Chapter Fifteen

Robert stood in the kitchen drinking a glass of water when Kelly came waddling in through the back door. She had crossed over into her ninth month. Only three weeks to blast off, as Justin said. She looked like she had a beach ball hidden under her shirt.

"I saw JJ started raking leaves, but why is the pile…" She stopped and looked around. "Okay, you're standing in the kitchen, looking at that glass of water like it's the nectar of the gods. JJ is suspiciously absent, and it looks like his laundry basket exploded across the living room. Never mind," she said, blushing.

Robert felt a blush of his own creep up his face. "Um… yeah. He's downstairs. I told him I would wake him when you got home."

She giggled. "If you wore him out that much, let the poor guy nap a little longer. I brought groceries home. Would you mind helping me carry them inside?"

Robert all but ran out of the house, Kelly's laughter on his heels the whole way. When he came back inside, Justin sat at their kitchen table, looking rested but still slightly blissed out. Robert leaned over and gave him a soft kiss before carrying the bags over to the counter.

"So, Rob, are you all set to leave tomorrow?"

"Golden. I have training on-site and publicity stuff this week. Then I've asked my agent to set up a press conference for the day before the fight to give the media a chance to get all their questions out about my retirement announcement."

They figured it would play better that way. The last thing either of them wanted to for some journalist to distract or sneak around the venue, trying to get a scoop and knock Robert off his game just before the match. It was a shame Justin wouldn't be there this time, but he didn't want to risk Kelly going into early labor and not be here.

"Well, you know we'll be watching every second," she said.

He walked over to the table and lifted Justin up to sit him on his lap. Justin winced a bit, and Robert set him on the thickest part of his thigh for extra padding. He placed a kiss on his forehead and gazed into those swirling chocolate eyes, silently questioning if he was okay, and receiving an affirmative response in the form of a soft kiss on the lips.

"JJ? Are you okay? You're awfully quiet. Are you upset that you're not going to the fight because of me?"

"No… no, Kell. I'm good. If Wiggles is going to put in an early appearance, I want to make sure I can be here. Rob's okay with me staying here. He understands."

"Absolutely, Kelly. To be honest, we really wouldn't be able to spend any time together until after the event, anyway. I just hope I make it back in time to be here when Wiggles puts in his or her debut."

Kelly was rubbing her stomach up by her ribs. Justin got up off his lap and walked over to kneel at her feet. Placing his hand on her distended belly, he rubbed right where her hand had been.

The baby must have given her a wicked kick.

"Listen here, Wiggles. You be nice to your momma now. No jabs to the ribs, just yet. Uncle Rob will teach you how to do that properly when you're a little older." Rob and Kelly laughed for a minute before Justin stood up and dug through the grocery bags. "Okay, boys and girls, what's for dinner? I'm starved."

"Robert, why are you retiring?"

"Afraid you"re too old to keep up?"

"Did you take one too many hits to the head?"

"Is the IRS after you?"

"Do you have a gambling problem?"

The questions being blasted at him from around the room created a pressure inside his head that had him wanting to escape the cacophony.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please take your seats. Robert has prepared a brief statement and will then take a few questions. Reasonable ones."

He smiled at the stern tone of voice and the evil eye his business manager gave to the room of rabid wolves. He gave the attendees a minute or two to get settled, then pulled the microphone on the table a little closer.

"Thank you for coming. I really didn"t know what to expect this afternoon. I hear there"s some kind of big fight in town this weekend."

Several in the room laughed, and Robert felt a layer of tension leave his body. He could do this. He was ready, but he always despised press conferences because of the possibility of someone throwing an unprepared question at him and then spreading his answer across news and social media.

"As you know, I announced my retirement a couple of months ago. There has been a lot of speculation over my reasons for bowing out after the fight. Some have been very humorous and thank you all for a few good laughs. Other have been ludicrous, and a few downright insulting." He made eye contact with a shock jock who"d been making disparaging comments about him for years. When the man glanced away and swallowed hard, Robert wanted to smile. "I"ve always tried to keep a cordial relationship with the public and media, because as a professional athlete, I am a public personality. However, I am still a private person. A man with a family and dreams and desires that are not for public consumption. I"ve dedicated fourteen years of blood, sweat, and heart to this sport. I"m thankful to all my fans and the PFL for your support throughout my career." He took a deep breath and swallowed. This was harder than he"d expected. "My reason for retirement is simple. It"s time to move on. This world will always hold a special place in my heart, but life"s other adventures are calling my name."

Nobody in the room. Not a single one of them understood the toll living in the darkened closet had taken on his soul. The light of openness and acceptance crept closer to the horizon every day, and Robert craved the dawn. This was not a coming-out announcement, but it was as close as he was willing to voice without causing unnecessary drama. His manager pointed to one of the friendlier journalists.

"What are your plans next?"

"Hi, Jill. I"m actually thrilled to share that I"ve become business partners with Tony Mancini of Resolve. I"m going to train the next generation of fighters, and we plan on developing martial art youth programs in the Portland area."

"Do you plan on starting a family?"

"Actually, I have a niece or nephew due to arrive any day now. I can"t wait to meet them and spoil them rotten."

"What about kids of your own?"

"Who knows what the future holds, but I hope so."

He looked over at his manager, who shrugged and indicated it was Robert"s decision how to proceed.

"Actually, I didn"t plan on saying anything today but… another reason for my retirement and one I"m really looking forward to is the chance to live openly with my partner."

The room became a storm of flashbulbs, and people shouted questions from every direction.

"How long have you been gay?"

"Have you stayed in the closet because of persecution from other fighters?"

"Did the PFL threaten you?"

"Do you have HIV?"

He calmly raised his hand, and the entire maelstrom went silent. He'd focused on the multiple cameras, blinding him with high-powered lights.

"The choice to not disclose my sexuality has been my own, and now I"m making another one. It"s time the world understands that sexual orientation should have no impact on a person's ability in the workplace, wherever that may be. I applauded those who choose to live openly, knowing it takes remarkable strength and courage. Now my partner and I can join them. We hope to live up to the examples of couples around the world who celebrate love in all forms and be a voice of positivity for our community."

The president of the PFL had been hanging out behind the table where Robert sat, but moved forward and took possession of a microphone. "There is no policy prohibiting an openly gay fighter. Our athletes all must decide on whether they want to reveal personal relationships."

Not exactly a ringing endorsement for inclusivity, but considering Robert"s impromptu leap out of the closet and the questions being fired off about the PFL"s policies on sexual discrimination, it was probably the best Robert could have expected.

"Now, if you all will excuse me, I have a fight to win. See you in the ring!"

Robert held out his hand wraps for inspection by the referee. When he got the approval, he slipped on his gloves. There were only minutes left before it was time to enter the area and the cage. Whispers floated around the building after his shocking revelation at the press conference that afternoon, but Robert refused to let them distract him from his game plan.

"You ready."

Vasya"s Russian accent was always thicker just before a fight. Robert smiled because after tonight he wouldn"t hear the inflections in his trainer"s voice that always made him second-guess if he was telling Robert he was ready or asking Robert if he was ready just before they walked into an arena. Robert gave Vasya his customary head nod, and they made their way toward the tunnel. The house lights were already down and the roar of the crowd came toward him in a wave. Vasya gripped Robert"s bare shoulders and gave them a squeeze.

"It"s been an honor, my friend. Whatever happens tonight, you hold your head high. You are a champion."

With a signal from the officials, Robert made the journey to the cage. Music blared throughout the arena, and lights flashed in dizzying patterns. He climbed in and walked to the center of the mat. His opponent, Emidio Ortegon, a Spaniard who was known for his wicked and varying attacks, came toward him. Robert stared into his eyes, but the steely gaze that met his gave nothing away. What tricks did Emidio have up his sleeve for tonight? Robert had beaten him earlier in the year, but the younger man had undoubtedly learned from their fight. They were closely matched in size, but Robert knew he had faster kicks and longer leg reach.

The referee went over the match rules, and once he and Emidio acknowledged him, they were off. Robert knew this first round they would dance around and get a sense for each other. Robert led with a back-fist, reverse punch, and Emidio the bastard laughed at him. Robert shrugged and waited to see what the Spaniard would do to counter his move. Five minutes later, he"d barely broken a sweat when the bell rang to signal the end of the first round.

Robert went to his corner, removed his mouth guard and took a quick drink. Thirty seconds later, they were back at it. Emidio whipped out a kick to Robert"s midsection, but he blocked it with a downward block. Strike after strike they went after each other, neither really getting anywhere. Okay, it was time to amp up the show and give the fans their money"s worth. Robert saw an opportunity when Emidio missed with a punch and went in for the takedown. He got Emidio to the mat, wrapping his arms and legs around the man"s body. Emidio, who was trapped beneath Robert, tried to put him in a headlock and squirm his way out, but Robert refused. He punched Emidio over and over, landing a blow to the head followed by a blow to the body. Each hit designed for maximum effectiveness to drain his opponent of the will to fight. Robert used his longer legs to immobilize Emidio. He crowded him against the fence and used his elbows as battering rams. He knew his opponent was weakening, and Robert thought he might get the submission, but just as Emidio"s muscles began to go lax, the bell for the end of the round rang out.

Rounds three and four went much the same way. Robert used his kicks for maximum damage, and Emidio found a second gear and came at Robert in a lightning-fast assault of Muay Thai moves. Sweat poured from his body at this stage. Part of his leg had gone numb last round from a vicious kick right to the outside of his knee. Both of them were bleeding from cuts to their face, but nothing too serious. This was it. The final round. He had to take down Emidio, or the results would be left in the hands of the judges. Robert hated subjective outcomes.

The bell rang. He and Emidio came to the center of the mat and tapped gloves. Both of them were done holding back. Limbs flew and grunts and snarls echoed between them. God, he loved this. He smiled and laughed which clearly pissed off Emidio enough that the man fired off a serious of oblique leg kicks that Robert knew he"d feel for a couple of weeks. Robert turned up the pressure. He grappled Emidio to the mat. Submission his single objective. Robert had the Spaniard pinned to the floor. The other man wrapped his legs around Robert"s waist and tried to flip them, but there was no way Robert was going to let him loose. His mental clock ticked down the seconds and minutes remaining. He landed a blow to Emidio"s eyebrow and opened a cut the man had gotten earlier in the fight. Blood began to flow down Emidio"s face. Seconds flew past; the screams of the crowd and Vanya"s commands pummeled Robert along with Emidio"s fists. The slippery Spaniard wiggled out from beneath Robert and got to his feet, but Robert quickly countered by wrapping his arms around the man"s waist and throwing him to the ground. He kneeled over his opponent, imprisoning his body and effectively taking out his legs as weapons. He got his arm around the other man"s neck and used his elbow pressure to force Emidio"s head to the side. Emidio somehow managed to get to his feet. Robert wasted not more than half a second before he executed a wheel-kick that had Emidio flying back and hitting his head on the padded post of the cage before he fell to the ground.

The referee signaled the knockout, and the bell rang. He'd done it! He'd won! Three-time heavyweight champion! Emidio staggered to his feet and the two of them tapped gloves.

The Spaniard wrapped his arm around Robert and leaned in. "You got me today, old man."

"That I did. Don"t worry, give yourself a few more years, and the belt will be yours."

Emidio snorted. "Next year. While you"re sitting in your rocking chair, I"ll be breaking all your records."

Robert figured hearing a taunt like that would bother him, but it didn"t. Not really. Records were made to be broken. His wouldn"t hold up forever. The sport was evolving, and the athletes had access to training and analytical tools that Robert barely understood.

"Maybe so. But I"ll take my rocking chair and the life that awaits me over this bloody cage any day."

"I hear you, and I want you to know that many of us understand. We will miss seeing your ugly ass on the circuit."

The two of them were seen to by medical staff and had blood and sweat wiped from their faces. Robert caught Vanya"s gaze and almost thought he saw the man wipe his eyes, but that was probably just the lights. Robert joined Emidio at the center of the cage, along with the officials.

"Ladies and gentleman, join me in recognizing Robert Lansing as your heavyweight world champion!"

The PFL president wrapped the belt around Robert"s waist, and Robert raised his arms in victory. There was no other feeling exactly like this in his experience.

"Robert, how does it feel to stand here as the world champion for the third and final time in your storied career?"

"I know that tonight and the others before, it would never have been possible without the love and support of my fans and family. My mom and stepfather are here and I want to thank them. Words can never express the depth of my gratitude. Having never known my biological father, Joe took me and my mom into his heart and life without a moment"s hesitation. The two of them embody what it means to support children in life and make personal sacrifices so they can achieve their dreams. I love you. I thank you. And with this belt, I honor you."