It was a brisk November day. Pierce was updating the records after today's most recent match.
Great Tiger: 20 - 3
Glass Joe: 1 - 78
He shook his head. Joe isn't gonna give up until his body gives out, is he? I mean, how long does he really have before all those knocks to the head catch up with him?
His train of thought was cut off when the fresh-faced new bouncer rushed over to him. "I think someone on our banned list is in the building."
Pierce leaned in. "What happened?"
"I dunno, I let this older blonde in earlier; I didn't get a good look at her daughter then, but I just saw her now, and she's a dead ringer."
As if the bouncer had spoken a summoning spell, a woman came around the corner. Pierce took a quick glance at her and took in her appearance; slick blonde hair, ice blue eyes, and looking angry. Yup; that was Laura Sanders.
He looked over his shoulder, and couldn't see Joe or Katrina anywhere. Hoping he could deal with the situation without getting them involved, he went over to Laura. "Ma'am, you can't be here."
"I'm just looking for my niece," said Laura, playing innocent, "she's wandered off somewhere."
"Ma'am, you cannot be on these premises," said Pierce firmly, "you need to leave."
"Why are you keeping my niece away from me?" Laura asked in an accusatory tone.
Just then, Joe, Katrina, and Great Tiger emerged from the lounge. Joe felt his heart go cold when he saw Laura.
"You!" Laura shouted when she saw Joe. "You killed my sister! You killed my sister!"
Pierce held her back before she could make a run at him, and Great Tiger grabbed both Beauforts and teleported them to the children's room.
"वह सब किसके बारे में था?" Great Tiger asked once he had barricaded the door. (What was that all about?)
"Je ne sais pas," said Joe, "mais elle ne peut pas être ici, et elle ne peut pas avoir Katrina." (I don't know, but she can't be here, and she can't have Katrina.)
"वह आपकी बेटी को क्यों चाहती है?" (Why does she want your daughter?)
Joe sighed. "Elle est sa tante sur le side de sa mere. Elle veut la garde seule." (She's her aunt on her mother's side. She wants sole custody.)
Katrina clung to her father. "Why does she think you killed my mom?"
Joe simply hugged his daughter. "Je ne sais pas, ma belle." (I don't know, darling.)
After a few minutes, Pierce came knocking at the door. "She's gone."
The three emerged from the children's room. The Beauforts went to the front of the building. Voices were coming from an office; Joe presumed they were questioning Laura. And sitting on a bench was an older blonde woman; the one the bouncer had spoken about. She looked crestfallen, as if today was the worst day of her life. She looked up when she heard their footsteps, and gazed at them. "Is this Katrina?"
"Oui," said Joe, shielding her with his arm. "Qui es-tu?" (Yes. Who are you?)
The woman extended an arm. "Louise Sanders. I…I'm so sorry for the ruckus Laura caused."
Joe cautiously shook her hand and sat down on the bench next to her. "Qu'est-ce qui se passe?" (What happened?)
Louise sighed, and relayed her story. "Heather wasn't quite as ambitious as the rest of us. I tried to convince her to reach for the stars and use her full potential, but it just wasn't what she wanted. When she left, Laura and my husband insisted we cut her out." She began to tear up. "It was either her or them, and I couldn't bear to lose the rest of my family. And now…"
She burst into tears. "I'm never gonna be able to tell my baby I was sorry and that I loved her!"
Joe put an arm around Louise to soothe her. Once she stopped crying, Joe offered "Veux-tu rester avec nous cette nuit?" (Do you want to stay with us tonight?)
Louise sniffed. "I'd like that."
That night, Joe brought Louise home with him and Katrina. After he had put some water on to boil for pasta, he looked through a box of photos and pulled out Heather's obituary to show her.
"Heather Sanders (May 29, 1984 - November 8th, 2008)
Heather Miriam Sanders passed away on November 8th after a four month struggle with birth complications. A carefree, loyal woman, she brought light to the lives of everyone she knew, and will be sorely missed. She is survived by her daughter, Katrina."
"Birth complications," mused Louise. "That's why Laura says you killed her."
Joe and Katrina looked at each other. They both felt guilty now that that realization had hit them.
Louise shook her head. "I'm just happy you're letting me meet my granddaughter." She kissed Katrina's forehead.
Joe sighed and went to put the pasta on while Louise continued to talk to Katrina. "It wasn't anyone's fault, baby. Nobody knew it would happen, and being born ain't anyone's fault; especially not yours."
Katrina said nothing; she simply leaned on her grandmother's shoulder.
Very early the next morning - 5:49 am, to be exact - every boxer in the league was woken up by an emergency alert on their phones.
"MISSING: Katrina Sanders, white female with auburn hair and brown eyes, 11 years old. Last seen at 7:08 pm last night wearing a blue shirt and pink pants. Alleged abductors are a white male with red hair and brown eyes and a white female with blonde hair and blue eyes."
Concerned, they all opened up their group chat.
sexymachobeast69 sent: wtf? (5:50 am)
hondo1994 sent: ? (5:50 am)
bethskies sent: wait Katrina's surname isn't Sanders (5:51 am)
the_boss31 sent: something ain't right here (5:52 am)
tigerclaw sent: यो क्या वे यह कहने की कोशिश कर रहे हैं कि जो ने अपने ही बच्चे का अपहरण कर लिया? (yo are they trying to say joe kidnapped his own kid?) (5:52 am)
viktorsieg sent: wo ist joseph? (5:53 am)
sexymachobeast69 sent: i think crazy bitch is up to something (5:53 am)
hondo1994 replied to sexymachobeast69's message: 人々を狂った愚痴と呼ぶのはいいことではありません。(It's not nice to call people crazy bitches.) (5:54 am)
carebear sent: Did we not tell you about Laura (5:54 am)
hondo1994 sent: いいえ。(No.) (5:55 am)
the_boss31 sent: that woman who tried to kidnap katrina (5:55 am)
bethskies sent: we better go check on them. I'll get Barney and Amar (5:56 am)
the_boss31 sent: and i'll get brad and riki (5:56 am)
carebear sent: Wait what about Soda and Bahadir (5:57 am)
bethskies sent: i'll send them to check/guard the arena (5:57 am)
tigerclaw sent: विक्टर आप उनके लिए शहर को परिमार्जन करें (viktor you go scour the town for them) (5:58 am)
Louise was asleep on the couch when she awoke to loud banging on the door. "Open this door and give my daughter back, you piece of crap!"
Louise looked out the window. There was Laura slamming her hand on the door. In the driveway was her car, and a police vehicle. Dear God, thought Louise, my own daughter's trying to have us arrested!
By then, both Joe and Katrina had heard the racket and were coming down the stairs. Louise turned to Joe. "Joseph, darling, you need to get your ID and Katrina's birth certificate. The cops are at the door. Katrina, you run and lock yourself in the bathroom and don't come out until your father and I say it's safe. I'll keep them busy."
"This is the city police department. Will all adults in the building come outside with their hands up and the child surrendered."
As Joe went to get his valuable documents, Louise opened the door with her hands raised. "Ma'am, you're under arrest for the kidnapping of Katrina Sanders," said a dark-eyed cop.
"Before you do, you need the whole story," said Louise, stonefaced. "The girl's surname is Beaufort, not Sanders, and she is not this woman's daughter."
"Ms. Sanders came to us this morning claiming that you and another suspect took the child from her home last night," said a redheaded cop.
"That is false," said Louise, giving Laura a death glare. "Katrina lives here. I am her grandmother, and this 'other suspect' you speak of is her father."
"She's lying," insisted Laura, "they took my baby! She has no father!"
"Tu ne crois pas nous? Lire ces documents," said Joe, emerging from the kitchen. (You don't believe us? Read these documents.) He handed the cops his ID and Katrina's birth certificate, as well as a copy of the restraining order. He thanked his lucky stars that the doctors had reissued a birth certificate with Katrina's corrected surname as he raised his hands.
The dark-eyed cop read the ID and birth certificate.
Joseph Luc Beaufort
DOB: September 18th, 1984
Sex: M
Eyes: Brown
"This certificate is to welcome the birth of Katrina Melody Beaufort, born on July 7th, 2008 at 7:39 pm weighing 9 lbs 1 oz to Heather Sanders and Joseph Beaufort."
In the meantime, the redheaded cop read the restraining order. "Ma'am, this document says you are not allowed to have any contact with this man or his daughter," said the redheaded cop to Laura.
"What?" Laura tried to take the restraining order, but the redheaded cop stopped her.
"This document certifies that Laura Sanders is not to have any contact with Joseph et Katrina Beaufort. This includes but is not limited to: entering their residence, following them, contacting them via phone, email, or social media. Intentional violation will result in an arrest."
Laura was simply stunned. Joe was keeping Katrina, and her own mother had sold her out?! Before she could react, two cars pulled over on the side of the road. From them stepped five tall, muscular men and one tall, muscular woman. "End of the line," said the tallest of them all, evidently their leader.
"Xander!" Joe was intensely grateful for his colleagues arriving to back him up.
As the redheaded cop handcuffed Laura, the dark-eyed cop approached Mr. Sandman. "Who are you?"
"Xander Whittier, Major Circuit champion," said Mr. Sandman. "We all work with Joe, and we know the kid is his."
The dark-eyed cop shook his head. "I need all of you to identify yourselves and confirm your status."
"マイナーサーキットチャンピオンの小林力希," said Piston Hondo. "彼は無実です。" (Riki Kobayashi, Minor Circuit champion. He's innocent.)
"Beth McCauldy, first in the Major Circuit," said Flying Feather. "You can't tell me Katrina doesn't have her father's eyes."
"मेजर सर्किट में दूसरे नंबर पर अमर खान।," said Great Tiger. "यूसुफ एक मक्खी को चोट नहीं पहुँचाएगा, भले ही वह उसे काट ले।." (Amar Khan, second in the Major Circuit. Joseph wouldn't hurt a fly even if it bit him.)
"Barnaby Forrester, first in the Minor Circuit," said Bear Hugger. "I ain't even met a man who loves his kid more than Joe loves his daughter."
"Brad Cash, World Circuit champion," said Super Macho Man, "and if Nutcase over there doesn't get the hell outta here, we're gonna have a problem."
"No need," said the redheaded cop, "Laura Sanders, you're under arrest for violating restraining orders, attempted kidnapping, and falsifying information to an officer."
"You can't do this!" Laura shrieked. "You can't take my baby!"
"She's been proven to not be your daughter," said the redheaded cop. "Time to go."
"Hold on," said Louise, "may I see the restraining order?"
"Why do you need it?" The dark-eyed cop asked.
"I'd like my name added to it," said Louise, with a cold bite of venom in her tone.
"If you come to the government building later today, we can revise the order," said the dark-eyed cop. "In the meantime, we're taking your accuser to the station."
Louise watched emotionlessly as the cruiser drove away. "Well," she said. "I suppose I don't have any children now."
Joe went upstairs to get Katrina out of hiding. "C'est sur maintenant, ma belle." (It's safe now, darling.) He took her outside to the front yard, where Louise and the other boxers were. They were happy to see her safe.
"MISSING: False alert. Girl's name is Katrina Beaufort and was found safe with her family. Reporter has been detained for filing a false case."
Once Flying Feather had gone back to the arena to get Soda Popinski and Bald Bull, the league went to get some breakfast at an early-hour diner. "Значит, она все время была в безопасности?" (So she was safe all along?)
"Yup," said Flying Feather, munching on a waffle. "Her bitch aunt went to the cops saying she was her daughter and that Joey boy kidnapped her."
"Aptal kadın," said Bald Bull. "Katrina aynı ona benziyor, neden bunun işe yarayacağını düşünsün ki?" (Stupid woman. Katrina looks just like him, why would she think that would work?)
As the other boxers joined in on the bashing, Joe cut up some strawberries for Katrina, Louise, and his waffles. "Joey, I'm mighty proud of everything you've done for my grandbaby," said Louise. "You had so many chances to walk away, and you still chose her."
"Elle est ma fille," said Joe. "Je suis responsable d'elle. Je ne peux jamais m'abandonner." (She's my daughter. I'm responsible for her. I could never surrender her.) He divided up the strawberry slices between the three of them.
Just then, Von Kaiser came in, looking out of breath. He lit up when he saw Joe and Katrina. He slid into the booth, hugged Katrina, and kissed his boyfriend. "Ich bin froh, dass Sie beide in Sicherheit sind." (I'm happy you're both safe.)
"Moi aussi," said Joe. "Je ne veux jamais perdre la fille la plus précieuse de ma vie." (Me too. I never want to lose the most precious girl in my life.) He held his daughter close and kissed her forehead.
