Chapter 12
Waking up to yet another empty bed, I suppose this is my life dating a fighter. I just lie there for a moment stretching my body in bed; I look over at my bedside table, Rhett every morning has left me a note, leaning over I take the note and open it up.
When I saw you for the first time, in my hotel room, I knew I had found someone beautiful, someone special. And ever since then, all I want is to be with you. Seeing you happy brightens my day and makes me think I’m doing the right things, chasing you to be my girlfriend is the best thing I have done in my life.
You have the most loving and forgiving heart I have ever known, and I can assure you that you will remain the centre of attention for me. I will do everything in my capacity to keep you happy, to keep you smiling, even if it kills me. Every night I get to lie next to you, and that makes me the happiest man on the planet, knowing that you will be there when I come home is the only thing that pushes me to train.
Thank you for being here, and I love you.
Getting out of bed, I walk over to my journals and place the letter with the rest of them that he been leaving me when he goes in the morning, and I have to say it’s the most romantic thing that anyone has ever done for me. To the world, Rhett Johnson is this tough guy but to me he’s the most, caring man in the world.
My plan for the day is to study and call Ed. He sent me a message last night telling me to call him, as I haven’t spoken to him for a while, which is true it’s not because I didn’t want to talk to him, he always seems to know when there is something wrong with me. I have no idea how he knows, but he does.
Getting out of the shower, I call Ed before I get a message from him asking if I’m still in bed, waiting for him to answer I look out of the window and see the delivery man walking towards the house. “Hey there,” I say as Ed answers, I walk down the stairs, “give me two second Ed, there is a delivery,” I tell him. Opening the door, I smile at the man holding a big bouquet of roses.
“Miss Scarlett Parker?” He asks.
“Yes, thank you.” I smile taking the flowers from him, giving them a smell, I smile. Holding the phone with my shoulder, I walk over to fill a vase with water.
“So how are we, Ed?” I ask as I grab the scissors to cut the end, I look for a card before I open them up, and there it is sitting on the top.
I love you, Rhett. x
“Good, just wanted to check in with you. See how you are?” Ed asks I can hear the girls in the background shouting something.
Cutting the ends of the flowers, I place them nicely in the vase, “everything is good, Rhett and I are fine. We had a little hiccup, but…” Sitting on the stool, I play with the petal, “I had family here that supported me and helped me,” I say.
“Family?” He asks I can hear the surprise in his voice, and I smile.
“I know, never thought I would say that, but Jay, Helen, and Terry have been amazing since I’ve been here,” I take a deep breath before I even tell him the next part. “I found out something about Rhett, and trust me it didn’t go very well for me, and Jay got into a fight with his best friend, and I mean punches were thrown, and then yesterday Zach came in front of me, and Jay protected me…” I walk over to the sink to get some water, “Jay knew he wasn’t a match for Zach, but that didn’t stop him,” I tell Ed, who is quite for a moment.
“You know something Scarlett, I have been waiting for this day for you, for you to let someone else into your life finally other than Noah and me,” he says in a very bubbly voice. I bet if I were in front of him, he would be jumping up and down, cheering for me.
“Well, for the first time, even though Rhett hasn’t told me everything, I’m so happy with life,” I can’t stop smiling, I’m so much more relaxed than I use to be. “I also helped that girl Chloe, I was telling you about, I got her to talk to some of the other girls there,” I tell Ed, and just knowing that I have helped one girl makes me proud of myself.
“That’s amazing Scarlett, and you sound really happy too,” Ed says.
“I am, Ed I really am,” I reassure him, I don’t want him to worry about me, I want to tell him that I’m good, but if I do, I think he will worry more.
“Scarlett have you ever thought about studying to become a social worker, to help girls that have been through something and needed someone to talk to.” Ed asks, and I’m silent for a moment, as it’s something that I’ve never thought about, never thought I could do it, “Think about it, you will still have to do your GED before you can do that, so work on finishing that first,” he says. I think I must have been more quiet than I expected.
“I will think about it, but first GED,” I laugh, I need to finish that before I even think about what is next on my list, “soon as I get off the phone, I will start the next piece,” I tell him.
“I will let you get working then,” Ed says, ending the call.
Looking at the roses in the vase, I send Rhett a message.
Me - Thank you for the flowers. I love you too.
* * *
I have spent all morning working on my assignment, one thing I know is Science is not my best subject, I think I spent more time reading up on the subject than I did writing my essay. Then when I had to do research I found out that what I had written was all crap, so I deleted everything that I had written. After five hours of reading, typing deleting I gave up for the day, starting to get a headache, and I needed to get out of the house.
I was going to call Jay and see what he is up to, but I thought it’s best not too, he has his date with Amy tonight, and I didn’t want him keeping me company when he will be getting ready, or whatever it is that guys do before a big night out. So I thought I would surprise Rhett at the gym, I found out that, that place Jay took me to Nando’s do a takeaway, so I picked up some lunch for us. I didn’t know what Terry and Rhett eat, so I thought it was safe to buy two meals for them.
Opening the door to the gym, I look at the photos on the wall in the hall, I stop at one of a young boy, it takes me a moment to believe that the kid is Rhett, never would you think that this little skinny boy is now, literally ten times the size. I smile at the photo looking at Terry wrapping his arm over Rhett. Walking along looking at the picture, they have a few of Rhett with his belts, and some of the other fighters that I can only guess train here too.
Walking through the door, I’m hit with the strongest smell of sweat, looking around I can see why there is a lot of people in here all training, just seeing a few of them I can see the sweat dripping off them. My eyes stop at one of the walls, with the words, ‘It Doesn’t Get Easier You Get Stronger’ written across it. I turn around when I hear a loud crash behind me, looking at the man lying on the mat in the ring, I look over at the other ring to see if Rhett is in there. There he is standing in the middle letting some guy punch his stomach over and over again, as I walk closer to the ring, I sit on the chair to watch, hearing every punch hitting him.
“One,” I hear Terry shout out, and Rhett moves a little to the side, and the man starts hitting his side, “Other,” Terry shouts, and Rhett moves to the other side so that the man can get in a few hits on that side. How does his body recover in time for the fight if this is how he trains. “Stop,” Terry shouts, and Rhett walks over to Terry, he has still not seen me, but I like that he didn’t, and I got to see a small part of it. Terry nods his head towards me, and Rhett turns around.
Smiling at me, he walks over, and under the ropes. “Hey sweetheart,” he leans down to give me a kiss, “what do I owe this visit?” He asks pulling a chair over to me.
“Nothing needed a break from studying, so I thought I would bring lunch,” showing him the bag, “and I wanted to come see the gym that you have been training in for years,” I say, getting up to give Terry a kiss on the cheek.
“Hi sweetheart, I hope there is food in there for me too?” He asks, making me laugh.
“How could I forget you,” I say sitting back down, “I didn’t know what you guys eat, so I got you guys, two meals.” I smile at them both.
“Let’s go in the back to eat,” Terry takes the bag from me, getting up I follow him. Looking around at the some of the women training, looking at their body’s, all I’m thinking is ‘that is the body that I need,’ but I am way too lazy to even do half of what she is doing. “So how has your morning been?” Terry asks as I walk through the door.
“Good, been trying to study but everything I wrote I kept deleting so I thought I would come see what happens here,” taking off my coat I put it behind the chair, “I love the photo’s in the hall as you enter,” I say looking over at Rhett.
“That was my first day here; Terry brought be here after he stopped me getting into a fight if I remember right his words were, ‘if you want to fight, let's go and fight,’ and that’s when he made me a fighter.” Rhett looks up at Terry, who can feel the special moment between them, which is short lived.
“I’ll grab you some tissues, you pussy,” Terry says, and I start laughing, Terry shakes his head at him, “you want to sort out the emotional shit before the fight, or I swear I will kick the shit out of you.” Terry turns to me, “you coming to the fight?” He asks.
“Well, I don’t want to be home alone on New Year's Eve, what time is the fight?” I ask.
“We will be out of there to bring in the new year in style,” Rhett tells me, “there is no way I’m letting this get to five rounds,” Rhett looks over giving me a wink.
This time I’m not stopping Rhett, he can beat him until they have to take him out on a stretcher for all I care. I want this part of my life over with, so I can finally look forward to what life has in store for me.
“Right, I’m going to get things for the next part of training, you staying sweetheart?” Terry asks me.
“No, I thought I would get the tube to town, and have a look around Oxford Street,” I thought I would go on the hunt for some Christmas presents, and see what I can find. I thought about some candles for Helen, but Terry and Jay I still have no idea, hope walking into some shops will help me. Helen said that she would go shopping with me next week, but I messaged her this morning to say I was thinking about going into London, so I will let her know, but she told me she would meet me there, and I didn’t want to say no to her.
“Well I will see you tomorrow for lunch then,” giving me a kiss he leaves, and I look at Rhett.
“So I hear you don’t want to marry me,” Rhett asks, my eyes move away from his face to a poster behind him, “Scarlett.” I look back to him because he doesn’t say my name a lot, but now this time he uses it in a way which is so much more serious. “I won’t ask you to marry me, I was going to ask you, yes, but Terry spoke to me, and I understand that you can’t take that step with me until you know my demons, and you will I promise.” Pulling my chair closer to him, “one day Scarlett Parker you will be my wife, that I do promise you that.” Rhett grabs the back of my neck and kisses me.
“Well just so you know, I’m not even thinking about getting married,” I tell him, which is true. Getting married has never been on my list of things I want, but then again having a boyfriend was never on that list, things change and when he does ask me who knows I might even say yes to him.
“So what are you going to Oxford Street for?” Rhett asks, not saying anything to what I have just said, but I know that he knows me well enough, to know when the time is right.
“Christmas gifts, thought I would go to some shops and see what I can get for everyone, I have you sort of an idea or Helen, and that's about it,” I say finishing off my salad.
“How about we buy everyone a gift together?” Rhett asks, eating some of my chicken, and I look at him, “I know you're not going to finish it,” he smiles then kisses me.
“Buying gifts together that's a big commitment,” I start laughing, “but that would be better as I have no idea what to get Terry and Jay,” I tell him, as he walks over to the lockers. “You mom is going to meet me there, so I want to get her gift before I meet up with her,” I watch him walking over to me.
“Terry get him a whiskey bottle, ask my mom which one to get, and then a nice whiskey glass set, and for Jay, a bag and wallet,” taking his card out of his wallet.
“Rhett I have mon…”
“I know you do, but first we are now doing gifts together so if it makes you feel better you buy some on my card some on your card, and second I wasn’t giving you my card because I thought you have no money. I was giving you my card because I don’t see the difference between my money and your money, we’re a team.” Putting the card on the table in front of me, sitting back down, “have fun, I will message you when I finish here, and maybe meet you there or back home,” He says, looking up at the clock.
“You get back to training, and I will meet you at home,” Standing up with him, I give him a kiss, “save some energy for home,” I say giving him a wink as we walk back out to everyone, I look over to Terry and give him a wave.
* * *
I always heard the Oxford Street is busy, and around Christmas, it is worse, but I was not expecting this I mean I can just about walk on the sidewalk. Helen called me and told me to meet her outside a shop called Next, so walking along I look at them stores. I got Helen’s gift soon as I got there, I wasn’t sure how long she would be. I ended up getting her two candles and a beautiful perfume set from a brand called Jo Malone, have no idea if we have one in the states, but I’m going to find out because I ended up buying some for myself too. I am so glad Noah gave me all my savings back because they are not cheap.
I see Helen over the road, walking over to her, “Hello,” I say giving her a kiss on the cheek.
“You started without me,” she looks at the bags, “let’s get some hot chocolate warm ourselves up a little,” she says, and I follow her.
“Yeah, I went in there, and everything smelled amazing, so got a few things, I would have gotten a lot more, but I had to stop myself.” I smile at her, “now I should stop shopping for myself and buy Christmas gifts,” following her into a coffee shop, and the first thing I do is eye up some cakes. “Oh this looks nice,” I point to the cake, Victoria sponge cake.
“Can I have one white hot chocolate,” Helen looks over to me, and I mouth the same to her, “make that two please, one Victoria sponge and one Bakewell tart please.” I don’t fight with her about paying because she already has her card in her hand, the man behind the counter tells Helen that he will bring it over to the table for us. Following Helen to the table.
“Did you have a nice morning?” I ask her, putting my bags under the table.
“Cleaning, and laundry, so it was nice when you called to go shopping,” Helen replies as she pulls her chair in, “how was your morning?”
“I was studying, but science is not that easy,” I start laughing, “so I thought shopping always fixes everything,” I give the man a smile as he puts the tray on the table for us.
“Yes, shopping does fix everything, is there anything you want to look at?”
“Yes, Rhett said to buy Terry a whiskey bottle and to ask you which one,” taking a spoonful of my cake, “Oh this is good,” I say, dropping some of the marshmallows into my drink.
“I know the perfect one for him,” she looks at me, “do you have a gift for Rhett?” Helen asks.
“I bought an iPod and put loads of music on it, but want to get something else just don’t know what yet, was thinking about getting him some wireless headphones for when he’s training, but I don’t think he trains alone. Then I went into Selfridges and really like Tom Ford things, so not sure.” I tell her.
I look at the group of girls sitting at the back of the coffee shop laughing; I smile to myself.
“We can have a look around; we will have to stay until it gets dark so we can see the lights, I bet you haven’t seen them yet, we can tell Rhett and Terry to join us for dinner.” I did want to spend time with Rhett at home, but I think dinner out would be nice.
“That would be great, good job I brought my camera with me,” I smile, drinking my hot chocolate, this feels so nice, the whipped cream on top is amazing.
“I will send them a message, and that way you won’t have to get the tube by yourself with all the shopping bags,” she says taking her phone out of her bag.
Helen stated that Selfridges is where Terry’s gift would be, and she knows what he wants, so I followed her there, which was good because that is where Rhett’s gift is too. We stopped at the Tom Ford counter as I wanted to show her what I was thinking of buying him, it bugs me that he only uses soap to wash his face. I know there is nothing wrong with his beautiful face, and I won’t change a thing, but I want him to look after it too, so I wanted to buy some skin care items. Helen told me that it was a really good idea and he would like that someone is thinking about things like that for him, so I bought that too. Jay and Terry’s gifts I bought from Rhett’s card because I didn’t want to fight over it with him. After today all my Christmas shopping is done, I have all my gifts, wrapping paper, and ribbon, all I need now is a tree, which is what I’m going to tell Rhett we are getting in the morning, so we have a tree up and decorated before lunch. I do like that Terry gives him one day of in the week, where we can enjoy the day.
Rhett and Terry are meeting us inside Selfridges, because Helen said it would easier to meet inside than outside, walking back to the Jo Malone counter again, because I just can’t get enough of the scents, Helen said she would meet me back here as she wanted to pick something up.
“So looks like you brought everything you need,” Rhett wraps his arms around me from behind and kisses my neck, “what are we eyeing up now?” He asks taking the candle from me.
I turn to face him, “I bought some for Helen, and already bought some for us because it all smells amazing,” I tell him because it does. Rhett smells the body butter.
“What did you buy for us?” Rhett asks, looking at the other stuff.
“I got us a candle for the kitchen and bedroom, one perfume for me, and a hand wash and lotion,” I tell him as the sale assistant walks over to him.
“My girlfriend like this, can I have this and whatever else it comes with,” Rhett hands her the cream I was looking at with a smile on his face, turning to me. “If you want it buy it,” I look at him and think that he has forgot I don’t have money just to spend on these things. The only reason I bought the stuff I did was because I was buying gifts from his card too now if I wasn’t then I wouldn’t have bought them, “Sweetheart, time to start treating yourself to the things you want.” Pulling me in for a kiss, “can I have my card back now?” He asks, smiling at me.
“Yes,” I say taking his card out from my bag and handing it over to him.
The sales assistant walks back and hands me the bag and Rhett pays her; I look at him, look at his hands and my eyes follow to them, they are so red. Taking the card from the sale assistant he turns to walk over to me, I choose not to say anything to him about it, him and Terry both know what they are doing. Giving me a kiss, “this is the best Christmas ever,” he says, taking my hand in his I start walking with him.
“Glad you feel that way because tomorrow we are going to get a Christmas tree,” I look at him smiling, “and decorations,” leaning closer to him to give him a kiss.
Never did I think that I would be so happy around Christmas, even though I always had Noah who will always be my family, every year I would worry about can I afford everything, but this year I have no worries about anything. Noah is having a lovely Christmas with Penny and her family, and I’m having a great Christmas with Rhett and his family, my family.