JUNE 5, 2010
THE NEST
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA
6:23 PM LOCAL TIME
Terrence Thompson looked up, smiling, as he saw the small lime-green Vespa pulling into the driveway. His first temptation was to get up and run to the door, but he held himself fast. Let her come to him.
He looked to his right, where Wendy's belated birthday present sat, making sure it was still there. He did his best to look relaxed as the front door opened, and his flame haired wife walked in. He could tell immediately that she had calmed considerably from earlier in the day, and he smiled. Wendy, still trying to smooth out her helmet hair, took a look around the living room.
"Where's everyone else?" Wendy asked.
"Ah, I sent them to McDonald's for McFlurries," Terrence replied with a smile. "I figured you and I have a lot to talk about."
Wendy nodded silently, and Terrence narrowed his eyes. There was something almost robotic about the way she was acting. But still, he wanted to smooth things over with her before they left for Dallas in the morning. "Have a seat," he offered, and Wendy complied.
"How's Elizabeth?" Wendy asked, again automatically.
"She's okay. Pretty sore, though. She's also thinking about quitting wrestling," Terrence responded, his eyes never leaving his wife. "And how are you?"
"I've calmed down," Wendy simply said.
Terrence again balked at the mechanical demeanor of his wife, but kept on pressing forward.
"I, uh, got you something," Terrence remarked, pulling out the package and handing it to his wife. "It was supposed to be for your birthday, but the goddamned printers were late with it."
Wendy stared at the box as if she had never seen one before.
"Open it," Terrence pressed, growing annoyed with his wife's obvious lack of enthusiasm.
Wendy obeyed, and pulled out a glossy book. On the cover, a picture of the WhirlyBirdz logo loomed, the green and blue shining out from the black backdrop. Wendy slowly opened the book, stunned as she saw on the first page a twenty-year old version of herself smiling back at her, standing next to a much younger Terrence Thompson.
Their EWF promotional photo.
"I couldn't find anything from the RWF, but the REV is in there." Terrence pointed out.
Wendy slowly flipped through the book. She saw an image of her tangled in the ring ropes, her face jubilant as she realized that she and her then-boyfriend had just won the World Tag Titles. The next page had her standing in the same ring, tears running down her face, Terrence kneeling in front of her, a ring in his outstreched hand.
As she flipped through, she saw more tag title victory poses, their Stars on Ice promo photos, with them in figure skating attire. The second to last page had them jointly elevating the Crockett Cup, and the last page was their wedding photo. Wendy slowly closed the book, and looked at her husband.
"Everything I've done in my career, the things I'm most proud of, I did with you," Terrence said softly. "Wrestling didn't bring us together, but it has strengthened our bond. Even when things got ugly, like today, I've never stopped loving you."
"And you're more than my lover, and the mother of my child," Terrence said. "You're my partner." He beckoned to the book. "That could be us in Dallas, Wendy. Together, we are going to win Summer Games."
"No," Wendy finally said, shoving the book back into the box, and closing it. "It is a lovely book," she said in that same mechanical tone she had been using. "But I regretfully cannot accept it"
"Wha... why?" Terrence demanded.
"Because," Wendy said. "Doing so would mean I apologize for what has transpired today. It would also mean I forgive you. I don't want to do either."
Terrence was dumbfounded. "You don't? Why?"
Wendy set the box on the couch, and stood up. "I have a lot of conflicting emotions right now," she admitted. "But there's two things I'm certain of. I'm angry at a lot of people, including you. And I want to win Summer Games. Not for Rick. Not for Victor, not for you. Not even for the Alliance. I want to win for myself, Terrence. You and Victor are on my team, and I will do everything in my power to get all three of us through to the finals, just as I expect the two of you to. But when it becomes every man for himself, that is exactly what it will be."
A movement out of the corner of his eye caught Terrence's attention, and he gaped as, through the window, he saw a vehicle pulling into the driveway.
"What the fuck... a taxi cab?"
"I'm booked on a United plane heading for Dallas by way of Chicago at 6:00 am tomorrow. I will be staying in a hotel near the airport until then. I will see you at Summer Games, Terrence."
"You're LEAVING?"
Wendy nodded, then walked into the entry hall. "Please tell Theresa thst I love her," she said, a catch entering her voice for the first time. "And that we will all be together in Dallas after the tournament. Until then, Terrence. Goodbye."
Wendy opened the coat closet, grabbing a large suitcase, and made sure she had her purse. "Cassie packed it for me," she explained to Terrence's dumbfounded expression. She headed towards the door.
"Wait!" Terrence yelled, as she swung the door open. "Are you sure about this?"
For the first time since she had come home, a smile enveloped Wendy's face. "I've never been more positive in my life."
The door shut behind her. Part of Terrence wanted to run after her, and beg her back. Part of him wanted to go to the bay window in the living room, and watch the cab drive off. Part of him wanted to start punching holes in things. And part of him just wanted to break down and cry. So he did nothing, but stand in the foyer.
He was still standing there when Pollaski, Cassie, and Theresa came home. Which, considering Pollaski in McDonalds, was a very very long time.
JUNE 6, 2010
THE RV- INTERSTATE 65
NEAR TERRE.HAUTE, INDIANA
8:32 AM LOCAL TIME
Twister- "FUCK!"
[Yeah, having your wife walk out on you tends to have that effect.]
Twister- "Now I remember why everybody HATES Summer Games!"
[Scene: WhirlyBirdz RV, having just left for Summer Games. Terrence is, of course, in the captains chair at the helm of the massive wheeled fortress. Next to him, in Wendy's usual seat, sits Pollaski. Cassie and Theresa are somewhere in the back. Probably watching a movie.]
[Terrence is looking fairly disheveled today, proabably cause he hasn't slept a damn since Wendy decided to go to Dallas on her own. While driving forty-five foot half-million dollar RV on no sleep is probably not a good idea, several cans of Rockstar strewn about provide a testament to the powers of ginseng, taurine, and caffeine.]
Twister- "Okay, yippee, final Summer Games promo. One last chance to talk bad things about everyone else in the tournament.
[It should be noted that Terrence is decisively less than enthused right now. You know, wife leaving and bullshit]
Twister- "Yeah, every single one of you who's not me sucks, and that includes my wife. Thank you, have a good day."
[Terrence reaches over, and begins to shut the camera off, but Pollaski interrupts him.]
Pollaski- "That's all you got?"
[Terrence looks over at his manager, scowling]
Twister- "I've said all I have to say."
[Pollaski looks unabated.]
Pollaski- "But, dude, this is Summer Games! The biggest event of all time! Twenty-four people enter, one leaves. Survival of the fittest, and all that."
Twister- "Twenty-one. Technically team WMW doesn't really exist."
[Dammit, Dane!]
Pollaski- "Yeah, but even so! Over one hundred thousand people will be in Dallas for this event, and the internet community is absolutely abuzz! Everywhere, Summer Games prediction threads, Summer Games merchandising. Summer Games blogs. Summer Games fanart!"
[Terrence looks over his shoulder in confusion.]
Twister- "Summer Games FAN ART?"
[The Pollaskinator nods.]
Pollaski- "Tons of it. Like this!"
[Pollaski holds up a piece of paper with a manga style art drawn on it. We won't get too graphic, but it can be summed up pretty easily]
[John Kellerman-Miss USA hentai]
[Doggie style]
Pollaski- "American pie and hotdogs! Just like fourth of July at grandmas!"
[Notice how the classiness drops considerably when Wendy's not around?]
[For his part, Terrence is looking at the picture with a rather disgusted look on his face]
Twister- "Dude, put that away before standards & practices fines... do you think Kellerman's is that big?"
Pollaski- "Nah, but I'm pretty sure Miss USA's are!"
[...and we've hit a NEW low]
Pollaski- "There was also one of Adrien Cochrane and Cancer Jiles.
[Oh, for the sake of human decency]
Pollaski- "But I didn't print it.
[Hallelujah]
Pollaski- "But I did get one of Wendy, Heidi, and the MVW girls in a swimming pool!"
[Terrence immediately grabs the papers from Dan's hands, and chucks them all out the window.]
Twister- "You know what? I think I'll cut a promo after all."
[Pollaski shrugs]
Pollaski- "Suit yourself."
Twister- "So everybody's going and getting their final thoughts in as the week of Summer Games begins, so why should I be any different? Alright, lets start with Adrien Cochrane, who has taken enough time off from his training of the great Chris Marks to open his wordhole again. Well, actually, he provided us with a cute little list of nine 'facts' to explain why he's going to win Summer Games. Here's some more he can add."
"10. We've actually been in the same building at least three times."
"11. How we've never met is beyond me, seeing as how you act like the president of the WhirlyBirdz fan club."
"12. Saying you're 3-3 against Chris Cannon shines way more negative light on you than positive."
"Yeah, Cochrane, I don't like you. Its not that I don't like nice people, or even Avril Lavigne wannabe punk-rock princesses. It's just... Jesus Christ you're annoying!"
[Terrence rolls his eyes]
Twister- "Boston Bancroft"
[Uh oh]
Twister- "You like to spout judgment from behind your ivory tower, don't you 'Double B?' You're on the side or 'wrestling', despite the fact that you haven't been actually wrestling? And I'm not because I interfered in a match?
[Terrence chuckles rather humorlessly]
"You seem like a family guy, Bos. I'll wager that you probably put your family above anything else, including the 'sanctity' of our sport. I do. So if somebody decides to screw with the ones I love, do you honestly think I'll settle for cutting a promo and hoping the bookers take note?"
"No, Boston, you take matters into your own hands, and don't you DARE criticize me for doing that. If I have to interrupt a hundred matches if it means Victor Mandrake or any other creepy son of a bitch stays away from my daughter, you're damned right I'll do it."
"Chris Cannon"
[Slight pause, and then Terrence breaks into a bout of laughter]
Twister- "'Nobody wants to see the Birdz win another accomplishment?' That's honest to god all you have? Chris, besides some secondary title I held over in the PWX for a month, we HAVE no accomplishments. Because, save for a few hardcore diehard marks like Adrien Cochrane, no one gives a flying shit what we did six years ago."
"And its almost priceless that our now-deposed ruler of a fictional country has taken to likening himself to one of the greatest and just kings in human history. Before you go comparing yourself to David, Chris, remember that David slew Goliath because he was chosen of God. Even if the Lord Almighty has a vested interest in the outcome of Summer Games, I'd doubt you'll end up being the instrument of his will. And underdogs aren't always the good guys, Chris. Everyone loves a good Cinderella story, but be careful before you think it makes you an automatic crowd-favorite, especially considering how much of a whiny little douche you've been."
"But you're right about one thing, Cannon. You're getting a paycheck. Spend wisely."
[Small smirk]
Twister- "John Kellerman"
[One short chuckle]
Twister- "You've got balls, man"
[We know. Remember the drawing Pollaski held up earlier?]
Twister- "I'm not sure how you are in the brains department, but you got some cajones talking the shit you do. I respect you, Herr Kellerman, but you better be ready to back that shit up in a week, because men like Mandrake and Bancroft aren't the type you openly insult, unless you're ready for one hell of a fight."
"And last, and certainly least, Greer."
[Terrence now looks fairky well pissed off.]
Twister- "Fuck you, Steve. There isn't an ounce of class in you, your friends, or ninety-percent of your fed. You like to talk a lot of shit Greer, especially for a former King of the Deathmatch winner who got out hardcore'd by a little Mexican girl back in February."
"One problem this time, Steve-O. I'm going to know exactly where to find you. I'm more or less over the King of the Deathmatch, Steve, and I could care less what putrid words your mouth utters about me. But you don't talk about my wife that way, you fucking pig. Wendy may have decided she's going to fly the final solo, but I hope we can team up long enough to kick your pathetic ass."
"And finally, to my wife"
[Lopsided grin]
Twister- "You know I love you, hon. And I look forward to seeing you again. I just can't wait til this is over, and we can get back to being a family again."
[Slight pause]
Twister- "And Terr-Bear says hi, and she misses you too."
[Sad smile]
Pollaski- "You know, if you're super lonely, I could reprint out the Wendy-Heidi-MVW manga picture from...
[Pollaski pauses as he realizes Terrence has fixated him with a death glare. Pollaski shrugs]
Pollaski- "Just sayin'"
[Fade]
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