27. HELLO, BROTHER.
"Hello brother."
"What are you doing here?" His voice was stoic as he stepped back from Amanda. Luke retracted his previously extended palms and slipped into his cargo shorts. He was alone in a dining before Amanda caught with her son and with the glares that they shared, Damien wasn't having it. He struck out a finger at her.
"Was this your idea?" He asked and she stuttered on a few words. "Was this your idea to find your way here first and rope him back i—"
"He is your brother, Damien Archer" Amanda interrupted and he let out a sigh, they both did. "Oh i doubt that mum" Luke replied and he raised that finger to him. "Shut up" He groaned.
"You shut up" Luke stepped forward as Damien held the waistline of his pants. Davis held an arm and he pushed him away. "You want to fight me, brother?" They argued as if they were kids again over something as meagre as the remote control.
And even as they stood apart, Amanda was confused as to why her boys never got along, most especially Luke with the residual anger in his eyes. "You know he's just like father?" Luke turned to his mother and she tilted her head. "Don't say that, Luke" She whispered and he let out a soft chuckle.
"He'd be so happy to see you running his company to the ground. It was your common interest, your selfishn—" "You havent answered my question yet. Is that why you're here?" He asked, Damien. "Is that why he's here? To tell me what i already know. You know i await the day you grow the fuck up" He said.
"And you?" Luke threw the question back at him. "I guess you're the perfect, grown, mature, emotionally unavailable Archer. The perfect son and the perfect heir" He gritted through his teeth and Damien scoffed. "I mean Hank made it clear enough when he was alive" They matched their gaze, with Amanda choosing to stay out of this, this time. "Jealousy." Damien croaked.
"Is that why you're here?"
"It's summer break. I got a few days off college and i came to see mother" Damien looked to his watch and then back at him. "It's fall." He grunted, and Luke swallowed his words.
"If you're here to judge me then i'm pretty sure you know the same way in is the same way out" Damien slipped his hands into his pockets and Luke sighed. "Must you be like him?" He asked.
"Must you fit right into his shoes? Give into his predictions. Must you be like him" Damien turned to his bodyguard as if asking him to take care of Luke but all he did was raise his voice. "You want to get me kicked out? Get us kicked out, just like father did years ago—" "Is this supposed to be some sort of punishment for that?" He looked over his shoulders. "Punishment" Luke echoed.
And there was silence between them.
"You're everything he wanted. everything he built in his ideal son. You're like this chess piece he's still controlling Damien. You know i miss when it was just us, before this selfish crave and desire for more wealth and power got into you and it is him. It's all him. He did this to you, he still is" Luke grimaced, locking eyes with him.
"I reckon you're wrong"
"If i'm what you say i am. Then i won't be halfway across the fucking company, trying to save this company from running into the grounds. But you wouldn't know that, would you?" His voice went low. "You're Luke. You're meant to be the free, burdenless, enthusiastic, charismatic son while i'm meant to fix the mistakes. While i'm meant to show up all the time. I'm the fixer right?" He shrugged his shoulders. "Hank ran this company down and i'm just supposed to know how to fix it?" He turned to Amanda.
"For who" Luke whispered.
"You're talking like i wasn't disowned, alongside your own mother. You're talking like he didn't bar us from anywhere near this place. Like Hank wasn't trying to protect you all his life as if we were the monsters" His voice cracked. "So yes, Damien. i would take being a family fixer over half the shit we went through growing up. We had nothing, Damien. And you had everything and i'll never forgive you for that" Luke's voice fell in a whisper as his heart fell in his chest. "And what was i supposed to do?" Damien asked him. "What was i supposed to do to stop it?"
"We were both kids."
"But you grew, Damien. You grew up into this man i no longer recognize. And you built a life for yourself, outside this. Outside Archers and you never for once thought of us" Tears welled up in Amanda's eyes as his voice broke. "You never came back for us"
"You know i don't know if mum ever told you this but we waited" She turned away from both her sons and even Damien's eyes moistened. "She was struggling and you knew, i guess that's what makes you just like him. All you care about is you"
"That is a lie" Damien stood his ground. "Tell that to yourself, Damien. Prove that to yourself. I don't care for shit about Archer's because he didn't care for me. And if you think i'm here for this company then you're so wrong that it's painful." He turned his eyes to his mother. "Luke" Damien called but his back was already turned to him. "Let's go mum" He battled tears.
She wiped her eyes as she turned around to Luke. "You can go upstairs, Damien and I have a meeting with Raznak. We'd be leaving soon" She snifled, trying to conceal her tears and he nodded his head. "One more thing." He tossed his head over his shoulders. "Your girlfriend's here." Luke growled, and Damien didn't even have to think twice before realizing who he spoke about. His eyes gave way as his lips parted to speak— "Amelia"
To be continued...