34
Entering Keith’s office, I’m struck by the resemblance between the two Arcadis.
Roman is a little shorter than Vadim, and his thick hair is cut short and a shade lighter.
Nevertheless, they have the same fine features, the same gray eyes that are both gentle and cold, and the same full mouth.
It’s more than just a family resemblance.
They both have a melancholic air. An attitude that’s a little distant, a little angry, hard to define. But the detachment is only a mask.
At Keith’s suggestion, the two brothers were left alone together for ten minutes before we were let in—me and a very chic woman in her fifties. I quickly learned she was Roman’s adoptive mother, Mrs. Carter.
Roman Carter.
During the two hours the brothers spend together, Vadim can’t seem to relax.
I see him tense up as he reels off his childhood memories and his brother admits he can’t remember anything.
Roman is moved to discover his parents in the old photos Vadim brought with him.
Mrs. Carter points out Jane Howard King’s beauty and refers to her as the boys’ “birth mother.” Vadim’s jaw clenches.
Then, the discussion shifts to the present: Roman’s brilliant academic record, his eighteenth birthday, his girlfriend, the different sports he plays, and the medical studies he plans to pursue, following in his father’s footsteps.
At this reference to “his father,” Vadim stiffens even more.
He only gives brief, tight-lipped answers to the questions asked of him.
And the awkwardness grows. Roman, polite and well-raised, doesn’t know how to react to the story of his older brother’s chaotic childhood. His adoptive mother seems extremely affected by this injustice, and basically apologizes for not having adopted him too.
“I promise you I didn’t know there were two of you,” she whispers, tears in her eyes. “I’m sorry.”
“I don’t need your apologies,” Vadim says. “I was just surprised they separate siblings.”
“They shouldn’t,” I add. “You should have grown up together.”
I take his hand and squeeze it tightly, while Keith tries to explain to us how complicated the orphan adoption system is. Then Vadim’s caseworker puts an end to this strange and somewhat bitter reunion.
“It’s going to take time for everyone to process all this. But remember that it’s no one’s fault. Your lives have taken different paths, and nothing can change that now. You can only decide what you make of it from now on.”
With these wise words, the brothers part with a perfunctory handshake. They don’t talk about seeing each other again, and Vadim leaves feeling shaken. Disappointed. Sickened.
“Thanks for coming with me, Alma.”
“Do you want to talk about all this?”
“No, I think I need to be alone.”
“I understand. But you have the right to feel everything you’re feeling, Vadim. It’s so unfair.”
“I’ll call you after my appointment with Michelle Kerry, okay?”
He is already walking away, maybe so I won’t see him cry, maybe to try to move on quickly. I tell him that I love him and that he is no longer alone, but I don’t think he hears me.
***
I’m not really in the mood for a family lunch, and apparently neither are the other Lancasters.
For the past hour, my mother has been making bitter allusions to my father’s repeated absences, and he feels compelled to remind us that he works hard to provide us with this lifestyle.
It’s a patriarchal broken record we’ve heard a thousand times before, but it looks like Marie Lancaster has decided not to take it lying down today.
“No one here is asking for anything other than a father and a husband,” she assures my father, who is sitting at the other end of the table.
There’s that tense smile and saccharine tone she uses on bad days. One look at Lily, and we both come to the same conclusion: Take cover!
In the blink of an eye, voices become raised, and cutting remarks are launched across the table.
My father plants both fists on the table and gets to his feet, knocking his chair over in the process.
Fearing for the dishes—but more for my mother—I stand up, ready to defend her on principle.
Basile tries to intervene but is immediately shut down by his dad.
Georgia comes out with our dessert but immediately turns on her heel and heads back into the kitchen.
Lily’s eyes well up with tears as she begs them to stop in a small voice.
My phone vibrates in my pocket. I take it out discreetly to read the message I just received.
[I landed a contract. A shampoo ad.
Not exactly the highlight of my new career,
But you’ll soon see my face
plastered all over the back of buses.
Well, if you still want to be with me when I’m
the face of Shine shampoo for curly hair.
The things I am willing to do
for the beautiful Alma Lancaster…]
I can’t help but smile, even though this is really not the moment for it. Then, my heart leaps in my chest when my father brusquely orders me to put my phone away and demands to know what is so amusing. I don’t answer.
Lily bursts into tears. Arms crossed, cheeks wet, and eyes clouded with fury, my little sister finally explodes. “We don’t give a flying fling about whatever’s going on between you two! You’re the worst! You argue so much that you don’t care about anything else anymore, not even us!”
“Lily, stay out of this,” my father warns. “And stop acting like a baby. I’ve had enough of the women in this family crying all the time.”
“How can you talk to her like that?” I blurt out. “Have you ever stopped to consider that you might be the reason everyone is crying?!”
My father’s eyes widen, and my little sister seizes the opportunity.
“She’s right, you only think about yourself.
And you don’t even see what’s happening right in front of your eyes!
Basile is gay, and he’s so afraid of you that he doesn’t dare tell you.
Alma is still with Vadim. He came with us to France, and you have no idea how happy we were there!
And if you keep this up, Mom is going to go back to live in Paris forever!
And I’ll go with her! There, are you happy? ”
I hold my breath, my mother’s face falls, and even Lily seems stunned by what just came out of her mouth. Before my father has time to react, Basile throws his napkin onto his plate, leaps to his feet, and runs toward the front door. We listen as it is opened and then slammed shut.
My father’s furious glare turns on me now. He seems too shocked to speak. I take advantage of this momentary hesitation to stand up, pull my little sister by the arm, and whisk her upstairs.
Shut away in my room, we’ll shelter from the storm. And I’ll remind Lily that you can’t just vent your anger without thinking, even when it weighs heavily on you. Especially when it concerns other people’s business. But first, I grab my phone to text Vadim.
[So proud of you. But it’s chaos here.
My drama queen sister blurted everything out to my dad.
About us. About Basile.
Basile bolted. Can you
try to catch up with him?
You could take the car.
I’m afraid he might
do something stupid…]
[Okay, I’m on my way.]