Valerie

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Aunt Susan was underselling it. As she pulled into the drive-way, Valerie had a hard time keeping her jaw from dropping open. Aunt Susan was living a very different life than Valerie, and her family lived. Five of their houses could fit into one of Aunt Susan’s.

Meyer and Susan Thompson lived on the Grand City River. Valerie and her parents lived in a working-class neighborhood with little three-bedroom houses. She had never even imagined going inside one of these River Road homes much less living here. However temporarily.

“Wow.”

“I know. Meyer was raised with a lot of money. Then he made a lot of money. Not like your Dad and me. It’s a little ridiculous.” Susan explained, she didn’t seem embarrassed though, she just laid out how this epic living situation came to be.

“I’m sorry about my gaping mouth.” Aunt Susan laughed.

They entered the place, and a short round woman emerged from the kitchen.

“Hi Jan, this is my niece, Valerie.”

“You’re the most beautiful! She looks like a young you. No offense.” Jan said to Susan and took their coats.

“Stop. I wish. Jan does everything around here. I’m am always in and out with a billion things Meyer and I do. If it weren’t for Jan this place would still be a dilapidated eyesore.”

“Yep, decorator, house manager, wine consumer. I’m all those.”

“Hi.” Valerie liked Jan immediately. From the minute Aunt Susan swept into the lawyer’s office, she felt a little weight lift off her shoulders. Aunt Susan and now Jan made Valerie feel like there was a light at the end of this sad tunnel she’d been in since the fire.

“Can you get her situated in Mom’s place?” Aunt Susan asked Jan. It wasn’t an order; it was a request. Though it was clear Jan worked for Aunt Susan, they shared a warm bond. That was obvious.

“Sure, got your text. We’ve got it all ready.”

“Great, I’ve got to check in with Meyer. Valerie, you’re in good hands with Jan. And really. Our home is yours. Rest, explore, grab food in the fridge here or in your apartment. I just want you to be able to heal from what you’ve been through.”

Aunt Susan gave her another hug and looked at Jan.

“Where’s the Beast?” She asked Jan.

“Media room last I heard.”

Aunt Susan walked down a hall, and Valerie wondered what the hell was in the media room.

“Uncle Meyer is a big deal, business-wise?” She asked Jan.

“Oh yeah. No question. Okay, let me show you around.”

Jan gave her the tour and then they went to the five-car garage attached fo the main house on the side. Valerie guessed at five cars anyway.

“The nice thing is the door to your place is back here. You don’t have to go through the house to get to your apartment. Meyer’s Mom loved that because she was so independent. She said she didn’t want Meyer in her business. The steps though were tough for her as she got on. Oh, and the damn weather here. Michigan winters will kill us all.”

“I see.” Jan used a key and then handed it to her.

“If you need me to get someone in to clean just leave the key in the main kitchen.”

“I really don’t…” Jan gave her a look.

“Okay, will do.” Best not to argue, though she couldn’t imagine a scenario that she’d ask for a maid for just her. She didn’t have more than one duffel bag of stuff with her. Everything she’d owned or ever cherished was scattered in the ash.

“So here you go, you’ve got a kitchenette, a sitting room and a master bed and bath.” It was gorgeous. Valerie felt like it was nicer than any hotel she’d ever seen much less stayed in. Everything was a creamy white, from the walls to the carpet, to the window frames. Where the main house was a bit intimidating this apartment was airy and petite and felt like a cozy cloud.

“Your aunt texted me and said all your stuff, clothes and all, burned in the fire.” Valerie looked at her outfit and for the first time felt self-conscious. She was wearing jeans and a t-shirt from the Red Cross. Shit. She must look ridiculous.

Her college friends had lent her a dress for the funeral services, but she’d been so busy she hadn’t really thought to even the basics.

“Yes. I’m in borrowed underwear.” She made light of it. Valerie decided she was lucky as heck to have this family swoop in to help her and she wasn’t going to make her problems theirs.

“Well, I have a friend who owns Stella’s Shop. You know it? In downtown off Second?” Valerie knew it was a chic boutique and she knew she couldn’t afford a damn thing in the place, cute as the stuff was.

“Yes.” Was the only answer she could muster for Jan.

“Great. I have no idea what you like, and I had to guesstimate your size. I went with four, but I think you’re even littler. The dresses will be okay. Picking jeans out for anyone is a nightmare, but I did my best.”

Jan opened a closet door off the master bedroom and walked in. Valerie followed her.

“So, you’ve got a few pairs of jeans, a sweater or two, basic and then a couple of Stella’s cutest dresses. It’s not a full wardrobe. Your Aunt wants to shop with you. She’d kill me if there were nothing left to buy.” Jan gave her a wink and Valerie walked further into the closet.

She was overwhelmed by the expensive clothes, the shoes, there were even two handbags. Everything was in a muted tan or black. It was class, no other way to describe what was in this closet.

“I can’t.” She said and pleaded with Jan.

“You can. Listen I don’t know if you realize this, but your aunt isn’t rich.”

“What. It seems like she’s pretty rich, but I’m not a charity. I just have to get a place and…”

“Shhh. No I mean rich is an understatement. Your Aunt and Uncle Thompson are billionaires. With a B. Way beyond rich, kid.”

“Holy shit.”

“I know right? Buying you a few pair of jeans is something that makes your aunt super happy to do and not like a charity thing. No one has their kind of money, and they can’t ever spend it all. We all just forgive them for how ridiculously wealthy they are and move on. Part of their joy is spending on people they love. Trust me on this.” Jan was reassuring, so Valerie walked further into the space and marveled at the clothes, neatly arranged, and seemingly perfect for her.

“They’re all lovely.”

“I heard you are a recent college graduate. I put a few interview type outfits in there too.”

“Yeah, I have a construction management degree, but my actual diploma was burnt to a crisp with everything else.” The memory put a dark shadow on the lovely gesture her aunt and Jan had done to make her feel welcome.

“The piece of paper isn’t the degree, dear.” Jan put a hand on her shoulder.

“True.” She pushed back the images of her parents and the fire and concentrated on how lucky she was to have a family, one she’d hardly ever seen before this, swoop in and help her get back on her feet.

“Now, your aunt wanted you me to invite you to their event tonight.” Jan did some futzing with her room, almost a final inspection, as she talked.

“What kind of event?”

“Your uncle’s business. He owns a sports league. Have you ever been to an MMA fight?”

“No, my dad was into football, not MMA, so I’ve been to a couple of Lions games in Detroit.”

“My condolences. Anyway, your aunt and uncle will be attending tonight’s Main Event Friday Night Fight, and you’re their guest if you’re up to it. I’d go if I were you, it will be a great distraction from all the bullshit you’ve had to deal with the last week.” Jan was matter of fact. It was easy to connect with her, just like it was easy to love Aunt Susan’s warmth. Valerie admired Jan’s short red wedge haircut. It moved and flitted around as she did the same in the apartment.

“Oh, okay.” Valerie was curious, and she didn’t want to seem ungrateful. She was going to an MMA fight tonight if Aunt Susan wanted her to. This was not on her bucket list of life events, but the prospect of seeing something new, of thinking about something other than the strange turn her life had taken was appealing. And in all honesty, she realized that wearing one of the pretty things Jan had picked out gave her a little jolt of excitement.

“So, my recommendation for tonight, just pick anything in this row. Your uncle and aunt dress up for these things.”

“Gotcha.”

“I’ll let you be. The fridge is stocked, and so is the bathroom. Relax, snack, nap, get ready, whatever you need. Do you remember how to get to the front of the house? It’s a monster I realized.”

“I think I can manage.”

“They’ll be ready to drive over to the arena at 6:30 p.m. you’ve got a few hours to just be.”

“Jan, thank you so much.”

“My pleasure. You’ve been through a lot. Your aunt told me. We’re all happy to be able to help you get back on your feet. Susan loves filling this house.” Jan and Aunt Susan were masters at making her feel less alone, and reassuring her that she wasn’t an imposition.

Valerie nodded, and Jan left her alone.

She didn’t have a lawyer, or a funeral director, or firefighter, or Trent, hovering over her. She was alone. Her heart had felt bereft and yet she’d been surrounded by people since the fire. She hadn’t had a moment to be alone, like this, with her own thoughts and emotions.

She felt a few fat tears roll down her cheeks and she rubbed them away. She focused on her luck, instead of the incredible loss, even curse, the last few days seemed to be.

Somehow she’d landed with the sweetest people. She’d gone from nothing to everything. And she was so grateful for it. Valerie decided to try out the luxurious bathroom and get ready for the fight they were attending.

The worst moments of the last few days receded a bit, if only for a few hours, and it was a relief.

She took a bath, perused the kitchenette, and then chose a simple black dress from the closet. She didn’t have a clue what an MMA fight was really like so it seemed a safe selection.

Valerie had thick blonde hair. If she were going out with friends, she’d typically leave it wavy and loose. But for tonight she decided on pulling it back in a tight ponytail. She didn’t want it flying around. She still felt a deep sadness. Her life had been ripped apart, and the frilly things she’d once enjoyed such as getting ready for dances in high school or shopping with her Mom, were gone.

She also wanted to be respectful of how much Aunt Susan and Uncle Meyer were doing for her, so she did make an effort to look nice. Hopefully, it was enough.

Valerie made her way to the front of the house and tried not to gawk at the architectural details of the place. It was an old Victorian mansion brought back to life. She would love to have seen the process of restoring this place. That was her college degree after all.

She gasped as her pretty Aunt Susan walked into the foyer.

“My goodness Valerie, you’re stunning.”

“I was thinking the same about you, Aunt Susan. Am I dressed okay?” Her aunt wore a long red sheath and a shiny gold choker and bracelets to match.

“Are you kidding? Perfection. Meyer, we’re going to need bodyguards for this one once the fighters look at her.” She smiled as she called out. She heard him before she saw him, but there was no mistaking her Uncle Meyer Thompson. He was six-four, but you noticed his broad shoulders more than his height.

“I’ll kick their asses myself.” His voice was low and strong, and Valerie watched her aunt light up as he walked into the room. Meyer Thompson’s head was shaved bald, he wore the whitest dress shirt she’d ever seen, and she supposed his back suit was more expensive than her college education.

“Meyer this is my niece.” Aunt Susan introduced Valerie to her uncle. Meyer Thompson, who she’d only heard whispers of growing up, who her dad seemed to be trying to hide from, was in front of her. She had no idea how to greet the billionaire.

“This your niece? This is our niece. We’re a family young lady, and it’s been way too long.” Thompson hugged her lightly, and he had a smile on his face that lit up his eyes. She was prepared to be scared, but instead, she felt welcomed by this bear of a man.

“Nice to meet you, Uncle Meyer. I am so grateful to you and Aunt Susan.” She hadn’t planned it, but she felt tears well up again.

“Honey, the minute we heard about what happened to your parents no one could stop us from scooping you up!” Meyer Thompson kept a protective arm around her shoulder, and she tried to stifle her emotions. She feared she could easily lose it after all she’d been through the last few days.

“Your daddy and I had our differences, and it is going to haunt me for the rest of my life that we didn’t end on better terms but you’re a second chance for us to be close.” Aunt Susan alluded to the fact that her daddy did have something against her aunt and uncle. Valerie knew it was jealousy, plain and simple, but she wasn’t going to bring it up. She didn’t like feeling that uncharitable toward her dad, but she’d seen the evidence of his weaknesses the last few days.

Her parents were gone, and she had to move forward.

“I’ll warn you now. We have all sons, your cousins, and they’re all off having their own adventures. Your aunt has been waiting years to buy girl stuff. Don’t be surprised if pink shit keeps showing up at the door.”

“Meyer.” Aunt Susan scolded her husband, but she did it with a smile. Valerie got a distinct feeling that these two people loved and respected each other.

“What do you know about MMA?” Aunt Susan asked her.

“It’s in a cage, right?” She wasn’t going to pretend she knew more than she did.

Aunt Susan and Uncle Meyer explained the basics about the sport during the limo ride over to the Grand City Convention Center Arena. She wished she had a cell phone so she could look up how it was Meyer Thompson came to be the boss of the 21C League. But with no phone, she’d have to do it the old-fashioned way: ask.

“Did you found the 21C?” She asked her uncle.

“I did, back in the day it was a melee of fighting styles. You could brawl how you wanted. A few of us worked to make it a sport with rules, standards, and a league like the NFL.”

“Meyer and I met during that melee,” Susan chimed in.

“I bet that’s a quite a story.” Valerie wondered about it. And it gave her hope. Her own parents always seemed disappointed in each other, in the world. The Thompsons had the opposite vibe. Maybe being a billionaire put you in a better mood. Valerie shooed away her cynicism.

“Tonight, we’ll be watching about six fights. Undercards and main events.” Valerie was actually amazed that her uncle had the patience to answer her novice questions, but he did until the call came in.

“Ooh, gotta take this, dolls,” he said, and Aunt Susan took over describing what they were about to watch. Her uncle switched his attention to the call and handled whatever it was billionaires had to handle. There was something old-fashioned about him, like a tycoon from a movie she’d seen. But he was all too real. Her aunt handled him the way she appeared to handle most things, smoothly, and with a kind demeanor. Her uncle’s toughness and her aunt’s sweetness were a perfect balance.

“I’ll talk you through the matches if you need. There are things I’m still learning after all these years.” She must have been to a million events during their marriage.

Once they got into the arena conversation was impossible. In the NFL if you were a big deal you sat up in the boxes, away from the action, but in MMA the boss was ringside. She and Aunt Susan held hands as they made their way down close to the cage that would be the center of the action.

Valerie took it all in. The music, the lights, and then the blood. She watched two undercards with female fighters first. They were fast, muscular, and brutal. Then came the first match for the men.

“This guy, I’m watching him closely.” Her Uncle said to them, and Valerie’s eyes moved to where the fighters entered.

“Hailing from Holland, Michigan, weighing in at 170 pounds, challenger at middle-weight, ZANE DIGGS!”

Valerie followed the spotlight as it landed on Zane Diggs. The crowd noise fell away, the hype song muted, and all her senses keyed into this person, Zane, entering the ring.

He was muscle and sinew, motion and reflex, power and intensity. Valerie was riveted. She thought for a second maybe she was star struck or naïve. Maybe being so close to the action had rattled her common sense. But it was more than that.

She sat in the seats behind her aunt and uncle. They chatted, made observations, and helped her understand. As Zane Diggs climbed into the octagon, they didn’t appear completely floored, as she was. She felt something powerful and confusing as hell.

A cord of invisible energy connected her to him. She had no explanation. Valerie’s eyes were fixed on Zane’s, and then he found her. They were connected in the seconds before the fight. And then it was over.

Zane Diggs focused on his opponent. Valerie didn’t even remember the other guy’s name or what he looked like. She had no doubt she could describe every rippled muscle, the green compression shorts, the sandy hair pulled away from his face. And his face.

His jaw looked sharp as a knife. His lips were a determined line. She could have drawn him now, she had no doubt, in full detail, even if she never saw him again.

“Shit, he’s fast.” She was shaken from her focus and from whatever spell she’d been under by the sound of Uncle Meyer and Aunt Susan. They were assessing which fighters, if any, to offer contracts to for his league, the 21C.

“He is fast. Good looking too. He’s got star quality.” Aunt Susan turned back to Valerie and winked at her when she said it. Did her aunt understand what had happened? Was she teasing?

Valerie’s focus stayed on the center ring, and everything dimmed around her but the fighter. She watched and remembered the things she’d learned about the rules from her aunt and uncle. She was pretty sure Zane Diggs was winning on all levels. And then he removed any doubt.

The fight ended with a brutal and definitive punch, a hook, from Zane Diggs to his opponent’s jaw. She glanced over at Meyer Thompson. Was this as impressive to a seasoned expert at the sport, or just her? She was sure her uncle’s eyes lit up.

“Oh yeah, he’s got something.” Her uncle said to her aunt. Zane Diggs stepped into the center of the octagon while people attended to the damage he’d caused the other fighter.

He found her again. In the arena with so many people, lights, screens, and things to dazzle your attention, the fighter who’d just overcome another human with the force of his fist locked eyes with her.

They announced him as the winner and raised his hand and the invisible connection of light and heat was gone. Zane Diggs was swept up into the trappings of his sweet victory just as Valerie had been swept into a world of boxers and billionaires.

One she didn’t know existed even this morning.