Page 16 of Never To Forever

“Take care of yourself when I’m gone, and look after my girls. Both of them. They’re going to need you.”

With tears in my eyes, I nodded and said,“I promise. I’ll take care of them.”

Her girls—Haven and Marie.

Marie was like a second daughter to my mom. Her mother had been best friends with mine, and when she’d died, mom had unofficially “adopted” Marie. She loved her and cared for her, looking out for her even after her dad remarried. I remember when she’d come over as a little girl to play with Haven and how Mom doted on both girls. The two of them together were often annoying and got on my nerves, but once they were older, it wasn’t so bad being around them. At some point, Marie really became part of the family. I started thinking of her as another little sister. Mom made me promise again and again to look after both her girls.

I’m glad Marie had my mom. Meredith has never really treated Marie like her daughter. Haven always complained when they were teenagers about how demanding of Marie her stepmother was, and that treatment has continued into adulthood. She treats her more like an assistant—someone she can dump her extra work and responsibilities onto and assumes Marie will take it all with a smile on her face.

It always pissed me off, and when I saw Meredith doing the same at the library the other week, I couldn’t just sit back and let her take advantage of Marie. I’d had to step in and do something.

The point is, I promised my mom I’d take care of Marie, just like I would Haven. That I’d protect her and look out for her. Like a sister.

I can’t break that promise to Mom. I can’t have these thoughts about Marie. She’s my responsibility, and I can only imagine what Mom would think if she knew I was even entertaining any kind of desire for her. She’d be disappointed, I’m sure. Disgusted, maybe… I don’t know.

Leaning forward, I take a long drink of my beer. I feel an ache in my chest and can’t decide if it’s my heart or my ribs. They’re healed, but now and then I still get a pang of discomfort. I’m doing well healing physically, but mentally, I’m a mess. Maybe having Marie help me study wasn’t such a good idea after all. It’s leaving me all twisted up inside and confused. The only thing that seems certain is my promise to Mom. I have to hold on to that. It was her dying wish for me, and I will not let her down.

Finishing my beer, I stand and move to set the bottle by the sink in the kitchen. Sucking in a deep breath, I steel my resolve. Marie is off limits. That’s all there is to it. I’ll protect her, care for her, and make sure she knows she still belongs in my family, even though mom is gone.

It can’t be more than that. No matter how delicious she smells or how kissable her lips might be, I cannot cross that line with her.

CHAPTER SEVEN

MARIE

Openingthe door to my house, I let out a sigh of relief. It’s been a long day, and I’m exhausted. I think having Garrett in the library for the last few weeks has gone well… I haven’t acted too awkward. I hope.

All I want to do right now is sit down with a glass of wine, put my feet up, and relax.

Dumping my purse next to the door and kicking off my shoes, I shuffle down the hall and into my kitchen. My house is small and outdated, but it’s cozy and the appliances in the galley kitchen are all shiny and new. When I moved in, I painted the wood cabinets white to make the space appear a little lighter and more open, and the tile floor and laminate countertops are all clean and in decent shape. I grab an unopened bottle of wine from the little rack on top of my fridge and set it on the counter. Humming to myself, I pull out a glass and the bottle opener, but just as I’m about to pop the cork free, my phone buzzes.

Pulling my phone from my pocket, I roll my eyes.Step-Monsterflashes across the screen. Meredith. No, thank you…

However, as I set the phone on the counter, ready to ignore it, guilt immediately slams through me. Shit… what if something’s really wrong? With a frustrated groan, I pick the phone back up and answer the call.

“Hey, Meredith. What’s up?”

“Marie, the little ones got home from school today sick with the flu,” she says without preamble. “We need you to let Ally stay over there until the kids are better. She has so much happening at school, plus her SAT test is coming up. Your father and I don’t want her to get sick too, so she has to stay with you.”

It’s not a question or a request, but it never is. This is the fourth time just this week she and Dad have had me take care of the kids—one morning, I had to drop the twins off at school, then I had to keep the youngest with me in the library, pick up groceries, and on and on.

“Meredith, I…”

“Your dad is on his way over to drop Ally off,” Meredith says, as if I wasn’t speaking at all.

“What?” I gasp. “But how did you even know I’d be home? What if I had plans?”

“Do you?”

I hesitate, “Well… no.”

“Then there’s no problem.”

That’s not the point, but of course, Meredith doesn’t get that, or she just doesn’t care. Still, I think of Ally. I want her to be successful and go to a good college, and I’ll help her however I can. None of this is her fault, so… I’ll suck it up for my sister’s sake.

“All right,” I murmur. “She can stay here.”

“We’ll let you know when the little ones are feeling better,” Meredith says. “Make sure Ally does her homework. She can’t fall behind.”

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