Even though I’d probably never do this on my own, part of me is grateful that Evan is making me take a vacation day. We can pretend for a moment that we’re not carrying the weight of saving the world on our shoulders. We spend the morning riding the roller coasters, laughing at the performers, eating way too many treats, and getting our pictures taken all over the place. I feel more than a little guilty for enjoying myself this much. I know I don’t deserve it. I have way too much work to do to waste a day like this.
I have to give Evan credit, Valerie is surprisingly amazing. I've seen her around campus, and said hi to her several times, but I’ve never really taken the time to get to know her until today. My index entry for her is mostly based on Father’s files and what Evan says about her, but that’s a weak substitute for talking to her on my own. She certainly is as gorgeous as Evan says. I know she’s got some Vietnamese heritage, and I’m very curious where else her ancestors are from that gives her those distinctive features and brass skin tone, but I’m too embarrassed to ask. Her petite build isn’t really my type, she’s got a great figure by anyone’s standards. Her small body looks even tinier when she’s next to my huge brother.
The tour guide who lets us skip the lines leads us to our VIP seats. The Main Street parade is starting in ten, so we can take a break for a few from the fast pace we’ve been going.
“Anyone want some ice cream?” Evan offers.
“I’m still full of whatever those fried things were,” I answer.
“Beignets,” Valerie says helpfully. “And I’m full too.”
Andrea pops an ice cream cone icon in the air and the two of them hurry off to get their frozen treats before the show starts. The guide is a few meters back, which leaves Valerie and I alone.
“So, you’re probably wondering why I’m dating your brother,” she says. “What with the age difference and all.”
I nod. “I can’t say the thought hadn’t crossed my mind. What are you, like six years older than he is?” I kick on the polygraph function and aim a few dozen bot eyes at her. Not that I have any reason not to trust her, but Evan means a lot to me and if she’s going to hurt him I want to know about it sooner than later.
She laughs. “Only five. Five and a little. The short answer is because he asked me to, and I like him.” I’m not picking up any extra stress, but I don’t have enough of a baseline to be sure.
“And the long answer?” I ask.
The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
"Well, I've never had what you'd call a normal dating life,” she says. “I graduated high school at fifteen and went straight to college. All the guys in my undergrad program just called me jailbait and avoided me. Then when I went in for my midwifery certification and nursing doctorate, it was almost all women in my cohort and I was on the rush track so I basically didn’t see anyone else regularly for a few years. Then I started working for your father and living at the campus. You know how many social opportunities that place provides. So I had basically just resigned myself to living without romance for this phase of my life."
All registering as true. The parade starts rolling by with a grand clamor and I have to form a mic near her mouth to make sure I don't miss anything.
"Then along comes Evan,” she continues. “The first time I met him I thought he was like twenty or something. I mean, you know how old he looks. And he's cute, so I flirted a little. I stopped as soon as I realized how old he was, but the damage was done. He had already fallen madly in love with me.”
She smiles and laughs, but she’s not wrong. Evan is crazy about her. I can see why. She’s wicked smart, funny, and as Evan says way too often, she’s hot.
A guy in the mouse suit passes by, waving. He’s followed by a duck and a dog who wears clothes, then another dog that doesn’t. They seem familiar and I’ve been seeing pictures of them all day. I feel like I should know their names, but I don’t.
“Yeah, I guess he likes you all right,” I say, amplifying my voice a little in her direction with my bots. “I hear you two had a fun time on your little jaunt up to Vegas.”
She blushes a little.
“I don’t know what he told you, but I was a very good girl,” she says with indignation that the polygraph tells me is only a little bit deceptive. “I kept my hands to myself.”
I laugh. I think Evan got a little more action than he told me about.
“Just take care with my brother. I don’t want to have to kill you if you hurt him.”
“Yeah, he’s been through enough,” she says, her voice full of sympathy. “The way your Father died, oh wow! No one should have to go through that. Hurting him is the last thing I’d ever do. We’re going to take things nice and slow, and if things don’t work out between us I promise that it won’t be because of anything I meant to do.”
Her vitals tell me she’s sincere. Good enough. And good that Evan is keeping his mouth shut about what really happened with Father. We should really formalize the vow of silence on that at some point. Evan and Andrea stroll back to us as the parade wraps up along with our VIP guide from the park staff.
“Sorry, we got caught on the other side of the parade,” Evan apologizes as takes a bite from his cup with pineapple sherbet in pineapple juice.
“No worries,” she answers, smiling at him and giving him a peck on the cheek. “I got a chance to get to know Noah a little. You’re right, he’s not too bad. Now, who’s up for riding that train that goes through the mountain?”
I was happy for Evan before, but I’m even happier for him now. I try to imagine for a moment what it would be like to have someone in my life like that, but I just can’t. He’s a lucky man.