Page 51 of Bruised Hearts

“About what?”

“You were right about Ariyah. Congratulations.”

“Who the fuck would want to be right about some shit like that? Move over.” Grabbing my spare pair of gloves, he put them on.

“What you think you doing?”

“What it look like?” he asked as if I should already know.

“It looks like an old nigga not wanting to accept he old, and about to pull something.”

“Now shut yo ass up, you just might learn something. This is what you’re doing whenever you swing with your left.” He hit the bag while mirroring what I had just done. “This is what you should be doing.” Knowing it felt off when I was swinging, I could see he was right. My left had full power, but I didn’t fight strong when I lead with it. Pops stopped for a second to catch his breath.

“Damn, yo old ass tired already?” He went back to hitting the bag, but I kept fucking with him. “Them punches getting kind of light.”

“You want me to hit you? Then shut yo ass up.” Laughing, I walked to the bag next to him and began hitting as well. We hadn’t done this in years. We were in a groove when he finally broke the silence. “I didn’t come here to say I told you so.”

“Could’ve fooled the fuck out of me.”

“Son, I get no pleasure in seeing you hurt. Hell, I didn’t think she would fuck up.”

“Could’ve fooled me on that shit too.”

“Landon.”

“You spent all that time telling me I needed to leave her alone because she was a distraction. She played me out, and yall clowned me.”

“That’s not what I meant though. When you start something, you give your all. Being with her meant you was going to give her your all instead of your training.”

“Because you think I can’t win. That hurt more than anything else.” Walking away from his bag, he stood in my face, but I kept swinging.

“You know I’m your father, right?”

“That ain’t got shit to do with the price of tea in China.”

“What it means is I’ll never stop being scared, son.” I looked up at him, and I could see the worry in his eyes. “Do you remember when I was at my away game, and you got into that fight?”

“Yeah.” I started laughing at the memory.

“I jumped on the first flight out ready to kick that nigga’s ass even though you had already won.”

“Then you wanted to beat my ass.”

“Because you got me fined.” We both laughed. “That’s what being a parent is. No matter how many battles you win, I’m still going to want to fight them for you. You’re my son, and being a champ doesn’t change shit. You can knock out every last one of them, and until they hit the mat, I’m going to be scared they might hurt you first.” Thinking about how I had to be there for Ariyah because she had no one, I regretted how I blew up.

“Thank you, Pops.”

“For what?”

“Always being there. Sometimes, it may seem like I take that for granted, but I don’t.”

“I always will, even when Danger beating on your ass.” Instead of getting offended, this time I laughed. We both did.

“Get your ass the fuck out my gym.” He threw his hands up in surrender.

“Sensitive ain’t ya?” I went back to hitting the bag, and this time, I didn’t feel a weight on me.

“Love you too, Pops.”