Unlikely Hero (Atlanta #1) (33 page)

“Yes, sir.”

Marcus left Bill’s office and made eye contact with exactly no one. The locker room kept him solo for a while longer until he was back out on the floor and over at the weights.
 

“Trip! I need a spot.”

One of the newer guys at the gym came over and stood behind the bench while Marcus got ready for a set of presses. “Drop another twenty. I’m bustin’ this one out.”

“Whatever you say, tiger.”
 

“Bite me,” Marcus said. He strained against the weights and tried to focus his anger into building his strength. He pushed up rep after rep, tuning out Trip’s pointless encouragement from behind him.
 

He moved to the rack for some squats and kept thinking about what Bill said about helping Erin. Hadn’t he been helping her this whole time? Absolutely. Look at how far she’d come. There had to be something else.

And then the answer hit him. The reason Erin was so strong that morning was because he had put her in a position to handle things herself. He encouraged her to be strong on her own. If she had the physical skills and confidence to defend herself in the first place, she’d never feel like a victim again. Bill was a damn genius.

Trip spotted Marcus through more free weight sets. Marcus worked on cardio with the jumprope next. By the time he was ready to spar, he was tired but focused. His rage was in the background where it belonged. Take-downs and submission holds were effortless when his mindset was right.
 

He showered after the workout and walked back into Bill’s office.
 

“Is your little fit over with?” Bill asked.

“Yes, dear. Now quit nagging me like some battle-axe wife,” Marcus said with just the hint of a grin.
 

Bill smirked. “Ok, then what do you need?”

“You were right. I can do more. You care if I get a women’s self defense class going? We’d have to clear the gym, I think. They wouldn’t be comfortable here if they were being watched. You in?”

“Think like a businessman.”

“We’d have to offer sessions more than once a week. One evening, one morning, maybe even one weekend session so everyone had access. Ideally during slow hours.”

“Keep going,” Bill said, letting Marcus come up with a plan.
 

“I don’t want to charge for the class. Everyone should have access. Maybe we could get sponsors. Maybe do it through participant donation, selling t-shirts…”

“Ok. Write up a plan. We’ll go through details together and then we’ll implement it. I like this. This will be your first undertaking as my partner. It’s a good project.”

“Thanks…and thanks,” he said sincerely.

“Now be here in the morning. I didn’t see you doing any core work at all and I need to see more take downs. Focus, because we’re hitting them hard tomorrow.”

“Yep.”

Chapter Fourteen

Erin set the treadmill for a steady-paced 5k. She had actually forgotten that she considered running a race. She ran distance in high school track, but never wanted to be in a group settings after that party, even for a running event. Now, she was considering a 10k with no fear.
 

She got through the distance on the treadmill without any difficulty at all. A set of stomach crunches and lower back exercises finished off her workout before she went back to her apartment.

The scratchpad by her coffee maker still held Cassie’s number. Erin figured she could call her to make plans and then shower and get ready for whatever they would do. Cassie picked up after only two rings.

“Hello?”

“Cassie? This is Erin…Marcus’s girlfriend.”

“Of course I know who you are! Hi! How are you?”

“Good, thanks. I was just wondering if you had time for some coffee or something.”

“AAAHHH! I love it. I don’t have a shift today at the clinic and I was just looking for an excuse to avoid studying. But doing coffee is so bourgeois.
Anyone
can have coffee. I need to take my brother’s woman out in style.”

Erin laughed at Cassie ever-boisterous personality. “What do you suggest? I’m not sure I do style the way you do. In fact, I’m not sure I do style at all.” Erin couldn’t contain her grin when talking to Cassie.
 

“Then I’ll educate you,” Cassie said with an air of sophistication. “In my world, style comes cheap. You up for thrifting? I was thinking about shopping today anyway.”

“Thrifting? I’ve never been. But I’m in. I need to take a shower but then I can come pick you up. Text me your address?”

“YOU’VE NEVER BEEN THRIFTING!? Oh, Erin, you are in for a splashy-fantastic afternoon of exploration. We shall conquer the used-items market and find you something astonishing.”

“Wow. I’m not sure I’ve ever found something astonishing, but it sounds good,” Erin said, still smiling. She had no idea what she was in for, but being out with Cassie would certainly keep her from sinking back into her shell after the debacle at work. “Give me about about an hour and I’ll be there.”

“Perfect! I’ll see you then,” Cassie said with obvious excitement.

Erin showered and threw on a pair of jeans and some comfortable Toms for her afternoon out with Marcus’s sister. She was looking forward to knowing Cassie better. She was the only family Marcus had and therefore was important to her.
 

Marcus had been so good about getting to know Erin’s family and she wanted to do the same for him. Her love for Marcus was sure to last, and being part of each other’s families seemed a natural component. By the time she got to Cassie’s little cottage-style house she was genuinely excited about shopping. Normally, she ordered what she needed online with the exception of groceries.
 

Erin had been in such a bad habit of avoiding people that she hadn’t really been out at all. This trip out was yet another step forward and she smiled to herself. She knocked on Cassie’s door and was immediately greeted by a warm, happy hello and a big hug.

“Come on in,” Cassie invited. “I need to grab my shoes. Feel free to look around. Almost everything in here is from thrift shops and flea markets. You never know what you’re going to find.”

Erin looked at the bright, colorful, varied decor of Cassie’s house. So many random items came together in a comfortable, albeit eccentric living space. She couldn’t help but smile at the collection of coasters arranged as wall art and the curtains made of belly-dancer hip-scarves. A jar of marbles rested on a shelf by her door. The concept of Cassie’s style came through loud and clear: bold and unique.
 

“This is great,” Erin complimented looking around at the living room. “This is all from thrifting?”

“I seriously did this entire room, furniture included,
and
my kitchen, dishes included, for less than $600. I love the challenge, plus it’s the only way I could afford to decorate my house. It took about two years to collect all this,” she said. “So now, I have a challenge for you. I want you to find something for your apartment. I know you’ve been hiding from the world, but it’s time to let it in…in a
big
way. You ready?”

Erin laughed. “I guess so.”

“Then lets do this. You want me to drive? I know where everything is,” she offered.

“Sure. But then dinner’s on me. Deal?”

“I love it! Now let’s go. I hope you brought cash. Some of these places don’t do credit cards.”

“We’ll have to stop at an ATM.”

“That’s doable. Get yourself about ten bucks,” Cassie laughed. “You won’t need more than that. Get twenty if you don’t believe me.”

Less than fifteen minutes later the girls were walking through an enormous thrift shop converted from an old department store.

Erin’s jaw dropped at the sight around her. There seemed to be one of everything in this place. Rack upon rack of varied clothing spanned the center of the store and used furniture occupied the left third of the space. At the opposite end sat rows of shelves of assorted junk. “This is nuts,” she said with surprise.
 

“No, this is the tip-top of economic intelligence,” Cassie said with a wide smile.
 

Erin laughed again and walked toward the shelves. She couldn’t believe the random assortment of items, barely organized.
 

Cassie perused with a discerning eye, picking up random things and examining them carefully. A tarnished copper crescent moon caught her attention.
 

“This would go great in my yoga room. It definitely has a peaceful vibe. Plus, it’s only two bucks. See how tremendous this is? Now, what have you found?”

“Nothing yet. I’m not sure what ‘astonishing’ looks like, but I guess I’ll know it when I see it,” Erin grinned.

“This is going to be fun to watch,” Cassie said with her perpetual smile. “Search away.”

They lingered at nearly every shelf while Erin tried hard to find something that fit her. So much of herself was new that she wasn’t even sure what would be appropriate. Cassie kept encouraging her to be open to any possibility, but Erin had no idea what she was even looking for.

When the reached a rack of wall art, Erin started flipping through frame after frame of paintings, prints, collages, pressed flowers, and a few things she couldn’t name.
 

Just then,
she was astonished
. She paused at a large shadow-box frame and pulled the white rectangle out of the rack. A poster-sized scientific chart of beautiful butterfly specimens caught her eye and affected her deeply.
 

She saw across the bottom of the frame were separate compartments containing real specimens in every stage of metamorphosis. Her heart was looking in a mirror.
 

Cassie came over and hugged her from behind. “I’d say that works,” she said softly and proudly.

“This isn’t as astonishing as your curtains,” Erin said quietly.

“I’d say it’s more so. Astonishing doesn’t have to mean crazy. Astonishing just hits you.”

Erin nodded and pulled the frame against her chest. Cassie kept her arm around Erin and walked her straight to the cashier. Their shopping goal had been accomplished and there was no need to look any further.
 

At dinner, Erin broke out of her trance. Over soup and sandwiches, Cassie told her all sorts of funny stories about Marcus. Most of them were from the time before their mother died or after they left the house ten years later.
 

The two laughed and talked together like old friends. They connected easily anyway, but their shared love of Marcus was a deep bond from the start.

When the giggles finally died down, Cassie looked at Erin with depth. “You know, Marcus told me a lot about you. I hope you don’t get upset, but he told me about what happened to you in college. I know how hard it’s been for you to come out of it.”

Erin stared at the table for a moment, stunned into silence from the change of direction in the conversation. “Oh, I, uh, didn’t know he told you.”

“Don’t be mad at him. He wasn’t gossiping. He called me in tears after he scared you. He was so worried. I’m only telling you because I want to thank you.”

“What?”

“Erin, he’d been just as closed off as you. He didn’t show it as much, but he didn’t let anyone in. He didn’t let himself care about anyone but me and maybe Bill. You changed that. You have no idea how different he is now. He smiles more and even our Sunday conversations are lighter and more fun. I can tell just by his voice that he’s grinning every time he mentions you.”

“Really? He’s always been so easy and open with me. I figured that was just him. I mean, I saw him at the gym one night beating up the equipment. I knew he did that sometimes, but I assumed he was usually like he is when we’re together. That’s the only Marcus I know.”

“Ha! He used to rage at the gym like that at least once a week. Usually more. Now? It’s rare. You’re something good he has to focus on. I love you for it.”

“It’s hard for me to picture that. You can’t even imagine what he’s done for me, Cassie. He’s so…
good
. He’s just a genuinely good man. I feel so lucky.”

“And that’s another reason I love you,” Cassie smiled. “Now lets get you and your soul-portrait back home.”

“You really understand why I like that so much,” Erin said smiling.
 

“Without even trying,” Cassie beamed. “And I think
your
metamorphosis is just as beautiful. I’m so glad you called me. We’ll have to do this again.”

“Definitely.”

Erin drove home from Cassie’s house with her four-dollar decoration and couldn’t stop smiling. She hung it on the living room wall immediately. She considered everything her new purchase represented.
 

All the stages of change were interesting. She could relate to each, but none seemed to matter as much as the final beauty. Confidence and love were now brightly showing on her soul like the beautiful and varied colors on the species in her frame.
 

Now she needed to consider what to do with her newfound sense of self. Actually, it was her
renewed
sense of self. In high school, she remembered her leadership roles in sports and student government. Even in college she led discussion groups and participated in study circles. Being easily confident had been a large part of her life until she let the ugly incident at that party consume her.

No more. She broke the chains completely. Her victim mentality was gone. The butterfly metaphor, though common, fit her perfectly. With her new colors and her wings, Erin was ready to fly. Her metamorphosis was complete.

The first thing she wanted to do was demonstrate to Marcus just how powerful an influence he was for her. He encouraged her for month upon month to find the strength from within. He had known all along she had that courage. She wanted him to experience her solid confidence in full form.

She spent a half hour with a glass of wine, sitting in her reading chair, doing nothing but contemplating how to show Marcus how much he meant to her. She lived with confidence and beauty now because of him. By the time her wine was gone, she had the perfect plan. She went to the computer and got started with putting her idea in motion.