His thoughts were a tumultuous sea, each wave crashing against the shore of his consciousness with questions and doubts. A career that had once burned so brightly now seemed to flicker, on the verge of being extinguished. The cheers and adulation he heard during his match had been replaced by a deafening silence that threatened to engulf him.
As the minutes ticked by in lonely contemplation, the only sound was the soft rustling of his clothes as he shifted in his seat. The world of the arena, a place that had been his stage for so many triumphs, now felt like a hollow shell, echoing with the haunting spectres of his past.
Just when the shadows of despair threatened to consume him, a small voice, filled with innocence and wonder, broke through his melancholy thoughts. "Daddy, what's up?" Stu-E looked up, and there stood his daughter Laney, her eyes wide with curiosity, her face illuminated by the soft glow of the remaining stage lights.
He tried to muster a smile, his weariness temporarily forgotten in the presence of the one person who could still bring warmth to his heart. He reached out a hand, and Laney hopped up to sit beside him. "Darling," he began, his voice cracking with a mixture of sadness and tenderness. "Dad just had a tough night at the office."
Laney gazed at him, her innocence unwavering, and in her eyes, he saw a reflection of hope and unconditional love. "But it was an awesome match, Daddy," she said with a reassuring smile. "You're the best, and sometimes the best has to lose to remember how to win."
Stu-E Price's heart swelled with pride and gratitude as he wrapped his arms around his daughter, hugging her tightly. In that moment, he realized that no matter the highs and lows of his career, the love and support of his family would always be his greatest source of strength. The empty arena began to fade into the background, and the spotlight was on the two of them.
“Did I do good?” asked Laney, which caught her Dad off guard. “You were great, you stayed out of it, like I asked.” He ruffles her hair slightly, as she proudly smiles back at him before hesitating, almost like she was going to say something, but changed her mind.
“I wanted to help, but remembered what you said, Daddy.” Price looks down at his daughter and lets out a sigh of relief that she didn’t try and get involved. He clasps her little hand in his.
“Laney, it’s not the time or the place for you to be getting involved in wrestling matches. It’s not what we’re about. It’s one thing to use your knowledge to defend yourself, it’s something completely different to go into business for yourself, ok?”
She glances down at the floor, although her Dad missed it, the camera just catches her rolling her eyes. “Yes, Daddy; I know.”
As they make their way from the cheap seats, their silhouettes move against the backdrop of dimmed lights and shadowy rows of vacant chairs. They descended the stairs, their footsteps echoing softly in the hallowed space, a quiet transition from the grandeur of the stadium to the intimate proximity of ringside.
As they got closer, the ring itself came into view, bathed in a dim, moody light, with the ropes glistening in the spotlight's glow. Stu-E couldn't help but glance at the canvas, still bearing the marks of the fierce battle that had taken place earlier in the evening. It was a poignant reminder of the struggle and determination that defined his career.
With Laney by his side, they walked along the edge of the ring, and for a moment, he placed his hand on the cold, unforgiving steel steps that led into the ring, feeling the same hard, unyielding surface that had been both his ally and adversary in countless matches.
The two continued their journey, making their way to the rampway, which led back up to the backstage area. The soft echo of their footsteps against the cold metal ramp provided an almost comforting rhythm, a reminder of the well-trodden path that had been a part of their lives for so long.
As they reached the top of the ramp, a curtain of darkness lay ahead, behind which lay the bustling world of backstage. Stu-E took a deep breath, his resolve renewed by Laney's unwavering support. He tightened his grip on her hand and, with a determined stride, pushed the curtain aside, revealing the chaotic and energized atmosphere of the backstage area.
The sounds of excited chatter, the scent of sweat and anticipation, and the hustle and bustle of the ring crew greeted them. Stu-E and Laney made their way through the backstage labyrinth, navigating the maze of dressing rooms and corridors. Though the loss still lingered in his thoughts, he couldn't help but feel a spark of hope reignite within him.
“Stu-E!” came the shout from a hallway, it was an HWA camera crew who were packing away but sought to get some last-minute interview time. Price glanced at his watch, realised that he had a few minutes to kill and headed towards them.
“Just a few words about tonight, we’ll edit it together later.”
As they set the camera up, Stu-E cleared his throat and took a deep breath, waiting for that little red light to pop on, as soon as it ignites, he’s ready to go, with a wry smile on his face he sarcastically claps his hands in applause.
“Well done, Sean, you finally managed to get a win against an old bastard like me, at the third time of asking. Even better, it was clean and nobody got involved. What have I always said to you, Laney?”
He glances down at his daughter who smiles, “If you can’t do something the first time, you just need to practice more until you can.” Comes the reply, her Dad just smiles before continuing on.
“Joking aside, thank you for a great match, I’m sure the neutrals absolutely loved it. I heard through the grapevine that it was muttered on commentary that to beat me makes you a main event guy. The difference being that when I beat you, it was just to be expected, wasn’t it.”
Price shrugs his shoulders.
“Truth be told after the show I was sat in that arena thinking about where I go from here because this is a young man’s business. I’ve came back, I’ve had some banging matches but with everything going on around the HWA management I’m having a hard time keeping my conscience clear. At my age your tolerance to bullshit drops significantly and I don’t know how many media runs I can do glossing over people’s actions who frankly, should know better.”
Price looks up to the ceiling, “You know what lads, I need a beer.”
With that he turns around and walks away holding Laney’s hand, leaving the camera crew somewhat dumbfounded.
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