I stared at the envelope in my hands.

"Your parents wrote these letters about three weeks before they died." Uncle Peter said. "They wanted to explain some things regarding the inheritance of the house."

"Surely, George and I will get the house?" Shay piped up. "He's the oldest so it's only fair."

Part of me wanted to scream at her. Another part wanted to rip the cheap, nasty extensions from her head. But the biggest, most overwhelming part of me just wanted to sit and read the final letter I would ever receive from my parents. But I couldn't. I was frozen. I stroked the edge of the envelope. It smelt like their home office. I thought of the room. I remember sitting on my mums knee while she organised the desk. I remember her teaching me how to write. I remember her teaching me how to spell. Even to this day I still thought about her when I wrote or heard the word 'necessary'.

"Never Eat Chips Eat Salmon Sandwiches And Remain Young." she told me. "Remember that and you will always be able to spell necessary." She had smiled.

I bit the inside of my cheeks as my eyes watered.

"Lo..." Uncle Peter was staring at me, his face etched with concern. "Are you okay?"

I shook my head. "I need some air." I gulped and stood up. "I can't do this.."

George, Archie and William had already torn open their letters. Business heads on. No emotional attachment whatsoever. I walked from the office and headed towards a large window at the end of the hall. I placed my back on the panes of glass and sank to the floor, staring still at the envelope. I thought of the money that would be appearing in my bank account. £150,000 could do a lot. I could pay for University. I could buy a flat. Get myself on the property ladder. I could take Charlotte and Steve on a holiday before Charlotte left for whatever destination she was headed. My phone was in my bag which I had left in the office. I wanted to hear one of their voices. I wanted them to help me through this. It was like ripping off a plaster. I looked at a small scar on my knee. I had fallen off my bike and cut myself. I had cried as my dad had put the plaster on.

"I can fix this." he had told me, his voice full of excitement. "This plaster has magic dust inside it that will stop the pain." I ran my finger across the tiny little scar.

I imagined my dad was sat next to me. What would he say.

"This letter has magic dust inside it that will stop the pain."

I ripped the envelope quickly and took the letter out before my pain got the best of me. Three deep breaths. In through the nose, out through the mouth. Eyes down.

"To our baby,

Sorry. We know you're not a baby anymore. But you are, and will always be, our baby. When we found out that your mother was pregnant for the second time we prayed that you would be a girl. When we found out that our prayers had been answered we spent every second of every day excited to meet you. You couldn't wait to get out to meet us. Three weeks early! And your mother was only in labour for an hour! I remember the doctor handing you to me and I felt complete. We adore your brothers, but it was obvious from a very early age that they had no interest in worshipping us. But you, you were different. I'd catch you staring up at me with those big green eyes of yours like I was a hero to you. You've never looked at me any differently. Your mother and I can't express how proud we are of you.

If you're reading this letter then it means that we are both gone and I know that your heart will be broken but at least we are together. I love your mother so much that I wouldn't know how to exist without her. She says she feels the same way but I've caught her looking at her George Clooney calender with a very dreamy look in her eyes... She's glaring at me now as I write this. The truth of the matter is that we will all go eventually and I'm just glad that I was afforded the chance to meet my soulmate and live and die by her side.

We decided to write these letters to the four of you to explain what will be happening with the house. We have thought long and hard about what would happen to our home once we have gone. Our decision to make you the sole owner of the house came quite easily to us. Your brothers have all settled down in their various locations. We know that William is happy in Singapore, and by all accounts, will probably be running the show soon enough. Archie lives for the sun so he would never want to move back to gloomy Britain and George is completely swept up in his new life with Shay. We know that you will take care of our home and make it your own.

I'm sorry that we'll miss your graduation. I'm sorry that I will never be able to walk you down the aisle or look after my grandchildren and fix their cuts with my magic plasters but we will both be watching you from our own little piece of heaven and you can bet that there won't be a dry eye in the house.

We want you to find yourself a partner that adores you. Tristan doesn't love you the way that you deserve to be loved. Find somebody who is your equal. Find somebody that challenges you to be the best version of yourself that you can be. Find somebody that would move mountains for you. Find somebody that will be faithful. Find somebody that always puts you first. You deserve it, my wonderful, beautiful daughter. You care so much about others that you need to find somebody who looks at you like you are his whole world.

Be strong. We know that our decision to leave the house to you will cause an issue, especially with your eldest brother, but this is our decision and we expect the four of your to honour it. We have tried to explain our reasoning to him in his letter but we know how he views the world with blinkers on 99% of the time.

I could spend an eternity telling you that how proud I am that you have grown into such a fantastic young woman. You, Steve and Charlotte will need to take care of one another.

I am so grateful for the nineteen years that we got to spend together. I have tried to teach you to the best of my ability. I taught you how to ride your bike and how to tie your shoelaces. I'm only sorry I can't be there for the rest of the lessons you will learn. I know that you will face them with a smile on your face and hope in your heart.

Thank you for the best memories a father could ever hope to have.

All my love. Now, forever and always.

Your Dad xxx"

Tears were rolling down my face. Ugly tears. The pain was immeasurable. I read his words over and over again each time a fresh batch of tears would force themselves from my eyes. I could hear shouting from Uncle Peter's office. I knew it was George. I could hear Archie shouting back at him. I gulped down another fresh wave of tears. I hadn't even contemplated the idea that my parents would miss all the major milestones in my life. I imagined myself at Graduation. Who would cheer for me? I know that had he been there, my dad would have shouted loudest of all. I thought of myself in a white dress, walking towards the man of my dreams. He would have held my hand tightly. He would have known all the right words to say to calm my nerves. I thought of him chasing my future children around his garden, picking them up and holding them high above his head so that they could fly.

My heart hurt for all of the things that they would never see.

The door to Uncle Peter's office flung open. George marched towards me, his face animated with the kind of hatred that you would never imagine a sibling would feel towards you.

"How did you make them sign it over to you?" he growled. "I know you had something to do with it."

He reached down and ripped the letter from my hands. Rage boiled inside me. That was my letter. That was the final thing that I would ever have from my parents. It wasn't his to take. I glared up at my oldest brother. He was a stranger to me now. I felt nothing for him. I pushed myself up so that I was standing. My legs didn't feel like jelly anymore. I felt strong. I thought of what my dad had written. "Be strong." I snatched the letter from his hands as his eyes greedily took in the words that were meant for me, and me only.

"I didn't do anything except treat them with the love and respect that they deserved." I hissed. "I didn't run off to LA and marry some budding porn star." I folded the letter up and put it in the pocket of my shorts. "You think that the whole world revolves around you, George, but it doesn't."

I pushed past him, my sights on the office door. Uncle Peter was standing watching the confrontation. I know that he was letting George and I duke it out by ourselves.

"I assume there's some paperwork that I have to sign." I wiped my wet cheeks with the back of my hand as I stormed into the office, George following behind me. Uncle Peter beamed at me, his eyes shining with pride.

"You can't be serious?!" he shouted. "You think that I'm actually going to let you take the house?"

I folded my letter up and placed it into my bag before spinning around to face George. Uncle Peter was at his desk organising a stack of papers. I could see my name on several of them.

"As far as I can tell you don't really have a choice brother." I jabbed my finger into his chest. He glared at me his eyes burning with raw hatred. We stared at each other. Neither of us sure who would make the next move. In my shoes I was the same height as him. He puffed out his chest to make himself seem larger. A cough from the corner of the room brought my attention to William. He was stood with his briefcase in his hand, his body positioned towards the door.

"If that's all I really need to be getting back to Heathrow." He looked at me sheepishly. "Lovely to see you all."

He had always been the weakest of the triplets. I watched him head towards the door. His shoulders hunched over as he waited for some sort of reaction. The fact that I didn't give him one spoke volumes. He wasn't worth the wasted oxygen or the effort. Spineless. I turned towards Uncle Peter. "What am I signing?"

George grabbed me, his fingers wrapping themselves tightly around the top of my arm. It was no mistake that his fingernails were digging into my flesh.

"If you do this, I will never forgive you." he hissed.

"Let go of her George." Archie said, stepping behind him. "You're going to hurt her."

I stared at my oldest brother. There was a vein throbbing in his forehead.

"Mum and dad were right." Archie continued. "None of us need the house. Lola is the only one that lives in this country. It makes sense for her to have the house. It's not worth you hurting her over." He had reached his hand onto George's shoulder. His knuckles were turning white with the pressure he was applying. George didn't even flinch.

"I guess it's as good a time as any to tell you both then..." Shay, who had been staring at her nails for the entire exchange, finally piped up. George immediately let go of my arm. It was already starting to bruise.

"Tell us what?" Archie asked.

Shay reached into her bag and pulled out a small piece of paper.

"Oh no..." I growled. "Don't even say -"

"WE'RE PREGNANT!"

I stared at her. Archie stared at her. George sank down to his chair, his head in his hands. Uncle Peter continued to organise the paperwork that would make the house mine. Shay smiled beatifically.

"Did you morons hear what I just said?" She asked, her face contorting with confusion at the lack of excitement. "I'm pregnant."

She held out the picture of the sonogram towards me. I looked at it momentarily.

"We both really want him or her to be raised in England." Shay was warbling on. I tried to tune her out but the occasional word slipped in. "Countryside." "Private school."

"Aren't you excited to meet your Niece or Nephew?" she asked me.

I stared at my brother. He wasn't exactly the picture of happy father-to-be.

"Are you ready Lo?" Uncle Peter broke the silence. Archie had walked over to his seat and was picking his bag up from the floor. He walked past George, heading straight towards me. He wrapped his arms around me. It felt good to be hugged by a member of my actual real life family.

"I'm happy you got the house." He said. "I don't need a house and I don't need money." I pulled away from him to study his face. He was being completely genuine. "Nothing replaces them." He said. "Nothing."

I nodded and threw myself back into his arms. "Take care of yourself, Arch." I whispered into his chest.

"If you ever find yourself in Dubai, come and see me."

He let go of me and turned to Uncle Peter, he offered his hand. "Donate my share of the money to Help for Heroes." Uncle Peter took his hand and nodded.

He walked straight past George and Shay, who stared after him with an incredulous look on her face.

"Okay, so what do I need to sign?" I asked, swallowing the lump in my throat.

Uncle Peter indicated the lines that would require my signature.

"Lola."

"Yes George?" I responded. I scribbled my name across the first three lines.

"If you do this, I will never, ever forgive you." his voice was laced with venom. "I will cut all ties with you and if anybody ever asks me about you, I will tell them that you passed away." he spat the words out. "Because you will be dead to me."

I did the best I could to continue signing the deeds to the house. My hand was shaking and I could barely grip the pen.

"DID YOU HEAR ME?!" He shouted.

I signed the last piece of paper. Uncle Peter's eyes met mine. They were glassy with tears. Mine were burning with rage. I turned to my sibling. The man who had spent so many years hating me. The man who was ready to sever all ties with me. I walked over to where he sat and lowered myself down so that I could look him in the eyes.

"Congratulations on the baby." I said. "When he or she arrives, I will love them with everything that I have because that's what mum and dad would have wanted." My voice wavered. "But you, and your darling wife, are nothing to me." I growled. "Do you understand?"

He stood up quickly, towering over me.

"We're leaving." he hissed. "Get your stuff."

Shay followed him dutifully. She walked behind him, her garish stilettos preventing her from matching his angry strides, the Roberto Cavalli bags swinging from her arms.

"Shay..." I shouted.

She turned and looked at me with a scowl.

"I meant what I said." I stared at her. "That's still my niece or nephew in there."

She scoffed. "You're not coming anywhere near me, my husband OR our baby."

I shrugged and she turned on her heel, slamming the door behind her as she left. I stared at the door in silence while my ears listened out for signs that they had actually gone. Uncle Peter placed a hand on my shoulder. "I'll leave you alone for a couple of minutes." I nodded. Silent.

He walked to the door and upon turning the handle he turned to me. "Do you have any numbers for your dads police friends from the village?" he asked. I nodded. Still silent. "Good." He stepped out into the hall and began to pull the door closed behind him. "If I were you, I'd make some calls, explain that you have been left the house in the will and that you expect your oldest brother may turn up there later today to try and gain access to the property." I stared at him. "Tell them that if he does, you want him to be removed by any means necessary."

I flinched at the word. Necessary. Never Eat Chips Eat Salmon Sandwiches And Remain Young.

The door closed. I listened to his footsteps as they disappeared down the stairs. I waited until I couldn't hear him anymore. And finally, when I was sure that he had gone I crumbled to the floor. And I cried.