Chapter 7
CHAPTER SEVEN
Sierra
With the turn of a doorknob, I stepped inside the coach's luxury duplex, as waves of wonder and amazement hit me all at once.
Coach definitely lived nicer than he let on, and he actually lived on the safer side of town.
I wasn't even begging for a quarter of his success, but if I had it, it would have been more than enough to provide for my daughter.
I didn't know you could even live this nice as a fighter.
He tossed his key chain on a nearby surface as I slipped my shoes off at the door, following his lead.
“You have a really nice place,” I downplayed, trying not to look too star struck. He shrugged, taking off his baseball cap and hanging it on a wall with many others.
“I like my peace.”
“Did you really get all this from fighting?” I wondered, finding the courage to ask before the moment passed.
“I bought this place from the earnings of one of my bigger fights. When you start making money, I advise you to buy instead of rent. It's a bitch in all the property taxes, but if you can afford it, it’s better than having a crazy landlord.” With a remote control, he turned on the TV in the living room, old school boleros, filling the quiet space.
“Your house is so clean.” And well decorated, but I left that out because I wasn't sure if he worked with an interior designer. If so, they deserved the compliment.
“Well, what did you expect me to live like? The grouch in a trash can?” he chastised, and for a while I felt like there was context to what he was saying, but I didn't watch much TV growing up. Some things got lost on me.
“Am I supposed to know what that means?” I joked as he turned to me, his dark eyes intense and judging.
“You see, that's the thing I don't envy about you kids. You all had no type of childhood. No sense of nostalgia,” he ridiculed, as I adjusted my bag on my shoulder.
“I don't know how many times I have to remind you! I'm not a kid. I'm twenty-six,” I argued, as he cornered me in a deep stare.
“Well, that's young to me. Now come on. I'll give you a tour of the place and where you'll be staying.” The duplex was even bigger than it looked from the outside, having more space than necessary for a single man.
He had everything from a den, to his own personal weight room and gym.
Not to mention, he had a washer and dryer, so at least that would save me time and money at the laundromat for the time being.
Lingering around his den, I was mystified with all the UFC titles and Fight Club keepsakes.
He snuck up behind me, causing me to jump back. He was a light stepper.
“You have….so freaking many…”
“I had a long run. Started young, a lot younger than you.”
“This is what I want. A room full of wins. Somewhere I could just look and see how far it took me.”
“If that's what you want, it's going to take work. But you can look around if you want before I show you to your room.” I took him up on his offer, glossing over all his newspaper clippings, magazine articles, and promo posters.
Comparing his stages, the thing that stayed the same was that he was always a handsome guy.
There was something honest and fiery in him before he got his injury, but something more interesting and vulnerable about his appearance now. Or maybe I just had a thing for older men. With him being my coach and all, I wouldn't be testing out that theory anytime soon.
Finishing up, he got around to showing me where I would be staying; the shelter not holding a torch to the extra space.
It was nice, private and so spacious I wouldn't even fill more than a drawer worth of my belongings here.
Then again, I didn't want to look at the stay as permanent.
It was just until I secured and won some fights.
The only place he hadn't showed me was his bedroom, which I assume was because he wanted me to respect his privacy.
“I'll give you a chance to get your things unpacked. After that, do me a favor and meet me in the kitchen,” he said, excusing himself to give me a minute alone.
Emptying the contents of my two bags, I was right to assume I didn't have enough things to fit one drawer.
The three dresses I kept in a clothing bag, I hung up in the massive closet, as it looked pathetically empty.
I suppose that was it for now. At his command, I met him in the kitchen, and upon entering, he handed me a smoothie.
“Try that. It should help you with your fasting and keep your energy levels up.
I'm working on another meal plan. One that'll help the muscle but help lose the water weight.
You'll cut weight slower, but it'll be healthier that way. Your body can just naturally adjust to it.” I took a sip, grateful that it didn't taste awful like I expected.
It wasn't sweet, but I could taste the remnants of tart cherries and pineapple.
“Oh, I guess if I'm staying with you, I don't need the mini loan you gave me,” I admitted thinking of the five hundred dollars he lent me after leaving the hospital.
Not that I had planned on using it all on groceries, but I felt bad about holding on to it.
Waking up in a safe neighborhood was priceless.
He winced, shaking his head like it was no big deal.
“Why don't you just keep it? Get yourself some new clothes or something. Your clothes are gonna start fitting different after I'm done with you.”
***
Why wasn't I surprised to get that five am wake-up call to go running?
The whole time he could see that I wasn't really a morning person.
Instead of complaining like I usually would, I sucked it up, accepting every hill incline, rough terrain, and all the explosive bursts and sprints he suggested.
By the time we'd gotten back to his place, my legs felt like noodles, but I learned he had prepped a whole week of food for me the night prior.
“I left you a little guidance. Just in case you're alone, and you have to cook it yourself.
Cook as directed, nothing extra. And by the way, this meal plan isn't permanent.
I just want to check in a week from now to see how you look.
See how you feel. Adjust things on a week to week basis.
If you prefer to train at home, sometimes you could split them up.
Exceptions for the nights you train with me, that's at the gym and non-negotiable.”
“Okay,” I said, reading the sticky notes he left on the container tops with the simple recipes written down on them.
“How long you gonna stare at it for? Cocínalo y cómelo*!” he commanded, before excusing himself to shower.
Getting through another grueling shift at the diner, when things slowed down and they sought out volunteers to leave early, I jumped at the chance.
Even if it just an hour early to do some shopping.
I had never been one of those girls who was enviably stylish, but I knew what worked for my body type.
It would be nice to have more than three dresses and fill up more than one dresser while I was a guest at Josue’s.
I hadn't had time to stop by the mall but there was a Rainbow on my bus route to work, and there, two hundred bucks went a long way.
Flipping through the clothes racks, I grabbed whatever my arms could carry: dresses, jeans, dressy tops, and even a handful of panties and bras in my size.
Not expecting to see a familiar face, my face lit up to run into one of my roommates at the shelter.
I just left without saying anything, so I was lowkey prepared for what happened next.
“Sierra, is that you, girl? It's been like a weeks now. Where the hell have you been? The directors at the shelter are talking about giving up your bed.” It was Hydee, the one I couldn’t look at without thinking about what my daughter might look like older.
If I had to run into anyone, I was happy it was her.
Reminding me of Mónica always put a smile on my face.
“About that. Thing is, I found a place to stay for now.
One that's safe. And to be honest, it's probably better for me because I can work less and train more. Not to mention it’s more stable on paper. It looks better with me trying to get my daughter back,” I said, her skeptic expression assuming the worst.
“Girl, I hope you not tricking.” I laughed, adjusting the mountain of clothes I had in my hand.
“No, no, it's nothing like that. The person who trains me, he’s letting me stay with him while he mentors me.” She shrugged.
“I can't argue with that. You just getting off of work?” Looking down at my uniform, I teased.
“Geez, what gave me away?”
“Don't do that,” she shot back, telling me to be safe and to shoot her a text every once in a while. Taking the bus home, relief flooded me being able to put the keys in the door to a safer place, the smell from the kitchen a nice welcome home.
Making my way to my room, I passed the kitchen as Josue sat up from the table, his penetrating dark stare carrying his usual disdain.
“Hey, where you been? You texted and said you were getting off early. I cooked and this food's been sitting here. Been like an hour, just cold.” My brows rose at the gesture. Was this man actually doing something thoughtful? I didn't know he had it in him.
“I did actually. But I stopped by Rainbow on my way home to get some new clothes. I didn't know you would be waiting for me.”