Free Savior In The Dark by Ana Torres

that energy you had at the fight, you’d better show me some of it or you’ll be in big trouble.” I smiled as I was saying this.
             “Baby, we a have all night,” he said. “Remember the studio is closed for two days, well was, I added an extra day, so I can celebrate with you only.”
              We both needed that time together. I didn’t want to be away from him. I was so worried when he was fighting. He had put his mind and body at risk. His body, to be hurt badly when he fought, and his mind, to be full of regrets. I had so many regrets in my life that I didn’t want to think about them. I wanted a life with someone who was going to love me for me. And so far, Victor had shown me love, so much love, beyond what I had ever expected. My Victor was a man of values, of kindness, and had a great heart. He risked so much of himself to save the studio for the kids. I wondered what other reason he did it for? I was raised by my aunt and grew up learning about my mother from her, from what she knew of my mother. My father, he was a coward, for leaving me, not being there when I graduated. When I needed him the most, when my mother passed away, he left like a dog with his tail between his legs, a coward. He could take lessons from Victor. I knew if Victor had any children, he would be a great father.
          Victor came up with an idea which was a good one. “You are going to love this,: he said. “We can be a team. I say I have to go back to work soon. Don’t worry about your job either.” I ask why. “Because, you Sophia, will be working for me from now on.”
          “Oh really, doing what may I ask? What will I be doing?”
              He laughed and said, “Whatever you want to do. I have a lot of changes to make and I need a woman’s touch, because I am going to be teaching you how to teach self-defense karate for women, so they are not vulnerable like you were that night long ago. I can’t, and don’t want to see another woman being attack. These courses are going to be free for women only. So you still have to train with Peter or Dan to start learning the way of basic self-defensive. You already know some of the basics from what I’ve taught you. Do you remember? Well, I want us to have the women in this town trained for free, if they want to take lessons.” I told him how much I liked the idea. “We can use the money I’ve received from the companies that gave me draft checks.” 
           “Do you have a lawyer for that proposal you received?” I asked.
            “Not yet. I wanted to ask you to go with me. You are my partner after all.” 
             Shocked, I asked, “In what way partners? You have Peter and Dan. I thought they were your partners?” He told me they were offered some money to open their own studio and Peter was going to be Dan’s half partner. They like that stuff so they can get a name for themselves. They were eating it up.”
             Then he got up and walked toward his dresser. He went to get something, and he put it wherever he retrieved it from. I had a feeling I knew what it was. I was nervous as he came towards me. I was sitting down and I just pretended to look to the side out the window.
        Then I saw that he had sat next to me and in my mind it was strange to have him sitting next to me like that. “Since you are my partner,” he said. “You deserve this.” And he unopened his hands. In his hand, he held a key. In my mind, I was thinking, “What the heck?” He saw my face was expecting something else. So he went on and told me, “Sophia, this key has been locked away for so long, and I have waited for someone like you when I had lost my ideal love and my dream of being with someone for the rest of my life.” I looked at him with teary eyes, as he went on and then he said, “Will you accept my key to my heart?” He was waiting for an answer from me.
              I looked