Two weeks later, Katherine had just finished washing the dishes from her quickly prepared dinner that she had to force herself to eat when there was a knock on the door. Not many people knew her address, so she couldn't imagine who it might be. She wiped her hands on a towel and moved to the door to look through the peephole.
She was surprised to see all three of her sisters standing on the other side.
Katherine opened the door and held it wide for them to enter without saying a word as they entered the small space, looking around curiously.
The apartment had belonged to Beth when Katherine had moved in nine years earlier. When Beth and Wyatt had married, Beth sold the apartment to her. It was two bedrooms, one bathroom, and a kitchen-living room combo. It was dated, but since Katherine wasn't there much, it suited her needs.
"I expected something grander?" Jackie said as she sat down on the couch with a bounce.
"I don't need much, and I don't spend that much time here." Katherine perched on a chair, watching Jillian and Jessie as they poked around. It was rude, but they were her little sisters, so she was used to it.
"Bryce gave us your address like you said he would," Jessie said, sitting on the couch next to her sister, taking stock of Katherine as if she was seeing her in a new light. "I was curious how you knew all those famous people, so I did a little digging."
"We had no clue that you were a model and had your own television show in England, Katie!" Jillian exclaimed as she sat in the other chair across from Katherine. "Why did you keep it from us?"
"I didn't do it purposely. We just never had much to do with each other after I left. I told Mom, and I thought she would have told you." Katherine shrugged.
"No, she wouldn't have. She wouldn't have wanted George to know," Jessie softly said.
"George?" Katherine asked, looking at her sister. "Don't tell me you're his step-children too?" Katherine wouldn't be surprised by anything regarding George.
"No, he's our father," Jessie grimaced, "but we decided if you have to call him George, we should too."
Katherine felt tears threatening, and she cleared her throat. "You know that it's not necessary, right? I don't want to ever come between you and George." It meant the world to her that they would stand up for her like that. She had never expected it.
"It was as much a surprise to us as it was to you," Jillian said with a sad expression. "Why wouldn't Mom tell you or us about something like that?"
"I wish I knew. I also wish I knew my real father and what happened to him." Katherine stared vacantly at the pattern in the carpet as she thought about it.
"Well, no matter what, we're your sisters," Jackie said with an assertiveness that made Katherine smile.
"And I'm grateful for it. I'm also glad that you decided to come to visit me." Katherine leaned back in her chair.
"We want to do more than a visit," Jillian said, biting her lip as she looked at the other two sisters. "We are all legal adults now and don't want to be under George's thumb anymore. We thought we could crash here until we figure out what we want to do."
Katherine sat up in her chair again as she looked at the three of them, who looked so hopeful that she would say yes. "I travel a lot. Would you all be all right here on your own without me?"
The only reason Katherine could think of for them not to live with her was that it would change her life dramatically, but would that be a bad thing? She had lost Alistair and was looking at a lifetime of loneliness stretched out before her. Having a close connection with her sisters might keep her sane.
"Maybe we could travel with you sometimes?" Jackie shyly suggested.
"We would be fine on our own!" Jillian shot Jackie a warning look. They had a plan and didn't want to ask for too much too quickly. "George isn't around much anyway. He travels a lot or is out with Trisha."
"I don't suppose any of you know how serious it is with Trisha?" Katherine asked worriedly as she thought of George pulling a fast one on Trisha.
"I think she's toying with him," Jessie said with a frown. "I like her, and if she were to marry George, living with him might be bearable, but I think her only interest in him is sex."
Katherine was so shocked at her sister's words that she gasped, but it was too quick, and she started to cough.
"How do you know her?" Jillian asked, looking at her coughing sister.
"We share friends," Katherine took a deep breath attempting to steady her voice.
"Alistair?" Jessie asked, watching her. "How long have you known him?"
"Are you jealous, Jessie?" Jackie giggled.
"No, but I think it's serious between them, and I'm curious if he's going to be our brother-in-law." Jessie stared Katherine down and watched as she blushed. "You would gain a heck of a family if you did marry him?"
"You're my family," Katherine assured her and watched some tension leave Jessie's shoulders. "Alistair and I have known each other for a long time, but we've had a falling out and are no longer talking." She couldn't hide her sadness as she said it.
"Maybe you will make up soon," Jillian said hopefully.
"Maybe," Katherine's tone was half-hearted at best as she forced a smile.
"So, about us staying here?" Jillian asked, moving on as the young often do when thinking about themselves.
"And us traveling with you?" Jackie grinned.
"You can stay here, but it will be a squeeze. You can travel with me when I go to London if you like since I have an apartment there-"
"You do!" Jackie squeaked as she bounced once on the sofa.
"But for my modeling trips, you will have to stay here. Those are work-related, and I'm only ever there for a few days at most." Katherine had to raise her voice as they started to squeal in excitement.
"What about school?" she looked at Jillian and Jackie.
"Would you be mad if we didn't return to school immediately?" Jackie asked. Katherine was quickly learning that she was the bravest in the group.
"It's your life. I would advise that if you decide not to do that, you at least have a plan. I'm not going to be stingy with your allowance, but I would like to see you each earning a living and making your way in the world." Katherine looked at each of her sisters, hoping they got the point.
"George only wanted us to marry well." Jillian thought out loud as if nothing else had ever occurred to her.
"He wanted to use us as bargaining tools." Jessie shook her head. "Is that what he wanted for you, Katie?"
"No." Katherine shook her head as she thought of all the mean things he had said to her in her youth. She didn't want to tell them the truth because she didn't want to color their judgment of their father. If she did, that would make her as bad as he was.
"He wasn't very nice to you or Mom. I heard him going off on you once when he didn't think anyone was around." Jessie said, watching Katherine closely.
"Why did he do that?" Jackie asked, looking at Katherine, who only shrugged in response.
"He wanted to control Mom's money and did it through Katherine. I don't know what kind of deal he and Mom made, but you and your paternity were a part of it." Jessie was not shy about throwing George under the bus.
"Is that what you think, Katie?" Jillian asked.
"Yes." Katherine's voice broke. "But no more of that? Where are your things?"
Jackie jumped up. "They're at the house. George's out of town this week, so we thought it would be a good time to make a move."
Jessie's phone dinged as if on cue, and she looked at it with a frown. "It will have to wait. He's home. His flight was canceled, and he wants to know where we are."
The girls' faces fell, and they looked distraught at the prospect. They had to get him out of the house now, while they all had the courage to make the move and before he found out what was going on. Katherine's mind quickly jumped from idea to idea before she landed on Trisha.
"Tell him you're having a late lunch and seeing a movie," Katherine said as she reached for her phone. She texted Laura and asked her for Trisha's number. The best thing about Laura was that she wasn't overly curious, and Katherine had the number in less than five minutes.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Katherine looked at them once more. "I have a plan to get you out tonight if you're sure." It was a test. If they said yes and didn't hesitate, they were sure, but if they hesitated, they should probably go back to George.
"We're sure, but will it be worth it if he finds us?" Jessie worried.
"He won't find you. He doesn't know where I live." Katherine dialed Trisha's number.
"Won't Bryce tell him?" Jillian asked with a frown.
"Not unless I tell him to."
Trisha answered on the third ring.
"Trisha, this is Katherine." Katherine knew she was going out on a limb trusting Trisha, but the Stevens family did, which was good enough for her.
"Alistair's Katherine?" Katherine could hear the mischievous smile in her voice as if she knew her words had made Katherine blush.
"Yes. The girls want to run away from home. Could you help me get them away from George tonight?" Jackie and Jillian looked at each other nervously as Katherine spoke.
"George wants us home now!" Jessie hissed.
"Hmmm, for good, or will they go back?" She sounded as if she had all the time in the world.
"For good, they're going to live with me for a while," Katherine admitted believing honesty was the best policy.
"Oh, that sounds nice, dear. Shall I ask him out for a leisurely dinner?" Trisha suggested.
"That would be perfect." Katherine agreed.
"Yes, it would be. I'll get him out of the house and send the car back for the girls. If you put them in a taxi, he can trace them. I take it he doesn't know where you live, which is the point of the secrecy?" Trisha muttered something that Katherine couldn't hear to someone with her.
"Yes, the girls found me through Bryce," Katherine explained, wondering why Trisha was so good at covert thinking.
"Bryce," Trisha sighed. "What might have been? You're lucky to get his son."
Katherine didn't correct her. She only muttered something that didn't make much sense.
"No matter," Trisha said. "I'll clear the way for you." Then Trisha ended the call abruptly.
"Trisha's going to help us?" Jillian said with surprise.
"Yes, but now you must go home and act as if nothing is wrong. She'll send a car for you once they're at dinner."
The girls nodded as Katherine told them to take the subway, not a Taxi.
As she watched them go, she felt that her life would never be the same. Since she couldn't be part of the Stevens family, maybe she could create the same closeness with her own. It was a novel thought and one she never thought she would have.