Monday July 4, 2011
Gas Works Park- Shoreline
Seattle, Washington
9:21 PM Local Time
“See that big boat out there, Terr-Bear? The one that’s lying low to the water? That’s the barge they’re going to shoot the fireworks from!”
I couldn’t help but laugh as my daughter cheered and applauded wildly, bouncing up and down on Terrence’s shoulders as if the show was already set to begin.
Despite it’s rather unscenic sounding name (and the half dozen or so rusty old buildings that gave its namesake littered throughout the area), Gas Works Park was a fairly nice recreational area located on the north shore of Seattle’s Lake Union. Despite the remnants of the plant that were left intact as an homage to the past, the park was a surprisingly scenic and open locale, featuring a breathtaking view of the Seattle skyline, especially on this clear evening, as the sun neared the horizon.
Of course, it was also the site of Seattle’s largest 4th of July fireworks display, and tonight, the park was packed with revelers, food booths, and entertainment acts, while a veritable flotilla of motorboats an yachts covered the lake from one shore to the next. Occasionally, along the shore, a rocket or a flurry of roman candles would shoot into the air, signifying celebrations happening all around the city.
Terrence, with Theresa perched on his shoulders, was following me as we picked our way through the crowd. Luckily, my trail was made easier by my manager- Pollaski was a natural parter of crowds, and I’d learned through the years to follow in his wake. Even more fortunately, Pollaski was fully clothed tonight, decked out in a pale blue Hawaiian shirt with orange flowers, and a pair of cargo shorts.
My mind couldn’t help but flash back to the horror I had witnessed the night before. The night had been irritating enough to begin with- I had fully expected that all of us would be across the Puget Sound in Poulsbo for that city’s Fire on the Fjord celebration. But Pollaski had returned to the hotel late, and we had missed our ferry. Pollaski had then produced backstage passes to SVW’s Climax show and suggested that he, Terrence, and I attend. I was disappointed, but I agreed- after all, Valerie Belmont was in the main event, and I had always enjoyed watching her. So we left Theresa with Cassie (no way I would EVER let my daughter watch SVW), and headed over to the key.
In hindsight, I REALLY should have realized something was up.
I had no problems with my manager returning to wrestling- with his size, and love for violence (except when executed against him, of course), I’d always wondered why he preferred a managerial role instead of a more active job as a competitor.
But when he walked out to the ring wearing THAT... thong, or sumo mawashi, or whatever he wanted to call it... I couldn’t even begin to describe how disgusted I felt. In truth- it wasn’t the first time I had seen more of Pollaski than I should have- I once walked in on him showering thinking it was Terrence- but at least then, the horrifying image had lasted a mere second. Last night, there may have been less revealed, but a full six minutes of Pollaski like that had not done my retinas any favors.
I had spent most of the day being annoyed with him, and my husband, who I was more than displeased to find out had ‘triple-dog dared’ Daniel to pull the stunt. Apparently, the two had spent nearly a week planning out Pollaski’s entrance into SVW, all the while keeping me in the dark, knowing I would disapprove.
And in truth, I was torn. On one hand, I did actually like my manager, and I really wanted him to succeed if he was serious about returning to wrestling. On the other hand- after last night’s antics, I had a really bad feeling that absolutely nothing good was going to come of this.
“Ah, there we go!” Pollaski announced, breaking into my thoughts. He was pointing to a small clearing of grass on a slope about a hundred yards from the shore. It was just large enough to spread the blanket I was carrying in my arms out. We quickly picked our way through the other blankets and tarps that were spread out, Pollaski nearly tripping over a lawn chair in the fading light. But before long, we had claimed our spot, and were sitting in the grass.
“This’ll do great!” I ecxlaimed, looking out over the lake. Unless you were under a light or something, it was hard to get bad seats for a fireworks show, but with the barge so close, it was a miracle this spot hadn’t been taken yet.
“Good thing I brought those earplugs for Theresa,” Terrence mumbled as he set our daughter down, and plopped onto the blanket with a soft thud.
I nodded, and reached into my jeans pocket, pulling out my droid.
“What you doin’?” Terrence asked.
“Sending a text to Cassie, so she knows where to find us.” I said, pressing send on the phone, and tucking it back into my jeans. “If she’s coming.”
“Ah,” Terrence responded, nodding. He then looked at me. “Where is she anyways?”
“I don’t know,” I responded, shrugging. “She said she was meeting a friend today. I told her if she wanted, she could bring them here.”
Pollaski looked over at me. “A friend... in Seattle?”
“I don’t know, she didn’t say anything else. And I didn’t press her for information.”
Pollaski shrugged, and for a while, all of us were content to remain quiet, watching the crowds pass back and forth, the birds flying overhead, and the sun setting behind Queen Anne’s Hill. I tapped my foot rhythmically on the blanket as the sounds of a country music cover band drifted on the wind from over by the old gas plant. The air was thick with the smell of barbecue, beer, and expectation. After a brief time, Pollaski got up, to walk around the park, and, presumably, to get some food.
About forty-five minutes before showtime, with the sky a vivid orange fading into sapphire in the east, my nanny arrived. A ‘haloo’ greeted us from the sidwalk, and I looked up to see her walking towards us.
And my smile vanished in about half a second.
Cassie was dressed in a manner that almost made Pollaski’s attire at Climax look appropriate. She was wearing a tanktop that was almost certainly two sizes too small, pulled low to maximize a fair amount of cleavage. Her shorts were cut extremely high, almost (at least in my opinion) indecently. I could only stare open mouthed for several seconds, before her companion caught my gaze, and my eyes immediately narrowed.
“Well I didn’t realize I got to meet the family today. When you said fireworks, I thought you meant something else entirely. WENDY!!” Not him. Not Christian Kincaid.
I glanced at Terrence, who seemed rather blank, then over back to Cassie. “What is HE doing here?” I hissed. I knew I should have at least pretended to be polite, but it was hard.
For a reply, Cassie shrugged. “You said I could bring him,” she simply stated.
“Wait... what? HE’S your friend?” I was stammering, and I knew it.
“Wendy, Wendy, Wendy. To be fair, I’m about as thrilled to run into you as you are me. But you know what? This is important to Cassie. As her..friend, she asked me to enjoy the show with her. And that’s what I came to do.” He leaned down, offering a handshake to Terrence.
“Terrence Thompson, it’s a pleasure to meet you. At least not on a go kart track! I don’t think we had time to talk then, but I’m Christian.”
Terrence readily clapsed the hand, and I couldn’t tell if his actions were genuine or not. “Thanks, dude,” he replied, before setting himself back down. “Gotta say, those girls could bang with half the guys in ARCA, the way they were going. Congratulations, by the way, on your wrestler’s victory.”
“Thanks, Terrence, you don’t mind me calling you that, right? I know a girl who would love to get an autographed glossy of you if you got one somewhere. She’s a BIG fan, let me tell you.” He patted a seat for Cassie, sitting down beside her after she did.
“I’m proud of Club CK, always have been. But today, I’m just hanging out with you guys and spending some time with this gorgeous young woman beside me. But it is a pleasure to finally meet you, man. And you too, Wendy. I’m impressed. You are exactly the same way on Twitter as you are in person.”
“Well, I try to be myself,” I replied, attempting to put some false jovialty into my voice. I glanced at Terrence, my eyes narrowing. He better just be being polite.
Theresa had been staring at Cassie wide-eyed, probably because she had seen her nanny (or ANYONE, I hoped) in such clothing before. She then turned her attention to Christian. “Are you Cassie’s friend?”
Christian beamed down to her, nodding his head. “Yes, I am. But I always have room for a new friend. I’m Christian, Cassie told me all about you. You’re Theresa, right? You are an absolutely beautiful little girl.”
“Thanks!” Theresa replied, grinning. “I’m gonna be the prettiest girl in school next year!”
Cassie chuckled, and looked at Christian. “She starts kindergarten in the fall. I guess that means they won’t need me to watch her as much, but I’ll enjoy the free time.”
Christian patted Cassie’s thigh, looking over to her. “Well that just means you can come hang out with me more then. Sounds like a win/win to me.” He then returned his attention to my daughter. “Theresa, when you start school, I’d really be appreciative if you drew me a picture that I could keep. Would you do that for me?”
Theresa nodded, but she frowned. “Okay, but I’m not good at drawing. Daddy always thinks my people are space aliens.” Her frown deepened, and she looked at Christian and Cassie, almost pensively. “Mommy said Cassie went over to your house today. Did you guys play together?”
I immediately found myself choking, coughing and sputtering. I felt Terrence’s hand thump my back, and found I could breathe, although my eyes had watered. Next to me, I could hear Terrence muffling his own laughter. It may have been poor thanks for helping me breathe, but I elbowed him in the side anyways.
“We sure did! You ever played Hide & Seek? That’s what we played, well more hiding than seeking.” Christian’s mouth turned into a grin, taking Cassie’s hand and giving it a squeeze before leaning in and kissing her.
I suppressed the urge to gag, while Theresa squealed delightedly. “I love hide & seek! I’m really good at it too! Sometimes Daddy and I play, and I hide so well, he gives up and starts playing video games!”
“You what?” I snarled at Terrence, who grinned sheepishly at me.
“Oh, I know where she is,” he whispered. “But it’s really, really a great idea when she’s on a sugar high.”
Theresa was expunging on all her favorite games to Christian. “But my favorite is tag! Are you any good at tag?”
“You bet I am! I love tag, play it all the time at my house!” His eyes went skyward when the sound of the fireworks began. He pointed up to them, reaching over and lifting Cassie onto his lap and wrapping his arms around her waist. “Looks like the show is starting.”
I looked up, and was dazzled by the myriad of explosions that had suddenly erupted over Lake Union. Theresa plopped down onto the blanket, and looked up, her eyes and mouth open in wonder. I snuggled in closer to Terrence, involuntarily flinching as a massive firework burst, the cinders seemingly so close I could touch them.
Around me, the crowd was oohing-and ahhing, and I smiled, looking around. I saw my manager, a sno-cone in his hand, trudging towards us, doing a remarkable job of both watching the show and avoiding tripping over any unfortunate spectators. I waved at him, but Pollaski stopped, and I realized that he was staring right at Cassie and Christian.
A massive array rockets went off at that moment, and as the multicolored bursts lit up Gas Works Park, I could see my managers face- one of pure and absolute rage, made even more ominous by the multicolored lighting.
Then, without another word, he turned and walked away, spiking his sno-cone into a nearby trashcan as he passed.
Grimacing, I turned around, and craned my neck up, trying to focus on the explosions occuring in the air, and not the ones no doubt occurring in my manager’s head- or my babysitter’s libido, at that very moment.
It was easier said than done.
====================================
Thursday July 7, 2011
Embassy Suites- Room 712
Fargo, North Dakota
8:01 AM Local Time
[Well, luckily there were no reports of cadavers belonging to any FFW personalities lying around Gas Works Park the next morning. Although Cassie did nearly slap Pollaski after he called her a ‘fuckin’ traitor’... several times over the course of the next morning. And even though Wendy’s far from happy with her baby-sitter herself at the moment, she did feel morally obligated to clonk her manager over the head for the baiting.]
[Ah well, it’s what Pollaski does. He is a master baiter, after all!]
[Anyways, we open in the front room of the Thompson family’s Embassy Suites unit. Wendy’s by herself, it seems, sitting on the couch, facing the camera, some crappy oil painting hanging above her head. Wendy’s dressed surprisingly liberally today- even quasi-prudes have to acquiesce to the summertime heat, and she’s wearing a pale green sundress. An astute observer will notice that there’s a bottle of Coppertone SPF-100+ sitting on the end table next to her]
[‘Tanning’ is unfortunately not a word in Wendy’s vocabulary. Stupid Irish curse.]
“I’ve been doing a lot of thinking since Velocity went off the air in my hometown.”
[Wendy speaks solemnly, her expression serious. Her tone is matter-of-fact, but there’s definitely a note of well-concealed frustration in her voice]
“I’m sure everyone saw how the second round of the Chase for the Crown turned out, so I don’t think there’s any need for me to get into a play-by-play. Crystal Hilton came out hell- bent on stealing the show, and she got what she wanted. And I know it amounts to a little more than posturing- who got the fall in Indianapolis will have absolutely no bearing on who gets the final, most important fall in Minneapolis. So logically speaking, although it was definitely irritating, and even a little embarrassing, I shouldn’t be bothered by it.”
[Wendy pauses, and looks down, grimacing, before taking a deep breath, and looking up, her voice raising just a bit.]
“But, unfortunately, as a human being, sometimes the irrational takes over, and darn it, I *am* bothered by it. Not so much for the end of the match in and of itself, but the fact is, over the past two weeks, I’ve heard darn near everybody talking about Crystal Hilton as if she’s got everything in the bag. The announcers, the executives, even our owner herself used my managers column to broadcast Crystal’s absolute, untouchable greatness to the world. And Wendy Briese? ‘Yeah, she’s good too, I guess.’ Now there’s a label I’ve been stuck with my entire career.”
[As she finishes her sentence, Wendy rolls her eyes, and puffs a loose strand of her flame-red hair from her face]
“So please forgive me if I’m sounding a little frustrated today, but even I have to vent on the occasion. And I know, most people would love to be five matches into a place like FFW, and without a loss on their record. But not losing isn’t the same as winning, and trust me, from where I stand, nothing’s clearer. I’ve made it to the finals of the Chase, I was on the winning team against the current Evolution Champion, and two former belt holders, and yet I still feel my biggest accomplishment here is making Rori Snyder tap out.”
“With all due respect to the two women Rori’s robbed over the past couple months, it hardly seems like an accomplishment to build a championship calibur career upon.”
[Wendy grimaces, and pauses for a second, taking a deep breath, as if she’s trying to push away the negative thoughts. After a couple of seconds, she flashes a shaky smile, and resumes.]
“Luckily, I’m in Femme Fatale Wrestling, where the opportunities abound, so at least I’m in a position to do something about it. Over the next nine days, I wrestle twice- one is the match I’ve spent the last two months working towards- where I can prove myself the best up-and-comer in FFW, and earn an Evolution title shot. But first, I step into the ring with none other than Kaitlynn Stryfe, one of FFW’s most established stars.”
“Now there’s no denying that Kaitlynn is one of Femme Fatale Wrestling’s biggest names. Just saying ‘Kitty-Mac’ to a group of FFW fans is a surefire conversation starter- there aren’t too many more polarizing figures in wrestling. And there’s no denying her talent, either. I’ve been in the ring with Valerie Belmont- I know how hard it is to defeat her, and Kaitlynn did just that, in one of the most impressive athletic displays I’ve ever seen in a wrestling ring. Talent wise, I don’t think there’s many better here.”
[Wendy pauses again, biting her lip, as if she’s debating saying something. Finally, she gives almost an imperceptible nod, as if giving herself permission to proceed]
“It’s a shame that such a talented woman has such little respect for her colleagues, or even the company she works for.”
“I’m not talking about her tiff with Valerie... that was a personal issue between the two of them that was ugly from day one. Those two obviously have a lot of history together, and I know the pride and stubborness Val has. There was no respect between either party, and I doubt there likely will be for a long time.”
“But I remember watching before Conviction, her match against Whitley Mercer. And you could tell that Kaitlynn couldn’t barely even be bothered with her. Her focus was on Valerie, Mercer was little more than a warm-up, and Kitty couldn’t have made it any more obvious. And I watched that match, hoping to all heaven that Whitley would make that all blow up in Kaitlynn’s face, and she darn near did. But inexperience cost her, and Whit came up short, and proceded to be rewarded for her efforts by being kept out of the ring for a month and a half.”
[Wendy shakes her head sadly. She’s taken a liking to the girls of Pwn3d! Even if they’re a bit... unorthodox for her]
“Of course, Kitty’s been out of the ring herself for a month-and-a-half too, which I find puzzling. You’d think, after the long layoff that Stryfe was subjected to, only to return and put on an absolute masterpiece her second match back, that Stryfe would be eager to get back in that ring. That she’d be demanding, even begging to compete. But apparently one five-star classic is enough to last her a few weeks, and Kaitlynn’s been absent from competition.”
[A derisive snort]
“Heck, Kaitlynn’s been absent PERIOD. Future Shock notwithstanding, there’s been four shows since Conviction, and Stryfe hasn’t even bothered to show up for a single one of them. She hasn’t bothered to cut a video, or even write in her blog. Think about that- the aftermath of one of the best matches anyone has ever seen, and Kaitlynn remains silent. She gets put into the main event of the biggest show of the year, with a chance for a championship, and Kaitlynn remains silent.”
“I don’t want to look like I’m jealous here, because I honestly find very little about Kaitlynn Stryfe to envy. I think beneath her good looks, and expensive dresses, and her silver-tongued catty way with words, lies a fairly miserable woman, who’s allowed her experiences in the business to embitter her. But it would really be nice to have so much clout with the match-makers that I could miss work for months at a time and still be considered a top-contender to the World Championship. Of course, I wouldn’t abuse it...”
[Wendy adds that last line in a manner as if trying to eliminate all possible doubt that she would EVER dare even think of such a thing.]
“Now, I’m sure Stryfe will probably say she’s been busy. And while I’m sure the reasons for blowing off a month’s worth of shows are really, really important, I can’t help but question Kaitlynn’s dedication. She’s a thirteen year veteran of this business- she knows all too well the time, effort, and energy it requires. So why did she bother to come back, if she’s not willing to make the investment?”
“If the pattern she’s been displaying holds, Kitty will break her silence sometime this morning, with another snarky little blog-post. I wonder if she’ll even bother to give me more of a thought than she did Whitley. After all, she’ll have a lot to cover- the other four participants in the Elimination Chamber have been pretty busy over the past couple of weeks.”
[You know, with Scarlett and Isabella nearly killing each other in a draw. Val Belmont beating up the most annoying rookie on the planet. Isabella nearly killing Amy. And some match involving a lot of thumbtacks. Oh, don’t forget Amy’s corresponding epic meltdown on Twitter. It’s been a FUN month in FFW!]
“But I don’t plan on being some little speed-bump of a warm-up match, and if Kaitlynn even dares to treat me as such, she’s going to find herself attempting to run over a spike strip. She will find her metaphorical tires torn to shreds, stuck by the wayside of the road with no momentum, as the rest of us speed towards Unstoppable.”
“Honestly, it would be for the better- the last thing FFW needs is a part-time participant representing it as it’s champion.”
[Small shrug]
“Kitty’s proudly carried the monicker of ‘FFW’s Sinner’ since her return. And while it’s a cute counter to Valerie Belmont’s equally ridiculous notion that she’s ‘FFW’s Savior’, it’s little more than a meaningless title, a means for Kaitlynn to inflate her ego by thinking she’s somehow special and unique.”
“We’re all sinners. Every single one of us. Kitty’s just the only one warped enough to view that title as a measure of pride. And contrary to what seems to be the prevailing opinion around here, yes, I’m a sinner too.”
“Exodus 20:17 says, in paraphrase, not to covet your neighbor’s possessions. And I’ll confess, I’ve broken this tenth and final commandment many times over my life, but most recently where Kaitlynn Stryfe is concerned. No, I don’t want her house, or her car, or her revolting power-hungry husband.”
[A brief pause]
“I want her spot.”
“Call it what you will. Coveting. Ambition. Being hungry. The fact of the matter is, when the door to the elimination chamber closes at Unstoppable 2, I want it to be me standing inside that cage, not Kaitlynn Stryfe.”
[Wendy breaks into laughter, and for the first time all promo, truly breaks into a smile, shaking her head and shrugging, as if amused by the thought of that happening.]
“I’m not a fool of course. That won’t be happening, regardless of tonight’s outcome. Kaitlynn’s participation in the Chamber is assured, as is my own path. And I don’t want to sound ungrateful. The Chase for the Crown is a tremendous opportunity for up-and-comers, and it’s been a wonderful way to get my foot in the door here. But that’s the thing- I’m still considered an up-and-comer in this company, and I’m ready to move beyond that. Hopefully, I can beat Crystal, earn my own place in the show at Unstoppable, and be truly considered to have arrived.”
[Wendy’s voice is matter-of-fact again, without any sense of bitterness, although towards the end, her tone does take on somewhat of a wistful trait.]
“But tonight, I want this win almost as badly as I do the chase. Because, like I said before, opportunities abound in FFW, and I plan on taking advantage of as many as I possibly can. And sometime in the future, there could be another elmination chamber, or some other kind of major opportunity, and the decision for the final participant could come down to either Kitty or me. Tonight’s match could go a long way towards influencing who gets the golden ticket, and who gets snubbed.”
“And that’s why, with all due respect to the new General Manager of Velocity, I believe Mr. Horton picked the wrong match to stick his carpe diem label on. Because tonight will be the night that I’m not only able to hang with the best FFW has to offer, but that I can actually beat them. My manager says a lot of weird things in his column, but he’s right when he claims that no woman has more to gain over the next two weeks than I do. And it all starts tonight.”
[Wendy sits up a little straighter, and she looks directly into the camera, a level of determination flashing behind her eyes.]
“So I hope Kaitlynn’s taken full advantage of her month off, and trained really hard, because her welcome back to FFW is hardly going to be pleasant. I’ve been training hard too, and I’ve done my homework, so I have a pretty good strategy that I’m confident in. And its a lofty ambition, I plan on giving her every bit as much of a fight as Valerie Belmont did, and I’ve learned from Valerie’s mistakes. I don’t need an exclamation point on a victory- a win’s a win no matter what, so long as it’s achieved fairly.”
“It won’t be easy. I know I’m in for a fight. Kaitlynn Stryfe is a great wrestler. But you know what? I’m pretty good too.”
[Wendy flashes a smile that’s half-scarcastic, half-self-deprecating, and shrugs]
“I guess.”
[Fade]
Gas Works Park- Shoreline
Seattle, Washington
9:21 PM Local Time
“See that big boat out there, Terr-Bear? The one that’s lying low to the water? That’s the barge they’re going to shoot the fireworks from!”
I couldn’t help but laugh as my daughter cheered and applauded wildly, bouncing up and down on Terrence’s shoulders as if the show was already set to begin.
Despite it’s rather unscenic sounding name (and the half dozen or so rusty old buildings that gave its namesake littered throughout the area), Gas Works Park was a fairly nice recreational area located on the north shore of Seattle’s Lake Union. Despite the remnants of the plant that were left intact as an homage to the past, the park was a surprisingly scenic and open locale, featuring a breathtaking view of the Seattle skyline, especially on this clear evening, as the sun neared the horizon.
Of course, it was also the site of Seattle’s largest 4th of July fireworks display, and tonight, the park was packed with revelers, food booths, and entertainment acts, while a veritable flotilla of motorboats an yachts covered the lake from one shore to the next. Occasionally, along the shore, a rocket or a flurry of roman candles would shoot into the air, signifying celebrations happening all around the city.
Terrence, with Theresa perched on his shoulders, was following me as we picked our way through the crowd. Luckily, my trail was made easier by my manager- Pollaski was a natural parter of crowds, and I’d learned through the years to follow in his wake. Even more fortunately, Pollaski was fully clothed tonight, decked out in a pale blue Hawaiian shirt with orange flowers, and a pair of cargo shorts.
My mind couldn’t help but flash back to the horror I had witnessed the night before. The night had been irritating enough to begin with- I had fully expected that all of us would be across the Puget Sound in Poulsbo for that city’s Fire on the Fjord celebration. But Pollaski had returned to the hotel late, and we had missed our ferry. Pollaski had then produced backstage passes to SVW’s Climax show and suggested that he, Terrence, and I attend. I was disappointed, but I agreed- after all, Valerie Belmont was in the main event, and I had always enjoyed watching her. So we left Theresa with Cassie (no way I would EVER let my daughter watch SVW), and headed over to the key.
In hindsight, I REALLY should have realized something was up.
I had no problems with my manager returning to wrestling- with his size, and love for violence (except when executed against him, of course), I’d always wondered why he preferred a managerial role instead of a more active job as a competitor.
But when he walked out to the ring wearing THAT... thong, or sumo mawashi, or whatever he wanted to call it... I couldn’t even begin to describe how disgusted I felt. In truth- it wasn’t the first time I had seen more of Pollaski than I should have- I once walked in on him showering thinking it was Terrence- but at least then, the horrifying image had lasted a mere second. Last night, there may have been less revealed, but a full six minutes of Pollaski like that had not done my retinas any favors.
I had spent most of the day being annoyed with him, and my husband, who I was more than displeased to find out had ‘triple-dog dared’ Daniel to pull the stunt. Apparently, the two had spent nearly a week planning out Pollaski’s entrance into SVW, all the while keeping me in the dark, knowing I would disapprove.
And in truth, I was torn. On one hand, I did actually like my manager, and I really wanted him to succeed if he was serious about returning to wrestling. On the other hand- after last night’s antics, I had a really bad feeling that absolutely nothing good was going to come of this.
“Ah, there we go!” Pollaski announced, breaking into my thoughts. He was pointing to a small clearing of grass on a slope about a hundred yards from the shore. It was just large enough to spread the blanket I was carrying in my arms out. We quickly picked our way through the other blankets and tarps that were spread out, Pollaski nearly tripping over a lawn chair in the fading light. But before long, we had claimed our spot, and were sitting in the grass.
“This’ll do great!” I ecxlaimed, looking out over the lake. Unless you were under a light or something, it was hard to get bad seats for a fireworks show, but with the barge so close, it was a miracle this spot hadn’t been taken yet.
“Good thing I brought those earplugs for Theresa,” Terrence mumbled as he set our daughter down, and plopped onto the blanket with a soft thud.
I nodded, and reached into my jeans pocket, pulling out my droid.
“What you doin’?” Terrence asked.
“Sending a text to Cassie, so she knows where to find us.” I said, pressing send on the phone, and tucking it back into my jeans. “If she’s coming.”
“Ah,” Terrence responded, nodding. He then looked at me. “Where is she anyways?”
“I don’t know,” I responded, shrugging. “She said she was meeting a friend today. I told her if she wanted, she could bring them here.”
Pollaski looked over at me. “A friend... in Seattle?”
“I don’t know, she didn’t say anything else. And I didn’t press her for information.”
Pollaski shrugged, and for a while, all of us were content to remain quiet, watching the crowds pass back and forth, the birds flying overhead, and the sun setting behind Queen Anne’s Hill. I tapped my foot rhythmically on the blanket as the sounds of a country music cover band drifted on the wind from over by the old gas plant. The air was thick with the smell of barbecue, beer, and expectation. After a brief time, Pollaski got up, to walk around the park, and, presumably, to get some food.
About forty-five minutes before showtime, with the sky a vivid orange fading into sapphire in the east, my nanny arrived. A ‘haloo’ greeted us from the sidwalk, and I looked up to see her walking towards us.
And my smile vanished in about half a second.
Cassie was dressed in a manner that almost made Pollaski’s attire at Climax look appropriate. She was wearing a tanktop that was almost certainly two sizes too small, pulled low to maximize a fair amount of cleavage. Her shorts were cut extremely high, almost (at least in my opinion) indecently. I could only stare open mouthed for several seconds, before her companion caught my gaze, and my eyes immediately narrowed.
“Well I didn’t realize I got to meet the family today. When you said fireworks, I thought you meant something else entirely. WENDY!!” Not him. Not Christian Kincaid.
I glanced at Terrence, who seemed rather blank, then over back to Cassie. “What is HE doing here?” I hissed. I knew I should have at least pretended to be polite, but it was hard.
For a reply, Cassie shrugged. “You said I could bring him,” she simply stated.
“Wait... what? HE’S your friend?” I was stammering, and I knew it.
“Wendy, Wendy, Wendy. To be fair, I’m about as thrilled to run into you as you are me. But you know what? This is important to Cassie. As her..friend, she asked me to enjoy the show with her. And that’s what I came to do.” He leaned down, offering a handshake to Terrence.
“Terrence Thompson, it’s a pleasure to meet you. At least not on a go kart track! I don’t think we had time to talk then, but I’m Christian.”
Terrence readily clapsed the hand, and I couldn’t tell if his actions were genuine or not. “Thanks, dude,” he replied, before setting himself back down. “Gotta say, those girls could bang with half the guys in ARCA, the way they were going. Congratulations, by the way, on your wrestler’s victory.”
“Thanks, Terrence, you don’t mind me calling you that, right? I know a girl who would love to get an autographed glossy of you if you got one somewhere. She’s a BIG fan, let me tell you.” He patted a seat for Cassie, sitting down beside her after she did.
“I’m proud of Club CK, always have been. But today, I’m just hanging out with you guys and spending some time with this gorgeous young woman beside me. But it is a pleasure to finally meet you, man. And you too, Wendy. I’m impressed. You are exactly the same way on Twitter as you are in person.”
“Well, I try to be myself,” I replied, attempting to put some false jovialty into my voice. I glanced at Terrence, my eyes narrowing. He better just be being polite.
Theresa had been staring at Cassie wide-eyed, probably because she had seen her nanny (or ANYONE, I hoped) in such clothing before. She then turned her attention to Christian. “Are you Cassie’s friend?”
Christian beamed down to her, nodding his head. “Yes, I am. But I always have room for a new friend. I’m Christian, Cassie told me all about you. You’re Theresa, right? You are an absolutely beautiful little girl.”
“Thanks!” Theresa replied, grinning. “I’m gonna be the prettiest girl in school next year!”
Cassie chuckled, and looked at Christian. “She starts kindergarten in the fall. I guess that means they won’t need me to watch her as much, but I’ll enjoy the free time.”
Christian patted Cassie’s thigh, looking over to her. “Well that just means you can come hang out with me more then. Sounds like a win/win to me.” He then returned his attention to my daughter. “Theresa, when you start school, I’d really be appreciative if you drew me a picture that I could keep. Would you do that for me?”
Theresa nodded, but she frowned. “Okay, but I’m not good at drawing. Daddy always thinks my people are space aliens.” Her frown deepened, and she looked at Christian and Cassie, almost pensively. “Mommy said Cassie went over to your house today. Did you guys play together?”
I immediately found myself choking, coughing and sputtering. I felt Terrence’s hand thump my back, and found I could breathe, although my eyes had watered. Next to me, I could hear Terrence muffling his own laughter. It may have been poor thanks for helping me breathe, but I elbowed him in the side anyways.
“We sure did! You ever played Hide & Seek? That’s what we played, well more hiding than seeking.” Christian’s mouth turned into a grin, taking Cassie’s hand and giving it a squeeze before leaning in and kissing her.
I suppressed the urge to gag, while Theresa squealed delightedly. “I love hide & seek! I’m really good at it too! Sometimes Daddy and I play, and I hide so well, he gives up and starts playing video games!”
“You what?” I snarled at Terrence, who grinned sheepishly at me.
“Oh, I know where she is,” he whispered. “But it’s really, really a great idea when she’s on a sugar high.”
Theresa was expunging on all her favorite games to Christian. “But my favorite is tag! Are you any good at tag?”
“You bet I am! I love tag, play it all the time at my house!” His eyes went skyward when the sound of the fireworks began. He pointed up to them, reaching over and lifting Cassie onto his lap and wrapping his arms around her waist. “Looks like the show is starting.”
I looked up, and was dazzled by the myriad of explosions that had suddenly erupted over Lake Union. Theresa plopped down onto the blanket, and looked up, her eyes and mouth open in wonder. I snuggled in closer to Terrence, involuntarily flinching as a massive firework burst, the cinders seemingly so close I could touch them.
Around me, the crowd was oohing-and ahhing, and I smiled, looking around. I saw my manager, a sno-cone in his hand, trudging towards us, doing a remarkable job of both watching the show and avoiding tripping over any unfortunate spectators. I waved at him, but Pollaski stopped, and I realized that he was staring right at Cassie and Christian.
A massive array rockets went off at that moment, and as the multicolored bursts lit up Gas Works Park, I could see my managers face- one of pure and absolute rage, made even more ominous by the multicolored lighting.
Then, without another word, he turned and walked away, spiking his sno-cone into a nearby trashcan as he passed.
Grimacing, I turned around, and craned my neck up, trying to focus on the explosions occuring in the air, and not the ones no doubt occurring in my manager’s head- or my babysitter’s libido, at that very moment.
It was easier said than done.
====================================
Thursday July 7, 2011
Embassy Suites- Room 712
Fargo, North Dakota
8:01 AM Local Time
[Well, luckily there were no reports of cadavers belonging to any FFW personalities lying around Gas Works Park the next morning. Although Cassie did nearly slap Pollaski after he called her a ‘fuckin’ traitor’... several times over the course of the next morning. And even though Wendy’s far from happy with her baby-sitter herself at the moment, she did feel morally obligated to clonk her manager over the head for the baiting.]
[Ah well, it’s what Pollaski does. He is a master baiter, after all!]
[Anyways, we open in the front room of the Thompson family’s Embassy Suites unit. Wendy’s by herself, it seems, sitting on the couch, facing the camera, some crappy oil painting hanging above her head. Wendy’s dressed surprisingly liberally today- even quasi-prudes have to acquiesce to the summertime heat, and she’s wearing a pale green sundress. An astute observer will notice that there’s a bottle of Coppertone SPF-100+ sitting on the end table next to her]
[‘Tanning’ is unfortunately not a word in Wendy’s vocabulary. Stupid Irish curse.]
“I’ve been doing a lot of thinking since Velocity went off the air in my hometown.”
[Wendy speaks solemnly, her expression serious. Her tone is matter-of-fact, but there’s definitely a note of well-concealed frustration in her voice]
“I’m sure everyone saw how the second round of the Chase for the Crown turned out, so I don’t think there’s any need for me to get into a play-by-play. Crystal Hilton came out hell- bent on stealing the show, and she got what she wanted. And I know it amounts to a little more than posturing- who got the fall in Indianapolis will have absolutely no bearing on who gets the final, most important fall in Minneapolis. So logically speaking, although it was definitely irritating, and even a little embarrassing, I shouldn’t be bothered by it.”
[Wendy pauses, and looks down, grimacing, before taking a deep breath, and looking up, her voice raising just a bit.]
“But, unfortunately, as a human being, sometimes the irrational takes over, and darn it, I *am* bothered by it. Not so much for the end of the match in and of itself, but the fact is, over the past two weeks, I’ve heard darn near everybody talking about Crystal Hilton as if she’s got everything in the bag. The announcers, the executives, even our owner herself used my managers column to broadcast Crystal’s absolute, untouchable greatness to the world. And Wendy Briese? ‘Yeah, she’s good too, I guess.’ Now there’s a label I’ve been stuck with my entire career.”
[As she finishes her sentence, Wendy rolls her eyes, and puffs a loose strand of her flame-red hair from her face]
“So please forgive me if I’m sounding a little frustrated today, but even I have to vent on the occasion. And I know, most people would love to be five matches into a place like FFW, and without a loss on their record. But not losing isn’t the same as winning, and trust me, from where I stand, nothing’s clearer. I’ve made it to the finals of the Chase, I was on the winning team against the current Evolution Champion, and two former belt holders, and yet I still feel my biggest accomplishment here is making Rori Snyder tap out.”
“With all due respect to the two women Rori’s robbed over the past couple months, it hardly seems like an accomplishment to build a championship calibur career upon.”
[Wendy grimaces, and pauses for a second, taking a deep breath, as if she’s trying to push away the negative thoughts. After a couple of seconds, she flashes a shaky smile, and resumes.]
“Luckily, I’m in Femme Fatale Wrestling, where the opportunities abound, so at least I’m in a position to do something about it. Over the next nine days, I wrestle twice- one is the match I’ve spent the last two months working towards- where I can prove myself the best up-and-comer in FFW, and earn an Evolution title shot. But first, I step into the ring with none other than Kaitlynn Stryfe, one of FFW’s most established stars.”
“Now there’s no denying that Kaitlynn is one of Femme Fatale Wrestling’s biggest names. Just saying ‘Kitty-Mac’ to a group of FFW fans is a surefire conversation starter- there aren’t too many more polarizing figures in wrestling. And there’s no denying her talent, either. I’ve been in the ring with Valerie Belmont- I know how hard it is to defeat her, and Kaitlynn did just that, in one of the most impressive athletic displays I’ve ever seen in a wrestling ring. Talent wise, I don’t think there’s many better here.”
[Wendy pauses again, biting her lip, as if she’s debating saying something. Finally, she gives almost an imperceptible nod, as if giving herself permission to proceed]
“It’s a shame that such a talented woman has such little respect for her colleagues, or even the company she works for.”
“I’m not talking about her tiff with Valerie... that was a personal issue between the two of them that was ugly from day one. Those two obviously have a lot of history together, and I know the pride and stubborness Val has. There was no respect between either party, and I doubt there likely will be for a long time.”
“But I remember watching before Conviction, her match against Whitley Mercer. And you could tell that Kaitlynn couldn’t barely even be bothered with her. Her focus was on Valerie, Mercer was little more than a warm-up, and Kitty couldn’t have made it any more obvious. And I watched that match, hoping to all heaven that Whitley would make that all blow up in Kaitlynn’s face, and she darn near did. But inexperience cost her, and Whit came up short, and proceded to be rewarded for her efforts by being kept out of the ring for a month and a half.”
[Wendy shakes her head sadly. She’s taken a liking to the girls of Pwn3d! Even if they’re a bit... unorthodox for her]
“Of course, Kitty’s been out of the ring herself for a month-and-a-half too, which I find puzzling. You’d think, after the long layoff that Stryfe was subjected to, only to return and put on an absolute masterpiece her second match back, that Stryfe would be eager to get back in that ring. That she’d be demanding, even begging to compete. But apparently one five-star classic is enough to last her a few weeks, and Kaitlynn’s been absent from competition.”
[A derisive snort]
“Heck, Kaitlynn’s been absent PERIOD. Future Shock notwithstanding, there’s been four shows since Conviction, and Stryfe hasn’t even bothered to show up for a single one of them. She hasn’t bothered to cut a video, or even write in her blog. Think about that- the aftermath of one of the best matches anyone has ever seen, and Kaitlynn remains silent. She gets put into the main event of the biggest show of the year, with a chance for a championship, and Kaitlynn remains silent.”
“I don’t want to look like I’m jealous here, because I honestly find very little about Kaitlynn Stryfe to envy. I think beneath her good looks, and expensive dresses, and her silver-tongued catty way with words, lies a fairly miserable woman, who’s allowed her experiences in the business to embitter her. But it would really be nice to have so much clout with the match-makers that I could miss work for months at a time and still be considered a top-contender to the World Championship. Of course, I wouldn’t abuse it...”
[Wendy adds that last line in a manner as if trying to eliminate all possible doubt that she would EVER dare even think of such a thing.]
“Now, I’m sure Stryfe will probably say she’s been busy. And while I’m sure the reasons for blowing off a month’s worth of shows are really, really important, I can’t help but question Kaitlynn’s dedication. She’s a thirteen year veteran of this business- she knows all too well the time, effort, and energy it requires. So why did she bother to come back, if she’s not willing to make the investment?”
“If the pattern she’s been displaying holds, Kitty will break her silence sometime this morning, with another snarky little blog-post. I wonder if she’ll even bother to give me more of a thought than she did Whitley. After all, she’ll have a lot to cover- the other four participants in the Elimination Chamber have been pretty busy over the past couple of weeks.”
[You know, with Scarlett and Isabella nearly killing each other in a draw. Val Belmont beating up the most annoying rookie on the planet. Isabella nearly killing Amy. And some match involving a lot of thumbtacks. Oh, don’t forget Amy’s corresponding epic meltdown on Twitter. It’s been a FUN month in FFW!]
“But I don’t plan on being some little speed-bump of a warm-up match, and if Kaitlynn even dares to treat me as such, she’s going to find herself attempting to run over a spike strip. She will find her metaphorical tires torn to shreds, stuck by the wayside of the road with no momentum, as the rest of us speed towards Unstoppable.”
“Honestly, it would be for the better- the last thing FFW needs is a part-time participant representing it as it’s champion.”
[Small shrug]
“Kitty’s proudly carried the monicker of ‘FFW’s Sinner’ since her return. And while it’s a cute counter to Valerie Belmont’s equally ridiculous notion that she’s ‘FFW’s Savior’, it’s little more than a meaningless title, a means for Kaitlynn to inflate her ego by thinking she’s somehow special and unique.”
“We’re all sinners. Every single one of us. Kitty’s just the only one warped enough to view that title as a measure of pride. And contrary to what seems to be the prevailing opinion around here, yes, I’m a sinner too.”
“Exodus 20:17 says, in paraphrase, not to covet your neighbor’s possessions. And I’ll confess, I’ve broken this tenth and final commandment many times over my life, but most recently where Kaitlynn Stryfe is concerned. No, I don’t want her house, or her car, or her revolting power-hungry husband.”
[A brief pause]
“I want her spot.”
“Call it what you will. Coveting. Ambition. Being hungry. The fact of the matter is, when the door to the elimination chamber closes at Unstoppable 2, I want it to be me standing inside that cage, not Kaitlynn Stryfe.”
[Wendy breaks into laughter, and for the first time all promo, truly breaks into a smile, shaking her head and shrugging, as if amused by the thought of that happening.]
“I’m not a fool of course. That won’t be happening, regardless of tonight’s outcome. Kaitlynn’s participation in the Chamber is assured, as is my own path. And I don’t want to sound ungrateful. The Chase for the Crown is a tremendous opportunity for up-and-comers, and it’s been a wonderful way to get my foot in the door here. But that’s the thing- I’m still considered an up-and-comer in this company, and I’m ready to move beyond that. Hopefully, I can beat Crystal, earn my own place in the show at Unstoppable, and be truly considered to have arrived.”
[Wendy’s voice is matter-of-fact again, without any sense of bitterness, although towards the end, her tone does take on somewhat of a wistful trait.]
“But tonight, I want this win almost as badly as I do the chase. Because, like I said before, opportunities abound in FFW, and I plan on taking advantage of as many as I possibly can. And sometime in the future, there could be another elmination chamber, or some other kind of major opportunity, and the decision for the final participant could come down to either Kitty or me. Tonight’s match could go a long way towards influencing who gets the golden ticket, and who gets snubbed.”
“And that’s why, with all due respect to the new General Manager of Velocity, I believe Mr. Horton picked the wrong match to stick his carpe diem label on. Because tonight will be the night that I’m not only able to hang with the best FFW has to offer, but that I can actually beat them. My manager says a lot of weird things in his column, but he’s right when he claims that no woman has more to gain over the next two weeks than I do. And it all starts tonight.”
[Wendy sits up a little straighter, and she looks directly into the camera, a level of determination flashing behind her eyes.]
“So I hope Kaitlynn’s taken full advantage of her month off, and trained really hard, because her welcome back to FFW is hardly going to be pleasant. I’ve been training hard too, and I’ve done my homework, so I have a pretty good strategy that I’m confident in. And its a lofty ambition, I plan on giving her every bit as much of a fight as Valerie Belmont did, and I’ve learned from Valerie’s mistakes. I don’t need an exclamation point on a victory- a win’s a win no matter what, so long as it’s achieved fairly.”
“It won’t be easy. I know I’m in for a fight. Kaitlynn Stryfe is a great wrestler. But you know what? I’m pretty good too.”
[Wendy flashes a smile that’s half-scarcastic, half-self-deprecating, and shrugs]
“I guess.”
[Fade]
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