Fight 3 by M Dauphin

and I look around to see I’m on the couch in our living room.
    “What the hell happened?” I say, rubbing my tired eyes.
    “You blacked out, woman. I had to carry your fat ass to the couch.” She huffs, then grins sadly at me. “Another flashback?”
    “Yea,” I say, taking the water she hands me to drink.
    Molly and Tatum have been my lifeline since the accident. A week after the accident we closed on the house that Eddie wanted to buy for me. Tatum took care of all of it, and honestly I don’t know how he did it. I was in such a bad place at the time. I wouldn’t leave the hospital, I wouldn’t eat. I only got fluids because they threatened to put an IV in me for the baby’s sake. I just remember telling him the name of our realtor and the closing date. I guess he took care of it, setting up payments to Eddie’s account. I haven’t asked about it, but he’s never asked for money so I guess it’s all taken care of.
    Since the day Eddie flat lined, I’ve been to visit him every single day. Every other night I stay the night with him, talking to him, sleeping in bed next to him. The first few nights the nurses tried to stop me, but the growl that came out of me each time they came near stopped them. The night’s I’m not there, Tatum or Molly is. We don’t leave him alone for long.
    What if he were to wake up and no one was there? He might not remember anyone, he might be scared. I don’t want that. For anyone.
    “Have you heard from Jase, Gwynn?” Molly asks, obviously worried that that’s what triggered my flashback.
    “Not since the accident,” I growl. I haven’t stopped looking for him everywhere I go, though. That ass-clown deserves the worst punishment ever, and if I ever find him, I’ll make sure he pays. His car was the one that caused Eddie’s accident. Apparently I didn’t know my friend all that well after all.
    “Tatum’s been looking for him. Ever since Mac took off, it looks like Jase dropped off the face of the planet.”
    Ah Mac. Good old, mother fucking Mac.
    I never did fight again for him. The day after Eddie’s crash, Mac showed up at the hospital threatening me because I missed showing up for the fight he had scheduled. He met Tatum’s fist, then the back of Tatum’s car. I’ve been told he took him to his dad’s warehouse and talked some sense into him. I’ve also been told Mac couldn’t walk straight for weeks after what Tatum did to him. All I know is that he isn’t in the state of Texas anymore, and I am never getting in the ring for that man again. If I could, I would find him and have him taken down for real, but all I can do for now is be happy that he’s out of my life.
    Every now and then I miss the rush of fighting. I can’t go back to Dave now that I’m so far along, so I really don’t have a release when the anger and sadness gets to be too much. One day I’ll be able to get my release again, but right now things just fucking suck. I’ve been training in my spare time, but I don’t have any clients really ready to fight yet. The local MMA League contacted me about a week after Mac left town, expressing their condolences for Eddie and our situation, then switched into business mode. Apparently, somehow, they had heard of me and were insanely impressed. When I told them about the pregnancy and the fact that I won’t be fighting anymore, they didn’t relent. They offered me a spot training locals. More of a side gig right now, but it’s helping pass the lonely days.
    Tonight I’m going to the hospital. Tonight I’ll sleep next to my fiancé. Tonight I’ll tell him all about the baby’s room, all about Molly trying to inundate the house with bright pink things. I’ll laugh at myself because no one else will be there to respond.
    Tonight I’ll fall asleep next to a man who doesn’t even know I’m there.
    He’s worth it, though. I’ll never stop fighting for him.

Chapter 12
    Eddie
    Jesus fucking Christ, how much did I drink last night?
    I