Chapter 3 - Cody Had Been Given A Different Fight
Cody came outside ten minutes later.
Still wearing his gloves.
That told me something about him.
He hadn't even bothered to cool down before needing answers.
Keller followed.
“Everybody inside.”
Cody ignored him.
He looked at my phone.
“Maya.”
She didn't answer immediately.
Then:
“What?”
“Did you tell Dana I was reckless?”
“No.”
“Did you tell anybody I was afraid to fight people my own level?”
“No.”
He stared at Keller.
Keller shook his head.
“Don't do this.”
Cody laughed.
“Do what?”
“Let an injured girl rewrite yesterday because her father showed up.”
Maya's voice sharpened.
“I haven't rewritten anything.”
Cody paced once across the sidewalk.
“What did Vince tell you?”
“That you were going to give me one technical evaluation.”
Cody stopped.
“No.”
“I know that now.”
“He told me you asked for a hard round.”
“I didn't.”
“He said you wanted to know whether you could hang with a pro.”
Maya went quiet.
I asked:
“Did you ever say anything like that?”
“Yes.”
Cody looked at the phone.
Maya continued.
“Months ago. About eventually training with pros.”
Keller stepped in.
“There. Exactly.”
Maya snapped:
“Eventually isn't yesterday.”
Keller folded his arms.
“You've been begging for harder work.”
“With women in my weight class.”
“You want professional opportunities, professional rooms don't protect your feelings.”
I felt myself move forward.
Noah's hand came up.
Not touching me.
Just reminding me he was there.
I stopped.
Maya said:
“This is why I was leaving.”
Keller looked at the phone.
“No. You were leaving because Dana put a number in front of you and suddenly the people who built you became disposable.”
“That number didn't come from you.”
“I got you seen.”
“You introduced us once.”
“I made your career possible.”
I knew that tone.
Different profession.
Same ownership.
The belief that investment purchased future obedience.
Cody pointed a glove at Keller.
“What did she say about me?”
“Cody.”
“What exact words?”
Keller's eyes narrowed.
“This doesn't concern you anymore.”
Cody laughed.
“I put her in the hospital. It concerns me.”
Good.
At least he understood that much.
I said:
“When she stopped, why didn't you?”
Cody looked at me.
“I thought she was frustrated.”
“She said she was done.”
“She said, ‘I'm done with this.’”
“And?”
He looked toward Keller.
“Vince yelled to keep working.”
Keller's face hardened.
“That is not what happened.”
Noah said:
“It is.”
Everyone turned.
Noah was pale now.
Not frightened of me.
Frightened of what he was doing to his own place in that gym.
Cody asked:
“You heard her quit?”
“Yes.”
“You didn't say anything.”
Noah swallowed.
“I told Vince to break it.”
“You told me?”
“No. Vince.”
Cody shook his head.
“I didn't hear that.”
“I know.”
Maya asked:
“What happened after I turned away?”
Nobody spoke.
I gripped the phone harder.
She didn't remember.
That was the concussion.
Cody's voice dropped.
“I hit you.”
Maya was silent.
He continued.
“One more time.”
Keller said:
“You were still live.”
Cody turned.
“She wasn't.”
The sidewalk went quiet.
It was the first time Cody had contradicted his coach without anger covering it.
Maya finally asked:
“Why?”
Cody looked at the ground.
“Because Vince told me you were trying to embarrass me.”
“That isn't a reason.”
“No.”
He didn't defend it.
I hated him less cleanly after that.
Not less.
Less cleanly.
Then Keller said:
“You all seem to have forgotten Maya signed a waiver.”
My daughter laughed through the phone.
“You really want to use paper right now?”
Keller's expression changed.
I asked:
“What paper?”
Maya said:
“The management renewal he put in front of me before the spar.”
Keller stepped toward me.
“She is mixing two separate things.”
Maya continued:
“I refused to sign it.”
Cody looked at Keller.
“You made me spar her because she wouldn't renew?”
“No.”
Maya said:
“Then tell Dad what you said when I handed it back.”
Keller did not.
She did.
“You said, ‘If you walk out without me, the next room won't be this friendly.’”
Cody stared at him.
May you like
And Noah whispered:
“Jesus, Vince.”
