A Chance for Change (now published so sample only)

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Chance carried Sam back into the room, his anger at Brandy's actions increasing by the second. He sat on the couch and cuddled Sam close to him for the longest time. She hadn't moved but he had no idea what he could say to make this right.

"She just blew it Chance, what an idiot she is. If she knew what was at stake she'd treat me like a queen." She murmured into his shirt.

"What do you mean?"

"It doesn't matter. Could you get me an icepack from the freezer?" She asked him quietly.

He nodded his head and placed her gently on the couch. She felt lost briefly without his warmth and delicious woodsy scent. She almost called him back but she didn't. He handed her the icepack and sat back on the couch next to her. For some reason he looked agitated, so she reached over and touched his arm. He looked back to her anxiously and all she could wonder was why.

"What's wrong?" She asked as she placed the icepack against her cheek.

"I didn't think she would hit you. I'm so sorry I didn't help you earlier." He said regretfully his brown eyes looking sad.

"Is that what's bothering you?" She asked and then chuckled quietly "Don't worry about it. She just proved once again the value she places on getting her own way."

"What?" He asked incredulous, sure he'd heard her wrong.

"I'll be fine. I've had a lot worse scrapes than this over the years so stop worrying." She assured him.

A light tap on the door interrupted them "Come in Dad." Sam called out.

"Is everything alright up here? Ah hello Chance. "Jim finished with a frown.

A chorus of yes and no rang out as they both answered at once. Sam turned to Chance and smiled wryly shaking her head. She mouthed the words 'I'll be fine' at him and Chance just frowned at her quick dismissal of something he saw as serious.

"What happened?" Jim sighed, fairly sure he knew as soon as he saw his daughter.

"I'm tired of this happening Dad. I never acted like this toward anybody except for Rodney. Okay so I knocked over a few signposts or kicked the crap out of a bin but I never did this." Sam told him firmly pointing to her face.

"We all grieve in our own way Sam, you need to remember that." Jim told her as he came over to give her a hug.

"But what if she's being this nasty just because she keeps getting away with it?"

"Then your birthday will be the answer." He said quietly "I will bring you up some dinner, two lots alright?" Jim said and Sam just nodded "Don't let your mother see you."

Chance had listened and watched carefully. He was left with the distinct impression that Brandy had injured Sam before. The fact that she seemed to get so much pleasure from it concerned Chance deeply. A knock at the door interrupted his thoughts making him realise he had been pacing with Sam watching him uneasily.