Sucker Punch (TKO #4) by Ana Layne

his keys and some papers down in his office. When he walks out, he begins the speech he gives the morning of every fight.
    I listen as though I’m stepping into the ring tonight. One day soon is all I can tell myself. I can’t wait until that day comes.

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter 17
     
     
    Paige
     
    I wake up to find Nora making coffee in the kitchen. I grin sleepily at her, thankful I didn’t have to make it this morning.
    “How are you feeling?” she asks.
    “I’m good, just tired. You?”
    “I’m great. I was just asking about you because all you talked about after margarita number four was Austin and how cute you think he is.” She grins.
    “Oh gosh.” I slap my palm against my forehead. “Is Darla awake already?”
    “Yeah, she’s in the living room watching cartoons. I’m a good nanny.”
    “Thank you.”
    “You deserve to sleep in. You were nice enough to let me stay here so I helped take care of her for you. What are y’all’s plans today?”
    “I need to figure out this thing Brendan wants to do. I need to do some research and that’s probably all I’ll do today.”
    “If you need help, you let me know.” She pours herself a cup of coffee and gets an extra one out for me.
    “Thanks,” I tell her as I grab the cup and begin fixing myself one.
    We sit and talk for a bit over our coffee like a bunch of old ladies, then she looks at the time. “I better get going. Last night was fun. I told my sister I’d go over and help her paint.”
    “Okay, I’ll talk to you later.”
    “Bye, Darla, be good for your mommy today,” Nora calls into the living room.
    Darla comes running into the kitchen and grins at Nora. “Bye, Nowa.”
    “You are the cutest kid ever. Bye guys.” She rinses out her coffee cup and sets it in the drain board. We wave to her as she walks out of the door.
    “So Darla, what do you want to do today?” I ask as I pick her up and give her a big kiss. I’m used to being the one waking up with her and I missed that this morning.
    “Go to the pawk!” She claps her hands. I can’t say no to her cute little smile. I tell her we’ll get dressed and go while it’s still a little cool out this morning.
    Within a few minutes we’re dressed and ready to go. I buckle her into her carseat and fight off a tear. How in the world can Brendan say he wants no rights to her? She’s the neatest four year old I’ve ever met. She’s my entire world.
    We drive to a little park up the road. I look in my mirror to see her eyes light up. We both get out of the car and she runs to the slides first. She yells for me to watch her as she climbs up and slides fearlessly down. I clap and cheer her on. When she asks me to slide with her, I climb up and join her. I laugh as we slide down together. I’m blessed to have her even if he wants nothing to do with her.
    A few other families show up at the park and Darla makes friends. I see a few families playing together. Moms and dads along with their kids. It makes me smile. One day I can give Darla that family she deserves. We play for a little over an hour and a half and I realize it’s almost lunch time. We get back into the car and head home to eat something. I figure Darla will be ecstatic to eat some chicken nuggets and I’d be happy with just a sandwich.
    We walk into the house and I get the oven preheating. I arrange a few nuggets and fries on a pan and wait for the right temperature to be obtained. Darla disappears to her room for a few minutes and as I grab the pan to place in the oven she comes running into the kitchen.
    “Mommy?” she asks softly.
    “Yeah, baby?” I pull the oven door open.
    “Do I have a daddy?”
    The pan slips from my hands and hits the floor. Chicken nuggets and fries scatter across the kitchen and tears well in my eyes. I knew this conversation would happen sooner or later, but why now? I fight the tears back and count to ten. I need to regain my composure to face her and answer this