"Need some help?" Abby asked as she walked into Claire's home, and looked around the sitting room at all the boxes, "boy you sure pack up fast!"
"Haven't you started yet?" Claire asked, and then taped one of the boxes that was full of dishes.
Abby shook her head, "Steven doesn't want to take anything with us, he wants us to start fresh."
"Less headaches that way." Claire laughed.
"Why didn't Jeff hire help for you?"
"He offered, but I prefer to do it myself," Claire admitted, "I'm not handicapped Abby, and I don't like anyone going through my personal stuff."
"I know what you mean," Abby agreed, and made herself comfortable on the couch, "where's Lexi?"
"Jeff took her to the park." Claire explained, "how are you, we haven't spoken for a while."
"I know." Abby admitted, "it's been a while."
Her sad tone alerted Claire, "Something wrong?"
"I'm not sure," Abby admitted, "if Steven hasn't touched me for a whole month does that count for me to be upset?"
"What!" Claire dropped the tape and lifted herself to her feet and went to sit on the couch next to Claire, "are you sure it's a whole month?"
Nodding, Abby tried not to cry, "He doesn't even come to bed with me anymore, he sleeps in the sitting room on the couch."
"Oh no," Claire's hand went to cover her mouth, "sounds serious."
"He doesn't even speak to me anymore, it's like I'm invisible, when he looks at me there is a far away look on his face."
"Maybe it's work related." Claire said quickly when she noticed that Abby was about to cry.
Shaking her head, Abby said, "He never not had sex with me because of work, he made love to me every day since we got together and now he stopped cold turkey. The last time he told me he loves me was a month ago."
"Do you want Jeff to have a talk with him?" Claire asked, "the two of them have gotten very close lately and I'm sure Steven will confide in him."
"No, no, no," Abby said quickly, "I want to leave it alone for now, and try to see if he will open up to me on his own."
"Good luck on that Abby," Claire said, "everyone knows that Steven is overly protective of you and would never burden you with his problems."
"I'm trying to be as strong as I can Claire," Abby cried, "because I love him so much and don't want to lose him."
"Why would you lose him silly." Claire laughed.
"Because we are not married," Abby answered, "we are not legally married and anything can happen!"
*************
It had been a whole month since that day at the mansion, a month of torture and pain. Steven couldn't eat, he couldn't sleep and he couldn't even sleep with Abby anymore.
What if she is his sister?
What if he loses her forever?
His heart was in turmoil, as pain speared through it on a daily basis. He was delt a huge blow and he didn't know if this was fixable, if she was his sister then he would kill himself. He couldn't live in a world where Abby was within reach and he wouldn't be allowed to touch her.
He had lost his zest for life, he had lost everything the moment he found out the secret.
***************
When Abby walked into the condo, she found Steven sitting on the couch and spaced out. He didn't even look her way when she called his name and she was terrified that something was dreadfully wrong.
Walking over to his side, she sat down and placed her hand on his thigh, immediately she felt him stiffen under her touch, "Steven?"
"Yes?" He answered weakly, without looking at her.
"Can we have a talk."
"Sure."
"Alone please."
Steven sighed heavily and lifted himself to his feet and dragged himself towards the bedroom, something he would have never done before. He was always the aggressor, the demanding man, the lover and now he was indifferent to everyone and everything including and most importantly her.
Once they were both inside the master bedroom, Steven went to sit on the bed while Abby closed and locked the door. She then walked over to where Steven sat and took a seat next to him.
"Please talk to me." She begged, please don't keep me in the dark."
"There's nothing to say." He said simply and he smiled at her, but his eyes were void of life.
Alarmed, Abby begged, "Please don't shut me away Steven, don't do this, I can help you if you let me."
Shaking his head, Steven smiled again and showed off his pearly white teeth, "There is nothing you can do to help me."
"And you're going to keep me in the dark?"
"Not by choice."
"What's wrong!" She yelled, "talk to me!"
When Steven didn't budge, she threw herself at him and tried to kiss him on the lips, but Steven pushed her away from him and she went flying to the other side of the room.
Hurt by his reaction, Abby started to cry hysterically, he had never denied her before and it was clear to Abby that he didn't want her to touch him.
Steven was doing all in his power to resist her, he wanted nothing more than to take her in his arms and make sweet passionate love to her, but he couldn't risk doing so, what if she was his sister?
If she was his sister what they did was illegal, it was incest! And their children will have to pay the price for their sins.
He contemplated taking her to another country where no one knew them, and living their life together in sin, he didn't give a damn, but for his beautiful innocent children, he couldn't do that to them. They would be confused and destroyed, and branded bastards forever!
"Tell me the truth Steven," she begged hysterically, "have you stopped loving me?"
"Oh God Abby," Steven said hoarsely, "how could you even say that!"
"You don't touch me anymore," she told him, "you don't even say that you love me anymore Steven, what do you want me to believe!"
Closing his eyes, Steven cursed out loud, and hurried to Abby side and pulled her into his possessive embrace. "I love you."
Abby cried and cried and he tightened his hold on her. He wanted to tell her everything, but was afraid to. What if she couldn't handle the truth and she did something that they would both regret later. He was terrified of her reaction and chose to keep it a secret until he found out the truth.
"Have you fallen in love with someone else Steven?" Abby asked in a tortured tone of voice that sent a spear through Steven's heart.
"No Abby I could never do that."
"Then what is it!" She screamed, "tell me!"
"I can't." Steven told her calmly, "you just have to trust me."
"Trust you?" Abby broke free of his embrace and punched him on his chest a few times with her fists, "how can I trust you when you can't share anything with me!"
Steven grabbed her hands and twisted them around her back, "Stop it!" He yelled, "if I could have shared this with you you think I wouldn't have done it!"
"Yes!" She hissed, "you are a demanding, conceited, pompous ass, pig, and think you can control the world!"
Steven stared at her, his deep blue eyes bore into hers lovingly, "The only reason I'm keep things from you or demand things of you is when I want to protect you because I love you!"
"Kiss me Steven I'm drowning!"
He wanted too, he desperately wanted to kiss her, but he just couldn't, what if.......
Her face froze as she watched him watch her. She read all the emotions displayed in his eyes and fear struck her, he didn't want to kiss her, he wasn't in love with her anymore!
She slowly pulled away from him and walked to the door, opened it and stepped out.
When he finally went after her, she had already reached the front door and opened it.
""Abby!" He yelled after her, as he dashed across the sitting room surprising everyone in attendance. "Abby wait!"
But Abby was already inside the elevator and the door was closing when Steven came running out of the condo after her.
"Damn it!" He cursed and ran back inside the condo. "Get the limo out!"
John was cruising in the street within minutes searching for Abby. Steven's heart was hammering against his chest, not knowing where Abby was headed to.
"Boss we've been up and down this street a hundred times, she's not here," John said, "maybe she grabbed a cab and went to her mother."
************
When Jennifer saw her daughter on the steps of the mansion, she was surprised and worried. "What happened Abby why are you here without Steven and the kids!"
"Mom he doesn't love me anymore!" Abby cried.
"What are you talking about?" Jennifer asked and stepped aside so Abby can come inside the mansion.
"He doesn't love me!"
"Of course he loves you honey, you just can't stop loving someone just like that!"
"He hasn't touched me in a month!"
"What?"
"I don't know mom," Abby cried, "he came to visit George a month ago to go over some business stuff and ever since then when he came back home he hasn't been the same."
Jennifer and George glanced at each other worriedly, "when exactly did Steven come here honey do you remember the day?"
"Exactly one month ago mom, it was a Sunday evening!"
"Oh shit!" Jennifer said, and threw another look at George.
"What?" Abby asked, "what's wrong, what exactly happened on that day mom!"
"Nothing dear, we didn't see him on that day." Jennifer said truthfully.
That minute there was hard pounding on the door and George raced to the front door and opened it, "it's about time!" He said, "come in, she's in the sitting room."
Steven ran to the sitting room and found Abby in tears, he released a harsh sigh and walked up to her, "Don't you ever do that to me again!" He yelled, "or you will be the death of me!"
"Well at least I got a reaction from you!" Abby yelled back, "you seem lost and far away this last month and are not willing to share what the hell is your problem!"
Steven was about to answer her but decided to shut his mouth. How could he tell her what was bothering him?
Jennifer and George exchanged worried glances, "Steven can I speak to you in private please." George asked politely.
Steven nodded and followed after George, he was led outside on the patio where George closed the sliding doors and turned to face Steven, "How much did you hear that day when you came over." George asked point blank.
Steven let out a harsh slow sigh, "All of it!"
George pulled out a chair and sat down and motioned for Steven to do the same, "Are you going to tell her?"
Steven shook his head, "I don't know how to tell her!"
"I understand," George told him, "this is a very delicate matter, however you can't keep the truth from her forever."
"I understand that," Steven said, "but if I can spare her the pain I will, what if we are not bother and sister?" The minute the words came out of his mouth, Steven swore out loud, "damn it all to hell!"
"Calm down Steven," George counseled him, "I know this won't be an easy thing to do, but you must keep your cool or she will be hurt."
"I want to spare her the pain and suffering, at least until we take the paternity tests and get the results." Steven explained, "George should the results prove me and her to be related I will end my life!"
"Stop talking like that Steven, you will do no such thing!" George yelled, and it was the first time Steven ever heard him raise his voice, "stay calm, this will all work itself out soon!"
Steven couldn't take it any more the pressure overwhelming. The last six years of his life was a freaking roller coaster ride and just too much too handle, and Steven questioned his sanity through it all.
"I don't know what else to do." Steven confessed, "I want to make love to her, but I dare not touch her!"
George understood his pain, "Yes you are going through an extreme time in your life now, but I have the feeling that you will survive it all and come out on top! In fact I am so proud of the way you have handled yourself throughout all your troubles, I don't know if I would have been as strong as you have been!"
**************
"Mom what am I going to do?"
"Nothing!" Jennifer said, "remember when you were going through your postpartum dilemma and Steven stood by your side through the entire ordeal?" Abby nodded, "now it's your turn to believe in him as he believed in you!"
"Yes mother I will stay strong for him and my family."
"You need to learn to trust Steven,"
"I trust him mama, but I miss him." Abby cried, "I miss his touch, his laugh, the way he looked at me and the way he loved me, I miss his laugh and I even miss his demanding ways. He has lost interest in all that lately and I can't stand it!"