Cashmere knew she had to do better, and better needed to start now.
Shaking the weight of the world off her shoulders, she did what she learned from a young age. She pulled some strength straight from God himself and decided she would start to put her life back together.
With a smile that didn’t quite meet her eyes, she held her hand out to him and said, “Let’s go then.”
Cashmere’s nose scrunched up. “A boxing gym?”
“Not just any boxing gym, young lady. The best boxing gym.”
Cashmere whirled around at the gravelly voice, and her eyes landed on an elderly man with dark brown eyes and gray hair.
“Gramps, what’s good?” Savio asked as he clapped hands with the older man before drawing him close.
“Ain’t shit. You lucky my grandkids ain’t want to be up under me today. Otherwise, yo’ ass would be out of luck,” the old man grumbled.
Cashmere watched the exchange between the two men and noticed a comfortability with them.
“I ’preciate you doin’ me this favor. Let me introduce my girl. Cashmere, this is Gramps. He runs an underground gym back home. Well, he used to. Gramps, this is Cashmere.”
“Nice to meet you, young lady,” Gramps said as he shook her hand.
“Likewise,” Cashmere said, but she was really in her head realizing how small the world was. Cashmere knew all too well who Gramps was. He was a legend back in Ellwood. He used to be the reigning champ in the underground boxing scene before his protégé, Nightmare, took over.
The only reason Cashmere knew all this was because Karma oversaw the underground boxing world. Those boxers caused her a lot of trouble, which made Karma have to step in and clean things up often. That was part of the reason everyone in the council was so glad to have her back because nobody could clean those messes up quite like Karma could.
“I didn’t even know you opened up a gym out this way until recently,” Savio said humbly.
“You done made me a lot of money bettin’ on fights and whatnot. Least I could do. I live out this way now since Nightmare done forced me into retirement. Thought it was only right to open up a gym close by.”
“Respect,” Savio said.
“Just turn off all the lights when ya done. The front door will auto-lock when you leave,” Gramps said.
Cashmere waved at the old man after Savio said goodbye and watched him leave the gym. She turned to Savio and asked, “What are we doin’ here?”
“Boxing is a good way to relieve stress.” Savio shrugged as he walked toward a heavy bag.
Cashmere looked down at the blue two-piece workout set Savio just bought her at the mall. When he said she needed some workout clothes, she assumed they were going to go for a walk on the beach or something.
“I don’t know anything about boxing, Sav,” she said. She tried hard to keep the whine out of her voice. The only reason she was even there right now was for Savio. She felt obligated to do this for him—to be his yes woman—since she had been so neglectful for several weeks. It wasn’t a bad obligation, but an obligation nonetheless. What she really wanted to do was go home and crawl into bed.
“I’ma teach you.” He said it so matter-of-factly, like he had all the answers in the world to whatever problem she had.
How could she be mad at that?
She slowly walked toward him and watched him shadowbox with the bag. “What about your hand?”
“Baby, I really need you to stop wit’ all the questions and just vibe wit’ me.”
Cashmere immediately clamped her mouth shut. If that was what he needed, then that was what he would get.
She watched him for a while before he turned his focus on her. He helped her wrap her hands and then showed her how to properly strike the heavy bag.
“Use the bag to let everything out, Precious. That’s why we’re here,” Savio said, but he really didn’t need to say anything.
Cashmere was already in the zone. All the emotion she had felt since Ivoree’s and Twizz’s deaths had already poured out of her at a rapid pace.
She punched the bag as hard as she could, even though it hurt her fists and wrists. Cashmere didn’t let up, though she was exhausted. Then, she surprised herself when she screamed.It took her a moment to realize she wasn’t just screaming an agonizing note. She was speaking.
