Night and Day (Stevens Book 11)

Chapter 15

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.