A Hope and a Chance(61)
Author: Jennifer Foor

I cried myself to sleep with visions of him sleeping with other women. The more I pictured them, the worse they were. I felt sick to my stomach imagining someone else touching him the way I had. I wondered if he kissed them with passion, and if they offered something extra that I didn’t know how to do. I became upset with myself, so much that I knew I wasn’t going to sleep until we had it out. If he thought he could screw whoever he wanted, he needed to hear how hurt I was.

It was four in the morning when I picked up my phone and dialed his number. After three rings he answered with a groggy voice. “Hope?”

“How could you?”

I could hear him adjusting. “You’re freaking out about nothing.”

“Nothing? Do you have a zip code rule or something?”

“What the fuck are you talking about? It’s four in the morning, and after spending hours trying to get you on the phone, I’m exhausted. Whatever you think I did, you’re way off base.”

“I heard female voices. I heard her laughing when I asked you questions.”

This made Chance laugh, which pissed me off. “Baby, you’re being irrational.”

“Are you laughing at me?”

“It’s shocking how jealous you are, that’s all. I think it’s time I come home for a visit to reassure you that you’re my girl.”

I hated that he was being almost comical about it. “Don’t bother. When you come home I won’t be here. I can’t stand cheaters.”

“You think I’m cheating on you? I should be the one who’s mad here. Obviously my girlfriend has no faith in what we share together.”

“I heard the voices. Stop lying to me. Please, Chance, be decent and tell me the truth.”

He sighed loudly against the receiver. “Fine, you want the truth?”

“Yes, that’s why I called. I want you to have the balls to break my heart, asshole.”

He laughed again. “This is bullshit.”

“It is,” I agreed.

“Get your computer, Hope.”

“What? Screw you. Just tell me the truth.”

“I’m trying to. Get your damn computer so I can get this over with and go to bed.”

I located my laptop and opened it. A video chat was coming through from Chance so I accepted it. “I’m sending you a file, but it’s too big to text. Don’t you dare hang up.”

I waited as it loaded and came through. As the video played I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. The giggling I recognized right away, I just couldn’t understand how I’d been so mistaken.

When I was silent he took it upon himself to address me. “I think you owe me a fucking apology, Hope. How the hell does someone cheat on their girlfriend, with their girlfriend?”

I kept watching the video of me in the pool, swimming around and laughing at something Buffy was saying. I hadn’t known he’d recorded me, but there it was plain as day. There was no mistaking the voice I heard. Chance had been telling the truth, and I felt like shit.

“Oh, God. Chance I’m so-.”

“Forgive me for being blunt, but I’m going back to bed. The next time you want to accuse me of some kind of bullshit, make sure you ask first.”

“Chance, wait!”

He hung up the phone before I could get another word in edgewise. I felt so horrible that I didn’t sleep for the rest of the night. By morning I was so exhausted that it was impossible to move from my bed. My depression only escalated when Buffy came in the room to get her phone and I had to explain what happened. I could see the disapproving stare she gave me before walking out.

Crying wasn’t going to solve anything, though. I knew better than to think that sobbing all alone in my room was going to make me feel better. Since I wanted to be alone, I decided to spend the day in the pool house, in Chance’s bed. I wasn’t sure how long I’d been sleeping, but woke to my phone ringing. I picked it up without even checking to see who the caller was, on account of my ears being oversensitive. “Yeah?”

“Yeah? Is that how you apologize?”

I sat up in his bed, realizing Chance was waiting for me to answer. “Sorry. I didn’t expect it to be you.”

“Who else would it be?”

“I said I was sorry.”

“I can’t believe that you thought I had some random chick in my room, Hope. It’s hard enough being here without you, but now I’ve got to worry about my girlfriend losing her shit.”

“Why didn’t you just tell me that you had a video of me?”

“I tried to last night, before you went all ballistic.”

I felt so ashamed of my actions. “I’m so stupid.”

“Hope, I love you. Before all that shit happened last night I was going to tell you that I got a weekend off. I’m coming home to see you.”

My mouth dropped. “Seriously? You’re coming home?”

“Not for good. The job’s still not done. I’ve got a weekend, and I plan on spending every moment with you.”

“So you’re not mad at me for being an idiot?”

“Yeah, I’m mad. You didn’t trust me. It sucks.” I could hear how much it affected him. Trust was a serious issue for Chance, and I’d overlooked that when I accused him of being with someone else.

“I’ll make it up to you.”

“You better. I expect lots of kissing, and having my way the whole time I’m there.”

I giggled, reminding me of the one I’d heard over the phone. “That can be arranged.” Immediately I felt warm all over my body.

“Good. I’ll call with the details of my flight.”

I was giddy. Chance was coming home to visit, and I couldn’t wait to wrap my arms around him. “I love you.”

“I know you do. I’ll call you later, baby.” When he hung up everything had changed. I had something to smile about, and I don’t think I could have frowned even if I tried my hardest.

After two long months of agony Chance got three days off to come and visit. Buffy never mentioned it to my father, but he was rarely home anyway. The new strip mall was taking up all of his time. Buffy said she would tell my dad I was staying at a friend’s house, so that Chance and I could have the night together.

I drove to the airport myself to pick him up. I was so excited that I missed my exit twice, and when I finally pulled up to get him, I locked my keys in the car with it running. While a nice officer got my car opened, I spotted Chance walking towards me. I ran as fast as I could and jumped into his arms. He swung me around as I squeezed him tight.