Page 36 of The Billionaire's Off Chance

Minutes later, I am at the hospital. I meet Lance in the corridor, leading to Eric’s ward. I stop at the door, shaking my head. “I think you should go in and give it to him. I–I don’t think I can do it.”

“Why? You made this possible…”

“I gave him maple syrup, which he’s allergic to; it almost made him lose his life. I know you say that I shouldn’t blame myself, but I feel guilty. It could have turned out much worse, and no amount of chocolate will be enough of an apology.” I hang my head, sighing. My mind flashes to my younger brother, Ash, who died from an allergic reaction. I had no way to save him.

Lance pulls me aside to a room filled with medical supplies and the smell of disinfectant. “I understand where you’re coming from, but this guilt you’re feeling is much deeper. Many people in your shoes will be happy Eric survives and promises themselves to do better. Instead, you’re beating yourself up. Tell me, what’s the matter?”

I look into his understanding, soft gaze. “You see right through me, Lance.” I turn away and sit on the floor, drawing my legs up to my chin. “I had a younger brother, Ash. Mom worked two jobs and came home late, tired and hungry. I took it upon myself to help however I could by being an adult too early for my age. I went out for pizza with my brother after school so we could eat. I asked the servers if the pizza had any cross contamination with seafood; they assured me it had not.” I bit my lower lip, tears welling up in my eyes as I remember the tragic event.

Lance crouches down, hugging me from the back. When I feel steady enough, I continue, “We ate the pizza and Ash was fine, until he was not. I found him clinging to the toilet, throwing up. His face was red, and he couldn’t breathe or talk. His eyes were wide with fear. I could hear his voice in my head, screaming for help. I called 911 immediately, but they came too late. I was only ten years old at the time. I felt so helpless with no one around to help. My…Mom…I can remember her running into the house, screaming in horror; when she saw my brother, she grew silent. I thought she was going to hate me for his death. So, you see, I have every reason to beat myself up for this.”

He moves to my front, straddling me. He cups my face, kissing my lips and wiping my cheeks. “What happened back then is no doubt traumatic, especially for a child of your age. I wish I had something to say to make you feel better.” I try to look away. “No, look at me. We both made a mistake, not knowing about his allergy. We can try to do better and take care of Eric. The death of your brother is not your fault. You were meticulous when you were getting the pizza. The people at fault were the ones who made it. Stop crying. Eric is in his room waiting for us. How am I going to explain it, when he sees his favorite person crying?”

I snort a laugh, pressing my forehead to his. “Thanks, Lance. I seem to be saying that a lot lately. We shouldn’t keep him waiting.” He helps me to my feet, and we get out of the medicine supply room.

We enter Eric’s room. Christmas decorations animate the room; a garland is mounted on the wall behind his bed. Eric hugs a teddy bear, watching a TV show. He notices us coming and sits upright, looking jubilant. He has a rosy face. Relief and joy fill me. “Chasmin! Dad! Yay, you got it.” His eyes fix on the box of chocolate in my hand.

“Yes, we did. I’m sorry we came late.” I sit on the edge of the bed, opening the box. He picks one out, opens the foil packaging, and takes a huge bite.

He grins, talking with his mouth full. “Thanks, Chasmin. I like it.”

Lance places a hand on my shoulder, caressing it softly. “See, we just have to do better. We are all going to be fine. I assure you.” I touch his hand on my shoulder, believing him.

The next day we take Eric back home as he’s fully recovered; but I still watch him closely. A few days later, I’m in Lance’s study, going through some business plans he needs finalized before the following week. He enters, setting down a mug of steaming tea. He has a mug in his hand too.

“Thanks.” I say, drinking the warm liquid with relish. Although the house is warm, some cold still manages to seep into my bones.

He comes over and turns my seat so that I am facing him/ He shuts down my laptop. He places a finger on my lips to keep me from complaining. “You have to give yourself time to rest. I know the perfect thing to do: skiing.”

“Skiing? I barely know the first thing about it.”

He smiles proudly. “Good thing you have me here to teach you. I’ve already prepared our things, and we’re leaving right away.”

“What?” I gape at him, thinking he’s joking.

“You have to get used to my surprises, else I expect your jaw to fall off anytime soon.” He hooks his forefinger under my chin and runs my lips with his thumb.

I close my mouth, swallowing hard. What he’s doing is making my heart race. “You announce things out of the blue!” I punch his arm in feigned anger.

“That’s what, in my opinion, makes things more exciting. Come on, we don’t have time to waste.” He pulls me from my seat and out of the study.

An hour later, I’m in a comfortable tight cardigan with thick jeans and boots on my feet. We say our goodbyes to Eric, and Lance drives to me where we’re going to ski. It is a tall snowy mountain. I wonder how we’re going to get up there.

We take the aerial tramway to the top of the mountain, enjoying the view of the snow-covered trees, the frozen lake, and the clear sky. He points out the different slopes and trails, telling me their names and difficulty levels.

“We’ll start with the easiest one, the bunny hill, and work our way up to the more challenging ones.” He looks excited, saying it. “You’ll be great at it as soon as you get the hang of it.”

I look out the window of the tramway, shaking my head. “I hope so.”

We arrive at the ski lodge at the top of the mountain. There are several cabins to choose from. We will lodge in the VIP cabin. Lance wants us to go skiing right away. He helps me put on the boots, skis, poles, helmet, and the huge goggles. In a way, I feel ready to go. He looks handsome in his red jacket and black stretch pants. His black hair is peeking out from under his knitted cap while his brown eyes sparkle behind his goggles. He smiles and kisses me softly, making me feel warm and fuzzy inside.

“Are you ready?” he asks as we leave the cabin, facing the bunny hill.”

“Yes,” I say nervously. He chuckles.

He shows me how to position my feet, how to bend my knees, how to lean forward, and how to use the poles. He whispers in my ear due to the whistling sound the wind makes. His voice sounds a bit muffled due to the pads over my ears. “The most important thing is to relax and have fun. I’ll go first and wait for you at the bottom.” He skis down skillfully, gliding easily through the trees and various obstacles.

He reaches the bottom and turns around, waving at me and smiling. He shouts, and I hear him over the sound of the wind. “You can do it, babe! I’m right here!”

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