can’t.”
“Yes, you can,” Luke said in her ear. “Take a deep breath.”
“Visualize the movement,” Brooke said. “Just give me one elbow strike. One. You can do it.”
Sarah breathed through the staccato beat of her heart. This was her fourth class, and she was the only student who couldn’t perform a single self-defense technique on Luke. Her brain reeled with images of Troy’s angry face, and today’s hostile phone call.
“You can do this,” Luke said. He lowered his voice so that only Sarah could hear him. “Don’t let him win.”
Frustration swelled into anger. She was tired of being powerless. Every time she made strides in her new life, Troy erected a new barrier in her path. It had to stop. Now.
Gathering every ounce of strength, Sarah moved her arm and popped an elbow into the padded vest. There were a few additional moves to the technique, but she didn’t get any further. All her brain could process was the fact that she’d done something . She broken through her wall of fear.
Luke released her, and she spun around to see his grin. Next to the rectangular mat, a dozen women applauded.
A college-age brunette in yoga pants hooted, “Go, Sarah!”
Sarah stared at Luke. “I can’t believe it. I did it.”
“Attagirl.” He raised his hand for a high five. Light-headed, Sarah lifted a weak arm and they slapped palms. Giddiness flooded her floppy limbs. She needed to start working out. A twenty-minute walk on her lunch break wasn’t enough. “I really did it.”
Brooke smiled wide. “You did.”
Sarah had been afraid she’d never be able to shake the panic-induced paralysis, that she’d be stuck in a permanent state of frozen uselessness. But tonight, she’d taken another step forward.
“Now do it again.” Brooke signaled to Luke.
He moved around her slowly and wrapped his arm around her neck again. This time, Sarah reacted almost instantly. Her elbow connected with his vest. He moved back a few inches and loosened his hold, mimicking the natural reaction to a blow to the solar plexus. Sarah looked over her shoulder, then retracted her arm and jutted her elbow into the palm he held in front of his face. Pivoting, she brought her hands in front of her face and backed away.
Luke grinned. “Yes!”
Joy flooded Sarah. The exercise was staged, but the accomplishment filled her with pride—and hope. Troy wouldn’t give up easily. She knew that, but she would fight for her independence one little step at a time. She had a goal, and she’d reach it if she had to crawl. Troy’s antics were no more than obstacles to be overcome, bumps in her road.
“One more time!” Brooke said.
Before the class finished ten minutes later, Sarah managed to break Luke’s light hold on her wrist twice. She knew he was more aggressive with the other women and very gentle with her, but she didn’t care. She’d get there. Baby steps. If she could do this, everything else would come with time.
“That’s all for tonight,” Brooke said. “Remember, all these techniques are your last resort. Your goal is not to get into a situation to need them. Be safe.”
Brooke folded her floor mats. Luke stripped off his pads. Sweat soaked his T-shirt. The women gathered around Sarah. Their congratulatory back-pats and hugs filled her with warmth.
Sarah retrieved her jacket and purse. Zipping up, she followed the other women out of the brick building into the cold. A damp wind chilled her cheeks and salt crunched under her athletic shoes as she hurried across the lot and got into her van. Sarah locked her vehicle doors and started the engine of her minivan. Keeping all Brooke’s safety tips in mind, she’d parked under a streetlamp.
Luke carried the mats and pads to Brooke’s SUV and loaded the equipment in the back.
Waiting for her van to warm up, Sarah plugged her phone into the charging cord on the console. Before she could set the phone down, it vibrated with an incoming call. Sarah didn’t
“Yes, you can,” Luke said in her ear. “Take a deep breath.”
“Visualize the movement,” Brooke said. “Just give me one elbow strike. One. You can do it.”
Sarah breathed through the staccato beat of her heart. This was her fourth class, and she was the only student who couldn’t perform a single self-defense technique on Luke. Her brain reeled with images of Troy’s angry face, and today’s hostile phone call.
“You can do this,” Luke said. He lowered his voice so that only Sarah could hear him. “Don’t let him win.”
Frustration swelled into anger. She was tired of being powerless. Every time she made strides in her new life, Troy erected a new barrier in her path. It had to stop. Now.
Gathering every ounce of strength, Sarah moved her arm and popped an elbow into the padded vest. There were a few additional moves to the technique, but she didn’t get any further. All her brain could process was the fact that she’d done something . She broken through her wall of fear.
Luke released her, and she spun around to see his grin. Next to the rectangular mat, a dozen women applauded.
A college-age brunette in yoga pants hooted, “Go, Sarah!”
Sarah stared at Luke. “I can’t believe it. I did it.”
“Attagirl.” He raised his hand for a high five. Light-headed, Sarah lifted a weak arm and they slapped palms. Giddiness flooded her floppy limbs. She needed to start working out. A twenty-minute walk on her lunch break wasn’t enough. “I really did it.”
Brooke smiled wide. “You did.”
Sarah had been afraid she’d never be able to shake the panic-induced paralysis, that she’d be stuck in a permanent state of frozen uselessness. But tonight, she’d taken another step forward.
“Now do it again.” Brooke signaled to Luke.
He moved around her slowly and wrapped his arm around her neck again. This time, Sarah reacted almost instantly. Her elbow connected with his vest. He moved back a few inches and loosened his hold, mimicking the natural reaction to a blow to the solar plexus. Sarah looked over her shoulder, then retracted her arm and jutted her elbow into the palm he held in front of his face. Pivoting, she brought her hands in front of her face and backed away.
Luke grinned. “Yes!”
Joy flooded Sarah. The exercise was staged, but the accomplishment filled her with pride—and hope. Troy wouldn’t give up easily. She knew that, but she would fight for her independence one little step at a time. She had a goal, and she’d reach it if she had to crawl. Troy’s antics were no more than obstacles to be overcome, bumps in her road.
“One more time!” Brooke said.
Before the class finished ten minutes later, Sarah managed to break Luke’s light hold on her wrist twice. She knew he was more aggressive with the other women and very gentle with her, but she didn’t care. She’d get there. Baby steps. If she could do this, everything else would come with time.
“That’s all for tonight,” Brooke said. “Remember, all these techniques are your last resort. Your goal is not to get into a situation to need them. Be safe.”
Brooke folded her floor mats. Luke stripped off his pads. Sweat soaked his T-shirt. The women gathered around Sarah. Their congratulatory back-pats and hugs filled her with warmth.
Sarah retrieved her jacket and purse. Zipping up, she followed the other women out of the brick building into the cold. A damp wind chilled her cheeks and salt crunched under her athletic shoes as she hurried across the lot and got into her van. Sarah locked her vehicle doors and started the engine of her minivan. Keeping all Brooke’s safety tips in mind, she’d parked under a streetlamp.
Luke carried the mats and pads to Brooke’s SUV and loaded the equipment in the back.
Waiting for her van to warm up, Sarah plugged her phone into the charging cord on the console. Before she could set the phone down, it vibrated with an incoming call. Sarah didn’t
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