Misunderstood(COMPLETED)

Chapter 17

Chance moved himself to the downstairs bedroom so as not to disturb Tim's sleep. He was experiencing another severe migraine on top of having had yet another nightmare.

"I really thought these would cease by coming home" he told himself as he dug into his bag for his medications. Quickly swallowing them down he shut the bedroom door before crawling into bed. Settling in he positioned his arm over his eyes hoping to keep out any stray light till the pain subsided. Recently the migraines had become more frequent and just as intense as they had been years before. "Please, just let it be stress" he asked as he began to fall asleep.

"Daddy, Daddy wake up " Calli whispered to Jake.

"Huh? What?" he mumbled his eyes still closed with sleep.

"Daddy wake up" she said again this time pushing against his shoulder.

"Ok, ok..I'm awake...I'm awake"  he muttered with one eye barely open. "Calli, what are you doing up this late...Are you sick?" he asked trying not to wake Heather.

"No I'm not, but I need to see Uncle Chance" she stated quietly.

"Uncle Chance isn't here, honey he's home" he told her not technically lieing because well he was at home.

"Yes he is, I know he's here and I need to talk to him" she explained.

"Calli, he's not here but if you really need to talk to him we will call him tomorrow, ok" Jake told her starting to fall back asleep.

"Hmpf" she responded, "fine, tomorrow"she added stomping out of the room. "I know he's here, I can feel it" she said to herself as she went back to her room.

As she sat on her bed the overwhelming need to talk to her uncle only increased. She grabbed her phone and quickly sent him a text hoping to at least ease her mind for the time being.

Tim woke to the sound of the notification of the phone near his head. "Adam, your phone" he whispered only to find he was alone in the bed. Slowly adjusting his eyes to the darkness he looked towards the bathroom for the light thinking he may have gotten up, but nothing. He grabbed the phone seeing that Calli had texted, the time showed 2 am. A slight sense of panic began to set in. Was something wrong with Calli, with Heather, his Mom? he wondered as he sat up and grabbed his glasses to read the message.

"Uncle Chance, I know you're here, you're home, I need to talk to you" she'd wrote.

Taking the phone Tim walked out onto the balcony thinking perhaps Chance went out for some air. Not finding him there or along the shore only increased his anxiety. He quickly ran down stairs to ensure the rental car was in the garage. As he stepped off the last step he saw the bathroom light on across from the room that Chance had always used as his own. The closer he approached, the louder the familiar sounds emitted from the bathroom.

"Fuck, he doesn't need this now"  he told himself as he stepped into the doorway where he found Chance huddled over the toilet. The images that flashed through his mind caused him to momentarily freeze, the memories of what the present sight before him had signified years before. The flushing of the toilet finally brought him from his thoughts, quickly grabbing the nearby towel wetting it in the sink he then crouched down behind Chance, leaning him back into his chest before placing it on his forehead.

Chance said nothing as Tim went through the motions like so many times before. Slowly gliding his hands along his arms, whispering softly asking him to just relax, telling him he was there and not to be afraid. Chance tried to focus on Tim's voice, knowing if he could do that then he could ignore the pain, or so he hoped.

"Do you need more medication " Tim whispered.

Chance barely nodded, moving his head seemed to increase the pain causing him to wince.

"Come, let's get you back to bed so you can get comfortable and relax" he suggested helping him to his feet. Chance stumbled against Tim, narrowly missing the door casing. "I've got you, just lean into me" Tim told him as they slowly made their way to the bed. Once he was settled in again with more medication Tim asked if he could lay with him.

"Yes...please...it's bad...this one is bad" he responded just above a whisper.

Tim immediately crawled in along side him and began to run his fingers along Chance forehead until he could feel his body relax some. As he went to grab the phone to text Calli back, Chance grabbed his hand, asking him not to leave him.

"Babe, I'm not going anywhere. I'm right here, I'll never leave you" he spoke as he tried not to concentrate on the fear growing inside. Saying a silent prayer he held him close throughout the night.

****
Jake sat at the kitchen table with Heather drinking their morning coffee when Calli walked in already dressed for the day.

"You're up early, especially for a day off from school" her mom commented as she grabbed the cereal from the cabinet.

"Daddy, do you have to do any work at  Uncle Chance's today?" she asked hoping she could tag along if he did.

"Nope, not today sweetie, pretty much all caught up for now" he told her sipping his coffee cautiously.

She looked at him from behind her mother's back, her facial expression indicating how much she needed to go speak to him.

"Why don't you go double check, Jake. I heard others were still finding damage to their properties plus there was talk that people were looting empty homes, be sure no one has been messing around there. Anything happens to that bike of his and he'll lose it in a heartbeat" Heather suggested.

"I'm sure everything is fine there, I just finished the shutters the other day" Jake replied trying to keep his promise to Chance that he wouldn't tell anyone they were home.

"Daddy, you know how Uncle Chance loves his place and that bike. I sure wouldn't want to have to explain to him if someone messed with any of it" Calli stated siding with her mom as she ate her cereal.

"You two go check it out, ok. I have to get to the office, we have quite a few appointments scheduled and I'll probably be working late. Make it a Daddy and Daughter day today, check the house, play along the beach, have lunch whatever " Heather added as she head out of the room to get ready for work.

Calli sat smiling at her Dad like a Cheshire cat. "When are we leaving" she asked finishing her cereal.

"He's not there, ya know. Just call him on the phone like I said last night" Jake told her trying hard to sway her from pushing him to take her.

"Daddy" she looked at him with a bit of attitude and sarcasm.

"Ok, ok..let me get dressed and I will prove to you he's not here" Jake told her putting his cup in the sink. On the way down the hall he quickly text Chance's phone to give him a heads up, hoping they would leave for a bit so she wouldn't find out.