Chapter 2

Ira had been so angry at Luke that she didn't stop to think about what she intended to do. It hadn't even been on her mind till she walked to meet him. She had expected him to be at the hospital before she got there, only for her to find out that he was still in Newyork. Yes, she knew his business was his top priority, but she expected something different in times like this. Alone, she had felt so broken and useless, especially when she had been told what was needed of her. Ira had been so weak that she had actually wished Luke was beside her, something she wouldn't have thought of had she been in her right sense. The pulsating sensation in her right hand brought her back to the present and she realised that the incident had been witnessed by many. She drew back her hand, careful to be gentle about it, not willing to show him he hadn't been the only one hurt from the slap.

He mechanically turned his head to look at her, his forest green eyes, lifeless as always.

"Get out!" Ira heard herself whisper with a lot of vehemence. She wondered why he only brought out the worst in her whenever they were in the same space.

"You have no right to say that to me, Ira." He said her name in that condescending way only he knew how to do, making her blood run cold. She hated it when he called her name that way, and she knew he was aware of it. He purposefully made it sound synonymous to trash, like he found it totally tasteless and uninspiring, like it was beneath his idea of names he considered speak able. Times without number she had complained to her sister only to be laughed at.

Oh! Ira, you definitely love to imagine things that are not.

Thanks to him, she had begun to hate her name back when they had first met. Not anymore. She didn't care one bit for him or his opinion of her like she stupidly did back when she was younger.

"I have every right to say what I want... How dare you come to the hospital now? Where were you when you were supposed to be here?" He opened his mouth to speak but she held up her hand, preventing him from speaking. "I don't even know why I bother asking?" she scoffed, her voice bitingly harsh to the ears. "Our siblings died and you remained in your office to have a meeting. James needed you and you failed him. How cruel could you be?" Ira's eyes were narrowed in disbelief as she stared at him like he crawled out from a cave after selling his soul to the devil. Luckily, Luke didn't care for her opinion.

Don't tell a lie!

Luke didn't say anything, even though he could have told her that his new secretary had been too lily-livered to deliver the tragic message till late in at night immediately the meeting had ended. He knew he had no excuse at all.

"I did all I could from Newyork when I found out." was all he allowed himself to say in that monotonous voice of his. Just hearing the tone less voice that bothered on bored had her grabbing him by the collar of his expensive blue Italian shirt. Tears she thought she was done shedding began to fall anew.

"All you could my ass. You should have rushed down here. You should have gotten on that fancy jet of yours instantly. You should have..." she couldn't bring herself to finish, her chest heaving as she cried. The reality of not having her sister close to her anymore finally becoming real. She released him and dropped to the floor, sobbing loudly while clutching her chest as she called her sister's name.

"Becca!" She cried out, wrapping her arms around herself. Luke straightened his collar, took one pitying look at her before walking away.

~

Luke listened intently as the doctor said all he knew concerning his nephew's health. He squeezed his fists when he heard the doctor give a prognosis of the possibility of his nephew having problems walking normally.

"I can't be sure though, so we must wait till he wakes up before we finally know the way forward." The medium sized doctor adjusted his square rimmed glasses, his eyes on the Luke.

Luke tried to speak but his throat felt tight. He cleared his throat loudly before trying again.

"You can leave." He dismissed the man, not bothering to be polite about it. The doctor who was used to all types of relatives didn't bat an eye at the blatant dismissal. He walked out of the room, pausing by the door for a second before he turned and left him alone.

Satisfied he was alone, Luke closed the remaining distance between he and his nephew. His face shook as he held back tears, stroking back Jamie's curly blonde hair. The boy had bruises of various colors on his handsome face. It was like staring at a bruised angel.

A memory from his recent past flashed in his mind.

"You're so strong uncle Luke. Is there anything you can't do?" Jamie asked as he and Luke sat on the floor beside the pool, their legs dangling in the cool water of the blue pool. Daniel and Rebecca had gone for an event so he had promised to look after Jamie for them.

Luke pretended to think about it, putting his hand under his chin as he did. Jamie waited patiently in that special way of his that made him seem more like an adult than a kid of seven years.

"I don't think there is anything I have failed at." Luke finally answered and Jamie turned his head as he thought of his answer, drawing a laugh out of him.

"That's not possible. You have to had failed at something. You just don't want to tell me."

"I didn't know you want me to fail at something." Luke tousled Jamie's curly hair, to which the latter tried to swat his hand away with one of his.

When the moment was over, Jamie continued, "It's not like I want you to fail. I just think it is not possible." Jamie turned his inquisitive eyes to his uncle who looked deep in thought.

"You're right. I have failed at many things. But I promised myself that I would fail less and succeed more, most especially in protecting my loved ones." Luke answered, his chest swelling with pride at his cool answer..

"Aunt Ira said I shouldn't believe all you say." Luke quickly reduced his voice to a whisper before cursing. Leave it to Ira to fill the boys head with nonsense about him.

"Ira, li.." He opened his mouth to contradict whatever it was she told the boy. But as he peered down his nephew's big green eyes, so much like his, he couldn't bring himself to say anything against the damned woman. With no other choice, he started again.

"Erm, what does Ira know? She is just jealous you love me more. Besides, I have never failed you before now, have I?" he waited for the little boy to agree with him before continuing. "So rest assured that I will do all in my power to protect you."

Jamie had raised his hand to do a pinky promise, something he learnt from Ira. Luke didn't like it, but he did it anyway. Anything to make his nephew happy.

"Now that you've promised, I feel safe." the little boy grinned, his irregular white teeth shining in the dark of the evening.

Luke held back a sob as he realised he had failed to do as he promised. He wished for a second chance to make it up to him. This was one promise he would never break.