Page 14 of Dare to Fall

“Does Garrett know everything?”

My mother stared at the pile of papers on her desk, unable to meet my eyes. “He knows that things are not good. I was planning on updating him about the test results when we have dinner tonight.”

I could feel it coming. The question that always got asked.

Her dark eyes finally met mine. “I know this isn’t what you wanted for yourself, but sometimes we have to make sacrifices for the ones we love. Have you given any more thought to joining the company? To taking over for your father so he doesn’t have to do this anymore?”

A long exhale escaped me as I tried not to let the frustration take hold. But to use my father’s poor health as a tactic to get me to join the company…I thought she was beyond that. I thought they both were.

“You are asking me to change my entire self by taking over for him, Mother. It wouldn’t be a sacrifice of career. It would be a sacrifice of who I am as a person. For one, I wouldn’t even know where to start with running a billion-dollar corporation. In fact, it would be like starting completely over when I have already worked so hard to build a life for myself. A life that I love. If anyone were fit to take over the company, it’s Garrett. At least his mind is logically oriented.”

She shook her head. “Garrett just received R1 funding for his research. He is heading up a multi-million dollar grant now. There’s no way he can back out of the contract.”

I scoffed. “And so you thought I could back out of my own deals instead? Jesus, Mom.”

Pain flashed across her face. “I’m so sorry, honey. That’s not what I was meaning.” She made her way over to me, taking my hands in hers as she knelt down in front of the chair. “I’m just so worried about your father, and I don’t know how to get him to slow down unless one of you boys takes over the company. I really don’t think he can keep this up much longer, and the thought of losing him…” Tears welled in her eyes as her voice trailed off.

My heart plummeted, seeing her like this. So distraught with no clear plan of what to do when she was the one whoalwaysknew what to do.

She stood with me, and I wrapped her in my arms, thinking back to the days when she was the one who towered over me as a young boy.

I pulled back to get a good look at her. Tiny crow’s feet reached out from the outer corners of her brown eyes. She aged beautifully, which helped delay the sense of mortality that was looming over all of us. But now that my father was sick, it felt like iron chains were wrapped around my heart at the thought of losing one of them.

“I’ll talk to Dad, okay?” Her eyes lit up at my words.

I gave her a kiss on the forehead. “But let me reach out to him on my terms. No more meddling.”

“Deal,” she whispered.

I made my way toward her office door. “I have to meet Garrett for lunch now, but we’ll talk soon,” I said over my shoulder.

“Okay. I love you, son.”

“I love you too, Mom.”

The metal door handle felt cool beneath my hand.

“Oh, Garth. I forgot to ask you. I know that you are friendly with several of the professors around campus.” I turned back toward her. “Have you heard any rumors of a professor dating a student?”

My brows knitted together as I racked my brain. “No. I haven’t heard anything.”

She leaned against her desk. “It probably hasn’t fully circulated, then. Keep an ear out for me, would you? Let me know if you hear of who it might be.”

A chill ran down my spine at the displeasure in her voice. The same tone that always meant Garrett and I were in deep shit. Whomever the professor was, I felt sorry for the poor bastard. Because the woman standing across from me would rip him into shreds for toying with one of her beloved students.

“I’ll keep an ear out.”

She nodded at me, and I walked out the door.

7

Eva

A subtle naggingpulled at my gut. I knew I should start working on the mountain of biochemistry homework that had already started to pile up. That was what I was here to do. Go to class. Do my homework. Take the MCATs. All so I could get into one of the best medical schools in the country so that I could help people. Wasn’t that what everyone wanted? To help people?

As the days dragged on, I realized my desire for this thing I was supposed to do kept wavering.

Gentle caresses of mist stroked my face as the summer breeze pushed the spouting water from the fountain into the humid air. I leaned my head back, taking in the warm rays of the sun. It was days like this when I missed the beach the most, the coarse sand between my toes as the salty ocean water splashed onto my legs. My bedroom back home was filled with pictures of the beach I had taken over the years. If I had it my way, I never would have left.

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