July 1969
"You coming Carla?" My dad called from downstairs.
"Sure. Just need to grab my gloves." I answered, slipping a couple of elastic ties around my wrist.
Standing, I grabbed my hand wraps and gloves from my gym bag and headed out of my room. Running down the stairs, I paused only to grab my shoes before leaving the house. I closed the door behind me as my dad unlocked the side entrance to the gym.
As he began to open up for the day, I sat on the nearby bench and quickly laced my shoes on.
"Hey, you're sure you can handle today right?" My dad called.
"Course. I just hope the other guys can." I walked over and started to pull the chain that would open the upper shutters. "I doubt any of them have had to face a girl in the ring before."
"All except the Pines twins." My dad reminded me. I grinned.
"Yeah but neither of them ever landed a punch on me. That hasn't changed."
"No? I thought Stanley was coming along well." My dad said casually. I joined him by the ring.
"What are you getting at old man?" I joked. My dad shrugged.
"He's one of my best, after you of course!" he added after I clutched my chest in mock pain. "He's got a knack for boxing... even though he used to hate it."
"Is that why you always made him and Ford spar together?" I asked. "So that they wouldn't get the crap beaten out of them?"
"Pretty much. I mean, I get that Filbrick wanted to toughen them up... but there's a limit." My dad frowned. "I don't think he will be happy about you sparring with them."
"Well he'll have to get used to it. If he comes along as usual." I said
"You've been spending a lot of time with those two boys this summer." My dad glanced sideways at me.
"Yeah... we do go to high school together you know." I twisted my hands together. "Do you mind?"
"Hey. I know you kiddo," my dad smiled at me, "if either of them tried anything, they'd be eating dinner through a straw... and that's before I'd get to them."
I laughed loudly before chewing my lip thoughtfully.
"But say I did want to get to know one of them better... Would you have a problem with that?" I asked quietly, staring at the floor. My dad stayed silent for a moment.
"No Carla. I wouldn't mind... They're good kids. I'd just tell you not to rush into anything. You're still just kids at the end of the day." He answered softly.
"Thanks dad." I said gratefully. "Cause I really do like one of them and he's sweet and really lovely and I think he likes me too and-"
"Woah honey. Take a breath." My dad jibed. "Are we talking about Stanley here?"
I stared at him in shock.
"What? How did you? I didn't mention a name..." I said, feeling my cheeks heat up. My dad laughed and nudged my shoulder gently.
"Of course not. But don't think I haven't seen you watching him here." He smiled. "He's a good choice. Not like that sleaze Benjamin. I swear, if he keeps staring at you, I'm going to challenge him."
"Easy Dad." I placed a hand on his arm. "After today, I'm pretty sure that idiot will think twice about ogling me."
"That's my girl." My dad said proudly.
"Now, I need to get to work. I heard the boss here is a real pain." I joked. My dad laughed loudly.
"Yeah yeah. Get to work miss. I gotta go check some stuff in the office before warm ups. Just do a quick sweep and then let me know yeah?" My dad reminded. I saluted.
"Yes sah!" I barked. Still shaking his head in amusement, my dad retreated to his office.
Grabbing the broom, I got on with the usual routine.
Sweep around the ring while checking the ring boundaries weren't breaking or wearing down, quickly flick the broom across the open floor before placing down gym mats for sparring practise, check the bags weren't leaking sand, and lastly sweep any remaining dirt from under the bags.
Tucking the broom back into the closet, I headed over to the office.
"All set pops." I said happily. "I'm going to get ready and warmed up."
My dad turned, reaching for his hand wraps.
"Sure thing kiddo. Better sort your hair." He said with a smile.
"Oh yeah." I plopped myself down in a chair and began to separate my hair out.
As my dad headed out onto the main floor, I pulled my hair into two messy French braids.
"That oughta do it." I mumbled, checking they were going to be secure.
"Come on kiddo. We're burning daylight here!" My dad called.
"Coming!" I scurried out into the gym and joined my dad for the usual warm up.
Still stretching my arms out, I walked over to the main doors and flung them open.
Securing them tightly, I lugged the old sandwich boards out and set them up outside. As I finished, I noticed people heading our way.
Setting myself at the old battered table we used for reception, I fiddled idly with the laces of my gloves as people traipsed into the gym. Before long the gym was filled with a quiet murmuring as people stretched and got ready for training. Running my eyes down the check in list, I noticed that only the twins were missing.
"Hey Carla!" Stan greeted me enthusiastically. Startled, I looked up.
"Hey guys." I smiled. Ford gave me a short wave from besides Stan.
"Hello Miss McCorkle." Filbrick Pines, the twins dad, was just behind them.
"Morning Mr Pines." I smiled. "You watching today?" I asked brightly.
"Not today. The business takes priority today." He replied.
"Oh, ok then." I passed the check in list to Stan. "You know the routine guys."
"Straight home after training boys." Filbrick intoned before leaving. Ford sighed and ran a hand through his hair.
"I hate this. Why does he still make me do it?" He asked Stan.
"Cause he thinks it will make men of us," Stan replied with a shrug, "whatever that means."
"Come on." I said, taking the check in list back. "We better go join everyone else."
"You're joining us today Carla?" Ford asked with shock on his face. "We're all guys... you could get hurt."
"Hah! That implies that you lot have to manage to hit me first." I snorted. Ford gave me a sceptical look.
"I'm serious. Half these guys are twice your size and weight." He said.
"Come on Sixer. We know Carla can look after herself." Stan chimed in. "I'm pretty sure her dad wouldn't let her do this without knowing she could handle it."
"He's got a point Ford." I gestured to the ring where my dad was standing. "Dad really wouldn't let me do if he thought it was dangerous."
Ford didn't reply, just gave me a worried look.
"Get warmed up guys. I will join you on the bleachers." I said as I walked toward the office with the check in sheet.
As I rejoined the group, my dad beckoned me over. Shooting a glance up at the twins, I walked over to my dad.
"So some of you are probably wondering what Carla is doing here. Especially since she's so much smaller than you lot."
"Yeah, abnormally smaller." Crampelter called out with an accompanying jeer from his cronies.
"Shut it Crampelter." My dad barked. "I'm going to let you all see why she's joining us."
Without another word, he handed me my gloves.
Getting the message, I reluctantly pulled them on and laced them tight.
"Pines!" My dad called.
There was a moment of confusion where both boys looked at each other, trying to figure out who he meant. I bit my tongue trying not to laugh as my dad sighed.
"Shoulda seen that coming." He muttered. "Stanley. Get down here." He said louder.
Stan's eyes widened as he scrambled down the bleachers.
"I want you two in the ring." He said as Stan approached. I nodded, heart thumping. Stan looked less certain, following me slowly as we stepped up into the ring.
"What's he playing at Carla?" Stan hissed in my ear.
"I don't know." I shrugged. "Just treat it like normal sparring."
"But I don't want to try to hit you." Stan said desperately.
"I don't think we get a choice here Stan." I said.
My dad stepped up to us.
"You guys ok with this?" he asked.
I shrugged again.
"I wasn't expecting it."
"Me either Mr McCorkle. I really don't think this is a good idea." Stan said quickly.
"Nonsense. You two are my best students. Surely you can handle a training fight?" my dad asked. I looked at Stan and nodded.
"We can do this. Just pretend I'm Crampelter." I joked. Stan gave me a smile and nodded.
"Ok. Let's do it." He said.
"Good man." My dad clapped him on the shoulder. "Now I want a clean match."
I held my gloved hands out and Stanley tapped them with his.
"Ready to finally see what I can do Pines?" I whispered.
"Absolutely." Stan grinned back.
As we both slipped our mouth guards in, my dad lifted his whistle and blew a short shrill blast.
Stan approached me quickly, already drawing his arm back. I ducked under his punch and jabbed him in the side. Stan rounded on me and I brought my arms up quickly to block his punch. Catching him in the chest with an uppercut, I smirked as Stan stumbled back slightly.
"Don't pull your punches Pines." I said removing my mouth guard. "I'm not."
Stan gritted his teeth and I grinned as I bit down on my mouth guard again. Stan launched himself at me, finally managing to land a punch. I pushed away, bouncing on the balls of my feet. My dad caught my eye and nodded, a small smile set on his face. I looked back at Stan. This was going to be fun.
The rest of the training group followed our fight across the ring with gasps and murmuring as Stan and I fought back and forth for ten minutes.
Stan struck me hard in the jaw with a left-hook and I grimaced. Stuff the rules, I thought. I can't beat him this way. He is actually better than me.
As I jabbed out, Stanley took another step closer. Weaving under his punch, I grabbed his arm and pulled it back behind him. Stan grunted in shock and tried to flip me off of him. Gripping him tightly, I slid my foot in front of him and forced him forward until he went down with a thump. Before he could push himself back up, I knelt on his back. Keeping a hold of Stan's arm, I jammed my knees into his shoulder blades and spat my mouth guard out.
"Say uncle!" I called, panting heavily. Stan managed to spit his mouth guard out.
"What the hell McCorkle!" He protested.
"Say uncle." I repeated.
My dad blew his whistle again, slightly muffled by his attempts at not laughing.
"Alright, alright. I think you can let him up now Carla." He chuckled. I rolled off of Stan and pushed myself up. Tearing a glove off with my teeth, I held a hand out to Stan. He took it warily, looking pissed.
"So obviously Carla wasn't playing by the training rules." My dad said with a smile. "But I think it's pretty clear that she's more than capable of holding her own in the ring."
Turning back to me and Stan, he jerked a thumb back toward the bleachers.
"Go warm down you two. Then you can rest up."
Stan and I clambered out of the ring as my dad quickly paired everyone else up to practise sparring. As Ford walked past, he gave us a concerned look. I tapped Stanley lightly on the arm as he struggled to get his gloves off.
"You ok Stan?" I asked.
"A little warning might have been nice." He replied curtly. I frowned softly.
"I'm sorry." I said quietly.
"Why the hell did you do it?" Stan rounded on me, flinging his gloves onto the bleachers.
"Because you're getting better than me. I couldn't have beaten you if we'd just kept sparring. That last punch hurt." I explained, dropping my gloves next to his. "If I hadn't twisted your arm, you would have beaten me... I guess I didn't want to let you win." I said in a subdued tone.
"You told me not to pull my punches." Stan sat heavily. "I told you I didn't want to hurt you."
"I really didn't think you could... Guess this fight was more for my benefit than yours..." I sighed, "Dad knew I was getting cocky. I needed to be shown up."
"But you still beat me." Stan said. I shook my head as I sat next to him.
"Not really. Everyone saw that I only won because I played dirty. And for what it's worth, I'm glad it was you who proved that. You're really getting good." I smiled, nudging him gently. Stan huffed out a laugh and winced as he stretched his arm out.
"Come on. Let's warm down and watch Ford try to spar." He said with a smile.
"Deal." I stood and we headed toward the other side of the gym to stretch and warm down.