Matt pulled his phone out of his pocket, needing to hear her voice. It rang in his ear five times before going to voice mail. Well, he’d heard her voice, though not exactly what he’d had in mind. She was possibly the worst phone answerer in the history of the world. He needed to tape it to her forehead, string it around her neck.
Oh, she’d love that idea. He laughed to himself and went back to work.
At six he decided he had time for a quick run to the hardware store for more supplies. As he drove, he thought about Tony and Beth and births. Seemed like there was always a child being born into his family, or one pending, and the women loved to share the gory details of their labor and delivery. But why, if it was so horrible, did they feel the need to relive the entire event in detail?
His brothers were just as bad. Who’d hit the deck and who’d cut the cord. Who’d jumped up and headed for the door without their pants. There were harried tales of getting the call at work and almost missing a quick birth. Of course work for them meant being thirty minutes away, max. Not thirty hours.
Beth quoted hilarious threats she’d heard women make against the men who’d put them in that position of pain and suffering. But the men had been there, holding hands, wiping brows, taking the abuse.
Who would hold Abby’s hand? Who would drive her to the hospital in the middle of the night? Did she have someone to call? Damn it. He lowered the window for some air.
Her words echoed in his mind. What could you have done? She was right. Not much he could do from five thousand miles away, and that’s if she even got in touch with him. Knowing her, she’d rather face it alone than ask for help. And if she had an emergency? How soon could he get there? Would she call William?
He stopped at a red light and slammed his hands on the steering wheel. Fuck. The light turned green, and before he knew it, he was pulling into the parking lot serving the private end of the airport.
Matt walked into the hangar and saw his brother standing beside the new Learjet he’d been going on about.
Tony didn’t look up from the clipboard in his hand. “Hey, man.”
“Hey. How was Beth’s appointment?” Matt actually envied going to a doctor appointment.
“Good. Strong heartbeat.”
“That’s good. Listen, Tony, I need a favor.”
Tony finally lifted his eyes. “What kind of favor?”
“I need a flight. Today.” Now.
“Really? Where to? No, let me guess.” Tony turned, unsmiling, and started toward his office.
What the hell? He’d just seen his brother less than six hours ago. “I’m not asking to get it for free, dipshit.”
“You’re a dumb-ass, you know that?”
“Yes, I do know, but lucky for me you’re always here just in case I forget. What the hell is your problem?”
When they reached the office, Tony spun to face him. “When is it going to be enough?”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“I just sat and listened to my baby’s heartbeat. A tiny new life, a miracle. I thought to myself, Maybe if it’s a boy I’ll name him after my idiot brother. And then I thought, Well, that would suck, to be named after your dead uncle. You ruined my moment and it pisses me off.”
Matt was speechless. While they’d fought plenty as kids, he didn’t want to fight his older brother, the one he looked up to.
Tony got right in his face. “When will you think you’ve paid your dues, huh? You’ve got a woman you love, kids you love, and I know you want to be with them, so don’t try to tell me you don’t. All that and you’re still so hung up on your guilt you can’t walk away.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” Matt said in a low voice, determined not to scream. Tony didn’t mind.
“The hell I don’t! I know you lost your best friend. I know you’ve set up this payment plan to somehow make it right. So, how long until you’re all paid up, huh? What do you have to do, Matt? Make the ultimate sacrifice?”
“You don’t know what—”
“But I know you. And I know in all your honorable ways you probably blame yourself.”
That wasn’t it. It was because his friend had asked him to do something and he’d given his word.
“And when is it not quitting? When you’re forty? Fifty? When you’re dead?” Tony let out a heavy breath. “I just want my brother back. If this is what you want to do for the rest of your life, so be it. But if you’re putting your life on the line to punish yourself, then I’m going to kick your ass.”
“That makes sense,” Matt said dryly, and there was a moment of silence.