Hindsight by Kate Aster

Author:Kate Aster
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kate Aster

Chapter 13

- FEN -

* * *

“How’s paradise?” Stretching out on the sofa, I click the TV to mute as I talk to my brother. It’s midnight here, so I don’t hesitate to call them, knowing that with the time difference at least one of them will be eating dinner right now.

Fact is, I need to hear another voice to drown out the one that’s screaming at me in my head—yelling profanity-laced rebukes that I should be next door with Kaila right now rather than battling insomnia as I watch Impractical Jokers repeats on TV.

“Better if I was retired,” Dodger retorts back. He’s chewing, and I can picture him stuffing something healthy in his mouth before he heads out for his night shift at his clinic. “How’s Mom and Dad?”

“Good. I took Mom to breakfast yesterday and she got me updated on everything that’s happened in Newton’s Creek since we left. It took all of ten minutes.”

“Ha. Some things never change. Make a decision yet?” he asks.

I texted my brothers and Mom the news about the nonprofit shortly after the meeting ended. I figured a group text would be easier since there’s really not much to report until I figure out what the hell I want to do. In my gut, I feel like I should just run from the prospect of getting a regular paycheck that originates from JLS Heartland.

But then I think of Emily.

And then I think of all the other kids like her out there.

And then I think what a selfish ass I am to even consider going with just one helicopter when twenty-four would do so much more.

That’s entirely too much thinking for a guy like me.

“Well, I know at least I’ll take their loan to help me get one helicopter. I don’t like taking the money, but I’d cut off my arm to get that little girl back home myself after this round of chemo is over.” It’s odd that I even feel the need to explain this. Dodger’s a doctor. Of either of my brothers, he’s the most likely to understand.

Yet I can remember us all right now, on multiple occasions, uttering our vows to never take from the Sheridan coffers. We would have changed our names back then, if we could, just to escape living in the JLS shadow.

Moving to the Big Island was definitely a better option.

“I’d skip cutting off your arm. It’d be a little harder to fly,” he says with a chuckle. “So you’re not going to head up a big JLS nonprofit?”

I furrow my brow. “Don’t know yet.”

“I don’t know what you’re on the fence about.”

Immediately, I’m on the defense. “Look, I know we always said that we’d never ride the Sheridan coattails, but this could help a lot of people.”

There’s an awkward pause. “Actually, Fen, I meant I don’t know why you’d be hesitating to do it. Twenty-four helicopters on three different islands could really make a hell of a difference around here.”

“Oh.” I catch myself at a loss of words for a moment.

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