The Better Brother

“Julie.” Shelia smiled and held out her arms for a hug. “It’s good to see you again.”

I hugged her and then looked at Joshua. He was watching us closely, looking from my face to Michael’s and then back again.

“How are you feeling?” I asked.

“Great,” he said. “It’s good to see you, Jules.”

He smiled, and I knew we would all be okay. Michael hurried over to hug his brother while I stood back. Sheila and I caught up a little bit. I told her about my move to Ennis and my new job. She talked about her new boyfriend and how great he was. We all made plans to get together as soon as Joshua was released from the hospital.

It was strange in a way, to be with both Joshua and Michael, but it also felt right. Like this was the way it was always meant to be.

“I told you it would work out,” Joshua said quietly when I sat down beside him. “He loves you, you know.”

“I know.” I looked at Michael and grinned. He was standing to the side, talking with Sheila. They both looked nervous, but I could tell they were getting closer.

“Are you happy?” Joshua asked.

I looked at him. He was staring at me with a slight frown on his face. I’d never seen him look at me that way before. Not once during our entire relationship had he ever looked so concerned about my well-being.

“I’m happier than I’ve ever been,” I said, unable to hide my smile. “I really am.”

Joshua nodded and smiled. He looked at Michael and then back at me as if he couldn’t imagine anything better.

“What happened to you during that accident?” I laughed. “You’re like a totally new person.”

“I feel like it,” Joshua said. He shrugged. “I guess I’m just done being an ass, you know? Near-death gives you a little perspective. There are more important things. Life’s too short.”

We talked for a while longer until Michael decided it was time to go. We all hugged goodbye and promised to see each other soon. Sheila hugged me twice before Michael and I slipped out into the hallway. We held hands as we made our way to the parking lot. Even now, Michael still didn’t want to let me get too far away.

“I’m not going anywhere,” I told him as we drove back to Ennis. “I know you’re afraid of that.”

“What makes you say that?” Michael asked innocently.

I shrugged. “I can tell.”

“I just don’t want to lose you again,” Michael said.

He was staring intently through the windshield, his forehead furrowed, and his eyes narrowed against the bright sun.

“You won’t lose me.”

***

Michael and I spent the next few days holed up in his house. We exchanged Christmas presents, not caring that it was no longer Christmas. As we waited for New Year’s Eve, we pretended like the world had stopped. We ordered food and stayed in our pajamas, sipping hot chocolate and making love whenever the mood hit us.

When I opened the crystal Christmas tree Michael bought me, my eyes filled with tears of happiness. I remembered that night in the town square. It wasn’t long ago and, yet, it felt like a different life. Things were so simple back then, so easy. Now, we’d been through hell and back together and, somehow, we were stronger than ever.

“It’s perfect,” I whispered. “Where did you find this?”

“Annabelle’s,” Michael said. “It reminded me of the tree lighting in town.”

“Me too.” I smiled. “That’s what I was just thinking.”

Michael grinned as I set the crystal tree on the coffee table to admire it. It was gorgeous. When it caught the sunlight, it shone brighter than anything in the room. Light reflected off its surface and filled the living room in a shimmering glow. I’d never seen anything more beautiful.

“Thank you,” I said. I leaned over to kiss him and, soon, he was carrying me to bed.

We spent the rest of the day buried beneath the covers, exploring each other’s bodies and laughing until we couldn’t breathe.