Holdin' On for a Hero Page 10

  “Can I see?” she asked softly. “Can I, Wyatt?”

  Wyatt cleared his throat. “Yes.”

  Chance moved onto her knees and reached toward him. Suddenly she looked up past him with a terrified look on her face. A scream tore loose from her throat and she started hitting at the air, twisting and struggling. “Nooooo!” she screamed. “Wyatt! Help!”

  She continued to scream and thrash around. Wyatt took hold of her arms to keep her from getting burned on the fire. She cried and yelled in fear and then abruptly stopped. Wyatt released her and she scrambled back away from him, staring over his head with wide eyes.

  Her eyes moved to him and a scream of complete horror ripped loose from her throat. Her eyes bore the look of someone who has seen the ultimate terror and she cowered in fear.

  “No, please,” she said and held up her hands in front of her. “Don’t. Don’t hurt me. Please, Wyatt, please, don’t hurt me.”

  She moved back in jerky movements. “Wyatt, don’t! Noooo! Stop! Don’t touch me!”

  All at once she jerked and stopped screaming. She looked up at some unseen sight before her. “Wyatt? You’re not going to kill me, too, are you? I won’t tell, I promise. Please don’t—”

  Chance suddenly stopped, kneeling on the ground and shaking violently. Wyatt moved to her and put his arms around her. She held him tightly, running her fingers back and forth along his back. “I’ll protect you, Wyatt, I promise.” she whispered as the trembling lessened. “Don’t be afraid. No one will find out. I’ll take care of you—always, I will. I’ll protect you.”

  She stopped talking and remained where she was, rubbing her hand back and forth as if consoling him. Wyatt was still for a moment then he heard Tsa’li’s voice.

  “She will be cold away from the fire. Bring her back to the warmth and move on from this place. She has not been harmed.”

  Wyatt lifted her up in his arms. She snuggled up against his chest, rubbing her hand back and forth over his shoulder as he carried her back and placed her on the sleeping bag in front of the fire.

  “Chance?” he whispered, sitting down beside her.

  “Wyatt?” She turned and smiled.

  “Chance, I want you to do something for me, okay?”

  “You know I will,” she replied without hesitation as a loving smile took hold on her face.

  “I want you to leave this place. We need to go forward now. To the summer you graduated from high school. Will you go with me there?”

  The pleasant expression on her face changed to a frown. “I don’t want to go there. It’s dark and full of pain.”

  “We need to. Please, Chance. I need you to go there with me.”

  She sighed and lowered her head. “You left me, Wyatt. I loved you and you left me.”

  Tears swelled in her eyes and spilled out onto her face. “I thought if we made love you would realize—I never loved anyone but you, Wyatt. That’s why I was a virgin. I…but you didn’t love me. You made it ugly and then you left.”

  “Chance, I—” Wyatt stopped as Tsa’li’s voice spoke in his mind.

  “This is important to her. Do nothing to prevent her from experiencing what she needs to.”

  Chance wiped at the tears on her face. “When you left it felt like there wasn’t a sun in the sky anymore, you know? Everything was just shades of gray. Father made me go to the beach but I didn’t have fun. I walked along the shore for hours, staring at the water and wondering what I was supposed to do. You were all that ever mattered to me and you were gone—gone to marry that girl with the bleached hair and red lipstick. Father got mad because I wasn’t being the way he wanted me to be so we came home. Then Patricia decided we should go on a cruise. It was horrible. I stayed on deck staring at the water. My stomach hurt and I couldn’t eat. I just kept throwing up. My breasts hurt and I didn’t have my period.”

  She put her hand on her abdomen and fresh tears streamed down her face. “When we got home I told Adeola and she asked me if I had been with a man. I told her I had but I didn’t tell her who it was. I never imagined she would go to Father and Patricia but she did. She said it was for the best. Patricia made me go to the doctor. I hated going—it’s so humiliating the way they feel your insides and the nurses stand there watching. The doctor said I was pregnant. God, I was so happy! I was going to have your baby. For several days all I could do was think about it, how it would look, how it would feel in my arms. I couldn’t wait. But the doctor called and told Patricia and she told Father.”

  Chance’s fists clenched tightly and her entire body tensed. Wyatt felt the darkness they were locked in shimmer and suddenly he saw the familiar sight of Chance’s house take shape around them. As if watching a play being enacted before him he saw Chance sitting on the couch in her father’s study, clenching her hands in her lap, looking pale and very small and alone.

  Maurice and Patricia walked in and Maurice went to stand in front of Chance as Patricia took a seat on a chair adjacent to the couch.

  “I believe you have some explaining to do, young lady.”

  Chance looked up at her father but didn’t speak. Maurice stared at her with an angry expression. Patricia spoke up, filling the tense silence. “Your father gave you an order, Chance. Tell him.”

  Chance turned to Patricia, staring unblinkingly. Patricia’s face reddened and she jumped up, grabbing Chance’s arm. “I said tell him, goddammit! Tell him how you fucked around with god only knows who and got yourself pregnant!”

  Chance jerked her arm away and glared at Patricia. “Don’t ever touch me again.” Her voice was low but firm. “I mean it, Patricia. Don’t even come near me.”

  Maurice took Patricia’s arm and held up his hand to silence her as she started to speak. She reclaimed her seat and Maurice turned to Chance. “Do you have any idea how damaging this could be to my reputation if it should get out? I can’t believe you would do this to me. For god’s sakes, Chance, I’ve given you everything! How could you do this to me—not to mention Patricia!”

  Chance jumped up and faced her father. “Just stop! This has nothing to do with you—or her either. I’m pregnant, that’s all there is to it. You’re just going to have to live with it. Now, if I may be excused—”

  Maurice grabbed her arm and jerked her around as she tried to walk past him. “You traitorous little slut!” he shouted and backhanded her.

  She fell against the couch wiped at the trickle of blood at the corner of her mouth and stared up at her father. “Who’s the father of this bastard?” he yelled, reaching for her. “Who?”

  Chance screamed and tried to evade his grasp but he pulled her up and slapped her again. “Tell me, damn you! Who did this?”

  She pushed at him and broke away. Maurice was breathing hard, and red in the face. She backed up toward the door. “I’ll never tell you! Leave me alone!” she cried as she ran out the door.

  Adeola was waiting in her room. Chance ran in and locked the door behind her. She threw herself in Adeola’s arms and cried. After a while Adeola dried her face and made her sit up. “Now, Chance, you have to listen to me. Your father won’t give up until he knows who the father is. You have to tell him. Just like you have to tell the father. He deserves to know.”

  Chance’s eyes grew round and she jumped up. “Yes! You’re right! Oh, Adeola, I have to find him right away. I have to talk to him!”

  “Then Wyatt is the father.”

  Chance turned to look at her in surprise. “Why do you say that?”

  “Child, you can’t hide the way you feel about him from me. Love’s been shining in your eyes for that boy since you were five years old. But Chance, Wyatt’s engaged to be married. He may not want to change those plans.”

  Chance looked down at the floor. “I know. But he does have to know, Adeola. It’s his baby.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “He’s the only one. It couldn’t be anyone else.”

  “Then maybe you should call him.”

  Chance gra
bbed her address book. “I found his phone number in Maurice’s Rolodex,” she said as she sat down on the bed and dialed. “Is this Wyatt Wolf’s residence?… Oh, hi, Cheryl. This is Chance Davenport. Is Wyatt there?… Oh, well, when he gets back would you tell him to call me. It’s very important… Yes, I’ll tell her you said hi. Thanks, bye.”

  She hung up and looked at Adeola. “She said she’d have him call.”

  Adeola nodded but said nothing. Chance went into the bathroom and washed her face then picked up a book and flipped through it. The phone rang and she snatched it up. “Hello? What do you want?… Fine.”

  “Patricia wants you to go to Father’s study.” She looked at Adeola.

  Adeola nodded and left the room. Chance paced the floor, keeping her eyes glued on the clock. An hour passed and she started to feel like a time bomb whose counter was approaching the moment of detonation. Then her door opened and Patricia walked in.

  “Get out!” Chance demanded. “I don’t want you here.”

  “That’s just too bad.” Patricia locked the door and leaned back against it. “You and I are going to get some things settled right now.”

  “I don’t have anything to say to you.” Chance turned her back to Patricia.

  “You don’t have to talk. In fact, I’d prefer that you just keep your mouth shut and listen. I know who the father is and I’m going to tell Maurice. When he finds out he’ll have Wyatt arrested for rape.”

  Chance whirled around. “It wasn’t rape! He didn’t force me. In fact he tried to talk me out of it. I was the one who wanted to so if you want to blame someone, then blame me.”

  “I won’t have you bringing a bastard half-breed into this house. Accept that, Chance. Also, you might as well accept that Wyatt doesn’t want you. You won’t ever have him and you won’t have his bastard child either. I’ve made sure of that.”

  “Go to hell. And get out of my room!”

  Patricia left and Chance turned to look at the phone. After a moment she snatched it up and dialed Wyatt’s number. “Cheryl? Hi, it’s Chance again. Listen, would you—”

  Her eyes widened and her mouth fell open. Speechlessly she let the phone fall from her fingers. Her face wore a look of a trapped animal. She sank down on the bed and stared mutely across the room, not knowing what to do.

  Snapping to as she made up her mind, she frantically grabbed a suitcase out of the closet and stuffed clothes in it at random. She snatched up her purse and keys.e opened the door and looked out into the hall. It was empty so she ran to the stairs and looked over the banister. There was no one in sight.

  Chance ran down the stairs and headed across the foyer. She flung the door open and ran right into Maurice. He grabbed her by both arms and pushed her back inside. She dropped the suitcase with a scream and fought at him but he would not release her. She saw two men dressed in white enter.

  “We’ll take it from here, Mr. Davenport,” one of the men said then looked at Chance. “Now, let’s just calm down, Miss Davenport. Everything’s going to be just fine. Just come with us.”

  Chance looked from the men to her father. “Who are these people? Why are they here?”

  “They’re going to take you to the hospital,” Patricia’s voice came from behind her. “You’re going to get rid of this…this abomination you’re carrying.”

  “No!” Chance screamed and kicked Maurice in the knee. His leg buckled and he let go of her. She eyed the two men in white. “Get away from me. I’m not going to abort this baby and none of you can make me. Get out of my way.”

  Patricia grabbed her arm from behind and Chance turned, punching her in the face. Blood spurted from Patricia’s nose and she started screaming. One of the men in white grabbed Chance and pinned her arms to her sides. She kicked and screamed and he stumbled around, trying to hang on to her. “Get off me! Let me go! Noooo! You’re not taking my baby! Damn you, stop!”

  The other man rushed over and stabbed something in the side of Chance’s neck. She thrashed around, trying to free herself but her efforts became weaker as the drug took effect. Eventually the man loosened his hold on her and she sagged in his arms.

  “Please don’t do this,” she begged, reaching out to Maurice. “Please, Father, please. If you love me, don’t kill my baby. Please, I’ll do anything you say just don’t hurt my baby.”

  He hobbled over to her and looked at the men who supported her. “Get her out of here.”

  Chance screamed and cried, pleading with the men to let her go as they took her out and put her in the ambulance. They strapped her down and put a needle in her arm. Her eyes rolled back and unconsciousness claimed her.

  Her body went limp and for a long time she didn’t speak or move. Wyatt felt tears fall from his own eyes. For years he had carried a burning rage inside him for what she had done. Now the truth was finally revealed. She had not betrayed him and killed his unborn child. She had tried to save it.

  Chance’s breath quickened and she turned her head, looking toward the fire. “I hate you. You killed my baby,” she said in a cold, emotionless tone. “One day you’ll pay for this, Father.” Then she closed her eyes.

  Wyatt sat silently, mentally pulling away from her and her pain. He could not take any more and didn’t think she could either. There had been more than enough hidden truths revealed this night. Touching the side of her face he spoke gently. “Chance? Can you hear me?”

  For a long time she didn’t respond. Wyatt felt a jolt of fear and without warning he was sucked down a long well of darkness, spinning out of control. Abruptly he found himself sitting by the fire. He turned and looked to Tsa’li for help. “What’s wrong with her?”

  Tsa’li went to his side. He put his hand on Chance’s chest then gently lifted her eyelids. “She is locked in a memory that is not to be shared. Give her time to pass through the remembrance. She will return.”

  Wyatt sat down beside her and waited. After several long minutes she moved slightly.

  “Wyatt?” she whispered, moving her hands over her abdomen. “Can you hear me? I’m your mother. Your father’s name is Wyatt, too. I love you, Wyatt. I always will, even if we can’t be together. You have to know that I didn’t kill you. It was my father and Patricia. I tried to stop them, but they drugged me so they could kill you. They called me names and said bad things about your father. But he’s not a bad man, he’s good. The best. I know he would have loved you if he’d had the chance. I’m sorry. I tried, I really did.”

  Wyatt lifted her up, supporting her in his arms. “You must bring her back now,” Tsa’li directed. “She cannot stand the strain of more. There is too much pain. Bring her back.”

  Wyatt settled her before the fire again and put his hands on either side of her face. “Chance, listen to me. You have to leave that place. You have to come back. Leave the pain behind and come back.”

  “Wyatt?” Her eyes stared straight ahead without blinking. “Why—how did you get here?”

  “I’m here to take you back. You have to leave this place.”

  “There’s nothing to come back to. They took it all away from me.”

  “No, you’re wrong. Chance, please, come back. Do it for me.”

  She smiled and closed her eyes. “I have never been able to say no to you, Wyatt. That’s going to be my undoing.”

  A moment later her eyes opened. As soon as she saw Wyatt she closed them tightly and lay rigidly in his arms, quivering like she was cold. Wyatt looked to Tsa’li for guidance. “What should I do?”

  Tsa’li shook his head. “Do nothing. She requires time.”

  For over an hour Wyatt sat holding her. The tension didn’t lessen or leave. She continued to shake but at last she opened her eyes and looked at him. He saw the tears welling in her eyes. Her voice was choked with emotion when she spoke. “My god, Wyatt, he killed our child.”

  He nodded and continued to look into her eyes. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered miserably.

  Wyatt pulled her up against him and held h
er close. Chance cried for a long time, then dried her face and sat up. “Tsa’li Eaglefoot, I don’t know how you made all this happen and I’m not sure I’d believe it if you told me. Part of me wishes you’d never helped me remember but I know it’s for the best. And I also know that I owe you a debt of thanks I have no idea how to repay. You helped me see the truth about things. My life hasn’t been at all what I thought it was. I’ve been living a lie and didn’t even know it. Thanks to you, I know, and whatever you ask of me in payment is yours.”

  Tsa’li nodded and stood up. He walked to her and took her hands in his. “Look at me,” he said, his voice soft yet commanding. Their eyes met and Chance felt reality as she knew it slip away. Falling into another realm, she was filled with answers to questions she had not thought to ask.

  After a minute or so she blinked and came back to her own reality. Tsa’li nodded and smiled. “I will name my payment. You will help Wyatt discover his destiny. He must know what lies in his heart if he is to fulfill that destiny. You, Chance Davenport—your past is tied to his. Your blood has mingled and been spilled. You, the white woman with the eyes of the wolf, will help him find his way.”

  Chance nodded solemnly. She went to the wolf pup, picked it up and snuggled it against her face for a moment. Then retrieving the doll’s bottle she handed them to Tsa’li. “He needs a good home.”

  Tsa’li took the pup and stroked the soft fur along its back. “He will have one.”

  With a parting nod to Wyatt, he left the cave. Chance watched him leave then looked at Wyatt as he turned to face her. “Wyatt, did that really happen? It felt like you were with me…like we went back… Is it really possible?”

  “Yes,” he said softly. “And we both learned a lot. And I do believe it. So do you.”

  “I guess you’re right,” she said softly and took a seat by the fire. “The question is, where do we go from here?”

  Wyatt sat down beside her. “Maybe it’s time we talked, really talked.”

  “Yes, I think you’re right.”