"Viktor... I mean... Father..." Drogo barely managed to utter. "What are you doing here?"
"Surprise!" Viktor smirked, enjoying his son's complete shock. "I decided to come and check on how the remodeling is progressing."
Viktor proceeded to meander around the place, scrutinizing every nook and cranny. Drogo followed him around, in a zombie-like state. He still couldn't quite believe that his tormentor was standing right in front of him.
"Why didn't you write or wire ahead of time? We could've picked you up in Boston," Drogo asked.
Viktor shrugged. "It wasn't any harder to take a carriage by myself. I am a grown man, after all."
Drogo sighed. "That's not what I meant..."
"I know, I know," Viktor waved dismissively. "It was a rather spur of the moment decision... no time for letters and such." He picked up a square of light maple wood proposed for the flooring and examined it. "I'm not sure I like this one," Viktor threw it back into the pile of various samples.
Drogo was still trying to wrap his head around the whole thing. He watched Viktor through a dream-like haze, doing his best to remain calm.
"How are things in Vienna?" Drogo eventually inquired. The last news he and Nicolae had gotten was of Viktor and Josette's breakup. But the letter was from Peter, not their father, so Drogo didn't know how to broach the subject.
"Fine. Why do you ask?" Viktor stopped and turned around, fixing his son with his cold emerald eyes.
"I was just wondering, that's all," Drogo stuck his hands in his pant pockets and rocked back and forth on his heels, looking like a guilty toddler.
"Just wondering, eh?" Viktor arched an eyebrow. "I assume you already know that Josette and I have temporarily separated."
"I heard that rumor... yes," Drogo grew uncomfortable under his maker's close scrutiny.
Viktor scoffed. "I figured Peter would write to you boys about it."
"How come you didn't?" It was Drogo's turn to arch an eyebrow.
"Because... at the time... I wasn't sure how things would turn out in the long run," Viktor said dryly.
"And now... how do you think they will... turn out?" Drogo asked.
"I think Josette will come back to me," Viktor replied confidently. "Now that her parents are gone and no longer filling her head with ideas about women's rights and independence... She will need my support once more and hopefully realize the error of her ways.
Drogo pulled a face. Viktor was certainly old-fashioned in his thinking. He didn't want to pursue the delicate subject, so he instead asked: "How's Lorie? Is she handling it okay?"
"Lorie is wonderful," Viktor said proudly. "She is daddy's little girl," his eyes sparkled mischievously. "I think she much prefers spending time with me than with her mother and her boring friends."
"Hmph..." It was all Drogo could think of saying.
"Where is Nicolae?" Viktor asked, looking around for his older son.
"At the bank," Drogo answered. "He is there every morning at eight, except on Sundays."
"Good lad," Viktor remarked. "I knew I could count on him to run a tight ship." He looked Drogo up and down for a bit and said: "And what about you? What are you doing with yourself these days?"
"Nothing much, really," Drogo shrugged. "A bit of this and a bit of that..."
Viktor scoffed. "Typical." He then added: "I have a little project for you."
YOU ARE READING
Why Lorie? Part II
Fanfiction** Mature content! **This is the second part of Lorie's story that starts after Drogo is banished to America. I try to alternate chapters between Lorie's life in Vienna, and Drogo and Nicolae's in Mystery Spell. Read on to find out how Lori become...
