I lie in the bed for a moment, my breath slowly returning to almost normal as I wait for Nico’s return. But then I hear voices and I realize that whoever it is has no fear of the irrational man that went in a frenzy to get rid of them.
I fix myself as best I can and head to the living room to see who’s arrived. My hair is fingered back in place and my shirt is readjusted, but there isn’t anything I can do with the heat on my face.
“Ma, you didn’t need to bring Vinny by the house. I wouldn’t have forgotten to pick him up. And I told him that twenty times in the last twenty four hours.” Nico catches me in the doorway and gives me a look like he may injure someone before the fight, but for some reason I only find it funny. He’s cute when he’s frustrated.
“Hi Mrs. Hunter. Hi Vinny.” I smile and the two step around Nico who was blocking their passage for entry. Nico looks at me like I’ve just welcomed the devil into his home, instead of two of his biggest fans.
“You’re wearing the t-shirt!” Vinny is excited and smiling.
“Of course I am. It’s the coolest t-shirt I own.” I wink at him and the all-confident boy turns shy for half a second before turning to face Nico.
“You like it Nico?” It’s sweet how the boy wants Nico’s approval, I just hope Nico doesn’t flatten his enthusiasm because they interrupted a private moment.
Nico looks at me and takes my shirt in again, as if he is seeing it for the first time. His eyes go hooded and no response is really needed. The kid smiles as he watches Nico, knowing Nico couldn’t be happier.
“Yeah kid. It’s perfect.” He takes a deep breath and exhales.
***
All of Nico’s brothers and their wives are already seated when Vinny, Max, and I finally find our seats. Between my friends and his family, we fill almost two rows. My stepfather managed to pick up the security job for the fight, and it makes me feel bad that I can’t invite mom too. I’ve told her about Nico, but even that made her nervous. There is no way she would be able to handle a live fight. Too many bad memories.
My stepfather spends a few minutes at our row and I get to introduce him to Nico’s family. It’s an odd feeling blending our families together, but when I take a minute to look around, I realize everyone feels right at home. My stepfather is chatting away and laughing with Nico’s mom and oldest brother, and Vinny and Max are in their own little world. It brings a warm feeling to take it all in…I haven’t felt like I had a family in so long. It’s not my mom’s fault, I just wouldn’t let anyone in. I didn’t even realize it until Nico snuck into my heart and opened it wide for others.
The announcer steps into the cage and my body goes tense. It’s really going to happen now. I’ve pretended that it wasn’t, that I had time before I had to go through watching Nico do this. But there’s no more time left. What if he freezes again, only this time he gets hurt? Or if he hurts the brother? Will he be able to live with himself after what happened last time? I suddenly feel sick to my stomach.
“Elle?” I hear Regina speak, but I can’t respond. I’m frozen in place, staring at the announcer like I’m waiting for something to happen any second. “Elle!” Regina grabs my arms and snaps me out of my trance. “Are you okay? You’re white as a ghost.”
I nod my head, but she isn’t buying it. She knows me too well. “Come on, let’s get out of here. This is too much.” My arm is in her hand and she’s already starting to pull me in her direction.
“No!” My voice comes out louder than I anticipated and I’m suddenly grateful for the announcer who just sent my mind into a tailspin. He’s drowning me out with his loud words fired off in rapid succession, but their meaning doesn’t register with me. I force myself to look at Regina so she knows I’m okay. “I can’t leave. I need to be here.”
Regina searches my eyes like she’s looking for something. She still looks nervous, but she stops tugging at my arm. “Okay, okay. Let’s sit then. Drink some water. Please.”
I take the water to make Regina happy and try to focus on what the announcer is rattling on about.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, the moment you have all been waiting for. The match to end all matches, more than a year and a half in the making. The man, the myth, the legend, ladies need no introduction, the one, the only Nico ‘The Laaaaaady Killlllller’ Hunter.”
The crowd goes insane. Vinny and Max are standing on the top of their seats jumping up and down so hard that I think they might break the chairs. Nico’s mom, who is normally subdued, is screaming with hands on either side of her mouth. And his brothers are high fiving, fist pounding, and jumping up to smash each other with their own chests. The moment of insanity does wonders for my nerves, I can’t help but smile at our crazy gang.