Chapter 2
Adam's face darkened.
"Summer, don't take my kindness for granted. If I hadn't spoken up for you at the last review, someone like you, a flight doctor with no formal training, would never have made it into the cockpit," he snapped.
The cabin fell silent for a moment.
The girl's mother looked at me with a new respect.
The nurse was taken aback.
Claire grinned, straw still between her lips.
I didn't bother to explain.
Back then, I tried explaining over and over.
But no one ever listened.
The tower's lights flickered twice in the distance, another urgent signal.
Adam slipped his headset back on, sounding annoyed.
"Blue Hawk Seven, ready for takeoff. Delay due to confusion with ground crew handoff," he said.
I looked up at him.
"Are you sure you want to report it that way?" I asked.
Adam snorted. "What do you want me to say? That I was waiting for Claire to buy bubble tea? Summer, stop acting all righteous. Just remember, if something goes wrong, you're right here with us."
I watched as he hit the radio button.
This time, I didn't change a thing for him.
As the helicopter lifted off, Claire wasn't even buckled in yet.
She shrieked, spilling half her bubble tea all over the front seats, and the sweet, sticky smell instantly filled the cabin.
The nurse rushed over to steady the stretcher, and Lily cried out in pain, "Mommy."
The girl's mother knelt by the stretcher, her hand hovered, wanting to comfort her but too afraid to touch.
"Lily, don't be scared. We're almost there. They'll fix you up soon," she kept whispering to her.
Adam heard the crying, scowling as he shouted from the front cabin.
"Get the family to quiet down. It's distracting me," he said.
The nurse couldn't hold back anymore.
"Captain White, why weren't you worried about your judgment when you were the one delaying the flight earlier?" she shot back.
Claire immediately stepped in.
"Who do you think you're talking to? If Adam hadn't agreed to fly, you'd be stuck here waiting for the next chopper," Claire shot back.
The nurse pointed at the bubble tea in Claire's hand.
"The next chopper isn't going to wait around while you grab your bubble tea," she snapped.
Claire's expression soured, and she shoved the cup into the trash bag.
"You got any proof I held us up for bubble tea? I was picking up the first aid kit." Claire shot back.
The nurse eyed her empty hands.
"So where's the first aid kit, then?" the nurse pressed.
Claire froze, caught off guard.
Adam jumped in to cover for her. "The first aid kit's already on board. She didn't need to fetch it. Say one more word, and I'll have your department head write you up when we land."
The girl's mother suddenly looked up.
"Please, will you all stop fighting and save my daughter?" she pleaded.
No one answered her.
I kept my eyes glued to the flight log, jotting down every altitude and speed by the book.
Adam watched me scribbling away, his tone sharp with warning.
"Why are you writing down every little thing? You're the co-pilot, not some auditor," he snapped.
"The flight log has to be thorough," I shot back.
He muttered a curse under his breath.
Claire moved closer to the front cabin door, her voice softening.
"Summer, I know you don't like me, but this is about the kid. Don't let your grudge mess things up for everyone," she said.
The nurse's temper flared.
"Holding us back? She's the one who's been telling us to hurry up since the start," the nurse snapped.
Claire turned to her.
"Then why isn't she flying? Doesn't she have a license too?" Claire shot back.
As soon as those words left her mouth, the girl's mother shot me a look that could cut glass.
"You can fly? Then why aren't you?" she demanded.