Page 64 of Undefeated

I needed comfort, reassurance, and some form of confirmation that everything was going to be alright – including me. I felt all jumbled up inside. The man I loved dearly was in the trauma unit in the hospital and I didn’t know what was wrong or how to fix it.

“I love you,” I said, still holding his hand in mine.

He stopped walking, turned, and looked at me, “Shorty, I love you too. You’re my brother’s girl. Any time he’s gone, I gotta take care of ya. It’s just how we do it here in Texas.”

And he started walking again.

How we do it here in Texas.

Knocking motherfuckers out.

Cold.

SHANE. “I don’t think that has anything to do with it, Ripp,” I said as I sat up in the hospital bed.

“Well, why they want to keep ya over night? Don’t make sense,” Ripp responded.

“I don’t think Shane would be nervous about the fight either. He fights all the time, and never gets nervous. It’s probably a lot of things. Diet, training, nerves, everything combined,” Kace said from the edge of the bed as she squeezed my hand.

“Well, they can say you had a nervous meltdown, but if they want to keep ya for more tests, they don’t know shit. I’m gonna talk to that prick when he comes in here,” Ripp said.

“Ripp, leave it alone. Just let them do their tests, and I’ll be out of here in the afternoon tomorrow. It’s not a huge deal. I guarantee you it’s nothing else. He’s signing a release for me to fight,” I assured him.

“Well, that’s the biggest thing. I don’t want you lying to me - having a fucking brain hemorrhage or something and telling me it’s a hemorrhoid,” he laughed.

“Not gonna happen, bro,” I said.

Kace turned my direction, squeezed my hand, and smiled. I couldn’t ask for a better woman than she was. Finding someone that was more devoted to me, supportive of my career, and generally concerned for my well-being would be impossible. Kace was a beautiful woman in her appearance as well as in her being. I squeezed her hand and smiled in return.

“Well, what about training?” Ripp asked as he paced back and forth across the floor.

“Ripp it’s fine. Jesus, go home. I’ll be back in training in the next day or so. There’s nothing to worry about. Just go home and get some sleep. You two need to go eat anyway. And I’m beat, I need to get some sleep,’ I said, trying to convince him to leave and relax.

“Yeah, I imagine you are tired, all those tests they ran on ya. Fucking idiots. I’m hungrier than a motherfucker. What time is it?” he asked.

“Ten after eight,” Kace responded.

“Yeah, maybe we ought to let the man sleep. How you gonna get out of here tomorrow?” Ripp asked.

“Well, one of you two can come get me. She has to work in the morning, so I imagine it’ll be you,” I said as I turned to look at Kace.

She scowled at me and squeezed my hand in an exaggerated fashion.

“Oh, shit that hurts,” I joked as I pulled my hand away from her grasp.

“You’re gonna think hurt. I’m coming to get you,” Kace said as she slapped my shoulder.

“We’ll both come and get him, Shorty. I’ll come get you, and we’ll both come up here, how’s that?” Ripp asked.

“Sounds good,” Kace responded.

“Well, if you’re sure you’ll be alright, we’ll get out of here,” Ripp said.

“Yeah. I’ll be fine, and we’ll all go out tomorrow and eat or something, I just need to sleep,” I said as I held my hand to my mouth to cover a fake yawn.

Kace stood from the edge of the bed and leaned over to kiss me, “I’m sorry, all of this just scared me. I’ll see you tomorrow, Shane.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll be fine,” I responded.