Read Online The Term Sheet: A Startup Thriller Novel by Lucas Carlson - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Lucas Carlson
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Heather self.”
“You’re right, I should be happy. I just don’t want to be a burden on anyone.”
“I’ll give you my copy of I, Zombie . I’ve already read it like three times. It really gives you perspective on life. At least you’re not eating people. Hell, you’re not even in a wheelchair like me yet. You worrying about money again?”
Heather blushed and turned away.
“How do you afford a place like this, anyhow? Your folks rich?”
Heather was silent.
“You don’t have to tell me.”
“My mom.”
“Rich?” asked Belinda.
“Died.”
“I’m sorry, Heather.”
“It’s okay, it was a few years ago. She had a life insurance policy though. But it’s running out now.”
“Can’t you just move in with your brother?”
“He doesn’t know the money is almost out. And I want to keep it that way, okay? Don’t tell him anything. I’ll tell him when I’m ready. Promise?”
“Fine, but I don’t see what the big deal is.”
Nurse Haley walked in. “Rise and shine. Ready for the day, Belinda?”
“You know it.”
“Heather, I think your brother’s here. Did he grow a beard lately? It looks great. Very mountain man.”
Heather blushed again and pulled herself out of bed. She slowly and carefully got dressed before David walked in.
“Hey sis, you look great.” David came up and gave her a big hug. “I’ve missed you. I’m so sorry it’s been a bit since I’ve been by.”
“Six months, by my count,” said Belinda.
“Hi, Belinda.”
“Hi, sex kitten.”
Heather hardly recognized her brother. He seemed different. Older than she remembered, but not just because of the beard.
----
A t the pancake house , David brought a tray full of food to a small booth. Heather had only ordered a small bowl of fruit, but David ordered the works. He sat down and poured a slop of ketchup next to his giant omelet and mountain of hash browns. Breakfast at the Original Hotcake House was a tradition their dad had started before he left, but for some reason David still loved the place. It was an old pancake house that was busiest between two and four a.m. after the bars closed in Portland. The plates were huge and the food was even bigger.
The omelet must have used a dozen eggs and filled half the plate. But next to the hash browns, the eggs looked small. The hotcakes came on a separate plate because there was no room with the eggs and hash browns. An intimidating inch thick, the hotcakes didn’t have any reason to taste good, but they were always a little bit of heaven.
David stuffed his mouth with a big bite of hotcake.
“So how’s the halfway house?”
“You know I hate it when you call it that, David. It’s nice. They treat me great. But I don’t know why they insist on keeping me there. I’ve been fine for over a year now.”
“I’m sure they have their reasons.” David smiled as he asked: “You got any boyfriends yet?”
“Well, there’s this male nurse who keeps bringing me tea, but I’m not that into his crumpets.”
They both laughed as David cut out another slab of hotcake.
“Still think of Mom?” said David.
“All the time. You?”
“Yeah.”
Heather and David looked down at their food to avoid eye contact. Neither wanted the other to see the sadness the question brought them.
Heather broke the silence. “Tell me about work, how’s startup life treating you?”
“Well, the jellyfish blog is picking up traction, finally. I’ve been putting out posts pretty regularly. At first, it didn’t seem to make any difference, but my last post got fifty-four views. But Megan and Andrew keep nagging me to work on an encrypted chat idea I came up with. I don’t know if I should walk away from the investment I already made to try something new or not.”
Heather looked at her big brother with gentle, loving eyes.
“David, are you happy?”
“Yeah. Sure. I guess. What do you mean?”
“I mean, I’ve known you since you were feeding me Gerber peas. You’ve
“You’re right, I should be happy. I just don’t want to be a burden on anyone.”
“I’ll give you my copy of I, Zombie . I’ve already read it like three times. It really gives you perspective on life. At least you’re not eating people. Hell, you’re not even in a wheelchair like me yet. You worrying about money again?”
Heather blushed and turned away.
“How do you afford a place like this, anyhow? Your folks rich?”
Heather was silent.
“You don’t have to tell me.”
“My mom.”
“Rich?” asked Belinda.
“Died.”
“I’m sorry, Heather.”
“It’s okay, it was a few years ago. She had a life insurance policy though. But it’s running out now.”
“Can’t you just move in with your brother?”
“He doesn’t know the money is almost out. And I want to keep it that way, okay? Don’t tell him anything. I’ll tell him when I’m ready. Promise?”
“Fine, but I don’t see what the big deal is.”
Nurse Haley walked in. “Rise and shine. Ready for the day, Belinda?”
“You know it.”
“Heather, I think your brother’s here. Did he grow a beard lately? It looks great. Very mountain man.”
Heather blushed again and pulled herself out of bed. She slowly and carefully got dressed before David walked in.
“Hey sis, you look great.” David came up and gave her a big hug. “I’ve missed you. I’m so sorry it’s been a bit since I’ve been by.”
“Six months, by my count,” said Belinda.
“Hi, Belinda.”
“Hi, sex kitten.”
Heather hardly recognized her brother. He seemed different. Older than she remembered, but not just because of the beard.
----
A t the pancake house , David brought a tray full of food to a small booth. Heather had only ordered a small bowl of fruit, but David ordered the works. He sat down and poured a slop of ketchup next to his giant omelet and mountain of hash browns. Breakfast at the Original Hotcake House was a tradition their dad had started before he left, but for some reason David still loved the place. It was an old pancake house that was busiest between two and four a.m. after the bars closed in Portland. The plates were huge and the food was even bigger.
The omelet must have used a dozen eggs and filled half the plate. But next to the hash browns, the eggs looked small. The hotcakes came on a separate plate because there was no room with the eggs and hash browns. An intimidating inch thick, the hotcakes didn’t have any reason to taste good, but they were always a little bit of heaven.
David stuffed his mouth with a big bite of hotcake.
“So how’s the halfway house?”
“You know I hate it when you call it that, David. It’s nice. They treat me great. But I don’t know why they insist on keeping me there. I’ve been fine for over a year now.”
“I’m sure they have their reasons.” David smiled as he asked: “You got any boyfriends yet?”
“Well, there’s this male nurse who keeps bringing me tea, but I’m not that into his crumpets.”
They both laughed as David cut out another slab of hotcake.
“Still think of Mom?” said David.
“All the time. You?”
“Yeah.”
Heather and David looked down at their food to avoid eye contact. Neither wanted the other to see the sadness the question brought them.
Heather broke the silence. “Tell me about work, how’s startup life treating you?”
“Well, the jellyfish blog is picking up traction, finally. I’ve been putting out posts pretty regularly. At first, it didn’t seem to make any difference, but my last post got fifty-four views. But Megan and Andrew keep nagging me to work on an encrypted chat idea I came up with. I don’t know if I should walk away from the investment I already made to try something new or not.”
Heather looked at her big brother with gentle, loving eyes.
“David, are you happy?”
“Yeah. Sure. I guess. What do you mean?”
“I mean, I’ve known you since you were feeding me Gerber peas. You’ve
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