The Rescue Pilot. Rachel Lee

Now I’ve got a fresh cup of sweet tea for you.”

      “And medicine. Always medicine.”

      “Yeah, medicine. I’m glad I have it. Do you think I can help you sit up a bit?”

      “Sure.” Cait sounded utterly listless. Rory didn’t let that stop her. She lifted her sister carefully, propping her up on pillows.

      “Try some tea first,” she suggested. “It’ll give you energy.”

      Holding the cup to her sister’s lips, she got half of it down her, tiny sip by tiny sip. And as the sugar hit her system, Cait seemed to gain a little energy. Just a little.

      Then came the pills. This part sucked, because Cait wasn’t finding it all that easy to swallow anymore, not since the radiation treatments. But they got those down, too.

      “Great,” Rory said, with a smile she didn’t feel. Talk about a small handful of pills being an ordeal. “There’s another cup of tea for you. I’ll go get it.”

      “I already have.”

      Rory turned to see Wendy standing in the doorway with another mug in hand. “Hi, Cait, I’m Wendy.”

      Cait gave a little nod. “So there are other passengers on the plane?”

      “Me and my husband,” Wendy said, moving forward to exchange mugs with Rory. “When you get a little more rested, you’ll have to join us in the cabin. I’ll bet we’ve all got interesting stories to trade.”

      Rory expected Cait to decline, but instead was astonished to see her sister smile, however weakly. “Sounds like fun.”

      “It will be. All of us have had some crazy experiences. I’ll bet Rory has had more than her share. And you can keep her honest for us.” Wendy winked and slipped out again.

      “I like her,” Cait whispered.

      “Me, too. More tea?”

      The second cup went down easier than the first. Unfortunately, almost as soon as it was gone, Cait’s eyes fluttered closed and she slipped away again. A few words and a couple of cups of tea had been enough to wear her out.

      That was not good, not good at all. Rory had the awful feeling that she could almost see the darkness gathering around her sister, waiting to claim her.

      No. God, no. She jumped up, forcing the vision away. She couldn’t afford to let such thoughts even cross her mind.

      You ‘re not getting her, she thought between anger and despair. You’re not taking my sister away! The silence seemed to mock her.