Page 61 of The Girl Who Was Taken

Livia danced around the ring, thick headgear covering her jawline. Randy, six inches taller and twice as broad, stalked her carefully as they sparred. He’d been on the receiving end of a Livia Cutty side kick, an unpleasant place to be, and she’d kept him at bay with stiff left jabs. Everything considered, her technique was flawless and Randy was impressed.

He tried again to close the distance and get his hands on her, but the jabs were too straight. Then he saw it, the transfer of weight to her left leg. A side kick was on its way. The telegraph was her first mistake in nine minutes of sparring. When the kick came, he caught it in his left armpit, absorbing the impact and trapping her shin. In a flash, he knocked her left leg from underneath her and they both crashed to the ground. It was where Randy wanted the sparring session to be all along.

“Time!” the referee yelled just as they both crashed to the floor.

“Dammit!” Livia said.

Randy rolled off her. “Two-ninety vs. one-thirty. Physics are not on your side, Doc.”

Livia sat up on the mat and leaned against the ropes, unsnapped her headgear. Her chest expanding with giant breaths.

“On a larger opponent, stick with those jabs. I couldn’t get close until you announced that side kick. When they land, they’re lethal. But I told you, they get stale after a while.”

“Stupid,” Livia said.

“Nothing wrong with being aggressive. Just don’t go to the well so often.”

Randy pushed himself up, offered his hand to Livia, and pulled her to her feet. They exited the ring as the next pair jumped in and started their session. Livia took a seat and pulled her gloves off. Randy handed her a water bottle.

“You seem like you’re doing better than when you had your tantrum.”

Livia smiled. “Can’t get rid of regret by punching a bag. Isn’t that what you said?”

“Something like that.” Randy sat next to her. “All this frustration have to do with your sister?”

Livia shrugged. Randy listened more carefully than she thought.

“I sat around for a year doing nothing,” Livia said. “At least now I feel like I’m doingsomething.”

“Feels good to take some action, right?”

Livia nodded and took a sip of water. “I just don’t know how hard to push.”

“Because you’re afraid of what you’re gonna find?”

“Because I’m afraid I won’t be able to do anything when I find it.”

“Well,” Randy said, wiping his face. “You go at it like that and you ain’t gonna find shit. I’ll tell you that much.”

“Go at it like what?”

“With no heart. You want something, you gotta commit to it and go after it. Don’t slow down, don’t stop to think. Just keep moving forward.”

Livia stood up. “And stop throwing my side kicks so often.”

“That too.”

Livia screwed the top onto her water bottle. “I’ve got to run, Randy. Thanks for the spar.”

“Sorry I tossed you like a rag doll.”

“Sorry I flattened your nose with those jabs.”

Randy lifted his chin. “Hope you find what you’re looking for, Doc. With your sister.”

“Thanks.”

“You know, when I was trying to get straight my daddy used to tell me a story about how life works in the Serengeti. Do you know?”

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