"TELL HER TO MEET ME OUT BACK"
My stepmom and I climbed into her car for the short drive over to Wendy's house. I was less nervous than I expected to be, and my stepmom was still fired up, but focussed on the task at hand. She was calmly giving me unexpectedly apt fight coaching tips, in a less bossy way than she had been speaking to me since her divorce.
> Now, remember, don't start swapping fists with this bitch--that's the kinda fight she wants ta have.
> You're bigger 'n Wendy, Lisa. Don't let her git on 'toppovya.
> Don't be afraid to use her hair ta throw her 'round. This is a catfight, no rules.
> Don't stop until she gives. And don't even stop then.
> No matter how bad she hurts ya, keep goin'. I'll drive ya home afterwards.
> Keep usin' yer claws until all 10 of 'em break. Then use yer thumbs.
I remembered my first fight with Wendy six weeks ago--how I had let Wendy get on top of me and had tried to fight from my back. That strategy had ended in defeat. I needed to be the one on top for this fight.
We pulled up to Wendy's ramshackle house. My stepmom told me to go to the door while she waited in the car--she said she'd barge in the house in 5 minutes if I didn't come out. My first fight with Wendy had lasted way longer than 5 minutes, but we hadn't been as angry with each other when that fight had happened as we were now, so I decided my mother's plan was prudent.
I didn't know what the parenting arrangements were at Wendy's house, but everything about the property blared "broken home"--spare tires in the yards, scrap metal, unraked leaves, unnecessary hoses, an long-unused above-ground swimming pool. I knocked on the door, and then rang the doorbell. A shirtless 20-something man-boy csme to the door--an older brother, perhaps? He checked out my legs and my mini-skirt, and without asking my identity, yelled behind him:
> Hey, Wendy. That girl ya' said might come ta fight ya is here?
I heard Wendy yell back, from inside:
> I'm still gettin' changed. Tell her ta meet me out back.
Now, this was a little disconcerting. My element of surprise was kaputt, since Wendy was half-expecting me to come over. And she now knew how to "push my buttons"--what actions would bsit me into fighting her. Was I in control of her feud, or was she?
Was I walking into a trap?
For reassurance, I walked back to my stepmom's car.
> She wants me to meet her in the backyard.
> Well .... go on and git, then. .. why are ya standin' here??
> I'm goin' ..... it's, just ..... Mom, she knew I might be comin' over. Is that .... weird??
> A 'lil bit, I guess. You didn't tell anyone, did ya?
> Just you.
> Now what the hell is that supposed ta mean?

> No, no ... I didn't mean it like that ... I just meant, I didn't tell anyone else.
> Well .... what's done is done. Go kick her ass. Same plan as before? I'll come in 5 minutes?
> Ten. Ten minutes. Let me fuck her up real good.
> K. 10 minutes. Good luck.
> Thanks.
> Kick her ass.
I was reassured. But also perplexed. Why were fights with Wendy happening so ..... often ...... so easily? It's almost like ..... almost someone was WANTING us to fight.
But who? And why?
Well, like my mom said .... too late to worry about that now.
Fight two was about to happen.
To be continued.....