by Ash Johnson
“I’ll come with you so that you don’t have to worry about tolerating your mom. I’ll go just to be with you. Thank you for inviting me,” I lean in and place a small kiss on her lips. When our lips part, she lets out a huge sigh and smiles widely.
“Are you surprised I said I’d go with you?” I ask, curious as to why she’s so relieved I’m going.
“Well a little. This will be the first time in thirteen years that it won’t just be my mom and me at Ivy’s gravesite.” My brows pull together and confusion settles over me.
“What about your old stepdad? Or Rob; he never went with you?” After Ada lets out a huff of air she answers quietly.
“No, Jack left my mom a few months after Ivy died. He was the best, most supportive step dad in the world. He came to soccer games, and took us fishing, but after Ivy died it was too hard for him to stay. We all fell apart in different ways after it happened. I became really quiet and shut myself off from people for a long time. My mom turned to drinking and became angry, and Jack just didn’t know what to do to make any of it better. He said it was just too hard to be a part of the family now that it was broken. There are always fresh flowers on Ivy’s grave when we get there, so I would guess that they are from Jack.
“And Rob, well there were a few reasons he didn’t come with me. One, he thought my mom was a bitch and didn’t like to be around her. Two, he was always really busy with work and never had time to take a vacation. In the two years that we were married the only vacation we ever took together was on our three day honeymoon to Vegas when we were already in Vegas. And three, I never invited him to come along with me to visit Ivy,” she shrugs and rests her chin on my chest.
“Is there a reason you never asked him to go with you, or was it that he was just too busy and you knew he’d say no?” As much as I hate her thinking about her jackass ex-husband, I have to ask why she never brought him with her. I tuck a piece of her golden hair behind her ear out of habit and she turns her face into my palm and smiles slightly before focusing on our conversation again.
Ada finally shakes her head and takes a deep breath. Before she speaks, her face pulls into a cringe and she lays her cheek down against my chest.
“I never asked him to go with me because seeing Ivy was always a moment of peace and, as weird as it sounds, happiness for me. I never actually felt at peace with Rob, like something was always missing with us, you know? I felt that he would intrude on my happy moments with Ivy, and I never wanted things to be unhappy when I went to see her.”
I let a small smile come to my lips and I have to try to even out my breaths before I speak because I’m almost fucking giddy with what she’s just admitted to me. When I can finally speak without sounding like a teenage girl at a One Direction concert, I ask her the question burning in my chest with my smile in place.
“So since you asked me to go with you, does this mean that you feel at peace with me?” I raise an eyebrow at her when she lifts her head off my chest to look at me. She smiles and bites her lower lip before she answers.
“Yeah,” she nods, “I do feel at peace when I’m with you. When I’m with you I feel more like the old Ada; the person I was before I met Rob. I had finally become outspoken and strong in college, but from the second I met Rob, he worked his hardest to break me of those things. I didn’t even recognize myself about a year into our marriage. I was just a shell of the woman I used to be, the woman I wanted to be. You make me feel like I can be strong and outspoken again.”
She smiles and then lies her head back down, nuzzling her cheek on my chest. I start running my fingers through her hair and smile, soaking in her words.
“I feel at peace with you too, Ada. I never wanted to settle down and be with the same girl, but after meeting you, it all changed.”
“What happened? Why didn’t you want to settle down at all?” She asks, placing her hand on my chest and then propping her chin on it, her gorgeous eyes drilling a hole into me.
“Well,” I take a deep breath before reliving this unpleasant memory. I don’t really want to talk about it, but Ada’s told me so much about herself so I feel like I should reciprocate. “I had the same girlfriend, Julie, all through high school and we both got accepted to the University of Arizona so I naturally thought we’d get a place together instead of living in the dorms. In the middle of our sophomore year I was just beginning to train MMA and I forgot my gym bag at home, so I went back to get it. When I walked into our apartment, I found Julie and one of my friends from high school on the couch together. She finally came out and said that they’d been sleeping together since we were in high school.
“It crushed me because I thought we were solid and I was actually planning on marrying her, but it just didn’t work out that way. So, I moved out and got a place in the dorms where I was roomed with Blake. Then my mom died and my dad completely checked out for a while. It destroyed him and I figured that if I never let myself get emotionally invested I could never be crushed like that.”
I close my eyes for a moment, remembering the devastation and sadness my dad wore for years after my mom’s death. I let out a huff of air and continue on with my story.
“I decided that it just wasn’t worth it to put myself out there for another woman to break me like Julie had done or crush me like my dad was when mom died, so I would have one night stands or casual relationships, but never let myself get emotionally invested in a woman, until I met you at that club.” I lean my head forward and give her a small peck on the lips before I keep speaking.
“When I saw you I knew that there was something different about you. I wanted to be around you all night. I wanted to get to know everything about you. I wanted to be everything you ever needed, so you can imagine how upset I was when I got up the next morning to an empty bed,” I smirk and shake my head at her when she giggles.
“You were the first girl I’ve let sleep in my bed since Julie, you know. I was so pissed because I had finally met someone that I wanted to be with the next morning and you were gone before I could even open my eyes. I never thought I’d see you again,” I add, running my hand through her soft blonde hair again. Ada tilts her head toward me and then clears her throat before she speaks again.
“When I woke up in the middle of the night I really wanted to go back to sleep just so that I could see what you look like in the morning, but I really wasn’t looking forward to that walk of shame. You were the first guy that I had been with since I left Rob and I didn’t want it to be that awkward, embarrassing kick out the next day. So, I got up and got dressed except for my thong, which I never found. When I walked outside to call a cab I was so relieved and also nervous to see that we didn’t live very far from each other. I didn’t want you to recognize me outside of Elle’s house one day and think that I was stalking you.” She smiles and shakes her head. Then her brows pull together and she looks into my eyes.
“What happened to those panties by the way? Did you ever find them?” she asks. I smirk and nod, remembering how I found them on top of my gym bag and put them in my night stand as a keepsake. I wrap my arms around Ada’s tiny body and give her a tight squeeze.
“Well as sad as I was that you were gone the next day, I can’t even begin to describe how happy I am that I’m here with you now. You are everything I always needed but never thought I could have, Ada. You are damn perfect,” I say truthfully, leaning forward to plant a sweet kiss on her lips.
“I’m not perfect Jay. I have flaws just like everyone else,” Ada murmurs in a low voice.
“I don’t see those flaws, baby. In my eyes you are perfect.”
I bend down and kiss her thoroughly before I pull back and ask her the same thing I’ve asked quite a few times before. I’m just hoping that since we’re in confession mode she’ll give me an honest answer.
“Ada, the only thing that I don’t understand about you is why you don’t want to come to the gym with me or why you keep deflecting the topic of my fight,” I say, hoping that she’ll g
ive me anything but that fake girly bullshit answer she always gives me. She takes a deep breath and closes her eyes tightly, but then shakes her head lightly and begins to speak.
“Wow, this is going to be one of those deep mornings, huh? Okay, well when Ivy and I were really little we used to watch my real dad hit my mom on a daily basis. He was an alcoholic and when he got drunk, he also got mean. If the house wasn’t clean with dinner on the table when he got home from work, my mom got smacked around. Hell, if something was out of place and he noticed it, she got smacked around. He never really hit me or Ivy, but that was mostly because my mom would try to keep us out of his way so that we didn’t provoke him at all.
“When Ivy was eight she accidentally broke a window in our house. My dad went crazy and charged her. My mom jumped in and brought the attention to her so that my dad wouldn’t beat Ivy. He beat my mom so badly that she was in a coma for three days with multiple broken bones and lacerations. My dad was put in jail and Ivy and I lived with my mom’s parents while she was recovering. As soon as she was well enough, my mom filed for divorce and we moved to Omaha. Three years later, when I was seven, my mom married Jack and Ivy and I promised each other that we would do everything in our power to never witness that kind of violence in our own lives.”
I swallow past the lump in my throat when she finishes her story. I never would have thought that Ada had to witness something that violent at such a young age. No wonder she doesn’t want to go see two men try to knock each other out for sport. After a few minutes of silence, Ada cuts through the tension in the room.
“It’s not that I’m not proud of you for what you do for a living and I know how much MMA means to you, so I would never ask you to quit, but I have a really hard time watching violence. I can come with you to the gym and just read a book or something, but it would be really hard for me to watch someone hit you,” she explains.
“I get it Ada and I wouldn’t force you to come with me. I would be more comfortable if you were at the gym where I could see you until we find out who this psycho is that’s sending you these texts, but I would never force you to come and watch me fight.” We fall silent again, her tracing circles on my chest again and me stroking her soft blonde hair while we both process the information that was laid out this morning.
Chapter 25
Ada
The week passes before my eyes rather quickly, without incident I might add. I went to the gym with Jay Sunday and Monday while he trained and I realized that watching him fight wasn’t half as bad as I thought it was going to be. It was actually kind of hot.
He tried to limit his moments in the ring, sparring with someone only when I seemed interested in my book, so I wouldn’t have to watch him hit anyone. So after a few days of watching him train, I decide that I will go to his fight and support him. Jay seems relieved when I tell him that I’ll be at his fight tonight, telling me that after he wins we’ll really celebrate-whatever that means.
I look down to inspect myself one last time before I walk out the door- my chin length blonde hair is straight and tucked behind my ears. I’m wearing a white tank top is covered by a navy blue and bright green striped boyfriend cardigan. My dark wash jeans flare at the bottom, just showing off my mint toe nail polish through black peep toe wedges.
I notice that I’m always wearing heels now that I’m with Jay because of our height difference, and even with my heels he still towers over me by about a foot, but Jay says he loves it. Before I can start to walk out the door, I feel my stomach unexpectedly roll like I’m out to sea.
I brace my arm against the front door and wait for the nausea to subside, praying I don’t throw up. I tell myself it’s just my nerves about Jay’s fight that are making me sick. A few minutes later, my stomach settles down and I take a deep breath before walking out the front door and running to my car to avoid the rain pelting down from the dark sky.
I tried to talk Elle into coming to the fight with me tonight, but she said she had plans. When I asked what they were, she was really vague, mumbling something I couldn’t make out, before bolting out of the house. I thought it was odd, but I decided to let it go and just go to Jay’s fight alone.
Before I can even fully pull out of the driveway the sound of my phone ringing starts echoing through the car speakers- it’s Jay. I smile and push the button to answer the call on my steering wheel to answer.
“Hey bear, I’m just leaving the house now.”
“I’m so glad to hear that bunches, but please be careful, the rain is really coming down.” I smile, both at the nickname he still calls me and the fact that he’s so concerned for my safety.
“I’ll be careful, Jay. I promise.”
“Okay, well I was just going to get warmed up, but I still want to see you before the fight. Do you remember where you need to go when you get in here?” I recall him telling me exactly which portal to walk down to get to the locker room that he will be in.
“Yes I remember. Go warm up and focus on your fight and I’ll focus on driving. I’ll be there in about thirty minutes, okay?” I say, gripping the wheel a bit tighter as I feel my stomach slightly turn again. What the hell is going on?
“Alright baby, be careful and I’ll see you soon,” he hangs up and I try to take deep, cleansing breaths to calm my roiling tummy until I pull up to the stadium where Jay’s fight is being held.
I’ve been to this stadium for concerts before and it’s pretty big inside. I know MMA is a popular sport, but this stadium won’t fill completely, will it?
As soon as I walk into the ticket area of the stadium I hear a deep voice shouting my name. I turn my head from side to side until I finally spot Greg pushing his way through the crowd toward me.
Awesome. I plaster on a fake smile and watch him with apprehensive eyes as he comes toward me.
“Hey Ada, what are you doing here? This doesn’t seem like the type of place that you’d be on a Friday night,” he smiles, looking genuinely happy to see me.
“Hey Greg. Well, this isn’t the type of place I want to be on a Friday night to tell you the truth. My boyfriend is fighting tonight and I promised him I’d come watch, so I traded shifts with Emily. I noticed you had today off,” I say, trying to be polite but really hoping this conversation doesn’t last too long.
“Yeah, I took today off so that I could come to the fights tonight with a couple of my buddies and Cassie. She’s really into this stuff and asked if she could come with us. Did you say your boyfriend is fighting tonight?”
Shit. He’s still asking me out at work and I keep telling him I’m not ready for it. Now he finds out that I have a boyfriend. I’m a terrible person.
“Yeah, Jay Hunt is my boyfriend. I didn’t really want to come watch him fight but I promised him I would, so here I am,” I shrug and start looking around for an out.
“Wow, Jay Hunt, huh? He’s a great fighter. I come to these fights all the time and he’s amazing in the ring. He’s actually the reason I wanted to come tonight.” Greg nods. Then there is an awkward quiet that falls over us, and I don’t know what else to say.
Just over Greg’s shoulder I spot Cassie against the wall, her attention shifting from the cell phone in her hands to shooting daggers at me with her eyes. She looks really pissed off, but I’m not scared of her so I raise an eyebrow at her and smirk. I’m just about to walk away when Greg pats me on the arm and clears his throat.
“Okay Ada, I need to get a beer and get to my seat before the fight starts. I hope Jay wins tonight and I’ll see you at work sometime,” he smiles, but it’s an awkward one, and turns to walk away. Wow, glad that uncomfortable situation is over.
After I pick up the ring side ticket that Jay had reserved for me, I make my way down toward the portal he told me to meet him at, noticing that this arena is already full because of the fights that are taking place before Jay’s. It looks like there are at least a few thousand people here already and more pouring in through the doors by the second with beers and food. I’m
looking around at the magnitude of this place when I bump into someone. I start to mutter my apology before I even get to turn my head and see who I bumped into.
“I’m so sorry, I wasn’t-“ my voice is sucked out of me the second my eyes meet who I’ve bumped into. It’s Rob, and he’s staring at me like I’m just a figment of his imagination.
His hazel eyes are wide and his mouth is slightly agape. He’s wearing a light blue button up shirt that is rolled up at the sleeves and some dark wash jeans with expensive brown dress shoes on. Am I going to run into everyone that I don’t want to see tonight?
“Adelaide? What are you doing here?” he mutters, shoving his hands into his pockets. I lightly cringe at the use of my full name coming from his lips, but then remember that I should try to be civil with him. I’ve moved on and I’m over Rob.
“Hi Rob, how have you been?” I say, but it sounds like a whisper with the noise around us. Rob lets out a huge huff of air before he leans in and pulls his brows together, like it physically pains him to talk to me, but he still hasn’t taken his eyes off of me.
“I’ve been better, a lot better. How are you? You look beautiful.” I give him a small smile at the compliment.
“Thank you, I’ve been good. What are you doing here?” I look over Rob’s shoulder and see Jay at the entrance of the portal I was walking toward, looking through the crowd.
He finally spots me in the enormous gathering of people and his nervous expression turns into a scowl, seeing that I’m talking to another man. Rob clears his throat, bringing my attention back to him.
“I’m here with a potential client. Got to keep them happy, you know,” he says with an uncomfortable smirk. I look at him and try to come up with a reason to stay and talk to him, but after seeing no reasons at all, I decide that I need to cut this meeting with Rob short and go say hello to my man.