As the clock strikes 10am, the carnival springs to life with a lively display of dancing in the bustling market square. Stu-E and Laney join the cheerful crowd, their bodies swaying to the infectious rhythm of the music. Laney's laughter fills the air, her energetic spirit contagious as she twirls and dances and pops out cartwheels.
The parade begins, with colourful people adorned in bright colours showing their allegiance to whichever charity or community association they’re tied to. With streamers and balloons, they’re joined by students from local dance schools who will be performing later in the day as they parade through the streets of Darlington. Stu-E and Laney cheer along with the enthusiastic spectators, their eyes dazzled by the vibrant costumes and imaginative displays. Laney's face lights up with wonder as she catches glimpses of princesses, superheroes, and fantastical creatures passing by.
The procession leads them to Stanhope Park, where the heart of the carnival awaits. The park is transformed into a wonderland of joy, filled with a variety of fairground rides and stalls representing local charities. The aroma of cotton candy and popcorn fills the air, enticing their senses.
Laney's eyes widen with excitement as she takes in the array of amusement rides. Stu-E, always generous, readily indulges his daughter's enthusiasm, spending a small fortune on tickets for her to go on whatever ride she desires. Together, they embark on thrilling adventures, spinning on colourful carousels, soaring through the air on bouncy castles, and laughing joyfully as they make their way around.
The lively stalls catch their attention, each one offering games and prizes. Laney's luck seems to be in her favour as she wins goodies from the tombola, skilfully hooks ducks for prizes, and aims accurately to drench unsuspecting police officers in the sponge-throwing booth, all in the spirit of charity.
With her face painted in vibrant hues, Laney's imagination takes flight as she transforms into a whimsical glittery butterfly. She bounces with delight on flapping her arms like wings, in between dancing around and more rolling cartwheels. Stu-E watches with a heart filled with love and pride, cherishing these precious moments with his daughter and just hoped his eldest Daughter could be with them.
Throughout the long day, Stu-E and Laney have created lasting memories, their bond growing stronger with every shared experience. They explore the stalls, supporting local charities by purchasing trinkets and treats, and share laughter and joy with fellow carnival-goers. As the sun begins to set, casting a warm glow over the park, Stu-E and Laney take a final stroll, hand in hand. They reflect on the day's adventures, sharing stories and relishing in the happiness they share.
As they head home, exhausted but elated, the echoes of laughter and the vibrant spirit of the carnival linger in their minds. The Darlington carnival has brought father and daughter closer together, creating a treasure trove of moments that they will cherish, hopefully until next year when the carnival returns.
As Stu-E and Laney make their way back to Laney's mom's house, the weariness of the long day and the scorching heat begin to take their toll on Laney's energy. Her steps slow down, and a hint of fatigue starts to show on her face. The once vibrant and cheerful demeanour begins to wane, replaced by a touch of moodiness.
Stu-E notices the change in Laney's disposition and instantly knows she is feeling tired and drained. He kneels down to her eye level, his caring gaze meeting hers. With a gentle smile, he reassures her, "Laney, I know it's been a long day, and it's hot out here. We'll be home soon, okay?"
Laney nods, her exhaustion evident in her drooping shoulders and tired eyes. Stu-E reaches out and takes her hand, offering his support and understanding. "Come on, darling, walk a bit faster and we’ll rest at your house." She just looks up at him, it’s rare to catch her anything but respectful but in that brief moment her crown slips a bit and she definitely looks like an eight year old going on eighteen.
As they continue their journey, Stu-E tries to keep the conversation light, distracting her with stories and jokes, trying to bring back a flicker of her usual spark. He offers words of encouragement and reminds her of the fun they’ve had at the carnival.
Laney's mood begins to lift slightly as she finds solace in her father's comforting presence. She leans against him, finding comfort in his steady and reassuring presence. Stu-E continues to support her, walking with her and providing the understanding and patience she needs.
As they finally reach Laney's mom's house, Stu-E reminds her to put her things away and keep the house tidy. They go through the front door and step into the front room of Laney's house, a wave of joy washes over Laney's face as she sees her mother lying on the couch. The sight of her mam, finally out of the hospital, brings a renewed sense of happiness and relief to Laney.
Her eyes have light up, and a wide smile spreads across her face as she rushes towards her mam and gives her a giant hug. Although Alex was no longer one of Stu-E’s favourite people in the World, he still smiled and felt the power of the mother-daughter embrace.
With a gentle smile, Alex welcomed them both, her voice filled with warmth and love. She reaches out to hold Laney's hand, assuring her that she's home and feeling much better. The room fills with a sense of comfort and tranquillity, Laney’s tiredness fading away in the presence of their togetherness.
In this moment, the front room becomes a sanctuary of love and happiness. Laney and her mam savouring the simple yet profound joy of being together once again. Understanding the significance of Laney's mam finally being home, Stu-E decides to give them some space to catch up and reconnect. He looks at Alex with a warm smile, expressing his happiness for her return.
Stu-E: "It's so great to see you back together again. Good to see you’re on the mend and home, and I know Laney feels the same way."
Alex nods appreciatively, her eyes filled with gratitude, “Thank you, Stuart. Just glad to be back home with my girls. We have a lot to catch up on, and I'm looking forward to spending some quality time together."
Stu-E: "Absolutely. I'll leave you two to it then. Take all the time you need. If there's anything I can do, don't hesitate to let me know."
Alex smiles and nods, their unspoken appreciation for each other's role in Laney's life evident. “Thanks for looking after Laney for me, I know it was difficult with you just signing that deal to go back to wrestling, how’s it all going?”
Price smiles, "Don’t worry about it. It's been great, she's done amazing, Alex; the fans love her, she’s selling T-shirts all over the country and she’s listened to what I’ve told her about what to say and do, she’s almost like a natural!"
With that, Stu-E gives Laney a loving hug, whispering in her ear how much he loves her and how proud he is of her. Laney reciprocates the embrace tightly, cherishing the bond they share.
“We’ll have a chat later about it all, about what the future might hold for her. I’ve got to do a couple of things like book my flights back to the States, so like I said, I’ll leave you to it.”
As Stu-E walks towards the front door, he glances back one last time, seeing the smiles exchanged between Laney and Alex. A sense of fulfilment and gratitude fills his heart as he senses the importance of family and the power of love.
Leaving the house, Stu-E closes the front door softly behind him, carrying with him the warmth of the reunion and the assurance that Alex is home and on the path to recovery. With a grateful heart, he heads down the street, knowing more precious moments together will come.
Stu-E, after leaving Laney's house, decides to stop by The Brinkburn pub for a moment of relaxation and perhaps catch up with some friends. It’s a generic ‘brand’ pub which means it is owned by a national pub who like their venues to have the same décor, the same drinks range and the same food range up and down the country. Pleasantly decorated and clean, but there’s hundreds of venues up and down the country all very similar. He walks through the door and is greeted by the lively atmosphere of the pub. The sound of laughter, clinking glasses, and the aroma of freshly poured pints fills the air.
He spots some of his old friends sitting at a table in the corner, four of them engaged in a friendly conversation. Stu-E joins them with a smile on his face, happy to unwind and share some light-hearted moments.
"Bloody hell, Stuart; where have you come from?” asks Peter, normally Stu-E lets people know he’s going to the pub. “I’ve just took Laney to the carnival, then I got the message that her Mam was out the hospital.” They raise their glasses in a toast, and all almost shout together, “We’ll drink to that!” in celebration of the joyous reunion.
"Cheers indeed!” says Stu-E, “Laney was over the moon when she saw Alex on the couch. Now what’s everyone having?” His friends merely look at him with a funny look on their faces, they haven’t changed their drinks in years. Price just laughs and heads over to the bar to order the drinks.
As he’s waiting to be served, he enjoys the lively ambiance of the pub, savouring the many moments of camaraderie he’s shared with his friends in this very building. In that moment, surrounded by laughter and friendship, Stu-E feels grateful for the love in his life, both from his daughter and his friends. The pub has always been a place of solace, where he can temporarily set aside any worries and simply enjoy the company of those he cares about.
As the evening progressed, Stu-E savoured the friendly piss-taking of each other, cherishing the sense of belonging and the bonds forged over years of shared experiences. As the night winds down, Stu-E leaves The Brinkburn with a contented smile, grateful for the joyous moments he shared with his friends and the support he has in his life. He heads to his parents’ house, knowing that he will have to make a decision about Laney, he does cherish every moment they have together but it’s not what about what he feels, it’s about what Laney and her mother feels.
Thinking about Laney brought him right back to the upcoming Havoc and the latest ramblings of Steven Angel, although they were rather brief. Price takes out his mobile phone and starts recording as he’s walking down Brinkburn Road, a heavily residential area but at midnight it’s devoid of noise.
“For your information, bud, where I’m going won’t need a headstone. When it’s my time to bugger off to the wrestling ring in the sky this handsome bastard is getting cremated and once that’s done I’ll be getting shipped off to an undisclosed location where my ashes are taken in to space and released. As the World turns my ashes return all over the globe. So years from now you could be anywhere on this planet and all of a sudden you’ll start coughing because somehow something just drifted in to your mouth, which must happen a lot considering how much you absolutely suck! From the day I die every time you cough randomly when you’re out and about you’ll have to wonder if a little bit of me hasn’t drifted back into your breathing space, just to mess with you again.”
Price smiles, when he pressed record, he didn’t exactly know where this was going, maybe he should have drawn the line at 8 beers and three single malt whiskys.
“If you want to watch my matches so badly, Steven, all you’ve got to do is sign up for nine dollars and ninety nine cents monthly subscription to my ‘only wrestling’ fans page because people like me are a premium compared to someone like you. Your body of work is readily available, all I need to do to is give Maffew a call and ask him to let me watch the dumbest Botchamanias of all time.”
Stu-E winks and gives a thumbs up to Maffew.
“Since there’s nobody around, right now, let me show how our match is going to end up, sunshine. Even Fight Club will have nothing on this!”
Price looks across the street and spots a small police parking cone, he jogs across the street and picks it up, placing it on his head mimicking Fallen’s cowboy hat.
“Yeah! I’m Fallen, and I don’t like you Pricey! I need to win so I don’t have to go back to line dancing!” He mimics his accent, which isn’t terrible but isn’t the best either. With his free hand he moves it around so it comes in to camera view as a fist and punches himself gently in the jaw before dramatically tumbling to the floor, his ‘hat’ flying off. The view is now looking directly up at the clear night sky which is illuminated by the moon as the scene fades out you hear Stu-E’s questionable attempt at Fallen’s accent.
“Help! I’m Fallen! And I can’t get up!”
Message Thread
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