Until Then...

Chapter - 52

It is true what they say about life being not predictable. One minute you are living the best moments of your life, feeling the world at your feet or may be even the universe on best days...But next minute all of it might crumble down to dust without so much a moment notice. You can go to sleep planning your tomorrows but there is never a guarantee that you will ever wake up and see the day light tomorrow.

This harsh uncertainty is far worse than currents in the ocean that bring about tsunamis and tidal waves. In this unstable cycle of life, what makes us sane? What makes us believe that we will wake up to see another day when we go to sleep at night? And where do we get the courage to go to sleep knowing this?

If you really think about it, what we have is not courage. We are just engineered to follow the rules of nature, to obey the body rhythm and sometimes shut down, throwing the towel in hope to escape the weariness of life. We are foolish to believe we are brave...in reality, we are just spinning this hamster wheel, pulling along with the momentum of life through the muddy waters lurk with failure, loss, sorrow and ultimately sunk to the bottom in the arms of death.

We should applaud ourselves. Cheer our reckless bravery for walking the path unknowingly. Because at the end of the road when we meet death and emerge from the other side of the door, all this could be just one big giant dream. At least the dreams should be happy and sweet, aren't they? So, cheer up, applaud ourselves for waking up and facing a new day.

As he got off the elevator leading him toward the penthouse, Luther felt his legs were made of lead weighting him down and unable to move from the spot. Granted his leg was still in cast but this was metaphorical weight that was pinning him down from his fear of meeting his brother.

He understood this was way past overdue and was something he had to do by himself. So, he braced, ignoring the bodyguards who lent a hand to help him and marched on a limp toward the spacious room. As you would expect from a typical penthouse, the place was dripping with exuberant bachelor style and topnotch luxury fitting of a mafia lord. The walls were white with cream color drapes hanged loosely at ceiling to floor bay windows matching the eggshell marble floor. The modern interior décor welcomed him as he entered the second adjoining room which opened out into an infinity pool. The sun light bounced off the cerulean pool surface before drifting off into the arms of Beijing skyline.

His brother Dimitri was lying on a lounge chair in a Hawaiian shirt and shorts across the pool. Luther let out a low sigh releasing the tension built up inside his chest. His mouth felt dried as he took small steps toward the massive blonde man swirling a drink in his hand without a worry in the world. Luther knew he screwed up and he wasn't afraid to take the punishment that he deserved but what pulling him back was the fact that he had to admit what a giant loser he was before his big brother. Even screw ups have their own pride.

He wasn't a legitimate child but a product of an affair but the family didn't treat him like one. They accepted him, they raised him, they cared for him and here he was screwing everything up royally, on top of running away from home. He didn't have any face to appear before his brother. "Why the long face my baby brother?" a familiar low throaty voice jolted him out of loathing himself and almost tripped over a chair in surprise.

"...Be careful. What are you doing standing up? Come over here and join me. The sun is nice. You look pale and sickly...tsk tsk.. look at you all bones and skin." Dimitri stared at him over his sunglasses that were hanging low on his nose bridge and patted the chair beside him. Luther forced a smile and trudged toward the place beside him. Dimitri took off his sunglasses and smiled warmly at his younger brother as the latter sat down meekly before him. "I see you are all patched up, Lukey. Hope this taught you a lesson. What the heck were you thinking running from home?"