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Authors: Brenda Kennedy
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getting much sleep tonight. I sleep very aware of Leah’s slightest movements. She tosses and turns, but she doesn’t moan or cry out in pain. When I feel she is all right and I know I won’t sleep, I decide to get my running done early. I make sure Leah’s cell phone is on her nightstand before I leave the house for my run.
I dress in the workout room, down some water, and pound my feet to the cement listening to “The Eye of the Tiger.” I run my usual route past the cemetery, but it is locked up and I’m not able to stop in for my morning visit with Jamie. I usually run later in the day and the gate is always unlocked and opened when I get there. I am happy to see it is secured shut. Sadly, we had a problem with kids vandalizing the cemetery last year, so the cemetery caretakers started locking the gate at night. It worked so I’m happy about that. I feel sorry for the little vandalizing pricks if I ever catch them.
I run home before the sun comes up. I drink a protein shake before showering and dressing for the day. Usually I would get another workout in, either here or at the gym, but today, I have other plans. I cook some whole-grain oatmeal and whole-wheat toast for Leah and me for breakfast and then arrange it on a breakfast tray with a glass of milk and some orange juice and carry it up to her. She is just coming out of the bathroom when I enter the bedroom.
“Good morning, Sweets.”
She smiles, “Good morning, what’s this?”
“It’s breakfast in bed if you’ll get back into the bed.”
She laughs as she climbs into the bed. She covers herself up and flattens out the covers over her legs. I place the tray carefully over her legs, making sure the legs of the tray are locked in place. “You didn’t sleep last night, did you?”
Reaching over her I take a bowl of oatmeal from the tray and sit on the edge of the bed to eat it. “I slept.” I look at her and she is watching me but not believing me. “I did.” I take a bite of my oatmeal before she can ask me anything else. I did sleep, but I didn’t sleep much. After breakfast, I ask her how she is feeling.
“I feel good.”
“No pain or cramping?”
“No, nothing.”
I remove the tray and tell her I’ll be in the kitchen when she is ready to leave. I do the few dishes and wipe off the counters before she enters the room. My phone rings — it’s Gus. Gus calls me mostly when he thinks I’m slacking on my workouts. I’ve been working out hard every day, so I know it’s to remind me about the fight this weekend. I look at my phone then at Leah. “I’ll be ready in a minute,” I say as I answer the phone walking away from the kitchen. She nods.
“Gus, what’s up?” I answer the phone like I always do.
“Calling to remind you about the fight scheduled for Saturday?”
“In D.C. Who is it with?”
“Malcolm ‘The King’ Smith.”
“Have you found Kennedy?”
“Apparently he’s still in hiding. I don’t think your last fight impressed him — not enough, anyway. Remember, he is THE champion. It will take more than one fight to impress him — and other fighters are doing their best to become contenders for the championship. Win this next fight, and Kennedy will become aware of you.”
“While we’re waiting on Kennedy, I’ll fight Malcolm for practice. Call Dad and Tim to see if they want to go.”
“I’m on it. There’s some videos for you to watch on YouTube and Break.com. He’s a tough one.”
“I’ll watch them. I want to fly home the next day. I don’t want extra days to recover. I want to get there and get home to Leah.”
“Bobby…”
“In and out, got it?” I snap.
“Got it. I’ll be in touch.”
I disconnect the call, and when I turn around Leah is leaning against the counter watching me.
“Leah?” I say softly as I walk over to her.
“Robert, don’t.” She looks at me with red eyes. “I know it’s what you do and I have accepted it. But it doesn’t mean I have to like
I dress in the workout room, down some water, and pound my feet to the cement listening to “The Eye of the Tiger.” I run my usual route past the cemetery, but it is locked up and I’m not able to stop in for my morning visit with Jamie. I usually run later in the day and the gate is always unlocked and opened when I get there. I am happy to see it is secured shut. Sadly, we had a problem with kids vandalizing the cemetery last year, so the cemetery caretakers started locking the gate at night. It worked so I’m happy about that. I feel sorry for the little vandalizing pricks if I ever catch them.
I run home before the sun comes up. I drink a protein shake before showering and dressing for the day. Usually I would get another workout in, either here or at the gym, but today, I have other plans. I cook some whole-grain oatmeal and whole-wheat toast for Leah and me for breakfast and then arrange it on a breakfast tray with a glass of milk and some orange juice and carry it up to her. She is just coming out of the bathroom when I enter the bedroom.
“Good morning, Sweets.”
She smiles, “Good morning, what’s this?”
“It’s breakfast in bed if you’ll get back into the bed.”
She laughs as she climbs into the bed. She covers herself up and flattens out the covers over her legs. I place the tray carefully over her legs, making sure the legs of the tray are locked in place. “You didn’t sleep last night, did you?”
Reaching over her I take a bowl of oatmeal from the tray and sit on the edge of the bed to eat it. “I slept.” I look at her and she is watching me but not believing me. “I did.” I take a bite of my oatmeal before she can ask me anything else. I did sleep, but I didn’t sleep much. After breakfast, I ask her how she is feeling.
“I feel good.”
“No pain or cramping?”
“No, nothing.”
I remove the tray and tell her I’ll be in the kitchen when she is ready to leave. I do the few dishes and wipe off the counters before she enters the room. My phone rings — it’s Gus. Gus calls me mostly when he thinks I’m slacking on my workouts. I’ve been working out hard every day, so I know it’s to remind me about the fight this weekend. I look at my phone then at Leah. “I’ll be ready in a minute,” I say as I answer the phone walking away from the kitchen. She nods.
“Gus, what’s up?” I answer the phone like I always do.
“Calling to remind you about the fight scheduled for Saturday?”
“In D.C. Who is it with?”
“Malcolm ‘The King’ Smith.”
“Have you found Kennedy?”
“Apparently he’s still in hiding. I don’t think your last fight impressed him — not enough, anyway. Remember, he is THE champion. It will take more than one fight to impress him — and other fighters are doing their best to become contenders for the championship. Win this next fight, and Kennedy will become aware of you.”
“While we’re waiting on Kennedy, I’ll fight Malcolm for practice. Call Dad and Tim to see if they want to go.”
“I’m on it. There’s some videos for you to watch on YouTube and Break.com. He’s a tough one.”
“I’ll watch them. I want to fly home the next day. I don’t want extra days to recover. I want to get there and get home to Leah.”
“Bobby…”
“In and out, got it?” I snap.
“Got it. I’ll be in touch.”
I disconnect the call, and when I turn around Leah is leaning against the counter watching me.
“Leah?” I say softly as I walk over to her.
“Robert, don’t.” She looks at me with red eyes. “I know it’s what you do and I have accepted it. But it doesn’t mean I have to like
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