"It's just weird," I said. "Like déjà vu. The last few days could have been a dream and here I am right back where I was."
Aldous handed me the green shake. "So, would you change anything?"
"I'd skip seeing Kev in that 70’s low-cut shirt," I said. "A man as white as him should not try to pull off a medallion."
"Yeah, that gave me nightmares, too," Aldous said. He grimaced, but forced himself to drink the same healthy concoction he made for me. "But, seriously, would you have changed anything?"
"I know what you're getting at. I'm not falling for it," I said. "I knew as soon as your wife got here you'd be all hot to matchmake."
Aldous gave me his best innocent look. "Me? Never. I just want to make sure you don't have any regrets. It’s time to look forward, strategize. Visualize your fight, but more importantly, visualize what's on the other side."
I sat down at the glass dining table and choked down more of my shake. "Me staying in the basement of your new Vegas house," I said.
"Tia would kill me," Aldous said. "Try again."
I shut my eyes. "Home bas
e. Roots. Strength. Going out to fight and coming home to get stronger."
"Perfect. That's it. Think about that home base. What you need there. What there gives you strength."
It was Kya. Copper curls in the sunshine. Her green eyes crinkling at me from the next pillow. "Alright, coach, good talk. Now, let me choke this down in peace."
Aldous sat down across from me. "You know the more you share, the more solid the visualization."
"Leave the poor man alone, Aldy," Tia said. She leaned over and kissed her husband's cheek. "He doesn't need to tell us the obvious."
"Thanks. Wait, what's obvious? No, I don't want to know," I said.
Tia rolled her eyes and smiled. "You know Kya is terrified to come to the fight. She's got it in her head that she's there she'll distract you and make you lose."
Aldous chuckled. "I can speak from personal experience when I say that is possible. Though, I'm so glad I got blood all over that accountant's white shirt. Best blood I ever shed."
"I'm sure her clients want her there," I said. "She'll be there. She should be there."
"That's what I told her, but it had nothing to do with her clients," Tia said. "She and I are planning to sit together. Low and close, but a few rows back. You'll never notice."
That was good. Kya would not be in my direct line of sight. If I kept my head up like I was supposed to, I wouldn't see her. Maybe the top of her copper curls. If I looked I could spot her green eyes. I shook myself and finished the shake.
"There, I drank my super foods. I gotta check my messages," I said. I pushed away from the table and took my phone out onto the patio.
The first message was from Kev, as were the following three. He started off reminding me of MMA contacts I had met. Kev was great at giving me the details in voicemail form so I would not forget any important conversations.
Then, he veered off course. He slurred a few words here and there. But mostly, his speech was impeded by what I had seen was a sloppy grin. It had been permanent all night.
"It’s great, I'm telling you, Fenton, it's great. Just relax, just go with it. Just be yourself. What are all the other things those stupid chick flicks tell people? You know when you feel it. I know you feel it. I've seen it on you. Remember that, too," his message said.
The next one was more of the same. A few reminders of MMA contacts, launching into another soliloquy. "I mean, she saw right through me, man. She saw it was an act. I didn't think I was acting, I was just being me, but when she saw through me, I realized I'm someone else. I mean, I’m better. There's a better me, and Sandi saw it. We just met. I know it’s crazy, but I know you get it. It's great, it's really great."
I was about to hang up on voicemail, but the next message was from Kya. "I'm downstairs, but I shouldn't be and I know that. So, I'm just calling to say I'm sorry. I should have believed you. I think I do believe you. But, that's all that. I really just want to say good luck. Wait, I know you don't believe in luck. I'm the one that's lucky. I met you. So, there, I'm giving you that luck and no matter what, I will see you after the fight. I… I…I can't wait to see you, Fenton."
I sat up and held the phone with both hands. The message started to replay when Dana Maria appeared. She raised her eyebrows at me.
"Go ahead, listen to it again. I liked it," my sister said.
"I'm not. I have other messages," I said.
"Come on, Fen, you'll do better if you say it," Dana Maria said.