Fight for You

by Charisse Spiers

  I stare at him, memorizing the way he looks right now. He's appeared happy all day. After last night we've both been in an amazing mood, laughing and having a good time. He took me around town today, showing me anything and everything. We actually conversed about things in our lives. He told me a few things about his career and how he became a fighter, but nothing prior to his move to New York. I'm not sure if he ever will.

  He mostly questioned me. He seems to enjoy those conversations the most. There are two things I won't talk about, because I've wasted enough time on them. I guess we both have our skeletons. We had no plans but to hang out, and we did. It was...nice. "It's just been a long time since I've met a guy's friends, that's all. I'll be fine."

  I try to lean toward the door to open it, but he pulls me back, requesting my attention with his stare. Without hesitation I obey. "Reese is my friend, Piper. You've already met him. These people are my family; the only family I've got."

  My chest hurts. He's never mentioned his family. Alyvia has mentioned he never talks about anything regarding a personal life either. This is huge. I wonder what happened to his real family. The thought that he may not have one pains me. A bad family is better than no family, right? I want to ask, but know that I shouldn't. I am now picturing a miniature Haddox shoved in some ridiculous foster home, running away just to find some good.

  He places his hand on the right side of my face. "I'm bringing you to meet my family. They are so much more important than a friend. I've never introduced anyone to them before, because no one's ever been worthy...not even Alyvia."

  My mouth falls slightly, but I quickly close it. You are not going to fucking cry!

  I close my eyes briefly. "There she is," he says, and I open them back up. He's looking out of my window and opens his door, quickly jumping out and rounding the truck.

  I turn and look out my window to see what he's looking at. A small girl is trying to run off the concrete porch toward the truck, dragging her mom behind her, or trying at least. I'm guessing she doesn't want to risk letting her go with the road nearby. I smile. She's adorable. She can't be more than four and her long, reddish-brown ringlets are bouncing with each step. She even has dimples on her baby-tanned skin.

  The woman is waving with her free hand, a broad smile across her face. She's beautiful. Her hair is also brown minus the red tint, but cut in a stacked bob, angled and stopping just under her jawline. She's short and petite with soft makeup, but noticeable. Here we go. Judgment day.

  Haddox grabs the door handle and opens my door. He has a shit-eating grin on his face right now, making my heart stop. I automatically feel a little at ease, but I'm not out of the fire yet. He grabs my hand and starts to pull me toward the outside of the truck. "Come meet my niece."

  I place my sandal-covered foot out of the truck, flat against the concrete driveway. After getting a balanced footing, I slide out of the truck and he shuts the door. "Uncle Haddox," she squeals in front of the porch and her mother finally lets her go. She takes off running as if she's been waiting for the moment she wasn't being held back.

  Haddox squats down beside me, waiting for her to run into his arms. It doesn't take her long before she barrels into his chest, closing her small arms behind his neck. He tightens his arms around her and stands, bringing her to his height as he kisses her temple. I can't breathe inside. "Did you miss me?"

  Her pale blue eyes get big and she nods her head dramatically. "I missed you big time. Mr. Snuggles missed you too. I think he's scared the closet monsters are back, but I tried to tell him you made them go away. Will you make sure? He won’t sleep in my room anymore."

  "Of course I will. Uncle Haddox will never let closet monsters near you." He slides her slightly to his side so that he can get a better look at her. "I thought I told you to stop growing. Is your daddy feeding you vegetables again?"

  She giggles and it sparks a feeling of happiness I can't explain. Child laughter is so much more powerful than anyone else. My heart is pounding. I feel like I'm already melting into a puddle on this very driveway. I'm normally a nervous wreck around kids, but hearing her innocent laugh makes me want to be near her longer. "I can't silly. I want to be like Belle. Mommy said I have to eat my vegetables if I want to wear a sparkly dress. I have one. Do you want to see?"

  She starts bouncing in his arms, getting excited about playing dress up from the way it sounds. "Maggie, I'm sure Uncle Haddox doesn't want to play dress up. Boys don't like playing with dresses." I turn my head toward the sweet sounding voice next to me. It's the woman. She holds out her arms and gives me a hug. I lightly touch her back, feeling a little awkward. "I'm Kaitlyn. I've already heard a lot about you. It's nice to meet you."

  She releases me and I get embarrassed when I remember how much alcohol I consumed last night. "Good things I hope," I say nervously.

  "Great things," she says with a smile and looks at Haddox. "I hope you brought your appetite, because there is plenty of food." She gives him a sideways hug on the opposite side of Maggie. "And don't plan on going anywhere anytime soon. You're long overdue."

  "Anything for you. Where's your better half, or should I say other? I don't know if I would give him that much credit."

  The smile on her face remains, but his is only a smirk. That cocky, dry humor makes my insides churn. "He's out back manning the grill. He deserves a good bit of credit. He stumbled upon you, didn't he?" Her tone is playful, but the look between them holds a story; one I want to know.

  "Uncle Haddox, is that your girlfriend?"

  I'm pulled from my thoughts by the words of a child. My eyes lock with Haddox and he smiles. It's the panty-dropping smile. Geez-ums, that does damage to my strength. There's that word again; the one that was brought up last night and hasn't been mentioned since. I was starting to think that maybe I was just too drunk and imagining the whole thing.

  "Yes, Maggie, this is my girlfriend," he says in that low, raspy voice, never taking his eyes off of me. "Her name is Piper." He had the chance to back out from last night and there would have been no hard feelings, because we were both drinking and in an awkward situation, but he didn't. He did something different. He continued forward, sticking to the original claim. There is one quality that is more important than most: say what you mean and mean what you say. That one thing can earn so much trust between two people...and he just earned it. He just earned brownie points with me and didn't even realize it.

  I smile back at him, my eyes deceiving the emotions I'm trying to hold back. It's becoming impossible to stay level headed around him. Each second that I'm around him I'm falling harder and faster. "She's pretty. I bet she'd look pretty in a dress like Cinderella. Do you think she'd play dress up with me?"

  Our eyes break as she continues to talk. Haddox looks at her with an amused expression. "She is pretty. I guess I did good picking her out. You know what? I bet she would look beautiful in a dress, although I don't think she's going to fit in your dress up clothes, Mags, but I'm sure if you asked her she would come play with you for just a minute."

  I sit here and watch him with her. It's so natural, as if he's been around kids his entire life. Everything he claims of himself is wrong. "Put me down, Uncle Haddox."

  He does as she instructs and she walks up to me, looking up. I'm not really sure of what to do. I've always been so awkward around kids. I want to interact with her, but I don't really know how. As if her small mind can sense my uneasiness, she grabs my hand in her small one. "Aunt Piper, will you come see my princess dress?"

  Aunt Piper...she called me Aunt.

  Something inside of me snapped. I feel all warm and fuzzy. I look at Haddox and Kaitlyn. Haddox is staring at me heatedly. I can't read him when he's like that. I'm not sure if he's upset she called me that or if he's just thinking. Kaitlyn has a smile across her face and winks at me. Why is she winking? Either way, I'm standing here like a damn psycho. I look at Maggie. She is smiling at me so big it could melt anger away in a second. I can see why Haddox is light
hearted with her. "I would love to see your princess dress."

  She lights up and walks around my body, tugging my arm in her direction. I follow, letting her guide me. I turn one last time and Haddox is still staring at me. He shakes it off and places his arm around Kaitlyn, starting to follow behind us. "How you been," he asks, his voice getting lower the closer I get to the house. I'm not even away from him yet and already I'm starting to miss him. That can't be good.

  ***

  She's tried on every piece of dress up clothing she has at least twice, but each time she's just as animated as she was the first time. "Which princess are you going to be this time?"

  She digs through her massive trunk full of dress up clothes. I didn't even know they made this many different character outfits for kids. If I had to guess, she probably has everything available in the store. Her room is already all girl, painted in a sparkly Barbie pink and her bedding is covered in Disney princesses.

  She pulls out a pale blue dress with a sheer cape, full of sparkles. "I'm going to be Elsa. She's my favorite! I even have Olaf. See," she says, pointing at the large stuffed character in the corner of her room.

  "Who is Elsa?"

  "You know Elsa.... from Frozen."

  Should I pretend I do to move on or stay with conversation by telling her I don't? I decide on the latter. "I've never heard of Elsa."

  Her mouth flat lines and she scrunches her nose as if she's thinking. She turns for her toy box and pulls something out of it: a doll. She hands it to me. It matches the dress she's holding in her other hand, but with long, blonde, braided hair. I grab it and she points at her. "Elsa. She does cool things with ice. Will you help me put this on? I want to show Uncle Haddox. It's my new dress."

  I grab the dress from her hand and help her put it on over her clothes, transforming her into her very own magical version of a princess as she has each previous time we've done this. How she's not bored I have no idea. She starts digging back through her trunk until she pulls out a pair of heels. Those heels don't look like kid size though.

  She places them on the floor and slides her feet inside the white heels. "I sure do love your shoes. Where did you get those?"

  She gains a couple inches in height and looks at the doorway to her room and back at me. "They're Mommy's. Shhh. Don't tell her. I need them to sing my song. She has lots."

  I laugh and slide my thumb and index finger across the line of my lips, as if zipping something. "Your secret is safe with me. What song will you be singing?"

  "Let it go of course." She sounds so grown I'm trying my best not to laugh. "But first I need my bracelet."

  She walks to the small table by her bed and grabs a white box, bringing it back to me. I take it from her. "This is pretty."

  "Open it."

  I do as she asks and a ballerina pops up as the lid opens. "Do you like ballerina's?"

  She nods dramatically again. "I get to look like her on Fridays when Mommy takes me to class. You have to turn this to make her dance," she says as she points at the small, metal dial on the back of the box. I turn it a few times and the ballerina begins to twirl to the music.

  "I love it. What's her name?"

  She grabs a silver charm bracelet from the pink velvet and removes it. "Marie." I freeze for a moment, stunned. "Do you like that name?" She hands me the bracelet and I take it, but don't immediately look.

  "I do like that name. It's my middle name." Her face lights up as she holds out her wrist. That's so strange. I guess it is a common name, and easy for a child to remember. I look down and recognize the character on the bracelet: Elsa. Ah, so here she is.

  I place the bracelet around her small wrist and hook it. "Are you and my Uncle Haddox going to get married?" Should small children be asking such grown up questions?

  "Um...I just met him." I'm not really sure what to say. I don't have kids. How do you explain complex things to someone that can't mentally comprehend things but in a simplified manner? Besides, I tend to be straight to the point. That's probably not a good way to be with an innocent child.

  "But you like him?"

  "Yes."

  "Did he kiss you?"

  My eyes widen. I'm in an alien territory here. I am not admitting to a child that I kissed her Uncle. Even I have standards. "Um..."

  "When the prince kissed Cinderella they got married...so if he kissed you he wants to marry you." If only things were that simple...

  "Maybe one day."

  "Kids have a sixth sense you know..." I look over to Kaitlyn standing in the doorway. "It's amazing really. Their minds are so innocent and simple, incapable of bad things, but somehow they know so much."

  I want to laugh out loud at the thought of Haddox and I getting married. I'm sure that would happen if Hell froze over...as in never. I'm suddenly feeling a little awkward with this conversation. Luckily music starts to play, diverting the focus to the four-year-old standing at a purse karaoke machine, holding a microphone attached to it. I'm starting to sense a trend in this family with karaoke.

  She starts to mumble along with the words as it plays, hitting the right word every few. It's cute, making me smile again, and then she hits the chorus and belts out the words at the top of her lungs. "Let it go. Let it go."

  This song sounds familiar. From the way she is getting into it I would assume she practices this song regularly. As the song comes to a close she poses, placing one hand on her hip and holding out the microphone as well as her heel-covered foot. I glance over at the doorway from the spot I've been sitting in on the floor and Marlin and Haddox have joined the party, each holding a bottle of beer.

  Everyone claps at Maggie's performance and a cat runs in the room, jumping in my lap and rolling over on its back. I hate cats. I'm not really an animal person. They require too much work and care. I look at it as if it has a third eyeball. "Mr. Snuggles!" She shouts loudly and drops her microphone, running toward me. "He just wants you to rub his belly...like this."

  She grabs the back of my hand and places my palm on the stomach of the fluffy, white feline. I look at Haddox as he takes a gulp of his beer, staring at me. He lowers the bottle and his mouth forms a cocky grin. I'm not sure why until I realize that my nose is crinkled, outwardly giving away what is going on in my head. "Hey, Mags, why don't you take Mr. Snuggles. I think Aunt Piper needs some time to warm up to him."

  You keep taking my heart a sliver at a time.

  As if she isn't fazed at all, she picks him up by wrapping her arms behind his front legs. He's hanging down her body, not lacking much from being the same height as her. "Okay, Uncle Haddox."

  She starts walking toward her mom and dad, waddling as she tries to walk with Mr. Snuggles’ body in the way. "Maggie Elizabeth Bankston, are those my good church heels? I've been looking everywhere for them."

  She halts at the door, cat and all. "Yes ma'am."

  She shakes her head and places her hand on Maggie's upper back, leading her out of the room. "I'm going to have to start taking inventory of your dress up box."

  Haddox walks in the room toward me, stopping with his back facing Marlin. Marlin holds up his beer. "See you two love birds outside," he says and walks away. What is it with all the love and marriage metaphors today?

  Haddox grabs my hand and helps me to my feet. He wraps his arms around my waist, resting his hands between my lower back and butt. One cheek is becoming a little chilled from the bottle resting against it. "I'm sorry. She can be a little overbearing when she wants to play."

  I smile. I love being here with him. It makes me feel special. "It's totally fine. She's adorable." Before I can say anything more, he grabs my face and kisses me. "What was that for?"

  "I just wanted to. Come on. Let's go outside before we end up cat-sitting." I have the slightest tingling sensation on my lips from the remnants of his kiss. Something that started so ugly is turning into something beautiful...

  I am not sure why I like the sound of Maggie calling Piper her aunt, but I do. It scratches some
kind of itch inside. "You want a beer?"

  I pull Piper out of the French doors, entering into the back yard, shutting them behind me. She steps up beside me, waiting for me to lead her around the corner onto the patio where Marlin and Kaitlyn are already sitting at the table by the grill. I can hear them laughing as well as Maggie running wild and giggling. We haven't entered into their view yet, but I can smell the meat sizzling. There is nothing like the smell of juicy steaks while they cook outdoors. It's been a while since I've been here with them like this.

  I wrap my arm around her back and pull her closer to me. "If you don't want beer Kaitlyn should have wine or something. She isn't a beer drinker. She likes wine and girly drinks."

  She looks up at me with those eyes I can't forget, the tips of her lashes hitting her brow bone. Every time I look into her eyes during sex I have to concentrate hard not to come right then and there. They penetrate into me, full of pleasure. That look is my reward for making her feel good. If I had a weakness to her it would be her eyes. The shade, shape, and depth to them blow my fucking mind. One look and I can read everything she's thinking...almost. She does have moments when she shuts herself off from me. I don't like those moments at all.

  "Beer is fine. I like the bitter bite as it douses my taste buds. I only prefer stout drinks when I'm upset or nervous, and right now I'm pretty damn happy and relaxed. Thank you for this weekend, Haddox. I think I needed it." Her eyes divert to my lips and she bites her bottom one. Fuck, she's beautiful.

  I toss my empty beer bottle in the large trashcan by the door. She's already done it. I feel like a fucking crack-head. The difference between this feeling and a synthetic high is that this one is so much fucking better and doesn't die out as quickly as it started.

  I've experienced drugs. My entire life is one shit story after another, so I've turned to everything imaginable looking for my outlet when the memories take over. I learned fast that drugs only numb the bad for a while and you spend more time and money trying to get more than the good that comes when you find it. Fighting is the only thing that helps me on a daily basis, but it doesn't completely take it away. It's still a daily battle, or was, until the night I brought Piper home with me. It's crazy, but the memories become less frequent the more I'm around her. I haven't figured out her significance yet, but I'm quickly learning that a man doesn't need drugs when he lucks out and finds a woman that stirs this kind of reaction each time he's around her.