How dare he tell me to marry him? I’m so mad that after all these years, he practically demands that I marry him. Fuck that, I don’t need him. I’ve learned all I need is myself. I made it through so much, and I might have had support, but I chose to live, and now I’m going to choose my future. Mine.

The rest of the day, I spend how I want. I go shopping and come home to eat supper with the family, where I ignore Liam.

Catherine tells me, “Tomorrow, Avery, we will be having some people over for lunch. They are all waiting to meet you.”

I nod because I know what she’s referring to, and I know she doesn’t want anyone knowing about it.

I announce to the family my plans, “I would like to take this time to tell everyone thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything you all have done for me. I can never pay any of you back for all the support and love you have all given to me. With that said, I decided that I will be leaving soon. I’ll stay until the baby comes. Once he makes his arrival, I will be moving out. It’s time for me to get back home and begin my new life.”

Fallon starts crying, and Liam says, “You can’t do that!”

“I can, and I am. You cannot tell me what I can do, Liam. I thought I made that perfectly clear.”

He goes to tell me something else when Catherine stops him. “Avery can do what she’d like. She is a free woman.”

She then turns her attention to me. “I’m going to miss you, Avery, but I understand. Besides, I know we will see a lot of each other in the future. Just know you don’t have to leave, and you will always be welcomed back home. It is, you know, your home, here with all of us.”

I start crying along with Fallon. Catherine gets up and hugs both of us and says, “No matter what, you will always be like a daughter to me.”

After supper, I go for a late-night swim and then retire for the night.

The next day, Catherine has the meeting set up in the living room. As I walk in, I notice the room is filled, even Fallon is here.

Catherine sees me first. “Avery, come in. I would like to introduce you to some colleagues of mine.”

I nervously walk towards her as she introduces me to them all. Brittany, Candy, Alexis, Candice, Meghan and two gentlemen, Leo and Chris, all shake my hand as I’m passed around.

“Okay, everyone, please have a seat. Avery is a dear family friend who is more like family than friend. So, I am going to vouch for her. I would like for you to all trust what she has to say.”

I stand in the front of the fireplace after Catherine gives her speech and then turns, telling me to start.

I begin. “Hi, everyone, it is a pleasure to meet all of you. Catherine asked me to look at what I assume are accounts belonging to all of you. I would like to say it was not disclosed to me about how the money was acquired and it’s none of my business. But I can tell you that it has been mismanaged. The accounts have been invested but not watched. There are better investments that will produce higher yields. Also, there are better ways to invest some of the money involved in a way to not be hit with so many taxes. The biggest error I have found, and probably the reason why Catherine asked me to look into your accounts, is that some of the money that was reported has come up missing.”

The room goes crazy. People are frantically asking questions and demanding to know where their money has gone. Catherine stands and gets their attention focused on her.

“Enough. I suspected foul play. That’s why I asked Avery to take a look. You all know I only have the best intentions for all of you. The money that has come up missing will be replaced by me personally. I should have never let it get that far. It’s my fault, and I take full responsibility.”

She’s interrupted by Leo, who asks, “Where the hell is Stanley? And what are you planning to do to him?”

Catherine focuses on him. “Leo, I can’t believe you’re questioning me. You know I do not allow anyone to ever steal from me. It might not have been my money, but you are all protected by me. Please don’t worry, Stanley was handled swiftly and will not be heard from again.”

She sits and asks me to continue, but I’m trying to decipher her meaning that he won’t be heard from again. Shit, okay, I can do this.

Before I can regain my voice, I’m saved by Alexis. “How much money was taken?”

I clear my throat and say, “A little over two hundred thousand. Not from one individual account, but as a collective.”

Brittany stands. “Catherine, you can’t pay that back.” She collects herself and says. “I mean no disrespect, I didn’t mean you couldn’t afford to. What I meant to say is I don’t want you to. We are all grown-ups, and we know without you we would never have what we do have. So, I don’t expect you to replace any of the money. Of course, I can’t speak for the rest, but for my account, I don’t want your money.”

The rest of them slowly all agree. I have an idea.

“There might be a way for all of you to recoup the money stolen, and it won’t be from Catherine.”

They all start asking how. “I know of an upcoming company I have been watching from when I was in school. In fact, I made my final report on them. I say we buy into the company and watch it carefully. The stock is going to rise, then we sell fast. I will let you all know it is a high-risk company, but my money is on them. If it pays off, you will get your money back plus some. But with everything else in life, it’s a gamble.”

They ask more questions, and I answer all of them as professionally as I can.

Later, I tell them, “Now, I noticed not all, but a lot of the money looks questionable. The government could start looking into it. I noticed that not enough of the money is being laundered properly. I recommend more solid investments. For instance, real estate. You can purchase, say, several apartments and rent some, but leave some empty. I’m sure Catherine can help with bogus names. You can pretend they are renting the apartment in order for you to launder your own money through the rentals. It will all look very legit. I also suggest businesses. There are a lot of tax breaks for small business owners, and even more for businesses losing money. That could help in the long run.”

Catherine asks them what they all would like to do. After some debate, they all decide to go along with my plan. I start giving them more details, and they all look pleased. Once the business side is finished, everyone has a drink and starts mingling.

Catherine walks up to me, handing me my drink, and says, “I knew you could do it. They love you and seem very excited about your ideas. I knew they would.”

“Catherine, may I ask what they all do?”

“That, Avery, will be answered after.”

“Huh? After what?”

She doesn’t answer me but tells the rest she has some other business to complete. She tells them that they are all welcome to stay with Fallon and me.

I join in on a conversation between Fallon, Brittany, and Candy. Fallon’s telling them all about her pregnancy, and they are rubbing her belly. They seem to be all close; it makes me wonder how she knows all of them. Fallon changes the conversation from pregnancy to sex. I laugh as she tells them about Gabriel being afraid to give it to her good.

She says, “He’s so scared to touch me. I don’t know what I’m going to do if I don’t get him to make love to me soon. I mean, once I have the baby, I have to wait for six weeks before I can have my husband again. What if it’s not the same?”

We all laugh at her pouting. Candy says, “Trust me, Fallon, it all goes back to normal size, and it will feel the same. After my daughter was born, I was scared to, but I never got any complaints. As far as Gabriel goes, he’s full of shit. Unless you are in any danger of losing the baby, sex is recommended.”

Brittany tells her, “Maybe you should seduce him. You know, dress up in something sexy and demand to be made love to. Don’t ask, just take.”

We all laugh again, and then Brittany turns to me and asks, “So, are you with someone, Avery?”

“No, not really. I’m keeping my options open.”

Fallon goes on to say, “Yeah, you should see her options. One is Liam, and the other one is just as gorgeous.”

I pinch her hard; it’s kind of our thing, “Shit, Avery, what was that for?”

“You have a big mouth, that’s what.”

“Sorry, but come on, it’s just the girls. They won’t say anything. Right, girls?”

They both nod, and Brittany asks, “So, Liam, huh? That man is pretty. I can’t imagine him having any competition, but I’m glad he does. He could use some healthy competition. As a matter of fact, all the Stern men can. Their egos are oversized. Ask Fallon how she worked other men against Gabriel.”

I’m shocked. “You did. You played him like that.”

She nods. “I sure did. He thought he could make all the decisions, so I gave him a look at what it would look like to lose me. He came running right to me.”

She looks straight at me now and says, “Sort of like you’re doing.”

“I’m not doing anything to anyone.”

“Sure you are. You know Liam wants you, but then all of a sudden here comes beautiful, gorgeous Phil.”

“Yeah, well, Phil is no longer an option.”

“What do you mean he’s not an option?”

I decide to tell her the whole truth. I tell her all about Lucy and Phil falling in love.

They all listen intensely. After I’m finished, Brittany says, “Wow, you better not tell Liam.”

“Why not? I don’t care what Liam thinks.”

She laughs at me. “Avery, for one, if you truly don’t want Liam, then he’s your excuse. Now if you do want Liam, Phil is the push Liam needs to realize how much he wants you.”

“That already happened, Brittany. He told me he wants me to marry him.”

Fallon shouts, “What?!”

“Yep, in the bathroom. It pissed me off. So, I ignored it, yelled at him and left. I don’t want to marry a man who wants to marry me only because he thinks another man wants me. I used to dream of being Liam’s wife, but not now. It’s over. I just want a fresh start.”

Now Candy says, “I hope you won’t be sorry. Liam has never had a hard time finding a woman, and it won’t be long before he finds another if you keep refusing him. How will you feel when he does? Because I promise you, women are just waiting for him to look their way.”

“I don’t know.”

I really don’t.