Janice Carter - Her Kind Of Hero

Brent Sothern waved a dismissive hand. “Come on! You’ve been involved from the get-go.”

“Ken is perfectly competent and able to handle this new round.”

“Harold asked for you. He’s not that keen on Patel.”

Right. Because he’s a man. “I’m too busy, Dad. I’m finishing the paperwork on the Evergreen Health Foods merger.”

“Okay, when you’ve done that. Or at least work with Patel on it,” he pressed.

Dana stared at her tall, silver-haired father and wished, for the umpteenth time, that he’d find a life for himself outside Sothern and Davis. His former partner, Chuck Davis, collapsed on a golf course six months after he’d finally retired and was now in a nursing home. Ann, her father’s longtime companion, had been running a “retire or at least cut back” campaign for a year.

Dana knew from experience he wouldn’t back down until she agreed or at least compromised with him, mostly to his benefit. That was his style and she’d lived with it her whole life, except when she managed to go to college out of state. Even then he’d emailed daily. Brent simply had to have his way.

She refused to drop her gaze, meeting his confident smile and hoping the heat in her face and the tremor in her hands wouldn’t reveal themselves. The telltale signs of childhood and adolescent anxiety emerged whenever she battled with her father. She stood her ground as long as she could and as always, her resolve weakened at his pleading expression.

“I’ve booked some time off and made plans,” she said impulsively. “They can’t be changed. So, Ken will have to work Mega Corps alone.”

“Time off?”

The incredulity in his voice made her smile. But when he asked, “What plans?” she remembered she had none.

Then Matt’s wildly ridiculous suggestion came to her. She stared down at her cell phone, thinking suddenly of that uncashed check and Matt Rodriguez’s smug smile when he’d pitched his absurd volunteering idea. He hadn’t expected her to say yes and probably thought she’d be a complete failure at camp life. Well, she’d prove him wrong.

“Dad, I haven’t had a real vacation in more than a year. I’m owed one and I’m due for one.”

His frown deepened. “Is everything all right?”

Dana smiled. This, too, had always been part of the pattern. She knew his need for control and his overprotective tendency stemmed from love. There’d only been the two of them since her mother’s death. “I’m fine. Just looking forward to a break.”

“How much time off?”

She hesitated, sensing she might win this round after all. “At least two weeks. Maybe more.”

“Where are you going? What are the plans?”

She didn’t need to lie. “Not too sure of the plans yet but I’m thinking the countryside. A change of pace.”

“So go to the chalet. I’ll arrange for it to be opened up.”

“Thanks, Dad, but no. I’m thinking more of a...a road trip. Just setting out and stopping here and there at little out-of-the-way places.”

He shook his head. “I’m not liking the sound of that. At least—”

“I’ve decided, Dad.” She fixed her eyes on his, and at his slight frown, followed by an audible sigh, Dana knew she’d successfully avoided finishing up the Mega Corps buyout. He left the room without another pitch and she let out a long, slow breath.

Later, she’d look back at this moment and question not only her reasoning but her emotional state. But for now, Dana knew there was one way to get out of town.

CHAPTER THREE

MATT WAS GETTING into his car when Rosie called out, “You forgot your stew!”

He’d forgotten on purpose, knowing he still had a container of pasta in the fridge from three days ago. He’d given up trying to get Esperanza to stop sending food home with him. He knew it was an act of love—and also that she still thought of him as the struggling college student, as he’d been after his discharge from the army.

“You can’t fool me as easily as you can Ma,” she said when he joined her on the porch and took the Tupperware from her.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Yeah, right.” She playfully punched his upper arm. As he turned to go, she added, “I noticed at dinner that you seemed distracted. Have you been thinking about her?”

“Her?”

“ Mom. Who did you think I was talking about?”

Matt was tempted to say Dana Sothern, the woman who had been in his head for the past week. But he’d never told anyone about that day, not even his family. At the time, it would have involved unwanted questioning. What were you doing there, on the Green Line? Why weren’t you at your after-school job? Later, the day simply became something he wanted to put behind him.

“Mom, of course. When’s her next appointment with the oncologist again?”

“Next Monday.”

A week away. “I’ll come, too.”

“She doesn’t expect you to. She knows you’re busy organizing the first group of kids for the camp this weekend.”

“I’m coming.” Matt knew she wouldn’t argue too much. She was aware that her big brother never changed his mind once it was made up.

“Okay,” she finally said. “See you maybe later in the week. If not, for sure next Monday.” Then she clutched his arm as he started to go. “Matt, I meant it when I said I’d like to do a few sessions with the kids. I’ve been working on an idea and I can email you an outline.”

At dinner, Rosie had pitched an introduction on internet use and privacy issues as a lead-in, followed by lessons on game development.

Rosie had been working at a video game start-up for the past three years, since her college graduation. She was good at game development and getting better. She and her team had recently secured a publisher for a game they’d developed that was promising to be a hit. But getting her back and forth to Camp Hope would be problematic if she had a relapse.

“Just think about it, Matt. Please. I’m in remission now and I feel good.”

He felt bad at her pleading tone and softened his voice. “I’ll think about it. Maybe we can try having a class at the center first. See what the interest is and how it goes.”

She pursed her lips and nodded. “Sure,” she mumbled.

He knew she was disappointed. Rosie had been excited about Camp Hope from the beginning and wanted to be a part of it. “We’ll work something out.”

He kissed her cheek and headed for his car. By the time he was behind the wheel, she’d already gone back inside. He let the car idle for a while, thinking about the opening of Camp Hope the coming Saturday, Rosie’s plea to help out and most of all, his mother’s next appointment, when her doctor would outline a treatment plan. Little wonder he’d hardly slept the past week. Worse, Dana Sothern’s face kept popping into his head at random moments. He had serious problems to worry about, so why was he so preoccupied with a woman he’d likely never see again?

Thoughts of Dana reminded him of her check. It would cover some of the shortfall and if she could casually dash off an amount like that, she clearly had means. Of course, there was his challenge to her—one he regretted now. He’d made it out of pride, resenting her self-satisfied expression when she’d passed the donation across his desk. He should have just taken that money. Now he would have to swallow some of that pride and deposit that check.

He shifted into gear and headed home. His apartment was a few blocks away from the center. He’d taken the rental months after opening KidsFirst, figuring he ought to live in the same area as the kids he served. The move had been a return to his old stomping grounds on the South Side where his family had lived until he was ten. Matt knew now that his parents had been worried about negative influences in the neighborhood, so he had found an apartment in Pilsen, which had been gentrifying. But Matt and his buddies from the South Side had stayed friends—the good ones, like Sandro, and the not so good, like Lenny.