Forever Chance

by CJ Murphy

  Jax smiled at her father, as she watched her mother fuss with things on her bed table. “I’d rather you have started out in the daylight. I was out for most of the night after surgery anyway. I’m fine, though a little hobbled.”

  Her father smiled, though stress lines worried his forehead. “How bad was the break?”

  “She broke the tibia and fibula,” Chance answered. “The doctor said she’ll heal with time but will need therapy.”

  Mike St. Claire held out his hand. “Chance, it’s nice to finally meet you. I’ve said it before, but congratulations. I’ll be proud to call you my daughter-in-law soon. It will be good to talk shop someday.”

  “Thank you, sir, and I agree. I promise to make her happy and take care of her.” Chance blushed.

  Jacqueline slapped the table. “Yes, and you’ve done a stellar job of that so far. In the last two months, she’s been in the hospital for an accidental overdose and now a car wreck where someone ran her off the road. And let’s not even mention the kidnapping of my brother. Yes, you’re doing an outstanding job of protecting and serving,” Jacqueline St. Claire quipped.

  Jax could not believe her mother’s callous nature. Blaming Chance for everything that had happened was out of line. “Mother!”

  Dee took two steps toward Jax’s mother. “Jackie, you will not talk to my daughter like that. Chance would die for Jax and go to the ends of the earth for her happiness. You’ve spent your life trying to keep them apart and for what? A vendetta against me?”

  “Oh yes, Dee Ann, this is all about you. Jax is my daughter, and I’ll never be happy to see her tied to your dysfunctional family.”

  Maggie stepped directly into Jacqueline’s sight. “This isn’t about Dee or Chance, is it Jackie? If you have something to say about my family, you address it to the person you really have the issue with, me. Now, everyone else can keep walking on eggshells to kiss your ass, but I won’t do it a single second more. Despite your best efforts, Jax and Chance found their way back to each other. They’ll soon be married, and there isn’t a damn thing you can do about it. Both of them are adults, capable of making their own decisions. This is a long time to carry a torch, Jackie. You’ve run out of oil, and the wood has burnt down to your fingers. Let it go and be proud of the family you made. My God, you’re an obstinate woman. Always trying to make things into what you wanted them to be, even when life chose another path. You have a wonderful husband and daughter, and yet, you insist on making them feel inadequate. To what end? For what, Jackie?” Maggie covered her mouth with her hand, and walked over to Dee, burying her face in her wife’s neck.

  Dee wrapped her arms around Maggie. “Come on, honey. Let’s go take a walk.”

  Jax sat stunned by the scene before her. Without her mother explaining any of the exchange, everything made sense. The adamancy that she stay away from Chance, the hesitancy to allow her to visit her aunt and uncle where her mother grew up, and the constant frown that came over her mother’s face whenever the Fitzsimmons name was brought up. It all had a reason. There was a history there, one long ago hidden, buried beneath years of animosity. Jax would find out the truth, if not from her mother, from Maggie.

  “Mother, care to explain?”

  Jacqueline St. Claire huffed as she straightened the covers on Jax’s bed. “I’ll do no such thing.”

  Jax looked to Chance, whose wide eyes told her she didn’t have a clue either. Jax sighed and looked to her dad. “Pretty obvious you aren’t a casual observer in this. How about you telling me what the hell is going on?”

  “It’s not my story to tell, honey. How long did the doctors say you’d be in here?”

  Jax was becoming more agitated by the moment, with her family’s insistence on keeping her in the dark. “I’m not sure. I’m hoping I’ll be out at least by tomorrow. Are you going back today or staying?”

  Her mother stepped closer to the head of the bed. “We’ll be staying at Martin’s. I wouldn’t presume to stay at a house I haven’t been invited into.”

  The man who’d always acquiesced to his wife’s every mood and wish stood up straight as he walked over to her mother. “That is enough. I will take you home and leave you there if you don’t start acting like a mother that puts her child first.”

  Rage showed all over the older woman’s face. “How dare you talk to me like that, Michael? I am your wife.”

  Jax watched with rapt fascination at the conversation. Her father was not one to stand up to her mother.

  Mike St. Claire nodded. “Yes, you are, and this is our only child.”

  “We have Jackie and—”

  “Those are our grandchildren.” Mike moved his finger between the two of them. “We brought Jax into this world. I’ve always been grateful we were still in good enough shape to keep up with the two children we tragically had to raise. Our son and daughter-in-law should have been here to do that. I’m beyond proud of Jax and the woman she’s become, despite being our daughter. It’s about damn time you were too. Now, if you persist in being opposed to those she’s chosen to have in her life, then keep your mouth shut about it. I lost decades with her when she was in California.”

  Tears ran out of Jax’s eyes, listening to her father and mother argue. On the one hand, she’d never been so happy to hear how proud her father was of her, and then there was her mother. She was incredibly tired of being a disappointment and of feeling like it should still matter.

  “Dad, it’s okay. I’m the great disappointment in her life. That will never change. I didn’t act the way she wanted, become who she wanted me to be, and I won’t be spending the rest of my life with someone she approves of. It’s completely exhausting feeling like she would have been happier if I’d not been born. I’m always going to fall short, and it’s time I stopped giving a damn about it.”

  Chance leaned down and held her face close to Jax’s. She whispered to her, “You matter to me. My parents love you, and so do yours. They just have a strange way of showing it, though it seems your dad is done being a doormat. Maybe change is on the horizon.”

  Jacqueline faced the window with her back to Jax. “I approved of Lacey. She was from a family of refinement. Once you made a life with her, I never questioned your choices. That is until you left her.”

  Jax laughed so hard, she felt pain in her ribs and clutched at the bedsheets. “Oh, that hurts. Don’t make me laugh. Refinement, that’s a joke. You were happy with their social status and money. The fact that Lacey regularly had affairs with other women meant nothing to you. Fidelity apparently isn’t listed in the Montgomery family creed. I was never so alone in my life than when I was married to her. By the way, to most of her family, I didn’t make the grade, and neither did you. My family didn’t come from old money, and the daughter of a blue-collar worker was beneath what they expected for Lacey. Face it, Mother, for once you weren’t good enough for someone. Spare me the adoration for the Montgomerys. I’m tired, and my leg hurts like someone is sawing through it with a dull knife.” She reached for her pain pump and pushed the button.

  Her mother took a seat on the couch across the room. “Yes, I suggest you rest. I’ve called Lacey, and she wants to come and see you. Why she still cares is beyond me.”

  Jax sat straight up, horror and anger bubbling to the surface. The morphine was quickly taking effect, and Jax squeezed Chance’s hand as she screamed at her mother. “Get out! Get out and don’t come back. Adopt Lacey if you want, but she is no longer part of my life. I never want to see her again!” Drowsiness forced her to lay back, as tears flowed down her cheeks. “Chance, make her leave, please. Daddy, please.” Sleep overtook her as she heard her father address her mother.

  “Only you would bring even more pain to our daughter, only you.”

  ***

  Chance closed her eyes in pure shock at Jax’s mother. Many things over the years had caused her agony. The burns paled in comparison to what she felt watching Jax’s distress. Jax had asked her to get her mother out of there, a
nd that is what she’d do. Chance leaned over and kissed Jax’s temple. “Sleep, love. I’ll take care of it.”

  Mike walked over and grabbed his wife’s hand. “I knew bringing you would be a mistake. I just didn’t know how much. You called Lacey? That woman broke our daughter’s heart by sleeping with other people, including their staff. Your logic escapes me, Jacqueline. Get up.”

  Chance watched Jax’s mother pull her hand from her husband’s grasp. “You will not manhandle me, Michael. She’s my daughter, and I’ll leave when I’m ready to go. Not a minute before.”

  Chance walked closer to where Jax’s mother sat. “That’s where you’re wrong, Mrs. St. Claire. I can, and will, have you removed.”

  Jacqueline looked at her, indignation written all over her face. “You might be the sheriff of Tucker County, but unless I’m mistaken, we are in Maryland. I doubt you have any authority.”

  “Oh, I have plenty of ways of making you leave. The first of which is to call Jax’s doctor and advise her that your presence is causing her patient stress. Secondly, I can contact security, and have you escorted out of here on Jax’s request made to a sworn officer of the law. If all that fails, I’ll personally pick you up and place you outside this door as her fiancée and medical power of attorney. So which authority would you like me to use to accomplish what Jax asked? Which, in case you missed it, was to get you out of here.”

  Mike walked over to Jax and kissed the top of her head. “I’m sorry, Jibber Jack.” He held up a hand in Chance’s direction. “None of that will be necessary. My wife’s leaving now and not coming back. I’m sorry, Chance. Tell her I love her and will be back later.” Mike walked over and put a hand under his wife’s elbow and pulled her up. “We are going now. I’m taking you to Martin’s, and you’re going to stay there. I’ll be coming back to try and fix your meddling. I suggest you use that phone of yours to make another call to Jax’s ex-wife and tell her she isn’t welcome here so save the trip. If you choose not to do that or not to stay at Martin’s, you can also find your own way home. I’m done with this, Jacqueline. Now move, before I let Chance exercise one of those options.”

  Chance stood by in stunned silence, as Mike escorted the shocked woman out the door. Something told her that life had irrevocably shifted for the unhappy woman. Chance had another problem to solve, an unwanted visitor who would also likely cause her lover pain. Not a chance in hell I’m letting that happen. She followed the couple out into the hall and turned to watch them make their way toward the elevators.

  Chance caught sight of her parents. “You guys need to go home, get some rest. I’m fine, and I’ll call with a progress report later. Thanks for being here. You’ve never let me down.”

  Maggie wrapped her arms around Chance and squeezed as she spoke softly in her ear. “I know you have questions. When things settle down, Dee and I will answer them. Until then, take care of our girl. Do you want me to take Zeus? He can’t sit in the car all day.”

  Chance nodded. “Here’s the spare key. Just lock it up after you get him.”

  Dee hugged her next. “All in good time, Five Points, all in good time.”

  As Chance watched them walk away, she saw Mike take Jacqueline’s arm. Jacqueline tried to break Mike’s hold, but he grabbed her hand again and began tugging her down the hall. She turned and glared at Chance.

  “This isn’t over, Chance Fitzsimmons, not by a longshot.”

  “This is the last thing she needs.” Chance pushed open the door to Jax’s room and returned to her side. “Not on my watch.”

  ***

  Jax lay in the hospital bed, once again fighting through the drugs. She had no idea how long she’d been out. The dull thumping in her leg told her long enough for her last shot of morphine to start waning. A thumb brushed over the top of her hand. She cautiously opened her eyes, anxious as to who she would see in the chair beside her bed. Chance’s concerned blue eyes brought a rush of relief.

  “Hi.”

  Chance rose and kissed her lightly. “Hey there. I missed you.”

  Jax smiled. “I was having a wonderful dream. We were riding out to the bluff, snow all around us.”

  “Sounds like our wedding.”

  “Might have been.”

  Chance smiled. “We’ve still got some planning to do. Kendra’s coming in tonight. She wants to drop by with Brandi and see you.”

  Nodding, Jax tried to adjust herself in the bed and grimaced at the pain.

  Chance stood and helped adjust the pillows. “Do you need to hit your pain pump again?”

  “Not unless my mother or ex is walking through that door.” Jax glance at Chance. “They aren’t, are they?”

  Chance tilted her head from side to side. “Not walking through the door, but not far from it. I have no idea if your mother called your ex and told her not to come.”

  “With Mother, I thought nothing could surprise me. This did. The last time I checked, I’m an adult who can see or refuse to see whomever I want. I have no desire to be around either of them ever again. I’m still in shock over Dad. It’s so unlike him to overrule Mother.”

  “He did and in a big way.”

  Jax sat stunned while Chance relayed what happened outside her room. She wasn’t shocked at her mother’s arrogance. The last thing she wanted to do was argue with anyone in her weakened condition.

  “And don’t worry. If either comes through that door, they’ll promptly be escorted back out until you tell me differently. Consider me your personal protection detail.”

  “Never felt safer in my life. Now, tell me what happened on the raid this morning.”

  For the next ten minutes, Chance caught her up on the particulars. Currently, the entire Kurst family, minus the grandfather who was in a nursing home, were residents of Huttonsville Correctional Facility.

  “We also found packaging material and heroin that appears to be of similar makeup to the drugs from our mass overdose calls during the festival. It will take more testing at the state crime lab to see if it’s an exact match. I got a text from Harley, twenty minutes ago, with the latest update. I don’t think we are going to be worrying about the Kursts for a long time.”

  Jax sighed in audible relief. She’d been so worried about what Leland would try next. She didn’t want Lindsey to go through one more minute of the man’s harassment. “Lindsey and Megan have to be relieved. They’ve suffered enough with him.”

  “Harley was more than happy to give them that news. Lindsey is doing fine. She’s at home resting. She said to get better soon.”

  Jax stiffened at a knock on the door. She moved her gaze to the thick wooden barrier. Chance got up to see who it was and let in Uncle Marty. He approached the bed, still limping a bit from his ordeal earlier in the summer.

  He leaned over the bed rail and kissed her temple. “Hey, kitten. It’s good to see you awake. I’ve been busy hog-tying your mother, or I’d have been here sooner.”

  Jax looked at the man she was extremely fond of. “You shouldn’t have to do that, but if you can keep her away from me, I’ll feed you for a month of Sundays.”

  “It’s a deal, even without the meals. She’s none too happy with me or your daddy right now. Came into my house and kept wiping her hands every time she touched anything.”

  “Doc, you need me to remove her from your place?” Chance shifted from her position and came to stand beside him.

  Marty waved his hand. “No need. Ten minutes after she got there, she made a reservation for herself at Canaan Valley Lodge. Your daddy is staying at my place.”

  Jax held his hand, her head swimming with regret and anger. “I’m so sorry, Uncle Marty. When I get out of here, my mother and I are having a little talk. If Lacey shows up, she can get back on a plane and fly west. I’ve said all I need to when it comes to her.”

  Marty patted her hand. “You concentrate on getting out of here. The rest will keep. I’m not going to stay long. I’m covering the clinic for emergencies. Before you fuss at me, I
know what I’m doing. I’ve asked Dr. Kester from over in Elkins to help out if it’s something I can’t handle. Get some rest, and I’ll be back later tonight. I love you, kitten. Stop scaring an old man, will ya?”

  Jax kissed his hand. “I will if you will?”

  He stood and kissed her cheek. “Deal.”

  Uncle Marty left, and Chance took her seat beside Jax again.

  “It’s making him feel useful.”

  Jax sighed. “I know, but he retired for a reason. Lindsey isn’t there to help him.”

  “He called his former secretary. She agreed to come in and help keep track of what they do. He can’t use your computer system, but together they’ll cover the emergencies. Anything else can wait.”

  Chance’s cellphone rang. “It’s Mom.”

  Jax nodded and listened as Chance told her that Jax was awake. Chance looked to her and asked if it was okay if Maggie and Dee came to visit. Jax nodded, and Chance hung up. A few seconds later, there was another knock on the door. Chance got up to admit Maggie and Dee. Jax could see the distress on Maggie’s face. Jax held a hand up to beckon the woman she cared deeply about to come closer.

  “Come over here for a minute. I promise, I don’t bite.”

  Maggie chuckled as she sat down. Dee stood behind her, with her hands resting on her wife’s shoulders. Maggie tilted her head. “I imagine you have questions.”

  “More than I likely have the stamina to stay awake for. How about you give me the CliffsNotes version now, and we fill in the finer details later?”

  Chance put a hand on her mother’s arm. “Mom, are you all right?”

  Maggie looked at Chance and nodded. “This should have come out a long time ago. Dee and I always felt that, without Jacqueline’s consent, it wasn’t right for us to speak for her.”

  Jax furrowed her brow. “I don’t understand.”

  “Jax, you know that Dee and I went to school together. Jacqueline was older than us. We all used to be very good friends and spent a great deal of time together. Your Uncle Martin was a few years older still. I’ve always known I was a lesbian, even when it wasn’t accepted the way it is now. It was difficult in those days. I was harassed, because I wouldn’t go out with the captain of the basketball team, or at least not the captain of the men’s team.”