01-04-2023, 02:49 AM
December 15th after the match
Chance is sitting in the small locker room the arena assigned him with his eyes closed and a smile on his face. They did it! His team won their first round match in the Trios Tournament!
“Maybe I really am good enough to be here.”
His soliloquy is interrupted before it can really begin by an impatient knocking on the door. Chance grumbles as he gets up to see who's there. The impatient knock is repeated, which has him being remarkably snarky.
“All right already... I'm coming! Don't get your underwear in a knot!”
The man on the other side of the door raises an eyebrow at the comment, but says nothing. His lips, however, do their damnedest to curl up in a smile that he quickly shuts down. He looks around while he's waiting and takes note of a small square of paper on the door that reads “Chance Owens” in black pen.
Chance jerks the door open with a blistering comment on his lips that disappears when he sees who's standing there. “I wasn't expecting to see you here!”
Josh Hudson smirks a little. “Obviously... May I come in?” He could have just barged in but he isn't in the mood for that right now.
Chance blinks before backing up. “Of course. Please come in.”
Josh steps into the hastily planned locker room and notes the heavy olive and grey duffel bag on the bench near the wall. The sleeve of Chance's ring jacket is hanging out over the side of the bag. “Little small, don't you think?” He's referring to the locker room.
Chance shrugs one shoulder as he closes the door and turns around to tuck the red and gold sleeve into the bag. “Beats having to dress in the hallway... And I'm sure it's nowhere near as fancy as the locker rooms the champions get.”
“I've seen rookies come and go and you're one of the humbler ones.”
Chance gives a faint smile as he sits down to take off his ring boots. “I know I have to earn my way up the ladder here and I'm not afraid to fight for it.”
Josh watches the younger man for a moment as what Chance said sinks in. “Good. You have a lot of potential and I see you going places. Tonight was a good effort... We wouldn't have won if you hadn't been there.”
“Thank you.” Chance grunts softly and wiggles his toes after taking his boots off. He still isn't used to wearing them.
Josh looks away so Chance won't see him smile, then his whole attitude changes when he looks back at the younger man. “So when are you going to show up and fight?”
Chance is taken aback by the abrupt question. “Excuse me?”
“When are you going to show up and fight?”
The implication isn't lost on Chance and he quickly stands up with his hands balled into fists. “I already have. You said it yourself. You and Glory wouldn't have won if I hadn't been there! Weren't you paying attention?” His voice gets a little louder. “In case you weren't paying attention, I was the legal person on our team and I was the one who got the pin on your student James Evans! I think I did pretty damn well for myself considering that was only my fourth wrestling match ever!”
“You have fire in your veins. Good. Bring that to the next round of the tournament and don't screw up. I won't hesitate to take it up with you if you do.”
Chance catches the unspoken threat and growls. “If we lose... And that's a pretty big if... It won't be my fault.”
Josh smirks as he makes his way to the door. “As the resident newcomer, you're kind of expected to screw up. Just don't do it around me.”
“Or what?”
Josh turns to look at Chance, and his voice is cold. “Or I'll make you wish you were dead when I'm done with you.” Then he leaves the locker room with a slam of the door.
Chance grumbles and shakes his head. “Asshole.” Then he goes back to changing out of his ring gear. Josh's attitude change threw him off and he doesn't feel happy any more.
- - -
Present day
Chance sighs and looks at the ceiling in his new office at the insurance company. Mr. Gleason did indeed fire Charles Brentworth, much to his relief. Studying for his license had been a giant pain in his butt and he'd mentioned it to Mr. Gleason, saying it would have been nice to know that before he'd been hired. The owner of the company had actually agreed with him and had taken the person who hired him to task for not telling him that. The phone on his desk rings and shatters his reverie. He pushes the button on his headset to open the line. “Thank you for calling Gleason Insurance, my name is Chance, how can I help you today?” A few taps on his keyboard bring up the answer to the caller's question. “I'm afraid David is still on personal leave until next week... Is this urgent? It is. Okay, I'm going to transfer you to the agent who's dealing with David's clients until he comes back...” He double checks who that is. “Her name is Naomi and she'll do her best to help you, okay? Okay, hold on one moment while I transfer your call.” He pushes the Hold button on the phone itself and inputs Naomi's extension before tapping Transfer. Protocol has him waiting until he can hear Naomi talking to the caller before he hangs up with a push of the button on his headset. A knock on his doorframe has him looking over to see who it is.
Bianca Sutherland leans her shoulder on the frame with a smile. “It's lunch time, Chance.”
Chance carefully takes off the headset and hangs it off the bracket before stretching. “I really need to find out why the clock I brought in keeps freezing at one set time...” It's battery powered but it keeps locking up and he has to remove the battery to fix it. It isn't a cheap one either! His mother gave it to him.
“Where is it now?”
“I took it home yesterday.” He stands up and takes his jacket off the coat tree. “Whose turn is it to buy?” He and Bianca take turns paying for lunch if Chance forgets to bring one.
Bianca laughs because she knows Chance is aware she's been keeping track. “It's your turn today, Mr. Money-britches.”
Chance throws his head back and laughs heartily. “Italian, Japanese or Mexican?”
“That Mexican place you like so much is open again... They had to close over the holidays because half of them got sick.”
“That sounds perfect.” Chance goes back to his desk and turns on the call redirect function on his phone. He does that every day at lunch so his phone isn't ringing endlessly while he's out of the office. Then he turns off his monitor and desk lamp before closing the door. He only locks it when he goes home at night. The Mexican restaurant they're talking about is less than two blocks from the office. “After you, my dear co-worker.” He knows Bianca is happily married with two beautiful children. Her friendship means more to him than anything else.
And she knows that. She smiles and turns around so they can go to lunch. “Thank you, kind sir.” She values his friendship and never forgets to tell him that.
They're laughing when they come back from lunch. The food and staff had been exactly how they remembered them. Chance wipes a tear of laughter from his eye. “I don't remember the last time I laughed so much.”
Bianca chuckles as they stop at Chance's office. “It looks good on you. You need to laugh more.”
“I'll do my best.” He goes to open his office door and a lance of agony races through his stomach. It's so intense he has to put his head against the door's glass pane. “I guess I shouldn't have had that second plate of shrimp enchiladas.”
Bianca becomes alarmed when all the color drains from Chance's face. “You look terrible, Chance! Maybe you should call your brother to come get you. He's still at home with his broken leg, isn't he?”
Chance grunts at another stab of agony. “No walking cast. Call my mom.” He fumbles his phone out of his pocket and brings up his mother's contact card.
Bianca takes her phone out and uses Chance's contact card to call his mother Amanda. “Yes, is this Mrs. Owens? Mrs. Owens, my name is Bianca Sutherland and I work with your son Chance at the insurance company. We just got back from lunch and – Yes. We went to the Mexican restaurant less than two blocks from here. He's got his head resting on the glass in his office door. It's better if you come in through the front doors, there's no need for a security code there. I'll have one of our other coworkers waiting for you. Thank you, Mrs. Owens. Drive safely, okay? We'll see you soon. Bye.” She taps End and puts her phone in her purse, then puts Chance's phone in his jacket pocket.
Chance hears footsteps and turns his head that way. “Dale's coming.”
Dale goes right up to Chance and gently moves him away from the door. “Go ahead and sign him off then turn off his computer, Bianca. I'll tell Miss Gladstone what's going on so she knows.”
Bianca doesn't hesitate. “Thank you, Dale.” She goes into Chance's office and turns on the desk lamp so she can see what she's doing. It doesn't take long to sign him out of his work programs and turn off the computer. She picks up his duffel bag and brings it out to him before reaching in and locking the door from the inside. A snap of her fingers and she goes in to turn off the desk lamp before she closes the office door. “His mother's on her way.”
“Front doors?”
“Yes.”
“I'll take him there and help him into her car when she gets here.”
“Thank you, Dale.”
“Any time.” Dale shoulders Chance's duffel bag and puts his arm around his friend's waist. “Come on, Chance, let's go wait for your mother.” Then he slowly walks the clearly incoherent man to the front doors of the insurance company.
Bianca watches Ivan from the mail room join them so Dale doesn't have to support Chance alone. “Please be okay, Chance...” Then she goes to her office so she can get back to work, though her mind is elsewhere.
Dale sighs softly. “Thanks for helping me, Ivan.”
Ivan speaks quietly. “Chance is my friend.” He glances at Chance's face and shakes his head. “I'd ask him what's going on but I don't think he's in any shape to answer me.”
Chance comes around long enough to be coherent. “Lunch at the Mexican place not far from here... Two plates of shrimp enchiladas.”
Ivan is immediately concerned. “You've had three and four plates of their shrimp enchiladas before, Chance...”
Dale knows they had to close over the holidays due to illness. “Maybe one of them came back before they were fully healthy and didn't realize it.”
“What do you mean, Dale?”
“Half of them got sick before the holidays. They had to close for the duration because of it.”
“That's possible... It's also possible Chance has a stomach bug.”
Dale tilts his head to the side to acknowledge the possibility. “That's also likely.”
“Who are we waiting for?”
“His mother.”
“All right.”
The wait is quiet and tense. Amanda Owens pulls up to the curb and throws on her emergency flashers before getting out and running inside. Her worst fears are immediately confirmed when she sees how pale Chance is. “My car is just outside... Can you get him there for me?”
Ivan nods. “Of course. Come on, Dale. Let's get him out of here.”
Dale shifts Chance's weight toward Ivan. “Are you taking him to your apartment, Mrs. Owens?”
Amanda shakes her head as they bring Chance to her car. “I'm taking him to the townhouse he and his brother Leo rent. Leo's still at home with a broken leg and his doctor didn't give him a walking cast.”
Chance snorts. “Doc knows Leo's boss sucks...”
“Trust you to remember that even when you look like a freshly peeled potato, Chance!”
Chance grins a little. “I prefer looking like a ghost, Mom, you know that.”
“I have food on the brain today.” Amanda works as the quartermaster for a state-wide restaurant chain.
“You're forgiven. It's your job.”
“Thank you, son.” Amanda opens the passenger side door so they can put Chance in the seat.
Dale carefully settles him into the passenger seat and puts his duffel bag on his legs. “You take care, buddy, and hopefully you'll be at work on Saturday.”
Chance exhales softly as Dale fastens the seatbelt for him. “I have to be in Boston on Thursday.” He licks his lips and supplies the rest of it. “I'm a wrestler too.”
Amanda smiles fondly. “Speaking of that...” She takes something out of her purse and puts it on Chance's duffel bag. “Someone brought that to the apartment for you last week.”
Chance looks down and feels tears come to his eyes when he sees a blonde wolf sitting by an orange Detour sign. Right away he knows who it's from. “Dammit, Adam...” He puts his hand over the carving and feels a little better.
Dale perks a brow. “Adam?”
“Adam Brock. My trainer.” Chance smiles and looks at the carving again. “The Wolfsbane.”
Amanda beams. “The one wrestler Chance and Leo would sit still to watch.”
Dale can't help a smile. “You couldn't have asked for a better wrestler to train you... But what's with the detour sign?”
Chance laughs a little. “My nickname is Roadblock.”
Dale laughs and shakes his head. “Should've known... You go home and rest up for your flight to Boston.” He pats Chance's shoulder with a smile. “Knock 'em dead, kid.” Then he closes the car door.
Chance leans his head back and closes his eyes as Amanda pulls away from the curb. “You're not taking me to the townhouse, are you?”
Amanda shakes her head. “No. I'm taking you to the hospital.”
“Dale thinks one of the employees came back without realizing they were still sick, Ivan thinks it might be a stomach bug and I'm afraid it's food poisoning.”
“What was the first sign something was wrong?”
“We got to my office door and I felt this lance of agony in my stomach.”
“How many times did you feel that kind of pain?”
“Once after that, so twice in all.” A third stab of agony has him grunting loudly and putting his hand over the location. He looks down and is both surprised and dismayed at where his hand is. “Oh Lord... I think we're all wrong. Look where my hand is.”
Amanda glances over at a red light and immediately knows what he's referring to. “Your body is always the best source of information, Chance... It looks like it might be your appendix.”
Chance groans loudly. “Well that's just great!” If he has to have an appendectomy he's going to miss the rest of the Trios tournament.
“Hopefully it's just irritated instead of inflamed or about to rupture.”
“We'll see what the test results have to say.” His other hand curls around the carving from Adam and he can feel that same sense of stability he felt earlier. He subtly moves the carving into his jacket pocket so he can bring it with him into the hospital.
“So Adam sent me a copy of the card you're going to Boston for... Your team is facing The One, Kim Williams and Adam Allocco.”
“And the other match is...”
Amanda deftly dodges an idiot driver before she responds. “Sarah Wolf, Bree Lancaster and Syren are facing Nicole Kinneck, Owen Cruze and Ravyn Taylor.”
Chance can feel the pain subsiding and lowers his left hand. “So after Josh, Glory and I get past Kim, Adam and The One, we'll have to face the winning team from that match in the finals of the Trios tournament.” He breathes slowly and deeply to replenish the oxygen in his lungs. “When it comes to my match, it's pretty obvious who's going to win. Yes, Josh and Glory have history with each other, but they know how to work together. I'm the greenhorn but that doesn't matter.”
“Why doesn't it matter?”
“If Kim, Adam and The One want to get anywhere, they have to go through us. We are a three person roadblock.”
Amanda chuckles quietly. “Three people are better than one.”
“Exactly.” The pain flares again and Chance grimaces, biting back the epithets that spring to his lips.
Amanda gives him a worried glance as she turns into the hospital parking lot. She goes right to the emergency department doors and puts on her emergency flashers. “We're here, Chance.” She takes off her seatbelt and gets out to go around to his side of the car.
Someone comes from the side of the hospital and opens Chance's door before she gets there. “I had a feeling I'd find you here...” Adam reaches in and undoes Chance's seatbelt before moving his duffel bag to the floor near his feet.
“Adam! I wasn't expecting to see you here!”
“Call it a hunch and leave it at that for now.” Adam helps Chance out of the car and takes the younger man's weight without any trouble at all. “You got your wallet on you, kid?”
Chance recognizes the voice right away and tries to smile. “Inside jacket pocket.”
“Good.” He saw where Chance's hand was resting when he helped him out of the car. “Appendix, huh?”
“That's what we're thinking.”
“I'll get him inside, Mrs. Owens... Go ahead and park your car then come inside.”
Amanda uses her handkerchief to wipe the sweat off Chance's forehead. “I'll be back as soon as I can.”
Adam waits for her to turn off her flashers and move toward a parking spot before taking Chance inside the hospital. He spots a few empty wheelchairs and has Chance sit in one. “This is easier on you.” Once Chance's feet are up on the footrests, he starts pushing Chance toward the check-in desk.
The nurse looks up at the sound of footsteps and her professional smile slips when she sees Chance in a wheelchair. “The emergency department is down that hall to the right and it's at the very end.”
“Thank you, Nurse.” Adam turns the wheelchair to the right and pushes Chance down the hallway. “How far did you get in your discourse before you got here?”
“Mom said three people were better than one.” Another flare of pain tears through him and he starts swearing.
“How many times has this happened since the first one?”
Chance hisses softly. “That's the fourth time since the first one outside my office after lunch.”
“Always the same place?”
“Yes.”
“Yeah, it sounds like it's your appendix. With any luck it's just irritated.”
Chance smiles and takes the carving out of his other jacket pocket. “Thanks for this...”
Adam's face lights right up. “Hey, you got it!”
“Yup. It makes me feel better when I hold it...”
Adam leans in so nobody else can hear what he's saying. “I had Michael imbue it with healing energy while I was carving it.”
“Thank him for me, would you?”
“You bet.” Adam hears hurried footsteps and straightens up as Amanda joins them. “Dang convoluted hallways...”
Amanda laughs a little. “You'd think they'd make it easy to get where you're going when you're in pain!” She puts her hand on Chance's shoulder as he fights through another stab of pain.
[And this is where we let them continue on their own. Things may not have gone the way Chance wanted them to today, but you bet your ass he'll be in Boston at the TD Arena. Nothing is going to keep him from competing on Thursday. Come Hell or high water... No matter who walks away the winners at the end of the night... Nobody will be able to say Chance didn't pull his weight. NOBODY! See you there.]
Chance is sitting in the small locker room the arena assigned him with his eyes closed and a smile on his face. They did it! His team won their first round match in the Trios Tournament!
“Maybe I really am good enough to be here.”
His soliloquy is interrupted before it can really begin by an impatient knocking on the door. Chance grumbles as he gets up to see who's there. The impatient knock is repeated, which has him being remarkably snarky.
“All right already... I'm coming! Don't get your underwear in a knot!”
The man on the other side of the door raises an eyebrow at the comment, but says nothing. His lips, however, do their damnedest to curl up in a smile that he quickly shuts down. He looks around while he's waiting and takes note of a small square of paper on the door that reads “Chance Owens” in black pen.
Chance jerks the door open with a blistering comment on his lips that disappears when he sees who's standing there. “I wasn't expecting to see you here!”
Josh Hudson smirks a little. “Obviously... May I come in?” He could have just barged in but he isn't in the mood for that right now.
Chance blinks before backing up. “Of course. Please come in.”
Josh steps into the hastily planned locker room and notes the heavy olive and grey duffel bag on the bench near the wall. The sleeve of Chance's ring jacket is hanging out over the side of the bag. “Little small, don't you think?” He's referring to the locker room.
Chance shrugs one shoulder as he closes the door and turns around to tuck the red and gold sleeve into the bag. “Beats having to dress in the hallway... And I'm sure it's nowhere near as fancy as the locker rooms the champions get.”
“I've seen rookies come and go and you're one of the humbler ones.”
Chance gives a faint smile as he sits down to take off his ring boots. “I know I have to earn my way up the ladder here and I'm not afraid to fight for it.”
Josh watches the younger man for a moment as what Chance said sinks in. “Good. You have a lot of potential and I see you going places. Tonight was a good effort... We wouldn't have won if you hadn't been there.”
“Thank you.” Chance grunts softly and wiggles his toes after taking his boots off. He still isn't used to wearing them.
Josh looks away so Chance won't see him smile, then his whole attitude changes when he looks back at the younger man. “So when are you going to show up and fight?”
Chance is taken aback by the abrupt question. “Excuse me?”
“When are you going to show up and fight?”
The implication isn't lost on Chance and he quickly stands up with his hands balled into fists. “I already have. You said it yourself. You and Glory wouldn't have won if I hadn't been there! Weren't you paying attention?” His voice gets a little louder. “In case you weren't paying attention, I was the legal person on our team and I was the one who got the pin on your student James Evans! I think I did pretty damn well for myself considering that was only my fourth wrestling match ever!”
“You have fire in your veins. Good. Bring that to the next round of the tournament and don't screw up. I won't hesitate to take it up with you if you do.”
Chance catches the unspoken threat and growls. “If we lose... And that's a pretty big if... It won't be my fault.”
Josh smirks as he makes his way to the door. “As the resident newcomer, you're kind of expected to screw up. Just don't do it around me.”
“Or what?”
Josh turns to look at Chance, and his voice is cold. “Or I'll make you wish you were dead when I'm done with you.” Then he leaves the locker room with a slam of the door.
Chance grumbles and shakes his head. “Asshole.” Then he goes back to changing out of his ring gear. Josh's attitude change threw him off and he doesn't feel happy any more.
- - -
Present day
Chance sighs and looks at the ceiling in his new office at the insurance company. Mr. Gleason did indeed fire Charles Brentworth, much to his relief. Studying for his license had been a giant pain in his butt and he'd mentioned it to Mr. Gleason, saying it would have been nice to know that before he'd been hired. The owner of the company had actually agreed with him and had taken the person who hired him to task for not telling him that. The phone on his desk rings and shatters his reverie. He pushes the button on his headset to open the line. “Thank you for calling Gleason Insurance, my name is Chance, how can I help you today?” A few taps on his keyboard bring up the answer to the caller's question. “I'm afraid David is still on personal leave until next week... Is this urgent? It is. Okay, I'm going to transfer you to the agent who's dealing with David's clients until he comes back...” He double checks who that is. “Her name is Naomi and she'll do her best to help you, okay? Okay, hold on one moment while I transfer your call.” He pushes the Hold button on the phone itself and inputs Naomi's extension before tapping Transfer. Protocol has him waiting until he can hear Naomi talking to the caller before he hangs up with a push of the button on his headset. A knock on his doorframe has him looking over to see who it is.
Bianca Sutherland leans her shoulder on the frame with a smile. “It's lunch time, Chance.”
Chance carefully takes off the headset and hangs it off the bracket before stretching. “I really need to find out why the clock I brought in keeps freezing at one set time...” It's battery powered but it keeps locking up and he has to remove the battery to fix it. It isn't a cheap one either! His mother gave it to him.
“Where is it now?”
“I took it home yesterday.” He stands up and takes his jacket off the coat tree. “Whose turn is it to buy?” He and Bianca take turns paying for lunch if Chance forgets to bring one.
Bianca laughs because she knows Chance is aware she's been keeping track. “It's your turn today, Mr. Money-britches.”
Chance throws his head back and laughs heartily. “Italian, Japanese or Mexican?”
“That Mexican place you like so much is open again... They had to close over the holidays because half of them got sick.”
“That sounds perfect.” Chance goes back to his desk and turns on the call redirect function on his phone. He does that every day at lunch so his phone isn't ringing endlessly while he's out of the office. Then he turns off his monitor and desk lamp before closing the door. He only locks it when he goes home at night. The Mexican restaurant they're talking about is less than two blocks from the office. “After you, my dear co-worker.” He knows Bianca is happily married with two beautiful children. Her friendship means more to him than anything else.
And she knows that. She smiles and turns around so they can go to lunch. “Thank you, kind sir.” She values his friendship and never forgets to tell him that.
They're laughing when they come back from lunch. The food and staff had been exactly how they remembered them. Chance wipes a tear of laughter from his eye. “I don't remember the last time I laughed so much.”
Bianca chuckles as they stop at Chance's office. “It looks good on you. You need to laugh more.”
“I'll do my best.” He goes to open his office door and a lance of agony races through his stomach. It's so intense he has to put his head against the door's glass pane. “I guess I shouldn't have had that second plate of shrimp enchiladas.”
Bianca becomes alarmed when all the color drains from Chance's face. “You look terrible, Chance! Maybe you should call your brother to come get you. He's still at home with his broken leg, isn't he?”
Chance grunts at another stab of agony. “No walking cast. Call my mom.” He fumbles his phone out of his pocket and brings up his mother's contact card.
Bianca takes her phone out and uses Chance's contact card to call his mother Amanda. “Yes, is this Mrs. Owens? Mrs. Owens, my name is Bianca Sutherland and I work with your son Chance at the insurance company. We just got back from lunch and – Yes. We went to the Mexican restaurant less than two blocks from here. He's got his head resting on the glass in his office door. It's better if you come in through the front doors, there's no need for a security code there. I'll have one of our other coworkers waiting for you. Thank you, Mrs. Owens. Drive safely, okay? We'll see you soon. Bye.” She taps End and puts her phone in her purse, then puts Chance's phone in his jacket pocket.
Chance hears footsteps and turns his head that way. “Dale's coming.”
Dale goes right up to Chance and gently moves him away from the door. “Go ahead and sign him off then turn off his computer, Bianca. I'll tell Miss Gladstone what's going on so she knows.”
Bianca doesn't hesitate. “Thank you, Dale.” She goes into Chance's office and turns on the desk lamp so she can see what she's doing. It doesn't take long to sign him out of his work programs and turn off the computer. She picks up his duffel bag and brings it out to him before reaching in and locking the door from the inside. A snap of her fingers and she goes in to turn off the desk lamp before she closes the office door. “His mother's on her way.”
“Front doors?”
“Yes.”
“I'll take him there and help him into her car when she gets here.”
“Thank you, Dale.”
“Any time.” Dale shoulders Chance's duffel bag and puts his arm around his friend's waist. “Come on, Chance, let's go wait for your mother.” Then he slowly walks the clearly incoherent man to the front doors of the insurance company.
Bianca watches Ivan from the mail room join them so Dale doesn't have to support Chance alone. “Please be okay, Chance...” Then she goes to her office so she can get back to work, though her mind is elsewhere.
Dale sighs softly. “Thanks for helping me, Ivan.”
Ivan speaks quietly. “Chance is my friend.” He glances at Chance's face and shakes his head. “I'd ask him what's going on but I don't think he's in any shape to answer me.”
Chance comes around long enough to be coherent. “Lunch at the Mexican place not far from here... Two plates of shrimp enchiladas.”
Ivan is immediately concerned. “You've had three and four plates of their shrimp enchiladas before, Chance...”
Dale knows they had to close over the holidays due to illness. “Maybe one of them came back before they were fully healthy and didn't realize it.”
“What do you mean, Dale?”
“Half of them got sick before the holidays. They had to close for the duration because of it.”
“That's possible... It's also possible Chance has a stomach bug.”
Dale tilts his head to the side to acknowledge the possibility. “That's also likely.”
“Who are we waiting for?”
“His mother.”
“All right.”
The wait is quiet and tense. Amanda Owens pulls up to the curb and throws on her emergency flashers before getting out and running inside. Her worst fears are immediately confirmed when she sees how pale Chance is. “My car is just outside... Can you get him there for me?”
Ivan nods. “Of course. Come on, Dale. Let's get him out of here.”
Dale shifts Chance's weight toward Ivan. “Are you taking him to your apartment, Mrs. Owens?”
Amanda shakes her head as they bring Chance to her car. “I'm taking him to the townhouse he and his brother Leo rent. Leo's still at home with a broken leg and his doctor didn't give him a walking cast.”
Chance snorts. “Doc knows Leo's boss sucks...”
“Trust you to remember that even when you look like a freshly peeled potato, Chance!”
Chance grins a little. “I prefer looking like a ghost, Mom, you know that.”
“I have food on the brain today.” Amanda works as the quartermaster for a state-wide restaurant chain.
“You're forgiven. It's your job.”
“Thank you, son.” Amanda opens the passenger side door so they can put Chance in the seat.
Dale carefully settles him into the passenger seat and puts his duffel bag on his legs. “You take care, buddy, and hopefully you'll be at work on Saturday.”
Chance exhales softly as Dale fastens the seatbelt for him. “I have to be in Boston on Thursday.” He licks his lips and supplies the rest of it. “I'm a wrestler too.”
Amanda smiles fondly. “Speaking of that...” She takes something out of her purse and puts it on Chance's duffel bag. “Someone brought that to the apartment for you last week.”
Chance looks down and feels tears come to his eyes when he sees a blonde wolf sitting by an orange Detour sign. Right away he knows who it's from. “Dammit, Adam...” He puts his hand over the carving and feels a little better.
Dale perks a brow. “Adam?”
“Adam Brock. My trainer.” Chance smiles and looks at the carving again. “The Wolfsbane.”
Amanda beams. “The one wrestler Chance and Leo would sit still to watch.”
Dale can't help a smile. “You couldn't have asked for a better wrestler to train you... But what's with the detour sign?”
Chance laughs a little. “My nickname is Roadblock.”
Dale laughs and shakes his head. “Should've known... You go home and rest up for your flight to Boston.” He pats Chance's shoulder with a smile. “Knock 'em dead, kid.” Then he closes the car door.
Chance leans his head back and closes his eyes as Amanda pulls away from the curb. “You're not taking me to the townhouse, are you?”
Amanda shakes her head. “No. I'm taking you to the hospital.”
“Dale thinks one of the employees came back without realizing they were still sick, Ivan thinks it might be a stomach bug and I'm afraid it's food poisoning.”
“What was the first sign something was wrong?”
“We got to my office door and I felt this lance of agony in my stomach.”
“How many times did you feel that kind of pain?”
“Once after that, so twice in all.” A third stab of agony has him grunting loudly and putting his hand over the location. He looks down and is both surprised and dismayed at where his hand is. “Oh Lord... I think we're all wrong. Look where my hand is.”
Amanda glances over at a red light and immediately knows what he's referring to. “Your body is always the best source of information, Chance... It looks like it might be your appendix.”
Chance groans loudly. “Well that's just great!” If he has to have an appendectomy he's going to miss the rest of the Trios tournament.
“Hopefully it's just irritated instead of inflamed or about to rupture.”
“We'll see what the test results have to say.” His other hand curls around the carving from Adam and he can feel that same sense of stability he felt earlier. He subtly moves the carving into his jacket pocket so he can bring it with him into the hospital.
“So Adam sent me a copy of the card you're going to Boston for... Your team is facing The One, Kim Williams and Adam Allocco.”
“And the other match is...”
Amanda deftly dodges an idiot driver before she responds. “Sarah Wolf, Bree Lancaster and Syren are facing Nicole Kinneck, Owen Cruze and Ravyn Taylor.”
Chance can feel the pain subsiding and lowers his left hand. “So after Josh, Glory and I get past Kim, Adam and The One, we'll have to face the winning team from that match in the finals of the Trios tournament.” He breathes slowly and deeply to replenish the oxygen in his lungs. “When it comes to my match, it's pretty obvious who's going to win. Yes, Josh and Glory have history with each other, but they know how to work together. I'm the greenhorn but that doesn't matter.”
“Why doesn't it matter?”
“If Kim, Adam and The One want to get anywhere, they have to go through us. We are a three person roadblock.”
Amanda chuckles quietly. “Three people are better than one.”
“Exactly.” The pain flares again and Chance grimaces, biting back the epithets that spring to his lips.
Amanda gives him a worried glance as she turns into the hospital parking lot. She goes right to the emergency department doors and puts on her emergency flashers. “We're here, Chance.” She takes off her seatbelt and gets out to go around to his side of the car.
Someone comes from the side of the hospital and opens Chance's door before she gets there. “I had a feeling I'd find you here...” Adam reaches in and undoes Chance's seatbelt before moving his duffel bag to the floor near his feet.
“Adam! I wasn't expecting to see you here!”
“Call it a hunch and leave it at that for now.” Adam helps Chance out of the car and takes the younger man's weight without any trouble at all. “You got your wallet on you, kid?”
Chance recognizes the voice right away and tries to smile. “Inside jacket pocket.”
“Good.” He saw where Chance's hand was resting when he helped him out of the car. “Appendix, huh?”
“That's what we're thinking.”
“I'll get him inside, Mrs. Owens... Go ahead and park your car then come inside.”
Amanda uses her handkerchief to wipe the sweat off Chance's forehead. “I'll be back as soon as I can.”
Adam waits for her to turn off her flashers and move toward a parking spot before taking Chance inside the hospital. He spots a few empty wheelchairs and has Chance sit in one. “This is easier on you.” Once Chance's feet are up on the footrests, he starts pushing Chance toward the check-in desk.
The nurse looks up at the sound of footsteps and her professional smile slips when she sees Chance in a wheelchair. “The emergency department is down that hall to the right and it's at the very end.”
“Thank you, Nurse.” Adam turns the wheelchair to the right and pushes Chance down the hallway. “How far did you get in your discourse before you got here?”
“Mom said three people were better than one.” Another flare of pain tears through him and he starts swearing.
“How many times has this happened since the first one?”
Chance hisses softly. “That's the fourth time since the first one outside my office after lunch.”
“Always the same place?”
“Yes.”
“Yeah, it sounds like it's your appendix. With any luck it's just irritated.”
Chance smiles and takes the carving out of his other jacket pocket. “Thanks for this...”
Adam's face lights right up. “Hey, you got it!”
“Yup. It makes me feel better when I hold it...”
Adam leans in so nobody else can hear what he's saying. “I had Michael imbue it with healing energy while I was carving it.”
“Thank him for me, would you?”
“You bet.” Adam hears hurried footsteps and straightens up as Amanda joins them. “Dang convoluted hallways...”
Amanda laughs a little. “You'd think they'd make it easy to get where you're going when you're in pain!” She puts her hand on Chance's shoulder as he fights through another stab of pain.
[And this is where we let them continue on their own. Things may not have gone the way Chance wanted them to today, but you bet your ass he'll be in Boston at the TD Arena. Nothing is going to keep him from competing on Thursday. Come Hell or high water... No matter who walks away the winners at the end of the night... Nobody will be able to say Chance didn't pull his weight. NOBODY! See you there.]
![[Image: 7YQMtsG.png]](https://i.imgur.com/7YQMtsG.png)
![[Image: KQjayMG.png]](https://i.imgur.com/KQjayMG.png)
^Banner courtesy of Mad Marlowe