Predictions and Remembrances
#1
A grunt, followed by a frustrated sigh. “They should have let you come home yesterday. What were they trying to prove by keeping you an extra day?” A clicking sound precedes lights coming on in a townhouse and the owner of the voice comes in with someone close behind them. Leo Owens helps his older brother Chance sit on the couch, a surprisingly comfortable second-hand item that had been covered in protective plastic until they'd brought it home. It's been the centerpiece ever since.

Chance grunts again and carefully lies down on the couch. There are four small bandages on his torso, suggesting some form of laparoscopic surgery. “They wanted to make sure there were no complications after the surgery.”

Leo scowls for a moment before taking Chance's bags to his room. Chance had been whisked to the hospital right after he got off the plane from Boston. He comes back a few minutes later and puts Chance's favorite blanket over him. It's starting to get chilly in Denver. “How are you feeling anyway?”

Chance snuggles under the blanket before answering. “A hell of a lot better than I was feeling on Friday when I got off the plane.”

“That's good.”

Chance waits for Leo to get comfy in one of the armchairs and sighs softly. “Physically, that is.”

Right away, Leo knows what Chance is talking about. “How were you supposed to know that was going to happen? You couldn't have predicted that outcome.” They're talking about Chance's semi-final match in the SCW Trios tournament.

“I should have. Now I have to watch my back whenever I'm wrestling because Josh Hudson is gonna want to turn me inside out for screwing up!”

Leo snorts loudly. “Forget Josh Hudson! It isn't like he's never made a mistake!”

“You're not the one he warned about screwing up in front of him, Leo!”

Leo shakes his head. “Guys like Josh Hudson are a dime a dozen. Guys like you are one in seven billion.” He looks his older brother in the eyes. “There's only one Chance Owens in the world... And I'm looking at him.”

“That won't make much of a difference if he gets his hands on me.”

Leo sits back with a smile on his face. “There's that fighting spirit of yours... You said 'if' he gets his hands on you, not 'when'.”

Chance looks startled before he smiles and starts to relax. “I needed that. Thanks, Leo.”

“Any time, Chance... Did you want anything from the kitchen?”

“Just some water, thanks. My body needs time to adjust to my appendix not being there.”

“You bet.” Leo gets up and goes into the kitchen. He comes back with a bottle of water for Chance and opens it for him. “Here you go.”

“Thanks.” Chance carefully sits up so he can hold the bottle and smiles fondly as Leo adjusts the blanket. “This would be much harder for me to deal with if you weren't here, you know.”

Leo smiles as he makes the final adjustment of Chance's blanket. Their parents had gotten it packed and sealed to prevent degradation after Chance's first fight on the streets of Denver. He'd been thirteen at the time. He'd come home sore and bloody, but he was alive. “Hey, do you remember the day Mom and Dad had this packed and sealed?”

Chance laughs a little after he swallows a mouthful of water. “How could I forget!? Dad wanted to throw it out because I wasn't his little boy any more!” It had taken Amanda weeks of begging and pleading for Andrew to change his mind about throwing it out. The laughter fades but the smile lingers. “Aunt Claire was the one who suggested sealing it to preserve it.”

“And Mom leaped at the idea.” She'd always believed Chance had a kind soul and a gentle nature unless he was provoked.

“I'm glad they found a way to save it.” Chance tucks his left arm and shoulder under the blanket to keep them warm. One of his multiple street fights had almost landed him in jail when he was seventeen. The judge had dismissed the case when Chance said he'd done it to save Leo from a slow and painful death. It had later come out that the judge's son had been the one threatening to kill Leo.

Leo smiles as he sits down with his own bottle of water and a granola bar. “So am I.” They'd done the same with Leo's favorite blanket at his request, but unfortunately for all of them, something had gone wrong during the sealing process and mold had destroyed it. “Shame we never found out why mine got ruined by mold.”

“I think one of the workers was complaining about moisture in the bagging machine.”

Leo shakes his head as he opens his granola bar. “And of course they didn't do anything about it in time to save my blanket.” He'd never declared a favorite after that.

“Hey, you remember that parcel I got before Christmas that I wound up forgetting about?”

“Yeah... What about it?”

“It's one of my presents for you.”

“I'll go get it after I eat my granola bar.”

Chance smiles easily and takes another sip of water. “That's fine.”

Leo takes his time with his granola bar, savoring the blend of flavors, and washes the last bit down with a mouthful of water. “That hit the spot.”

“I'm glad.”

Leo puts the lid on his bottle of water and gets up to go to the small storage closet near the bathroom. The parcel Chance is referring to is on the floor. He picks it up and kicks the closet door closed with his heel before bringing it back to the living room. “It isn't very heavy...”

Chance smiles. “Read who the sender is.”

Leo looks at the sender's address and recognizes it immediately. “This is the company who tried to preserve my blanket!”

The smile gets bigger. “Be careful when you open it.”

Leo digs out his pocket knife and carefully cuts the tape sealing the box closed. He flips the knife so the blade is facing up and lifts the flaps of the box as he cuts down the middle of the tape. Once the box is open, he closes his knife and puts it back in his pocket. Opening the box reveals something Leo never thought he'd see again... He lifts a perfect replica of his favorite blanket out of the box and looks at Chance in awe. “How did they find this!?”

“I put the new owner in touch with the company that made our blankets. They had all the pictures Mom and Dad took of yours before we tried to preserve it.”

The first part of Chance's comment registers and Leo blinks. “New owner?”

“Yeah. Yours wasn't the only precious item they ruined with their neglect, little brother. They wound up selling the company about three years ago. That was about how long it took the new owner to get that made for you.”

Leo's hand reverently traces one of the raised parts of the blanket's pattern. “How much of a fit did the blanket maker throw?”

Chance gets a sour look on his face. “They put me to shame! The new owner had to threaten them with legal action because they were trying to rebuild their company's reputation. They stonewalled her for TWO YEARS.”

“God damn!”

“Yup.” Chance leans back and closes his eyes for a moment. “The first mention of lawyers had them singing a different tune and you're holding the end result.” He opens his eyes and smiles. “Merry Christmas, little brother.”

Leo's eyes fill with tears. “Thank you, Chance...” He cuddles his blanket in a moment of childish glee. “This is the best present anyone could ever give me.”

“I'm glad I could put a smile on your face.” Chance sits forward and puts his bottle of water on the coffee table. Then he sits back and covers up with his blanket. “God, I'm tired.”

Leo slings his blanket over one shoulder and gets up to put the lid on Chance's bottle of water. “Go ahead and take a nap. You're on medical leave until the doctor says otherwise.”

“Thank goodness.” Mr. Gleason had been more than happy to accept the doctor's note Chance had gotten the hospital to send over. “Paid medical leave, at that.”

“That man is bending over backwards to keep you happy.” Leo picks up a neck pillow and puts it around the back of Chance's neck for him. “There. Now you won't have a sore neck when you wake up.”

Chance's smile is tired and warm at the same time. “Thanks, little brother... Give me three hours, okay?” If his bladder doesn't wake him up first.

“Bladder permitting... Deal.”

Chance laughs a bit. “Thanks.” He closes his eyes and promptly falls into a deep, dreamless sleep. The next thing he knows, he's being shaken awake. “I'm awake, Leo... What's going on?”

Leo sounds panicked. “Someone's trying to break in!”

Chance listens carefully and picks up the telltale sounds of someone trying to pick the lock on the front door. The nap had done him a world of good and he stands up without the neck pillow coming with him. He holds one finger to his lips and silently prowls down to the door. A strange sound coming from the deadbolt tells him he's dealing with an accomplished prowler. The door swings open and the would-be intruder comes face to face with an angry Chance Owens. “You mind telling me why you thought it was a good idea to break into a house when its occupants are home?”

Leo slips into the kitchen undetected so he can call the police. The intruder sneers and goes to push past Chance into the house. “I don't owe you an explanation.”

Chance puts one hand on the intruder's chest and slowly pushes him back a few steps. “I asked you a question. This is the only time I'm going to repeat myself. Why are you breaking into an occupied house in the middle of the day?” The sun is still up.

“Because I can, that's why.” The intruder swings a flashlight at the side of Chance's head.

Chance catches it before it makes contact and sighs in disappointment. “Here I was giving you a chance to explain and leave peacefully.” He uses the leverage of holding onto the intruder's hand to shove him backward out of the house and onto the sidewalk. “You're better off staying there if you know what's good for you.”

The intruder showcases his lack of intelligence by coming right back up to the front door of Chance's townhouse. “And you'll back off if you know what's good for you!” He is now holding a snub-nosed revolver in one hand.

Chance shakes his head before kicking the gun out of the idiot intruder's hand. “You really are a first-class idiot, aren't you?” Then he lunges forward and uses his body weight to send the intruder crashing down onto the sidewalk near the busy street. He catches himself on the doorframe before he falls. “I'm warning you to stay there!”

The intruder doesn't get a chance to try again. He stands up and gets grabbed by someone with a familiar face. Jude grins and salutes with his free hand. “I'll keep him here until the police arrive.”

Chance laughs. “Perfect timing as usual, Uncle Jude!”

Jude laughs too. He'd told Chance and Leo it was okay if they called him Uncle Jude. “It's part of why I'm so good at my job, kid!”

Chance grins before closing the door and leaning on it. “Uncle Jude's got him until the police arrive.”

Leo comes out of the kitchen. “Oh good! I just hung up with maintenance... They're coming out today to replace the deadbolts and give us new keys.”

“Thank Christ.” Chance closes his eyes as he leans on the door. “I don't trust the deadbolt to hold.”

Leo ducks back into the kitchen and brings down one of the heavy wooden chairs. “This should work until they can replace the deadbolts.”

Chance moves so Leo can put the chair against the door. “Fortunately the door latch still engages.” He rubs his left side and goes back up to the couch. “I wonder what that guy's on.”

Leo stays by the door and watches Jude hold the erstwhile burglar until the police arrive. “Could be anything... Or it could be nothing. Some people really are that stupid.”

“Lord save us from the stupid people.”

“Amen!” Leo comes up and sits in his chair again, then snuggles under the replica of his favorite blanket. “I'll get the door when maintenance arrives... You need to rest after that.”

Chance grunts as he covers up again. “Thanks.” The hospital had somehow managed to lose the clean shirt he had in his suitcase so he'd had to come home with just his jacket. His other shirt had been destroyed in the ambulance on the way to the hospital. “I still don't know how such an organized hospital can lose my clean shirt!”

Leo shakes his head. “I have a feeling one of the orderlies jacked it. It was your dark blue one.”

“Dammit...” Then he sighs. “At least it wasn't the silk one!” He'd purposely left that one at home.

“You got that right.”

They're sitting quietly when there's a knock at the door. Leo gets up to see who it is. “Who's there, please?”

The voice is muffled but familiar. “It's Jake with maintenance. I'm here to change your deadbolts.”

Leo moves the chair and opens the door to see their favorite member of the maintenance crew. “Sorry for asking who it was, but I'm spooked and Chance is paranoid.”

Jake puts his toolbox down just inside the door. “I daresay he'll be paranoid for quite a while.” He opens his toolbox and sets down boxes containing new deadbolts. “I've already told the landlord what happened and he thanked me for coming out so quickly.” He meets Leo's gaze. “He's letting me tell you two first because you're his most well-behaved tenants... As of next month, everyone's rent is being rolled back to where it was two years ago.”

Leo is speechless for a long moment. “He's really reducing everyone's rent!?”

“He is.” Jake finds the tools he needs and starts removing the deadbolt. “He's also looking for a new bookkeeper. The old one was responsible for the rent increases and she pocketed a bunch of the extra money.”

Chance grunts soundlessly from his spot on the couch. “So he's really undoing six rent increases. Pardon my skepticism but I'll believe it when I see it.”

“I don't blame you for your skepticism, Chance... He started getting suspicious when the rent went up again after Jude and Anna yelled at him for all the increases.”

Chance smiles fondly. “Love those two.”

“They love you right back.”

Leo chimes in with a smile. “We wouldn't have it any other way.”

Chance's smile becomes a grin. “Hell no!”

Jake smiles as he works. “Now these deadbolts are pick-proof.”

Chance sits up in surprise. “You're giving us Abloy deadbolts!?”

“Yup.” Jake hums as he starts the installation process. Abloy deadbolts are the most secure deadbolt on the market. “The landlord's going to have us change all the deadbolts in all his tenements to Abloy.” Nobody's been able to pick an Abloy lock in its entire hundred plus year history.

“Well that makes me feel a lot better.” Chance adjusts his position so he's sitting and covers up with his blanket.

“I was hoping it would.”

Leo goes up to Chance's room and comes back with Chance's favorite zippered hoodie. “Here you go.”

Chance takes it with a smile that quickly turns to a grimace. “Thanks. It sure is chilly out there!” He quickly puts the hoodie on and zips it up. “There we go.”

“Warmth, thy form is hoodie.”

Chance laughs at Leo's bad joke. “That was a bad one, even for you.”

Leo can hear Jake chuckle while he works. “But it was still funny.”

“True.” Chance can feel the warmth start to return to his body thanks to the hoodie. “I don't suppose you took anything out for supper this morning.”

“Let me check real quick.” Leo darts into the kitchen and looks in the sink. What he sees makes him grin. “I took out those pork chops you got the butcher to cut into cubes.”

“Oh good!” Chance has to close his eyes and breathe slowly. He doesn't realize Leo's in the living room until he feels something being put in his hand.

“Eat that. It'll help.”

Chance opens his eyes to see one of Leo's granola bars. Fortunately for him, Leo will only eat Nature Valley granola bars. This one is Fruit and Nut Trail Mix. “Thanks.” He slowly opens the wrapper and disconnects a small piece from the bar.

“Any time.” Leo sits in his chair and watches him eat it.

Jake closes the door and tests the deadbolt. It moves smoothly. “All right then, that's one...” He takes everything to the back door so he can replace that one. “I'll test the keys after I get the second one installed.”

Leo watches Chance swallow the last bit of granola bar and wash it down with some water. “Feeling any better?”

Chance just knows it helped. “Yes. Thank you.”

“You're welcome.”

They can hear Jake humming as he works at the back door. “Hey... About what you said earlier.”

Leo smiles a bit. “What about it?”

“I really did need to hear that.” Chance can feel the energy from the granola bar. “If Josh Hudson wants to make good on his threat, he knows how to find me.”

“That's more like it.” Leo sits back and they listen to Jake hum while he works.

Jake tests the keys on the back deadbolt first and closes the door before throwing the new deadbolt. “The keys on the back one work...” He drops the keys into Leo's waiting hand. “Now to test the keys on the front.” It doesn't take him long to test the keys and comes up to put them in Leo's hand with the other ones. “Make sure you lock up after me.”

Leo stands up. “Thanks again for coming out so quickly, Jake.”

“Your safety matters.”

Leo smiles and shakes Jake's hand before the other man leaves. He closes the front door and throws the deadbolt. The sound makes him smile and sigh contently. “Now we can relax. I'll start supper in a few minutes.”

Chance hears something upstairs and frowns as he stands up. “Did you hear that?”

Leo listens and hears what Chance did. “Yeah... Be careful.”

Chance goes toward the stairs and gets the shock of his life when Adam comes down! “Jesus Christ, Adam, don't scare me like that!”

Adam shakes his head even as he walks Chance back to the couch. “Figures the one day I decide to travel by myself I miscalculate my exit point!” He'd come out in the upstairs hallway instead of the kitchen. “Remind me to program the gate software with better coordinates next time, would you?”

“Why didn't you just use Jericho's?”

“He hasn't given me permission yet, kid.” Adam covers Chance with the blanket and sits in the recliner in the corner near the floor lamp. “He's been busy trying to find a way to deactivate a system that's locked everyone out.”

Leo snorts. “Sounds like an Abloy deadbolt.”

Adam looks at Leo. “What did you just say?”

“We just got our deadbolts changed out for Abloy deadbolts after someone picked the one on the front door earlier.”

Adam snaps his fingers and tugs back the sleeve on his right arm before pushing a flashing button on a strange device he's wearing. “Jericho, it's Adam... Try the password console again, this time use the word Abloy.”

Jericho's voice comes out of the device on Adam's arm. “And where are you that you were inspired to tell me that?”

“Chance and Leo's.” He grimaces. “I miscalculated and my gate software put me in the hallway near their bedrooms instead of in the kitchen.”

You can use my software while you perfect yours.”

“Thank you.”

Any time. Now then... Abloy, you said?”

“Yup.”

Inputting password now. ...Holy hell, Adam, it worked!”

“You hear that, Leo? You just solved his problem!”

Leo is in awe, but he can't help smiling. “I'm glad I could help, Mr. DeLioncourt.”

You and Chance can both call me Jericho.”

“Wow... Thank you!”

You're welcome. Adam, you can access Orion for your fast travel needs. He's aware I gave you permission.”

Adam laughs. “Thanks, Jericho.”

No problem... Why aren't you wearing your glasses?”

Adam grimaces at the question. “Repeat of Little Rock... And since I don't have insurance, I had to break into one of my investments to pay for a new pair.” He rubs his eyes with his fingertips. “They only started the lenses yesterday.”

I really need to sic Michael on them.”

“No need... Liam's already dealing with them.”

Jericho's laughter floats out of the device on Adam's arm. “I'm very glad you and Liam are on my side, Adam! Oh that reminds me. How'd it go in Pittsburgh?”

“They never knew what hit them! We wiped them off the map!”

Excellent! Oops, I need to get going... It's my turn to chaperone the girls on their date.”

“Liam's already dreading that and his girls are only eight!”

That doesn't surprise me in the least... Be careful until you get your new glasses.”

“I will. Talk to you later, okay?”

You bet.” There's a click from Adam's arm.

Adam pushes the button again and leans back. “I came here to see how you were doing after your appendectomy, Chance.”

Chance grumbles. “They kept me in the hospital until today and my clean shirt disappeared out of my suitcase!”

“They kept you until today!? Laparoscopic appendectomies only require one or two days in the hospital and you were admitted what, early Friday afternoon?”

“Shortly after twelve. My flight from Boston got delayed due to crowded runways, otherwise it would have been closer to eleven.”

Adam shakes his head. “What was their excuse?”

“They wanted to make sure there were no complications after the surgery.”

“That's what the one to two days is for.”

Chance sighs and leans back. “Leo thinks one of the orderlies took my clean shirt.”

“That's a weird thing to take!”

“You're telling me!” Chance adjusts his left leg to get comfortable. “And the paramedics in the ambulance shredded the one I was wearing...”

“So you're down two shirts.” Adam grins and taps another button on the device he's wearing. “You're go for transport, Trey.” A small box shimmers into view near his feet. “Perfect placement!”

Another voice comes from the device on his arm. “I admit I had a little help...”

“Which one?”

Virgo.” Virgo is Jericho's flight and travel mainframe.

“I'd suggest you talk to her about my gate software when she gets the time... I have access to Orion until it's perfected.”

That's marvelous. Where did you end up, if I may ask?”

Adam grimaces then chuckles at himself. “The upstairs hallway... I was aiming for the kitchen!”

Honestly... It could have been worse. You could have wound up in a different house entirely.”

Adam laughs. “Trust you to cheer me up, Trey! And hey... Thanks for not being mad at me.”

How could I be mad at you when you did it to protect us and your family? We would have been at risk in Little Rock.”

“There you go finding the positive again... I'll be home in a bit. Keep those kittens in line, would you?”

Nothing doing. Lauren's handling those two hellions.”

“Okay then help her with it... Whose bright idea was it to get two calico kittens anyway?”

Who else?”

Adam groans. “Remind me to kick that brother of mine in the ass...”

Gladly! I'll talk to you when you get home.”

“You bet.” Adam pushes the button again after hearing a soft click, then uses his foot to shove the box across the living room to bump gently off Chance's foot. “The contents are yours.”

Chance carefully leans forward and moves the box to the coffee table. The flaps are tucked under each other instead of being taped shut. He stares at the contents before looking at Adam. The box is full of men's t-shirts! “How did you know what size I wore?”

Adam opens his eyes and grins. “Liam and I are the same size as you.”

Chance laughs and slowly shakes his head. “That'd do it.”

“Oh, hey... Look at the bottom of the box.”

Chance carefully removes the shirts a few at a time until he's looking at a pile of dress shirts... And a brick of hundred dollar bills! “What...”

Adam grins. “Belated Merry Christmas from me and Liam.” He stands up and tags Leo's arm on his way to the kitchen. “I'll help you cook.”

Leo gets up and stretches, then sees what Chance is looking at when his older brother tips the box his way. He gives Chance comically wide eyes before turning to join Adam in the kitchen. “Hey, do you have any tips on how to cook cubed pork?”

Adam's laughter floats out of the kitchen. “Kid, I could write a recipe book full of ways to cook pork!”

Chance shakes his head and puts the shirts back in the box, concealing the considerable amount of money inside. His voice is a whisper. “Thanks, Adam and Liam. This will go a long way to help us.” Then he closes the box and picks his way to the dining room table where his tablet is. He picks it up and takes it back to the couch with him, turning it on along the way. Once he's comfy on the couch again, he opens Spotify, finds his “after work” playlist, taps the Play button on the screen and adjusts the volume so Adam and Leo can hear the music in the kitchen. Then he opens the stand on the back of the case and puts the tablet on the coffee table. He sits back and smiles as instrumental hip-hop gently fills the main floor of the townhouse while wisecracks and laughter come from the kitchen. “Maybe this isn't such a bad day after all.” Then he closes his eyes and enjoys the music.
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^Banner courtesy of Mad Marlowe
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