Always

Chapter 2

 Kristin was sitting outside on the stairs of her house, taking in the fresh air. Her brother had just returned home. 

 "Kristin!" the girl frowned and turned around to see an angry Tyler. "Why didn't you make any food?!"

 Kristin frowned, her eyes wide. She hadn't made any food because he normally eats with Charlotte when he goes out with her. And he didn't tell her to have any ready. She shook her head and waved her arms, unable to communicate. 

 "Ugh! You're so useless!" he slapped her. The girl's eyes were wide as she looked at her brother with fear. She backed away from him, now sitting by the railing on the ground. Her brother walked down the stairs and approached her. "You are seriously the worst sister in the world. Why couldn't you have been a boy?? Or just not have been born at all??" Her brother caused the poor girl to wonder that too. Tyler raised his hand to hit her again but was stopped suddenly by an angry looking man. 

 The girl stared at him her eyes wide. The man frowned angrily at Tyler before turning and kneeling down in front of his sister. "Are you alright?" he asked gently. His voice was calm and gentle. She nodded slowly. "What is your name?" he asked. 

 Kristin frowned, wondering how she was going to tell him. She didn't have a notebook or pen with her. And she couldn't sign. Finally, an idea flashed through her mind. She motioned him to look down at the ground and began writing her name in the dirt. 

 The young man nodded, looking back at her with a smile. "You have a beautiful name, Kristin. I'm Daniel. But you can call me whatever you'd like. My friends and grandfather call me Dan." Kristin smiled and nodded, writing 'Danny' in the dirt. Daniel looked down at it and smiled. "Danny...I like that." He helped the girl up off the ground and held her close as he looked angrily at her brother. 

 "So, my pathetic sister has caught your eye? How unfortunate for you." 

 Daniel scowled at Tyler. Kristin moved closer into his embrace, afraid of her own brother. "Don't worry, Kristin...He won't hurt you." Daniel spoke gently. 

 "Tyler." a voice spoke from behind him. He turned around to see the the CEO of the Brown Corporation, his friends, and their wives looking at him crossly. 

 "You hurt your own sister. Didn't you??" Lisa asked, her tone full of venom. 

 "So what if I did?? She deserved it!" 

 "I spoke to Charlotte on the phone earlier. She said you both were going out. You usually eat when you're out with her, right?" Dinah asked. Tyler nodded. 

 "Kristin probably thought you were going to eat with your girlfriend, so she didn't make anything. Am I right, Kristin?" Rachel asked. The triplets looked at the girl, who nodded in answer to Rachel's  question. 

 "Well, that shouldn't matter!" Tyler declared, his eyes flashing. 

 Kristin frowned. She bent down, writing in the dirt. 

 Daniel crouched and read what she wrote. "You did before, but he always got mad at you for it?" She nodded. "I see." Daniel looked at Tyler with a hateful glare. "Kristin, you can come with us to the house if you like. And if it's alright with Dennis and Rachel." 

 "Of course it's alright! We'd love to have you stay with us, Kristin." Rachel smiled brightly. 

 "Rachel's right. We would love to have you." Dennis replied. 

 Kristin thought for a moment, looking at her brother. Finally, she nodded. 

 "You want to come stay with us?" Daniel asked. She nodded again. 

 "Well, then, don't let me stop you. Though, one thing before you go, brat. Once you leave, I don't ever want to see you back here again." Tyler declared firmly, before walking into the house and slamming the door. Kristin sighed sadly, tears forming in her eyes. 

 "It's alright, Kristin..." Daniel murmured softly to her. 

 "Let's go." Dennis spoke up. The others nodded in agreement. As they walked, Daniel's friends held their wives close to them. Daniel held Kristin comfortingly as she clung to him. 

 "So, you girls know Kristin and....that man?" Daniel asked the triplets as they walked. 

 "Yes," Dinah spoke up, her light blond hair blowing behind her. "We're friends with his fiancé, Charlotte." 

 "We don't really know know them. We've seen them around before. Well, mostly Tyler. Charlotte told us almost everything we know about them." Rachel agreed. 

 "But when we went over to talk to Kristin once, we found out she was mute. We had no idea that Tyler was such a horrible brother." Lisa replied, frowning in sympathy for Kristin. "I doubt Charlotte knows either. But we'll tell her. I hope she leaves him." 

 Kristin quickly shook her head no. 

 "What do you mean no? He was horrible. He surely doesn't deserve a fiancé." Lisa remarked. Kristin nodded and then shook her head. 

 "I think I understand. You love him and don't want him upset, right?" Dinah asked, looking at her. The girl nodded quickly, her brown eyes sparkling. 

 "But how could you love him?? He doesn't deserve it!" Don exclaimed. 

 Dinah looked up at him, her green eyes shining. "He's her brother. Nothing will ever change that. She's always cared, even if he never did. Right, Kristin?" Kristin again nodded. 

 Daniel sighed. "Well, alright. I'll resist the urge to punch him. But I don't want you to see him anymore, alright?" Kristin nodded. Daniel kept his arm around her as they walked inside the big house. 

 "Your room, Kristin, will be right next to Dan's. And as for clothes, I'm sure the girls can find something for you to wear." Dennis replied. 

 "Ooo! Hear that, girls? Makeover!" Lisa exclaimed excitedly, as her sisters squealed. Kristin's eyes went wide reaching out for Daniel as she was dragged into Lisa's room by the triplets. 

 "Don't worry. You'll be back with him soon. I promise." Dinah smiled kindly. Kristin gave a small smile and nodded.