Page 56 of The Stepbrother 2: Noah

I swear I could see a smirk on her face.

I hesitated for a second, then shook my head.

She nodded. “Then let's continue.”

I sank deeper into my chair, ignoring my frustration.

“A few sessions ago, you told me you resented Scarlett's mother and still do. Do you think you look for reasons to take some of that anger out on Scarlett still, like when you were younger?”

“Yes,” I answered truthfully. “Our parents, even my own father, practically disowned her for marrying me. Scarlett never tells anyone that she and her mother finally came together again because they bonded over talking about what a piece of shit I was for going to the hospital and getting Maine. Here I am, a multimillion-dollar rock star, but I was supposed to leave my child in the hospital to be adopted away by Lord knows who.”

Her voice softened. “I empathize, Troy. I really do. But what would you have done with Maine if you talked to Scarlett and didn’t make the decision to take her on your own, and Scarlett said no? What would you have done?”

I paused, the question giving me a headache because I didn’t know what I would have done. Leaving Scarlett wasn’t an option. Even now, as I make threats, the thought kills me. The silence stretched between us until I felt too much time had passed, and I had to answer. "I... I don't know," I admitted finally. "I guess I never thought about it that way. I just acted."

"Think about it."

I did. "I can't make that decision."

“Because it's a complex decision to make, and I suspect that's why you didn't ask Scarlett—you didn't want to risk losing her. You were being selfish. To fix what’s frayed, you'll have to admit that and learn to think before you act. That's something we need to work on if you want to be an emotionally intelligent adult," Ms. Avery pointed out. "Impulsive decisions, especially ones that deeply impact others, can be damaging. It's crucial to consider all perspectives and involve those who will be affected. Your knee-jerk anger is another thing we’ll work on in the future."

I nodded slowly, the reality of my actions settling in. Fixing my family wasn’t going to be something that happened quickly. But where did that leave my relationship with Creed? I would never admit it out loud, but Creed was special to me. She came after all the struggle and strife. I wanted to be a part of her life and her baby’s life. But could I do that without Scarlett? And could I keep Scarlett?

As the session drew to a close, I started to understand that if I even had a chance at holding my family together, Scarlett and I were going to have to lay our egos aside, work everything out between ourselves, and approach our kids as healthier people—mentally and emotionally.

Troy-

Scarlett's voice broke into my dream, then my world was being shaken. As my grogginess faded, I blinked myself awake and could hear relentless rain beating against our living room window. It had started raining during my therapy session and had now ended.

When I became aware of my surroundings, I realized I’d fallen asleep on the sofa in the living room. Scarlett's face hovered inches from mine.

“What?” I snapped. I had tried to talk to her about what I’d discussed with Dr. Avery, but all she wanted to do was argue. I was tired of it. Our conversations these days were like walking through a minefield, never knowing what would blow up in our lives. Not like the old days, where we’d fight and make up hard and love each other harder afterward. This fighting had me looking at Scarlett differently, seeing how vindictive and emotionally stunted she was.

"Troy, wake up," she demanded, her tone laced with anxiety. "Something is wrong with Maine."

In an instant, I sat up, fully awake, and took in the fact that Scarlett was soaking wet. My heart began to race because I suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of dread.

“What’s wrong?”

"I heard something outside, went to look out the window, and saw Maine pacing back and forth in the rain. I tried to get her to come in, and she wouldn’t. When I went out to get her, she started yelling gibberish at the top of her lungs."

Without a second thought, I got up and made a dash for the door. Adrenaline surged through me as I flung it open and stepped out into the pouring rain. Cold water instantly soaked through my clothes.

Maine stopped pacing in front of her car to stare at me, as if seeing me for the first time. Her car door was open, and the engine was still running.

"Maine, sweetheart, what's going on?" I asked, my voice filled with genuine concern and confusion.

"What I need to say can’t be done here, Daddy." She nervously glanced around the yard, as if expecting somebody to jump out at her.

The rain was relentless, leaving a chill in my bones.

“Okay, Maine. Let’s go inside, and we can talk."

Maine nodded, her eyes wide and filled with an unspoken fear. As we turned back toward the house, I couldn't help but notice her trembling. Once inside, Scarlett rushed to get towels, wrapping one around Maine and another around me. Scarlett stood in the corner by the door as Maine settled on the sofa, and I took a seat across from her. Maine kept cutting her eyes at Scarlett.

“Can you give us a moment alone, Scar?”

For the first time in a long time, she didn’t argue. She walked upstairs.

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