Aloud knock at the door startles me from my daydreams as I stare at the amber liquid pouring into my coffee mug. The first week at The Hideout has flown by. Every day we’ve had tons of new inquiries to deal with, meaning more and more kids turning up through the doors. It’s great to be helping so many kids, but I am exhausted. I physically had to drag myself out of bed this morning and into the shower, every movement an effort.
That reminds me, I need to call the doctor’s today. After they discharged me from the hospital, it’s been a waiting game to schedule an ultrasound to see if my baby is okay. Our baby.
Swiping up the coffee mug filled to the brim, I pad over to the front door and fling it open, only to be greeted by no one.
A black box tied with a shiny gold ribbon lies by my feet. Crouching down, I pick it up and close the door, making my way back to the kitchen.
“Oooh- what’s that? Looks fancy,” Maddie muses, as she flits into the kitchen, sporting a similar tired look to me. Her hair is bundled on the top of her head and there is mascara smudged under her eyes.
“Not a clue.” I respond deadpan, staring at the box, itching to rip it open.
“Well, open it then. There might be something good in there.”
Pulling the bow apart, I lift the lid, to reveal another small back velvet box and a white letter. Keller’s all caps handwriting glares at me on the envelope.
“OPEN ME FIRST.”
Ripping open the seal, I unravel the letter. Two rectangular tickets falling onto the countertop.
To, My Queen.
I can’t win this fight without you in my corner.
I want to give you the fairytale you deserve.
I want to make you smile every day.
I want to worship you every night.
I want to love you with everything I have.
I want to make this right.
Without you, there is no light.
That little black box holds the key to my heart for the rest of eternity.
If you’re ready to own every inch of me, bring it with you to my fight. Do not open it a second before I tell you.
A driver will pick you and Maddie up at 11 AM next Thursday to take you to a private airstrip so you can fly to Vegas. A hotel is booked for the two of you for four nights at the MGM Grand and for two tickets for my fight.
I’m ready to fight for it all.
Are you?
I love you.
My Goddess, My Queen, My World.
Always yours,
Your Champ x x x
My shaky hands place the letter to the side, and my vision blurs from new emotion. Damn hormones.
Maddie rushes over, wrapping me up in a warm hug.
“It’s okay Sienna. Everything is going to be okay. I promise.”
For the first time in a long time, I believe her.
I’m going to fight for what I want.
I can’t deny my heart any longer.
“How do you fancy a trip to Vegas next week?” Cocking my eyebrow, I turn to Maddie.
Her face lights up with excitement. “Shut the fuck up! Oh. My. God.” She grabs the tickets from the side, shaking them in the air.
“Yes, yes, yes, yes. A million times, yes!”
The spark in me lights back up with a new determination. I’m going to get my man back.
Grabbing the smooth velvet box between my fingers, I twiddle it in front of my face. I want to open it; surprises kill me. But I’m going to trust him. Keller always has a plan. I’ll just have to wait a few days. I place it, with the tickets, back in the bigger box then slide it across the counter, away from me and resist the urge to peek.
“Well, looks like we’re off to Vegas, Baby.”
Maddie bounces in excitement. “Is it too early to pop some champagne?”
“I wish,” I chuckle, rolling my eyes at my excitable best friend.
“Oh shit, sorry! Does this mean you forgive him?”
“Yes.” I reply with certainty.
“If he ever does anything to hurt you again, I’ll kill him with my bare hands.”
The thought alone of Maddie even attempting to hurt Keller has me erupt in a belly laugh.
“I’m being serious. I know people.”
Oh Maddie. She has no clue.
“Okay, okay. Noted Mrs. Smith.”
“In all seriousness, Si, I’m happy for you. He brings out a spark in you no one else ever could. You deserve this. You both deserve a lifetime of love.”
I pull my best friend back into an embrace. I know she longs for the same thing. “Thank you Maddie. I love you.”
“I love you too, Si. Now, go get ready for work. The quicker you go, the quicker you get home for some non-alcoholic prosecco and karaoke session with yours truly.”
Shaking my head with a laugh, I do just that.
Just one more week until my heart is mended.
“What do you mean you’ve had to move my appointment back? I have a flight to catch, I leave at 11.” I nearly shout down the phone, anger boiling as Patricia, the ever helpful doctor’s receptionist, continues to tap her acrylics on the keyboard, making me want to rip those nails from her fingers.
“We had an emergency. I can get you in at 10:20.”
It’s only round the corner. If I can get back from the appointment by 10:50, I won’t miss the lift to the airport.
“Fine.” I huff.
“See you then, Miss Anderson.” Sarcasm drips from her snotty tone.
I cut the call and slam my phone down on the sofa.
Fucking bitch.
We stacked our luggage next to the front door. Clearly, we’ve taken enough for a month’s trip to Vegas, but we needed multiple outfit choices for Keller’s fight. I’m already starting to show and I want to surprise Keller with the news. Therefore, all my outfits are justified. Or so I’m telling myself, anyway.
“Jesus, who were you shouting at this early?” Maddie asks,
“The stupid bloody Doctor’s receptionist. They moved my appointment forward to 10:20 instead of 9:20. If I don’t take this one, I have to wait another three weeks, apparently.”
“Huh, why are you going to the doctors?” Concern shows on her face as she speaks.
“It’s just a check-up. You know, after what happened, they want to make sure the little one is growing okay.”
“Do you need me to go with you?”
“It’s ok, you just get packed and ready to go. I promise to bring back a scan picture.”
I give her a smile to hide my nerves. Today I find out if they are healthy. After everything, it would be a miracle to have even got this far. Please be okay, my little one.
The clinical smell assaults my nose as I walk into the Doctor’s Office at 10:18 on the dot. I can’t risk that bitch in reception telling me I’ve missed my appointment.
Patricia signs me in, shooting me a fake smile with her stupidly long glittery nails, still jabbing into that damn keyboard, making my ears want to bleed.
“Miss Anderson?” A doctor calls.
Following him into a private room, I spy a blue bed laid out in the center and a monitor standing next to it.
My palms begin to sweat. I wish I had Keller with me right now. He deserves to be here. I didn’t want to add any more worry to him before his fight. I have to know they are okay before I tell him anything. Plus, he wants to surprise me with this black box, which is still killing me. So then I can do the same.
“So Miss Anderson, let’s get you up on the bed. If you can lift your sweater and just tuck under your pants, we can have a little look through the ultra scan.”
“Okay.” I nod, as I take a deep breath and get up onto the bed. With shaky fingers, I lift up my top and expose my stomach.
“This will be a little cold, okay?”
I simply nod, holding my breath as I wait.
The monitor springs to life, black and white floating across the screen. Squinting, I try to make out anything, but it’s no use; it’s all just a black and white blur.
The doctor pushes further into my stomach with the cold probe, sliding it up and down. The whooshing on the monitor remains the same. As the moments pass, dread fills me.
“Ah-ha! There you are, little one.”
My eyes snap up to the screen as a rapid heartbeat fills the room.
A little alien-looking thing wiggles on the screen.
Our little alien.
After taking a few measurements, he confirms I am roughly ten weeks pregnant. I’ve left with a mountain of paperwork and appointment reminders. Due to the trauma I’ve been through recently with my symptoms, they want to keep a close eye on me. Our little alien looks to be thriving. Another fighter to enter the world.
As I exit the building, my emotions threaten to bubble over, until I quickly check the time on my phone.
11:15.
Shit! I race back to the apartment, my lungs burning as I run up the stairs and throw the door open.
Maddie stands staring into a cup of steaming coffee.
“Has the driver left?”
A frown crinkles her forehead as she nods.
“Did you explain to him what happened?” Irritation is clear in my tone.
“Obviously. He didn’t give a shit. As soon as I told him you weren’t here he rolled the window up and drove off. A complete miserable asshole. I’ve even tried calling Grayson, but he just went straight to voicemail.”
“Why can’t anything just go right in my life for once?” I shout, snatching my phone out of my coat pocket and dialing Keller, who goes straight to answerphone.
Fuck it, I will get to Vegas.
The thought of Keller believing I wasn’t turning up for him when he needs me makes me feel physically sick.
“Looks like we’re slumming it in commercial then. You grab the laptop and I’ll grab my credit card. We will get to Vegas.”
