Don't Catch Me!

Chapter 34 - Welcome to the Family.

Chapter 34 - Welcome to the Family.

“Joel never told us you were a screamer,” Jaspers voice caused me to look around in surprise.  I was just leaving the bedroom.

A hand came from nowhere and clipped him across the back of the head.

“Ouch, what the...”

“Where are your manners Jasper?” Jon warned as he walked in the direction of the bathroom.

“What? Jon?  So Fran, who’s shirt are you wearing this morning?” Jaspers eyebrows hitched suggestively.

I simply stepped closer to Jasper in the hall, flashing my eyes at him, and acted like I was going to whisper something secret to him.  As he leant into me I pushed him off balance while grabbing and twisting his arm.  A couple of steps and he was against the wall with his arm firmly in my grasp and painfully pushed up his back.

“Now Jasper,” I said softly ignoring Jon who had collapsed against the opposite wall in peels of laughter, “Let’s not get off to a bad start now?  Understand this, I am Joel’s and no one else holds any interest to me.   I love Joel and I would really like not to have to critically injure any of his family.  You know, I have never had a little brother Jasper.  Maybe I could teach you how to fight?” 

“I know how to fight,” he said with his face squashed against the wall. 

I released him and laughed, “Yeah, I can see that.”

I walked into the kitchen with him still trailing after me, “I just don’t hit girls, but if I did..”

“Then you would kick my arse right?”

“Too right!”

I smiled at him.

“Jasper don’t threaten Joel’s girlfriend.  Especially because I have the feeling that she will make a fool of you.  Play nice!”

“No, no, bring it on!  Come on ninja badass Fran I can take you.”  He was bouncing around me with his fists raised.

 I resisted the urge to send him flying. Instead I looked to Jake for guidance, his son right?  He just shrugged, “Well, we haven’t had a good sparring session for a while.  But don’t feel like you have to Fran.”

“No, that would be fun.”  

Under the house the basement was converted into a gym and games room. Joanne even managed to find me some old shorts that fitted so I was dressed and keen.  I smiled at seeing the pool table down here and felt a pang of loneliness for Joel.  I wished he was here.  But, with some effort, I pulled myself together as everything was moved aside so that the sparing mats could be laid down.

The morning was then spent sparing and training.  It was fun.  I was very careful not to humiliate them, when I beat them.  I always found something to praise and I tried to gently instruct them without being obvious.  Jake tried to smoother his smile as I did.  I couldn’t fool him.  Jon only smirked in recognition once, when I complemented Jasper on his balance while I adjusted his entire stance.  Jasper didn’t pick up on it at all.  He just lapped it up. 

I also taught them all basic throws and techniques.  No enough to get them in any trouble but just enough to fire their confidence up.  Which wasn’t difficult in Jasper’s case, he was practically bouncing off the walls.  His enthusiasm was unstoppable no matter how many times I brought him back down to earth, with his back hard on the mat.