I’d talked to my parents and sister, but once those conversations ended and I realized there was no one else for me to call, it left me feeling like there was something big missing in my life.
When we landed at the airfield in DC, my parents and sister were there, waiting with Tackle’s family.
My mother embraced me a little too hard, and I flinched but didn’t say anything. I could only imagine how she’d felt when she heard I was in a plane crash.
My dad rarely showed much emotion, but today he did, as did my sister. Once they’d all hugged me. We switched, and they hugged Tackle in the same way his family loved on me.
We’d spent so much time at each other’s houses when we were growing up that our parents ended up being good friends too.
I turned around when Tackle’s mother released me, and caught the tail end of him embracing my sister. There was something weird about it, especially when Sloane looked right at me as though she wondered if I’d seen them. Tackle’s words echoed in my head. “She might not feel the same way I do.” It couldn’t be, though, could it? Nah, Sloane was as much his little sister as she was mine. Except for biology. I continued to watch them both, but they appeared to be ignoring each other now.
“I want you to come home for a while,” said my mother when we walked into the terminal building. I couldn’t fathom sitting through another flight, not to men
tion I wanted to stay here in Washington so I could monitor Onyx’s condition.
I was surprised when, later, I overheard Tackle say he was planning to go to Boston.
“Just for a few days,” he said when I asked him about it.
It wasn’t up to me to tell him he should stay here. That was his decision to make, just like it was mine.
Most days, for the next month, I went to the hospital to see Onyx. Not as often as Rhys “Monk” Perrin did, though. He was there almost around the clock, waiting for Onyx to come out of the coma he’d been in since we were rescued in Columbia.
Monk had been the handler on the mission, and no matter who or how many times the K19 team tried to convince him the plane crash was in no way his fault, he still felt responsible.
It wasn’t until right before Christmas that Monk asked about it. Tackle and I were both headed to Boston to spend the holidays with our families, but stopped by the hospital first. We’d been there an hour and were getting ready to leave when he offered to walk us out.
“I’m sure you’ve already briefed Doc about this, but what went down that day?” he asked.
Tackle rubbed the back of his neck with his hand. “It was a major Charlie Foxtrot, Monk.”
I nodded. “I don’t know what went on in the cockpit, but when we were just past Aruba, all hell broke loose.” I closed my eyes, reliving the day I was sure I was going to die. “It all happened so fast. We heard a shot being fired and stormed the front of the plane. Onyx had taken a direct hit, and Corazón had her gun turned our way when I fired.”
“By that time, the plane was already taking a dive. I didn’t think there was any way we’d live through it,” Tackled added.
“I’ll tell you what. Every day since we’ve been home, I’ve told as many people as I can that I love them. The other thing is, life is too fucking short to not have someone you love by your side. I know that isn’t easy to find, but when I do, I’m gonna make damn sure I don’t waste any time.”
Tackle nodded. “I feel the same way. Any time I find myself thinking I’ll put something off until the next day, I stop and do whatever it is right then. I came too damn close to not having any more next days.”
He didn’t mention the woman he’d talked about on our way back from Columbia, making me suspect it hadn’t worked out after all.
We’d just stepped off the elevator in the parking garage when a call came in from Striker. I knew why he was calling, and it wasn’t something I’d discussed with Tackle.
“You got a minute?” he asked.
“Tackle and I are about to head to the airfield.”
“I’ll meet you there.”
“What was that about?” Tackle asked.
“I’ve decided not to accept K19’s offer.”
He’d started the car but cut the engine. “Why not?”
“You can drive,” I motioned for him to restart the car.
Tackle shook his head. “Why not?” he repeated.