Page 42 of Chance
Kelly woke, and this time, the pain in her head had spread throughout her body. She moaned.
Two women hurried to either side of her bed, each placing a hand on hers. “It’s Sadie, Porter’s wife,” one said, “and Sierra Shamrock. We know each other, Kelly. We hung out together long ago, remember?”
“Yes.” It was comforting to have them there.
Sierra checked her vitals and called for a nurse. She recommended more pain medicine, and the nurse swapped out something in Kelly’s IV that made her instantly relax.
A different nurse appeared with some food. “Jell-O. Cheese. A piece of toast.”
“You need to eat something,” Sierra told Kelly. “It will help you feel better.”
“Chance.” She wouldn’t eat until she knew where Chance was.
“Our husbands are taking him to the ranch to get cleaned up, but I’ve been told he refuses to rest. He’s coming back right now. Hang tight. He’ll be here soon.”
Sadie took a spoonful of Jell-O and put it to Kelly’s lips. Kelly wanted to refuse, but she took a bite. Despite herself, she started to cry again.
“It’ll be okay.” Sadie patted her hand.
It wasn’t okay—it would never be okay again. Kelly was a horrible person. Her grandmother would hate her because she had considered getting rid of the baby, and now the baby was gone. Who was she? What kind of person had she turned into? “My baby,” was all she could say. Then she remembered Truman’s other victim. “Ms. Connie. I want to see her.”
Sierra sat back down and took her hand. “You finish eating, and then we’ll get you up and take you to her room. She didn’t suffer the blows you did. She’s shaken, but that old girl is tough. She has family with her. Don’t worry. It’s all going to work out.”
Kelly tried to stay awake. She wanted to see Ms. Connie—needed to see Chance—but the new medication must have fully kicked in, because she fell asleep again.
Chapter 29
Chance sat by Kelly’s hospital bed, holding her hand. It was dark, and moonlight shone through the window. Despite his exhaustion, he couldn’t sleep. She’d been in and out of consciousness. She was on heavy pain meds right now, and he could only imagine how her physical condition compared to her emotional state.
He was still angry, but it was no longer at the forefront of his emotions. Now he was just sad. He hated that he couldn’t bring back the baby, and he felt guilty that he hadn’t done more to help.
Kelly’s eyelids fluttered open, and she gently squeezed his hand. “Chance.”
He sat up more fully. “You need something?”
“No. I’m glad you’re here,” she said, her voice groggy and faint.
“Of course. I want to be here.”
She sucked in a slow breath, then exhaled. “Tell me everything.”
It was hard, but he did. He told her about Brian’s call and how the private investigator had reported her abduction. About her injuries—she had two broken ribs and a whole lot of bruises, but it was manageable. She would heal. “They want you to stay a couple of days in the hospital. Sierra is the point person over you.”
Kelly tried to smile. “Your family is good to me. Sierra and Sadie were both at my side for hours, listening to me cry.” Her voice broke. “Chance, I lost the baby. I’d just decided I wanted the baby, and then I lost it. Do you think God is punishing me?”
His heart ached, and he hugged her as carefully as he could. “God doesn’t work that way. That’s all I know. Sometimes things happen, but blaming God is always a losing strategy.”
She nodded. “That’s right. That’s what my grandmother would say.” She blinked hard. “He’s dead. That man is dead. I heard the shot, so he must be dead.”
Chance pulled back and nodded. “He’s dead.”
“I felt bad for him. He seemed so lost and sad.”
It confused Chance to hear Kelly say this about Truman. Of course, she’d had her own trial of faith in the past couple of years, so maybe it allowed her to see others with compassion, but Chance couldn’t fathom it. In a way, she was stronger than he’d ever be.
Chapter 30
One week later