Page 9 of Never Too Late

“Who?”

“Noah. How is Noah?”

“I’ve just said, he’s fine. He’s shaken up still, but he’s fine. Don’t worry about him Jae, the others have got him covered. He’ll be home soon; you’ve got other things to worry about right now. Like yourself.”

“None of this is important right now,” I mutter.

“None of this is important? Brother, have you registered what has happened? You got shot. You were hurt. I thought I lost you. I didn’t know if I had until you touched down and I was able to lift you into my arms like the dead weight you are. You really think the others would let anything happen to each other like that? Especially after what we’ve been through. Please focus on yourself for one moment, Jae, please just put yourself first.”

“If I put myself first, that means this is real. It can’t be real. Not yet.”

“It’s as real as it's ever going to be.” He stares directly at me.

I try to believe what he’s telling me but I don’t feel like I made it out alive, I feel as though I got a one-way ticket to hell and I’m living my worst nightmare.

One I’ll never wake up from.

After what seems like forever, but was only thirty minutes, the double doors finally open and out comes one of the doctors from the board meeting.

“We’re ready for you back in there, Summers.”

Summers.

Not Major.

Summers.

“I’m right behind you,” Isaac says as I feel his hand squeeze my shoulder.

I take a few seconds to wonder whether it’s best to ask him to leave so I can do this on my own. But I quickly conclude that I don’t want to be alone right now.

I can’t be alone right now.

So, I take his hand from my shoulder, tightly gripping it in my own, and squeeze as we make our way back into the room with our heads held high. Ready for whatever path my future is going to take.

Chapter four

Jae

“At night, I sit staring at the door, waiting and hoping for you to walk through it and fall straight into my arms.”

One week later

“I know your life has changed now, mate, but Wales? Do you really want to do that to yourself? I mean come on. Wales? Did that bullet wound take some of your brain cells too?” Isaac questions with a perplexed look on his face, clearly confused about the news I’ve sprung on him. But there’s a hint of something else too. Sadness.

A shallow laugh escapes me at his questions. They’re the same ones that have been on my mind for the past week.

“Yeah, mate. It’s what I need to do.” I turn to face him.

I had known from the first moment I told Issac about my plans, he would be against them. I also knew he wouldn’t stop me from doing what I feel is right. He wouldn’t be able to stop me either way. No one would.

“What did Noah say about it? Surely, you’ve told him, right? Please tell me he’s told you ‘not a fucking chance.’ I can’t imagine him allowing you to do this, and he’s the youngest of us all. This is something I'd expect him to do, not you,” he tells me.

“Isaac, I was shot. I was lucky to make it out alive. Some don’t. I need to be as far away from here as I can possibly get right now. I’m no longer who I thought I was. I’m not a soldier anymore, brother. I’m just Jae,” I explain.

“Well, just Jae. Soldier or not, you’re still my brother. I don’t like the idea of you being so far away, alone,” he pushes.

“And what am I going to do when you go back out on tour or when you go off training? I’m going to be on my own at some point. I may as well get used to it somewhere I can feel comfortable. Somewhere where I can start a new life.” I outwardly sigh, my shoulders relaxing with the movement.

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