Chapter 55

55

SARAH

I watched Dean disappear into the garage and debated what I should do. Did I follow? Did I get my phone and have the police on standby? I went back to the patio. Mom looked up at me. "What's wrong?"

"Dad's home," I murmured.

"Oh?"

"Yeah. He was out?"

She nodded. "I told you that. He went out with a couple of buddies. He's been so stressed lately."

"He's drunk, Mom."

Mom frowned. "Did he drive home?"

"No, but he just pulled Dean into the garage for a chat," I replied.

"Oh."

"Yeah, oh ! Mom, this isn't good."

"It's fine," she said and got to her feet. "They're old friends."

I followed her into the kitchen. "Dad punched him last time," I reminded her. "I don't think old friends go around punching each other."

She shrugged. "Sometimes they do."

I paced the kitchen. My heart hammered as I tried to imagine what was happening in the garage. My mind was racing, and I couldn't shake the feeling that something would go horribly wrong. I glanced at the clock again, willing the minutes to pass more quickly. I didn't think Dean would get violent, but my dad was drunk. He might do something stupid. Dean would have every right to defend himself.

"Sarah, honey, take a breath and calm down," my mother said from where she sat at the kitchen island, her voice gentle but firm. She and Meg were both seated, watching me. I felt like a caged animal. I wanted to go out there and find out what was happening. I wanted to save Dean. Or maybe save my father. The last thing I wanted was the man I loved fighting my father, who I loved and respected. We were at odds, but he was still my father.

"Nothing crazy is going to happen," Mom continued. "They're both reasonable men. And if you want this thing to work, they need to talk about it the way men do."

"Daddy should punch him again," Meg muttered under her breath, her eyes dark with lingering resentment. "He has it coming."

My mouth dropped open in shock and horror. "We'll see how you feel when it's your boyfriend in the garage with Dad."

"Stop it, Meg," Mom scolded, shooting her a stern look. "You're not helping."

I stopped pacing and took a deep breath, trying to center myself. This was my chance to make things right with Meg. This anger she had toward me was not getting any better. I didn't want to have this ugly thing hanging between us. I only had one sister. I didn't want to lose her because I had been oblivious my whole life. She deserved an apology. She deserved to know I thought the world of her, and I knew our parents did as well. She was special and loved. I owed her that much. I walked over to the island and took a seat across from her. She barely looked at me.

"Meg, I need to talk to you," I began, my voice trembling slightly. "I know this has been hard on you, and I haven't always been fair. I never gave much thought to how my bond with Dad and our common ground with the Air Force made you feel over the years."

Meg looked at me, her eyes narrowing. "What do you mean?"

"I see now that I was being selfish," I said, looking her in the eyes. "I should have thought about how it made you feel excluded. As your big sister, I should have helped you find something you and Dad had in common. I regret that, and I'm sorry."

Mom watched us with a small smile.

Meg's eyes grew teary. "Thank you for saying that, Sarah. I've been waiting a long time for someone to notice that I've always taken the back seat to you. It's hard to be overlooked all the time."

I nodded, my throat tightening with guilt. "I should have been more aware, and I'm really sorry. You're not in the back seat in any way, Meg. You're unique and amazing in your own ways. We all see that."

A tear slipped down Meg's cheek as she gave a slight nod. I pulled her in for a hug. She didn't pull away.

"Thank you, Sarah," she murmured, sniffling a little.

We sat there in silence for a moment before Mom's soft sobs had us pulling apart. "I'm so glad you two made up. You are sisters. That's a special bond. I hated seeing the two of you at odds. You're both beautiful, amazing young women. Don't let your father tear you apart."

Tears stung my eyes. "For my part, I promise I won't ever make you feel like that again. I'll do everything I can to make sure you feel like you belong in this family. There's more to life than flying. Dean has shown me that."

"Maybe he'll teach Dad that," Meg said sourly.

"The most important thing is to be a good person," I continued. "And I can say without a shadow of a doubt that my little sister is the best of all of them."

Meg's face crumpled, and she leaned forward to hug me once again. "I love you, Sarah," she whispered, her voice choked with emotion.

"I love you too, Meg," I replied, holding her tightly.

Mom smiled, her eyes glistening with tears. "I'm so proud of you both," she said softly.

It was just like when we were younger. If we got into a fight, Mom insisted we talk it out and hug it out.

"I really am sorry," I said to Meg.

"It's fine," she said. "I know you didn't mean anything by it. You weren't the parent. It wasn't your job to change Dad. You had your eyes on the prize and couldn't see much else."

I laughed. "I do tend to get very focused. Distractions can get you killed up there."

"I wish I had some of that focus." She sighed. "I just keep looking for something I love as much as you love flying."

I looked at her, studying the worry on her face. "Meg, it's okay to not have found your passion yet. It doesn't make you any less than anyone else. You're young. You'll find it."

Just then, we heard the front door open. Footsteps approached the kitchen. Dean and Dad walked in, neither of them sporting split lips or black eyes. In fact, Dad was smiling.

I let out a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding. "Dad?" I said, my voice tentative.

He walked over and pulled me into a hug, his arms strong. "Sarah, do you have plans in the morning?" he asked, his voice gruff but warm. "I could use some help with the Mustang."

It was his way of extending an olive branch. My heart swelled with relief. "I can clear my busy vacation schedule," I replied, my voice thick with emotion. "And after we finish working on the car, maybe we could grab lunch with Meg?"

Dad looked over at Meg, his eyes softening. "That sounds like a great idea," he said, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

Meg gave me a grateful look. "I'd like that," she said, her voice steady and sincere. "Just don't ask me to help you work on that car. I don't know a wrench from my elbow."

We all laughed. "I'd be happy to show you," I offered.

She grinned. "No thanks. I'm not getting grease under my nails."

Dean stepped forward. "Thank you, Mo," he said, extending his hand. "For giving me a chance."

Dad shook his hand firmly, nodding. "Just take care of my daughter, Dean. That's all I ask."

"I will, sir," Dean promised, his eyes filled with determination. "You have my word."

The tension that had hung over us for so long seemed to dissipate. We went out back, the five of us, and for the first time in a long while, it felt like everything was going to be okay. Dean was much more relaxed than earlier. I wasn't sure what had been said in the garage, but it was clear they had a meeting of the minds.

Mom poured more tea for us while insisting my father drink water. We talked for another hour about the coming winter and my dad's future travels. It felt good to be together, to be a family again.

Eventually, the night began to wind down, and Dean stood up to leave. "I should get going," he said, glancing at the clock. "It's getting late."

"Stay," Dad said, surprising all of us. "You're welcome to stay here tonight."

"Thank you, but I've got a hotel room," he said. "I'll be fine."

Dad shook his hand again. "Thanks for coming by, Ryker."

"You're welcome, sir. Thank you for talking to me."

"I'll walk you out," I said.

I walked him to his car. He slid his arms around my waist and held me close.

"Is everything really okay?" I asked softly.

He pulled back slightly, his green eyes searching mine. "Yes, everything is really okay," he said earnestly. "In fact, more than okay."

"You're sure?" I asked, trying to read him.

His smile was warm. "I'm sure," he said firmly. "Your dad just needed time to warm up to the idea, that's all. He was worried I was going to use you and throw you away. I assured him that was not the case."

I nodded, feeling relief. It seemed we had finally cleared the last hurdle. Dean and my family were finally on good terms. Meg and I were good too.

"I'm glad." I said, my voice choked with emotion.

He leaned in then, pressing his lips to mine. He pulled back a bit. "I think I disappointed him," he said.

"What do you mean?"

"Leaving the Air Force." He shrugged. "He assumed I was in it for the long run. Five years ago, I thought I was. But things changed. He's always seen me as his protege, and I disappointed him."

I laughed. "Join the crowd. There's one thing you should know about my father."

"What's that?"

"He has a very, very high bar for the people he cares about," I said. "He takes it as his personal mission to push people up and up and up. He wants everyone to be successful."

Dean chuckled, shaking his head. "Your dad is one tough cookie, that's for sure."

I nodded. "Yeah, he is." I paused, looking up at him intently. "But you didn't disappoint him." I reached up to cradle his face in my hands. "You're still the person he always admired and respected. Maybe even more so now because you stood up for yourself and for us. I'm sure he's disappointed you walked away, but I know there has been more than one time in my father's life that he considered doing the same thing. Maybe he's upset because he didn't have the courage to do it himself."

He leaned into my touch, his eyes reflecting gratitude. "Thank you," he whispered, engulfing me in a warm hug.

We stood there for a moment, underneath the starlit sky. I was happy. Truly happy. It was almost better than flying.