Hope's Chance

by Jennifer Foor

  I caught Buffy looking at me. The worry in her eyes was obvious. She knew I was about to lose it.

  I could hear a woman laughing in the kitchen and felt the tears accruing. Before it was obvious to my dad, I excused myself.

  “I am just going to go upstairs for a bit. It isn’t like I can drink wine with you all.” I admitted.

  “I think Hope should be allowed to have a glass of wine with us Mark. It isn’t like she will be driving.” Buffy stated.

  “She can have a glass at dinner.” He said.

  I rolled my eyes and walked upstairs to my room, hearing Susan laughing even when I made it to my room, made me want to get in my car and drive away.

  I flopped down on my bed and began crying my eyes out. I don’t know why I couldn’t handle things, I knew he wasn’t doing anything with her, but it hurt so much anyway.

  I hadn’t realized that I had fallen asleep until a knock at my door woke me up. Chance came walking toward me. “Hope baby, are you okay?”

  “No! I can’t stand it. I hate her for touching you. This isn’t fair. I feel like a kid being punished.”

  “They asked me to come get you for dinner. Hope I am so sorry she is here.” He confessed.

  I finally looked up at him. He knew I had been crying, it was obvious. “She is sleeping in the pool house Chance.”

  “The hell she is. No fucking way Hope. I won’t let that happen.” He promised.

  I started to feel better just hearing him say he wouldn’t allow it.

  He leaned down and played with the ring on my finger. He brought it to his lips and kissed it. “You are my future and nothing will come between us Hope. Please know that.”

  “Okay.” Was all I could say. “Is dinner ready now?” I finally added.

  “Twenty minutes.” He said. Chance leaned down further and pressed his lips against mine. “I love you Hope. The only person who will be in my arms tonight is you.”

  I watched Chance walk out of my room and I got myself out of bed. I ran over to the mirror and started doing my makeup to hide the redness. I decided to change my clothes, for some revengeful attention at the dinner table. I wouldn’t be treated like a child.

  The tight black dress was low cut and accented every curve of my body, especially my large breasts. Susan could kiss my ass. I had one feature that she did not and I was fully prepared to have Chance staring at them during the whole meal.

  I let my hair fall down my back and the natural curls fell right into place.

  The voices were coming from the dining room, so I ran into the kitchen. I took two shots of some white liquor that my father drank with coke. They went down smooth and since I hadn’t heard anyone calling me, I took one more shot.

  My hands ran down my dress and I made sure it was sitting perfectly as I walked into the room. Everyone stopped talking. Chance was in the middle of taking a drink and he started to choke.

  “Hope you look amazing.” Buffy announced. She pointed her hand to sit across the table from Chance. “Sit down. I poured you a glass of red. I hope you like it.”

  “Thank you.” I tried not to make eye contact with Chance, but I could feel his eyes burning into my body.

  When I caught a glimpse of Susan, she seemed to also be staring me down.

  Most of the dinner discussion was Buffy and Susan reliving their youth through stories. They included Chance in a few, but after the first bottle of wine, I noticed Susan getting a bit too open about her and Chance sneaking around when they were younger. At one point, he actually got up from the table and got himself a beer.

  The liquor was really showing it’s ugly face by the time dessert was served. Buffy had made some fancy shit that she probably spent hours making. I could barely feel my fingers, so poking at the pretty designed cake was funny. I found myself laughing out for no reason.

  “Hope are you okay?” My father asked.

  I was sick of hearing that bitch talk about all the places she had fucked my boyfriend. I looked up and smiled. “Just dandy Daddy.”

  Chances stare burned into me and I couldn’t help but laugh at him. In fact, I couldn’t stop laughing.

  “Hope what is wrong with you?” My father demanded. “You couldn’t be drunk from one glass of wine.”

  “Plus some shots!” I said while still laughing.

  Chance looked upset with me. I couldn’t have him mad at me. He tried to mouth me the word sit down, but I stood there staring at him.

  With no regard for us or our future, my drunk self did something horrible. I pointed across the table at Chance and Susan.

  “Do you want to hear about my first time?” My body started swaying and in the corner of my eye, I saw my father coming at me. “My boyfriend forced me to sleep with him and after several attempts he raped me while other kids at the Country Club sat there watching. Then he fucked my best friend the same week.”

  My father had come up behind me and grabbed me. He was pulling me out of the room apologizing to everyone for my actions.

  “Let go of me.” I screamed.

  “You are embarrassing yourself Hope. What is the matter with you? Why would you drink so much? Did Trevor try to call you? Do you miss him?” He asked.

  I stood on the first step and looked my dad in the eye, by this time Chance and Buffy were standing in the doorway. I looked over at Chance. “I miss my boyfriend. I wish we were together but we aren’t. He is with someone else now.” I cried like a little baby. My dad didn’t know I was talking about Chance and my drunk self couldn’t determine what I was even saying. He obviously wasn’t really with her.

  I ran upstairs to my room and locked my door. Finally, after a few hours, I saw Buffy standing over my bed. “Take these.” She handed me two pills. “Hope, I am so sorry. I can’t believe she was throwing herself on him like that.”

  I didn’t want to talk about it. I wanted to know if Chance hated me. “Where is Chance?”

  “Downstairs with your dad and Susan.” She explained.

  “I can’t watch them Buff. It hurts too much.”

  She shook her head and hugged me. “I never should have kept this from your father.” As she continued to comfort me, she spotted my ring, which in my drunkenness had turned diamond up. “Oh my God is that?”

  “Chance gave it to me. It was his promise to me.” I confessed as tears ran down my face.

  “Why are you crying Hope? I should be the one crying.” She admitted.

  I let her hug me. “He will never forgive me for tonight. I was such an ass.”

  “That man is in love with you Hope. Nothing will change that. Please calm down. I will make sure he comes upstairs. Just give me a few minutes.”

  I watched Buffy leave the room. The laughing had finally stopped downstairs and I wondered if everyone had just gone to bed. Not knowing where Susan was, I snuck down the steps. They were in the kitchen except for Chance. Before I could turn around to walk into the living room, I felt his arms around me.

  “I am so sorry baby.” He said as he cupped his hands over my face.

  “I can’t do this anymore Chance. They all need to know the truth.” I confessed.

  He wiped the tear from my cheek. “Come to the pool house tonight. Spend the night in my arms and we will talk about telling him.”

  “Okay.”

  He kissed me one more time before going back into the kitchen. I sat down on the step and listened for a moment.

  Chance didn’t waste any time. “I am going to call it an early night. I have a headache and just want to lay down.”

  I heard some commotion but when I ran upstairs, I noticed him going into the pool house alone. He looked up and blew me a kiss before turning off his light, so that I could sneak in undetected.

  When I started getting my clothes together, I heard a knock on my door. I hid the evidence and opened it to find my dad.

  “How are you doing Hope?” He asked kindly.

  I shrugged and held my head down embarrassed. “I am fine, just really
sorry.”

  “I have been drunk many times Sweetie. I am not really mad at you, just concerned about things you said. Do you miss Trevor?”

  “No way! I hate him Dad I swear.”

  He put his arm around me. “I want you to be with a good guy Hope. Someone that will love you and treat you with respect.”

  “I want that too Dad.”

  “We can start over in the morning, okay?” He asked.

  I nodded. “Sure.”

  When I heard he and Buffy talking to Susan down the hall I locked my bedroom and ran down the stairs. Once outside, I made my way to the pool house in no time at all. Chance was sitting there waiting for me.

  I flew into his arms and squeezed him so tight. “I am so sorry. I couldn’t handle it. She wouldn’t shut up.”

  “I should have just left the table, she was trying to get a rouse out of me Hope. You have to know I hated it too.” He admitted.

  Chance picked me up and carried me from the living room to his bedroom without releasing my lips from his.

  We lay on the bed on our sides just staring at each other.

  Chapter 50

  Chance

  It was a mistake to even think Hope would be okay with Susan’s grubby paws all over me. The woman wouldn’t get the hint. All I wanted was for Hope to be with me, out in the open and so many times tonight, I just wanted to tell Mark. Four days were too long of a wait.

  Hope and I were deep into a kiss when someone knocked on my door. Hope sat up, shirtless, and looked at me. “Who do you think it is?” She whispered.

  “I don’t know. Just stay there. I promise I will get rid of them.” I said as I headed out of the bedroom. The snow made it bright outside, even in the middle of the night and I could see that it was Susan.

  I opened the door and she came pushing in. “I can’t believe you had Buffy make up the guest room.” She said.

  I turned to face her. She was wearing a long winter coat and stood with her hands on her hips. “Sorry. I am not in the mood for company Susan.”

  She started to approach me. “Don’t you remember how good we were? How good I made you feel?”

  “It was a long time ago.” I admitted.

  “Let me remind you then.” She opened the coat to reveal some skimpy lingerie.

  I turned away from her. “Please put the coat back on.”

  She didn’t listen. Instead, she came toward me and pressed her lips against mine. I pushed her off of me. “Dammit Susan, I said no.”

  “What the fuck Chance? Are you gay?” She asked.

  “No, of course not. I have a girlfriend now and I love her.” I confessed.

  She started buttoning her jacket finally. “Buffy didn’t tell me.” She said embarrassed.

  “I didn’t want anyone to know. Please don’t say anything Susan.” I said as I pushed her out of the door.

  “If you change your mind, you know where to find me.” She said as she started walking away.

  I made my way back into the bedroom. Hope was sitting up hugging her naked chest. “I can’t believe you didn’t get dressed.”

  “I want to get caught I think. I can’t hid this anymore Chance. Look at everything we have had to go through. I can’t stand it.”

  “Me either.” I admitted as I pulled her back into my arms.

  Hope finally fell asleep, but I stayed awake wondering how all of this was going to play out. I needed just a few more days.

  Three days later, things were still weird being around Susan. She had gone from throwing herself on me, to not getting near me at all. Mark had pulled me aside twice and asked what was wrong with her. It was hard to tell him that she wasn’t Hope.

  Buffy made Hope a beautiful birthday cake and dinner. Her father had gone out and got her a new laptop for deciding to go to school and she was so surprised. I slipped her a gift in private. I had printed out a photo we took at the beach that time we went together. I made a paper frame for it and wrote a note on the back about how much she meant to me.

  Hope’s birthday dinner was also the rehearsal dinner for the wedding. We had a house full, and there was a bunch of people stopping by. After the minister who was performing the ceremony had gone over all of the details, everyone started to leave. Of course, that left the five of us in the house again to ring in the New Year.

  Susan had drank a bit too much and was trying to grope all over me again. This time she cornered me in a hallway and wouldn’t take no for an answer. I shook my head and called it a night.

  Hope joined me after an hour of waiting and I gave her the other half of her present. We reigned in the New Year and afterwards, I spent at least thirty minutes kissing her, with my lips and my tongue, on every inch of her body. When my head reached her tender skin between her legs, she cried out in ecstasy. I love satisfying her and for the first time I didn’t have to hide it.

  We fell asleep naked in my bed and when Buffy came in to wake us up, Hope never even moved. “Seriously? You guys want to get caught on my wedding day?”

  “She is an adult Buff, let her enjoy it.” I stated while still holding her close to me.

  “Okay, well before you spill the beans to everyone, could you at least give me one day to get married?” She pleaded.

  Hope and I sat up, realizing how much it was upsetting her. “Sorry Buff. We were being selfish. You are right. We can tell my father about us another day. What is a few more days right?” Hope said.

  “Well, I came in here to let you both know that your dad and Susan are already up. We have a lot to do and I knew Hope was in here. I would appreciate it if you could get yourselves up and arrive in the house at separate times.” She said frustrated.

  “We will get there when we get there Buff. Calm down. You are just being bitchy because you are nervous.” I blurted out.

  Buffy held her hands up in the air. “Whatever Chance! It is my day ya know!”

  Buffy stormed out and left us to be alone.

  “Maybe we should head to the main house.” Hope suggested.

  “Yeah, probably.” Chance said as he kissed me. “But, I hate pretending that I don’t want you.” He looked up at me and licked his lips. “Because, I always want you Hope.”

  A few minutes later Hope and I got up and made our separate entrances into the main house. Buffy finally calmed down and we were able to start getting everything ready. Since they decided to have the service at the Country Club, we all had to pile into cars and make our way there.

  The wedding started at two and only about twenty people had been invited. The wedding party was just one of Mark’s friends and myself, and then Hope and Susan.

  Buffy had spent hours upon hours making arrangements with mason jars. She and Hope had taken at least fifty jars out back and spray painted the insides silver. She found these pink and white flowers that matched her colors and filled the jars. I thought it was stupid until I was standing there looking at the finished product.

  I should have never doubted my sister’s creativity. She was amazing.

  Her dress wasn’t an old-fashioned dress. As a secret surprise to me, and a promise to our mom, she had taken our mother’s wedding dress that she kept, and had a professional dressmaker alter it to her tastes. Tiny fabric roses lined the top of the strapless dress. They also surrounded the circumference of the entire base. I had only seen pictures of my mother’s dress, but Mark filled me in about it right before she came down the aisle. I got choked up about it, even before I saw her in it.

  Hope came down the aisle first, and I felt like I was going to cry because she was so beautiful. Her hair had been curled to perfection and she looked like a china doll. She caught my eyes while she walked and never even paid attention to her father noticing. I was shocked when he turned and nodded at me, as if knowing she was looking at me.

  My sister looked beautiful walking down the aisle and she seemed so happy. I wanted to walk her, but she insisted on doing it herself. That was my sister.

  During the ceremony, I
couldn’t take my eyes off of Hope. When the minister asked them to repeat the vows, I mouthed “I do” to Hope. She did the same to me. I noticed Susan staring at me the entire time and realized she must have thought I was saying the words to her. I had ignored her for days, but she still wouldn’t let it go.

  After the ceremony, as we were walking out, I was supposed to walk with Hope, but Susan threw herself in front of her and took my arm. I watched Hope’s eyes get big, and at that very moment, I realized she had reached her breaking point. I tried to get her attention, but her hateful eyes bore into Susan.

  “What are you doing?” I heard Hope ask.

  “Taking what is mine.” Susan spat out.

  Before I even knew what was going on, I saw Hope pulling Susan away from me. “He will never be yours.” She screamed.

  The music finally stopped and Mark and Buffy stood at the end of the aisle watching in disbelief.

  “Little girl, I don’t know what kind of crush you have on him, but I can assure you he is way out of your league.” Susan announced while she gritted her teeth.

  Mark was already hauling ass back up the aisle and Buffy was right behind him.

  Hope pushed Susan again. I could hear people gasping in the congregation. “You bitch! You have no idea what I can do.” Hope gladly admitted. I tried to grab her by the arm, but she was steady going at Susan.

  “Hope! Stop this now!” Mark ordered. Once he separated them, he looked toward Hope. “What is the meaning of this? Dammit, ever since Susan came here you have been acting crazy. I want the truth Hope. You are ruining this wedding.”

  My stomach started to knot up, like everything was going in slow motion. Hope wouldn’t look at me and there was only one reason that would happen. She was going to tell him. Before I could yell, scream, or grab her by the hand and run out of there, she just started talking. “I love him Dad. I have loved him since before you even introduced us. We met before I came to live here. I can’t keep lying about it anymore. We tried to stop, but it made us closer instead. I am so sorry that I lied, I just knew you wouldn’t allow it.”