Darke Beginnings

Chapter #3

Lucien watched his mother's every move as she avoided him. Her lips were always thinly drawn, her face a masque of annoyed perfection. She seemed to resent that he had returned, that she had her son, instead of her husband. Day in and day out, their lives stretching out the tedium, mother and son magnetic opposites that, no matter how hard they tried to get close to one another, there was too great a barrier. The silence, the exclusion, all became too much for Lucien to bear. He disliked being treated as a stranger in his own home, even more so because it was his mother and that he tried so hard for her affection. When it became evident that there would be no tearful embraces, no apologies for actions past or even present, that the resentment each felt for the other would be a constant dark cloud over their heads, Lucien made the decision to leave. He had two weeks before the start of classes and his trust fund afforded him enough to get a decent flat close to campus.

He moved on, simply, moved on. Once he was out of the house and on his own, Lucien felt like he became a new man. He was now a man of consequence, one that Martin Goins would be proud to employ. He traded in the comfortable sweaters, jeans and tee shirts that had been his youthful uniform and began wearing tailored button-downs and trousers, with the occasional jacket or sport coat on the cooler days. His confidence grew as well. He had been cautious at first, once classes had begun, almost afraid to talk to others because he had no idea if anyone knew who he was. After the first week, he realized that, not only was he a stranger amongst the masses, but that everyone had started with a clean slate.

Lucien dug into his studies, but he also became quite popular with the other students, both for his keen intellect as well as for his charm. His magnetism extended to both the male and female students at university. He made friends easily, always helping others when they needed, a quick wit when it was warranted, and an innate likableness that was immediately evident upon meeting him. His new friends had no idea of his past, of the rage that always quietly simmered below the surface that he fought to keep below whenever there was a conflict. Luckily, Dr. Gregory had given him the tools, he just needed to use them.

While Lucien was in his third semester at university, Martin Goins was released. Martin immediately moved to occupy the extra bedroom in Lucien's flat, claiming that he needed to sell his own estate because of too many unpleasant memories. While that explanation was partly true, the reality was that, had Martin gone back to his own home, he would most likely have been joining his family in the afterlife sooner than later. The two resumed their easy friendship that had begun at Sutton, which led to many late night discussions about Martin's business, colleagues and all. From what Lucien had gathered, Martin was in the import business, buying and selling items shipped to him from the most remote places on the globe. He counted some of the world’s wealthiest among his clients, some of the most prestigious as well. The only thing that concerned Lucien was that Martin seemed so secretive. While he had no compunction about listing the names of his clients, he refused to say what exactly it was that they bought, but it was no more than a fleeting thought dismissed as the discretion of a great businessman.

While Lucien attended classes, Martin attended his business. He used the rarely-utilized kitchen table as his office, often letting papers get strewn about the room in his dealings. His laptop was set up on a side table, almost always on, along with a small printer. There were several late nights when Martin would stay awake until dawn, retiring to his bed only after Lucien had left for class. Since there were no other roommates to contend with, it was an amiable agreement, albeit a temporary one.

As Lucien started his second year at university, Martin finally sold his family's estate and purchased a new one. He moved out of the flat, much to Lucien's relief because there had been tension hovering over them like a monstrous cloud. There was no bad blood, they were still thick as thieves, but as Lucien invited classmates and girlfriends to his flat, Martin would often haughtily collect his business and retreat seething into his own room. Normally, such behavior would have been cause for alarm, but, since Lucien was already used to Martin's secrecy, he brushed it off. It was more of an annoyance that he felt guilty for having a social life.