A few days had gone by and Diane was feeling better. She did get to see Chance but Diane couldn't speak, she was busy holding back tears. Also Chance began chemo tomorrow. Thinking of seeing her daughter in such pain and remorse brought chills to Diane's spine. She brought some things from home to make Chance feel a little bit comfortable. 

Every day that visiting hours were close to an end, Diane wanted to just hold her daughter and tell her everything would be alright but she couldn't bring herself to do it. What kind of mother was she? Diane was so busy being all tied up in her own drama that she couldn't tell the signs of her child smoking, nevertheless her child having cancer. Also Diane had this nagging feeling about Dr. Jones. Like she knew him from somewhere but she couldn't put her finger on it. She too shook her thoughts from him and focused on Chance. 

                    **********

"Mr. Jackson, I think I found a hospital that us suitable for you," said Linda. He picked up the papers and read the name of the hospital: 

Faith Hope California Hospital. 

"It's not entirely a children's hospital but they have a children's ward and I'm sure the other patients would be glad to see you too," she said with a smile. 

"It's perfect Linda, thank you. When can I visit?"

"They said you could come tomorrow but they would like to try and keep the press on the DL so the hospital will let you in at the back door." 

Michael having to enter through the back door did not phase him. He'd gotten used to it throughout the years.... "Well alright Linda. Thank you very much. What would I do without ya," he said with a bright smile. 

"It is what you pay me for," she said and smiled back then walked away to tend to other things. 

                    **********

Chance was sitting in her room on the hospital bed. She was glad her mother brought her journal so she could write. Her mother never knew that Chance wrote 'letters' to Michael. But then again she never asked what she wrote in it.  Chance sat upright in her bed writing in her journal:

Dear Michael,

     I am feeling miserable. I start chemo tomorrow, I heard that I would loose my hair and feel very sick. Have you ever felt that sick? Its funny because I keep getting this feeling that the doctor is my father. My dad left a while back but I don't think Dr. Jones is my dad. Maybe... Anyway to lift my spirits I sing your songs. Also when I'm sad. Michael I think I going to die. I can feel it... I can feel it in my heart.

               Love, Chance 

                    **********

Chance did like the idea of being in a room all to herself but that nagging thought of Dr. Jones was disrupting any good thoughts, if she had any. Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. 

The door opened. 

"Good afternoon Chance," speaking of Dr. Jones.... "How are you feeling--In medical terms." He corrected himself from the last time he asked her. Dr. Jones took a seat in a wheeled office chair. 

"I feel tired or that word you say... what's it called?"

"Fatigued?" Dr. Jones began to write on his clipboard. "Anything else?"

"Yeah... that and a headache. Also I get a shorten of breath. That scares me; it feels like I'm going to take my last breath and just go to hell where I belong."

Dr. Jones dropped his pen. He couldn't stand to hear his daughter talk this way about herself. "Chancy you're not going to hell and you're not going to die anytime soon. You are strong and both you and I know it." She looked at him blankly. 

Chancy...

Her father would call her that. It all made sense, the square jaw, his hazel eyes, his light brown skin, the way he looked at her, the 'Chancy', the EVERYTHING! He was her... her... father.

Chance couldn't believe it. How could she have missed this, of all things this?! She had a feeling but she didn't want the feeling to be real. 

"Dad?" She spoke barely above a whisper. 

His eyes grew wide then sighed. He was in the verge if years,"Yeah baby girl, it's me..."

"Daddy?" She was delirious. 'This is a dream. It has to be. I'm dreaming, please wake up,' she thought but she was fully awake.

"Yeah honey, it's me Daddy and I--" he was cut off.

"Why...? Why did you leave me?" she questioned. 

"Chancy--"

"No. No, don't call me that! You betrayed me. You left me all alone. This is all your fault... The reason why I'm in this hospital. Because you left, I got very stressed and depressed. Do you know how hard it is for a little girl to not have her father in her life? To not have that 'father figure' around? To feel so alone and feel like you were unwanted and unloved?" 

Her eyes were welled with tears and they were flowing freely down her pale face. 

Dr. Jones moved closer to her in the wheeled office chair. "Chancy-- Chance I am sorry. I did not mean to cause such distortion in your life. I understand if you hate me but I walked out on your mother not you. I sent birthday cards every year. I missed you." Richard's tears were now flowing too. 

"If you missed me so damn much, you would have came back. And what are you talking about, I didn't get any birthday cards! I don't want you to be my doctor anymore. I don't trust you!" 

He was very surprised at how freely Chance used profanity, he chuckled painfully inward; like father like daughter but on the more serious note, her words cut him deep. "Chance, you being my daughter will not interfere with my performance in how I care for you.

Baby girl, I love you." his words were truly from his heart but Chance was so angry and confused. He tried to move even closer so he could hug her but she pushed him away. 

"Get away from me! I hate you!"

As she finished her sentence the two figures in the door came in.

"Mom? Michael?"