The situation itself pissed him off. It wasn’t Dredge, or the question he asked that angered him, it was the fact that he felt no other alternative but to ask because of Senester. If anyone knows what a man is willing to do for his family it was him, but there was fear in Dredge’s voice. A sort of resolve that whatever this road was about to lead him, it would be a one way trip. He had tried hopelessly the last few days to get in contact with Dredge but his number went from the ability to leave a voicemail, to the mailbox being full, to being disconnected altogether. What was he going to do if Dredge’s wife a kid just pop up on his doorstep?
It wasn’t his responsibility, and he didn’t fancy the idea of getting even more involved with Senester than he already was, but how could he refuse such a request from a friend who had no one else to turn to? He looked down at Evina laying on his chest. Her lips smacking in her sleep, that intoxicating baby smell that melts your heart and brings a smile to your face. Then a thought of hope washed over him. Perhaps he wasn’t putting enough faith in Dredge. He was after all one of his greatest professional rivals, and arguable no one knew Senester better than him. Whatever it was he was planning, could very well succeed. He remembers going off the radar himself, leaving his family and Wisdom because it was better for him to separate himself from them while he did what he had to do. This was likely no different. He lay there in the hammock, watching the waves and smelling the salty sea air until the tranquility takes him and he too falls asleep.
Wisdom comes up from downstairs simply drenched. It looks more like she just stepped out of the shower than having just finished a working out. Like her husband she holds herself to a strict and brutal routine. Few women and even plenty of men would be able to do what she does. She grabs a bottle of water from the fridge and heads out through the veranda to the patio still breathing heavily.
(Wisdom): Whew….my body’s nearly numb but damn I feel good. What are we gonna do for lunch babe?
There’s no response and she walks over, in front of Butch and realizes that he’s fallen asleep. Evina laying cupped on his chest in the most adorable father-daughter picture imaginable. She leans in and gives him a soft kiss on the lips unintentionally waking him.
(Wisdom): Shit…I’m sorry babe…I didn’t mean to wake you.
(Butch): Hey…what time is it?
(Wisdom): almost 3:00p.m.
(Butch): Oaft!
(Wisdom): What?
(Butch): Didn’t mean to doze off.
(Wisdom): Babe, it’s fine. Evina’s still asleep. Give me five minutes, I’m gonna hop in the show and then I’ll take her. You can catch a proper nap.
(Butch): I’m alright…I need to get up anyway.
(Wisdom): Babe, you didn’t sleep half the night. Between the James bullshit and this Dredge stuff going on, you need to take everything off your mind. Worrying about things out of your control is only going to drive you insane. Besides…I want your mind fresh and attentive for tonight. We’ve got dinner with the neighbors.
(Butch): When did we become one of “those” couples?
(Wisdom): When that bytch wouldn’t stop running her mouth about how they just got their Phd’s together and their going to open their practice, and offered us discounts if we needed anything.
(Butch): What are they dentist?
(Wisdom): Plastic surgeons. Please….as if we need any work done. Your body puts any man to shame, and I’d like to see the b###h who thinks she’s got what I got. I just want to go flaunt ourselves in their face. She thinks if they get us as clients they can boast about being surgeons to celebrities. That b###h was the one calling the police on me the other year and now she thinks we’re going to be friends. They’ve always been jealous of us.
Butch rubs his hand across his chin feeling the stubble. He thinks about the other night when Wisdom insisted that he not shave, telling him she liked the way it felt between her legs. He lets a small laugh escape him that he tries to mask as a cough.
(Wisdom): What?
(Butch): Nothing…you go hop in the shower. I’ll fix us a recovery shake.
Butch gets up, Evina still cradled in his arms and with his free hand her grabs Wisdom’s by the ass, pulls her close and gives her a peck on the lips before smacking her butt. She smiles and they head back into the house. Butch puts Evina in a cradle and heads to the kitchen. The tv is on in the background and he begins pulling a few fruits and veggies from the fridge as “Breaking News” flashes on the screen.
(Reporter): Breaking News now from the Los Angeles Police Department where a city wide alert has been issued in response to the reported kidnapping of 4-year old Michael Dredge Jr., son of former professional wrestler Michael Dredge. Michael Jr. was purportedly taken from his parents Tennessee home where they are described by police as “having reason to believe their son was coming to, or already in Los Angeles.” We do understand that Mrs. Kate Dredge was found in the home and had been taken to a local hospital. There are no details as of yet on her condition, or the circumstances in which required her visit. Stay tuned to KTLA 5 for late breaking coverage of this story throughout the day.
(Reporter): In other news…get ready for traffic…President Obama will be making his way to the southland tomorrow morning and….
Suddenly Butch is realizing the growing severity of this situation. The news reporters might not know, but he knew exactly why the authorities would be looking in Los Angeles, and he knew where and to whom their search would take them. Minutes later Wisdom comes out of the shower. Butch can smell her sweet fragrance before she even enters the room. Her hair is back in a ponytail and she comes straight to the kitchen for her shake. There is a glass for her with her recovery shake and an empty one next to hers with a bottle of vodka beside it, and Butch is standing looking at the television channel surfing news channels.
(Wisdom): Oh no…what’s wrong…what happened?
(Butch): Senester’s got his ####ing kid.
(Wisdom): His kid what are you talking about.
Butch doesn’t respond still focused on the news. Wisdom tunes in to what he’s seeing and her eyes widen.
(Wisdom): Babe, we don’t know it’s Senester. They just mentioned Los Angeles, and that he’s missing…that doesn’t exactly mean…
Butch turns to her, his eyes full of frustration and definitely not in a talking mood. He walks past her and disappears into the house. This silent retreat she has come to recognize is a definitive signal that the One Man Tartan Army needs to be left alone. Deep down she knew his instincts were right, the whole scenario had Senester’s stench on it. Butch had the weight of the world on his shoulders, “as fuking usual” she thought. The World Heavyweight Championship and all its responsibilities to juggle, Michael James and his absurd rhetoric of disrespect and delusions, and now thrown on to the pile Michael Dredge and this situation with he and Senester and that damn call he made to Butch days ago at Havoc. Why the fuk did he have to call her husband?
She thought…let him deal with Senester himself, he damn sure wasn’t around when Senester had his claws in Butch. She calms herself, her initial frustrations for the concern of her Butch’s mental well being trumped her sensibility. What Dredge and Kate were going through is horrific, as a new mom herself she can only imagine. As a mom she’s quickly become an expert multitasking. She’s gulping down her shake, turning on her tabled, grabbing a bag of her frozen breast milk from the fridge to warm and putting Butch’s vodka glass in the dishwasher. She tries to distract herself with the HWA website, and naturally runs into Michael James’ ranting.
(Wisdom): I give you credit Michael…I think you’re going for the Guinness World Record of running your mouth the longest, and a second for doing it the longest with nothing coming out but lies. Butch isn’t afraid of you. He’s not laying low and hiding from you. He hasn’t disrespected you, and he damn sure doesn’t fear you. I don’t know what kind of questions this debate at Havoc is going to throw out, but meandering around his hometown and chatting it up with the locals isn’t going to put any answers in your back pocket.
Wisdom’s jaw drops finally clicking on a image that shows James’ sharpie artwork and the detail he so precisely crafted around her mouth.
(Wisdom): You son-of-a-bytch! Fuk you! You’re in for a rude awakening at Road to Ruin…this world that you think revolves is going to come to a screeching halt. There’s a reason you were out of the wrestling game and spotlight for a while before you’re return. You can be as “undefeated” as you like, it doesn’t make you great. When you taste bitter defeat, when you come get up off the mat man, when you walk away with dignity, that’s what makes you great. Men like you are a dime a dozen. You come in a place strong and hot, and the moment you get knocked off your little pedestal you tuck tail and run…you head for greener pastures to start the cycle all over again. Bring mouthwash with you to Road to Ruin…this cucle is about to end, and you won’t like the taste of defeat.
Wisdom ends and sends the recording just as Evina begins to cry. She chugs down her shake that Butch made and then heads over for Evina’s feeding as the scene fades to black.
Message Thread
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