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“It’s understandable you don’t like to know she’s suffering,” said Mr. Ward. “But you can’t let it make you feel bad. I was glad to hear you put your foot down about her showing up last night. I asked her if you’d wanted her to come and she was so dodgy about the question, I had this gut feeling something was up.”
“It’s not that I didn’twanther to come; I just wanted something to myself. To enjoy something without worrying about her.”
“I understand.” As the sign leading off the highway to O’Hare came into view, his dad checked his blind spot before changing lanes. “And even if she never acts like it, I think your mother does too. She just… doesn’t want to accept it.”
“Dad, I…” Archer didn’t even know what else to say.
Luckily, his dad filled the silence for him as they made their way to the O’Hare parking lot. It was crowded, but he supposed it might have been worse during the week with all the business travel. “So what’s the plan?” he asked, probably deciding it best to leave the rest of the words unspoken between them. They weren’t going to fix their relationship overnight, but Archer already felt better knowing his dad cared enough to spend just tonight with him. He’d thought he was as good as dead to his dad practically. “Call this girl, get you a ticket to wherever the sister is going so you can get past security?”
If not for the speed bump they went over, Archer would have laughed more audibly. Only his dad could think nothing of wasting money on a plane ticket no one intended to use. And that was assuming there even were any tickets left at this late hour. “I don’t have a passport. She’s headed to Puerto Rico.”
“No passport necessary. Puerto Rico’s part of the U.S.”
Archer winced. So much for his dad thinking well of him. He was too dumb to know basic facts, let alone run a company.
His dad laughed. “No need to look so serious. You wouldn’t be the first one to make that mistake. I honestly thought D.C. was in Washington state until I was eighteen.”
They pulled into a handicapped parking spot and Archer scrambled to get the placard out of the glove compartment. “Yeah, but I’m way older than that…”
“And you focus on things that are more important to you. I get that.” He turned off the ignition.
Archer still felt he ought to be better informed, but he let the compliment stick unchallenged. This entire day felt surreal. He never would have imagined he’d get the guts to ask out a pretty girl in the morning, lose his virginity in the afternoon, and then have a moment with his dad at the airport of all places that same evening. “I’m sorry I couldn’t… take over the business,” he blurted out.
His dad froze, his hand on the button that would automatically open the trunk to get the chair out. “I never expected you to.”
It was like a punch to the gut. Archer swallowed.
His dad cleared his throat. “That… sounded bad. I just meant. If you wanted to, that would be one thing. But I didn’t want to force my child to follow my footsteps, like my dad did.”
“Still… I’m the first in four generations not to take over…”
His dad’s face darkened a little, and Archer wished he could tell if it was from embarrassment or something more. “Look, I… All I ever wanted was to provide for my family and to have enough to provide my child with the future he wants. I… may not understand your art books, but I’m glad you found something that makes you happy. I’m glad other people who understand these things recognize your talents.” He smiled.
Archer almost felt like he was going to cry.
“So we’ll talk about the license and the car,” continued his dad. “But first I’ll help you get your chair out and then… Wait here while you take care of business.”
“Thank you,” choked out Archer. “Thank you…” It was all he could say.
Chapter Eighteen
Gavin descendedon Brielle almost as soon as she walked through the check-in doors. “I looked for her everywhere before security. She’s almost definitely gone through. I didn’t know if I should buy a ticket and hope I could return it or talk to a security officer to have her pulled aside, but then I figured I was no relation to her, so I wasn’t sure if they’d allow—”
“It’s all right,” Brielle said, embracing Gavin and giving him a quick peck on the cheek. “Thank you.” She grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the front of the airline’s line.
“Excuse me,” said a man in line.
“It’s an emergency,” explained Gavin, wincing.
Brielle just ignored him. “I need to speak with a manager,” she explained to the woman behind the counter, who was halfway through probably telling her she’d need to get to the back of the line. “It’s about a minor flying without permission.”
Although the woman sighed and hardly seemed concerned, she at least sent a message over a walkie-talkie before curtly asking them to step aside to an unused counter.
Gavin and Brielle exchanged an awkward glance as they waited, Brielle’s phone clutched tightly in one hand, drumming her fingers on the counter. She’d given calling Nora a shot, thinking maybe she might have felt more up to talking to her than their mom, but it’d gone unanswered. Big surprise.
“So… life, huh?” said Gavin. “Not exactly what we expected post-college?”
Brielle cradled her head in her palm and let out a light laugh. “Icannotbelieve we graduated a week ago. I feel ten years older.”
