Page 50 of Three Stepbrothers Save Christmas

“Of course not,” Ethan protests as he runs a hand over her head. “You were doing as you were told; it wasn’t your decision.”

I kiss the top of her head, and Travis nods at her with a small smile.

“Do you mind if I go and see her?” she replies quietly.

“Why on earth would we stop you from seeing your Auntie? We are not here to control your life; we want you to take control of it. You have acted how others expected you to for so long you don’t even know who you really are!” Ethan exclaims next to her.

“What Ethan is trying to say is that none of us would ever tell you where you can go or who you can see. Is that what you thought this was going to be like?” Travis asks as he stands beside me.

“Well, no, but you all want to have this big chat, and I know it’s important, but my Auntie is more coherent in the morning, so I wanted to see her first,” she answers, and I realise another reason she is so worried about asking us.

“Would anyone else make you change your plans to fit around theirs?” I ask. Verity chews on her lip and shrugs. I can imagine her father telling her not to argue or throw a tantrum if she asked to do something when he already had plans.

“How does this sound? I will get showered and dressed whilst you eat breakfast, and then I’ll drive you to the home while Travis and Ethan do whatever they want. Then, once we return, we can all sit and have lunch and decide on a few things together,” I suggest.

“That sounds like a good idea to me. Do you feel up to dancing tonight? Or would you rather have another night off?” Travis asks.

“I don’t know. Can I think about it and let you know?” she asks, looking around.

“Of course you can, Sweetheart, take all the time you need. Just tell us what you want to do, and we are here for it, okay?”

Verity looks to Travis and smiles, thankfully not with a fake one like earlier.

“Good girl. Now, eat your breakfast. By the time you finish that and get your coat and scarf, Ryan will be ready too,” Travis announces, pointing to her plate of bacon medallions, eggs and plum tomatoes.

As Verity starts cutting up her food, I walk past her and kiss her cheek.

“I’ll be ready when you are,” I tell her, rushing up the stairs with a coffee cup in my hand, heading for the world's quickest shower so I can be washed and dressed by the time she finishes her food and is ready to leave.

27

Verity

I chew on my thumb nervously as Ryan drives. I have the small gift I picked out for my Auntie on my lap and a box of her favourite chocolates.

“What exactly is wrong with your Auntie?”

I glance over at him and shrug.

“I don’t know the exact diagnosis. She suffers from memory loss as well as gets confused easily. She has also developed a type of paranoia. If you had met her before the accident, you would have seen that she was the nicest, calmest person you ever met. But now she has angry outbursts and swears and shouts. She has good days and bad days. The last time I went, she didn’t recognise me; she thought I was my mum. They said she had become paranoid during the night, and they had sedated her, which caused the confusion. She kept telling me to watch as they were after my money. Or something like that.”

“That can’t be easy to witness. How often do you go to see her?” Ryan reaches over and takes my hand, lifts it to his mouth to kiss my knuckles.

“I try to go a few times a month. Sometimes, I’m only there for a couple of minutes and have to leave. Sometimes, they wouldn’t let me see her because she was having an episode. But occasionally, she will be in a lovely mood, and I stay there for an hour or two talking to her.” I look out the window and try to focus on the memories of days she was more lucid.

“It’s lovely that you try so hard to keep her in your life. She must have meant a lot to you.” Ryan says, squeezing my hand slightly.

“She was the only friend I had for a long time. I spent weekends at her place, playing in the garden with her and her dog. She was the one who encouraged me to keep dancing after Mum died.

“My Auntie got along with Dad but never forgave him for always leaving me and Mum behind. My mum would say he had asked her, but she didn’t want to disturb my life by moving back and forth to the States. So, instead, we stayed home. When she got sick, he still travelled as much and wasn’t even here when she died.”

I take a deep breath to try and control my emotions as I look out of the car window as the world flies by.

“I made so many excuses for his behaviour in the past, and they all seemed liable. But I can’t find an excuse this time, which makes it worse.”

Ryan squeezes my hand, letting me know he’s there.

“I know the three of us aren’t the same, but we will never leave you like he has. Even though Travis wants to be your daddy, that doesn’t mean Ethan and I don’t want to care for you and offer any support you need. We aren’t here for the sex; we are here for you and to make you feel safe and happy again.” He lets out a deep chuckle and shakes his head. “I’ve never been very good at expressing my feelings, and I know I’m probably making a pig’s ear of this. But what I’m trying to say is, I care for you so much, and I want to help you to realise how loved you are and to see you don’t need him because you have us three.” Ryan turns to look at me as he parks up outside the home. “Am I making sense? Like, even a little bit?” he asks nervously. I smile slightly, nodding.

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