to him.
But he couldn't remember how his mother looked like now, and that knowledge twisted his heart.
All this time he was homesick for his father's homeland, he realised that he had been repressing the other longing for a long time too. He was overwhelmed with emotions, but tried to contain them.
No matter how much he wished that he could turn back the time, he couldn't. Hearing her say these things cut through him and he regretted the way things happened.
But Pierre didn't want her to feel that way. Hell, he didn't want to keep feeling like this too. He had enough turmoil whirling in him and he needed to sort himself out first before making amends.
He thought to console her, and raised his arm, but after a moment of awkwardness, with Katya's puzzled expression not helping him, he decided to proceed either way. He settled his arm on her back and then patted her.
But he hadn't need to do such a thing before, and standing there awkwardly with his estrange cousin really didn't help him.
He gave her two hard pats on the back, and she continued to look at him in disbelief.
"You really don't know your strength, do you?" She exclaimed as she tried to rub her sore back.
His cheeks pinked a little and he thought he might have heard something along those words before:
"You really are a brute. You know, you'd make an excellent quarterback."
Realisation dawned and a small smile curved his lips. Pierre immediately thought to the girl who had bickered with him all those months ago, how annoyed she was when they were in a closet once, and how she had glared at him with her enchanting blue orbs.
Get a fucking grip, you numpty, his mind chided him.
Katya was staring at him, and he cleared his throat – twice – to disguise his embarrassment.
"You alright?" She said, skeptical. When he nodded, she raised a dark brow. "It's good to see you smile again. Even though you were just thinking of someone who may hold a special place in your heart, instead of home." She gave him a sly smile.
They were coming around from the somber mood they were in, and Pierre felt a little lighthearted.
But he felt guilty. There they were, just talking about their family issues, and just as quick, he had a goon's smile at the thought of a girl.
Yet, he also felt good that they were talking more, after all these years.
He didn't want to admit she was right at that moment, even though she was.
"How do you know I wasn't thinking of home?" He asked nonchalantly.
She gave him a look. "Because I know what a lovesick fool looks like. And believe me, you fit the description."
Pierre scowled but she only smiled victoriously.
"I'm not…a lovesick fool."
"It may help your situation if you were just a little more emphatic about it." She answered breezily.
"I am not, Katya. I was…thinking. You're right, I really didn't know my strength."
She looked at him long, before shrugging. "Fine, we'll go with that. Although I think you're convincing the wrong person." Then, she sighed. "Will you promise me that you'll come by? We'll try to answer everything you want to know. And let you in on this. It's partially why we came here, anyway."
"Will you tell me what the other reason is?"
Katya paused, before she replied. Her carefree smile was gone, now replaced by a cold look.
"Revenge."
His eyes widened.
Revenge...just how bad have things fucked up, really?
"Promise me that you won't run away this time, at least not until we're finished."
He gave her a small, wry smile. "That's twice the promise. You're asking too much."
She returned his smile. "I'm only asking for patience. A guarantee, really."
He was quiet for a moment, and then, "Aye, you have my word."
She nodded with a relieved smile. "Thank you. As for Max, I will…"
Pierre shook his head. "I'll figure something out. He seems to have it out for me, and I think it's time we have a talk about it."
Pierre was curious to uncover what really went down between them all. God knows his father wouldn't enlighten him.
He wanted to make things right and mend his broken family together. Here there was Parker, Katya, and even his twin brother…and they were trying to do something about it.
But what? And their revenge? He wouldn't jump to conclusions yet – but hear them out.
And his mother.
If he could, he would take the first flight back to her right now.
But he had to be patient first, and there was the matter of his confiscated passport and bike too at his father's residence…
He would definitely pay a surprise visit to his old man one of these days.
Translations (Russian and Scottish Gaelic):
Sestra – Sister
Dyadya – Uncle
Tetya – Aunt
Nyet ona ne. Ona nikogda ne delala – No, she didn't. She never did
My byli v poryadke doma – We were fine at home
O Bozhe – Oh God
Bodach – Old man, peasant, or a ghost804Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcNzfRHpVpc
