DD's // SAUDADE

- FIVE -

Damon's morning could be better if he wasn't covered in papers trying to find his way out. He woke up too early that day to focus on a couple of things that immediately needed his attention. The drug baron wanted to return to his bed already; all these big numbers and words were causing him a headache. Damon leaned back on his leather chair and lit up a cigarette. He was enjoying his break when there was a knock on the door. "Come in," he mumbled as his sister opened it with a smile.

Damon raised his glare; Deetra stepped inside, closing the door behind with the same smile. She tried to take a step towards him, but he coughed, taking off his glasses. Deetra stayed in her position awkwardly, seeing her brother rubbing his eyes in tiredness.

"I just wanted to check on you, Damon. You woke up really early today, and I thought something was wrong...."

"Everything's fine, no worries! I'm just kinda busy checking all these trades...."

Damon had a sip from his black coffee, Deetra looked away.

No one ever stepped into Damon's office beside him. He never let anyone around, not even his sister or any maids. Deetra never understood her sibling; she always felt like he was hiding something among these drawers and bookcases. She trusted Damon, so she pushed all her thoughts about his office in the back of her head. Maybe it was simply her imagination, and nothing was wrong with that room besides that it was the same office her dad was using when he was around. Damon was ready to lock the office and leave it behind when he turned eighteen, but his sister persuaded him to keep it. Soon, he turned it into his own personal room and made sure to destroy everything that reminded him of his father.

The room was almost dark; it was one of the few rooms in the mansion that barely any sunlight was getting through because of the tall trees. The dark wooden floor and the old furniture always crept Deetra from when she was a child. She could still sometimes feel her dad's presence around, sitting at the same chair that her brother was sitting right now or looking outside, starring with his small blackish pupils at the garden.

There were times Jason was standing in the office in the dark, glaring outside while his daughter was in the garden among the flowers. The grass felt different at night, and Deetra enjoyed lying down, staring at the sky, and studying the constellations. She had this black notebook where she marked down every star her eyes could detect.

Sometimes, Deetra would jump scared when she faced that pair of eyes against the window. She found her dad quite scary a few times, wildly, when he glared at her from that dark office. Plus, there was a strange smell always lurking around in that room, reminding her of death. Anyways, to her, that office was terrible news, and she didn't like visiting her brother when he was working there.

"James wanted to talk to you; he's downstairs in the living room waiting for you. You can go when you are free; I didn't mean to disturb you."

"Oh, I'll just go now! My head already hurts, so a break is everything I crave right now...."

Damon stood up and undid some buttons on his white shirt; suddenly, the room felt too hot. He stepped beside his sister and put his palm on her back, ready to push her outside. His other hand was already in the pocket on his pants, searching for the office's rusty key. Her eyes widened as she crossed her arms under her chest with a growl confusing her brother.

"What's wrong?"

"I understand why you don't trust the maids in here, but me too!? I am your sister, goddammit! I know every single trade you make and all your clients like the back of my hand!"

Damon sighed before looking down. His fingers fiddled with the key as he glared at it. He opened the door slowly; it made a squeak. The man left the key on his sibling's palm and made her close her fingers over it.