It was a cool summer night. The breeze more than likely signaled rain was on the way but I didn’t care. I was feeling good. I’d just completed my second session of counseling. It was odd but I wanted to shout to the world that I was in therapy. Leaving the doctor’s office, I tried to decide whether I would head home or out for a drink. I opted for the drink and called Brendan to see if he was going to be able to hang.

He was leaving in a few days to help Nate in his last week of training before the fight. Dee was going with them to work in Nate’s camp and said that he wanted to hang out before he rolled. We all decided to meet at the Red Tavern Grill at the Boulevard at the Cap out in Largo. Once we got there we realized that everyone must have been thinking the same thing because the spot was packed.

We positioned ourselves until we managed to get seats at the bar. “Yo, here’s to our boy. The future light heavyweight champion of the world,” Dee said as we sipped our drinks.

“No doubt,” I responded as we clanked glasses.

“So you think he’s ready?” Dee laughed out.

“We’ll soon find out,” Brendan shot back.

“On the real, I’m starting to think that he has a chance to beat this nigga,” I said. “I just wish he wasn’t doing it for money.”

“Money seems like a good-ass reason to me,” Dee commented. “I’d fight the Horse for a million. Shit, I’d have platinum chains and fronts, the whole nine.”

“You’d need more than a million just for your medical bills if you fought that nigga, Dee,” I said, laughing at the thought. “On top of that you wouldn’t have any teeth left to put platinum fronts on.”

“Speak for yourself, he’s have to catch me to hit me. And if he got off a good shot on me, it would probably be to the back of my head ’cause I’d be running the whole fight,” Dee laughed out.

Brendan was quiet and it made me curious. “What, B, you nervous or something?”

“Nah, I was just thinking ’bout something.”

“What?”

After a second he commented, “You both should know that Nate is far from broke. He ain’t fighting because he needs the money.”

I was dumbstruck. I was convinced that there could be no other reason why he would risk his life other than to protect his lifestyle. “You kidding, right?”

“Nah, I’m serious as a heart attack. I overheard him talking to his broker a few weeks back. He was talking about moving a couple million from one fund to another. When I confronted him…he admitted it. He said he told us that just so we wouldn’t question his motives for fighting. So then I asked him why he was risking everything to fight.”

“What did he say?”

“He said the reason was simple. He wanted to be champ again before it was too late. Said he didn’t want to be sitting around wishing he had done something more in the ring. He actually told me that one day while he was sitting in Charlotte he saw a special on ESPN that showed the top fifty greatest fighters in history and there were two fighters in the top fifty that he had knocked out.”

“And?”

“It pissed him off. He knew in his heart that if he hadn’t stopped fighting, he would have been listed in the top fifty. He said the next day he got up and went to the gym.”

“So he doesn’t need the money?” I said, thinking aloud.

“Nope.”

“Ain’t that some shit,” Dee said. We were all silent for a second and then Dee raised his glass. “Here’s to some Rocky Balboa–type shit. May Nate whoop his ass like Rocky did Mr. T.”

We all laughed and argued about which was the best Rocky movie, which stars were sexiest, and who we wanted to see in Vegas at the fight. It was after midnight when we paid the tab and headed out.

I paused at the door and said, “Let me hit the bathroom right quick.”

“All right, we’ll be at the door,” Dee said.

I made my way to the restroom and handled my business. I was digesting the idea that Nate had lied about his motives. I wasn’t mad at him. He was right in assuming that I would have never let up if I knew he was fighting just to take one last shot at glory. As much as I didn’t think that it was smart, I recognized that my fears were not his fears and I needed to respect how he wanted to live his life. My therapy was helping me put a lot of things in perspective. I had come to realize that while my life was affected by the actions of those around me, it was most affected by my own actions and decisions.

On the way out I was stopped in my tracks when I saw her standing a few yards in front of me, going through her purse. It was Nina. She hadn’t noticed me and I couldn’t decide if I should speak. I figured that she was more than likely waiting for her date.

Before I could say a word, the door to the ladies’ room swung open. I looked over and saw Shelly walk out and say, “Let me see your cell, baby, I have no signal in here.”

Nina instantly handed her the phone and they walked off toward a table in the back. I was stunned to see them together, but happy at the same time. There had been a tremendous amount of guilt that I had never realized was still bothering me about coming between the two of them. Suddenly it was lifted. The last thing I wanted at this point was for them to see me, but I followed them anyway. I watched them walk back to their table. Two other girls were seated with them. I was in a daze as a quick couple of minutes slid by. They were laughing and I could tell that they were engaged in heavy girl talk. They were sisters again. I turned and walked away.

“Man, I thought you fell in back there,” Dee said. “What’d you do, take a shit?”

“Hell no,” I laughed. “I saw someone I knew.”

Brendan and Dee had spots up close so I said my goodbyes and headed off across the lot to my car. “You need a lift to your car?” Brendan offered.

“Nah, I’m just over there. I’m good.”

“All right then. Peace.”

There was a reason for everything that was happening. Nate would be fine. I knew it. It would be a stressful time for all of his friends, but I decided to enjoy the ride and give him one hundred percent of my support. There was a lesson to be learned and I was more than willing to accept it, whatever it was.

I woke up late and decided to take the day off. I wanted to do some shopping for the trip, so I showered and headed for Mazza Gallery to Saks Men and Neiman’s. I got there when they opened and headed for the elevator in the garage to get up to the main shopping area. When I got on the elevator I was shocked to see Trina with Khalil in his stroller. Trina was hugged up real tight with a brother looking really comfortable.

When she saw me her eyes got big but she spoke. “Oh, hey Cory. How you doin’?”

“I’m good,” I responded. “Look at him. He’s getting really big.”

The guy gave me a goofy grin. I was sure I shot him a weird look in response. There was no issue with her being with another man. She and Brendan were no longer together. What was odd was the way she was trying to rush and control the conversation.

“You all ready for the fight?” she asked.

“I’m getting ready for it now. Picking up a few things,” I said as the elevator hit our floor.

The door opened and she tried to escape the elevator as if I had passed gas on it. As she began to exit she said, “Good seeing you. Take care.”

“You too,” I responded and then took one last look at the baby, then at her friend. Instinctively, I said, “Oh, my bad, brother. My name is Cory, by the way. I’ve know Trina for years.”

He turned and extended his hand for a shake. “Nice to meet you. I’m Khalil.”