Read Online Second Chance for Love by Leona Jackson - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Leona Jackson
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me.
“Thanks. I need to call Henry.”
“He knows you're on your way. He's the one who suggested I should come and get you. Mama was really mad when Henry told her he'd called you. She started crying again and said you wouldn't be able to drive without getting yourself killed too.”
“Thanks for coming to get me, Destiny. I know things haven’t been great between us for a long time.”
Destiny reached over and patted my leg. “Not a problem. No matter what, we’ll always be sisters.”
“So is she angry that I'm coming back?”
“Who Mama?” Destiny asked.
I nodded.
“No.” Destiny shook her head. “She's worried about you. I wouldn't say she’s angry about it. She'll be glad to see you again. She even said Bosco can stay inside the house this time.”
“Really?” I asked in disbelief.
“Yep. She's afraid of ending up alone. When she found out that you’d left she cried and cried. She thought she'd never see you again before she died. Daddy's death has really opened her eyes.”
“It sucks that it took something like that to do it.” I looked out the window so she wouldn’t see me blinking back the tears.
“Sucks for all of us,” Destiny agreed.
“Do you know how Ethel is doing?” I asked, referring to Chase's mom.
“She's having a fit since he's her only child. Abby didn't go to school today either. When I swung by the hospital she said her Daddy was deciding whether or not to go become an angel.”
Tears threatened to fall again. I pushed them away.
“Chase, you can't be an angel yet,” I whispered and leaned my head against the car window. “You have to be my hero first.”
I was grateful that Destiny was quiet for the rest of the drive. I wasn't sure whether she ran out of things to say or knew I wasn’t up to small talk.
My heart thumped against my chest when we crossed the county line. I was so close to Chase, but at the same time he was worlds away. My pulse continued to race as we pulled into the hospital parking lot. Mama was waiting for us in the waiting room and she pulled me into a hug before I had time to say anything.
“I'm so sorry, Jetta,” she cried.
“I'm sorry too, Mama,” I said and pulled away. “I've got to go see him.”
“Come on,” Mama said, taking my arm. “I’ll take you.”
Destiny led the way to the elevator. Mama tried to start a conversation on the way up, but I couldn't bring myself to answer her. This was one time I knew I had to put my feelings first, and right now I didn't want to talk. I needed to see Chase. I bolted from the elevator then stopped when I realized I didn't know where I was going.
“This way,” Destiny said.
She must have felt my anxiety because she quickened her pace to a jog. The three of us were panting by the time we reached Chase's room. I paused for a minute to catch my breath before sticking my head inside.
Chase’s mother, Ethel opened the door and waved me in. I studied her for a moment, fearing she was going to attempt to send me away. Instead, she wrapped her arms around me. In that instant, I understood that out of all the people in the world, Ethel might be the one person who was hurting as much or more than I was. She’d carried Chase in her womb and raised him into a man. She’d tried to stand up for what he wanted and it had ruined her marriage. I began to cry again as I returned her embrace.
“Thank you for coming,” Ethel said. “I know it would mean a lot to Chase.”
I took her hand and grabbed Destiny's with my other as we walked close to the hospital bed. It wasn't as bad as I expected. Chase looked beat up, but it seemed that he was breathing on his own at least. I walked slowly to the edge of the bed and touched Chase's face.
“Come back to me, Chase,” I whispered.
Chapter 18: Chase
The world was too bright and nothing made sense. Was this how being dead felt? It only took me a few seconds to arrive at the conclusion that I wasn't dead, because I knew death
“Thanks. I need to call Henry.”
“He knows you're on your way. He's the one who suggested I should come and get you. Mama was really mad when Henry told her he'd called you. She started crying again and said you wouldn't be able to drive without getting yourself killed too.”
“Thanks for coming to get me, Destiny. I know things haven’t been great between us for a long time.”
Destiny reached over and patted my leg. “Not a problem. No matter what, we’ll always be sisters.”
“So is she angry that I'm coming back?”
“Who Mama?” Destiny asked.
I nodded.
“No.” Destiny shook her head. “She's worried about you. I wouldn't say she’s angry about it. She'll be glad to see you again. She even said Bosco can stay inside the house this time.”
“Really?” I asked in disbelief.
“Yep. She's afraid of ending up alone. When she found out that you’d left she cried and cried. She thought she'd never see you again before she died. Daddy's death has really opened her eyes.”
“It sucks that it took something like that to do it.” I looked out the window so she wouldn’t see me blinking back the tears.
“Sucks for all of us,” Destiny agreed.
“Do you know how Ethel is doing?” I asked, referring to Chase's mom.
“She's having a fit since he's her only child. Abby didn't go to school today either. When I swung by the hospital she said her Daddy was deciding whether or not to go become an angel.”
Tears threatened to fall again. I pushed them away.
“Chase, you can't be an angel yet,” I whispered and leaned my head against the car window. “You have to be my hero first.”
I was grateful that Destiny was quiet for the rest of the drive. I wasn't sure whether she ran out of things to say or knew I wasn’t up to small talk.
My heart thumped against my chest when we crossed the county line. I was so close to Chase, but at the same time he was worlds away. My pulse continued to race as we pulled into the hospital parking lot. Mama was waiting for us in the waiting room and she pulled me into a hug before I had time to say anything.
“I'm so sorry, Jetta,” she cried.
“I'm sorry too, Mama,” I said and pulled away. “I've got to go see him.”
“Come on,” Mama said, taking my arm. “I’ll take you.”
Destiny led the way to the elevator. Mama tried to start a conversation on the way up, but I couldn't bring myself to answer her. This was one time I knew I had to put my feelings first, and right now I didn't want to talk. I needed to see Chase. I bolted from the elevator then stopped when I realized I didn't know where I was going.
“This way,” Destiny said.
She must have felt my anxiety because she quickened her pace to a jog. The three of us were panting by the time we reached Chase's room. I paused for a minute to catch my breath before sticking my head inside.
Chase’s mother, Ethel opened the door and waved me in. I studied her for a moment, fearing she was going to attempt to send me away. Instead, she wrapped her arms around me. In that instant, I understood that out of all the people in the world, Ethel might be the one person who was hurting as much or more than I was. She’d carried Chase in her womb and raised him into a man. She’d tried to stand up for what he wanted and it had ruined her marriage. I began to cry again as I returned her embrace.
“Thank you for coming,” Ethel said. “I know it would mean a lot to Chase.”
I took her hand and grabbed Destiny's with my other as we walked close to the hospital bed. It wasn't as bad as I expected. Chase looked beat up, but it seemed that he was breathing on his own at least. I walked slowly to the edge of the bed and touched Chase's face.
“Come back to me, Chase,” I whispered.
Chapter 18: Chase
The world was too bright and nothing made sense. Was this how being dead felt? It only took me a few seconds to arrive at the conclusion that I wasn't dead, because I knew death
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