“Not a problem.I like to know where I’m starting.”
“Have you taught defense to many people?”
“Not like this.It was more combat situations, but the same basic principles apply.”
“You’re not going to teach me to gouge eyes and rip out throats, are you?”She didn’t look happy about the prospect.
“Eye-gouging maybe, but no throat-ripping.Just enough to incapacitate your attacker to get away.”
“Sounds good; what do we start on first?”She rubbed her hands together excitedly.
“We’ll work on some jabs.Arms up like a boxer.”He brought his hands up to show her what he meant.June mirrored his motions.He looked her over, noting her form.Her hands were good.
He stepped behind her and adjusted her hips and feet to pivot with her left foot in the front and the other leg in the back.
“Your power is going to come from the back.So, as you swing your right fist, you’re going to bring your right hip forward and shift your foot to get the most momentum.”
June nodded and took a practice swing.
“Full body motion.Keep your left fist up to protect your face.”Rob stepped back around her to watch her form.“Good.Alright, for a left jab, protect your face with the right fist, and jab straight out.Good, now alternate.”
June practiced it a few more times until she built up a rhythm.She picked up the moves easily as if she had done this before.
“Alright, now let’s give you a target.”He held up both of his hands at shoulder height.“Hit my hands.”
June went to strike his right palm, but he moved it at the last second so her fist kept going.She hadn’t been prepared for him to move, so her momentum carried her forward.Rob reached out and caught her before she fell.
“You moved,” she accused as she righted herself.
“Do you expect your opponent to stand still for you to hit them?”
“No,” June grudgingly admitted.“But you should at least show me the basics before you start tricking me like that.”
“Who’s teaching the lessons here?”
“Alright, Yoda.”June got back into position.
“Let’s try this again.”Rob brought his hands up.
June jabbed forward.He could see her body tense, waiting for him to move at the last second.He held still.Her punch was soft as if she were afraid to actually hit him.“Don’t hold back.I can assure you, your attacker won’t.Picture your life is on the line.That I intend to harm you and strike.”
June nodded but didn’t say anything.She focused on his hands and punched out with her right fist.Rob was preparing to move his hand, but June surprised him, and her right fist shot out, catching him.
He stumbled back not only from the force behind it, but because he’d been unprepared for her to hit him.Rob shook out his hand as June looked at him proudly.“I thought you said you haven’t done self-defense moves before.”Now it was his turn to sound accusatory.Not that he was upset; more surprised.
“I haven’t, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t wrestled around with my brother.”
Fair.He really was going to have to stay on his toes with her.She was just full of surprises.June Macintosh was nothing like what he’d expected.
Chapter 12
“Alright, we’ll call it a night,” Rob announced.They had been at it for an hour now.He was covered in sweat, as was June.She had picked up on the lessons quickly.Thanks to the medical history from Dr.Shane, he had added some leg kicks in but nothing too strenuous.
June had tried everything without complaint.He was proud of her.He felt bad for the next guy who came at her in a dark alley.
“Good job,” he praised as he grabbed his towel off the shelf along the back wall.He had a stack of them set out for instances like this.
“Thanks.”June was breathing a little heavily, but she was still standing straight instead of hunched over exhausted.
