"You can go have a look around later if you like," Marie called over. "We have the whole place to ourselves."
"Ooh, a late night, private museum tour, that would be lovely." But that was no guarantee it would happen. They were waiting. They were sitting on pins and needles as they waited. It was the Northeastern belt, tonight. Axel went on any minute. All the work he had put in, all the training, it all led up to this moment.
Would Marie be his undoing? Would everything that had happened with Austin negatively affect Axel? She wouldn't be able to live with herself if that were the case. She didn't want to be his downfall. The announcers were chattering back and forth about the odds, but Marie couldn't focus on any one thing they were saying. It was all just nerves.
"Look, it's Daddy!" Cate screamed pointing at the TV. Marie froze staring at the screen. It wasn't possible that Austin was there; he was in jail awaiting trial back in Phoenix.
"What do you mean, Cate?" Marie asked.
"It's Axel," Cate answered. "Don't you see him?"
"Did you just call Axel ‘Daddy'?" Marie asked as she moved closer to her daughter kneeling in front of her.
"Yeah. I want Axel to be my daddy now," she said looking up at Marie. She was drawing a picture of the four of them; Marie, Axel, Cate, and Elizabeth and they were all standing in front of the Hawks' mansion. "See, there's you, and Grandma, and Daddy," Cate said pointing to the figures on her picture.
"That's very sweet," Marie said giving her daughter a kiss on the cheek. She looked down at the drawing and everything it meant. A real family, a man she could trust. A man who loved her and put her first.
The announcer called out the name of Danny Castellano and Axel's opponent made his way to the ring. He was short, but built like a tank. His arms were like tree trunks and his nose had been broken several times. He snarled at the camera as it circled him. He looked big and scary to Marie. She was worried about Axel; she wasn't sure she was ready to watch this fight.
The announcer called out Axel's name next and the crowd at the arena went wild. He was wearing the blue and red robe with his name stitched along the back. The hood was pulled out but his face appeared under the harsh light. He entered the ring and removed his robe. He was wearing only a pair of loose red shorts and tape on his knuckles. She wished he had armor on. She wished her was safe here, next to her.
The bell rung. Everything happened so quickly. Axel was on his feet bobbing and weaving as Castellano came at him with everything he had. The other man was kicking and punching and driving Axel back into a corner. But as Marie watched she could see what Axel was doing. He was getting into position; he was waiting for his turn to strike. And then in came. In the second round he got a firm hit on Castellano's side and then a roundhouse kick to his stomach and he finished it with an uppercut that landed Castellano flat on his back.
The crowd screamed. Marie, Cate, and Elizabeth screamed and jumped from their seats and hugged each other. Marie's heart was pounding. Axel had won in two rounds. The referee lifted Axel's hand above his head and the crowd roared and he was declared the winner. Castellano was helped from the ring as a reporter joined Axel.
Axel faced was bruised and there was a trickle of blood along his jaw and sweat on his forehead. But his eyes were sparkling and he threw his arms around the interviewer.
"Axel Connelly, you have just won the Northeastern Belt. This is the highest you have ever ranked. How do you feel? Anything you want to tell the crowd?
"I feel great!" Axel responded. "And I want to dedicate this fight to the people I love. To my girlfriend, Marie, my daughter Cate, and my mother: I love you guys and I'll be home soon."
THE END