When I arrived at the house, I had to double check the note Lara had given to me with her address. Needless to say, I was shocked by the beautiful three story manor that stood before me, and it went without saying that it did nothing for my nerves. Nevertheless, I couldn't be late. First impressions were everything, weren't they? I made my way up the front steps and knocked on the heavy looking metal door. I straightened my tie and jacket one last time before the door opened. A sweet looking lady stood inside, her deep red curls meticulously tied back. 

"Hello there. You must be Gustave. Please come in," she said as she stepped aside to let me pass through. "I am Lara's mother, Marguerite. It's lovely to finally meet you."

"I assure you, the pleasure is all mine, Mrs. Thomas," I replied. Lara had come to the front hall just in time to hear her mother burst out laughing. She had gone pale and I couldn't hide my obvious confusion.

"So is that the name she's using now?" her mother asked in between laughs.

My confusion remained as I looked between the two ladies, silently praying that I would receive a proper explanation. "You'll have to forgive me but, what do you mean by that?"

"Oh, of course. Lara doesn't want to be treated differently at school because of her family name, so she rarely gives her real one," her mother explained, still finding this entire situation much more entertaining than I did. "Though I thought she would have told you her real one."

"I see." I was now only looking at Lara, who couldn't seem to look me in the eyes. I could tell that she wasn't going to say anything, so I asked my question to her mother instead: "Well then, if that is the case, I hope you don't mind me asking: What is your family name?"

"It's Chagny," Lara said, finally having spoken up throughout this whole interaction. In all honesty, though, after hearing what she said, I wished that she hadn't said anything at all. I felt my heart drop to my feet and my face went pale. I must have heard her wrong. That had to be what happened. There was no way Lara was from that family. It couldn't be true.

I only half heard her mother when she asked me to follow her inside, and my feet moved but my mind didn't; it was like I was an automaton. Lara walked by my side, but I couldn't look at her. I still wasn't sure what to make of the entire situation. I felt the sting of betrayal and pain in my chest that I couldn't seem to shake. Eventually, we arrived in a sitting room of sorts, where I saw two men sitting in the corner by a table with some drinks. One of them had their back turned and didn't seem to be fazed by our presence. The other man, however, was the complete opposite, as he walked right up to me and shook my hand.

"Hello there. So you're the boy that my daughter is so taken with," he said. He had an optimism in his voice as he spoke, which was more than I had in my whole body at the moment. "My name is Philippe, and this is my younger brother, Raoul."

The other man turned at the call of his name and I stopped breathing for a moment or two. I locked eyes with a man I hadn't seen since I buried my mother. In a way, he was exactly like I left him - a glass of whiskey in his hands. I wasn't the only one who noticed the immediate stillness between us.

"Are you alright, Gustave? You look pale." Lara's face was painted with concern, and her warm hand was welcome against my cold, numb one. I was finally able to look at her, and I could feel myself remembering how to breathe. Though I hadn't seen her walk up to me, her being there seemed to help me refocus on what was happening around the room. I nodded to her in order to calm her nerves and my own. The Vicomte appeared to have rejoined reality as well just in time to be called for dinner.

We were all in place at the dinner table and I couldn't help but gawk at the beautiful design of everything in the room. The symmetry of the moulding on the walls was astounding, and everything from the colours to the furnishings seemed to fit together so perfectly. Papa would be like a child on Christmas morning if he ever saw this. I found myself thinking of all the things he would point out. Not that I think he'd ever come here once he found out who lived here. It helped to distract me from the fact that the man I loathed the most in this world was sitting across from me and the girl I cared about was next to me at the same time. The first dish of the meal was eaten in silence - you could cut the tension with a knife, but only he and I knew the source of it.

"Have you been reading the paper, Raoul? All this nonsense going on with Germany and Belgium," Philippe asked his brother who obviously couldn't care less, given that his reaction was a simple shrug of his shoulders.

It was no surprise to me when Lara inserted herself into the conversation: "With things as tight as they are, it will only take a small spark to set off some form of large scale conflict."

"Hardly a suitable subject for a lady," the Vicomte chuckled out, obviously underestimating her intelligence. She had made a completely valid point, yet he clearly wasn't planning on paying it any attention.

"One must first master the ways of a gentleman before he attempts to remind a lady of hers, don't you think?" I had to say something. He needed to know that I would not be pushed around. That I was not a scared little boy anymore and I was ready to fight for who I cared for. However, my comment sent a silence over the room. Nobody had been expecting me to speak as forcefully as I had. After a long silence it was once again Philippe who made the effort to create a conversation out of thin air.

"So Gustave, what are your plans for the future?"

"Well, one day, I hope to take over the business my Papa owns," I replied with a small smile.

"He runs a business now. How quaint," Raoul mumbled it under his breath. He seemed to be trying to maintain a running commentary without my knowledge, but I heard him regardless.

"Interesting. What does he do?" Marguerite inquired.

"He owns an architecture and design company. He started it when I was about eleven."

Once again, a mumbled remark from the man across the table. I wasn't able to make out most of it but the beginning was clear: "Of course that devil does."

I wanted to say something so badly but somehow Lara beat me to it: "Is there something you'd like to contribute to the conversation, Uncle Raoul?"

"No, I don't. And I'd appreciate it if you stayed out of this," he snapped at her. The anger in my chest was getting to the point of boiling over. I needed to say something to him or I'd lose my mind. But, I was well aware that I had to keep a straight face on for the table.

"Well then, your mother must have her hands full with two likeminded men at the dinner table every night," Lara's mother remarked with a little laugh. I knew that she meant no harm by it, but I could feel the jab at my heart at the mention of my mother.

"Actually, my mother...well she's no lo-"

"She's dead, Marguerite," he interrupted me. That man truly did have a death wish tonight, and he would not have to look far to have it fulfilled.

Everyone was shocked...well, of course, everyone besides me. They just looked between myself and Raoul for what felt like an endless amount of time. Someone had to say something, but it wasn't going to be me because I knew that if I did speak up, I would end up saying things that would probably lead to me not being welcomed back to Lara's home. I was seething - the lack of feeling was unimaginable for a human! How could he have just blurted that out with not even a hint of sadness or regret or any emotion? Lara must have seen how angry I was getting, because she took my hand under the table and rubbed her thumb in small circles on the back of my hand. She seemed to be the only thing keeping me grounded tonight.

The silence persisted particularly near Philippe's end of the table and finally Marguerite asked the question that was obviously on everyone's mind: "How do you know that?" Such a simple question, yet it allowed for so much potential chaos. Not only did he begin to panic, because he must have realized what he'd done, but Philippe started to panic too.

"Well you see Marguerite I was...well Gust-"

"He was married to her." I had to say something. Though I did enjoy watching him stumble, it did feel a bit like karma for what he had done to me only minutes before. He glared at me as though he wanted to bury me on the spot, and although I was doing the same, the look did bring back some unsavory memories.

"I was about to get to that if you had given me a moment to get there Gustave." He was getting angrier by the second, but from what I could tell he wouldn't lay his hands on me here. Now that I could, I would make sure he never touched me again. "What did I teach you about interrupting me."

"Well, you had no parental rights over me in the first place! Though it's not like you were much of a father." If it was to be war between us, then so be it. He had no power over me. "And I'm surprised you remember our time together at all. Most of my memories of you involve a bottle of some kind."

"Well, well. Look who finally developed a spine." He was smirking now, and looking at it, I almost wished he'd go back to scowling. "Looks like I did influence you after all."

"And it looks like you still choose to live in a drunken fantasy. The only lasting influence you've had on me is in my nightmares. I'd like to make the same thing clear that I did at mother's funeral - I never wanted to see you again."

"I suppose the feeling is mutual, my boy." The words were practically spat out of his mouth, and I could feel my rage returning.

"Don't you dare call me your boy!" I was exploding and it felt so good. There was so much I didn't say the last time I saw him, so much I had wanted to say but I didn't have the words. Now I did. "You lost all rights to me when you left Mother and I on Coney Island. You have no right to act all high and mighty now, because I know how you really are behind closed doors. I did not come here for you and I did not come here to hear you mumble insults about my father, so get that through your thick skull."

I hadn't realized it but I had gotten out of my chair in the middle of talking, my hands balled into fists. Once I'd gotten everything out of my system, I was able to look around at the faces of the people around me. Marguerite was horrified and Philippe was awestruck. Lara's face was painted with such confusion that it hurt me to look at her. I'd never meant for her to see this part of me. There goes any hope of a first impression, I thought as I sat down, my eyes glued to my plate. I couldn't bear to look at anyone in that moment. The silence fell heavy on the table with nobody being quite sure how to react to what had just happened.

"Could someone tell me what just happened?" Lara was the first to speak, but I knew it would be her. She hated not having the answer or being left out of the loop of information. 

"It is none of your concern," Raoul said through gritted teeth. I was tempted to stand up and finish what I'd started at the funeral, but I felt I had done enough at this point. "Like I said before, stay out of this."

The way he looked at her...I couldn't do this anymore. I knew that look. He had given Mother that look, he had given me that look and I knew what it was designed for. I still had nightmares of that expression and the fear that followed. Now he was doing that to her, and that was the last straw. I may not have been able to protect my mother but I damn well was going to protect Lara.

"I need some air. Lara, would you show me back to the front door?" A lame excuse, to be sure, but it was the only way that I could think of to try and get us both away from the table. We both stood, I took her by the hand and we left the dining room. No doubt they would all be discussing the outburst the second I left. I didn't care, all that mattered was getting her out of that room.

When we finally made it back to the front hall, I let go of her hand and spun her to face me. I gripped her forearms and ran my eyes up and down her frantically. "Are you alright? Has he ever laid a hand on you? I swear if he has, I will kill him."

"What are you talking about? Who are you talking about?" She looked at me like I was crazy.

"Please just answer my question." I was desperate. I needed to know that he had done nothing. In all honesty, I don't think I'd be able to control my actions if he had.

"Gustave, please. I still don't understand." She was searching my eyes for answers to her questions. She looked afraid, and rightfully so. In all honesty, though, my thoughts were beginning to scare myself.

With a deep sigh, I realized she was asking valid questions. I had to clarify if I wanted an answer. "Your uncle. I need to know if he has ever threatened to or has ever laid a hand on you."

Her face was still painted with confusion as she looked down at her arms and winced. I hadn't noticed my grip on her arms tightening. Immediately, I let go and stared down at my own hands in fear before my knees buckled and I was on the ground.

"I am no better! I am no better than him. Who am I?" I whispered to myself. My hands were shaking and I felt a stray tear fall down my cheek. Within moments, Lara had joined me on the ground,  but I couldn't find it in me to look her in the eyes as I said, "I'm sorry. I am so sorry."

"Gustave, it's okay. I am okaym" she whispered back, wiping the tear away with her thumb. "What's wrong? Please tell me."

Still unable to meet her gaze, the wave of emotions took away my filter and I simply blurted out the first thing that came to mind: "The problem is that I love you, but I hate him and I don't know what to do."

"You love me?" she replied.

Now fully registering what I had said I was able to reply without doubt: "How could I not?"

"I love you too," she replied, her hand resting on my cheek. Then, she brought my face to hers and she kissed me. My heart grew wings and flew away in that moment. Time slowed to a stop and all that mattered in the world was her. Everything that had happened leading up to this moment seemed pointless. A warm feeling spread through me right down to the tips of my toes. This was perfect.

We separated but kept our foreheads together. "Now, please tell me what happened."

Her plea was so full of emotions I couldn't describe, I could not deny her the answers she was after. "Alright, I'll give you the shortened version of the story. Your uncle and my mother were married, and despite his own belief for years, that man is not my father. After I was born, he took up drinking and gambling, he became less patient and developed a short temper. When he was in an especially bad mood, he would get violent towards my mother and I. He had abandoned us the night my mother was killed - he is responsible for the chain of events that lead to her death. Lara, I love you, but I will never forgive him. The things he did to us still give me nightmares. The only way I will ever forgive him is if he is able to apologize to my mother's spirit and I am able to hear her response for myself. Though I doubt their spirits would ever meet. I don't believe they would allow the devil himself into the realm of angels."

She had no response for what felt like forever. Instead of speaking, she stood up, helped pull me to my feet, took me by the hand and began walking back to the dining room. I wanted to ask her what she was doing but I knew that look on her face. That was the look she gave when nobody was allowed to stand in her way. We walked right back into the dining room and without missing a beat, Lara walked right up to her uncle and looked him dead in the eyes as she gave him a demand no person could easily ignore.

"Get out."

"Excuse me," he stumbled out, flabbergasted at the direct orders he had been given.

"Lara, what on Earth are you doing." Her mother was shocked. She'd obviously never seen this part of her before. But I had, and I knew better than to distract her.

"I will explain later, Mother." She still hadn't broken eye contact with her uncle. "I know you heard me properly. Now get out."

"So you've chosen your beau over your family." He stood from his chair and began making his way to the door. Lara had come back to stand beside me as he left. "Word to the wise my dear, be careful with that lot. To them love doesn't always mean they'll be faithful. Isn't that right Gustave? Your mother sure proved that."

"How dare you!" I was about to go after him for that comment but Lara put her hand across my chest to stop me.

"He isn't worth it," she said.

I felt my heart calm down and the red leave my vision as he walked out the door. "You're right love. He isn't."

We turned around to see the confused faces of Lara's parents. I knew there would be a flood of questions and I had a lot of explaining to do. They say you don't get a second chance at a first impression.

I hope they were wrong.

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Hey guys. It's an understatement when I say I am satisfied with this chapter. I'm curious if your opinions on Lara have changed now that we've met her parents. Anyhow, much love and be back soon with another instalment.

Stay amazhang
~ Buddy_2002 💙💙💙