Page 183 of The Otherworld

“Are you okay?” Jack whispers, taking me by the shoulders to look into my face. “You’re shaking.”

I burst into tears and collapse against him.

“Hey, it’s all right.” Jack wraps his arms around me, and I cry into his chest, and we stay like that for what feels like a long, long time. He rubs his hand over my back in slow, circular movements, his voice finally coming in a broken rasp. “I’m sorry for the way we parted, Orca. I’m sorry for the things I said to you. I was such a jerk. Please forgive me.”

A sad little laugh catches in my throat. “Of course I forgive you, Jack. I hope you forgive me, too. I know I hurt you, and that was the last thing in the world I wanted to do…”

“I know,” he says softly, his voice a hundred years old. “I read your letter. I know.”

I ease back to look into Jack’s hazel eyes, my vision still blurry with tears. “You’re not upset?” I sniff, swiping at my wet cheeks with the back of my hand. “It’s not that I don’t love you, Jack. It’s just not—”

“You don’t have to explain. I understand. And I’m not upset.” Jack gives me a lopsided smile. “You couldn’t have picked a better man than Adam.”

I can see that he means it—without a hint of regret or bitterness.

“Thank you, Jack.” I squeeze his hand. “Thank you for being here for me. For helping my father. You’ll always be a dear friend to me.”

A tiny laugh escapes him. “I’ll never forget the great times we had together,” he says, an edge of heartbreak in his voice. “I decided to take your advice and go see the world. Who knows, maybe I’ll find myself along the way.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ve joined the Air Force.”

“The military Air Force?”

Jack nods, grinning like a wonderstruck child.

“Are you going to be a fighter pilot?”

He laughs. “Well, that’s the ultimate goal, yeah. But I have a lot of work to do first.”

“Oh, Jack.” I throw my arms around him again, hugging him tight. “Don’t get yourself shot down out there. We’d all be lost without you.”

“Don’t worry, Orca. It’s not like there’s a war going on. I kind of wish there was.”

I smack his arm. “Don’t say that! War is a terrible thing. If women ran the world, there would be no wars at all.”

Jack grunts. “Then there wouldn’t be a need for fighter pilots. And where would that leave me?”

“Safe.”

“I will be safe, Orca. I promise.”

I shake my head, drawing back to look him in the face. “You can’t make promises like that. Nobody can. Life is fragile—unpredictable. It can be snatched away at any moment, without warning.” My voice thickens with tears, a crushing wall of dread rising within me.

Jack places one hand on my shoulder. “Your dad is gonna be okay. He’s the most stubborn person in the world, remember? He’s not going to give up that easily.”

* * *

The next few hours feel like an eternity. I sit in the waiting room with Adam’s arm looped around my shoulders as we wait for news from the doctor. Jack has gone outside to call his parents and let them know what’s going on. Adam keeps assuring me that everything will be all right, but I don’t feel at ease until Dr. Reed comes in with a gentle smile and says, “Your father’s awake. He’s asking to see you.”

I spring to my feet and follow the doctor down the sterile white hallway to a strange little room crowded with peculiar machines and bright lights. A few medical workers in the same starchy uniforms hover around a rather uncomfortable-looking bed, where Papa lies. He looks older than he ever has, the color drained from his face and his tired eyes scarcely open.

“Papa,” I gasp, rushing to his side and taking his hand. “How are you feeling?”

He pulls in a weary breath, not to answer my question but to murmur, “Those… boys…”

A smile blooms over my lips. “They saved you, Papa. I found you collapsed on the kitchen floor, and I didn’t know what to do, so I called Jack and Adam for help. They flew out to the island in the middle of an awful storm and rescued you.” I kiss his rough, weather-worn knuckles. “Oh, Papa. I was so scared that I’d lost you.”

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