Page 65 of Tech

My fists move quick. He manages to block a couple, but most hit their target. I’m in the zone, and he’s allowing me to be.

“Son,” my dad calls out, but I ignore him, taking another hit to the face, and then to the gut. “Smokey, step back a moment; he’s in the zone and won’t listen until you do.”

Smokey does as my father asks, and I growl in frustration.

When I’m in the ring, my mind zones out; my focus is on the hits, when they stop, my mind wonders back to the problems, to my fucking reality.

$50,000….

Momma….

Cancer….

I heave heavy breaths and take a good look at Smokey. His face is bloody, as is mine, most likely, and he’s covered in sweat.

“Fuck, Liv is going to kill me,” I mutter, and he grins, taking a swig of his water.

I look toward my father, but anger courses through me seeing my mother's arm in his grip, anger in her eyes as trying to get out of it.

He puts his hand up, seeing my narrowed eyes, and rasps, “You both need to talk. You need to get everything out so I can fucking sort our marriage out.”

Momma scoffs at his words, making my father growl at her and squeeze her arm tighter. I just chuckle darkly and unwrap my hands while sneering, “$50,000, huh, Momma?”

Momma sighs, and my father lets go of her arm, her hand instantly rubbing where he held as he tilts his head toward her and demands, "What’s he talking about, Carol?”

Confusion laces his voice, and I decide to fill him in and say, “Oh nothing, Dad, just Momma paying my girl $50,000 of your hard-earned money to get her to leave the state.” My father's body tenses, and Momma doesn’t even fucking look guilty over it, if anything, she looks pissed Brook didn’t leave.

I continue, “But you don’t need to worry, Momma.” She looks my way. “Turns out my girl may have stomach cancer.”

“Fuck, no…” my dad rasps with shock while Momma has the fucking gall to gasp and cover her mouth, her eyes tearing up.

Shaking my head, I jump out of the ring and walk toward my parents. “Looks like you may get your wish, Momma, but I’ll let you in on a little secret, shall I?” Momma’s tears fall, and I sneer, “If she does have cancer, and if she doesn’t survive, then I’ll be fucking following her.”

My father stumbles back in shock as Momma shakes her head, Smokey’s “Fuck!” hitting my ears.

They know I mean what I say. I can’t fucking live without her; I just fucking can’t.

“Thanks for the spar, Smoke,” I say over my shoulder and leave my parents frozen in shock.

I have a girl to confront.

By the time I’ve showered and driven to my girl’s practice, it’s almost an hour later. I sit astride my bike for twenty minutes before I get the courage to go inside, and I climb off my bike, not wanting to have this conversation.

She should have fucking told me. She tells me she loves me, yet she’ll only have a sexual relationship with me and, don’t get me wrong, I know Momma and Nina are a big part of that, but her suspected diagnosis, that’s the reason she’s pushed me away lately.

She should be depending on me, leaning on me, not pushing me away.

I fist my hands in frustration and storm into the reception area. Her new receptionist, whose name I just can’t fucking remember, bats her fake eyelashes at me, but I ignore her and go toward the offices, making her sigh in disappointment.

She seems to think I’ll want her the more my girl pushes me away, but it’s time everyone realizes, including Brook, I’ll never fucking let her go.

I see Peter in her office doorway, and I ask him for a moment with his daughter. He gives me a sad smile, but nods, then kiss her head, whispering something ,before patting my back and leaving the room.

Her tears fall, and I get straight to it, and ask, “When did they find out?”

She chews her bottom lip and whispers, “This morning. Momma opened my letter behind my back, and told Daddy before I was ready.”

I nod, knowing how fucking bad that is.

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