Chapter 17 - ETHAN DECIDES WHAT FAMILY MEANS
Ethan’s repaired airplane sat on a shelf for almost a year.
He did not play with it.
Then Jason asked one Saturday:
“Can I see it?”
Ethan looked at Rachel.
She said:
“Your choice.”
He brought it down.
The brass repair plates showed beneath the wings.
Jason stared.
“You fixed it.”
“Me and Mom.”
Jason nodded.
Then pulled something from his backpack.
A small wooden propeller.
Hand-carved badly.
Ethan frowned.
“What’s that?”
“I made it.”
“It’s crooked.”
Jason laughed.
“Yeah.”
He held it out.
“I thought maybe the plane could use a spare.”
Ethan considered.
Then took it.
“Thanks.”
Jason looked relieved.
Not forgiven completely.
Not erased.
But allowed to add something instead of only being the person who broke.
Ethan asked:
“Do you still think I’m not family?”
Jason’s face changed.
“No.”
“Why did you say it?”
Jason looked at Rachel.
Then back at Ethan.
“Because I was jealous.”
Ethan frowned.
“Of me?”
“Yeah.”
“Why?”
Jason laughed sadly.
“You get Dad.”
Ethan looked confused.
“You get him too.”
Simple.
Painfully simple.
Jason nodded.
“I know now.”
Ethan attached the crooked propeller to a display stand beside the plane.
Two boys.
May you like
Two fathers lost differently.
One family still learning that love was not a fixed number of seats.
