And the world keeps turning

 It was true, Valentina had some catching up to do with Jools. Christmas came and went without getting in touch with him. There was a time he was like another brother, but then he didn't live at his mother's house anymore. She thought he was still at the University, but she found him at the eye-glass place helping customers find the right glasses. 

She took a double take.

"Don't tell me, you need glasses?" Jools smiled. Valentina practically winked and handed over the prescription. Jools only grinned more behind the plastic shield.

"Why didn't you tell me you were working here?" Valentina felt they'd lost touch. Weren't they like family?

"You know how it is, places close down. You stay home wondering if you'll ever work again and-" He shrugged. "I didn't want to worry your mom."

Valentina sighed and looked him over.

"What about Evan?" He was Jools significant other.

"Oh, I should have told you," but Valentina could tell Jools didn't want to talk about him now as he was trying to show her the latest styles in glasses. "We broke up."

"Is it really that simple?" Valentina wanted to know the real story.

"No. But he was thinking of his mental health and even my mental health," Jools said he had depression issues and the pandemic was making things worse for him. 

"You should have told us," Valentina was hurt that he didn't feel he had family anymore. 

"I would have told you eventually," He shrugged, but he reminded her, her mom had been sick with COVID, and then she got married. He said he didn't want to be a downer.

"Where are you staying?" Valentina thought he should move back home.

"I am OK," he told her. "What about you?"

"Good," she nodded with a smile. She wasn't sure this was the time to talk about her real brother Dan, nor about her new boyfriend Matty. "Come over for dinner sometime. You know, Mom would love to see you."