Forgetting Chuck Taylor by Peters Bailey

Author:Peters, Bailey [Peters, Bailey]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Independent
Published: 2019-07-10T16:00:00+00:00

21

Taylor

Wednesday was a big day for the students in her boxing program. It was the last week before their graduation ceremony. For most of the students, starting the program had been something they’d done against their will. Court-appointed anger management training wasn’t exactly an alluring concept. Taylor prided herself and the other instructors on making it both meaningful and fun for students. While some of them might have tried to make it seem otherwise, she’d felt buy-in from nearly all of them by the second or third class. She had sneaking suspicions that for many of them, the boxing ring was the only place they were able to get attention for the good things they did instead of the bad. She could empathize with that.

It was difficult to keep the tears out of her eyes as she watched the students practice their moves for the final time, readying themselves for the graduation ceremony. They’d have a chance in front of their family and friends to showcase their new skills and then compete in their first public match. Afterward, each student would have a chance to speak a few words about the things that they learned. Taylor and the other instructors would speak at the end, bringing each student up one-by-one to share positive words about their character and aptitudes, wishing them well before sending them out into the world.

Taylor had decided this would be the last time she’d commit to co-leading the program. Her coursework at State was only going to get more strenuous as she advanced toward her upper-level courses and she knew she couldn’t continue to stretch herself as far as she had. She also wanted to make room for other things. If nothing else, Eva had taught her that.

When they were on a five-minute water break, Erica found her by the punching bags.

“You look great up there today,” Taylor said, nodding to the ring. “Next thing I know, you’re going to be calling me to tell me to tune into Monday Night Raw and you’ll be the one body slamming folks on my television screen.”

Erica beamed.

“Do you think Eva would come to my graduation?”

Taylor tried to plaster a smile on her face even though the mention of Eva’s name felt like a gut check, like someone had missed a nearby punching bag and clocked her a good one instead.

“I think it would mean a lot to her if you asked her to come,” she said. “Remind me when practice is over, and I’ll write down the number for her cell.”

There was no way in hell Taylor was asking Eva herself.

“Thanks,” Erica said, nearly flinging herself onto Taylor in a hug but then stopping at the last moment with just enough time to avoid covering Taylor in post-bout sweat.

“You got it, kid.”

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