Enigma

by C. M. Lally

  Lou's the best because he cares. He has a passion for the sport and for my well being. I'm Rocky, and he is Mickey. We're a hard match to beat in this sport. Our time to shine will come soon enough. I know it.

  I know Jade needs a special trainer like Lou, but not Lou himself. She can call me an asshole all she wants, but she needs someone to believe in her without all that cheating crap that she pulls. Jade will find someone. She's going to have to put in the extra work, but it can be done.

  MY ALARM GOES OFF, and I slap at it to stop its incessant beeping. My eyes are too pasty to open completely to see the time, but I know it’s 4:45 am.

  As soon as I roll into the open garage door, Liam and Lou are waiting for me. They’re sitting at the desk together both with pen and paper at hand. This is either very good or very bad. “What are you both up too?”

  Liam stops writing when he hears my voice. “Aww, nothing important. We’re only planning your rise to stardom, and giving you a training partner that matches your skills.”

  ”Oh, nooooo you aren’t. I don’t want or need a training partner. I’m perfectly content with Lou and my grappling dummy at home.”

  “Piss on that grappling dummy. You need a live partner. That old piece of stuffed cotton isn’t going to challenge you back or get you in a hold you can’t release from,” Lou’s hands go straight to his forehead rubbing it like he’s got a headache. “You need a younger partner that can get down and dirty with you. I’ll still be your trainer, and she’ll be learning from the best at the same time. You need this.”

  “She?” I don’t believe what these two are cooking up. This has to be a joke. “Alright, you got me. What’s the punchline? You guys are terrible at telling jokes.”

  “It’s no joke, Kol.” They both look down at the chicken scratch on their notepads, not wanting to face me. “She’s good. Damn good. She needs the proper attention and direction that we can provide.” Lou pushes his notepad toward me and shows me the new plan and training schedule.

  “Kol, we’ve been reviewing your fight footage. We’ve listed the strengths and weaknesses you’re dealing with there on Lou’s paper. Here are the opportunities that could come from this pairing.” His notepad lands in the palms of my hands with a hard smack. It’s loaded with lists, expenditures, and circled event names with dates. There’s even a media blitz package covering radio, television, and magazine interviews. Hell, there’s also a billboard ad written here.

  “Why now?” I’m skeptical. Not of Lou, because he’s always believed in me, but Liam has been in the perimeter of my career for five years without any more interest than a gnat.

  “You’re finally ready. Look at the prime shape you’re in. We need to soften a few rough edges and harden a few of the soft ones. Having a female sparring partner is a Win-Win situation and puts this all in motion.” Liam has this package all tied up with a pretty bow, but I’m not buying it.

  How do I win with a female sparring partner? I don’t see the connection.

  “I’ve got training to do.” I grab my gym bag and head to the locker room. I’m confused by these changes and don’t see exactly who’s going to benefit. The one notebook showed an event date in four weeks.

  Is this what he was hinting about at dinner last night? Has this plan already been set in motion and Jade’s appearance yesterday was the final piece to see how we get along? Fuck this shit. I don’t like being played.

  I slam my fist into the locker door next to mine, leaving a dent. The impact jolts my wrist with a stinger for a few seconds but goes away. I swear if I go back out there and she’s here, I’m going to throw a few punches, and it won’t be at a bag.

  No wonder she didn’t apologize last night. She never had any intention too. That was a lie by Liam. I don’t like being lied to. “Grrrrrrrrrrr,” I slam my locker shut and head out to the rowing machines.

  I’m the only one here when I get on the machines, which isn’t that odd until Lou and I start working with the bags over an hour later, and I’m still the only one here.

  “Lou, what’s going on? Why is this place a ghost town at 7:00 am?” Usually, this place is busting-ass busy by this time. Something is going on, and I’m going to find out what it is. “If you don’t tell me, I’m going to leave and not come back. I don’t like secrets.”

  He wipes the sweat off his face with a towel and lowers his head in defeat. “Liam wants to expand the gym in hopes of you accepting our new partnership. So he’s cleared it out for construction purposes.”

  “Partnership? Construction? Damn it, I’m confused, and I don’t fucking like to be confused. When did we talk about a partnership?”

  “We, I mean he and I, have been planning this for a few months. Let’s train, and we can talk about it afterward in detail at breakfast.”

  I shrug a shoulder at him and punch the mitt he holds out to me. There’s no sense in wasting gym time. I push myself hard, and we finish the entire bag routine within a few minutes. Sweat is pouring down my temples into my eyes causing the familiar sting of salt. I wipe my eyes with the towel hanging from my waist.

  When I look up, she’s standing on the outskirts of the mat stretching. My eyes follow her long legs down every toned inch to her bright orange yoga socks. My dick starts to get thick, and I have to tame those thoughts immediately. She’s my new training partner.

  I turn to Lou and watch his eyes follow the same trail mine took. “Lou,” I snap my fingers in his face to gain his attention. “I guess we can fucking do this, but if there are more lies or more shit you haven’t told me yet, you had better come clean at breakfast, or I’m done. I’ll find a new trainer, a new manager, and a new gym. You got me?”

  “I got you. Now go stretch out.” He snaps his towel and hits my shoulder leaving a welt. I narrow my eyes at him. “That’s for thinking I didn’t have your best interest at heart.”

  Lou strolls over to Jade whistling; he’s as happy as a kid with a new toy. They laugh and talk the whole time I stretch out. When I walk over to them, they both laugh out loud, but won’t share the joke. I’ve been a damn fool for not seeing this plan all along.

  “Let’s get this shit over with. What does “the plan,” say we’re working on today?” I use air quotes and narrow my eyes at Lou. My words are like acid dripping from my lips. They burn and seethe with disdain for this new training process.

  “Rule one: let’s keep this light. Kol has a match scheduled in four weeks, and I don’t want any injuries. With that being said, today we are going to work on holds. I’m talking arm locks, the different choke holds, ankle locks, etc. You know what I’m talking about. I want to see your best ones, and the many different ways to get out of them. I also want to see the ones you’ve lost on so we can change that. Now get to it.”

  We both circle each other on the mat a full revolution before she goes low to sweep me down to the mat. She only catches my one leg though, and can’t complete the ankle hold she was attempting.

  “Stop. Stop. Stop. Roll out. Right there. Now, Kol, let’s talk this through. How did you know she was going low to sweep you into an ankle hold?” He throws his towel over his shoulder and bends low to our eye level.

  “Her dropped shoulders told me where she was heading, and her eyes told me what she was focusing on. My ankles were directly in her line of vision.”

  “You see Jade, body language. This is your number one problem. You give yourself away at every turn. Focus on something else, and learn to use your peripheral vision.”

  She nods with understanding, and we both get on our knees as a new starting point.

  She immediately dives into the space between me and the floor, sliding through, rolling around, and winding her legs around my waist. Her ass is in the center of my back. The advantage that I have here is that I could pop up from my knees and throw her off, but she leans forward and chokes me before my reaction time kicks in. “Damn that was fast,” I rasp, and she releases me.

  “Kol, you should have stopped her fir
st with your long arms. That’s your advantage. You’re longer and stronger where she’s leaner but quick. I’m afraid she bested you on that one.” I glance over at her, and she’s smiling like she won a gold medal. “Jade, you messed up when you let go of him. Next time, keep the hold in play until he taps out or the referee calls it.” Her smile fades quickly.

  “Again,” Lou calls out, over and over as we punish each other with our best and worst moves. My muscles fucking ache by the time my phone alarm goes off ninety minutes later. “Go shower and change for breakfast. We need to eat before yoga.”

  “Is she coming with us?” And how in the hell is she going to shower?

  “Yes. I am part of the team now. Do you have a problem with that?”

  “Whatever. I was making sure you aren’t missing a hair or nail appointment. You high maintenance chicks hate to miss those appointments.”

  “High maintenance is all a part of my branding. Get used to it, but thanks for the concern with my schedule. It’s all good though.” She holds her nails out in front of her and inspects them before grabbing her gym bag to head out the front door.

  I take my time in the shower knowing doll face will need more time getting ready with her beauty routine. If I’m telling the truth though, I need the extra time under the hot water. My hips ache like a motherfucker. Lou checks on me twice, giving me the ‘hurry up’ circle sign with his hands and checking the time on his watch.

  “It’s about time you came out. Did you get your nails manicured and your back waxed while I waited?” she stands and throws her yoga mat bundle across her back, not ashamed in the least at her snarky remark. She leaves to wait outside, and all I can do is look at Lou who shrugs his shoulders at me.

  “I told you to hustle.”

  “Everyone has a comeback today I see. Let’s go. I’m starving.”

  We walk down to the corner diner together. Lou and Jade talk the whole way, making me feel like a third wheel on a blind date.

  Our usual waitress comes over plopping menus down on the damp table and takes our order. She eyeballs Jade with surprise and a little frustration when she says she needs a moment. Lucy already knows what Lou and I want; she has memorized our order over the last four years. We shake our head when she asks, “You guys want your usual?” before she walks away.

  “Umm, what comes in your ‘usual’ meal?” Jade whispers.

  “It’s a loaded egg-white omelet. It comes with strips of steak, mushrooms, spinach, tomatoes, peppers, onions, and ricotta cheese. We also get a fruit salad cup, and I get two glasses of milk, while Lou gets coffee. “Her eyes round out with the amount of food I listed.

  Lucy drops off the first of my large milk and Jade orders our usual. I don’t know where she’s going to put it all, but this should be interesting.

  “Lou, I wanna hear all about this plan and the partnership with Liam, but first things first. Jade, tell me how long you’ve been in on this new plan and partnership?”

  “I came along today to hear the plan for the first time myself. Liam left me a message late last night and said to be at the gym at 7:30 am sharp ready to train.” Her cold stare doesn’t flinch or blink or look off to the right hinting of a lie, but I can’t bring myself to believe her. She’s too matter-of-fact about it.

  I dismiss her innocent look. It won’t take me too long to catch her in a half-truth or a lie, but maybe she’ll give herself away first. Perhaps she’s sworn to secrecy. Who knows what Liam has told her to hide since he told me she wanted to apologize.

  Lou begins to break down the game plan as we wait for our food. As he speaks, my mind wanders back to what Liam may have told her to hide from me.

  Secrets and lies are the devil’s playground. Everyone has them, I guess. Except for me. I don’t have any secrets. I have skeletons, and they only escape from the dark corners of my mind while I sleep. They haunt me to remember, while I torture myself to forget.

  I will explain to Lou that I will agree to this partnership in half until I am comfortable with the whole of it. Liam’s going to have to prove himself, but I am not a minnow dangling on a string to be teased. I am a fucking tiger shark, and he’s going to have to watch himself or be chewed up and spit out.

  Chapter Six - Jade

  “STOP APOLOGIZING FOR canceling on my birthday. I found some nice men from the gym to have dinner with.” She raises her eyebrow at me but continues to stir the sauce in the pan. “One was actually the gym owner, Liam, and the other was my new trainer. His name is Lou.” She doesn’t need to know about Kol, or she’ll start asking questions. Questions that I’m not ready for.

  “I’m relieved my cold finally went away. I thought it packed a bag and moved into my head permanently. I was down and out for the count for more than a few days, so to speak. I’m glad you went out with friends, but birthdays and family go together,” she says while she dumps the noodles into the strainer. She’s making my favorite dish, Tuna Noodle Casserole. I’ll skip around the noodles...and bread crumbs, and the damn sauce.

  “I’m relieved you’re feeling better.” I kiss her cheek and take a seat on the stool at the island. “Mmmm. I can’t wait to eat it. Hurry up!”

  “I hope you eat it. You’re getting too skinny with all that training and crazy diet you’re following. I don’t know how you still have a full head of gorgeous hair with not eating carbs. When I tried low-carb, my hair starting falling out by the hand full.” She reaches up and runs her hand over her hair, fingering the edges and checking for dead ends. It’s beautifully dark with the slightest bit of silver starting to show.

  “I eat a well-balanced meal with lots of lean protein, fruits, and veggies. I get my carbs in the form of the good ones, the ones nature intended us to eat.”

  “It seems too strict. I worry about you.” She stirs everything together and puts it in the large glass baking dish before handing me the bowl of buttery breadcrumbs to spread on top. I’ve been doing this since I was ten years old. It’s our thing. She puts it in the oven and takes a seat next to me while we wait. “Besides, I won’t begrudge you a diet that gives you a booty like that.” She smacks my butt hard and shakes her hand afterward.

  “I’ve got buns of steel.” We both laugh remembering the 80s videos she used to pull out and exercise to when I was younger. They were old at the time, but she said they always did the trick.

  “Sooo,” she nudges my elbow while we sit and chat, “are there any good-looking men at this new gym?”

  “Oh, please. Just a bunch of protein shake and steroid junkies. I’m in training and focusing on something better— a Flyweight title. Liam thinks it’s possible in the first quarter of next year.”

  “Let me get this straight, Liam is the gym owner. And earlier you mentioned Lou, he’s the trainer. Right?”

  “Yes, that’s right.” I’m crossing my toes she isn’t fishing for romance info.

  “So, who’s this other man that you had to fight to get into the gym? Is he a partner of the gym owner or something?”

  “No. He’s a fighter, like me, but he’s...he’s really good. Better than good, actually; he’s amazing. They call him ‘The Enigma.’ He doesn’t approve of me joining the gym.”

  “Why is that? He’s a fool for not seeing your talent.” She pats my hand like that makes it all better. I don’t want to think about him, much less talk about him. He’s made my life a living hell these last two weeks. Everything I do is wrong, or I’m cheating again.

  “He’s an arrogant ass, but he’s the best in this area. His name will be on big marquee’s one of these days. He’s waiting for that break to happen.”

  “But why are you training with a male fighter? I would have thought they would pair you up with a female. How much larger is he than you?” There she goes biting her nails in worry mode. I grab her hand from her mouth and place it back on the counter. “Stop worrying. If you want to be the best, you need to learn from the best. And he needs to hone some skills of his own.”

  She shakes
her head in confusion. “I don’t understand. He’s more than twice your size though.”

  “And if I can flip him, choke him, hold him, and strike him hard, then I’m sure to take down my Flyweight opponents. That’s the advantage. While the other females spar with partners of their same size, I’ll be one-upping them. No, make that five-upping them. He’s a Welterweight.”

  The timer on the stove goes off, and she slides her hands into the oven mitts to remove the casserole. “This whole thing makes me nervous.”

  “He has a match next weekend. Would you like to come with me and gain some insight? Maybe it will ease your worries.” I grab two plates from the cupboard, along with napkins and silverware. She fills the water pitcher with ice, grabs some glasses, and we carry everything out onto the patio. She returns for the casserole while I set the table.

  “We’ll see about the fight next week. Let me make sure this cold is completely gone. I still have a little bit of a cough.”

  “Now I’m worried about you. Do you need a doctor?” I grab her hand and squeeze it. She may not be my biological mother, but she’s raised me all the same. She took the job without question when a very sad little girl needed a new mommy.

  “I’ll be fine. I’m sure it’s these stupid seasonal allergies and the never-ending humidity here in South Carolina. I don’t want to talk about my health. Let’s talk about your new apartment.” Her heartwarming smile and an extra large helping of casserole turn our conversation to my apartment and its lack of decoration.

  WE TOPPED OFF THE BIRTHDAY dinner with a shopping trip to the mall. She spoiled me with all new linens for my bed and bathroom. Plus I bought myself a new neoprene spatula and spoon so I wouldn’t scratch my new pots and pans I purchased a few weeks back with my first paycheck. I can’t cook Ramen without a pan, because microwaving them is nasty. Trust me on this fact.