Deadly Silence (complete) Chapter 106

Unlike when he knocked on Vivian’s door, his knuckles struck Laurent’s with much more force. The sounds coming from the other side were suddenly gone and his son opened the door with a frown.

“Do you know where Vivian is?” Samuel demanded, not bothering with a greeting.

Laurent raised his brow and opened the door more, tilting his head to one side as though telling his father to look in that direction.

Samuel’s eyes swept the room before landed on the figure curled up in Laurent’s bed. Why was Vivian in her brother’s bed?

Stepping into the room, he made his way to his daughter. She was indeed in Laurent’s bed, fast asleep and hugging a pink elephant.

“She came in not long after we got home,” Laurent said after a moment, returning to his gaming chair with a small huff. At the ‘we’ comment, Samuel looked over and noted Reagan was also there; he’d been so focused on Vivian he hadn’t realized the boy had been in the room.

“Why?” He managed to ask before returning his focus to the sleeping form. Carefully, he sat on the edge of the bed but she didn’t so much as stir.

“Said she couldn’t sleep and asked if it was okay if she hung out.”

Reagan chuckled a little. “Less than five minutes after that she was fast asleep, so we put her to bed.”

“I see…” *Who would’ve thought she’d bond with Laurent like this… I thought Gabriel had gotten the closest. When did this happen? How?* “I didn’t realize you two were so close.”

“You and me both,” he heard Laurent mutter, drawing his attention to see his youngest son looking awkward. This boy who was prone to outbursts and being difficult just to be difficult might have changed the most out of them all, even Vivian. Samuel would have never thought this son of his would have a gentle bone in his body and yet, looking back at that afternoon, it’d been Laurent who’d made sure everyone respected Vivian’s boundaries when she couldn’t do it herself.

The more he thought about it, the more it dawned on Samuel that his two youngest children were the most alike. Laurent didn’t like people, didn’t trust them and preferred keeping one good friend around; he didn’t see the need for anything more. Wasn’t Vivian the same? She didn’t settle and chose those she trusted with upmost care. What others thought, what they said didn’t phase her in the least.

Both of them were unapologetically true to themselves at all times.

*What a fool I’ve been.* “Laurent…”

“I can take her back to her room,” Laurent shrugged, not knowing what was going on in his father’s head. “I just figured she fell asleep here so waking up somewhere else might be weird.”

“No,” Samuel shook his head, a small smile tugging at his mouth as he looked back at his daughter. With a gentle touch, he brushed a few strands of hair from her face. A small noise came from her at the gesture but she settled just as quick. “This is fine. No point moving her.”

There was a minute of silence before Laurent began to fidget. “Did you need something or just to see Vivian?”

“Hmmm?” Samuel had lost himself to his thoughts as he watched his daughter sleep. Why *had* he come in the first place? To see Vivian… to apologize. Right. “It’s nothing that can’t wait. Dinner is in the oven and should be ready in about an hour. You’re welcome to join us, as always, Reagan.”

“Thanks, Mr Devreaux,” the redhead grinned.

“Want me to wake her when it’s ready?” Laurent asked as his father finally stood up.

“No… no. Let her sleep. I’ll make her a plate for later. Actually…” Samuel paused, frowning. If she woke up in Laurent’s room alone, what would go through her mind? “If you want to eat in here I’ll allow it for today.”

The boys exchanged questioning looks. It was a house rule that all meals were to be taken in the kitchen or dining room. To be allowed to eat in Laurent’s bedroom was so far from the norm neither boy knew how to react.

“That reminds me,” he continued as though he hadn’t just turned the world upside down with his previous sentence. “I’ve decided Thanksgiving will be just us this year.”

“Because of Vivian?” His son asked.

Samuel nodded, looking back at his daughter again. “After today… The last thing I want is to put her through something else so soon.”

“Did you ask her what she wanted?” Laurent prodded, catching his father by surprise.

*What she wanted?* “I asked, yes, and she was suppose to give me her answer last night but I ended up working late.” In truth he’d watched the surveillance footage of her snooping in his office, and decided to spend more time out of the house to see if she’d chance it a second time.

“So let her give you an answer once she’s awake.”

Samuel frowned. Where was this coming from? Laurent never thought about what others wanted… at least not as far as his father was aware.

…or was he as blind about his son’s wants and needs as he was about Vivian’s? Was Samuel putting his own view on his youngest son and forcing the boy to be someone he wasn’t? Or expecting him to be someone he didn’t want to be?

What did he really know about Laurent as a person? Had he ever stopped to take into account the boy’s thoughts and feelings on matters, or had he made all the decisions and forced things to be as he deemed fit?

It was no wonder Laurent was a prickly person.

*I’m really failing as a father lately, aren’t I, Annie? You would be so disappointed.*

“I’ll do that, then,” Samuel nodded as he tore his gaze from his daughter and focused on his youngest son. “Thank you, Laurent.”

Surprise flashed over his son’s face. *I’ve never thanked him for anything before, have I? Have I even shown him any respect at all? Have I shown that I trust him? It looks like I need to earn not only Vivian’s trust but Laurent’s as well.*

“Don’t worry about it,” Laurent muttered, spinning his chair around so Samuel could no longer see his face.

“I’ll bring you up a couple plates when dinner is finished,” Samuel told them as he stepped through the door and paused before closing it. “Laurent…” How was he supposed to explain himself after all this time? Should he just apologize? Would his son even accept something like that after so much had happened between them?

“Yeah, yeah,” his son sighed. “I’ll keep an eye on her and let you know when she wakes up.”