AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“My passion for the fight is more about self-defense. I first started practicing because I believed it would make me less appealing to men—men in Joplin that is.”
“Maybe to a certain type of person physical mastery would be unappealing, but that’s their loss. Your ability to fight is one of my favorite things about you.” Lawson grabbed my arm and squeezed as if he still couldn’t get over my muscle development.
“But I knew boxing could save me someday, too, just like it did for you. Nobody expects a young girl to know how to fight back. I counted on the element of surprise to help save my life.”
“I feel the same way, because boxing brought me to you, and I’m counting on you to save my life,” he told me. Lawson squeezed me tight and kissed my cheek. “I’m glad you’re alive, Celia. I want to spend the rest of my days keeping you safe. But you should know, I’d never try to curb your freedom, especially considering your past. You’ll always be your own free agent; I just want to love you.”
I turned and kissed Lawson full on the mouth, not caring if Annalisa was spying or if she found us scandalous. I’d found my God particle, the force that could transform me and give me mass, and it came in the gorgeous and curious package of Emery Lawson, physicist, boxer, former badass, genius. The obstacles didn’t matter and neither did the path. I’d found my home in Emery’s arms and I knew that with him was where I’d always belong.
Epilogue- Ten years Later
Emery
Celia is in the corner, mouthpiece in, hands wrapped and chalked, breathing heavily. She lost the last round, but she’s a trooper and doesn’t back down easily. Especially not since she trained so hard to come back after having the boys, both of whom are in the audience cheering their mother on.
Kevin complains, doesn’t want her in the ring, doesn’t want the boys watching, but we disagree about everything, so I keep a tight lip and do whatever the fuck I want as soon as he’s not watching. It’s been a double-edged sword, their excommunication from Joplin Ministries. Celia has her family back, and I have to deal with them. But the boys love their grandparents and aunts and uncles, and I don’t have much to offer in the way of family, except of course “Papa Lou” and “Uncle Miguel.” But I’ve got no pride when it comes to my children, Jade and Kieran. I’d do anything and everything for them, hand them the moon if I could. And of course, my wife Celia, I’d bend over backwards to make her happy. Or, as in this case, stave the bleeding from her cut cheek so she can get back in the ring and beat the shit out of the woman who’s a full foot taller than her.
Celia’s hair is back to blonde and her eyes to blue. She no longer runs from the religious fanatics which were dissolved by an FBI raid not long after Kevin finally got his family out.
I no longer teach, but work as an independent consultant for CERN. I do however coach, and Celia is my star. She was raw talent and un-sculpted finesse, but I molded her carefully and now she’s a two-time welter-weight regional champion. She always was the most perfect student, my beauty quark.
