Part 41 (2/2)
”nice,” Josh was saying. ”Let's have more like that.”
I don't believe it.
Rugs and furniture were scrunched against the edges of the room, leaving clear s.p.a.ce. On the polished wooden floor, two figures were manoeuvring barefoot, their trousers rolled up at the calves. They moved fast and sure, and it took her a moment to realise that the knives were rubber.
”Trap my hand.” Josh hooked his blade upward, his forearm banging against Richard's left wrist. ”Good.”
And Richard's free hand whipped past Josh's throat, blade across skin.
Oh, my G.o.d.
”Again, but without the knife.”
”All right.”
Tossing his practice weapon onto the couch, Richard spun away barehanded, waiting for Josh to attack once more. This time the uppercut stab was faster, but he blocked it as before, left wrist against bone, while his right fist pumped punches into Josh's throat, holding back from contact but only just, then rammed in his knee and twisted away, ripping the knife from Josh's grasp.
”Good,” said Josh again. ”OK. From that angle, come in closer next time, use a fast knee, more a snapping motion, less hip.” He demonstrated. ”The long thrust is harder, but I might have tried to grab your leg. Not that I'd be able to after those punches.”
They did it again, Richard moving with a coordination that seemed at odds with the gawky, scared boy Suzanne had first met. But wasn't she supposed to be the one preaching rapid change?
This isn't what I imagined.
It was disturbing. The point of empowering clients was for them to set and achieve their own objectives, not hers. But all the same...
”Excellent.” Josh raised his left fist. ”We're done.”
Richard reached out his own fist, and they touched knuckles. Clearly a ritual, a trigger to change state and calm down from practice. Did Josh understand the significance of these things, or was it just automatic? On balance, he probably did know what he was doing.
She felt warm inside her clothes.
”Hi, Suzanne.” Richard's smile was easy. ”Josh is teaching me eskrimaga.”
”Is that some kind of needlework?”
”It's a mixture of krav maga and escrima. Dead cool. It's what the special forces use.”
”Well, isn't that interesting.”
Josh rubbed his face.
”I got bored of losing at chess to our resident genius” he tousled Richard's hair ”so I thought we'd go for something different.”
”It's brilliant,” said Richard. ”I know I'm rubbish at it, but”
Suzanne blew out a breath, deciding.
”The first time you tried to walk, you fell over, you know? But you just keep doing it, and from what I've just seen, you've picked up coordinated movement” she clicked her thumb ”just like that.”
”I didn't know girls could snap their thumbs,” said Josh. ”Did you, Richard?”
”Er, no.” Richard grinned. Then his features descended into seriousness. ”Opal's really fit, and she does all these gymnastics. You wouldn't believe it.”
”She will be leaping around again.” Suzanne slowed and lowered her voice tonality. ”The doctors feel confident.”
”Yes, I guess.” Richard put his hands in pockets, and stared down at the floor. ”After I go back... will I still be able to visit you two?”
Suzanne was astounded by the a.s.sumptions in his words, accepting that he would return home, presuming that she and Josh could be visited at the same time, because they would be together.
”Of course,” she said.
”Too right,” said Josh.
Then Richard produced the final surprise.
”Perhaps I should call Father again.”
She took hold of Josh's hand he grinned and led him into the kitchen, leaving Richard to make his call.
Sunset was glowing strawberry and gold when Josh pulled up before the main gates of the Broomhall home. They opened. He rolled the car inside, and stopped before the inner barrier.
”Get ready,” he said.
”OK,” sounded from the rear footwell.
One of the security guys walked up, and Josh lowered the window. ”Evening,” he said. ”I rang ahead, to see your boss.”
”Please open the boot, sir. And step out of the vehicle.”
His colleagues approached, stone-faced, betraying no clues to outside observers.
”All right.”
The guards moved in as the rear of the car popped open, and Josh stepped onto gravel. No one looked at Richard as he rolled out of the car and crawled three metres to the foot of the hedge, keeping to the blind spots, and stopped. From his crouched position, he grinned.
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