Page 2 of Fight For Us
“With all my empty space, we could get some practice in while we unpack,” I suggested. She was not amused. “Okay, okay. No choking during girls night.”
Just then, Mia came into the gym and spotted us with a wide grin. Her gaze found Shawn immediately after, like she had a radar that pulled her to him.
“I’d hug you guys but wow, you’re sweaty. I take it class went well?” she asked, coming to our side.
“Yup. Seems we both had some stress to relieve tonight,” Kendahl said.
“What did I miss?” Mia pulled her gloves out of her bag before storing it in an empty cubby. Her level two class was starting in five minutes.
“Just me attempting to force help on your sister here.”
“Good luck with that,” Mia said. “I’ve been trying for over a week.” Guilt gnawed at my gut. Pushing people out hadn’t gotten me far in New York. It almost caused me to lose my relationship with my sister all together. And if I was being honest, I was lonely. And exhausted. Oh, and did I mention stressed?
“I’m sorry. I’m just getting used to all the changes. But yes, let me check my work schedule and I’ll let you know. I’d love the help.” Mia pulled me into a hug. “I thought you didn’t want to get all sweaty and gross,” I said against her shoulder.
“Eh, what’s a little sweat between siblings?” Her body vibrated with a laugh and I clung on for another long second before pulling back.
Mark and Dina, the married couple who owned and taught at the gym, took up their position at the front of the room. “Alright level two, time to warm up.”
“That’s our cue to go,” Kendahl said, ruffling Mia’s messy bun. I called for Alex and waved goodbye to Shawn before following Kendahl out to the parking lot.
Humidity smacked me in the face. I looked up at the gray sky, thick with clouds. A storm was brewing and I hoped like hell I didn’t get stuck driving in it.
“I’ll text you once I know my schedule.” I unlocked the doors and Alex climbed into the back seat. “AndKen, thank you.”
“Anytime, bestie. I’m glad you’re here. We both are.”
“Mom, are you going to be talking forever again? I’m hungry.” And just when I was feeling warm and fuzzy, poof, the stress fairy tapped me with her magic wand of doom.
“Mom duty calls,” I said to Kendahl. “Talk soon.”
As soon as I shut my car door, fat drops of rain splattered my windshield. I knew it. Maybe I was becoming a true Florida resident after all.
I cooked a box of mac and cheese and some frozen veggies for our dinner. It was the second day in a row of mac and cheese and Alex’s eye roll wasn’t helping the situation. As pathetic as it was, I never learned to cook. Never needed to since we always had an in-home chef when we lived with my parents. I guess I could have learned, but I never had the interest. Baking on the other hand, I gravitated toward. Still did when my feelings got too big and I needed to clear my head.
I’ve tried to pinpoint what it was about baking that helped. Maybe it was the precision of measuring ingredients. Could be the step by step process, requiring my total focus. Whatever it was, I was grateful for it. Alex shared my love for it too. Most of the time at least.
With Alex fed and settled, I took a minute to check my phone. When I went to Krav, I always kept it stored and on silent. That was my me time. Unless someone was gravely injured, I wastaking it. I brushed sand off our hand me down couch, because of course sand made its way there—the evil substance—and sat tucking my feet underneath me. I had three voicemails from Wes. Somehow that didn’t surprise me.
“Hey do you know where the deposit envelope is? I can’t find it in my office.” I groaned. That man couldn’t find an asteroid if it landed on his head. “Nevermind. It was under the inventory sheet.” I hit delete and clicked next. He needed to get an iPhone and text. I was almost embarrassed for him. “That was the wrong envelope. Sorry, Tiger. Call me when you get this.”
I clicked his name and hit call. Knowing Wes, he was probably still searching for it even though he sent these messages over two hours ago.
“Hey, Tiger.” His gravelly voice traveled through the phone and settled somewhere deep in my center.
“You know I hate when you call me that,” I lied.
“Nah, you love it. It’s the perfect name for you since you’re always getting ready to pounce.”
“Maybe because you’re so good at riling me up,” I said, remembering how I held my tongue yesterday. In my defense, I had a grumpy customer sassing me because Wes got my order tickets mixed in with Kelly’s. He knew I was still learning on the fly. Kelly was no real help and Wes… He was a hot mess.
“Who me?” He feigned innocence. “I only do my job. Can’t help it if you aren’t used to restaurant life yet.”
“Right. Restaurant life.” Because that’s what caused my blood pressure to rise. Not my disorganized tornado of a boss. “So, the deposit envelope?”
“I checked my desk and it’s not there. I wanted to hit the bank before five o’clock but that didn’t happen.” The sounds of shuffling papers in the background made its way through the line. I chewed my lip, trying to put myself into Wes’s enormous shoes.
“What else was going on when you were getting ready to leave with the deposit?”
