Chapter 19
Christmas eve night
They finished shopping in record time after Ethan left. No one mentioned where he'd gone, but the question hung in the air like the Christmas lights strung above them.
By evening, the house had settled into a comfortable rhythm. Carol and Diana were in the Bus-kitchen outside, preparing appetizers for tomorrow's big meal.
Liam had claimed the hammock in the backyard. Alex was tinkering with something near the fire pit.
Maya and Jess sat on the patio swing, wrapped in blankets, mugs of hot apple cider warming their hands. The sun had set an hour ago, and the string lights cast everything in a soft, golden glow.
"So," Jess said, taking a sip of her cider. "Scale of one to ten, how awkward is this Christmas?"
"Fifteen," Maya said without hesitation.
Jes
