Letting My Brother's Best Friend Take My V-Card (Jessie and Luke)

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CHRISTMAS

JOSH CHRISTMAS EVE

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The sky was clear, the stars brighter than usual against the crisp Texas night. No snow, no frost-just a cool breeze drifting in through the slightly cracked window as I leaned against the kitchen counter, wondering what the hell to do with myself.

The house felt quieter than usual. It wasn't empty; it just felt... still. Too still. My stomach grumbled, and I realized I hadn't eaten since breakfast, but nothing in the fridge seemed appealing.noveldrama

I was still staring aimlessly at the pantry when my phone buzzed on the counter. I grabbed it and saw Jess's name pop up.

Answering, I was greeted by the sound of her laughing, and when the video feed connected, I saw Asha's little face pop into the frame, giggling as she squirmed in Jess's lap. They were all wearing matching Christmas jumpers, even Luke and their dog, who looked vaguely annoyed at being included.

"Merry Christmas from the chaos crew!" Jess said, grinning.

"Merry Christmas," I replied, smiling despite myself.

"Daddy!" Asha squealed, waving frantically at the screen.

"Hey, little angel," I said, softening as I looked at her. "You look so cute!"

Asha beamed, showing off her reindeer jumper as Jess chimed

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in, "She insisted on the matching pajamas. She's the boss this week."

They were happy-too happy-and it made the house feel even quieter after the call ended.

The streets were buzzing with last-minute shoppers, everyone scrambling to get their hands on whatever they'd forgotten for Christmas Day. Strings of lights hung across the lampposts, glowing warm against the crisp Texas night."

I, however, was aimlessly walking down Main Street, trying to figure out what the hell to do with myself.

After the video call with Jess and Asha, the quiet house felt unbearable. I'd grabbed my keys and walked out without much of a plan, just an overwhelming need to get out. Now, I was hungry and standing in front of a line of restaurants, most of which had "FULLY BOOKED" signs taped to their doors. "Great," I muttered under my breath, shoving my hands into my pockets.

I turned toward the next spot on the block, a tiny diner that looked like it had barely been updated since the '80s. As I stepped closer, I realized the door had the same sign: "No tables available." "You too?"

The voice came from behind me, soft but tinged with amusement. I turned around and froze.

Vivian-Miss Worth-was standing a few feet away, her arms crossed over a sweater that featured a cartoon Santa/playing

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the electric guitar. Her jeans were tucked into scuffed boots, and her hair fell loosely over her shoulders.

"Miss Worth," I said, startled.

"Vivian," she corrected, smiling at me.

"Vivian," I repeated, nodding. "Didn't expect to see you out here."

She shrugged. "I thought I could grab something quick to eat, but it looks like everyone in town had the same idea."

I glanced back at the diner and shook my head. "Same here. I didn't plan ahead."

"No Christmas plans?" she asked, her tone light but curious.

I hesitated, debating how much to say. "Had some team obligations earlier-Christmas appearances, you know. Now it's just me."

She raised an eyebrow. "No family?"

"Asha's with her aunt," I explained. "It's her first big Christmas with them, and I thought..." I trailed off, realizing I didn't want to explain my entire situation in the middle of the street.

Vivian nodded, not pressing further. "And now you're hunting for food with the rest of us procrastinators."

"Something like that," I said with a chuckle.

She tilted her head, studying me for a moment. "You could join me," she offered, surprising me. "If we can find a place to sit, that is. Or... we could grab something to-go and eat outside. It's not exactly snowing here, so it's doable." 36.95%

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I hesitated, but there was something about her casual demeanor that made me feel less guarded. "Sure," I said finally. "Why not?"

After a failed attempt at finding an open table, we ended up at a taco truck parked on the edge of a lot. The smell of grilled meat and fresh tortillas filled the air, and soon enough, we were sitting on a bench by the park, balancing styrofoam trays of tacos and tamales on our laps.

"This is better than I expected," Vivian said after taking a bite.

I nodded, agreeing. "Texas tacos rarely disappoint."

We ate in comfortable silence for a while, the hum of passing cars and faint Christmas music from a nearby store filling the

gaps.

"Ahsa is doing great in class even though I'm not her teacher anymore," Vivian said eventually, breaking the quiet. "She's got an eye for art, you know."

I laughed. "You keep saying that. She's two. Everything she paints looks like random blobs to me."

Vivian grinned. "It's not just blobs. There's intent. Trust me-l see a lot of kids' art, and hers stands out."

"Guess I'll have to take your word for it," I said, shaking my head.

Vivian laughed, her eyes crinkling at the corners. It was an easy kind of laugh, the kind that made the night feel less lonely.

After a while, the conversation turned more serious.

"Can I ask about your wife?" Vivian asked softly, her tone

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careful.

I stiffened for a moment but then nodded. "Sure."

"Is she? Uhm..."

I stared down at the empty tray in my hands, gathering my thoughts. "The state considers me a widower-or they will, once they confirm there's no brain function left. But she's still here, technically. Hooked up to machines feeding her, but... it's not really her anymore." Vivian's expression softened, and I saw the pity in her eyes. I hated it, but at the same time, it felt good to talk about it with someone who wasn't family.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly.

"It's fine," I said, leaning back against the bench and sighing.

For a moment, the only sound was the wind rustling through the trees. Then Vivian spoke again.

"You know... I'm convinced she'd want you to be happy," she said, her voice steady but kind.

I glanced at her, surprised by the conviction in her tone.

"She'd want you to live," Vivian continued. "To let yourself have a little joy, even if it's just one small moment at a time."

Her words hit harder than I expected, and before I realized what I was doing, I found myself telling her about Germany.

"There's this facility," I began. "Jess has been pushing for it. They've made amazing progress with patients like Laura- 75.56%

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people with brain injuries. But..."

"But it's a big step," Vivian finished for me, her voice understanding.

"Yeah," I said, nodding. "And it's far. Too far. If something happened, I wouldn't be there in time."

"That's not selfish," she said gently. "It's just human."

Her words hung in the air between us, and for the first time in what felt like forever, I felt a little lighter.

"Thanks," I said finally, looking over at her.

ww

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