Unexpected Chance

by Joanne Schwehm

  When I first met Alex, he was a total player and didn’t do relationships. They were “complicated,” his words not mine. He owns a really nice nightclub and had women fawning all over him all the time—one in particular. I didn’t like her at all, but he assured me that there wasn’t anything going on between them, and I believed him. I needed to believe him. It was the only way I could imagine being with him. As time went on, I realized he wasn’t the player I originally thought he was. We were together all the time. We even came here, to Paris.

  Anyway, it ended because he found my journal. I’d never told him about it. Unfortunately, he only read the first part—the part that said I was going to use someone for romance. He didn’t read the rest of it—the best part of it—the part that described my love for him. He believed what others had told him and not in our love. I think what hurt the most was that he intentionally hurt me. What was worse than seeing him with someone else, was the fact that he didn’t believe that I loved him, but I did with all of my heart. I truly did.

  I just wanted to tell you all of that because you have the right to know why I acted the way I did yesterday.

  I enjoy being with you, but I have a lot of issues that need to be dealt with. Hopefully in time, this will get easier.

  Aubrey

  I put my tablet away and went to take a shower and get my day going. I decided I wanted to tell my mom about what happened at the park. I promised her I would be honest about seeing flashes. I just didn’t want her to get too excited. It was hard enough for me to contain my energy; I didn’t need to fuel hers.

  I stepped out of the shower and grabbed my robe. I had nowhere to go, so I threw my hair up in a ponytail and tossed on a pair of sweats and my Yankees t-shirt. I could feel the number two on the back and knew it was my Jeter shirt. That was another thing I was going to miss—watching baseball games. I snatched my tablet off the nightstand because I wanted to pick up reading where Chance left off.

  I headed to the kitchen and sat with my parents at the table. It smelled so good, like a French patisserie. “What are we having this morning?”

  “We have blueberry and cinnamon scones and plain or chocolate croissants.”

  “Geez, Mom, how about having some fruit or yogurt every now and again? I’m going to get fat. It’s a good thing I’m blind and I can’t see myself in the mirror!” I giggled.

  “That’s not funny, Aubrey. You shouldn’t say things like that!” Ooh, my mom was mad and did not like my humor.

  “I’m sorry, Mom. It was a joke.” I cleared my throat. “You’ll be glad to know that I saw flashes of light yesterday while I was at the park. It was quick, but I plan on calling Dr. Beaumont today and checking if he has any available time today to see me.”

  My mom got up and hugged me. “That’s wonderful, honey. Your dad and I will cancel our plans for today just in case the doctor is available.”

  “No, it’s okay. I can do this on my own. Frank can take me. I’ll be fine, really. The doctor may not be able to squeeze me in. I don’t want you to change your plans.”

  “Okay, if you’re sure . . .”

  “I am.” She kissed my forehead, and I headed to my room.

  I called the doctor and set an appointment at two. My tablet rang indicating that I had an email. I found the button and opened it up. This tablet was great because it read for me. If I had to rely on my braille skills, it would have taken me a long time. I put on my headphones and listened.

  8:30 a.m.

  Good morning, Aubrey,

  I received your email this morning. Thank you. I hope you are feeling well today and that your headache has not returned. If you need anything, please know that I am here for you.

  In regards to your ex-boyfriend, you really don’t owe me any explanations. I know that you had a life before you moved to Paris, and I am really happy being your friend. I am very pleased that you feel comfortable with me, as I do with you. I do not have many female friends that are just friends, especially when they are as beautiful as you are.

  For the record, I think this Alex guy is an imbecile or, as you Americans say, an idiot for letting you go and hurting you so deeply. Although, as a man who has loved deeply and felt he didn’t deserve it, sometimes it is easier to believe the negatives people say about you than the positives.

  Could it be that when he read that you wanted to use him for your book that you hurt him? I don’t want to make you feel bad about anything, because you are right: he should have talked to you about it and trusted in the love you shared. But keep in mind that you didn’t trust him either.

  Although, I agree that he shouldn’t have purposely hurt you.

  Anyway, enough writing about another man. I must be crazy! J Let me know if you need anything today.

  I hope all is well.

  Chance XO

  He was an amazing man, and I felt so lucky to have met him. I decided to call him and ask if he wanted to go to the doctor’s with me.

  The phone rang only once when I was greeted by his deep sexy voice. It sounded deeper. Maybe that was his morning voice. Some lucky woman would wake up with that someday.

  “Hi, Chance, how are you?”

  “Aubrey, it is good of you to call. I am fine, how are you? Feeling better?”

  “Yes, and as a matter of fact I’m going to see the doctor today. Would you like to come with me?”

  “Aren’t your parents going?”

  “No, they had plans, and I didn’t want them to change them for me.”

  “Well then, I would more than happy to accompany you.”

  I was smiling. I knew he would want to come with me. “My appointment is at 1:00 p.m. Frank and I can pick you up.”

  “Thank you for thinking of me, Aubrey. I want to be able to help you.”

  “I know and I appreciate that. We’ll pick you up at 12:30 p.m. Au revoir.”

  I hung up the phone to get ready when it rang again. “Hello.”

  “Hey, it’s me, Mark.”

  “Hi, Mark!” I was so excited to talk to him. “What time is it there?”

  “It’s about three in the morning.”

  “Just getting home, are we?” I was laughing.

  “No, actually Jess just called me from London and woke me up. I couldn’t go back to sleep, so I thought I would call you.”

  “Jess called? Why? What did she say?”

  “She wanted to tell me that she would be home for Christmas and she wants to get together. I don’t know why she called tonight. Christmas is over a month away. It was really strange, Aubrey. I felt as if I were talking to a stranger. I don’t even care that she’ll be here. Why did she even bother calling?”

  “I don’t know, Mark; maybe she isn’t happy and wanted to talk to you. She could have just used coming home as an excuse. How did you end the call?”

  “I just said good-bye. I didn’t thank her for calling because I wasn’t thankful. It’s confusing, you know? I’m finally in a good place; I have a great job and Valerie. I don’t need Jessica coming home and screwing things up for me.”

  Work. I missed going to work and my job. I knew Mark had stepped in to cover my absence. “I’m glad that you’re happy, Mark. You totally deserve to be. You’re right; you are in a good place. Don’t let the past make you not want to move forward. How is Valerie?”

  “She’s awesome. She really is.”

  “How’s her father?”

  “He’s good, feeling much better. He’s back at work, and I think that’s the best medicine for him. Alex hired a nurse who goes to the restaurant every few days to check his vitals.”

  I didn’t say anything. That was the first time anyone had mentioned Alex to me. “That was nice of Alex to do. I am glad he’s feeling better.”

  “You’re glad who is feeling better? Anthony or Alex?

  Was Alex not feeling well? “What’s wrong with Alex? Is he sick?” He didn’t mention he was sick in his email.

  “Alex is fine, I guess. Apparently, he was dep
ressed, and for all I know, he still could be. I really don’t care about his feelings. He’s lucky I didn’t coldcock him for what he did to you. I haven’t seen him in a while, but Valerie said he asked about you, if we’d heard from you. Val and I don’t go to the club much, and Brett has been working with Julie on any marketing-related items, so the only time I hear about him is from Valerie.”

  He asked about me? “Well, it’s over between us, so it really doesn’t matter. What are you going to do about Jessica? Does Valerie know about her?”

  “Yes, I told her everything, and in a few hours I’ll have to tell her that Jessica called.”

  “It’s best to be honest. If not, it could come back to bite you in the ass. You should try to get some sleep and I need to get ready. I have a doctor’s appointment soon.”

  “Good luck at the doctor’s. Are you doing better? I worry about you.”

  “I am getting better; I’ve been seeing flashes of light, so that could be a good thing. Please don’t worry about me. I appreciate it, but I’m learning to cope. I have a friend here who has helped me remember what it’s like to have fun. He’s really nice; you two would get along well.”

  “Hmm. You met a guy, huh?”

  “It’s not like that. I’m not looking for more and neither is he. I better go because you need sleep and I’m meeting Chance for a cup of coffee before heading to the doctor’s.”

  “His name is Chance?”

  “Yes, why?”

  “Nothing, just maybe it’s a sign that you should take a chance.”

  “I don’t believe in signs, but that’s a good thought and why I love ya, Mark.”

  “Right back at ya. Don’t be a stranger, okay?”

  We hung up. I really missed Mark. I missed all my friends. Maybe a visit at Christmas would be nice. I wondered if my parents would want to go if I suggested it. I lay back on my pillow and thought about what a visit would be like. I’d probably be wondering where Alex was. At least the image of him with Leah was dissipating and being replaced with happy memories. Even if I didn’t physically see them, I still imagined what they would look like.

  I tried to imagine the picnic in the park with Chance, but instead pictured being in the park with Alex. When I really thought about it, we had good times together—more good than bad. Those were the memories that I needed to hold on to. I needed to be able to move on and let go of my romantic fantasies, since they were what got me into this mess. The problem was I loved romance, fantasies, and Alex. My heart hurt just thinking about him. I thought about texting him, but decided against it.

  Chapter 26

  Chance said hello to Frank as he got into the back of the car with me. We rode in silence to Dr. Beaumont’s office building. Maybe Chance didn’t want to talk in front of Frank. It was weird. We arrived at the office and walked into radiology. Chance wished me luck. The test took about an hour. Normally, I would have felt claustrophobic, but that was another sensation I was lacking since my loss of vision. The radiologist told me that I would hear something in a day or two. I thanked her, and she walked me to the reception area to where Chance was waiting for me.

  I heard him thanking someone and saying that he would let her know if he had any questions. I wondered what that was about. He must have spotted me because he called out my name. The radiologist whispered in my ear, “Lucky girl, it looks as if you are in good hands.” That was odd.

  Chance and I walked outside. I loved the fall weather. Something about it felt so cleansing. Chance spotted Frank and told me he would lead me. I put my arm through his, and we started walking to the car when all of a sudden I was jerked back and landed on Chance’s arm. “Baiseur!”

  “What the hell was that?” One minute we were walking and the next I was pulled back. Apparently, Chance was pissed; I knew “baiseur” meant “fucker.”

  “Are you okay, Aubrey? A car came really close to hitting you. I am so sorry. I never saw him coming. He flew around the corner at high speed. What an asshole!”

  I could feel him shaking. “Chance, I’m fine. I’m just glad you were here with me. You saved my life.” He let me hold on to him. It felt really good to be held by a man again, even if it was platonic.

  “Here comes Frank. Let’s get out of here and go get a drink or something.”

  “Okay, my treat though.”

  Frank came up to me and put his hands on my shoulders. “My God, Aubrey, are you okay? You have no idea how close that car was to hitting you.” He was right; I had no idea.

  “I’m fine thanks to Chance here.” I smiled, but deep down that really scared me.

  “I should have been at the curb, waiting for you. I did get his plate though and called it in to the police. He was driving as if he had been drinking. He didn’t even slow down or notice you were there. He was reckless.”

  My thoughts went to Alex. I wasn’t able to imagine him receiving the phone call that I was killed by a drunk driver.

  “Let’s go.” Chance guided me into the back seat of the car. Frank asked if we needed to go anywhere else, and Chance asked him to take us to a restaurant so we could grab something to eat.

  Chance’s voice was still a little shaky. “So how did it go? Were you okay in the MRI machine?”

  “It was okay, just really loud. Who were you talking too when I walked out?”

  “Dr. Beaumont’s nurse. She was talking to the receptionist, and I heard her mention your doctor. I asked her for some information about your condition. She retrieved some pamphlets for me.”

  “Why do you want to know about my condition?” I hated that I had a condition.

  “I want to see if there is anything that we can do to help you. I am sorry if I overstepped.”

  Not wanting him to feel bad and knowing he just wanted to help, I smiled. “So, Dr. Chance . . .” I suddenly realized I didn’t know his last name. “What’s your last name?” It was weird that that bit of information was bypassed in all of our other conversations.

  “My full name is Chance L’Amour.”

  “Your name is Chance Love?” I tried to suppress a giggle.

  “Yes, I know. It sounds cheesy, right? Now we are here, so let’s go eat, and I will tell you what is in these pamphlets.”

  We were seated in a booth, which I preferred. There were days when I felt that if I moved the wrong way my ass would fall off the chair. Booth seats were much more forgiving to my clumsiness. The waitress came to the table and started off in French naturally. Chance said something to her, and she converted over to very broken English.

  “Your drinks? You know what you drink?”

  Trying to contain a little chuckle at her question, I ordered a Perrier with lemon, and Chance ordered a beer.

  “Maybe we should let her speak French. You can translate for me.” I was smiling.

  “No, she will be fine. Do you know what you want for lunch?”

  “If I order the feesh, do you think she will know what I want?” We both laughed. “What are you doing right now?” I really wanted to see him. I willed my eyes to have him appear. It didn’t work.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Well, you can see me, but you’re just a shadow. You’re a shadow! I see a shadow! Oh my God, Chance! I can see an outline. It’s fuzzy, but it’s there. Hold up your hand. I want to see if I see anything. Please, just humor me. Put your hand up, just for a minute. Come on, Chance. Please?”

  “It’s up, Aubrey.”

  Dropping my head, I could feel the tears starting to come forward. I couldn’t see his hand, not even the outline or shadow of it.

  Chance answered my question. “So what am I doing? I am looking at the most beautiful woman I have ever had the pleasure of being friends with. She is smart, honest, and one of the bravest people I know. She is a good friend and person, and I hope that she will want to sit across from me for many more years.”

  Looking up, I realized that the shadow was gone; it went as fast as the flash of light in the park. “Your shadow is gone.
And for the record, I would love to sit across from you for many years, but someday you’ll fall in love with someone, and she may not want me across from you.” While waiting for his response, my tablet chimed. “That might be my mom; I never called her after the MRI.” Holding the tablet in my hands and running my fingers over the screen, I started trembling. I read his name quickly; I excused myself for a minute and put my headphones on.

  Alex: 3:13 p.m.—I’m worried about you. Are you doing okay? I miss you and love you more than anything in the world. Come back to me. Please. I downloaded music to your tablet; please listen to it. Listen for the wave.

  I put the tablet and headphones away, reached for my water, and took a sip. It had been months and he texted me now. He told me he added music to my tablet? I hadn’t listened to any music . . . yet. And wave? What wave?

  “Are you okay? You look pale.”

  I shook it off. “I’m fine. Where were we? Oh yeah, tell me about the pamphlets. Is there a miracle cure?” I sounded sarcastic and Chance was quiet. “I’m sorry, that was rude of me.”

  “I take it that wasn’t your mom?”

  Shaking my head, I said, “Please, tell me about the pamphlets; curiosity is getting the better of me.” I didn’t want to talk about the text from Alex.

  “Well, it says that eating the right foods and vitamins are good for you: foods high in vitamins C and E, leafy vegetables, salmon, and citrus. There are quite a few things that keep your eyes healthy.”

  The waitress came and took our orders. “I can’t read the menu, but if you have it, I’d like a spinach salad with grilled salmon and a glass of orange juice.” Chance ordered the same meal. “Thank you.” I reached across the table, searching for his hand. His found mine and he laid it on mine. “You have no idea how much you mean to me and how much you’re helping me. Before meeting you . . .” Pulling his hand toward my lips, I kissed his palm.

  He left his hand on my side of the table until our orders came. “You want to talk about that text you received?”