Truth Avenged (Green Division Series Book 1) (25 page)

Ch
apter Twenty Five

The best months of Chance
’s life followed the award banquet.  At eight months pregnant, she was beginning to tire and Tuck was more than attentive in his care for her.  She’d been blessed with him falling into her life and Tuck felt equally thankful.

“
Chance.”  Tuck kissed her cheek and rested his hand on her now very large bump.

“
Mmmm.”  She mumbled in a sleepy haze.

“
I got called out, I’ll see you tonight.”  She’d no longer heard his cell phone buzz on the nightstand.  It was a common occurrence.  For some reason Tuck seemed to be called out more than any warden in his division.  More than the rest combined.

The clock read 3
a.m.

“
You have training today don’t you?”  She tried to open her eyes, but they didn’t cooperate.

“
I should be back from the academy around six.”  Tuck wasn’t going to bother to return home from the call out.  By the time he cleared it, it would be time to drive south for training.  She’d moved in with him two weeks prior.  She kept her “camp” as her family called it, but would live with Tuck.  He wanted to be there for, as he said:

All the firsts
.  First breath.  First cry.  First laugh.  First smile.  I’ll be by your side.

Chance wouldn
’t forget that saying.  She loved it, though she gave him a hard time for being poetic.

“
Be careful.”  She whispered.

“
Always.”

Chance knew better.  She rolled over to her other side and faced him.

“I mean it.  You better.”

He s
lid his hand under her tank top and felt her belly.

“
I love you.”  His lips pressed against hers.  She didn’t want him to leave.

“
I love you too.” 

Tuck slipped out the door and she returned to sleep.  If not for having to get up nine million times to
use the restroom, she could sleep a solid ten hours a night.

*****

BANG, BANG, BANG

Someone pounded at the door
very loudly to get her attention. 
Who is the asshole?
Chance thought.

It was 10 a.m. and she
’d slept the day away.  She’d set her own hours over the past few months.  The hours were primarily later in the day; she had no fondness of mornings any longer.

Chance unlocked and opened the door.

“I thought you guys had training today?”  She said confused.

Chapter Twenty Six

Three years later.

Chance knelt down on the bright green grass. 

“
Sorry, I know it’s been a while since I’ve visited.”  She rested her left hand on the granite headstone.  A modest diamond glinted in the sunlight.  “Tucker, I’ll be right there, okay honey.”  She looked over to her right side at the little boy calling her name.

“
They found Jason a few weeks ago.  The last piece of that puzzle finally put to rest.  He was out of state, terrified of getting charged with murder.”  She wiped her eyes.  “We’ve spoken with the prosecutor and they’ve agreed to leniency.  I’d be lying beside you if not for him.”

“
I miss you every day.  Our little boy turned three today.  He looks so much like you.  All I see is your eyes staring back when I look at him.”  She stroked the stone.  “He’s perfect in every way.”

“
This would have been so much easier with you in our lives.  It’s where you belonged.  God I love you.”  She stared down clutching a white flower in her right hand.  “I was so mad at you, for so long.”

S
he placed both hands on the stone, leaned forward, and rested her head against it.  “When Mitch came knocking at the door that day—you broke your promises, Tuck.  You missed all of the firsts.  And you weren’t by my side.  You weren’t careful when you left that morning.”  She freely cried. 

“
But it’s who you were.  As Mitch told me, you were all too willing to help someone, even if it meant putting yourself at risk.  You could have warned me about that.”  She laid the flower on top of the headstone.  “Even though it wouldn’t have changed anything, I would have tried harder to keep you safe.”  She paused.

“
We watched Jaime graduate high school today.  Or number five as the guys nicknamed her.  She’s going to college for pre-med and she will do great things.”  She sniffed.  “She was a life worth saving.  I just wish there could have been a third option where you both lived.”

She took a deep breath. 

“It’s been three years since you passed away.  Three very long, difficult years and it took me a long time to get to a place where I thought I could try to love again.”  She looked over at little Tucker and smiled.  “It’s not perfect and it’s certainly not easy, but he’s a patient, caring, and loving man.  Much like you.”  She picked her head up from the stone. 

“
He’s helped us through so much.  I don’t know what we would have done without him.  And though he’s not our Tucker’s father, he’s the only dad he’s ever known.  He tells him stories about you all the time.”  Little Tucker giggled.  “And he’ll know you growing up, even if you aren’t here to get to know him.  He’ll know you.”  She smiled. 

“
Mommy!”  Tucker pleaded while being tickled on the grass.  Chance smiled at his playfulness.

“
You’ll always be a part of our lives and in our hearts.”  She kissed the headstone.  She wiped her eyes again and took a breath.  “And I’ll never forget you, but I have to move forward and he’s our future.  Mine and Tucker’s.  The man you’d want for us in your absence.  We love him, just as you did as a friend.”

“
Moooooooommy!  Come here!”  He said still laughing.

“
Our little boy is calling.”  She smiled.  “We’ll visit again soon.  I love you Tuck.”

She rose to her feet.  Tucker cam
e bounding over and she scooped him up in her arms.

“
Daddy tickling me!”  Tucker said.

“
That Daddy of yours.”  She tried to hide her tears. 

“
Are you okay?”  Mitch asked knowing all too well.

She nodded her head.  Tucker nestled into her side ey
eing Mitch.

“
Are you sure?”

She looked up at the man who
’d filled Tuck’s shoes.

“
Positive.”  She smiled.

He put his
hand on her waist and kissed Tucker’s cheek.  “We have a big day tomorrow.  We better get you home and rested.  What do you say to some ice cream first?”

“
Yeah!” 

“
Alright bud.”  He took Tucker from Chance’s arms and belted him into the car seat.

Chanc
e took a fleeting look at the headstone and got into the passenger seat.  Mitch closed the driver’s side door and cranked the A/C.  The August heat was oppressive.

Chance put her hand atop of Mitch
’s.  He laced her fingers in his.

He nodded h
is head.  “I know I’m not Tuck—”

“
You’re you and that’s all I want.  We’re lucky to have you in our lives.”  She leaned over the armrest.

“
I was hoping you weren’t going to change your mind before tomorrow.”

She looked down at her engagement ring.

“There’s nothing that could change my mind.”  She kissed him and smiled genuinely.  “I love you.  Don’t for a moment ever think otherwise.”

“
We all miss him.”

“
I know.”  She held the side of his face.

“
Daddy!  Ice cream!”  Tucker begged from behind. 

“
Alright, alright, we’re going.”  He looked behind him.  “Beggar!”  He tickled.  Mitch shifted the car into drive and they pulled onto the main road.  Chance looked out the window at the lush green grass and tall oak trees that surrounded Pine View Cemetery. 

I
’ve learned many things in the past three years.  I learned you’ll never know your strength until you are thrown into the depths of hell.  I’ve learned that you can spend all of your time weeping over the past, or looking forward to the future.  I’ve learned the “happily ever after” that all girls dream of is just that, a dream.  And in the end, that is all any of us want, happiness.  Whether it be for a month, a year, or a lifetime.  With eyes to the future, that’s what I’m hopeful for. 

The
cemetery disappeared out of sight.  Tucker tried valiantly to sing to the song on the radio, but it came out as noise, mumbling at best.  Mitch sung along watching him in the rearview.  Chance reached across the seat taking Mitch’s hand again fondly. He brought her hand to his lips, kissed it, and rested it on his thigh. 
This is happiness
.

To my friend
s Amy and April, thank you for all of your help during the writing process. It was invaluable and the input was appreciated more than you both could possibly know. Thank you!