Page 68 of The Flight Risk

I give her a pained look. “I love what you’ve built Brooke, but I don’t see myself working there full time. It’s just not my passion and I love that it’s yours and you have this wonderful business and you are killing it! I will always support you. I just can’t work for you. I want something more for myself than being an assistant to you or whatever title that will be. I don’t want to be the supporting character in someone else’s life. I want to be the main character.”

When Brooke doesn’t say anything right away, I panic. “I didn’t want to dim the excitement you had about working together again. For the classroom, it worked. But seeing you go after your dream life, you inspired me to want more and to go after what will make me the happiest. That’s why I’m not renewing my contract for next school year.”

Brooke’s eyebrows shoot up. “Really? I’m so proud of you, Tess. With everything you have done with your life this year. You don’t have to apologize for wanting what you want.”

“No?” Relief sets in and my aching, nervous heart feels slightly better.

“Hell no! Your happiness is above everything else, Tess. You are my best friend and as much as I would love to work with you again, I want you to do what makes you happy.” She nearly knocks the air out of me when she brings me in for a hug and squeezes me tightly.

A huge weight is lifted off my chest. Brooke is such an integral part of my life and in a lot of ways, she’s like a sister to me. “Thanks. It means a lot that you don’t hate me.”

“Never.” She finishes her latte and dumps it in the nearby trash can. “So, what’s the plan? And if there’s no plan, that’s totally okay.”

I sigh. “Well, Oakley and I were talking a couple weeks ago about me maybe running his foundation. Basically being the CEO.”

“What? Oh my god, Tess! That would be perfect!” We are back at the hospital entrance. The doors whoosh open for us.

“Yeah, it would be perfect, except for the tiny insignificant detail of me and Oakley not being together anymore.” I press the “up” button at the elevator. It dings, we enter, and I press seven.

“I don’t understand why you aren’t together. Did Oakley do something terrible?”

“No. I’m the terrible one. All he did was love me and I fucked it all up because I was too scared. He was getting attached and I’ve never had that before. I don’t do well with change. I didn’t want to drag him down with me. He told me that he could handle anything I throw at him and I can’t bring myself to believe him because no one has been able to handle all of me.”

“He can handle anything and maybe you never let anyone have a chance to handle all of you.”

Apparently I haven’t met my crying quota for the past twenty-four hours because I start tearing up again. The elevator dings when we reach the PACU. We walk down the hall and enter Lottie’s room. I grab a tissue and wipe my face before Lottie can notice my tears.

She gives both of us a thumbs-up. “No more catheter!”

“Yay! How about a scone to celebrate?”

“I can’t. They still want me on a strict jello and bone broth diet for a few days. But I promise I will have all the scones and cupcakes when I’m able to.”

“I will bake you a fresh batch. I promise.” Brooke gives Lottie a side-hug.

Lottie notices my puffy eyes. “Aunt Tess, are you okay?”

“I’m fine.”

“By ‘fine’ she means she’s holding it together by a thread and desperately wishing she never broke up with Oakley.”

“B!”

“What? Am I wrong?” Brooke asks as she stuffs her face with one of her scones.

“You are not wrong,” Lottie pipes in before I have a chance to try and change Brooke’s rash, but totally accurate, assessment of how I’m feeling.

I sigh. “Okay, even if that’s true…”

“It is.” Brooke and Lottie say in unison.

“I messed up and Oakley deserves someone who knows what she wants and who doesn’t fuck it all up.” I wipe my nose again. “I guess he did show up when I needed him the most. He really does love Lottie.”

“He really does love you, Tess. I’m sure he loves Lottie, but you are the reason he came by last night,” says Brooke. “Tristan and I talked about what happened last night at the game and he said he’s never seen Oakley like this. Unsteady. His stoicism is wavering. He’s not being his weird self in practice or on the ice. And it’s clearly because of you.”

“Jessie’s Girl” is playing in the background–this is the part of 13 Going on 30 where Jenna runs after Matty to see if she can get him back. I never thought my life would parallel a rom-com. Rom-coms are not real and things that happen in the movies do not happen to girls like me. They happen to people like Brooke.

“Aunt Tess, he didn’t come for me last night. He came for you.”