It Takes a Family Reunion

Chapter 4

Luke P.O.V.

Matthew and I quickly greeted my father after dropping us the girls to the room. Erik, I knew would have liked to join us, but unfortunately my father made sure to enforce that only immediate family and people of high importance should only be allowed to meet him in his office. Since Erik was my cousin and seen as little more than a playmate or if need be a bodyguard for me or Matthew he wasn't allowed to enter the room. Instead Erik waited outside the room for the both of us to get done.

I tightened my tie around my neck double checking to make sure it was even in my bathroom mirror. I knew my Father and Mother would nitpick my appearance if I didn't come to the dinner perfectly dressed. I didn't want Amira and Eira to see that if my mother decided to speak her mind in front of them. Matthew got more of a pass since they could have his adopted status as the reason he couldn't dress right. I hated when they reminded him that he wasn't actually part of our family. To me he was a brother to me, same with Erik.

I was also worried about what my parents might say to the girls as well. In the future I wanted to be with them as far apart as often as I could, but with a change this suddenly there was no way I could stop this dinner. I was sure Amira would be able to take whatever my parents would throw at and give it back ten fold, but with Eira it was another story. She was quiet and only got angry when it was truly important, but she had a tendency to take what people threw at her and take it to heart. A knock on my bathroom door took me out of my thoughts.

"Are you ready sir?" Gregory said, pulling the door open. Gregory was an older man who acted as the main butler for my parents house. Out of the prying eyes of the rich however, he was like a second father to Matthew and I. He was the only adult who helped us through Ellie's death. I was eternally grateful for everything he did for us.

"As ready as I'll ever be I suppose." I said ruefully, turning away from the mirror. Gregory squinted, apparently not pleased with how I tied my tie. He stepped forward and started to correct it. I recalled my younger days when he used to do that all the time before I had learned how to do it myself.

"I caught a glimpse of those girls you brought home with you. They seem nice. I like how they light up your three boys' eyes. That hasn't happened since..." Gregory trailed off. Since Ellie. It wasn't an exaggeration to say that Ellie lit up Erik and I's lives when she and Matthew came to live with us. My mother never had any other kids besides me so, Ellie was like the sister I never had.

"They make us happy. They see us for us. They don't care about our money or family, they like us for us." I told Gregory. He nodded approvingly. I secretly hoped that I got the chance to introduce him to the girls. I wanted them to meet the man who helped me become the person I was today. Gregory nodded approvingly again, but this at the tie he finished and stepped back.

"It's time for dinner sir." He said returning to the voice he used as the butler of the household.

"Let's get this over with." I said signing and followed after him. The house I felt growing up in was always too big. It never felt like a home, but more like a house where I happened to live. I wasn't surprised to find I felt the same way as an adult. The hallway to my room and the dining always felt too big and too long. The dining room was the same way. The table was too long to have that close knit family feeling. Everything was too shiny or expensive looking to feel comfortable eating without trying not to scratch or chip something.

Father and Mother were already in the dining room by the time I arrived. I was partly grateful I got here before Matthew and girls. Erik wouldn't be able to join us due to my father and mother never wanting family at dinners unless it was a special occasion. That meant I would be here to try and shield them from whatever comments my mother tried to say. Mother scanned over my outfit. I held my breath hoping she didn't find anything lacking and make me go back to my room to fix it. After several seconds she nodded approvingly and turned back to the table. I breathed a sigh of relief and headed to an open seat beside my father. All of us stayed silent besides the occasional clacking of glass from my mother lifting up her wine glass to take a sip.