Epilogue
Jess
After doing the final touches on Gina’s braid, I scooped her up into a hug then stood up and walked over to the mirror.
“You look adorable,” I said.
She looked into the mirror. “So beautiful.”
“How about we find a bow to match your dress?”
“Yes! Yes!”
Gina wriggled out of my arms and shot out of the bathroom. I checked my hair, tucking a stray strand back into place. Noah wanted Gina and me to get dressed up for dinner tonight. We continued their tradition of getting all dolled up before heading out to a fancy restaurant. On top of our regular weekly date nights, where Mom graciously took Gina for the evening, this was another night I highlighted in my calendar and couldn’t wait for each month. Since Noah didn’t need to wear a suit every day, the three of us tended to dress on the casual side most days.
It was nice to take our time to get dressed up for a night out. And including Gina made it that much more special.
My little black dress hung on the hook outside of my closet, waiting for me to slip it on. There was no shortage of sticky fingers from Gina, so I always got dressed last. Once she was in her dressy clothes, Gina had an air of a princess and didn’t do anything to mess up her “pretty clothes.”
I went into Gina’s bedroom to help her with her dress. She had several of them out on the floor and she was trying to get one over her head.
“My braid!” she cried, and I hurried over to her.
“One second, hold still,” I said.
“Did I mess it up?” she said then stuck out her lower lip.
“No, it’s fine,” I said. “I put enough hairspray in there to keep it in place.”
She sighed heavily.
I adjusted the navy blue dress with silver sequins over her shoulders. I zipped it up and then fluffed the tulle out around her legs.
She twirled in place and then ran off to her closet to get a pair of black patent leather shoes. “I want to wear these.”
“All right, take a seat, milady,” I said with a deep bow.
Gina giggled into her hands and sat down in a chair usually reserved for tea parties. Gina looked the part of a princess going off to a fancy tea party. She kicked out her feet, and I slipped the shoes on over them.
“I’m so excited!” she said, clicking her heels together when I was finished with her shoes. “When is Daddy getting home?”
“He should be home soon, so now I’m going to go get ready,” I said.
“Can I watch?”
“Sure.”
Gina came into the master bedroom, and I set her up on one of the chairs near the window.
I pulled out my dress, and she let out an appreciative, “Oooh.”
“You like it?”
“I do.”
“I’ll be right back.”
I went inside the walk-in closet and shed my bathrobe. I found this dress a few months ago at a boutique during one of our trips. Gina and Noah had gone off on their own for the afternoon, so I walked the area and window shopped.
When I saw this dress, I knew it was special. And I was proved correct when I tried it on. The strapless dress was fitted at the waist, and the bottom flowed down my legs in waves. A golden fabric peeked out the bottom of the dress that reached my mid-thigh.
I hadn’t worn it before, waiting for a special occasion. Even though we’d had plenty of fancy dinner nights in the past, none of those nights felt right. That is, until today. There was an electricity in the air that I couldn’t ignore and I had a feeling this night was going to be special.
I slipped on the dress, and it still fit me, even after all these months. I grabbed a pair of high heels and slipped them on, adding almost four inches to my height and accentuating my calf muscles.
When I came out of the closet, Gina jumped out of her seat. “Wow, Jess.”
“Thanks,” I said.
Then I heard the front door slam downstairs.
“Daddy!” she said and took off.
I heard his voice floating up the stairwell and knew Gina would be preoccupied. I took a moment to check myself out in the full-length mirror and couldn’t help but smile. I’d tied my hair back into a simple bun at the back of my neck, and I went over to my jewelry box to pick out a bracelet and earrings. The dress was simple enough that I didn’t want to overdo it on the accessories, but I needed something to make it pop just a teeny bit more.
When I was finished, I looked at myself in the mirror one more time before heading downstairs.
Noah’s briefcase sat next to the stairs, and I heard their voices in the living room.
Noah went into the satellite office once a week to consult on the operations of his company. I knew he couldn’t stay away forever, but since he “retired,” he was particular about the amount of time he spent there. And since going back, he had weekends off to travel with us, and he was always home before five. I was happy that he could fit in his job with his new lifestyle. It only took him a year to figure it all out.
I walked into the kitchen and smiled when I saw Noah sitting on the couch with Gina. He wore a suit from work, but this one was a little more dressy than normal. I’d been right about tonight. I didn’t pry, but I had a feeling that Noah thought tonight would be special too.
He stood up and crossed the room.
When he reached me, he took my hands in his. “You look absolutely breathtaking.”
“Thanks.”
He turned to Gina. “Shall we?”
Noah hadn’t told us where we were going for dinner that night. But I was surprised when he got onto the highway toward Sydney.
For other dinners, we stayed local to Mona Vale or one or two towns over. But this time it appeared I’d been right about tonight being more special than just a regular dinner out with the family.
Gina kept Noah preoccupied with the events of the day, so I didn’t get a chance to ask where we were going.
Though, when the Sydney Harbor Bridge came into view, I knew for a fact that Noah had something up his sleeve. We hadn’t traveled that far before during our monthly family night.
What was he up to?
Gina openly gaped out the window at the brilliant lights around the Sydney Opera House and the Harbor Bridge. She distracted me enough that I didn’t realize it when we reached our distraction.
Noah pulled the car up to the curb of a restaurant. He lifted my hand and kissed it before getting out of the car to greet the valet. Two other valets came around to open the doors for Gina and me.
“Thank you,” I said to the valet.
Noah rounded the car and took Gina and my hand in his.
“Where did you find out about this place?” I asked him.
“I wanted to do something new for tonight,” he said. “I did my research.”
We entered the restaurant, and it was definitely one of the more expensive places. I knew my outfit was fine for the occasion, but my mind was unprepared for the elegant venue.
Noah strode over to the hostess and announced our arrival. The young girl beamed up at Noah and then signaled for us to follow her. I had no issue with the way women responded to Noah. It was almost like second nature for them to be attracted to his charm and good looks.
The hostess’ ponytail swished around as she walked through the restaurant toward our table.
Noah held tight onto my hand, and with my free hand, I held Gina’s. The place was packed, though I know Noah liked to have a window seat for these dinners. Gina’s manners weren’t of concern, but he really liked nice views. And I couldn’t imagine him making a reservation at this place without having a view.
As we neared the floor-to-ceiling windows facing the water, the Opera House appeared to float right in front of us.
The hostess pushed through the glass doors leading to the outside deck.
The edges of the deck were adorned with twinkle lights strung across the entire perimeter. There were hundreds of flowers in various clusters around the deck. A table set for three was the focal point of the space. And other than a bucket with champagne chilling inside, the table and chairs were the only other pieces of furniture.
“Noah,” I breathed. “Is this for us?”
“Yes,” he said.
The hostess retreated back inside the restaurant, and we went toward the table. A single red rose adorned two of the plates. Noah went over to Gina and helped her into the chair with the booster, and then he came over to me. I was still a little stunned and he had to prompt me to sit down.
I glanced around our general vicinity. It had been a warm day, and the heat still lingered under the cool breeze rippling off the water.
“I can’t believe you did this,” I said.
“Well, tonight is special for us,” he said. “For all of us. Jess, before you came into our lives, we were a strong family unit. But we were missing something. I was missing a partner to fill my heart while Gina missed a mother to fill hers. I thank whoever is up there looking down on us for sending you into our lives. I don’t know where we would be today without you. And I know you’ve been a member of our family since the moment you stepped into our lives, but tonight, I wanted to make it official.”
I opened my mouth to say something when Noah got up from his chair and knelt next to mine. He took my hand in his and lifted a black velvet box from his jacket pocket.
“Jessica Holland, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?” Noah asked.
My head spun, and my jaw slackened. I wanted to scream out a big fat YES, but there was one thing I had to do first.
I glanced over at Gina. “Gina, I want to make sure this is what you want too.”
“I want you to be my mom,” Gina said with a big smile on her face.
My eyes teared up, and I turned back to Noah, nodding my head. “Yes, of course, I will marry you.”
Noah opened the box, revealing a massive diamond ring. He slipped in on my finger, and I jumped up out of my chair and kissed him. One of the thousands of kisses that we’d share as an engaged and married couple.
Gina came around the table to hug my leg. I broke the kiss and Noah reached down, lifting his daughter to his hip. The three of us embraced each other. And I’d never felt more whole or happier in my entire life.
EXTREME
By Claire Adams
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places and incidents are products of the writer's imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2017 Claire Adams
Chapter One
Justin
It was my fight night. I sat at the back of the arena under the overhang. From my seat, I could see how rowdy and pumped the crowd was. It was smaller than what I was used to, but it was okay. I was the main event. I was the reason everyone was there that night. It felt amazing.
The noise from the crowd was deafening. It was great because I could feel the energy in the crowd. The louder they became, the more it pumped me up for the fight. Most of the people there were eagerly waiting for me to take down my latest opponent.
I liked to stand near the back and watch the crowd get ready for me to appear. It helped me use that as motivation for my fights. I always stood where they couldn’t see me so I wouldn’t distract from the fight.
“You’re gonna do great tonight, kid,” Artie said from beside me.
“I know,” I said confidently.
This circuit was small, but I was ready for a few knockouts. I was ready to climb those ranks and show them who I really was. I didn’t feel nervous. In fact, I was so pumped that I began to bounce around a little bit. It kept my blood flowing.
I heard the announcer’s voice echo through the arena as he announced my opponent. I didn’t really pay attention to his name because I knew I would knock him out so quickly that it wouldn’t matter. Then, I heard my own name.
“And he’s here to climb the ranks, hoping to go further than anyone before him, JUUUUSTIIIIIIN SIIIIIMOOOOON!” he drug my name out for effect. My heart raced with anticipation. I loved hearing my name announced.
The crowd went wild, screaming, cheering, clapping, and chanting. There were a few boos, but from the sound of it, there weren’t very many. It was easy to block those out.
I followed Artie, my coach, down the aisle to the cage. People screamed at me as I walked by. I fist bumped a few of my fans and elicited even more cheers.
I could make out what some of them were saying, “Yeah!! Justin!” and “Kick his ass!” “Knock him down!” “You got this bro!” I appreciated my fans because I worked so hard to get to where I was. Four years ago, I wasn’t much of anything. I was nothing more than a walking mess, and now there I was, making a name for myself in the world of MMA.
It always made me laugh when people I barely knew would call me “bro.” It always seemed to be my die-hard fans that used that term of brotherhood. Even though they probably didn’t know a single thing about me, it never bothered me. They were the reason I kept going. They were the reason I continued to step into that cage fight after fight.
I entered the cage and looked around. A few of the newer fighters were right in front. They were hoping to pick up a few tips from me that night. They wanted to be up close and personal with me. They wanted to learn from me. Knowing there were fighters who wanted to be like me was more flattering than anything I’d ever felt before.
I looked around the crowd a little more. I took in so many faces, but none were memorable. Then, I spotted her. Anna. I was so glad to see her. I’d asked her to come, but I half-expected she wouldn’t show. That might have made for an awkward appointment the next time I met with her, but she was there, and she looked so hot sitting there watching me. She was close enough to see all the action, but far enough away to avoid the bodily fluids that might fly off during the fights. Smart girl. It was something I liked about her. She was sitting next to a girl who looked a little like her. They were whispering and, for a moment, I wished I could hear what they were saying.
I put my mouth piece in and smiled at her. She smiled back, and it was enough to drive me crazy. She had the best smile I had ever seen in my life.
I had never been with her, but I thought about it a lot. She was so hot. And not to mention, she was one of the sweetest girls I had ever met. Hot and sweet had always been a deadly combination for me in a woman. I was ready to show off for her so she could see how much of a man I was.
Anna was my massage therapist, and even though I hadn’t been with anyone in four years, I always thought it would be fun to date her.
From my spot in the cage, I could barely make out her dark brown hair and eyes. They both looked almost black because of the lighting. She had the best body and was a total knockout. I couldn’t get enough of her when she was around.
I was hoping she would stick around after my fight so I could talk to her for a minute. My mind was far away, focused on Anna, when I heard Artie trying to get my attention.
“I need you to focus,” Artie said, snapping me back to reality. “Let’s talk strategy before you get out there.”
I nodded my head because there was no point in trying to talk with my mouth piece in. I would have had to remove it in order to form any coherent sentences.
“This guy should be a walk in the park for you. All you need to do is watch for when he puts his guard down and then hit him high. You’ll get a KO for sure,” he said.
I studied my opponent for a minute. Artie was right. He had been in this business for a long time. I always trusted his judgment in the cage. I had to. I knew there was no way I would ever win a fight without him as my coach. I nodded my head again to show Artie that I understood him and was going to follow his advice.
The bell rang, and I turned my attention to my opponent. He was about my height but didn’t seem to have as much muscle mass as me. We bounced around in a circle in the middle of the cage, dancing in and out of each other’s reach. I don’t know how long we played with each other before he aimed for my face. I blocked it easily, but then he got me in the ribs. I told myself that wouldn’t happen again.
It didn’t hurt that bad. The guy didn’t hit too hard, which showed me his weakness. I aimed for his ribs with my left fist as a distraction. When he ducked, I hit him in the cheek with my right fist. I was good at this because I always made sure to be one step ahead of my opponent.
He got me in my stomach, again. Still not as hard as you would think for a fighter. I had been hit harder by my friends. My confidence soared.
I led him around in a circle and blocked a few more shots. I aimed for his stomach and ribs. He blocked them, but that was my intention. I was playing with the guy, trying to wear him out. He was playing right into my plan. He aimed for my ribs a couple more times, and got one in, but I blocked most of them.
When the bell for the third round rang, I could tell this guy was exhausted. It was perfect. This was exactly where I wanted him. Worn and unable to predict my next move. I hit him with a right hook and then an upper cut. That was all it took. He fell to the ground, hitting the mat hard.
The ref went over to him and counted to three. When my opponent didn’t get back up, the ref called it a KO. He announced me as the winner. Talk about an ego boost. Adrenaline was still coursing through my veins, and I felt invincible.
With the fight over, I tuned back in to the noise around me. The crowd was going wild.
“JUSTIN! JUSTIN! JUSTIN!” they chanted and cheered.
It didn’t matter if it was an easy fight or a tough one; every win felt just as amazing as the previous one. I loved it. The surge of energy that came with winning always felt amazing.
When I first started out, I didn’t know how good I was going to be. But as I started to master my moves, I quickly learned I was a great fighter. It had a lot to do with my amazing coach and the fact that I fought to support myself and my daughter. She had been a huge motivator for me to become as good as possible.
I removed my mouth piece and grinned at the crowd. Throwing my fist in the air, I yelled, “Hell yeah!” to the crowd. The cheers grew even louder.
Artie handed me my towel and water bottle. I wiped the sweat from my forehead and took a sip of water. We stepped out of the cage, and I high fived a few of the fans as Artie and I made our way back to my changing room. I needed to take a quick breather before I got changed.
“That was a good fight, kid. You KO’d the guy, and now you’re moving on. I’m proud of you, but…” he paused.
There was always a “but” with him. It was almost like he had to think of something negative whether I won or lost. He had to point out my weaknesses.
“Your form right before you knocked him out was weak. Your stance needs to be strong in case he comes back with a good hit. You don’t want to lose your balance. You need to keep your form tight. It’s only going to get harder from here on out. You have to keep that in mind,” he said.
I knew what he was talking about. “Thanks, Artie. I’ll remember that next time,” I said. He was right, after all. I couldn’t afford to let my guard down in the cage.
“And don’t forget to include more of your submissive wrestling moves. You can get them to tap out faster that way. You’re quick and good at it. Use it to your advantage. Keep your repertoire of moves in your mind at all times. They are your weapons.”
I nodded my head. I just wanted the lecture to end. He sure did know how to kill my good mood. I didn’t have much time to celebrate, ever. And it sucked. I wished I could have more time with the crowd to show them I loved to have a good time too and that I appreciated their support. I wanted more time to soak up the intoxicating energy that always came after a win. I wished Artie would save his lectures for the following practice. I wished he could let me have my moment.
“I can’t wait to tell Margie about the fight. She’s going to be so excited that I won,” I said.
“I bet her eyes will light up just like yours do right before you get in the cage,” Artie said with a smile. I agreed with him. My daughter, Margie, and I had the same eyes. She had her mother’s smile though.
It was still hard to think about Tammy. Even after four years, I still struggled to pay off the medical bills from when she died. And the guilt I carried around about my daughter not having her mother was insurmountable. More than anything, I hoped Margie wouldn’t take it on throughout her life. Her mom passed away while giving birth to her. They had tried everything to save Tammy, but they had to focus on Margie. They had to make sure they got her out safely. She was only four now and didn’t fully understand what happened. It was the best, most heartbreaking day of my entire life.
I wanted nothing more than to give Margie a great life. To be there for her and support her in everything she chose do. But it was hard. I was still dealing with the emotions of my wife’s passing and not to mention the pile of bills that threatened our way of living every single day. It was the whole reason I started fighting. Paying off those medical bills and giving Margie the life she deserved was my sole focus. I wanted my daughter to have the life I didn’t have as a kid. My parents weren’t poor, but we struggled. And that wasn’t the life I wanted for my daughter.
“You get home safe and rest up. I need you fresh in the gym on Monday,” Artie said while grabbing his stuff.
“Will do, sir,” I said.
“Don’t call me sir,” he said.
He always hated when I called him sir. I told him it was a sign of respect, and he argued that it just made him feel older than he already was. So, I started calling him sir for fun.
“See ya later, old man,” I said.
“Watch your mouth, kid, or I’ll ride you so hard in the gym that you will wish you never met me,” he threatened with a wave goodbye.
I changed quickly, hoping that Anna would still be around. I at least wanted to thank her for coming before I went home.