Family

'Become my woman!' I was about to blurt this out but hesitated. Was it really the right timing?

Looking at her exhausted and worried face, I realized it was not, at least not for such a direct proposal.

So, I chose to take a step back and said, "Right now, I want you and Felicity to stay with us. Don't worry about money and other things. I'll take care of everything. As for what my offer is, I will tell you when you are in the right state of mind." 

Vicky's pretty, misty eyes widened in surprise at my words. "You have enough savings?" Clearly, she had tuned out the part about the offer, not bothered to think about it right now.

Right after asking this, she shook her head, "No, that's not what is important. Why would you want to burden yourself—"

Before she could finish, I moved closer to her, my chest almost touching hers, and placed my hands on her shoulders, looking down into her eyes with a serious look on my face.

Vicky was caught off guard, but she didn't try to resist or move back and simply stared back at me.

"Though we have not interacted much in recent years because of our work, aren't we like family?"

"Yes." Vicky bit her lip and nodded, her eyes turning wet.

"Then why do you think of yourselves as a burden? Since when did family become a burden?" 

Vicky didn't say anything. A moment later, she wiped her teary eyes and smiled a beautiful smile as she placed her hand over mine on her shoulder, "Thank you, Ryan. You are a really good boy. But I wouldn't want to impose on you. You have your sick mother and sister to take care of already. If you have to look after us too, it will be too hard on you."

I frowned upon hearing her words. I knew she was a prideful woman and wouldn't just agree, but…

My expression turned cold, and I took my hands back as I asked in a harsh tone, "What are you going to do then? As you said, it'll be too difficult to find a job. So, you plan on living on the streets?"

"You…" Vicky glared at him, becoming angry. But then she bit her lower lip in frustration and lowered her head, her body trembling a little.

After a few moments, she calmed down, took a breath, and looked up at me, wanting to say something but couldn't, her soft lips trembling.

I could see she had come to her senses and had decided to stay with us but was finding it hard to say it after refusing me multiple times, or maybe it was her pride that stopped her from speaking.

But whatever it was, it didn't matter because I smiled and pulled her into a hug, my frame enveloping her, "No need to say anything, Vicky. Just stay with me. I'll take care of everything."

Vicky squirmed in my embrace, seemingly a little uncomfortable and surprised at my sudden action, but she didn't push me away.

Remembering the scene of her chewing her soft lower lip and now feeling her body, her pair of soft breasts, her curvy waist, pressed against me, despite the emotional mood, I felt excited shivers travel all over my body, and my member started hardening.

I really wanted to pull her into me more so I could grind my crotch against her belly, and the sweet scent from her hair only strengthened this impulse, but I managed to control myself, albeit barely, and after a moment, as naturally as I could, I let her go after patting her back.

"Come, let's eat something and then decide where we should go from here." I said, turning around and walking back.

"Un." Vicky nodded and walked beside me. Fortunately, because I was busy trying to rein in my impulses, I didn't see the red glow on her cheeks; otherwise, it would have been hard to hold myself back.

…

When we returned, the girls were sitting in silence, looking at us in worry though they tried to hide it, not wanting to make us feel bad.

Vicky was feeling a little better now, so she looked at them, pinched their cheeks, and clicked her tongue, "Tsk, you adorable little ladies, why the long faces when you have me and Ryan to take care of the things? It isn't that you doubt our capabilities to take care of you, is it?"

As she glared at them, Felicity and Cat hurriedly shook their heads and tried to smile through the pain on their cheeks, "No, we don't doubt it, Mom/Aunty, ouch~"

"Good." Vicky nodded in satisfaction and released their cheeks. After kissing their foreheads, she walked to the car and started preparing sandwiches for us to eat.

Both Felicity and Cat pouted, rubbing their reddened cheeks while glaring at her, but there was a hint of a smile on their faces, and they had clearly relaxed, no longer as worried about our current situation. This was especially true for Felicity.

Inwardly sighing, I looked at my mom, sleeping in the car. I knew if she were awake and healthy, she would have coaxed Cat into not worrying with ease. Though she had relaxed a little when I promised her that everything would be fine, it was only a little because, subconsciously, she didn't take me too seriously since I was not too older than her.

'It's only a matter of time before they see it for themselves that I can take care of them all.' I thought.

A short while later, Vicky had made us sandwiches from bread and peanut butter. When we were about to start eating, Cat looked at our mom before looking at me, tears forming in her eyes, "Big brother, Mom… She must be hungry too."

I sighed. Because how weak our mom had become, she was unable to digest most foods. So, we mostly fed her soft grains and fruits and sometimes injected the nutritious liquids directly into her body.

Now, however, we had none of these to give her. Because Lori had also rushed back from work upon hearing the news of the fire spreading, she was only able to take out bread, peanut butter, and a few cartons of milk.

"It's alright. We'll find something to feed her in the next city." I placed a hand on Cat's shoulder.

A while later, we were done eating.

Then, Vicky looked at me and asked, "So, where are we going now? San Francisco?"

"Yes," I nodded after thinking for a moment. Although we were going there, we were not going to live there.

'Illegal ferries to that island should be starting in a few days now…' I thought, my eyes shining.