They had nothing good to say to each other. They never had, but Peter approached a side room and John followed. Peter standing next to Mitch at every "family" meeting replayed in his memory. His brother, the model son, rarely said anything. John closed the door behind them in a small room with no windows.
This was too much. John ran his hand through his hair and sat in the chair across from his brother. "Am I here for this event so we can play perfect family?"
"No." Peter stared at him but said nothing else.
John swallowed as his heart raced. "Then why? Because Dad wanted me for this?"
"I wanted you here. The will reading is in a few days."
"How exciting for you." John pursed his lips. Everyone knew Peter would inherit the company. He'd get whatever second sons get, and nothing else. John fidgeted with the keys in his pocket as he wondered if he took a position in Dad's companies, then he might prove their father wrong about him.
"This was never what I wanted," Peter said.
Yes it was.Peter had earned every penny of his inheritance.
Part of John wanted to shout that he'd start his own business, but then he realized that Peter wasn't their dad. He owed him no explanations. John held back his thoughts and fiddled with the top button of his shirt. "Are you sure you care one way or the other? We don't have to play happy home life. I know I don't want to."
Peter rolled his shoulders, his eyes wide. "So we continue to be rude? It's not like we know each other."
Someone knocked at the door. John loosened his tie. The room was suffocating. Peter stood up and walked across the room. Jennifer whispered, "The President has arrived and you need to greet him."
Peter nodded, but then he silently dismissed his girlfriend. John wondered if he'd be dismissed like that once whatever Peter wanted was done. Peter closed the door. Without a word, he sat back down.
John leaned forward. "That's absolutely true. We don't know anything about each other."
"You went to work for the FBI."
John inhaled. Despite how he was in college and Peter was away in grad school, their father confided and trusted only in Peter. He was the heir and Peter kept their father's secrets. John assumed their father told him about John's FBI career, but then again perhaps they only noticed him because of the multiple arrests he'd made of Mitch's colleagues. Peter sat back in his chair as John nodded. "I did. I wanted to arrest Dad. Should I have gone after you?"
"I didn't kill Victoria. I miss our sister as much as you."
John winced. Score one for Peter. Then he reclaimed his righteousness. "Why bring her up now?"
"She's why you joined the FBI."
There was no reason to deny anything. John said, "True. She was the only one who treated me as family."
His brother shifted his weight as he averted his gaze. "I never knew how to ... we never spoke the same language."
John redid his tie. In a moment they'd go back out. "No, you were always off with Dad."
"I did whatever he wanted, but I wasn't allowed to do most of what you did."
He re-crossed his legs. No one would feel sorry for Peter. John simply said, "I guess we all have our issues."
"I'm worried Father left things to you."
Like what?At least this was the truth and the real reason Peter wanted him here. John's shoulders tensed. Was Peter concerned that there was an off-chance he wasn't the crown prince? John stood up. "Whatever it is, I'm sure I don't want it."
Peter stared at the door and not at him. "I've never had a secret life, y'know. I'm not like you."
The FBI and football were hardly a secret. His family never came to any games, even if he was featured in the newspaper. His father and brother were always too busy for trivialities like that. Mitch disowned him once John joined the FBI. Red-hot fire rushed into his blood. "You could have left Dad in the dust years ago to do your own thing."
Thetskin his brother's voice echoed their father's. John's lip curled as Peter said, "While you were outside playing football, I was stuck inside making sure Dad's books were balanced."
Perhaps there was another side to their story, but feeling sympathy for Peter? He crossed his arms. "You could have come outside."
"No, I couldn't. If I didn't comply, he'd have gone after either you or Victoria, leaving none of us the option for fun."
