Lost Without You

10

The four of them had been locked up in the south study, simply staring at each other for what seemed forever.

David had acquired a thing of ice to press to his head. Lukas, who got the worse of the beating, laid out on the floor with ice pressed to his ribs.

Jenya had wedged herself into the corner of the loveseat, wrapping her arms tightly around her middle. She had a killer hangover.

Ana, however, was happy enough to sit herself on the sofa, with her back straight and her legs crossed. She was the only innocent one in the room.

"Why are we even in here?" Ana asked, looking towards the three of them.

David grunted in response to his sister.

"I shouldn't even be in here! I have done nothing wrong unlike the three of you!" Ana cried, throwing her hands up in the air. She stood and walked over to the door, "I'm leaving. If they ask, tell them I'm off doing my homework."

Jenya snorted as she heard Ana attempt to leave.

"They locked the doors." She mumbled, pressing her hands over her eyes.

Ana came back to the group and threw herself down dramatically onto the sofa.

"None of this would have happened had Jenya not gone out drinking." Lukas accused, glaring at her.

Jenya uncovered her eyes, "What are you talking about, William Lukas? How many times did you go out drinking and come home piss drunk? Don't you dare blame this on me!"

Lukas shook his head, "Oh no, sweetheart, I don't blame you. I'm blaming that half-ass man over there who decided it was okay to drag an underaged drinker to a bar!"

David turned to look at Lukas, snorting with disgust, "You're the one to talk, mama's boy. Your mother's a whore, you're a whore— like mother like son. How many other woman have you bedded besides my—"

Ana shot up, "Don't you dare accuse me of whoring around, Benjamin David!"

The door slammed open, "Sit down!" A deep voice roared as the door slammed shut again.

All four of them turned to look at the couple standing in the doorway. The major stood with his arms crossed over his chest while Mrs. Diederich stood meekly behind him.

"Father, what happened between Jenya and I was purely—" David started, pushing himself to a standing position but the Major cut him off with a wave of a hand.

"Now who's a mamas boy?" Lukas murmured, lowering his gaze from his mother's.

"I don't want to hear any noise from either of you four until the end of this century, understood?" The major ordered.

David and Ana both lowered their heads in shame.

"I don't know how you four hooligans figured out the things in between the Major and I but you cannot tell anyone." Lukas's mother started.

"Why, because father will leave you penniless?" Lukas spat at her.

Jenya scoffed, "You should see where the Major lives."

"You forget your place, young man." The major barked, glaring at Lukas.

"The inheritance and this estate belong to me and me alone, son. Your father has no part in my family's fortune, despite what he may think." His mother replied.

"What about us?" Lukas asked, looking back at his mother.

Mrs. Diederich pursed her lips.

Jenya knew, right then and there, that the way of life for Lukas was completely obliterated.

~~~~

Lukas was no longer angry. He had kept all of the negative energy up inside of him for so long that he was afraid he would explode.

But instead, the pain he felt replaced his anger.

"You would just throw your children out on the streets simply because they didn't come from your lover?" He asked, watching as his mother stared back at him.

"My children are my children, no matter who they came from." She whispered.

Lukas scoffed. She made it sound so easy— like nothing would change. He knew if his father ever found out about his mother, things would go up in flames.

"Your father was not my first husband. We dated shortly but then I left him because... because he beat me. I met Alexander six years later and we got married. We had children. We were in love. I never even thought about William throughout those years." His mother clarified, lowering her eyes to the marble floor.

"The war started and we were separated. David and Ana were lost in the chaos. I was held up by the military and she... Anastasia was knocked out cold." The Major continued, crossing his arms over his chest, "I found her a week later in a makeshift hospital, lost and confused. William beat me to her and I was... I was removed from the scene— not allowed to see her. I had to choose between her or... or my kids." The Major continued, "My children came first. It was something we promised each other long ago. We have been separated ever since until now."

"Eighteen years, you have been separated, and you never searched for her. I find that hard to believe." David questioned, arching an eyebrow.

Lukas nodded in agreement. He knew from personal experience that if he lost someone he loved, he would have gone to the end of the Earth to find them.

Ana crossed her arms in disbelief, "You fight for those you love. That's what you had always taught us, Papa. If you do not follow your own principles, than you are a hypocrite."

"I don't." A small voice said from behind the three of them.

Lukas turned to look at Jenya, who was staring right back at him, "You don't what, Jenya?"

Jenya stepped forward, "I don't find it hard to believe that Mr. Nagar never went after your mother. If he truly loved her, and she looked happy, then he wouldn't have the heart to stop her. You do irrational thing for those you love— even if it means losing them."

"What would you know about love?" Ana scoffed, rolling her eyes.

"I have lived long enough to witness love and loss."

Lukas looked at Jenya, his eyes wide. He realized just what she meant. It didn't take a rocket scientist to read Jenya, especially if you had grow up with her.

She had loved him and lost him.

All because he was selfish. It was his fault that she had gone into drugs and lost herself.

"I see you are the mature one." The Major noted, studying Jenya like a soldier preparing for battle.

He couldn't stand to look at her anymore. His heart broke into tinier pieces every time her looked at her. He was tearing himself up simply by looking at her.

Lukas turned away from her and started for the door, when his mother reached out for him. He met his mother's eyes, "Don't tell your father." She whispered.

Lukas huffed, "I won't, for his sake."