Chapter 19
Jordana looked across the living room to where Forrest sat looking through some of his research while she herself researched the local flora and fauna in preparation for her excursion with Skeeter.
Last night had made her feel a true part of the community.
She was making friends and felt included in life here.
Then there were the times she and Forrest were alone. They couldn’t keep their hands off each other. They’d made love last night and already this afternoon on the couch because Forrest couldn’t keep his hands off her, telling her she looked so sexy doing her research.
The same could be said for him. Jordana looked across to where he was writing in his notebook. His arms flexed and she practically drooled, remembering the way his fingers had worked her just two hours earlier.
“If you keep looking at me like that, we won’t finish our work,” Forrest told her, looking up from his notepad and giving her a wink.
“I’m not the only one looking.”
Forrest smirked. “True. I can’t help but stare when you bite your bottom lip in concentration. Makes me think of all the other things you could be doing with those lips.”
Jordana flushed as she thought about how they’d done that this morning. She was about to suggest what he could do with his own mouth when their doorbell rang. She glanced at the clock and jumped from the couch. “Oh my gosh! I’m late for that class at the church. Tell them I’ll be right out!”
Jordana rushed to the bedroom and put on the athletic clothes Natalie had loaned her. “I’m ready! Sorry!” she called out as she hurried back to find Natalie talking to Forrest.
“You’re going to love this!” Natalie said, lacing her arm through Jordana’s and whisking her away. “It’s my favorite part of the week. Just don’t be intimidated.”
Jordana got into Natalie’s car and turned to her. “Why would I be intimidated?”
“Lacy’s thirteen and Leah is ten. They’re really good.
Don’t feel bad if they embarrass you. No one will judge you for it.
Most of us newbies have been there, done that.
And the senior citizens.” Natalie paused as she carefully drove around clumps of reenactors who had just finished filming for the day.
Rumor had it, they were still a few more days away from wrapping up.
“You know, just have fun. Don’t worry about being proficient.
None of us are and I’ve been doing this for a year. ”
Jordana was now getting a little nervous. What kind of self-defense class was this? She didn’t have time to ask Natalie because when they pulled up to park by the church, three old ladies were waiting for them.
“Natalie,” Jordana said slowly. “I think there might be a language barrier, but is the sweet-looking older woman on the right wearing a sweatshirt that says Will Stop to Pet Pussies? Does that mean what I think it means?”
Natalie was fighting laughing as she too was staring at it. “That depends, what do you think it means?”
“I think it means I need to keep my legs crossed.”
Natalie burst out laughing. “Don’t worry, that one is just for Forrest. That’s Miss Mitzi and she loves cats. She knows it embarrasses her mean and uptight daughter-in-law, so she has some fun with the term pussy cat.”
“Ah, well then. I totally approve.”
Natalie and Jordana were instantly greeted by the elderly trio.
They couldn’t be more different in appearance.
One was a grandmother in her roundness with warm brown skin, and the one in the middle was short, with white helmet hair, and pale skin that almost made her look like a ghost. The cat lover was sun-kissed with a healthy headful of silver hair.
However, they all had eyes full of youth and mischief that instantly made Jordana smile.
“Miss Ruby, Miss Winnie, and Miss Mitzi,” Natalie introduced. “This is Jordana Alves, Forrest’s girlfriend.”
Jordana was wrapped up in grandmotherly hugs as she was ushered inside.
She was only able to briefly see the inside of the church before turning down a hall.
The church looked as if it had been untouched for centuries, other than the addition of electricity.
It was also filled with what looked to be real gold candlesticks and a fortune in stained glass and paintings.
They turned into a large room and Jordana blinked. There were dummies hanging from the wall with targets over their hearts, axe-throwing targets, and a fencing mat.
A man and woman, who both looked lost in each other’s eyes, startled as the group walked in. The elderly trio all winked at each other.
“That’s Reverend Winston. He runs this church, just like his family has done for generations.
The woman is a reverend from Key West. Her name is Melinda Jones.
She was here for some educational training.
We thought she was supposed to be back in Key West by now, but she keeps finding reasons to stay,” Natalie added conspiratorially.
“You must be Jordana!” Melinda called out as the two walked over to her. “Hi, I’m Melinda. I’m so excited to have a newbie here. I’ve been here for months, but I still have trouble with things. It’ll be nice not to be the only one upstaged by a tween.”
Jordana shook their hands and their welcoming smiles made her feel at ease.
“And I’m Reverend Winston. Welcome to my class. I know you’re a scientist and that doesn’t involve a lot of self-defense in your daily life. We’ll just take it slow today to make sure you have a lot of fun.”
“Thank you, Reverend. I’m looking forward to learning some new things.”
Noise filled the church as women poured into the room.
Jordana met them all. The waitresses from the diner and barbecue joints, the owner of Bless Your Scarf, and what felt like half the town.
There had to be thirty women here tonight and that was before Lydia and her daughters, Lacy and Leah, arrived.
“Oh goodie,” ten-year-old Leah said, rubbing her hands together. “New blood.”
Her older sister, Lacy, rolled her eyes. “I hate working with newbies. They’re so, well, bad.”
“Lacy! Leah!” Lydia snapped. “You were both newbies at one point. Not everyone can be good in their first class. Where are your manners? Because if you don’t find them, I’ll have to remind you of them.”
“Sorry, ma’am,” they both muttered before looking up at Jordana. “Sorry.”
Reverend Winston whistled and brought the class to order with a prayer for the protectors. “Okay, everyone. You know your stations. Let’s start and rotate partners every fifteen minutes. Leah, can I trust you with Miss Jordana to start?”
“Of course, Reverend.” The little scamp dimpled up at her innocently and Jordana was suddenly very worried.
“Come on, I’ll show you the knives,” Leah said, turning and walking away.
Locked cabinets that filled one whole length of the room were opened by Reverend Winston.
Knives, daggers, swords, pikes, axes, and even antique pistols were all lined up in the cabinets.
Women grabbed them and then got to work. “
Here, pick one. Newbies start with baby knives. I’m almost up to rapiers.”
Jordana leaned forward and picked up a knife. It was beautiful. Polished to a mirror finish and, “Are these real rubies?”
“Yeah. A lot of these were stolen by the town’s pirates.
Those kings and dukes liked their gold, rubies, and emeralds,” Leah told her as if it were no big deal that there were rubies worth at least fifty thousand dollars on this one knife.
“Now, I know knives can be scary, so we’ll start with stabbing the dummy first. You have to learn how to hit the heart.
Eventually you’ll move up to knife throwing, but that usually takes months. ”
“Knife throwing?” Jordana asked.
Leah looked less than thrilled to be babysitting the newbie. “Yeah. You throw the knife and hit the dummy in the heart, but that’s way advanced.”
Jordana felt the weight of the knife in her hand and adjusted her grip.
“Like this?” Jordana threw the knife without ever taking her eyes off Leah.
She knew it sank into the heart. She’d been throwing knives since she was eight.
“Ten is a little late to start training, but I guess it’s better late than never. ”
Jordana tried not to smile as Leah’s mouth dropped open. Lydia had no trouble laughing out loud and reminded Leah not to make assumptions.
“Well, maybe we should see where you’re at,” Reverend Winston said, smiling. “Maggie, will you test her on each weapon to see where Miss Alves needs improvement?”
“You never told me you could throw a knife,” Natalie whispered as she hid her smile behind her hand so Leah would be overly embarrassed.
“You never told me there would be weapons. I did grow up with a father who is a general. I know a lot about weapons and fighting. I was trained in all of the Brazilian martial arts, such as jiu-jitsu and vale tudo. I thought this would be more of a kickboxing class or something.”
“I know what jiu-jitsu is, but what’s vale tudo?” Natalie asked.
“It’s a hybrid style of fighting that mixes striking and grappling. It also has very few rules. You would know it as the basis for MMA. However, MMA has more rules.”
“Does Forrest know of your ability?” Maggie asked, handing her a sword.
“Well, he did see me kill a man with a machete, and then he saw me fighting, so I think he has a pretty good idea. Especially after that look he gave me when he encouraged me to come to tonight’s class.
” Jordana looked to Reverend Winston and felt guilty.
He’d overheard her. “I’m sorry for killing, Reverend. ”
“It was for the survival of you and the people you love. In that, it’s honorable. At least it is in our church. Furthermore, we have a group on Tuesday nights if you’re ever feeling weighed down by what you’ve been through.”