15
JFK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Sean exited the commercial airline and made his way down the ramp to JFK International Airport. He was relaxed, happy he’d delayed his return flight 24 hours in order to tell the GlobalHealth team that he was increasing his commitment to their work in Nepal tenfold. They were literally speechless at the news. That sort of gift, while not unprecedented, was nearly unimaginable on the spur of the moment. They were appreciative beyond words and had already begun to email preliminary plans for what the expanded gift could do for their critical work on the ground in Nepal.
Sean decompressed in a Starbucks at the airport. As much as he loved the adventure of traveling to distant places where his philanthropic wealth could make a difference, there was something grounding about sitting quietly in a brightly lit, familiar place, slowly drinking coffee. It was one of his favorite things to do after closing a deal on financially backing an NGO, but he sometimes didn’t have the time before his next flight.
Somehow traveling to new locales and connecting with an intriguing variety of people also kept his restlessness at bay, at least for a while.
When his cell rang, Sean didn’t check caller ID. He picked up his cup of coffee, exited Starbucks, and answered out of habit.
“You certain this is what you want to do?” Drew’s tone was unruffled.
It never ceased to amaze Sean how much information Drew knew quickly. The man had connections Sean could only guess at. Drew was a master networker, and he’d taught Sean well.
But Sean hated questions. To him, asking a question was like waving a red flag in front of a bull. Questions implied, “Hey, I don’t think you’re smart enough to think for yourself, so make sure you’ve considered all the angles.” Of course Sean had considered the angles. He just did it more swiftly than Will.
Sean blinked. His competition with his brother was so ingrained it naturally rose to the surface and irked him, especially at times like this. “You worried I’ll smear the Worthington name if it ends badly?” he shot back.
There was a pause, then a quiet, “You know better than that. I only want to make sure you’re not taking on your brother’s fight as your own.”
“Why? Because you think I can’t do it, but Will could? That his shoes are too big for me to fill?”
“Maybe it’s time to stop trying to be your brother and just be yourself. The man I know you are. The man I know you can be.”
Then, for the first time ever, Drew was the one who ended the call.
Sean stopped and stared at his cell as the maze of people in JFK parted around him like rivers running in two opposite directions.
There was a first for everything, and Will had experienced more than enough of them lately. Firsts were always surprises, and Will didn’t like surprises. He liked the highways of life to be smooth, with signposts marking each mile of the journey to his destination. Lately, the signs posted along the way to his destiny had either given him incorrect information or taken him on detours. Now they were entirely missing. That was disturbing indeed.
He’d been groomed from babyhood to assume the helm of Worthington Shares. In that role, he was confident.
He’d also been groomed by his father to take American Frontier, the world’s most powerful oil company, to even greater heights. Developments in clean energy would literally save the planet, ensuring the healthiest possible future for generations to come. But when the board was swayed in their vote, Will had walked away without looking back. He had felt lighter, no longer sullied by his tie to a company that had lost its integrity in the midst of a push to expand horizons and pursue the almighty dollar.
Why then did he still keep an eye on every AF development in the news? Only because he was used to doing so?
Will had thought Frank Stapleton, the longtime CEO of City Capital who was also on the AF board, would be in his court. But Stapleton had gotten in bed with Sandstrom to take Will down the instant his political aspirations became known. The betrayal stung, Will had to admit. But it was a good reminder to choose alliances carefully. He could count on two hands the people he could trust, other than his family. The number was shrinking, but Drew and Jean remained among the loyal few.
Then there was Sean. Will hoped that photo Carson had shown him wasn’t another first—a lapse in his brother’s ethical judgment. But until Will could be sure, he had to be cautious.
Another first was happening right now. Drew had phoned the previous night, asking Will to meet him for breakfast at the restaurant on the ground floor of the Trump International Hotel at Columbus Circle. It was their usual pre-meeting spot, but today wasn’t a regular meeting day. And it was Drew, instead of Will, who had called the meeting.
Will frowned as he neared the Trump Hotel. The only other time Drew had called a meeting was for the dinner at his home, when he’d requested all three Worthington siblings attend. This had to be about something big, or Drew would have discussed it with him over the phone.
Drew sat at their usual table. After the waiter had taken their orders, he asked, “Have you heard from your brother?” Concern creased his brow.
Will shook his head. “He’s been skillful at avoiding me. Not that I can blame him. The last time I saw him, he was in my face about backing out of the race. I couldn’t give him an answer.”
“And you still can’t?”
“No. If I tell him about the photo now, he’ll think I don’t trust him.” He sighed. “It’s more that I don’t trust human nature.”
Drew nodded. “So what’s your next move?”
“I’m not sure. And it’s driving me a little crazy.”
“You mean regarding Sean and the bomber connection? Or what your next personal career move is?”
“I guess both.”
“And that’s all it is?” Drew’s gaze was intense.
Suddenly Will felt like a boy again, caught with his hand in the cookie jar. So this was another first—not telling his mentor the entire truth. He wanted to reveal what he’d learned from his mother about Sean’s parentage—the other factor that, combined with the photo, had caused him to turn down the Senate bid. But even Sean himself didn’t know. Was it fair then to tell Drew?
Finally Will said, “For now, that’s all it is.”
“I see. Well then.” Drew didn’t look convinced, but he didn’t press further.
However, outside the door of the restaurant before they parted, Drew hesitated. “Will, I know a few things. And one is that secrets always come to light . . . sometimes not in the way you’d like them to.”
As Will rode the subway toward his home, his conscience was troubled. He was caught in a great moral dilemma—protecting his brother from emotional pain that was certain to follow or telling him the truth about one or both revelations.
If he did tell his brother, he might be able to filter the details. Then Sean would realize that who his birth father was didn’t change his value in Will’s eyes. Will could report that Carson had approached him with a photo and then say, “It was a photo of you chatting with some guy in a bar. Do you remember anybody taking a photo with you?” He could then describe the photo, gather any details from Sean, and judge his brother’s body language before he revealed that the guy had been identified as the Polar Bear Bomber.
Will continued to play out the scenarios in his head. Should he or shouldn’t he?
Wait, the still small voice whispered.
But waiting had never been harder.