Valerie

---

Valerie checked herself one more time in the mirror. She wore a red dress with a slight bit of shimmer. Uncle Meyer and Aunt Susan turned it out for the fights, and she was hoping to do the same. Uncle Meyer had his tux, and Aunt Susan always wore some chic designer label. Her day to day life wasn’t glamorous; she spent most of her time in her uncle’s office or stepping over hazards at the job sites. But fight night was different. Fight night was Uncle Meyer’s Oscars.

She and Zane had made a big step last night. Love. She loved him.

It wasn’t a surprise to her that she felt that way. But it was a surprise that he did. She’d worried in the beginning that maybe Trent was right. Maybe Zane Diggs would turn out to be playing her, using her until he was bored? Instead, a powerful physical pull had deepened into something that Valerie envisioned could last, for a while, maybe even forever.

She’d arranged to travel to the fight with her aunt and uncle. It wasn’t Vegas yet, but it was Detroit. And it was big.

“I’ve worked my ass off in Michigan, and the fighters have bled to make Grand City the opening place to see up-and-comers. And then we set Detroit up to really launch them into the big time. They do great in Detroit it’s on to work in Vegas and The Garden.” Uncle Meyer was describing the circuit he’d put in place and it was making her nervous for Zane. She knew this was a big night and was confident he could do it. But still. It was a lot of pressure, and anything could happen.

“You look beautiful honey.” Her aunt had offered up this dress like she’d done before, and as usual, it was perfection.

“Thank you, you do too.” The three of them traveled by small jet from Grand City to Detroit, it was less thirty-minute flight in Uncle Meyer’s private jet. Zane and the fighters traveled by chartered bus. She wouldn’t see him today until he stepped into the ring. She was glad, in a way, she didn’t want to be a distraction or say something stupid. The next thing she said to him was going to be congratulations.

After they’d landed in Detroit her phone buzzed repeatedly. Trent.

“Excuse me.” Valerie hated to take a call in front of her aunt and uncle. She wanted them to know where her focus was for tonight. But Trent had messaged over and over. She dialed him up.

“Trent, what’s up?”

“I need you to come back home. I’m not feeling well, my mom, you know? And then my dad lost it again over my job search.”

“What? Trent? I’m sorry, you know that tonight’s the night of Zane’s fight?”

“What. Oh, Come on. Who the fuck cares about this loser? He’s going to dump you if he wins and if he loses, well, he’s going nowhere.”

She was livid. Trent was trying to emotionally blackmail her to feel guilty and worse she was tired of him berating Zane.

“Look, Trent, I’m sick of this. I love you. But you have to accept that Zane is in my life now or we can’t keep being friends like we were.” It was the bluntest she’d been with her childhood friend, but he was incredibly selfish and needy on a night that was in no way about him. Trent must have finally gotten the message because he backed off, slightly.

“We can. I’m sorry. I know. I’m sorry okay. I’m sorry.” Trent was losing his shit. Why hadn’t Valerie noticed? What was happening with him? She’d been so into herself that maybe she’d missed something important with Trent. His life was careening out of control in some way, and she’d been involved in her own survival. A twinge of guilt softened her towards Trent. She owed him some patience and support.

“Okay, okay, when I get back we’ll do lunch. Okay? Pull it together.”

“I will, I promise. I love you, girl. We’re family, you know that.”

She wanted off the phone, Trent was trying to pull her to him even from miles away. It never used to be like this.

“Bye Trent.” She ended the call. Trent was her past, she knew that now. Maybe that was what he understood before she did. He knew her life was fundamentally changed. That their paths were no longer going in the same direction.

They’d have to set this straight soon.

“That Trent? He’s too into you. He’s a creep.” Her Uncle Meyer, who was always distracted, or so she thought, clearly didn’t miss that Trent was a part of her life.

“I agree,” Aunt Susan chimed in.

“You’re right. I’m working on it. He’s gotten really clingy since my parents died.”

“Ugh, not a good look,” Uncle Meyer said.

“If that Trent’s bothering you please let us know. We’re here to help,” Aunt Susan said, and she had a look of worry in her eyes.

“No, it’s okay. He’s an old friend. But it’s time to move on. It’ll be fine. He’ll be fine.” She wanted to change the subject. The last thing Valerie wanted was the baggage of her old life interfering with the generous love she’d found in this one.

“So, let’s talk about the fight, big crowd?” She didn’t want her aunt and uncle to have to deal with this stuff with Trent. They’d done enough. She’d handle Trent, they didn’t have to save her yet again.

“Capacity, that’s the key. We got Zane and Quinton Terry to warm up the crowd. Then I’ve got Jessie Hoolihan. He’s defending his belt. He’s also a Grand City native, by the way, wife owns a flower shop. Anyway, he’s been a consistent star for the 21C these days. Your boy’s going to get a lot of exposure tonight.”

Valerie knew she had a lot to learn about the sport and she loved learning it from the best. The event was happening at Joe Louis Arena. It was an old venue, but Uncle Meyer loved it. They pulled in and again, Valerie was amazed at cameras flashing. Her uncle brought heat and attention, there was just no doubt about it.

She walked behind them and tried not to attract the same attention, but it was no use.

“Meyer and Susan! Meyer! Susan!” They were used to posing for pictures on the red carpet, and this time, they both drew her from behind them and placed her smack dab in the middle.

“What’s your name blondie?” One of the photographers yelled at her.

“A little respect? This is our niece, Valerie Colson.”

“Give us a smile Valerie.”

“It will be over in a second.” She heard her aunt whisper to her behind her own dazzling smile. Valerie did the same, and the photographers got their shots.

“They’re annoying, but it’s part of the deal. They help keep people interested in my fighters,” her uncle explained and after a few minutes, and near blindness, they were headed inside.

They were ringside, and the scope of Joe Louis Arena versus the one in Grand City had Valerie in awe. No question Zane Diggs was leveling up in a big way tonight.

There were several undercard fights, and mostly Aunt Susan explained things, pointed out observations to her husband and was just as comfortable here at ringside as she was at the Gala the other night. Valerie realized that Aunt Susan’s appeal, beyond how pretty she was, came from the inside out. And this was their element, their court. In a lot of ways, every fighter in the sport owed Uncle Meyer for what he did to set up the 21C.

After several fights were decided it was finally time for Zane’s contest and the crowd was hyped up. Valerie looked toward the spotlight. There he was, handsome, brutal, and magnetic. The light followed him. His charisma pulled it in. Valerie saw that it wasn’t just her reaction. The noise from the fans got noticeably louder. They chanted his name. And this was just the beginning of his career. She wondered what would happen to him, to them, as more people got on the Zane Train as one of the signs she saw in the crowd read.

The crowd closed on Valerie. Where there were spaces between seats, between rows before, now Valerie felt a press of humanity at her back and on both sides. Valerie’s chest got tight. She tried to take a deep breath and had trouble managing it. She strained to focus on Zane as he entered the ring. Dammit, why hadn’t she realized something like this could happen?

She wanted to enjoy this moment, but it was getting increasingly difficult to ignore her rising panic. She had no idea how to cope with it. The more she tried to suppress it and just be normal the worse it seemed to feel.

The air felt thick, and a spike of pain pierced her chest. She knew the announcer was telling the crowd about Zane’s accomplishments and his opponent’s.

She had to get out. That’s all she knew.

Zane’s big moment had arrived, and she was likely going to ruin it if Uncle Meyer had to deal with his niece freaking out.

Everyone was on their feet for the match, and she sank into her chair for fear she couldn’t stand. The whole thing made her feel buried, walled in.

There was a cold sweat above her lip.

While her Uncle focused on the ring, she needed to get out and get air. She didn’t want him or Zane to see her this way.

Valerie stood up, and Aunt Susan turned to say something to her. Aunt Susan’s face shifted immediately when she looked at Valerie.

“Honey, what is it?”

“I can’t breathe, I think I’m having a heart attack.”

“Come on.” She took Valerie’s hand. She said something to Uncle Meyer, and then Aunt Susan pushed them through the seats to the aisle. People were screaming for Zane and for Quinton Terry, but the sound was distant. She heard it through a wall that was enclosing her, suffocating her.

In less than a minute they were in the lobby, which was nearly empty, everyone else was inside enjoying the fight. Aunt Susan found them a bench.

“Sit here for a second.” Aunt Susan left her for a few seconds and reappeared with a bottle of water.

“I’m so sorry. I can’t understand this.” Valerie could barely get the sentence out. She still felt like she might die, that her chest might explode.

“All you have to do is breathe. You don’t need to explain or apologize. You also don’t need to rush it.”

Valerie did what her aunt advised. She closed her eyes and took in a breath and slowly did it again. She felt her heart rate slow, little by little. She opened her eyes.

“How’s your chest? Do you still have pain?” Aunt Susan asked but wasn’t pushing. She knew that if they needed to go to the doctor, Aunt Susan would make it happen.

Valerie realized she didn’t need to go to a doctor as the tightness in her chest loosened.

“How long have you had anxiety attacks?” Aunt Susan asked her.

“Since after the fire, it’s a new thing. How did you know that’s what it was?”

“Jan has them sometimes, I’ve had one or two. You don’t live as long as we have without one or two panic attacks. They’re awful.”

“Yeah, I did think my heart was going to stop there.”

“Of course you did, and I feel terrible not seeing this sooner. Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Cause it’s nuts and you’ve already done too much for me.”

“Nonsense, you have had a significant tragedy and major life upheaval. There’s nothing nuts about it. I’d think you were a robot if you didn’t react in some way to all you’ve been through.”

“It’s how I started to fall in love with Zane actually, he was totally patient with me and helped me through the first one.”

“That’s a good man.” They heard a roar in the arena. Shit, Zane’s fight.

“Oh hell, I missed the whole fight. I’m the worst girlfriend. Uh.” She felt tears well up in her eyes, but Aunt Susan brushed it away.

“I heard them say his name, he won. It’s okay. Probably did the guy in with that left hook like we know he can! The great thing about owning the league? For your man’s next fight you and I can go in a skybox, no crowds. If you feel up to it, we can catch up with the fellas in the locker room area. Meyer will be there, no doubt too.”

“Okay.”

Valerie felt more like herself every second. She was upset that she missed the fight, but she also felt relief that she didn’t distract her Uncle from Zane’s moment.

She’d missed the fight, but she’d make it up to him somehow. There would be other fights. This was just the beginning. By the time they got to the locker room, she was feeling okay, stronger, and that the air was made of oxygen again not mud.

The scene she and Aunt Susan encountered was confusing and completely different than what they’d expected.

“What the hell was that shit? You had one shot, and that’s the crap you bring?” Uncle Meyer was yelling. Zane was holding his ground, and they were chin to chin.

It almost looked like the main event was in this locker room and not in the arena.

What the hell had they missed?