“I have to go meet my coach,” he said. “I’ll just be in the ring if you need me.”
“Thanks,” I mumbled. I let him leave before I slowly climbed to my feet, and my emotions still felt raw and fragile. I hoped no one would walk through the door because I was liable to either bite their head off or turn into a weepy mess. Neither scenario made me happy, but I knew that was my reality at the moment.
I rummaged through the filing cabinet again, but came up empty. With a defeated sigh, I sank into the desk chair. I stared at my cell phone for a good twenty minutes debating whether or not I should call my dad, but ultimately decided against it. The fact was that I was mad at him. Not just mad, furious. He’d lied to me. He’d left me his mess to clean up, and he hadn’t even had the decency to tell me the truth. If I confronted him about it, I was afraid that he would just feed me another lie, and I didn’t think I could handle that.
The first thing I needed to do was find a new accountant to get the books straightened out. When I knew what kind of trouble we were really in, then I could make a solid plan. As it was, at the moment, I was merely grasping at straws, trying to fix things that weren’t fixable. My gut told me that we were in deep shit. Pop had never been good with money. Some months we were flush with so much cash that we ate out every night at a swanky restaurant, and other months funds were so low that we subsisted on baked beans and white bread.
Growing up I’d never thought much about that fact. Other than the passing nuisance of being bored with the same meal day after day, the lean months hadn’t ever bothered me. Thinking back on it now, I knew that our financial troubles had always stemmed from the gym. How many times had Pop said that if he could move us in here, he would? I’d always laughed like it was a good joke, but now I thought he might have been serious.
Picking up my phone, I called Al, our current accountant. When he answered I said, “So, I had a visit from a man at the bank.”
“You did?” Al immediately sounded nervous. I could picture him sitting behind his desk in his office, his face turning red behind his bushy mustache, his bald head shiny with sudden sweat.
“And you know, he told me the most interesting story,” I said. “He told me that we are so behind on our payments that I have until the end of the month to catch up or we go into foreclosure. You wouldn’t happen to know anything about this would you, Al?”
“Me? Why would I know anything about this?” Al spluttered. I almost wanted to laugh, but the reality of my current situation prevented me from doing so.
“You know exactly why I’m calling,” I told him. “And I think you know what I’m going to say next.” I paused for dramatic effect. Then I said, “Al, you’re fired.”
I hung up before he could wheedle and plead his position. This was my first step in taking back my business.
“I think we should stage a fight here,” I said. The idea unfolding as the words left my mouth.
Emily glanced up at me. “What do you mean?” she asked. “Like an actual match? With prize money?”
I nodded, not at all sure that’s what I’d meant. But hearing her say it now, it didn’t sound like such a bad idea to me. “Sure, why not?”
“Well, for starters, where are we going to get the prize money?” she asked. Seated behind the desk with several ledgers open in front of her, she looked every bit the determined businesswoman. I knew, though, that the stress of her current situation was making it hard for her to see any other possibilities.
“From the fees that fighters pay,” I said. “We could get some sponsorship too. There are plenty of companies willing to throw in for a good fight.”
Emily stared up at me with her big eyes. I could tell that she wanted to believe in my brilliance. Who wouldn’t? But something was holding her back. I understood. She’d just been dealt a severe blow in learning that someone she trusted had betrayed her so spectacularly, and despite the fact that we were getting closer every day, we really didn’t know each other all that well. She was debating whether or not she could trust me, whether or not she should put the fate of her business into my hands. My very capable hands.
“I wouldn’t even know where to begin,” she said finally.
“But I do,” I said. “I know who you need to call, what permits you need to get, who you can hire to do concessions. Just leave it all to me, baby cakes. I’m more than just another pretty face.”
She laughed a little, a stuttering gasp of air, and for a second I thought she might cry. We didn’t need any tears over what her piece of shit father had done to her. We were going to grit our teeth and fix the situation, one phone call, one fight at a time. As I looked out the office window to the gym, I could see the vision of what this place could be if we played our cards right. The thought shocked me when I realized that I was thinking in terms of a future, not only with the gym, but with Emily.
I sucked a quick breath through my teeth. If Emily noticed the change in my demeanor, she didn’t let on. I couldn’t actually be contemplating getting serious with her, could I? Trying to shake the sudden revelation, I tried to focus on what the next step would be. Now that Emily had mostly agreed to stage a fight here in her own gym, there was so much that needed to be done.
If we were successful, however, Emily’s gym could become one of the spots that hosted multiple matches a month. Those gyms were held up to higher standards, and brought in more money and sponsors than any gym really needed. Not that I was trying to be greedy, but now that I was on a legit circuit, I wanted to reap the benefits. I knew I was the top fighter in the area, probably in the state, and most likely in the entire country. But to get to a top prize match in a place like Las Vegas, I needed to come from a legit gym. One that afforded me credibility, and one I could lend my name to. There was no way I was jumping ship on Emily. Not now that she’d taken such a huge chance on me. So the only other option was to make this gym what I needed it to be. If me and Emily got rich from it in the meantime, so what?
“We need to make a list,” I said. “That way we can get organized and split the tasks.”
Emily nodded, looking slightly shell shocked. I could tell that she was feeling overwhelmed by the magnitude of what we were undertaking, and yet at the same time I could see the glint of excitement in her eyes. “Let’s do this,” she said.
By the end of the day, I’d made contact with several old coaches and fighters who all seemed game to try a new place. Emily had run down to city hall to obtain all the appropriate permits, and she’d made good headway in filling them out. We still had a mountain of work to do, but I was feeling pretty good about myself. Especially when Emily came up behind me, and sucked my earlobe into her mouth. I got hard instantly, and even though I couldn’t do anything about it I pulled her onto my lap. I plundered her mouth with my tongue. She moaned, and I knew she was doing it on purpose. She knew how hot I thought it was when she made her little noises.
There was a knock on the office door that made us break apart. Emily scrambled off my lap. She was still skittish about the two of us being together, though everyone at the gym knew about our relationship. I squeezed her ass for good measure, and she shot me a dirty look. With a wink, I turned my attention back to the paperwork in front of me.
The woman at the door was one of the regulars who sometimes volunteered to help Emily out with the administrative work around the gym. I was pretty sure her name was Melanie, but I wouldn’t have chanced the mistake of calling her by the wrong name.
The two of them spoke in quiet tones, and I couldn’t hear what they were saying, but from the corner of my eye I could see that Emily’s face had grown concerned and serious. I waited but I could feel a knot growing in my stomach. Something was clearly wrong.
When maybe-Melanie left, Emily turned to me with a stricken look. “My dad’s here.”
I rifled through the papers on my desk. I knew I’d put it here somewhere. We absolutely needed to get the paperwork in to the city today. My panic levels were rising, but I blew out a breath and kept looking. It had to be here. I had put my pen to it to sign my name just this morning.
There was a quick tap on the door, and I looked up, feeling slightly wild. Kirk stood there gazing back at me. “Everything okay?” he asked.
“What do you think?” I snapped. For the first time since we’d been dating I really just wanted him to go away. Ever since he’d come up with his idea for us to turn the gym into an actual arena he’d been more puffed up than usual. The stress was making it hard for me to sleep, and I had been living on breath mints and energy drinks for days.
“Whoa, don’t get all bitchy. Is it that time of month?” Kirk asked.
“Ugh, don’t be such an ass,” I said. “It’s enough that my dad is here and making my life hell, do you need to do it too?”
Kirk watched me for a long moment, and I almost felt bad for snapping on him, but not quite. Finally he said, “Maybe you should actually sit down with your dad and have a long talk. Maybe he can shed some light on this situation.”
I gaped at him in disbelief for a moment. Then I returned my attention to the desk in front of me. “I can’t find the permit. It was here this morning, and now it’s just…gone.” I could hear the hysteria entering my voice, and no matter how hard I tried to get it under control. Kirk hated it when I got like that, but I couldn’t help it. And at that moment I wasn’t sure I cared. Between the stress of having my dad pop up unexpectedly, and getting ready to transform the gym into a fight location, I was tapped out.
“Do you want me to look for it? Maybe I can give it a fresh set of eyes.”
I conceded the search to him. I was too frustrated, and my vision was blurring. I hated him a little less at that moment. Had I even slept last night? I couldn’t remember now. My father had tried to stay at the house, but I had been firm that he had to stay at a hotel. When he tried to tell me that he couldn’t afford one, I had nearly lost it. Somehow I had managed to keep it together until Kirk arrived. He had spoken firmly with my father. I didn’t know what he said but my dad left, but not before I had seen the look that crossed my dad’s face, like he wanted to punch Kirk.
Kirk sighed. “I don’t see it either. Has anyone else been in here this morning?”
I rubbed my temples where a terrible pounding had started. “I don’t think so, but I had to do the staff meeting at nine so I didn’t have a sight line. Who would have taken it? That doesn’t make any sense.”
“Was your dad here this morning?” Kirk’s voice was hard.
My gaze flew up to meet his. “I hadn’t even thought of that, but it makes sense. Problem with that is he wasn’t here. I’ve had people on the look out. I just can’t deal with him anymore.”
Deep down inside my chest I felt the ball of guilt bloom. It had been lodged there since my dad had gotten there, but my anger had been sufficient to smash it down. In my mind’s eye, though, my dad didn’t seem like the villain I was making him out to be. He wasn’t the sad old man who had walked in either. He was still my hero from childhood. The only person I could truly count on. I still couldn’t believe he had foisted such an insurmountable debt on me and then simply run away leaving me to clean up the mess of lies.
“Maybe you already sent it down with the rest of the paperwork,” Kirk suggested.
“Maybe,” I said, feeling the doubt creeping in. Something felt wrong, off. That paperwork was all due today. There was nothing we could do about that. If we missed even one form, the city would deny our rezoning petition. I could tell that Kirk was having the same thought. He was the one who had shown me the path after all.
A vein pulsed in Kirk’s cheek, and I couldn’t read the expression on his face. He looked mad, but I couldn’t figure out what he was directing his anger at. “You knew that it needed to be filled out by today,” he said. “How could you let that happen?”
I wanted to scream at him. “Excuse me,” I said with my emotions barely restrained. “None of this was my idea. It’s amazing that I’ve gotten everything done that I have.”
“Yeah, and if I hadn’t come up with this idea, your little gym would be shutting its’ doors right about now.” Kirk tipped his chin up, and he reminded me of the guy who had strutted through my door, not my boyfriend. I really didn’t like this version of him.
“Well, the only solution is for me to head down to city hall and fill it out again.”
“I’ll go with you,” Kirk said.
“Don’t do me any favors,” I muttered.
“Just check your attitude, and let’s go. We can hash all the rest of this out later.” Kirk was right, but it pissed me off.
Grabbing my purse and my keys, I followed Kirk out of the office. At the last second I turned and locked the door. On our way out, I told a couple of the guys who were training to watch out for my dad. Both Kirk and I had told most everyone in the gym that my dad wasn’t welcome. Even though no one knew what was going on, everyone respected me enough to honor my decision.
City Hall was only fifteen minutes from the gym, but that day the traffic seemed unusually heavy. Kirk dropped me off in front with the promise to join me as soon as he found a parking place. My heart hammered as I sprinted up the steps. The other paperwork that I had turned in had been mailed last week, but this form had been taking me longer so I’d kept it. That form was the one that I needed the most. It was the one that would change our zoning so we could host matches.