17 July AD 2011
I did it!
Last night was one of the most demanding, exhausting, painful contests I’d ever taken a part of. Crystal Hilton might not be ‘perfect’, but she comes every bit as advertised. I don’t even want to think about how many times she drove me to the brink. But, somehow, I was able to hold on. I broke out of the Withering Rose. I managed to rope break a cross-armbreaker. And I somehow managed to keep my wits after being smashed with a coast to coast dropkick. Well- at least keep my wits well enough to capitalize when Crystal finally made an error and left herself vulnerable.
So despite the fact that every bit of my body feels more amorphous than solid at the moment, to the point that I’m barely able to hold a pen to write this entry, I’m happy today. Last night was my first chance to hold the limelight, to show what I can do with all eyes upon me, and I don’t think I disappointed. Heck, I don’t think Crystal did, either. We both proved that when the dangling carrot is in reach, we would be willing to give everything we had to snatch it. And with my victory, I now move into the chance that I’ve been hoping for ever since the Chase for the Crown was announced- I’m facing Colleen and Robbyn for the Evolution Championship.
Thank God that’s two weeks away, because if it was any quicker, I’d be in trouble. By the time Unstoppable rolls around, it will be nearly a month since Robbyn’s last match against Kassandra. And Colleen’s match against Rori Snyder was an absolute farce (through no fault of her own, of course). As far as health and energy go, I think I’ve drawn the short straw here.
But, thankfully, two weeks will be more than enough time to recover, starting with today. Pollaski’s got a deal with one of his uncles for us to go fishing on a nearby lake today, which should be relaxing. I’m probably too sore to fish (knowing my luck, I’d probably end up in a thirty minute battle against a northern pike), but it should be fun to be out on the boat, just relaxing. From there, it’s back to Indianapolis, where, thank God, we have the luxury of staying put until it’s time to leave for Unstoppable. Even Terrence’s next race will be just down the road, at LucasOil Speedway.
Of course, we’ll still be plenty busy. I’m allowing myself until we get home to rest and recover, and then it’s back into the ring. And I know the lead-up to Terrence’s race will be frantic as well. I’m sure he wants this race just as badly as I want to win the Evolution Championship. Still, the road ahead seems that much more walkable, after yesterday’s triumph.
Unfortunately, the day didn’t end on as quite a high note as I wanted. While the big news coming away from the show was my victory (at least, I hoped it was), the controversial announcement of the sixth participant in the Elimination Chamber certainly got a lot of attention.
I suppose it’s far from my place to say who does or doesn’t deserve to compete for the FFW Championship, but I’d have to admit that Katherine Stryfe’s selection was a big surprise for me. Still, my surprise was nothing compared to the outpouring of rage over the selection that I saw after the show from some people. So much rage and indignation, that it led to Cody Kincaid announcing a leave of absence on the spot!
That’s not good. For any of us.
First, it’s not what Mr. Kincaid deserved. The man has been all about giving chances to wrestlers, whether they’ve ‘deserved’ them or not. Look at me... before I even was in my second match, I was given a chance to earn a shot at the Evolution Championship. He gave the Eternal Flame a chance to rematch against the Danger Queens, and they pulled it off! FFW is all about opportunities, and there’s no shortage of them for all of us. So why should we be angry when he gives such an opportunity to another woman?
But I also know how hard Mr. Kincaid works, so its understandable that, in light of such a backlash, that he want to take some time away, to recharge the batteries, so to speak. But I cringe to think of what’s going to happen around here while he’s gone.
Even though I’ll show her the respect she deserves as my boss, I neither like nor trust Samantha Star. She’s a cunning businesswoman, I’ll give her that. But she’s as arrogant and spoiled as anyone I’ve ever met (and I’ve met a lot of arrogant, spoiled people). The fact that she seems to place the success of FFW on her shoulders, instead of the efforts of her workers, nor the devotion of the fans, disturbs me. Considering how quickly companies rise and fall in this business, taking your fans for granted seems an unsettling practice.
But even more unsettling is the side of Ms. Star that is petty and vindictive. She can go from cold and calculating to sinister and malicious at the drop of a hat. She’s not happy with merely defeating someone- she has to destroy and humiliate them as much as possible. I had no love for Nina Astral- I found the girl tedious and imperceptive- but what Ms. Star did on Breaking Point was utterly petty and pointless.
And cruel, for it’s obvious the young woman who came out in Nina’s place thought she was there to play out some sort of skit. Instead, she suddenly found herself in a full-contact wrestling match against two people, one who had to have been quadruple her mass. It was disgusting to watch, and what was the point? The object of the humiliation was gone, and I doubt she even paid attention to the segment. All that was left was a poor girl, who had nothing to do with the situation, getting beaten up by proxy.
I know a lot of people found the whole thing funny, not the least being my manager. But if this is how Ms. Star operates, then who’s next? What happens to the next person that she decides she doesn’t want around her company anymore? And what if that person is someone more respectable, such as Scarlett, Whitley, or Gretchen... or me? Will everyone stand by pointing and laughing like it’s a circus as Ms. Star and her cronies try to run one of us out?
Maybe I’m just being paranoid. Maybe the emotions of last night have left me wrung out, where everything seems possible right now. Maybe there’s nothing to worry about. But either way, I hope Mr. Kincaid enjoys his vacation, that he relaxes, and gets away from the stresses he had accrued over the year he spent as director of talent relations, so that when he returns, he returns well-rested.
Because I think this company needs him more than even he realizes.
-WCBT
Monday July 25, 2011
The Nest- Kitchen
Indianapolis, Indiana
12:31 PM Local Time
“Cassie’s here!”
The sound of my daughter’s voice carried in from the living room, and I looked up from the apple I was slicing for her lunch. “Let her in, Theresa, okay? I got your lunch almost ready.”
“Okay!” I smiled as I heard the soft patter of feet running across the house, followed by a the door opening, and Theresa’s muffled greeting of her nanny. I finished cutting up the apple, and placed it on the plate next to the ham sandwich I had just finished making. I pursed my lips for a second, then quickly grabbed a handful of cashews, tucking them in between the fruit and the sandwich. Lunch- at least for my daughter- was served.
“Hey!” I looked up as Cassie swept into the kitchen, smiling at me, a small stack of envelopes in her hand. Theresa skipped in after her, looking over at me and grinning when she saw what she was about to eat.
“Here you go, hon,” I said, handing her the plate. Theresa took it, and quickly walked away, heading for the living room... “Eat at the table, Theresa!” I interrupted sternly. “I don’t want crumbs all over the couch!”
Theresa groaned her disappointment, but nontheless, she slid her plate onto the table, and hopped up onto a chair. I snorted silently, and shook my head, before turning back to my patiently waiting nanny. “How are you, Cassie?”
“I’m doing okay,” the pale-blonde woman replied. She paused for a second, then, suddenly remembering the envelopes in her hand, thrust them at me. “I got the mail as I came in.”
“Thanks!” I replied, taking the stack from her. I quickly peeked at the envelopes, shuffling through them. Power bill... water bill... phone bill... cable bill... “What..?”
“Everything alright?” Cassie asked me, looking slightly concerned.
“Yeah, it’s just... a letter from College Park Elementary...” I replied. Theresa’s school next year. Curious, I quickly ripped open the envelope, and pulled out the contents. “Oh,” I exhaled, trying to fight down the wave of emotion that was riding inside me.
“What is it?” Cassie asked, her voice was curious, but her eyes were again narrowed in concern.
I flipped the letter to her, smiling. “It’s Theresa’s school supply list. I can’t believe she’s starting Kindergarten this year.”
Cassie smiled gently, and took the list from me, glancing it over. “Wow, she start’s on the sixteenth! That’s a bit early, isn’t it?”
I shrugged. “They always started early around here. But on the bright side, they’re generally done by June. Still, it’s going to be odd with her in school for a few hours. But it’ll give her more of a chance to be around other kids.”
Cassie nodded. “All of this- it’s going to take some time to get used to.”
“Yeah,” I agreed, “And Terrence and I don’t want Theresa missing school because of our schedules. Luckily, by the time school begins, Terrence will only have six races left, and only two of those aren’t on a weekend. And I’m lucky- as far as national touring promotions go, FFW’s schedule is hardly demanding. I think we can make this work.”
“I don’t see why you couldn’t,” Cassie replied, setting the papers down on the table. “And I’ll be more than happy to help out, if you need me too.”
“Thanks,” I said, smiling. I noticed that Cassie was still holding some papers in her hand, even though she had set the school supply list on the counter. My curiosity got the better of me. “What’s that? Did you get a letter here?”
Cassie looked down, and started, as if she almost had forgotten that she was holding it, before she laughed, shaking her head. “No, I wanted to give this to Terrence, but I didn’t see his car here.”
“He’s went to help his uncle out at the garage,” I responded, holding out my hand. “I’ll give it to him when he gets home.”
Cassie hesitated for just a second, then shrugged and handed me the papers. Unable to resist my curiosity, I looked down. To my surprise, the logo of Diamond Motorsports headed the paper, and I quickly discerned that it was an application for guest pit passes. That was odd- Cassie had been given a permanent credential of her own as a ‘family associate’. So what was...
I saw the name on the form, and looked up. “You’re inviting Christian?” Yes. Kincaid.
“Why not?” Cassie asked, shrugging her shoulders. “After all that... ugliness last week, I thought that maybe a couple days here would do him some good. The poor man. He didn’t deserve that to happen to him.”
She was right. Nobody really deserved to have the stuffing beaten out of them, and a television dropped on them, even as insufferable a self-styled playboy as Christian was. However, I couldn’t help but think that maybe a well placed kick might just solve a LOT of problems that circled around the FFW locker room.
Luckily, Cassie’s telepathic abilities were either underdeveloped or nonexistant, so she couldn’t hear my thoughts. Instead, she merely continued, excitement evident in her voice. “I know he’s busy... he’s got SO much going on with this Unstoppable show. But a couple days relaxation would do him good. And I know he enjoyed watching the Indy 500, so why not have him join us for Terrence’s race! What do you think?”
I remained silent for several long seconds, blinking twice at my nanny, before I hastily turned and began cleaning up the part of the counter where I had been preparing lunch. Unfortunately, my reluctance to answer was hardly lost on her. “Wendy?”
I looked up, cringing inwardly. Might as well now instead of later. “I... don’t know, Cass.”
Cassie’s face fell, her lower lip almost jutting out in a pout. “How come?”
I sighed. “Because I don’t want him there.”
The indignation was evident now. “Why not?” she demanded, her eyes narrowing.
I shrugged, suddenly way more focused on a scratch on the counter than I should have been at the moment. It took several seconds for me to answer, but when I finally did, it was with a half-attempt at a nonchalant shrug. “Because I think he’s a bad influence.”
It sounded lame, even to me. But I couldn’t bring myself to say ‘vile, womanizing, disease-ridden disgusting pig of a man-whore’ out loud.
Cassie laughed incredulously. “A bad influence? Because he is friendly? Because he helps out so many young women on their wrestling careers? Because he can stop a girl’s heart just by looking at them?”
“More like he cheats to help his ‘young women’ win their matches. Add in the fact that he’s surrounded himself with a cult of women who’s primary concern is sleeping with him, and yes, I think it’s safe to say that Christian Kincaid is not a person I want to be around!”
Cassie snorted, and shrugged, picking up the papers from the counter, as if she expected me to throw them in a paper shredder at any second (to be fair, I was seriously considering it). “Well, luckily for him, and me, *this* isn’t your call.” She waved the application back and forth in front of me, as if daring me to grab them. “Just because your my boss doesn’t mean you can and can’t tell me who I see.”
“No,” I calmly responded, my arms folding over my chest. “But I can, and I *will* tell you who you can, or cannot, bring around my daughter.”
Cassie’s normally pale face was almost red now, and she let out another short, harsh laugh. “Are you really going to play that card, Wendy? Your own manager is a disgusting fat slob, and you let him around Theresa. Are you *that* much of a hypocrite?”
Irritation began to build up in me as well. Hypocrisy was the one thing I couldn’t ever stand being accused of. “Whatever Pollaski says or does elsewhere, he’s been nothing but wonderful with The-”
“And Christian wouldn’t be?” Cassie shot back, her face still red. “He met her at the Fourth of July, remember? He was extremely ‘well-behaved’. To her. To Terrence. To you even, even though you were the freakin’ icicle queen. It’s *you* with the problem, Wendy, not him!”
I was unmoved. “Just because he’s charming doesn’t mean he’s a good person, Cassie. My word is final- Christian Kincaid does not come around my daughter. If you value your employment with this family, you will respect that.”
There was a long silence, punctuated only by Cassie’s heavy breathing as she stared at me, her fists clenched at her side. I stared back at her, trying to keep my face as impassive as I could. Finally, Cassie managed to find words. “Then maybe I don’t value my employment here as much as you’d think.”
I blinked, surprised. Considering that the last time Cassie had resigned, the only work she found was a job at Wendy’s, her willingness to give up her job here had to have been a bluff. For a second, I thought about calling her on it, but decided to try a different tack. “Cassie, what’s gotten into you? You’ve never-”
“You’re right, Wendy.” Cassie responded hotly. “I never do ANYTHING. I never go out and hang with my friends. I don’t even have any friends, period. I’m twenty-five years old, and the closest thing I have to a friend is a child who’s not mine. A child who’s mother just pointedly reminded me that at any moment, for any reason she seems fit, she can never let me see her again.”
I blinked, startled by the words, but said nothing. Cassie continued on, her voice more and more sounding like she was on the verge of tears. “Christian is the only guy in the last four years who has made me feel special. When I’m with him, I’m not some travel-along fourth-wheel babysitter, I actually feel like I’m a woman. Around him, I’m more happy than I’ve been for a long, long time.”
I finally found my voice, and it was softer. “Cassie, if you weren’t happy, you should have said something. We could have-”
“Stop thinking you have to ‘do’ something every time!” I was cut off as Cassie hotly interrupted. “This isn’t work-related, Wendy! I don’t need your assistance, and I sure as hell don’t need your permission! I just need you to butt-out of my personal life, limited as though it may be!”
Cassie turned to leave, angrily marching through the hallway. I followed behind her, several feet back. Cassie had flung the door open, and stepped out onto the porch, before I found my voice. “For the record, I thought of you as a friend.”
Cassie looked back at me, her face blank. “I thought so, too. But a friend wouldn’t pull the rank-card bullshit you just did. So I guess I’m just the ‘hired-help’ after all.”
Cassie spun around, swinging the door shut behind her as she left, and leaving me alone in the entryway. I listened to the sound of her car starting, and driving away. Only then could I find my voice again, and I sighed. “Crap.”
If there was a bigger understatement out there, I didn’t know what it was.
Tuesday July 26, 2011
The Nest- Living Room
Indianapolis, Indiana
1:31 PM Local Time
“So, here we are.”
[By now, the living room of the Thompson family household should be a familiar sight to us. Today, it’s little different, although definitely a brighter room, thanks to the gallons of sunshine being dumped over central Indiana this afternoon. One thing is a tad different- Wendy’s finally gotten an FFW banner, which she’s hung on the wall above the couch she sits upon. Wendy herself is dressed in a yellow sleeveless blouse, which reveals something she probably hadn’t intended- a rather sizeable bright red splotch on her right shoulder. Looks like someone missed a spot with the Coppertone! Even with the sunburn, Wendy’s smiling, her emerald eyes sparkling with excitement]
“Just a little over a week ago, Crystal Hilton and I fought our hearts out over the Chase for the Crown. It was a match I know a lot of people had been looking forward to, and I don’t think we disappointed. Crystal threw everything she had at me, and I will give her credit- she is a LOT better than I thought she was. I’m still feeling the effects of the Withering Rose she put on me in that contest. I don’t care what critics she might have now, there is no doubt in my mind that Crystal is one of the best wrestlers I’ve ever faced in a ring.”
“It’s one thing to win a match. It’s another to win a match over a talented opponent that you know gave her everything in there. And for that, I thank Crystal, and I will be the first to tell her that she’s got nothing to be ashamed of. We both gained a lot in that contest, and I know that I likely haven’t seen the last of her. I welcome the inevitable future rematch, although I’m not entirely sure how my arms would feel about it!”
[A short, cheesy grin, followed by a deep breath]
“So now I move forward, and I find myself with a chance to win my first-ever FFW title on the biggest pay-per-view of the year. For nearly three months now, the prospect of winning the Evoution Championship has dangled in front of me, and every week, I have been fighting, clawing, and scrambling my way forward, trying to get closer and closer to the prize. And finally, now, it’s right in front of me, and all I have to do is take those final few steps and claim it.”
“Of course, it wouldn’t be a road worth travelling if there weren’t obstacles, and I think its safe to say that the last two that stand between the Evolution Championship and I are two of the more dangerous ones I could come across.”
[Wendy chuckles at the apparent contradiction in her words]
“Facing either Collen or Robbyn Helmsley one on one is a dangerous prospect in it’s own right. So having to beat both of them in the same match is a pretty tall order. And of course, triple-threat matches are tenacious in their own right- as long as one of your rivals is able to kick out, grab a rope, or break up a fall attempt, your job is not done. You just can’t focus on one opponent or the other at any given time. You need to constantly be aware of where both women are, and what they are doing, at all times.”
[A small laugh]
“Luckily, I do have that luxury here on the interview couch. And I think that given the challenging nature of both women I’m up against, I think both deserve my full attention come promo time. So with all due respect to Robbyn, you’re going to have to wait. My thoughts today are directed towards Colleen.”
[A small, concillatory smile. Wendy then shrugs her shoulders, almost as if acknowledging a point.]
“Well, Colleen, you called it. Two months ago, when we were preparing for that tag team match, you said that if anyone was going to emerge from the Chase For the Crown to earn a shot at you, it would be me. So, here I am.”
“I have to admit it. Ever since I saw the Full Frontal replay, when you beat Robbyn to claim the Evolution Championship, and made my decision to join Femme Fatale Wrestling, you were one of the people I was most hoping for a match against. That I’m getting one, for the exact same title you won that night, also against the same person you defeated, is an odd turn of events. But it is an honor to face you.”
“Because ultimately, I think you and i are two sides of the same coin. We both want to be remembered in this sport for what we’ve done inside the ring, not outside of it. We’d rather be training for our next match than trying to get into the pants of every attractive guy that walks into an arena. There is much in common between us, I think more than you’d care to admit. The only true difference I see is that you tend to maintain a much more... pessimistic outlook on life.”
[Another deep breath, and a sigh]
“Look, Colleen, I know we both respect each other’s abilities in that ring, and really, that’s all that matters. I never expected that we were going to be best friends. And I can understand your hostility towards me- I am out to take your title from you after all. So you don’t like me, just like you don’t everyone else. I get that, and I suppose I should be thankful that your pet name for me is actually repeatable on television.”
“But for the love of God, Colleen, will you get over yourself?”
[Wendy exhales and rolls her eyes.]
“At the anniversary show, I made an observation about the ability of our teams to work together, and now two months later, you’re still claiming subterfuge. Well, Colleen, if I was trying to drive a wedge between you, Robbyn, and Undine, I must have done a pretty lousy job with it, because the three of you worked pretty well. The fact is, Colleen, you spent so much time dissecting a couple sentences of mine, trying to see them through your blood-red colored glasses, you missed the point. It didn’t matter whether or not your team fell apart, what mattered to me was that my team needed to stick together. And, somehow, by the grace of God, it did. And we won. The right way, I might add.”
[Wendy tries to keep a note of ‘so there!’ out of the tone of her voice, but she can’t quite manage it.]
“And I know that question I imposed about your life upset you. It was supposed to. But more than that, Colleen, it was supposed to make you think. If you have an answer, great! You don’t need to tell me what it is, it’s none of my business. I just hoped you had one.”
“Because Colleen, as much as I love professional wrestling, I know this business can do bad things to you if you let it. Look at Amy, who’s mind has practically been snapped by this business to the point that she can turn from a distinguished veteran to a raging madwoman at the drop of a pin. Look at Isabella, who has such seething feelings of frustration after losing the FFW title, that she needs to spill the blood of another woman all over the floor just to satisfy herself.”
“And its not just them. The retirement home of professional wrestling is filled with bitter, broken down men and women, who are angry at every aspect of this sport. Every now and then, one of them comes forward, angrily throwing away their reputations, their friendships, even their families, just for one more interview where they can angrily bury everyone and gain fifteen more minutes of fame. I don’t want that to be me in twenty years. And I don’t want you to be either.”
[Wendy pauses for a second, clearing her throat.]
“But you’re already so bitter, Colleen, and you’re only twenty-seven and have so much going for you. All that talent, all that ability, and you diminish it with your attitude. It affects people’s perception. You’ve complained in the past about the locker room not giving you the respect you deserve. Well, it goes both ways. And whatever you might say about my ability, Colleen, when every fifth word you say in reference to me is unrepeatable, that’s not respect. And I know you’re a big girl, and you don’t need your hand held, or even a map drawn for you. But someone really needs to point to the ‘Wrong Way’ signs you keep heedlessly passing.”
[Probably gonna be every fourth or third word now.]
“But no, that’s not your way, is it Colleen? You’re just yourself all the time, and to heck with anyone who doesn’t like it. You’re honest about who you are, and you don’t need to lie. So tell me something...”
[Wendy reaches to her side, and pulls out a small placard, turning it to the camera. On it, is a picture of Colleen, holding a Tennis racket, and bringing it down on Camilla Pazzini’s head, the racket exploding from the impact]
“Is this really who you are?”
[Wendy shakes her head sadly]
“Of course it’s not. You’re a woman who hates this kind of wrestling. You don’t use weapons- you don’t need to. You don’t taunt your opponents when they’re down- you don’t need to. Normally, you just get in that ring, and try to rip a limb off until your opponent asks you to stop. But not against Camilla. You went against everything you stood for in that contest. And you lost. Don’t think for a second that was a coincidence.”
“You didn’t need to resort to that to beat Camilla, even in a last woman standing match. Your ability should have been enough, like every other match you’ve competed in. But you abandoned that. You tried to do things her way. And you paid for it. And maybe you learned from it, but the mere fact that you even went that route tells me you haven’t been as honest with yourself as you claim.”
[Another deep breath]
“Colleen, you might think that I’m a fraud, and a phony, that this has all been carefully orchestrated, but you’ll be wrong, just like you are on so many counts. I am who I am, and I have opinions and I’m sure as heck going to voice them when I feel its appropriate.”
“But as badly as you’ve reacted to all my previous ‘slights’ against you, I hope that you can hold it together when I give you the biggest ‘slight’ of all. Because at Unstoppable 2, I fully plan on taking the Evolution title from you, and making it my own. I didn’t go through the three rounds of the Chase, and fought heart and soul against Crystal Hilton, to come up short here.”
“But you won’t be beaten by a mirage, Colleen. I’m not some construction of goodness who’s been programmed. What you’ve seen is who I am, for better or for worse. And at Unstoppable Saturday night, you are going to learn that all too well.”
[A pause, and slight smile.]
“After all, didn’t you read the book? Pollyanna wins in the end.”
[Fade]
I did it!
Last night was one of the most demanding, exhausting, painful contests I’d ever taken a part of. Crystal Hilton might not be ‘perfect’, but she comes every bit as advertised. I don’t even want to think about how many times she drove me to the brink. But, somehow, I was able to hold on. I broke out of the Withering Rose. I managed to rope break a cross-armbreaker. And I somehow managed to keep my wits after being smashed with a coast to coast dropkick. Well- at least keep my wits well enough to capitalize when Crystal finally made an error and left herself vulnerable.
So despite the fact that every bit of my body feels more amorphous than solid at the moment, to the point that I’m barely able to hold a pen to write this entry, I’m happy today. Last night was my first chance to hold the limelight, to show what I can do with all eyes upon me, and I don’t think I disappointed. Heck, I don’t think Crystal did, either. We both proved that when the dangling carrot is in reach, we would be willing to give everything we had to snatch it. And with my victory, I now move into the chance that I’ve been hoping for ever since the Chase for the Crown was announced- I’m facing Colleen and Robbyn for the Evolution Championship.
Thank God that’s two weeks away, because if it was any quicker, I’d be in trouble. By the time Unstoppable rolls around, it will be nearly a month since Robbyn’s last match against Kassandra. And Colleen’s match against Rori Snyder was an absolute farce (through no fault of her own, of course). As far as health and energy go, I think I’ve drawn the short straw here.
But, thankfully, two weeks will be more than enough time to recover, starting with today. Pollaski’s got a deal with one of his uncles for us to go fishing on a nearby lake today, which should be relaxing. I’m probably too sore to fish (knowing my luck, I’d probably end up in a thirty minute battle against a northern pike), but it should be fun to be out on the boat, just relaxing. From there, it’s back to Indianapolis, where, thank God, we have the luxury of staying put until it’s time to leave for Unstoppable. Even Terrence’s next race will be just down the road, at LucasOil Speedway.
Of course, we’ll still be plenty busy. I’m allowing myself until we get home to rest and recover, and then it’s back into the ring. And I know the lead-up to Terrence’s race will be frantic as well. I’m sure he wants this race just as badly as I want to win the Evolution Championship. Still, the road ahead seems that much more walkable, after yesterday’s triumph.
Unfortunately, the day didn’t end on as quite a high note as I wanted. While the big news coming away from the show was my victory (at least, I hoped it was), the controversial announcement of the sixth participant in the Elimination Chamber certainly got a lot of attention.
I suppose it’s far from my place to say who does or doesn’t deserve to compete for the FFW Championship, but I’d have to admit that Katherine Stryfe’s selection was a big surprise for me. Still, my surprise was nothing compared to the outpouring of rage over the selection that I saw after the show from some people. So much rage and indignation, that it led to Cody Kincaid announcing a leave of absence on the spot!
That’s not good. For any of us.
First, it’s not what Mr. Kincaid deserved. The man has been all about giving chances to wrestlers, whether they’ve ‘deserved’ them or not. Look at me... before I even was in my second match, I was given a chance to earn a shot at the Evolution Championship. He gave the Eternal Flame a chance to rematch against the Danger Queens, and they pulled it off! FFW is all about opportunities, and there’s no shortage of them for all of us. So why should we be angry when he gives such an opportunity to another woman?
But I also know how hard Mr. Kincaid works, so its understandable that, in light of such a backlash, that he want to take some time away, to recharge the batteries, so to speak. But I cringe to think of what’s going to happen around here while he’s gone.
Even though I’ll show her the respect she deserves as my boss, I neither like nor trust Samantha Star. She’s a cunning businesswoman, I’ll give her that. But she’s as arrogant and spoiled as anyone I’ve ever met (and I’ve met a lot of arrogant, spoiled people). The fact that she seems to place the success of FFW on her shoulders, instead of the efforts of her workers, nor the devotion of the fans, disturbs me. Considering how quickly companies rise and fall in this business, taking your fans for granted seems an unsettling practice.
But even more unsettling is the side of Ms. Star that is petty and vindictive. She can go from cold and calculating to sinister and malicious at the drop of a hat. She’s not happy with merely defeating someone- she has to destroy and humiliate them as much as possible. I had no love for Nina Astral- I found the girl tedious and imperceptive- but what Ms. Star did on Breaking Point was utterly petty and pointless.
And cruel, for it’s obvious the young woman who came out in Nina’s place thought she was there to play out some sort of skit. Instead, she suddenly found herself in a full-contact wrestling match against two people, one who had to have been quadruple her mass. It was disgusting to watch, and what was the point? The object of the humiliation was gone, and I doubt she even paid attention to the segment. All that was left was a poor girl, who had nothing to do with the situation, getting beaten up by proxy.
I know a lot of people found the whole thing funny, not the least being my manager. But if this is how Ms. Star operates, then who’s next? What happens to the next person that she decides she doesn’t want around her company anymore? And what if that person is someone more respectable, such as Scarlett, Whitley, or Gretchen... or me? Will everyone stand by pointing and laughing like it’s a circus as Ms. Star and her cronies try to run one of us out?
Maybe I’m just being paranoid. Maybe the emotions of last night have left me wrung out, where everything seems possible right now. Maybe there’s nothing to worry about. But either way, I hope Mr. Kincaid enjoys his vacation, that he relaxes, and gets away from the stresses he had accrued over the year he spent as director of talent relations, so that when he returns, he returns well-rested.
Because I think this company needs him more than even he realizes.
-WCBT
Monday July 25, 2011
The Nest- Kitchen
Indianapolis, Indiana
12:31 PM Local Time
“Cassie’s here!”
The sound of my daughter’s voice carried in from the living room, and I looked up from the apple I was slicing for her lunch. “Let her in, Theresa, okay? I got your lunch almost ready.”
“Okay!” I smiled as I heard the soft patter of feet running across the house, followed by a the door opening, and Theresa’s muffled greeting of her nanny. I finished cutting up the apple, and placed it on the plate next to the ham sandwich I had just finished making. I pursed my lips for a second, then quickly grabbed a handful of cashews, tucking them in between the fruit and the sandwich. Lunch- at least for my daughter- was served.
“Hey!” I looked up as Cassie swept into the kitchen, smiling at me, a small stack of envelopes in her hand. Theresa skipped in after her, looking over at me and grinning when she saw what she was about to eat.
“Here you go, hon,” I said, handing her the plate. Theresa took it, and quickly walked away, heading for the living room... “Eat at the table, Theresa!” I interrupted sternly. “I don’t want crumbs all over the couch!”
Theresa groaned her disappointment, but nontheless, she slid her plate onto the table, and hopped up onto a chair. I snorted silently, and shook my head, before turning back to my patiently waiting nanny. “How are you, Cassie?”
“I’m doing okay,” the pale-blonde woman replied. She paused for a second, then, suddenly remembering the envelopes in her hand, thrust them at me. “I got the mail as I came in.”
“Thanks!” I replied, taking the stack from her. I quickly peeked at the envelopes, shuffling through them. Power bill... water bill... phone bill... cable bill... “What..?”
“Everything alright?” Cassie asked me, looking slightly concerned.
“Yeah, it’s just... a letter from College Park Elementary...” I replied. Theresa’s school next year. Curious, I quickly ripped open the envelope, and pulled out the contents. “Oh,” I exhaled, trying to fight down the wave of emotion that was riding inside me.
“What is it?” Cassie asked, her voice was curious, but her eyes were again narrowed in concern.
I flipped the letter to her, smiling. “It’s Theresa’s school supply list. I can’t believe she’s starting Kindergarten this year.”
Cassie smiled gently, and took the list from me, glancing it over. “Wow, she start’s on the sixteenth! That’s a bit early, isn’t it?”
I shrugged. “They always started early around here. But on the bright side, they’re generally done by June. Still, it’s going to be odd with her in school for a few hours. But it’ll give her more of a chance to be around other kids.”
Cassie nodded. “All of this- it’s going to take some time to get used to.”
“Yeah,” I agreed, “And Terrence and I don’t want Theresa missing school because of our schedules. Luckily, by the time school begins, Terrence will only have six races left, and only two of those aren’t on a weekend. And I’m lucky- as far as national touring promotions go, FFW’s schedule is hardly demanding. I think we can make this work.”
“I don’t see why you couldn’t,” Cassie replied, setting the papers down on the table. “And I’ll be more than happy to help out, if you need me too.”
“Thanks,” I said, smiling. I noticed that Cassie was still holding some papers in her hand, even though she had set the school supply list on the counter. My curiosity got the better of me. “What’s that? Did you get a letter here?”
Cassie looked down, and started, as if she almost had forgotten that she was holding it, before she laughed, shaking her head. “No, I wanted to give this to Terrence, but I didn’t see his car here.”
“He’s went to help his uncle out at the garage,” I responded, holding out my hand. “I’ll give it to him when he gets home.”
Cassie hesitated for just a second, then shrugged and handed me the papers. Unable to resist my curiosity, I looked down. To my surprise, the logo of Diamond Motorsports headed the paper, and I quickly discerned that it was an application for guest pit passes. That was odd- Cassie had been given a permanent credential of her own as a ‘family associate’. So what was...
I saw the name on the form, and looked up. “You’re inviting Christian?” Yes. Kincaid.
“Why not?” Cassie asked, shrugging her shoulders. “After all that... ugliness last week, I thought that maybe a couple days here would do him some good. The poor man. He didn’t deserve that to happen to him.”
She was right. Nobody really deserved to have the stuffing beaten out of them, and a television dropped on them, even as insufferable a self-styled playboy as Christian was. However, I couldn’t help but think that maybe a well placed kick might just solve a LOT of problems that circled around the FFW locker room.
Luckily, Cassie’s telepathic abilities were either underdeveloped or nonexistant, so she couldn’t hear my thoughts. Instead, she merely continued, excitement evident in her voice. “I know he’s busy... he’s got SO much going on with this Unstoppable show. But a couple days relaxation would do him good. And I know he enjoyed watching the Indy 500, so why not have him join us for Terrence’s race! What do you think?”
I remained silent for several long seconds, blinking twice at my nanny, before I hastily turned and began cleaning up the part of the counter where I had been preparing lunch. Unfortunately, my reluctance to answer was hardly lost on her. “Wendy?”
I looked up, cringing inwardly. Might as well now instead of later. “I... don’t know, Cass.”
Cassie’s face fell, her lower lip almost jutting out in a pout. “How come?”
I sighed. “Because I don’t want him there.”
The indignation was evident now. “Why not?” she demanded, her eyes narrowing.
I shrugged, suddenly way more focused on a scratch on the counter than I should have been at the moment. It took several seconds for me to answer, but when I finally did, it was with a half-attempt at a nonchalant shrug. “Because I think he’s a bad influence.”
It sounded lame, even to me. But I couldn’t bring myself to say ‘vile, womanizing, disease-ridden disgusting pig of a man-whore’ out loud.
Cassie laughed incredulously. “A bad influence? Because he is friendly? Because he helps out so many young women on their wrestling careers? Because he can stop a girl’s heart just by looking at them?”
“More like he cheats to help his ‘young women’ win their matches. Add in the fact that he’s surrounded himself with a cult of women who’s primary concern is sleeping with him, and yes, I think it’s safe to say that Christian Kincaid is not a person I want to be around!”
Cassie snorted, and shrugged, picking up the papers from the counter, as if she expected me to throw them in a paper shredder at any second (to be fair, I was seriously considering it). “Well, luckily for him, and me, *this* isn’t your call.” She waved the application back and forth in front of me, as if daring me to grab them. “Just because your my boss doesn’t mean you can and can’t tell me who I see.”
“No,” I calmly responded, my arms folding over my chest. “But I can, and I *will* tell you who you can, or cannot, bring around my daughter.”
Cassie’s normally pale face was almost red now, and she let out another short, harsh laugh. “Are you really going to play that card, Wendy? Your own manager is a disgusting fat slob, and you let him around Theresa. Are you *that* much of a hypocrite?”
Irritation began to build up in me as well. Hypocrisy was the one thing I couldn’t ever stand being accused of. “Whatever Pollaski says or does elsewhere, he’s been nothing but wonderful with The-”
“And Christian wouldn’t be?” Cassie shot back, her face still red. “He met her at the Fourth of July, remember? He was extremely ‘well-behaved’. To her. To Terrence. To you even, even though you were the freakin’ icicle queen. It’s *you* with the problem, Wendy, not him!”
I was unmoved. “Just because he’s charming doesn’t mean he’s a good person, Cassie. My word is final- Christian Kincaid does not come around my daughter. If you value your employment with this family, you will respect that.”
There was a long silence, punctuated only by Cassie’s heavy breathing as she stared at me, her fists clenched at her side. I stared back at her, trying to keep my face as impassive as I could. Finally, Cassie managed to find words. “Then maybe I don’t value my employment here as much as you’d think.”
I blinked, surprised. Considering that the last time Cassie had resigned, the only work she found was a job at Wendy’s, her willingness to give up her job here had to have been a bluff. For a second, I thought about calling her on it, but decided to try a different tack. “Cassie, what’s gotten into you? You’ve never-”
“You’re right, Wendy.” Cassie responded hotly. “I never do ANYTHING. I never go out and hang with my friends. I don’t even have any friends, period. I’m twenty-five years old, and the closest thing I have to a friend is a child who’s not mine. A child who’s mother just pointedly reminded me that at any moment, for any reason she seems fit, she can never let me see her again.”
I blinked, startled by the words, but said nothing. Cassie continued on, her voice more and more sounding like she was on the verge of tears. “Christian is the only guy in the last four years who has made me feel special. When I’m with him, I’m not some travel-along fourth-wheel babysitter, I actually feel like I’m a woman. Around him, I’m more happy than I’ve been for a long, long time.”
I finally found my voice, and it was softer. “Cassie, if you weren’t happy, you should have said something. We could have-”
“Stop thinking you have to ‘do’ something every time!” I was cut off as Cassie hotly interrupted. “This isn’t work-related, Wendy! I don’t need your assistance, and I sure as hell don’t need your permission! I just need you to butt-out of my personal life, limited as though it may be!”
Cassie turned to leave, angrily marching through the hallway. I followed behind her, several feet back. Cassie had flung the door open, and stepped out onto the porch, before I found my voice. “For the record, I thought of you as a friend.”
Cassie looked back at me, her face blank. “I thought so, too. But a friend wouldn’t pull the rank-card bullshit you just did. So I guess I’m just the ‘hired-help’ after all.”
Cassie spun around, swinging the door shut behind her as she left, and leaving me alone in the entryway. I listened to the sound of her car starting, and driving away. Only then could I find my voice again, and I sighed. “Crap.”
If there was a bigger understatement out there, I didn’t know what it was.
Tuesday July 26, 2011
The Nest- Living Room
Indianapolis, Indiana
1:31 PM Local Time
“So, here we are.”
[By now, the living room of the Thompson family household should be a familiar sight to us. Today, it’s little different, although definitely a brighter room, thanks to the gallons of sunshine being dumped over central Indiana this afternoon. One thing is a tad different- Wendy’s finally gotten an FFW banner, which she’s hung on the wall above the couch she sits upon. Wendy herself is dressed in a yellow sleeveless blouse, which reveals something she probably hadn’t intended- a rather sizeable bright red splotch on her right shoulder. Looks like someone missed a spot with the Coppertone! Even with the sunburn, Wendy’s smiling, her emerald eyes sparkling with excitement]
“Just a little over a week ago, Crystal Hilton and I fought our hearts out over the Chase for the Crown. It was a match I know a lot of people had been looking forward to, and I don’t think we disappointed. Crystal threw everything she had at me, and I will give her credit- she is a LOT better than I thought she was. I’m still feeling the effects of the Withering Rose she put on me in that contest. I don’t care what critics she might have now, there is no doubt in my mind that Crystal is one of the best wrestlers I’ve ever faced in a ring.”
“It’s one thing to win a match. It’s another to win a match over a talented opponent that you know gave her everything in there. And for that, I thank Crystal, and I will be the first to tell her that she’s got nothing to be ashamed of. We both gained a lot in that contest, and I know that I likely haven’t seen the last of her. I welcome the inevitable future rematch, although I’m not entirely sure how my arms would feel about it!”
[A short, cheesy grin, followed by a deep breath]
“So now I move forward, and I find myself with a chance to win my first-ever FFW title on the biggest pay-per-view of the year. For nearly three months now, the prospect of winning the Evoution Championship has dangled in front of me, and every week, I have been fighting, clawing, and scrambling my way forward, trying to get closer and closer to the prize. And finally, now, it’s right in front of me, and all I have to do is take those final few steps and claim it.”
“Of course, it wouldn’t be a road worth travelling if there weren’t obstacles, and I think its safe to say that the last two that stand between the Evolution Championship and I are two of the more dangerous ones I could come across.”
[Wendy chuckles at the apparent contradiction in her words]
“Facing either Collen or Robbyn Helmsley one on one is a dangerous prospect in it’s own right. So having to beat both of them in the same match is a pretty tall order. And of course, triple-threat matches are tenacious in their own right- as long as one of your rivals is able to kick out, grab a rope, or break up a fall attempt, your job is not done. You just can’t focus on one opponent or the other at any given time. You need to constantly be aware of where both women are, and what they are doing, at all times.”
[A small laugh]
“Luckily, I do have that luxury here on the interview couch. And I think that given the challenging nature of both women I’m up against, I think both deserve my full attention come promo time. So with all due respect to Robbyn, you’re going to have to wait. My thoughts today are directed towards Colleen.”
[A small, concillatory smile. Wendy then shrugs her shoulders, almost as if acknowledging a point.]
“Well, Colleen, you called it. Two months ago, when we were preparing for that tag team match, you said that if anyone was going to emerge from the Chase For the Crown to earn a shot at you, it would be me. So, here I am.”
“I have to admit it. Ever since I saw the Full Frontal replay, when you beat Robbyn to claim the Evolution Championship, and made my decision to join Femme Fatale Wrestling, you were one of the people I was most hoping for a match against. That I’m getting one, for the exact same title you won that night, also against the same person you defeated, is an odd turn of events. But it is an honor to face you.”
“Because ultimately, I think you and i are two sides of the same coin. We both want to be remembered in this sport for what we’ve done inside the ring, not outside of it. We’d rather be training for our next match than trying to get into the pants of every attractive guy that walks into an arena. There is much in common between us, I think more than you’d care to admit. The only true difference I see is that you tend to maintain a much more... pessimistic outlook on life.”
[Another deep breath, and a sigh]
“Look, Colleen, I know we both respect each other’s abilities in that ring, and really, that’s all that matters. I never expected that we were going to be best friends. And I can understand your hostility towards me- I am out to take your title from you after all. So you don’t like me, just like you don’t everyone else. I get that, and I suppose I should be thankful that your pet name for me is actually repeatable on television.”
“But for the love of God, Colleen, will you get over yourself?”
[Wendy exhales and rolls her eyes.]
“At the anniversary show, I made an observation about the ability of our teams to work together, and now two months later, you’re still claiming subterfuge. Well, Colleen, if I was trying to drive a wedge between you, Robbyn, and Undine, I must have done a pretty lousy job with it, because the three of you worked pretty well. The fact is, Colleen, you spent so much time dissecting a couple sentences of mine, trying to see them through your blood-red colored glasses, you missed the point. It didn’t matter whether or not your team fell apart, what mattered to me was that my team needed to stick together. And, somehow, by the grace of God, it did. And we won. The right way, I might add.”
[Wendy tries to keep a note of ‘so there!’ out of the tone of her voice, but she can’t quite manage it.]
“And I know that question I imposed about your life upset you. It was supposed to. But more than that, Colleen, it was supposed to make you think. If you have an answer, great! You don’t need to tell me what it is, it’s none of my business. I just hoped you had one.”
“Because Colleen, as much as I love professional wrestling, I know this business can do bad things to you if you let it. Look at Amy, who’s mind has practically been snapped by this business to the point that she can turn from a distinguished veteran to a raging madwoman at the drop of a pin. Look at Isabella, who has such seething feelings of frustration after losing the FFW title, that she needs to spill the blood of another woman all over the floor just to satisfy herself.”
“And its not just them. The retirement home of professional wrestling is filled with bitter, broken down men and women, who are angry at every aspect of this sport. Every now and then, one of them comes forward, angrily throwing away their reputations, their friendships, even their families, just for one more interview where they can angrily bury everyone and gain fifteen more minutes of fame. I don’t want that to be me in twenty years. And I don’t want you to be either.”
[Wendy pauses for a second, clearing her throat.]
“But you’re already so bitter, Colleen, and you’re only twenty-seven and have so much going for you. All that talent, all that ability, and you diminish it with your attitude. It affects people’s perception. You’ve complained in the past about the locker room not giving you the respect you deserve. Well, it goes both ways. And whatever you might say about my ability, Colleen, when every fifth word you say in reference to me is unrepeatable, that’s not respect. And I know you’re a big girl, and you don’t need your hand held, or even a map drawn for you. But someone really needs to point to the ‘Wrong Way’ signs you keep heedlessly passing.”
[Probably gonna be every fourth or third word now.]
“But no, that’s not your way, is it Colleen? You’re just yourself all the time, and to heck with anyone who doesn’t like it. You’re honest about who you are, and you don’t need to lie. So tell me something...”
[Wendy reaches to her side, and pulls out a small placard, turning it to the camera. On it, is a picture of Colleen, holding a Tennis racket, and bringing it down on Camilla Pazzini’s head, the racket exploding from the impact]
“Is this really who you are?”
[Wendy shakes her head sadly]
“Of course it’s not. You’re a woman who hates this kind of wrestling. You don’t use weapons- you don’t need to. You don’t taunt your opponents when they’re down- you don’t need to. Normally, you just get in that ring, and try to rip a limb off until your opponent asks you to stop. But not against Camilla. You went against everything you stood for in that contest. And you lost. Don’t think for a second that was a coincidence.”
“You didn’t need to resort to that to beat Camilla, even in a last woman standing match. Your ability should have been enough, like every other match you’ve competed in. But you abandoned that. You tried to do things her way. And you paid for it. And maybe you learned from it, but the mere fact that you even went that route tells me you haven’t been as honest with yourself as you claim.”
[Another deep breath]
“Colleen, you might think that I’m a fraud, and a phony, that this has all been carefully orchestrated, but you’ll be wrong, just like you are on so many counts. I am who I am, and I have opinions and I’m sure as heck going to voice them when I feel its appropriate.”
“But as badly as you’ve reacted to all my previous ‘slights’ against you, I hope that you can hold it together when I give you the biggest ‘slight’ of all. Because at Unstoppable 2, I fully plan on taking the Evolution title from you, and making it my own. I didn’t go through the three rounds of the Chase, and fought heart and soul against Crystal Hilton, to come up short here.”
“But you won’t be beaten by a mirage, Colleen. I’m not some construction of goodness who’s been programmed. What you’ve seen is who I am, for better or for worse. And at Unstoppable Saturday night, you are going to learn that all too well.”
[A pause, and slight smile.]
“After all, didn’t you read the book? Pollyanna wins in the end.”
[Fade]
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