Parting Chances (Fighting Chance #1)
Contents
Title Page
Copyright
Dedication
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty One
Chapter Twenty Two
Chapter Twenty Three
Chapter Twenty Four
Chapter Twenty Five
Chapter Twenty Six
Chapter Twenty Seven
Chapter Twenty Eight
Coming Soon
Thank Yous
About the Author
Copyright ©2014 by Caylie Marcoe
All rights reserved worldwide.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the express written permission of the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review.
Any trademarks, service marks, product names or named features are assumed to be the property of their respective owners, and are used only for reference. There is no implied endorsement if we use one of these terms.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
First Printing: November 2014
Cover design by Cover Shot Creations
To Dad
You are the strongest man I know.
Thank you for always being there for me.
I love you.
I leaned against the counter in my parents’ kitchen, straining to hear their hushed voices coming from the hallway. My brother was slightly less invasive as he dug through the fridge for a drink.
“What do you think all that is about?” I asked Caleb.
“Who knows?” He shrugged, pouring himself a glass of orange juice. “They’ve been doing that all week.”
I had just finished my junior year of college and moved back home for the summer, so I was still slightly out of the loop of the happenings here. “Great. Something is probably wrong with Mom again.” My mind reeled back to my teenage years when she was sick all the time.
“Or they just have something to talk about privately and don’t want you eavesdropping.” Caleb bumped his shoulder against mine.
“I just got home and this is the first time we’re all together since Christmas. Why would they want to spend the whole time talking privately?”
“I don’t know, sis, but I’m sure it’s nothing,” Caleb said, finishing his juice and setting the cup in the sink.
I wished he was right. But I still had this nagging feeling something was wrong.
“Haley? Caleb? Can you come into the living room?” Mom called.
Caleb glanced down at me as I released a breath I didn’t realize I was holding, and he wrapped an arm around my shoulder.
“I’m sure it’s nothing,” he whispered in my ear.
He was only a year older, but I always clung to whatever Caleb told me, always clung to the superhero big brother image he always gave off. Even though he was hurting and scared that we would lose Mom back then, he kept that hidden from me. He was my rock and always told me things would be okay. I so desperately wanted to believe him right now. I leaned into him for support as we walked into the living room.
My stomach dropped. Dad sat on the couch watching us with somber eyes. Mom was on the loveseat opposite the couch, her lips turned down at the corners, wrinkles creasing her forehead as she stared at Dad.
“Come, have a seat,” Mom said to me, patting the cushion next to her.
I slowly made my way to her, while Caleb took a seat next to Dad. When we were both settled, Mom cleared her throat and glanced at Dad, who gave her a slight nod.
“We have some news—” Mom started.
“And we know it’s not something you expected to hear, after everything we’ve been through, but, unfortunately, it is happening,” Dad added softly.
“What the hell?” Caleb said, his eyes narrowed at our parents. “Are you guys getting a divorce?”
“No, sweetie. Calm down,” Mom spoke firmly.
I shot Caleb a glare as he settled back into the couch; all he could do was shrug at me. Why did he jump to that conclusion?
Swallowing the lump in my throat, I choked out, “So… it’s your cancer. It’s back?”
Please say no. Please be wrong.
“Yes.”
I sank back into the couch and took deep breaths.
It’s okay. There are many options out there. She’ll be fine.
She has to be fine.
“Kids, there is no easy way to say this…” Dad said, his voice catching.
“The cancer has spread. Since this is the second time it has come back, there’s nothing further we can do,” Mom said gingerly.
My heart stopped. I couldn’t breathe. “But…what does that mean?”
“The doctors are giving me a few more months, at best.” Mom wrapped her arms around me. “It’s just too far advanced.”
“But…but…” I muttered into her chest.
Caleb shoved to his feet and paced the living room. “There has to be something they can do for you!”
“Sweetie, it’s too advanced. It won’t respond to chemo or radiation anymore. My body cannot handle any more of that. We’ve exhausted all our other sources. There is just nothing…” Mom’s voice caught, and her body shook against mine. Her heart pounded against my ear as she tightened her arms around me.
“How long have you known?” I asked.
“Two months. We thought we could fight it,” Mom said, kissing my forehead. “It slowed slightly in the beginning, giving us a little more time. But eventually it just stopped responding.”
Caleb’s pacing stopped. He fisted his hair, pulling the dark brown strands, his eyes rimmed with tears. “I won’t believe this,” he said through his teeth. “You aren’t dying. You can’t die.” He sank back down on the couch next to Dad.
I cracked with his words. Tears started cascading down my face. My tough superhero of a brother was broken, sobbing uncontrollably. Caleb was bent over with his head in his hands, so Dad pulled him close and started rubbing his back.
“Mom, we don’t have enough time. We need more time,” I cried into her chest. There was so much she needed to see. She had to see me graduate college. Caleb was moving off to Boston for grad school; she had to see him get his master’s. What about when I got married or had babies? She needed to be there for all of it.
“Oh, sweetheart, I know,” Mom murmured into my chocolate brown hair. “Believe me, I know we need more time. But you’ll get through this. You are strong. You all are strong. It will suck for a while, but you will move past this. You will learn to accept this. You will live your life to the fullest,” Mom said sternly, l
ooking between me and Caleb.
Of course Mom would be the one to make sure we moved on. And lived our lives. This wasn’t our first go around with cancer, and Mom had already told us many times that life would move on without her. Of course she would still stick to her guns and not let us wallow around feeling sorry for ourselves.
“I don’t want to accept this, or to learn to live without you,” Caleb said. He finally glanced up, his eyes red and watery.
“You need to. You need to live your life, just as you would if I were going to be around for a long time. We’ve talked about this a million times already, Caleb. I want you guys to be happy. Too many tears have been shed over this damn disease already.” Mom brushed off the single tear that escaped and looked at all three of us.
“You’re right, Jules,” Dad said, his voice sounding out of practice since he’d been quiet since they broke the news. “We’ve dealt with this on and off for the last eight years. Enough tears have already been shed between all of us. There is nothing we can do about the situation now.” He wiped at his eyes with a tissue and cleared his throat. “Sure, there are going to be hard days in our future, and it’s okay to be sad, but we shouldn’t let this stop us from living.” He pulled a now calm Caleb into a side hug, handing him some tissue to dry his tears.
I wasn’t as classy and used the sleeve of my shirt to wipe off the tears and snot from my face. When I was sufficiently dry, I turned to Mom. “Whatever you want, we’ll do it.”
“I want you to use a tissue,” Mom said dryly.
The room erupted with chuckles, and smiles started to form on our faces.
Well, that was one way to ease the tension.
“For the next few months, I just want us to be happy,” Mom continued when the laughter died down.
We all nodded to her request and sat in relaxed silence for the next few moments until Caleb’s stomach let out an ungodly groan.
“Well, Mom, what would make me happy right now, is some delicious lunch only you’re capable of creating.” Caleb smirked.
“Oh yes, let’s eat.” Mom stood and ushered Dad and Caleb out of the room.
I slowly followed, wondering how exactly I was going to be able to keep a smile on my face for the next few months.
I dropped the last moving box on top of my bed. Glancing around, I took in the complete disaster that was my new bedroom. Why did I ever agree to move into a new apartment? This is going to take hours to put away. Sighing, I turned to my parents who were standing in the doorway.
“Are you sure about this?” I asked them. Even though my parents’ house was two hours away from school, I had wanted to stay with them this year. When I mentioned this to them, my mom yelled how that was not living my life. And yet, I still had to ask anyway. I’d be willing to move all these boxes back into the moving truck.
“Of course, sweetie. You and Kyler have been planning this move for months.” Mom wrapped me in a hug. “You are not changing your plans for me. Plus, two hours is a long drive to take every day.”
“I could take the year off,” I mumbled into her shoulder.
She gripped my arms and glared at me. “You will do no such thing. You’re not leaving Chapman University. We are only two hours away. You can still visit whenever you want.”
“Just don’t visit too often. We still want you to be a typical college senior,” Dad said with a grin. I rolled my eyes and followed them as they headed to the front door.
“I’ll still see you in two weeks, right? Caleb is still coming home, yeah?” I asked giving them hugs.
Mom nodded. “He is. He’s also bringing someone with him.” She nudged me in the shoulder, giving me a wink.
“He’s been there all of a month, and he’s already met someone?” I found it hard to believe my serial dating brother would settle down within a month and bring the woman a thousand miles back home. I knew Mom’s announcement hit him hard, but I guess I never realized just how hard.
I waved as they pulled out of the parking lot, watching their taillights disappear. I walked back to my room and groaned. I didn’t realize I had hoarded so much stuff. Every other time I had moved, I lived in the dorms. This year was the first in an apartment, and due to my parents’ wishes, I brought everything I owned from home.
Too much stuff.
“Good thing we have a storage unit in the basement, huh?” a voice said behind me. I turned toward the door and smiled at my best friend and new roommate.
“I don’t think the storage unit is going to help, Ky. I’m pretty sure I could throw most of this away.”
Kyler smiled and tossed her long wavy blonde hair over her shoulder. “Listen, I know you have a ton of unpacking to do, and of course, I’ll help. But do you want to come over to Noah’s with me?”
I pursed my lips, exhaling a breath, blowing the brown hair out of my face. I had just moved my entire life into this apartment. I was sweating like crazy, exhausted, and I still had this whole freaking room to unpack.
Kyler rushed on after she saw my less-than-enthusiastic response. “I’m cooking the guys dinner tonight, and since it’s your first day here, I feel bad leaving you.”
“Ky, I’m really not in the mood to hang out with your boyfriend and his roommate right now. And I have so much to do here.” I waved my arms around the mess of a room.
“Okay, one, Noah is your best friend. So don’t give me this crap about him just being my boyfriend. And two, aren’t you hungry? We’ll eat, then come back, and I’ll help you unpack.” Kyler thrust her clasped hands out and batted her big blue eyes at me. “Please, Hales!”
“You don’t think they would mind if I tagged along?” I asked.
Kyler laughed. “You and Noah have been friends longer than you and I have been. I wouldn’t call it tagging along.” She tugged my arm. “Come on, Hales. We’ll be back before nine.”
“Fine. Just let me shower.” Moving sweat is not a good look.
“Okay. I’m going to run to the store to pick up the ingredients. We’ll head out when I get back.” She gave me a quick hug before leaving.
I searched for my suitcase, which held most of the clothes I wore daily. Once I found it, I pulled out a pair of skinny jeans and a heather gray Chapman University shirt and headed to the bathroom. I wasn’t about to look for my shampoo, which was buried in the sea of crap that was my room, so I’d just have to use Kyler’s bath products.
Kyler came through the door ten minutes later, right as I pulled my long chocolate hair into a low side ponytail.
“You’re quick!” Kyler said holding the door open for me.
“Yeah, well, when you grow up with an older brother and he leaves you all of five minutes of warm water, you learn to take quick showers.”
I followed Kyler’s laughter to her car and hopped in the passenger seat. After buckling, I turned to her. “Do I even know his roommate this year?”
“You know Eli, right?” Kyler asked. “He and Noah were roommates freshman year in the dorms.”
I thought back to that time, picturing Noah’s computer geek roommate. “Yeah, I do. Whatever happened to him?”
“Eli ended up transferring sophomore year to a college closer to his mom. His parents got divorced and he went back to help his mom out.”
“Okay…” If he could do that, why wasn’t it okay for me to stay at home while my mom was dying?
“Anyway, Noah kept in contact with him. I mean, they loved rooming together. So when Eli’s mom told him to come back here, he asked Noah if he wanted to split an apartment.” Kyler steered the car onto the highway.
“They got this awesome place. Three bedrooms.”
“Are they going to rent that room out?” Thoughts of three guys in the same apartment made me shudder. That much testosterone in one place. It’d be like living in the dorms all over again.
“No. Rent is amazingly cheap, so they’re just going to keep it for people who need to crash for a night or whatever.” She took the exit toward downtown.
“Is it just a bottom apartment or the whole house?” I asked while stepping out of the car. I headed to the trunk to help Kyler with the groceries.
“The whole house. Some elderly couple owns it. They live in Florida now, but they always rent it out to college kids at a reasonable price. Usually whatever they can pay. It’s pretty amazing they found this.”
“They trust college kids not to destroy anything?” The house wasn’t exactly in the college neighborhood. It had taken us fifteen minutes to get there, and we lived right next to campus. I just couldn’t see why someone would trust college kids, when they could clearly rent it out to anyone else.
“They did a pretty extensive background check. Contacted previous landlords, the dorms, and their parents.” She grabbed my free hand and pulled me up the stairs.
“I’m sure Noah loved that.” I laughed.
“I’m pretty sure that’s exactly why they got the apartment. His mom went on and on with the old man about how she raised her son to clean up after himself and how he was pretty handy with fixing things.” She opened the front door without knocking, and we stepped into a small foyer. There was a bench and decorative doorknobs hanging on the wall opposite it for coats. Just looking at the foyer, I realized Kyler was right. These boys weren’t your average male college students. I mean, even their shoes were lined up perfectly on a rug under the coat rack.
Kyler slipped off her flip flops before heading through a large arched doorway to the left. I kicked off my shoes and followed her into a huge living room. An oversized worn leather sofa, loveseat, and reclining chair were positioned in a semi-circle around a black entertainment center, which sat between two windows that looked out onto the front porch. Behind the couch was a large wooden table with bench seating. There was a smaller arched doorway behind the table, which I assumed went to the kitchen. To the right of the table was the staircase that led up to the second floor, where I guessed the bedrooms were located.