Incest/Taboo Soul Food

A month later, the night of the title match...

Denis's black and grey boxing shorts shimmered in the overhead lights that hummed above his head. Shawna's brown eyes gazed down at him as she wrapped his hands in tape. Her lushest lips curved into a smile, remembering the night before when he walked into his bedroom with her laying naked on his bed on her stomach. Her left leg bent just so, so her brother's eyes could gaze at her chocolate peach without hindrance. Remembering the feel of his lips as they danced up her spine, the way his fingers felt as they explored her sex, to how his hardening cock moved in-between her ass cheeks before Shawna reached between her legs and guided it where his cock truly belonged.

Her ebony hair swayed as she bent down, placing a kiss on both of his hands. She was hoping that Denis won this match. She knew the boxing coach from her college was out in the audience along with Patty. Shawna hoped that Denis put on a good match so he'd get scouted for college; that way, the two of them could spend more time together -- preferably alone. Yet she had seen how her friends had gravitated towards her adopted brother over the month as each one tutored him. She was pleased that his grades were improving. Shawna just hoped it was enough to get him into college. Moving off to the side as Denis's trainer moved to fill the space she once occupied.

"You got this, Denis, you beat him once, just remember how he moves," the man said, to which Denis nodded in understanding. "Now show him what the new champ can do," he said, with a broad smile as his fist lightly hit the top of his gloves.

"You hear that, son? They're chanting your name," George said, from his wheelchair with a proud smile on his face as his son peered over at him. Raising his right hand, looking up as his daughter stood beside him, resting her hand on his left shoulder, patting her hand. "Everyone is here, your family," seeing the loving light in his son's green eyes when he said that word, "is rooting for you to show this city that you aren't defined by your past, but by your actions out in that ring," George said, ignoring the scars that dotted his son's chest and back given to Denis by people that in his mind were pure evil. That's the only thing he can call them due to what they had put his son through before Denis came into their lives. Watching how his coach -- the man he had introduced Denis to when he was fifteen -- helped Denis into his black robe. "Now you go out there and give them a fight to remember," he said, taking hold of his son's gloved left hand and smiling back at Shawna when she pushed him alongside his son towards the doors. He wanted everyone to know that Denis was his son.

The crowd roared at the sight of him as he along with his father and sister exited the shadowy hallway that led to his locker room. Seeing his mother smiling proudly at him with Will on her right side with his Uncle Stan on her left, accompanied by Jill, his wife, Ida, his stepdaughter, and Dorthey, their grandmother. Flashing Patty a smirk, taunting her friend that she couldn't be in the locker room with Denis. Also noting how the boxing coach beside her was taking down notes.

"Good luck," Shawna whispered into his ear, placing a kiss on his left cheek as she pushed her father into the handicap spot beside her brother. Noting how Denis fist-bumped bumped Stan while flashing Jill and Ida a smile and a nod. A little annoyed at how Ida had that look in her eye as she gazed at Denis. It was the same look she had when she looked upon her little brother. Shawna heard Jill's and Ida's gasps as they got their very first look at the horror of the life Denis had lived before her parents saved him from that fate. She saw how Stan nodded his head when she couldn't make out what they were saying to him, seeing his coach inserting Denis's mouthguard before he bounded up the steps. Smiling at Will as she sat down beside him, Shawna could see the excitement in his eyes as Denis lightly danced in place, throwing a few punches to warm up. Slipping her hand into Will's as the announcer entered the ring.

"Ladies and gentlemen! Tonight is the rematch title fight for the featherweight belt!" Shawna winced at the loud cheers and claps that filled the air. "Here in this corner, we have the former champ eager to reclaim his belt!" The man gestured to the five-foot, five-inch tall Latino nineteen-year-old boy. "And in this corner, we have Denis 'The Stinger' McCarty ready to defend his title!" Shawna heard Patty roar along with her uncle, his wife, and Ida when Denis held up his right arm, greeting those that came to watch the match. "Without further ado, let this title fight begin!" the man exclaimed before backing away, and the bell sounded starting the first round.

Along with her family, Shawna nervously watched as Denis panted heavily after five rounds, and neither of them had landed the finishing blow. However, it seemed like Denis's opponent was a little more worn down than her brother to her eyes. Yet she did notice how Denis was keeping his right eye closed due to the cut above it to keep his blood from blinding him.

"Denis, just hang in there a little longer; you have him on the ropes." Denis nodded as he washed his mouth out before spitting into the pale beside his stool. "We're going to have to get the Cutman to deal with that," he said, looking at the gash above Denis's right eye. "Or they'll stop the fight."

"Do it!" Denis said, in determination. His family had all came out to support him. He wasn't about to disappoint them in losing this fight that he had worked so hard to get to where he was just to throw in the towel now. He knew while he was getting attended to, that would give his opponent time to rest up. Nonetheless, Denis had noted how he was still dropping his left guard just like he had done during their first bout. Was it a way to lure him into a trap? To throw him off balance so the man could get around his guard. Grinding his teeth against the pain as the Cutman worked to stop the bleeding. He knew if he didn't finish the fight in the next round, the wound would reopen again.

"Watch out for his left hook. It seems he's trying to lure you in," his coach whispered into his ear, mirroring Denis's thoughts, quickly wiping Denis's face so the sweat wouldn't be hindering Denis in the sixth round.

Bouncing on his feet, bumping his fist together. Denis wasn't about to disappoint his family. He was going to win this thing. The title meant little to him; it was the time spent as his father, along with his mother, that helped him channel his anger into more practical ways instead of landing himself in jail. He knew without the two of them. He would have followed down that dark road. This fight was to show them that their time and effort wasn't wasted on the homeless, dirty, ragged little boy they had found eight years ago looking for food in their trash.

The crowd fell silent as they all listened as Denis's opponent landed hard on the mat as his right hook took his opponent by surprise. All waited in hushed silence as the referee counted down, throwing his arms in the air as the count reached ten. Then the thunderous roar of the crowd rang out as his opponent's body still lay twitching on the mat. It wasn't until his own coach knelt beside him, running some smelling salts beneath his nose, that the man showed any signs of life.

"The winner of this rematch between the former champ and the current one is..." Lifting Denis's left arm to call the fight in his favor officially. Walking over to the judges' table and taking the belt, the middle judge handed him and placed it on Denis's right shoulder.

"Hell of a punch, man," his opponent groaned as they shook hands once he and Denis removed a glove each.

"Thought I was going to blackout with that kidney punch," Denis said, with a friendly smile.

"Don't lose that title until I can make my way back up the ladder," he said, before his coach led him out of the ring.

"Denis!" Shawna shouted, rushing up to him as his coach laid his robe along his shoulders.

"Ow, ow," Denis hissed as she collided with his bruised ribs.
"Sorry," Shawna said bashfully, backing away.

"Damn, son, I thought you had him in the fourth round," Stan said, proudly. "That was a damn good fight," he said, lightly but firmly, placing his hand on Denis's left shoulder.

"Well, what do you expect Stan, he's my boy," George said, smiling up at his son. "Here, I'll hold onto that while you go change," he stated, nodding to his son's hard earn prize.

"We'll get you stitched up, then we'll all go out for a family dinner," Helen said, with a warm, loving smile. All through the match, her eyes couldn't look away from Denis's ass, or could she refute how good it felt in her hands when she held onto while Denis plunged his hard could into her molten peach.

"Honey, what happened to you?" Jill asked; her eyes couldn't look away from the ragged scar that ran diagonally along his chest.

"Not here, Auntie," Denis said low, as he passed her.

"Told you to wait," Stan whispered into his wife's ear. "Told you he doesn't like talking about it in public."

"Young man, I'm with The Chronicle," her arm darted through the gap of his family's bodies, "when you have time, I'd like to interview you about your match," she said, holding out her card. Noting how Helen loosened the strap of his left boxing glove and slipping it off his hand and taking the other from him before Denis took her card from her grasp. "Please, email me, or call any time; congratulations on your win," she said, before walking off.

"Denis!" Patty called out, waving her arm in the air so he could see her through the crowd that surrounded him. Noting how Denis nodded to those speaking to him as he made his way through the crowd that his family had formed around him. "Hi," she said sweetly once Denis neared. "This is coach Rich; he oversees the college men's and women's boxing team I told you about; Coach Rich this, as you can see, is the young man I told you about."

"Nice footwork you have there," Rich said, holding out his hand to Denis. "After that wonderful match, I'd like to invite you to come and tour the campus and our boxing program." Handing Denis his card, "Give me a call. If I don't answer, please leave a message. I promise you I'll return it the moment I'm free. I believe we at Havenwood can do great things for you and you for the team," Rich said, with a warm smile, noting the strength in Denis's hand, biding him a goodbye, thanking Patty for introducing him to Denis before leaving the two of them.

"Think of it, Denis. If you get in, you and I will be on the same team," Patty said, with a wide smile at his perplexed look. "I'm the captain of the women's boxing team. So if you make the team, we'll be on the same bus," moving closer to him, shooting Shawna a taunting look over his shoulder, "plus we'll be staying in the same hotels when we go on away matches. Just think of it, you could sneak to my room and do whatever you want with me," she purred heatedly into his ear before placing a kiss on his cheek. "Drop by the college Wednesday. That's when the women's team is practicing," Patty said, her eyes flashed hungrily at his wide eyes as her fingers ran along the length of his manhood. "See you then." Waving to him as she sashayed towards the exit.

After a few hours waiting in the urgent care center near the old arena that had been converted to showcase local sporting or other entertainment events that didn't cater to the thousands, Denis found himself surrounded by the people that loved him. All sharing laughs as they recounted one tale after another. That was until Jill pulled Denis off into the shadowy corner of the restaurant after he had left the restroom.

"Denis, I know you don't like talking about it; tell me what happened. How did you get those scars?" Jill asked, with a concerned look in her eyes.

"They ever tell you how they found me?"

"Some," Jill nodded.

"Well, one very cold thanksgiving, I stumbled upon a house filled with the two nicest people I've ever met. Starving given how I had been living on the streets for six months by that time. What you see on my body is the fact that evil people are closer than you think," Denis said, laying his right hand on his chest.

"Oh... honey," Jill said, wrapping Denis in a tight hug. "Please tell me they put the people that did that to you away."

"Mom put the guy, that was hurting the girls, that the State put me with behind bars. He won't be getting out of prison for the rest of his life, given what he was doing to them. The only reason he got away with it for so long was because his wife was deaf, and she couldn't read lips. So whenever they tried to tell her, she didn't understand. That was until I tried to stop it, but you've seen the scars," Denis spoke, seeing her nod.

"There you are," Helen said, finding Jill and her son standing in the corner. "Let's go home son, it's getting late," she uttered with a warm motherly smile.

"Mmmkay," Denis chirped, returning Helen's smile. "Bye, Auntie," he said, hugging her goodbye.

"Bye honey, you need anything you call, okay?" Jill stated in a caring voice.

"Will do," Denis nodded.

"Come, Denis, the Epsom salt will help soothe your body," Helen said, walking into Denis's bedroom wearing only a robe. Noting how he was lying on his back, holding up the belt before him with a smile on his face. "And help with the bruising I'm sure your feeling right now," she stated over her shoulder as she walked into his bathroom. Knowing how they wouldn't be interrupted, given how she had locked his door. Humming as the sound of the rushing hot water poured into the tub. Her eyes flickered up; a seductive smile rose the corners of her lips as her son walked in naked with his towel resting on his shoulders as she sprinkled the salt into the steaming water. "Come here, baby, let mama take care of that," Helen purred at the sight of his hardening cock when she noted how his eyes glanced down at her exposed mound.

Those warm brown eyes of hers gazed up at him as her lush, chocolate lips glided along his ever-hardening shaft. Loving how she could make her son's eyes flutter when she tickled the underside of his crown with the tip of her tongue. Her head rocked; her salvia glistened upon his skin as she pleasured that hard tool of his. Knowing that her son was never going to leave her or her home. She didn't care how it looked. She didn't care if there whispers floating around the neighborhood when Denis got older. All she cared about was that her son, the boy she saved, was now doing the saving, i.e. her marriage.

She knew if her draught lasted much longer, she would have done the unthinkable and took the twenty-year-old intern that started a few months ago into her office, climbed onto her desk, spread her legs, and told him to fuck her. Not that she was attracted to the man. It was the fact at the time she was hornier than she's ever been. It wasn't George's fault; he did everything he could -- minus fucking her himself, which was no longer in the equation -- to keep her sexual needs satisfied. Yet she was never one to use toys or any other outside devices, not when she and George had a very healthy sex life before his shooting. Yet that very thing never happened. She knew if she cheated on George, sure it would felt great at the time, yet she would have been so racked with guilt once the deed was done. So ashamed of what she had done to George and their marriage, she wouldn't have been able to look him or her children in the eyes if she had let those thoughts led her astray. Nonetheless, that wasn't what happened. Due to George's suggestion and her son's strength, she no longer had to worry about her wandering eyes. That Helen knew would get her into trouble sooner than later.

"Mmm, feel those balls," Helen cooed as she cradled Denis's sack in her left hand. "Just feel how heavy they are yearning to empty their load into your mother's pussy," she said, in a lustful voice, her tongue flickering against her teeth as she peered up at her son. She's been on the pill for the past three weeks. She waited a week to give her pills time to kick in before she allowed her son to go bareback in her hot, wet cunt. Helen knew there was a possibility that she could get pregnant even on the pill, yet she didn't care. She didn't care if she carried her son's child; she didn't care if the child was mixed or not. She would love the child regardless because he or she would have been born out of love and not lust. "You love it when you creampie my pussy, don't you, baby?" Helen asked, in a libidinous voice.

"You know it," Denis agreed, smiling down at her. Seeing his mother's cheeks heating as he bent forward, her fingertips skimmed along his cheeks, lightly moaning into his mouth as their lips embraced. A burning desire emanated from her eyes as she gazed at him as Denis undid the knot in the belt of her robe. Displaying her 38D breasts to him, her breath grew rapid, her body trembled as he cradled her left breast in his right hand.

"Oh Denis," Helen sighed, holding her son's head against her right breast and slipping her right leg over the edge of the tub and into the water to give Denis better access to her womanhood. "Yes, baby, play with me," she lightly moaned as they waited for the water to fill the tub. Rocking her hips, her tongue rolled in his mouth so her wails of pleasure wouldn't be heard by Will, who at that moment was studying in his room.

Still unaware of the fact that her eldest son knew all about them. Will also knew about Shawna and Denis, yet he already knew about his sister's infatuation with Denis for years, so he wasn't upset as he was when he learned about his mother and Denis. Moreover, Will developed a fetish for listening in on his mother and sister. At first, he was ashamed of it as his semen ran down the wall whenever he listened to either one getting fucked by Denis. However, as the days passed and the moment he hears his mother or Shawna speaking in Denis's bedroom, his cock immediately starts to harden. Knowing that soon he would be enjoying the sounds of his sister's and mother's voice as they begged Denis to fill them with his cum. Did he wish it could be him in there, having his dick sucked, feeling the warmth of his mother's pussy wrapped around his cock as he stood, instead of having his ear pressed against the wall, listening to the running water and their muffled voices? Very much so. Although, Will wasn't about to bring up what he longs for to his mother. No. All through that month, he had watched how his mother began to change back to the woman from three years ago.

He knew his mother needed this. Will knew she never once neglected his father. In reality, Helen was more attentive to George, at least as far as he could tell. So he knew he couldn't bring forth his desires that have been brewing in his very core. As the saying goes, he had no wish to rock the boat, not when he saw his parents' relationship growing stronger by the day. So he would have to deal with listening in for now. Will was hoping to find some cheap wireless spy cameras that an overworked college student could afford and place them in Denis's room. In hopes that he could finally know what his mother and sister look like in the nude. So that he didn't have to rely on his imagination on what his family members looked like in the throes of passion.

"Yes, Mom, why don't you suck my cock, huh?" Will grunted low, stroking his cock, feeling it swell as he heard his mother orgasming loudly. "Give Denis a day to rest, let me take care of you," he whispered as he closed his eyes, living in his daydream where his mother was on her knees. Her cheeks sinking in as she swallowed his nine-inch monster. "Fuck Mom, I'm going to cum," Will hissed as his mushroom top swelled, splattering his hot cum against the wall. While he always cleaned it after he had jerked off, Will could still see the streaks where his cum ran down the wall. Quickly wiping up the evidence when he heard Shawna on the stairs. Tugging his cock back into his shorts and hurriedly retaking his seat at his desk just in time as Shawna appeared in his doorway.

"Hey, Will," Shawna said, happily. "Dad was wondering if you'd like to come down and watch a movie with us?" In truth, it was to get her brother out of his room in case their mother got a tad too loud.

"Sure, what is it?" Will asked, tucking his notes into the textbook he was studying at the moment.

"The new Rambo one," Shawna said, trying to sound up bet about it, yet that wasn't where she truly wanted to be.

"Oh, didn't know they came out with a new one," Will said, playing off that he didn't hear his mother's voice begging Denis to make her cum again as faint as it was. Also playing off how his sister glanced at him, wondering if he heard what she just heard. Will wasn't about to say a word. Their mother needed this. As weird as that sounded, he wasn't about to ruin his mother's happiness. Still, as they walked down the hall, he wondered what it would be like if it was him and not Denis.

"How's that, baby?" Helen asked, gently rubbing the hot, salted water into Denis's sore chest as she sat on the edge of the tub. She could see the bruising starting to appear given the blows his opponent had landed on his body.

"Better," Denis replied with a warm smile.

"Then... are you... able to..."

"Mom, if I had a broken leg, I'd find a way," Denis said, with a sinful grin. "Plus, you already got me throbbing kind of a shame to let it go to waste, don't you think?"

"Mmm... yes, yes, I do," Helen purred, slipping into the water. "We have to be quick, okay?" she uttered, knowing they or rather she couldn't stay in the bath with him for as long as she would have like with Will in the next room. He would be bound to wonder why she hadn't left by now. She was hoping he was studying too hard to notice if she had passed his room or not.

"Okay," Denis answered before burying his face in his mother's cleavage.

"Mmm, baby, I love it when you do that," Helen purred as she sank down on her son's hard root.

The water sloshed against the walls of the tub as Helen rode her son hard. Squeezing her fold the tightest that she could, to milk that cock of his. She wanted to feel her son's cum shooting deep into her womb. Where she hoped it would always be in the years to come. Kissing her son passionately, feeling his strong hands holding onto her ass as his hips started thrusting that hard rod deep into her secret jungle. Her mind recounted back to the years that she and her husband would make love in it. That was how they got Shawna, after all, and she wondered if this would be any different.

"That's it, baby, cum for your mother," Helen said, in a husky voice. "I know this has been shorter than what we normally do..."

"No, I understand," Denis nodded. He didn't want Will thinking any less of him, given what he was doing with their mother. He had no wish to disappoint his older brother. After all, Will helped him out the most when they were trying to catch him up with his peers in school. He knew without Will's help. He would have probably dropped out or have been held back for at least two years.

"God!" Tossing her head back as she felt her son dumping his load deep inside of her, "I love feeling you cum inside of me," Helen said, gazing lovingly into her son's eyes. "I know your cock loves the feel of my pussy too."

"Guilty," Denis smirked, watching his mother's eyes widen as he started to play with her starfish as he softened within the heat of her mound.

"Don't you go starting something you can't finish, young man," Helen teased, knowing he's been doing that for the past three times they've been together. She wondered if he knew she liked anal just as much as regular sex. While she couldn't take all of her husband back there (Before his shooting), she knew she would have no problem in doing so with her son. She wasn't degrading the size of his manhood. After all, it was the cock that broke her draught and gave her orgasms galore. She would never do that to her son. Did she miss the size of her husband? Yes, she would freely admit that, was she going to complain that her son couldn't measure up. Hardly. It wasn't the size of the cock that made her cum so much. It was the man she was with that did so, and she knew Denis loved her with all her heart, so Helen knew Denis would never leave her wanting. Like possibly the men that she would've taken to some hotel to get her fix.

"Now you relax for another ten minutes and let the salt do its work," Helen said, in a loving motherly voice as her hands lightly patted Denis's chest. Lightly placing a kiss on his lips, loving how those eyes of his always followed the sway and bounce of her chocolate orbs as she rose.

"Okay, Mom," Denis said, with a nod.

"I'm going to go check on your father. You come down when you're finished," Helen stated as her left arm slid through the sleeve of her robe after she had dried off. "I'll make you a little snack when you do; someone's going to need you to keep up your energy," she said, winking at her son, remembering the taste of her daughter's pussy on his cock the night he came home from the party a month ago.

Two days later...

"Thank you for agreeing to this interview Mr. McCarty..."

"Denis is fine," he said, cutting the female reporter off.

"So Denis, tell my readers how did you get into boxing?" she asked, crossing her legs as they sat in his parents' living room.

"Well... I was getting into trouble a lot. At the time, I had anger issues due to what was done to me in my childhood. My dad, before his injury, took me down to the local boxing gym and introduced me to my coach. With my parents' help, they helped me deal with all that anger I had built up inside of me more healthily and legal way than I was doing at the time." Turning his head to the right, seeing his mother moving around in the kitchen pretending to be tidying up when in reality, she was keeping her ears open to what they were talking about. "I owe them a lot. They helped me deal with things that at the time, given my background, really didn't pertain to me, or so I thought."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I was given up as a baby, housed in homes that did things to me that were beyond illegal. Well... you've seen the scars," Denis said, seeing the woman's nod. "It was because of my parents that taught me how to be a person again, and not the check all the people the State placed me with saw me as for that I'll be forever grateful."

"There seems to quite a story there, care to elaborate?" she asked, making quick notes in her notepad.

"My parents, what can I say? They took in a homeless, dirty, raggedy, starving boy. It didn't matter if I was white, I could have been poke doted, and they wouldn't have cared. All that mattered was I was in need; I don't know how they put up with me, given how I was at the time. Teaching me what it meant to be a person again and not the whipping post I was beaten to think I wasn't human. It was their caring hand that showed me that not everyone is... evil. That some very decent people in this world would open their home, their hearts to a helpless boy," Denis said, his eyes glancing to the kitchen. Noting how his mother pressing her fingers to her lips, trying to keep silent so not to disturb their interview as Denis saw how she was on the verge of tears. "They taught me my life matters, that in here," patting his heart, "that I was indeed their son, regardless of my skin tone. That I finally had a place to call home, that I could stop running from the evil that dominated my life at the time.

So when my father was injured. I helped out the best I could. Took on roles and tasks that my father usually handled -- Why?" Seeing the woman nod, "Because I love my father, they done everything they could do, I know they weren't expecting me to return their kindness (That's what good parents do, or that's what I think), yet what do you do when the people that saved you now are the ones that needed the helping hand? It didn't matter what it was, how dirty, how tiring it was. All that mattered to me was if my parents were happy. That they needn't worry about the chores given what had happened to my father, who at the time needed my mother, they put themselves before everything to show me that they could be trusted that they weren't like those that..." Seeing her look, knowing what he meant when he patted his chest, "now it was my turn to show them how much I love them, to return that kindness they showed me eight years ago," Denis said, not drawing attention to the fact that tears were streaming down his mother's cheeks.

"That... would put you at... ten years old?!" the woman muttered, flipping through her notes.

"It would," Denis nodded, watching how her pen moved across her pad.

"Wow. That's..." Taking a dry swallow, knowing that this had simply been a sports assignment, she wasn't expecting to stumble into this emotional minefield.

"I know, I lived it," Denis said, darkly.

"So..." Clearing her throat, "now that you've won the city's featherweight championship, how do you feel?" she asked, returning to the purpose of her visit.

"Vindicated."

"How so?"

"This title shows the world that the time my parents took to teach me, care for me, and everything in-between wasn't wasted. That here," pointing to his mind and heart, "and here, holds their lessons that help to guide me and hopefully keep me out of trouble," Denis said, with a warm smile.

"I thank you for your time, Denis," the reporter said, rising to her feet once their interview was over. She had only thought this would be a simple paragraph or two-story about a boxing match, yet it appeared to her she had stumbled onto something more significant than she could even imagine. Hoping if what she suspected would finally get her off the sports beat and onto something more noteworthy. Shaking Denis's hand as they stood on the stoop of his home, her fingers rapidly typed out to her friend in the archives to pull everything they could on the McCarty's. Knowing she was going to be staking out the adoption records room down at town hall.

"Denis..." Helen whispered with a trembling voice as her son slowly closed the front door behind him, "was that all, what you said to that reporter, true?"

"Of course," Denis nodded curtly.

"Oh baby," Helen sighed in a motherly voice taking her son into her arms. "You know we feel the same way about you, right?" she asked, her voice muffled as she buried her face in her son's neck. Feeling her body heat as his arms wrapped around her. Holding him tightly against her, his hands ran up her back at the two of them stood in the foyer of her home.

"I know Mom, you and Dad are the best parents I could have ever hoped for," Denis said, rubbing Helen's back, feeling her hot tears on his skin as she cried.

"Look at me," drying her cheeks, "I'm a mess," Helen lightly chuckled as she backed away from her son.

"Nah, you're still as beautiful as the day you saved me," Denis said, truthfully.

Helen felt her heart flutter as her son's words settled on her shoulders. She knew she was going to break her promise to her daughter. She's tried to deny it ever since they've started having sex together. Helen couldn't stop it, even if she wanted to. She couldn't help falling in love with her son. Sighing in her mind wondering what she was going to do, now that she's admitted -- to herself at least -- that she was in love with two men, the two men that made her feel so loved, so safe, so... satisfied.

"Baby, go to my room and make yourself comfortable," Helen said, with a knowing look in her eyes. "Just let me tidy up, okay?" she uttered, knowing she was going to rock her son's world. That's what any woman should do for the man she loves, right? That's what she thought anyway.

Wednesday, Havenwood, gymnasium...

"Glad you could come, Denis," Patty greeted as she stood in front of the entrance to the gym. Noting the duffle bag, he was carrying in his left hand as he approached.

"You sure he thinks I'm going to make the cut?" Denis asked, knowing how important it was getting into college was to his parents and Shawna.

"You needn't worry about that Denis, not many of our members have a title beneath their belt before signing up," Patty said, waving off his statement. Her eyes flickered over his right shoulder, noting how Kay and Evia were quickly walking towards them. Patty kept her annoyance hidden, she was planning on having Denis alone with her, or as alone as one could get when the team was working out. "Come, let me introduce you to the girl's team," Patty said, with a friendly smile.

Denis's eyes noted the trophy case the moment he entered the gym. Whistling inside his head at the number of awards that their sports teams had won. Yet the only boxing trophy he saw was for the women's team that took second place a few years ago, looking over at Patty, noting how she waved to him as she held the door to the gymnasium proper open, waving to Kay and Evia as they entered behind him. Listening to Patty's coach barking out orders and suggestions along with the sharp rebuke of his whistle that was tucked between his lips.

"Coach! Our star is here," Patty called out, leading Denis across that waxed floor.

Denis felt his heart racing as Coach Rich turned towards him. "Glad you could make it," he said, holding out his hand to Denis. "I see you brought your gear. Good, Patty show him to the men's locker room. You bring a shirt to practice in?" Rich asked, knowing Denis probably didn't want everyone to know about the scars he had seen that night.

"Yes, sir," Denis nodded.

"Coach will be fine, good, as soon as you've changed, we'll get your hands wrapped, and then we'll measure your punching strength, some light sparring if you're up to it," his eyes glanced to the stitches above Denis's right eye, "and see how you do with working out with the team, sound fair?" Rich inquired, seeing Denis's nod. "Patty, while he's changing, fetch some head protection for him," he ordered.

"Yes, Coach," Patty called back as she led Denis to the men's locker room. "The men's team isn't here, so you needn't worry about a lock," she said, with a warm smile. "You got this Denis, with your experience, you'll be a shoo-in. See you in a minute," Patty winked at him before leaving him so he could change into his workout clothes.

"Ah, Denis, you don't linger in the locker room, do you?" Rich asked, with a warm smile as Denis came to his side.

"No, Coach," Denis said, politely.

"Let me see your hands," Rich ordered. He wasn't about to make Denis spar if his body wasn't up to the task given that match. "How are your other injures?" he asked, while studying Denis's hands.

"A little sore, but shouldn't be a problem," Denis answered, still feeling the throbbing of his rids and the soreness of his right side when his opponent landed that kidney punch.

"Good. Ronda see that Denis here gets taped up," Rich directed to the sophomore that was standing idly by.

"Okay, Denis, this bag has been set up to measure the amount of force my boxers exert," Rich stated once Ronda had finished taping up Denis's hands. Looking over at Patty, who was holding the bag for Denis. Also, noting the audience that started to gather in the bleachers. "Why don't you give it two jabs, and we'll see what we are working with, alright?" As the last word left his lips, Denis's fist struck out, landing squarely on the center of the bag. "Again," Rich barked, hearing the printer running as the software calculated the force of Denis's punches into psi. "Impressive," he whistled as he read the results. Knowing Denis had the power of a middleweight as he noted the 1000-1100 psi the sensors recorded. "How long have you been boxing?" Rich asked, as he folded the paper so he could show to the board when he made his case in offering Denis a sports scholarship.

"A little over three years," Denis said, truthfully as he flexed his fingers to keep the blood circulating within them. Seeing Rich's nod, hoping that was a satisfying answer.

"You up for a little sparing?" Rich inquired. He had to see what he could do when Denis was facing someone he's never fought before. Plus, given Denis's small stature, he wondered what he could do when facing someone in a different weight class than him.

"Yes, Coach."

"Good, Patty will be your sparring partner. Don't go easy on him," Rich directed, looking over at her.

"I wasn't planning on it," Patty answered with a cocky grin.

The sound of his whistle retorted loudly, "You two out of the ring!" Rich shouted. "I know you don't use this kind of gear," he said, helping Denis into the headgear the school requires their students to use during said matches. "But it'll help to keep your cut from opening up again," Rich said, seeing the understanding in Denis's eyes. Arching an eyebrow at the weight of Denis's boxing gloves. "You ever think about moving up in weight class?" he asked, knowing the weight of those gloves was meant for someone in middleweight, not in the featherweight class.

"No, not really," Denis shook his head.

"You should. I think you would do alright in it," Rich said, as he slid on Denis's left glove. "Just a few practice rounds, if you experience any pain from your injures, I'll stop the match and get you looked at," he stated, watching Denis biting down on his mouth guard as he nodded. "This will be three, three-minute rounds, Patty don't try to knock him out, just try to keep him from landing a hit," Rich ordered, watching Denis's footwork as he took a couple of practice punches and rolled his shoulders to get warmed up.

"Come on, show me what you got, Denis," Patty taunted, noting how Denis was trying not to eye her sports bra just as she was trying not to allow her eyes to linger on what lays beneath that blue tank top he was wearing. "Damn," Patty muttered in her mind shaking her left arm to get the sting out of it after blocking several of Denis's punches.

"You alright?" her vice-captain asked, looking up at her friend as they each rested in their corner after their first practice round.

"He hits like a truck," Patty uttered, rubbing her gloved right hand along her left arm. Never taking her eyes off of Denis as he leaned against the ropes of his corner, his arms on the top rope, waiting for her to leave her corner.

"Really, but he's so small," she muttered, her eyes glanced over to Denis.

"Well, he is the city's champ after all," Patty said, with a smirk.

"But you're in a different weight class. You shouldn't be having a problem with him."

"You want to get in the ring with him and see?" Patty asked, arching an eyebrow.

"That's enough chatting," Rich spoke, ringing the bell twice, telling them their break was over.

The soles of her boxing shoes rasped as they moved along the canvas top of the ring. Weaving her head to keep Denis from landing a punch, a punch she might add that was liable to knock her out. Her heart hammered when that fear almost became a reality when his left jab missed her cheek my mere millimeters. She knew she had to get Denis on the defensive so her coach could see what he could do when he was backed into a corner. Rolling with his right hook, countering with her left cross, she could see the pain in Denis's eyes went it landed on his bruised ribs, yet he didn't say a word. However, it did make Denis take a step back, and that was all she needed. That was until she unintentionally stuck his bruised kidney as he protected his head like they were all trained to do when on the defensive.

"I'm so sorry, are you..." Patty began to speak when Denis dropped to a knee and held up his right hand.

"Can you continue?" Rich asked, knowing that kidney must still be sore as hell given the blow he had taken in that match.

"Y-yeah, just need a minute," Denis whizzed, catching his breath.​