The Forgotten Ones

Chapter 24: All Good Things - Part 2

"Even to this day, I wonder how differently things could have went if I wasn't so impatient. If my mother was just...a little bit further back."

"It's not surprising that something like that would lead to developing hemophobia and a hatred for the show Thunder Birds. It wasn't anything less than traumatizing." His blue eyes looked up from his desk. "I truly didn't mean to leave so suddenly the other night. I just...can't handle the sight of it."

"No it's fine, really." Elias said still shocked by the story. "I'm sorry for your loss. I had no idea."

Shaking his head, Charles gave a short pursed grin.

Elias also had no idea that when he entered his office Charles would go on a tangent explaining why he suddenly left that night. He'd been called to the office at Charles' request to finish the conversation they'd started, and even though Elias was relieved to get out of class at first, he didn't find it necessary. He hadn't given much thought to the man's avoidance when it originally happened. Though, Charles still felt compelled to express his disgrace for suddenly leaving. He seemed ashamed of his fear almost, and it appeared the conversation was a form of redemption. He sat him down and explained his phobia before justifying it. He could tell Charles was uncomfortable by the way he looked, but Elias truly didn't feel offended at all from the other night.

"No one really does anymore." Charles continued. "No one except one of my students and Paul of course. Y-you asked about him. Not me." He laughed nervously. "No one actually asks about me. Paul runs Hudco, but I'm sure you already knew that. He's a good man--he's been nothing but a great brother to me. Despite what the media chooses to show." His eyes averted momentarily.

"With the affair?"

He met Eli's gaze before sighing. "He's a good man." He said. "Not a perfect one."

"Do you think...Paul would ever try to sabotage Hudco?"

"Sabotage Hud--" he was interrupted by his own snickers. "That's insane. Now look, I can't defend all his decisions. I'm not Paul, but I can tell you one thing. He cares about Hudco. We both do. We were brought up to. It was our life."

His eyes narrowed slightly as he paused. "That's a very interesting question to ask. Why?"

Shit.

"Well, Paul has been the talk of the town lately." Elias shrugged. "It's natural for rumors to spread. I just want to know which ones are true."

"I see." He nodded. "A truth seeker--a sleuth if you will."

"Just a curious nobody." Elias replied, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Ask away." He sat back. "There's a few more minutes until school ends."

"Well, you swear by him. It's just a little weird. Weren't you guys competing all your lives?"

"Yes." He answered bluntly. "Everything we did was always compared--all the way down to the way we tied our shoes." He laughed, shaking his head. "It sounds worse than it is. I love my brother."

"Didn't you ever feel your father's decision was biased? Being that Paul was his preferred child."

"Absolutely not." Charles answered. "My relationship with my father was a complex one indeed, but he had nothing but love for me. When my mother died, he started grooming us both. Even though he may have always been more pleased with Paul, he gave me the same opportunities. He always treated us the same. It was never a matter of who was the best son, only who was the best fit for the company."