Page 7 of The Greatest Gift

I’m 99% sure what this conversation is going to be about which is why I’m not looking forward to it.

Still, I gather up the strength to follow her to her office, groaning as I’m stuffed into a chair between my sisters and handed a mug of my own. My mother stands in front of us, her arms folded across her chest as she glances between the three of us. “Drink it, Judd. Lord knows you need it.”

I take a cautious sip, only to flinch as the hot liquid sloshes over the rim and onto my lap. “Damn it,” I hiss, my older sister—Jess, god forbid anyone other than Mom call her Jessica—handing me a tissue to wipe up the stain. This just isn’t my day. Or week.

Mom watches me, her eyes softening as I fumble. “What’s wrong, Judd?”

I pause. “Nothing,” I lie, setting the mug on the coffee table in front of me.

Her raised eyebrow tells me she doesn’t buy it for a second. Before I can deflect further, my younger sister—Athena—on the other side leans over to me, gently placing a hand on my arm. My heart sinks into my stomach as I settle back in the chair. “Is this an intervention?”

“Something like that,” she replies smoothly. “You’ve been running yourself ragged and we’re worried about you.”

Jess crosses her arms, her sharp eyes scanning me. “Mom’s right.”

Athena rolls her eyes at Jess’ bluntness before throwing an arm around my shoulder and pulling me into a side hug. “We’re here to help,” she says softly. It’s only been a week or so since we spent Thanksgiving together but even then, I didn’t let them see behind the veil.

I couldn’t.

These past few years, everyone was so proud of how far I came and how wonderful I was with my daughter. This year feels like I haven’t grown at all and I’m barely staying afloat. I didn’t want my family—full of successes—to see that. And yet, in this moment, it feels like none of that matters.

I’ve been pushing away the few people who would stand beside me regardless of what I was dealing with—what Iamdealing with.

Something inside me cracks as I sag against Athena’s embrace, the weight of my exhaustion and stress making it impossible to hold myself together. “I don’t know what I’m doing,” I admit, my voice barely above a whisper.

Jess rubs my back, reminding me of the days when it was us three siblings against the world. “You don’t have to do it alone.”

“That’s right,” Athena chimes in. “Trying to handle everything on your own? It sucks. I know from experience.”

I glance at her, surprised by the admission. Athena’s always been the epitome of competence, juggling ten things at once without breaking a sweat. Hearing her say she struggles too makes me feel a little less like a failure. Three years ago, she nearly turned away her happily ever after because of what everyone would think and now she’s happily married to her childhood sweetheart.

All because she let herself feel, let herself lean, and allowed others in.

Something I desperately need to start doing.

Jess pulls back, her hands resting on my shoulders. “We’re here, Judd. Babysitting, errands, whatever you need. You just have to ask.”

I shake my head, guilt washing over me. “I don’t want to burden you guys. You have your own lives.”

Jess gives me a look that could melt steel. “You’re not a burden. You’re my little brother.”

Mom steps forward, sitting on the coffee table in front of me. She takes my hands in hers, gently rubbing her thumbs across the back of my hands. “Judd, you’re doing an incredible job. You are a wonderful father and Stevie is a beautiful, flourishing little girl because of all the effort you’ve put in. But you can’t keep pouring from an empty cup.”

The lump in my throat grows as I struggle to hold myself together. “I just… I feel like I’m failing. Why would Ava dump our kid on me when now, all of a sudden, she wants a family?”

The words spill out before I can stop them and the room goes silent. I don’t know for sure that’s what she wants but it makes sense after Nakul told me that he couldn’t have kids. Ava always wanted a family—she talked about it enough but the moment it happened, she dipped.

Athena and Jess exchange a sharp glance, their jaws tightening as they process what I’ve said. “Shewhat?” Jess asks, her voice laced with anger.

Athena echoes the same words. “She wants a family now?”

“I didn’t mean to dump that on you,” I say quickly, waving a hand. “It’s fine. I’m handling it.”

“No, it’s not fine,” Jess snaps, her eyes blazing. “She doesn’t get to walk out on her kid and then decide she wants to play house.”

“Jess,” Mom says warningly, cutting through the rising tension. Jess clamps her mouth shut but continues to glare at nothing in particular. Mom returns her attention to me. “Judd, you need to take care of yourself. Go rest for an hour and then you can finish your work. If I had known it was this bad, I would have asked Kelly to do it so you could take some time off.”

I open my mouth to protest, but she holds up a hand.

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