Jared:

It's a cold midnight of winter. I am sitting in an outdoor garden at my house and soundlessly staring at the sky.

I hear the sound of footsteps and turn to see my sister making her way to me holding two steaming mugs.

"I made coffee for us,"

I take the mug from her hand.

She settles down on the empty chair beside me.

"Drink it before it gets cold. It's not that hot."

I take the sip and look at her with a frown.

"Where's Avery?"

"She took Peyton to the bathroom,"

"What are you thinking, Jared?" My sister asks with raised eyebrows.

"Nothing ... I think I'm just going crazy."

"You're crazy, brother. Not everyone gets the job offer and an apartment in New York, but decide to stay behind in this scrawny town."

"It's a beautiful town. City life is chaotic; especially New York's. Also, Avery and Payton need someone to look after them."

I realize that I shouldn't have said it in front of her.

"You have been taking care of them since our brother died. You don't need to hold yourself back for them."

"I'm not holding myself back. I'm happy here,"

"You're lying, there has to be something else,"

She looks at me with wide eyes.

I look away.

"Jared, you told me those feelings are gone. You lied to me."

"I'm sorry. I can't stop myself,"

"You're twenty-six, go on dates and live your life like a normal man of your age. Leave this town before things get out of hand."

Suddenly we hear a sound of someone coming and stop talking.

I see Payton running to us.

"Uncle, mommy is making me walk home, but I am tired. Will you give me a piggyback ride?"

"Sure, princess,"

She jumps in excitement and hugs me.

I ruffle her hair lovingly, then she runs back inside the house.

My sister glances the retreating figure of our niece with a soft smile.

"She loves you, "

"I love her too. She's the sweetest kid I've ever met,"

"I know it's hard, but you need to remind yourself that Avery is your sister-in-law and Payton is your niece. You can't develop any other relationship with them; it's forbidden."

"She's widow of our brother," I remind her.

"It doesn't change anything. Avery is still our sister-in-law. You need to get rid of your feelings before anyone finds out."

"You don't live here, Elle. Do you know last month Payton was playing around and broke the lamp? She injured herself. I live near them so I arrived on time when Avery called me. We had to take Payton to the hospital for stitches."

"Where was Avery? She shouldn't be so careless."

"She went to take a shower. She didn't know this would happen. It's not easy to take care of a child alone when you have no one,"

Avery and Payton come out wearing coat and boots.

Avery looks at Elle with a small smile.

"Thank you for inviting us on dinner. It was really nice to meet you after so long."

"No problem. I had a great time with you guys,"

Payton comes to me and yells, "Piggyback ride, please,"

I pick her in my arms making her smile.

"Payton, stop bothering your uncle. He must be tired. We'll walk home; it's not that far."

Payton pouts and hugs me not wanting to let go.

"Don't worry; I'll walk you guys home."

Avery hugs Elle and they bid farewell to each other. I carried Payton on my back while Avery walks side by side with me.

"Mommy, uncle's hair is so pretty,"

She touches my hair and I tickle her sides making her giggle.

Avery watches us silently and then looks away with tears in her eyes.

After ten minutes' walk, we arrive at her house. I place my niece down while Avery unlocks the door. Payton enters the house wiggling between us and runs to her room, leaving me and her mother alone at the door in awkward silence.

"Thank you for walking us home,"

"You don't have to thank me every time I do something for my niece."

I notice a longing in her eyes.

"Do you still miss, James?"

She blinks at my question, startled.

"I miss him, but it has been two years. The pain isn't that excruciating now."

She tucks the loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"I grew up without parents; I never thought my daughter would go through the same pain. She misses her dad."

"You know I am always here for you and Payton,"

She smiles and wipes the tears.

"Jared, you've already done a lot for me and Payton. I don't want you to stay here and throw your future away for us."

"Did Elle say something to you?"

She shakes her head.

"I know you've rejected the opportunity of having the best job in New York to stay here for us. I understand that occasionally, we need your help, but let us get used to the life that we're destined to live. Payton is not the first kid that has lost a parent; she'll cope with time. You should take that job and go to New York."

"Will it make you happy if I take a job in New York and leave?"

I notice a fear on her face. She covered it with a nervous smile.

"It would make me happy. James and I always knew you would do better than us."

"Goodnight, Avery,"

I walk back to my house and enter to find my sister in the living room watching TV.

I take the remote and switch it off.

"I was watching my favorite show."

"Elle, can you stop planning my life?"

She frowns and stands up.

"What happened?"

"Why did you tell Avery about the offer of my New York job? Why did you make her feel like she's holding me back?" I ask her in annoyance.

"Isn't she holding you back? She's the reason why you are stuck in this tiny town when you can be out in the city making your life."

"She needs me here! Don't you understand it? She has no one in this town except me."

"She's a grown woman! She has a job and she can look after her,"

"She's only twenty-one, a drop out from college and has a five-year-old daughter to take care. With her minimum wage, she hardly affords two times meal,"

Elle glares at me in anger.

"Your mind is making excuses to stay here," she yells.

"Don't you remember why our brother married her?" I ask her.

"He pitied her since he found out she lost her whole family in the fire. He married her at the age of twenty-five and threw away his future plans to give her family. Now, you're doing the same thing."

Her words anger me.

"Our brother loved her; he promised her a happy and peaceful life that she didn't have in the past ... I don't understand when you become so revengeful? I thought you liked her."

"She's the reason why I lost my brother."

"He died in a car accident."  I remind her.

"Whoever loves her dies. Her family died in a fire, the woman who took her in after her parent's death died in a year, and then my brother died."

She looks angry.

"Stop, Elle!"

"I don't want you to die. Our parents don't want you to stay in this town and die because of her!" She yells.

I couldn't stop myself from yelling the truth.

"I love her, dammit! I don't want to leave her."

She clenches her fist in anger.

"You shouldn't love her. You need to leave this town and things will get back to normal,"

I glare at her then leave the house. I make my way to the small pub to get drunk and forget everything, but my legs freeze outside.

I turn around and make my way to Avery's house. I knock at the door, impatiently, waiting for her to open it.

She peeks from the window, then opens the door dressed in a nightgown.

"Is everything fine?" She looks worried.

"Can I come in?"

"Yes, sure,"

I enter the house and notice an open book on the table.

"You know the town will start talking if you stay here longer," she looks nervous.

I look at her and feel my heart racing.

She looks flawless. Her skin is glowing and her long brown hair is resting on one shoulder. 

"You look beautiful,"

She looks at me in shock.

"Uh... Thank you,"

I take the step forward and she takes the step backward. It goes on until she is pressed on the wall behind her.

"Jared, you're scaring me. What are you doing?"

I gulp when my eyes fall on her plump lips.

"I want to tell you something that I have tried to hide from you,"

She looks at me nervously.

"I love you, Avery."

She sucks in a deep breath.

"Jared, you're a great guy and you deserve someone better than me. Please, I beg you not to love me. "

"It's too late, Avery. I have fallen in love with you. I know you are the one for me. I love Payton like she's my own,"

Tears fall from her eyes and she doesn't hide them from me. I wipe her tears with my fingers.

"I know ... but I'm your dead brother's wife. It isn't right,"

Her eyes become sorrowful.

"I don't care what is wrong and what is right. I want to be with you."

She looks into my eyes with tears shining in her eyes.

"Do you want to be with me or not? If you don't want me I'll leave this town forever," I tell her feeling my heart race in fear.

She throws her arms around my neck and weeps on my shoulder muffling her loud sobs. I rub her back to provide her comfort.

"I didn't want to fall in love with you, but you've shown so much care towards us that I couldn't stop myself from falling in love with you, despite knowing that it's wrong."

She pulls away from me with a tear-stained face.

"Everything is going to be alright. I'll take care of you,"

I cup her face and look straight into her emerald eyes.

"In the last two years, I just wanted someone to hold me, love me, and tell me that things will get better."

I lean closer and kiss her tenderly, pouring my love into it. She responds to me slowly, but passionately.

"What will the town say? Everyone already thinks whoever loves me die. I don't want anything happens to you,"

"Don't believe that nonsense. And I don't care what the town thinks."

"But I care what these people think. They'll bad-mouth about me and my daughter if you become something more to me than my late husband's brother."

"Let's leave this town together."

"Where will we go?" She looks scared.

"Let's go to New York. I promise you'll not regret this decision."

Ten Years Later~

I stare at my family portrait and feels like the luckiest man to have a sweet fifteen-year-old daughter, an intelligent eight-year-old son, and a gorgeous wife.

My wife wraps her slender arms around my waist and hugs me.

"Why do you like to stare at this picture?"

I kiss her hand.

"To remind myself how lucky I am,"

"I'm lucky too. You've changed my life for the better. I never thought that I would be running my own business someday."

"I just looked after you. Every person in this world can achieve their goals, but sometimes they need a little support."

"But your family cut you off because of me," she says looking guilty.

"I cut them off to protect my family,"

"I love you, Jared,"

"I love you too, Avery,"

The end.