Off-Camera

Monday, November 4, 2019
New Apartment of Crystal Hilton
Las Vegas
2:24 PM  PST



This was a little different.

Seleana Zdunich had woken up this morning to find that she and her wife were coming to Las Vegas on what amounted to a whim. Her wife, fellow SCW wrestler Christina “Crystal Hilton” Zdunich, was convinced they were in dire financial straits due to moves made at the conclusion of 2018. Having given away all of her wrestling income and lost some, if not all, of her studio income, Christina was feeling the pinch of living high on the hog without the income to justify it on her own.

Seleana knew this was because of the idea that Christina wanted to be the provider, that it was driving her crazy to not be able to give them everything she, Christina, thought they should have and there was nothing Seleana could say to change her wife’s mind. Arguing with her would just make Christina feel worse because it would reinforce the idea that she was inadequate.

Now, as Seleana sits in their new apartment while Christina is off at her new dayjob, waitressing at the Golden Ring Casino, she sits on the couch scanning the television until her phone rings to pull her out of her momentary fugue.

Seleana Zdunich: Heya, how’s it?

The voice of her financial adviser, Linda Anstee, meets her ears with its usual happy tone.

Linda Anstee: Hey, Seleana, how are you?

Seleana sets the television remote down and nods to the phone.

Seleana Zdunich: Keen to get my mind off where I am, Chickie.

Linda laughs in response.

Linda Anstee: Did the Las Vegas move happen?

Seleana nods.

Seleana Zdunich: We have not “downsized” yet but it is still being discussed. I do not understand why she thinks she needs to do this but I know she does feel like she has to and there will be no dissuading her so here we are.

Linda goes silent for a second and then seems to catch on quickly.

Linda Anstee: Has she changed her spending habits?

Almost immediately, Seleana shrugs.

Seleana Zdunich: I do not know, our money has never interacted. She has offered me access a few times, I have several credit cards that are tied in with hers but I have never used them for anything aside from streaming subscriptions just to keep them active. Netflix is on one, Amazon Prime on another, Hulu on another. I wanted to keep things simple with them in case they ever required quick cancelling.

Linda’s voice takes on an approving tone.

Linda Anstee: After last year, I would say that was a prudent move. Has she stopped giving away all of her wrestling income?      

Seleana shrugs all over again.

Seleana Zdunich: I do not know, I have never gotten into that with her. Sometimes I think I should because it might help assuage her fears but there are others where i think it would do more harm than good because, once again, it would reinforce her apparent sense of inadequacy. I do not know how to convince her that I would be just as happy in an apartment like this as I would be in her Hollywood Hills mansion.

She trails off, pausing to consider a new idea.

Seleana Zdunich: Perhaps I should ask Halo, she might understand better than I would. She has been homeless multiple times and is used to being poor so she might understand Christina’s obsession with status symbols.

Linda pauses to consider this as well.

Linda Anstee: That might not be a bad idea. If the young lady really has been in that situation, she might give you an insight you would never consider.

Seleana nods to herself.

Seleana Zdunich: She was overjoyed at just achieving the pickup truck she drives. It was her dream car, she had a picture of it on her wall the second she moved in the way other people have a picture of their own mansion or a Lamborghini.

She pauses and just shakes her head in amazement.

Seleana Zdunich: But Halo didn’t want any of that, she just wanted to be able to buy herself a Ford pickup truck so, for her birthday, we got her a brand new F150 Raptor…

Linda almost gasps.

Linda Anstee: Wow…

Seleana nods again, this time looking somewhat guilty.

Seleana Zdunich: Sometimes I wonder if maybe it was a mistake to take that away from her. She was working towards that as a goal and just as she was getting there, we gave it to her and she never got to have the satisfaction of doing it on her own.

Without hesitation, Linda quickly jumps in.

Linda Anstee: Don’t do that to yourself, Seleana. I’m sure she would have said something if she was upset by it. Has it hurt her drive?

Seleana shakes her head.

Seleana Zdunich: No, if anything, her drive has increased since she was given the gift.

Linda seizes on this opening.

Linda Anstee: See, you took nothing from her. You gave her the reward she wanted after she had put in the work and now she’s rewarding you by not getting complacent about it.

Seleana nods slowly.

Seleana Zdunich: I suppose you are right. How are we doing on the buy back project?

Keystrokes are heard as Linda promptly switches back to workmode.

Linda Anstee: We have managed to get approximately ten percent back with orders in on another two percent. There’s a few more floating around, the trick will just be in not jumping on all of them at once. You might have as much as twenty percent back in your coffers by Thanksgiving. The part that is helping is that the valuations for that company continue to drop as long as those two are publicly in charge. It’s obvious that investors are not crazy about the idea of someone aside from Crystal Hilton fronting this company and they’re even less happy with the idea of her replacement being these two people.  

Seleana nods, taking this all in.

Seleana Zdunich: Good…

Her hand balls into fist that almost plunges down onto the couch.

Seleana Zdunich: Diamant…

Seleana stops herself, seemingly embarrassed at the angry tone that had just crept into her voice.

Seleana Zdunich: I almost used a word that is frowned upon heavily in my country. I apologize for allowing my personal feelings to overwhelm me.

Linda almost can’t believe her ears.

Linda Anstee: If it’s the one I’m thinking of, I don’t think I’ve ever heard you use it before.

Seleana nods apologetically.

Seleana Zdunich: I will try to keep it that way, Chickie. Keep up looking on that project. The last statements you sent me said we are doing well aside from that so if the opening presents itself, we should take the opportunity.

Linda types some more.  

Linda Anstee: Do we have a target for how much you want back and when you want that by?

Seleana shrugs nonchalantly.

Seleana Zdunich: In a perfect world I would get it all back but I know this is not such a place. I will settle for what opportunity comes forward and if, somehow, a miracle places itself in my path, I will accept it graciously.

The typing stops.

Linda Anstee: I’ll see what we can do but I won’t promise you I can shoot the moon on this.

Seleana nods appreciatively./

Seleana Zdunich: I know. Thank you for what you do, Linda, in everything. I appreciate it.

Linda’s voice brightens.

Linda Anstee: Thank you for appreciating it. I’ll call you in a  couple of days with a progress report.

Seleana nods once more.

Seleana Zdunich: Okej, tack, Linda.

The call ends and Seleana nods to herself.

Seleana Zdunich: I will find a way…  




On-Camera

Friday, November 8, 2019
Office of Seleana Zdunich
Zdunich Zoological Gardens
Los Angeles, California
8:27 PM  PST




The camera opens on Seleana Zdunich standing in her office in a set of black workout shorts, black sports bra and a pair of black Nikes.

Seleana Zdunich: So, here we are, once again, someone else has walked into the room and made things all about my wife…

She pauses before raising a hand palm out to the camera.

Seleana Zdunich: I understand that my wife was here long before I was and that her name carries weight that mine does not because of her history and I do not have that history.

Her hand lowers as she shakes her head grimly.

Seleana Zdunich: But I am not my wife. I will never be my wife so I do not try to be my wife. I am slo not Alicia Lukas and I do not pretend to be. Alicia Lukas was competing in this sport while I was still sitting back at Ohana Park in Christchurch and had not even had my first thought of step[ping into the ring. I will never be her because I will never have her story, i will never have her trajectory. My career path is mine and mine alone and I will carve it out in my own way.

Her glare intensifies.

Seleana Zdunich: You can tell me to grow a spine if you wish but that means I just main evented High Stakes against Alicia Lukas in the third chapter of a trilogy without one…

Her hand raise up, left one held out as if it’s a list with her right pointing down said list.

Seleana Zdunich: Not my wife, not my stepdaughter, not Jessie Salco, not Sam Marlowe, not Mercedes Vargas, not Sierra Williams, not Apple Coren, not Team Hero, not the Cubic Zirconia, no one else.  

She points to herself angrily.

Seleana Zdunich: I did that! Whether anyone else likes it or not, I did!    

Her index finger slowly moves away from her chest and points to the floor.  

Seleana Zdunich: I did not beg my way into the title picture. I did not ask my way in. From day one, I said I wanted to earn my way the hard way and eventually, I did, three times! All it would have taken to keep me out was one person who was put in my way beating me when it mattered and the only one who could is the one holding the championship right now, so spare me the I should walk away from the championship picture. I never walked into it in the first place and if I have to wait to earn my way back to it again, I will. I have no problem putting in the work now that I am at the bottom of the mountain looking up again. I’ve been here before and I know the fall won’t kill me!

She looks away, nodding slowly to herself.

Seleana Zdunich: You’re right, I do have that record in championship matches here in SCW while I would say is not bad for someone who has only been here for a year and a half and has only been wrestling in general for two years. Some would say it’s a disappointment…

Turning back to the camera, she points to herself again.

Seleana Zdunich: But I say I would not change a thing! If I did not suffer the setbacks I have, if I did not fail when I have or as often as I have, I would have never been in the position I was in succeed in the first place!

Her hand falls back to her side.

Seleana Zdunich: Did Alicia beat me?

Seleana nods emphatically.

Seleana Zdunich: Yes, and fairplay to her. Alicia Luaks is a badass champion and something to aspire to for everyone in this sport!

She pauses and shakes her head as the camera zooms in slightly.

Seleana Zdunich: But I do not want to be her. I do not want to be my wife, my stepdaughter or anyone else! I am happy to be me and I want to be the best me I can be!

She nods as she points to the camera, almost wagging her finger as she does so.

Seleana Zdunich: And I will show you this, Amelia, when I see you in the ring. I have been champion before and whether you, or anyone else, likes it, I am not going away!    

She points to herself one more time.

Seleana Zdunich: I am Seleana “The Cat” Zdunich and it is time to remind everyone that I have claws too!





     



 

 Off-Camera

Wednesday, September 4, 2019
Renaissance Aruba Resort & Casino
Oranjestad, Aruba  
6:30 AM  AST



The beach.

It was a place Seleana Zdunich had visited a lot over the years. Living on an island for a decade tended to open the opportunity to go often, especially when one worked with live animals and sometimes had to assist in rescues. Now with Climax Control coming to Aruba, it was almost enough to give Seleana flashbacks.  

Seleana Zdunich: Vacker…

As she stares out at the water, her daughter-in-law, Haylie Joe “Halo Williams” Annis comes walking onto the beach as well wearing a bikini top, bicycle shorts and white Nikes, matching Seleana’s outfit as well. Seleana nods as the two women slide on tube tops.

Seleana Zdunich: You are ready for this, ja?

Halo nods slowly.

Halo Williams: Y’all ain’t still sore at us over Southern Rebellion?

Seleana sighs heavily.

Seleana Zdunich: As I said then, I should have seen that coming. Brittany does not enjoy chances at losing especially when she is by your side. I should have prepared Z for those tactics.

Halo nods slowly again.

Halo Williams: Is she upset?

Frowning slightly, Seleana stretches out her arms.

Seleana Zdunich: Zenna?

Halo nods quickly, starting her own stretching routine as well.

Halo Williams: Yeah…

Seleana shrugs.

Seleana Zdunich: More at herself than anything else. She did not see that coming and afterwards she admitted she should have. I told her we both should have since she has watched and I have been in the ring with Brittany multiple times.

Halo nods as she continues to stretch out.

Halo Williams: Didn’t expect that shit from family, did she?  

Seleana quickly shakes her head.

Seleana Zdunich: No, but then I think Shenzi has only wrestled family twice before. I think she had a match with Li once many years ago and then we have wrestled you and Brittany as a team. As far as I know, she has never wrestled Maja now has she wrestled Eavan or Christina even though they have been in the same company more than once now.

Halo ponders this, looking slightly confused.

Halo Williams: Wow…

As the two seemingly start to finish their stretches, Halo crouches down.

Halo Williams: Are you going to be ready for Alicia Lukas this time?

Seleana shrugs.

Seleana Zdunich: That is not who i fight next. Sierra Williams is.

Halo shakes her head.

Halo Williams: I’m surprised she ain’t called Brit and her daddy the bane of the family name’s existence! God knows everyone else seems to shit on us a lot over the family!

Seleana nods sadly.

Seleana Zdunich: It happens. We are guilty by association. There is nothing we can do about what all has happened in the past. Christina, Brittany, Todd, they have all done things that others hold against them. We cannot know the…

Halo nods as Seleana trails off.

Halo Williams: We ain’t know how many eggs they broke but we know eggs done got smashed into that omelet skillet and the omelet got itself cooked up with them in the vicinity, right?

Seleana takes this in and then nods quickly, knowingly, almost smiling as she does.

Seleana Zdunich: Ja, that is truth.

Halo smirks.

Halo Williams: Y’all right, Mama Sel, we ain’t got a fuckin’ clue how many eggs they broke.

She pauses and then smirks even more knowingly than before.

Halo Williams: Knowin’ Brit, it was probably the whole damn coop and God bless her, but her Mama done thrown a few so I ain’t surprised people throw a few back. Miss Alicia done sounded all offended to have to get in the ring with y’all again.

Seleana’s shoulders move up and down almost as if a wave is washing over her.

Seleana Zdunich: I do not know if she will be offended again now. She might, but what is there to be done about it? The contendership was attached whether any of us liked it or not and now we are set to fight for a third time.

Halo Williams: You think she’ll throw Mama Crys back in your face again?

Seleana stares out at the sea.

Seleana Zdunich: Is it really throwing back in my face when it is truth? I defeated her, but there were extenuating circumstances that meant there would always be something to question. That is why I have to keep working. I have reached that level, but I failed to keep it. I failed to silence the critics…

Halo nods.

Halo Williams: Thus, we’re runnin’ out here at butt o’clock in the mornin’?

Seleana nods.

Seleana Zdunich: So, ready, Champ?

Halo grins back at her mother-in-law.

Halo Williams: Y’all know it!

Seleana nods and the two take off down the beach, both trying to beat the other to the selected finish line.  



On-Camera

Friday, September 6, 2019
Sun Princess Cruise Ship  
State Room
9:14 AM  PDT



The camera opens on Seleana Zdunich standing on the beach in a pair of black bicycle shorts, a black sports bra, and white Nikes with her hair tied back in a ponytail.

Seleana Zdunich: You are right, Sierra. I failed.

She nods grimly.

Seleana Zdunich: I have failed at many things in my life. I failed repeatedly at school, and yet I graduated all the same. I failed at work in New Zealand more than once and sometimes it cost somthing a life. I failed as a friend, as a boss, as a sister, as a girlfriend and I’m sure there are some who would say I fail at life in general simply for who I chose to marry.

She pauses and almost laughs to herself.

Seleana Zdunich: There would be others who would argue these things with me but you are right, Sierra, I have failed…

Seleana stares dead into the camera.

Seleana Zdunich: I have failed repeatedly and spectacularly.

Looking down to the sand, she nods to herself as if counting off a mental list.

Seleana Zdunich: In the last few years, most of my failures have been inside a wrestling ring because that has been where I spent most of my time but I never looked at any of my failures as a bad thing because failure is the only way you ever learn anything.

She looks back up into the camera.

Seleana Zdunich: When I stepped into a wrestling ring for the first time, the only thing I really knew about it was that my sister had entered one six years before that and ended up in a bad place in her life after. I had never seen one up close and had no concept of what it would take to become even remotely competent inside of one. I knew it would take time and that the odds were against me but that did not stop me.

She waves her right hand across the camera shot.

Seleana Zdunich: It was a new challenge, a new chapter that I would start and write and now two years later, there is no question. I belong in that ring and I belong in that ring with anyone they would have me step inside with.  

Seleana points to herself, jabbing herself in the chest.

Seleana Zdunich: I am the number one contender to the SCW World Bombshell Championship and I am a former holder of that championship. Did I get that reign under less than ideal circumstances?

She nods forcefully.

Seleana Zdunich: Yes and I have had to listen to people tell me that since the minute after the three count came down. I spent the week after that questioning myself and whether I was even really champion, but there was the belt in my hands and it was mine.

Stepping back slightly, she sighs heavily.

Seleana Zdunich: I lost it under less than ideal circumstances as well but I never complained because I knew, if I bet on myself, I could get back there again and I did! I earned a chance for a second one on one match with Alicia Lukas for that championship…

She nods in acknowledgement.

Seleana Zdunich: And yes, I failed that night to win it back and that is why I said I needed to prove the first one was no fluke! Alicia and I have met one on one for that championship twice and we have each won one but mine will always be questioned until and unless I manage to duplicate it without any gaga involved. Until I pin Alicia or whomever holds that championship at the time and I pin their shoulders to the mat on my own, with no intervening forces causing the champion to go down, I will always be questioned and I will always have to work to prove that it was no unfortunate twist of fate, that it was not simply an unlucky moment brought on by a sad grasp for attention!    

She looks up to the sky and ndos to herself before looking to the camera again.

Seleana Zdunich: And now I found my way into another opportunity and I did the same thing I have always done.

She nods forcefully, jabbing herself in the chest again.

Seleana Zdunich: I bet on myself because if i do not, who else will?

She reaches out and waves to encompass her surroundings.

Seleana Zdunich: So here we are, Aruba, you have the opportunity to prove you are more than just a tag team competitor, as everyone shoul;d already know, and I have the opportunity to grab the momentum as I get ready to challenge for the championship again! I will see you in the ring when we set the world afire and I should the world that a failure is not the end and show you that it is also not an insult! I am Seleana Zdunich and I am a failure…

The camera zooms in on her.

Seleana Zdunich: And damn proud of it!



 
   

 Off-Camera

Friday, July 19, 2019
Los Angeles, California
Hollywood Hills
The Home of Christina and Seleana Zdunich
7:05 AM  PDT



Seleana Zdunich sits on the couch looking over her travel bag as she gets ready to head out first for a football game and then for her match at Climax Control with Kate Steele and Daniela V. Rodgers. She starts to nod in succession as she goes down her checklist in her head. As she finishes and reaches or the zipper, she hears a deep sigh behind her. Turning to see the source of the sound, she finds her wife, Christina “Crystal Hilton” Lopez-Zdunich, moving closer to the couch but doing so in an uncharacteristically tentative manner, as if she’s waiting for Seleana to object.

Christina Lopez-Zdunich: Heyyyy

Seleana smiles sweetly for her wife. She knew it wasn’t likely to do any good with the mood Christina was in but she would try anyway.

Seleana Zdunich: Hej

Christina forces a small smile.

Christina Lopez-Zdunich: Hows my baby doing?

Taking the initiative, Seleana’s smile grows.

Seleana Zdunich: So proud of Halo!

Christina barely nods, moving in closer and taking a seat on the every edge of the couch next to Seleana on the right hand side.

Christina Lopez-Zdunich: I meant you…

She pauses, seemingly fumbling for what she really wants to say.

Christina Lopez-Zdunich: As my baby…

Fighting herself, Christina starts to tear up.

Christina Lopez-Zdunich: I…

Shaking her head, Christina grits her teeth, trying not to just lose herself in the moment.

Christina Lopez-Zdunich: I’m sorry for everything.

Seleana frowns in confusion.

Seleana Zdunich: For... everything?

Christina manages a nod and Seleana’s frown deepens right along with her level of confusion.

Seleana Zdunich: ¿Por que lo sientes?

Christina nods ever so slightly.

Christina Lopez-Zdunich: Yes.

Taking a deep breath, Christina sighs heavily.

Christina Lopez-Zdunich: Hurting you. Not being emotional enough. Being an awful wife.

Seleana takes her wife’s right hand into her own.

Seleana Zdunich: Christina, you need to stop worrying about being perfect. No necesitas ser perfecto. Para mí, ya lo eres. Te amo...

Christina looks away and Seleana squeezes her hand gently.

Seleana Zdunich: No necesitas darte una zapatería.

Seleana nods pointedly to her wife.

Seleana Zdunich: ¿Entiendes?  

Christina’s jaw clenches, still unable to look back at her wife. Seleana nods slowly to herself and takes a deep breath.

Seleana Zdunich: Jag vill älska dig, dela glädje och sorg med dig, och vara dig trogen, tills döden skiljer oss åt.

A tear rolls down Christina’s cheek and Seleana squeezes her hand again.

Seleana Zdunich: I meant it when I said that at our wedding. It has been a year’s time and I’m still here. Through everything that has happened, through everything you have had happen to you. I did not say I would love you only when it was easy. I did not say I would only remain here as long as there was only good things in it for me. I am not everyone else, Stjärna. I’m not abandoning you.

Seleana raises Christina’s hand and kisses it.  

Seleana Zdunich: You are my quarterback. Throw me the ball, I will catch it. Together we get touchdown! No matter what team we play for, I wear same jersey you do. We are team!

Christina turns and throws herself onto her wife, her face landing on Seleana’s chest as tears rush down her cheeks. Seleana wraps her arms around her now-sobbing wife and cradles her head gently.

Seleana Zdunich: Det är okej. Det är okej...  

As Christina continues to sob uncontrollably, Seleana kisses the top of her head and then starts to gently sing.

Seleana Zdunich: Sov på min arm! Natten gömmer
Under sin vinge din blossande kind.
Lycklig och varm snart du drömmer
Flyr mig i drömmen som våg flyr vind.

Fångas igen. Flämtar. Strider.
Vill inte. Vill. Och blir åter kysst.
Slumra min vän! Natten skrider.
Kärleken vaktar dig ömt och tyst.
 
Christina looks up to her and Seleana smiles sweetly.

Seleana Zdunich: Heeyyyyy…

Christina shakes her head.

Christina Lopez-Zdunich: I’m sorry, I’m so sorry!

Seleana kisses her on the lips.

Seleana Zdunich: You have nothing to be sorry for, Estrellita. You’ve been through quite a lot lately. I would be gutted as well. I would not be keen to see others and have to act like everything was as it was always before.

Christina sniffles and looks into her wife’s eyes.

Christina Lopez-Zdunich: I love you!

Seleana smiles back.

Seleana Zdunich: And I you.  

Christina snuggles in against Seleana’s chest just as before.  

Christina Lopez-Zdunich: Can… can you sing that again?

Seleana smiles and begins singing, this time gently rocking Christina as she goes.  

Seleana Zdunich: Sov på min arm! Natten gömmer
Under sin vinge din blossande kind.
Lycklig och varm snart du drömmer
Flyr mig i drömmen som våg flyr vind.

Fångas igen. Flämtar. Strider.
Vill inte. Vill. Och blir åter kysst.
Slumra min vän! Natten skrider.
Kärleken vaktar dig ömt och tyst.




On-Camera

Friday, July 19, 2019
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit Metro Airport
10:05 PM  EDT



The camera opens on Seleana Zdunich as she sits on a bench in the airport terminal as she awaits her flight out of Detroit following the football game with the Detroit Rampage. Seleana sighs as she sits up straight to look into the camera.

Seleana Zdunich: I really do not know sometimes…

She folds her hands together, lowering her head and nodding slowly at the floor.  

Seleana Zdunich: First, I was set to wrestle Daniela V. Rodgers and I was excited. This would be something new, something I had never done before. It was a new challenge and one I accepted and embraced without hesitation. Daniela looks to be a great talent with a pedigree and a résumé that says she is not to be taken lightly.

She glances up to make eye contact with the camera again.

Seleana Zdunich: I have never faced her and I always look forward to matches like that.

A small wan smile comes across Seleana’s face as she contemplates the now lost opportunity there.

Seleana Zdunich: And then the match was changed as Kate Steele was added to make it a triple threat match.

The smile fades away as quickly as it had arrived.

Seleana Zdunich: I don’t know if I should see this as a blessing or a reason to curse because if my own divided feelings on Kate.  

Her head bows as she nods to herself all over again.

Seleana Zdunich: It was not that long ago that Kate Steele was like many others. She was selfish, she was arrogant and she tried to hurt my wife and my stepdaughter just because she could and because she had some manufactured claim against them, which…

She almost laughs before looking up to the camera.

Seleana Zdunich: Let us be honest here, claims against them usually do not need to be manufactured. Both Christian and Brittany do enough to have legitimate claims against them, they do not need others to force new ones upon them.  

Nodding slowly, she looks back down to the floor.

Seleana Zdunich: That went on for a time and then, suddenly and without warning, Kate Steele starts texting, and messaging me to say she is sorry…

Her right hand shoots up as she shakes her head incredulously.

Seleana Zdunich: She even tweets it out and then says in wrestling promos. She said it again in preparation for this match but it seems every time she says it, something just makes it seem as if she either does not truly mean it or she pairs it with some other derogatory statement that renders its power incomplete and causes the need for an addendum or additional apologies that she does not seem to notice, or…

Seleana pauses.

Seleana Zdunich: If she does notice, she does not care to make these additions because it is possible she never cared in the first place and this was all a smokescreen designed to make her seem to be  more sympathetic as her husband continued down the other road, seemingly forsaking their sacred vows in the process.

She looks away, glancing at the windows in the distance.

Seleana Zdunich: I half expect there to be a Time Lord to pop out of a phone box any time now and start saying it’s all timey wimey and somehow Teddy will be redeemed without actually doing anything redemptive and just…

She puts on an exaggerated fake smile.

Seleana Zdunich: “Sorry! I fucked up!”

The smile fades away and she shakes her head in disgust.

Seleana Zdunich: Like all they need do is say the fans should love them now and the fans will do so because they waved their hands and…

She trails off as she waves her hand dismissively.

Seleana Zdunich: You know, many people accuse my wife and daughter of doing the same but they both have something you do not Kate. Christina has a documented mental illness and Brittany is a teenager and thus prone to uninformed and rash decision-making. What is your excuse aside from your husband is a curse so vile it is unmentionable in any language?

She shrugs as she looks into the camera.

Seleana Zdunich: Now, I understand wishing to remain loyal to your vows and stay in your marriage. I had to do the same earlier this year as you mentioned yourself more than once. The difference seems to be in our respective reactions to said marital problems. You call me unfocused but i am not the one who spent all of my time moping about. When my wife caused a problem for us, I simply did not go home until we were ready to actually speak on things. Until that could happen, I focused on work be it in the ring or at the zoo. I spent time with friends in need and every so often I allowed the waters to be tested with Christina but I never did anything to provoke the situation like you have.

Sitting back, her hands spread to ask a question.

Seleana Zdunich: So how are we to know if you are truly sorry?

Her hands drop to her knees as she stares straight into the camera.

Seleana Zdunich: How are we to know if that word coming out of your mouth actually means what you say it does or if it just means you think it will get you more than what you are really thinking about all of us?

Her right hand raises up and her index finger extends out to point accusingly into the camera.

Seleana Zdunich: Just today, you blew off both Daniela and I as unworthy without even saying the word. You barely paid Daniela any attention and you gave me a backhanded apology that was followed with a slap to the face.  

Shrugging disgustedly, Seleana cocks her head to the left, annoyance flowing off of her.

Seleana Zdunich: You know, Alicia Lukas and Mercedes Vargas do that as well but at least they are straight forward about it. Neither hides anything behind flowery words so that when they give credit, compliments or respect, you know they actually mean it because it does not come often. Daniela and I should just turn to face you when the bell rings and see which one of you has shown up, the one Griffin Hawkins stands by and says is worthy of spect and admiration or the one that tried to sneak around behind my wife’s back to go after her daughter for no real reason?

She nods as her hands land on her knees again.

Seleana Zdunich: I truly hope it’s the one Griffin speaks of because if it is, this match will be a wonderful contest and a challenge befitting all three of us. If it is not, I weep for all of us because it means you took what used to make you everything he says you are and flushed it for five minutes of fleeting glory that Alicia already made sure was worth nothing!  

Seleana stands up, glaring into the camera.

Seleana Zdunich: I want to like you, Kate. Please stop making it so damned hard to do! Please stop making, “Sorry,” be so necessary that it loses all meaning when coming from you! Please show up and be that girl that everyone truly wants you to be!

She nods as she glances away momentarily to hear an announcement inside the airport.

Seleana Zdunich: Daniela, I look forward to locking horns with you and I hope you are everything I have heard you can be and more. May Kate do us the respect of being better than she has been in many months’ time and may the three of us have a battle for the ages that will make the champions sit up and take notice!

She leans over to pick up her travel bag and nods to the camera.

Seleana Zdunich: I really do not wish to have a need to hear, “Sorry,” again.      
   

 Off-Camera

Tuesday, May 21, 2019
Laguna Beach, California
Home of Kate Bass
3:30 PM PDT



Family was something that was supposed to be there for you to pick you up when bad things happen. The word has been redefined many times but it almost always comes down to the type of adage, “It takes a village to raise a child.” The village, however it is defined, is the family and that family helps to mold and shape everything it touches.

For Seleana Zdunich, that word was becoming more and more confusing lately given certain actions that were occurring across both Sin City Wrestling and Sin City Underground. Now she found herself sitting with other people she considered family in Laguna Beach. Kate Bass was a woman who had married into a family that Seleana has once started down the path of doing the same until they had both lost that connection in September of 2017. As she sits in the children’s room of Kate’s home watching four small children, two of whom, twenty-three month-old Trinity and six-week-old Dustin, belonged to Kate while the other two belonged to the second woman sitting in the room with Seleana, Shay Kenyon. Shay had brought her seven-month-old twins, Jami Hope and Destiny Joy, and all four children were currently on the floor of the playroom. Trinity looked as if she was directing traffic without even meaning too as Jami and Destiny both tried out their newly discovered crawling abilities, Jami leading the way for her sister.

Little Dustin was enjoying his baby gym, slapping at the dangling plastic bits as if they were the most fascinating things his young eyes had ever managed to focus on. Trinity walks over to look at her brother, nods, apparently satisfied and then wanders off to look at one of her colorful picture books where she can keep a closer eye on the twins. As they watch all four small children seemingly enjoying themselves, Shay nods to Seleana.        

Shay Kenyon: Y’all think she’ll be ok?

Frowning in slight confusion, Seleana’s eyes remained glued to the children. The two of them had come after seeing Kate having what looked to them like a slight meltdown on Twitter and had rushed over to give the struggling new mom a hand as she continues to try and recover for an eventual return to the ring as an active wrestler.  

Seleana Zdunich: Kate?

Shay nods, hoping little Trinity wasn’t paying attention to them as they speak about her adoptive mother.

Shay Kenyon: Yeah....

Seleana glances back at the door of the room and then turns back to face Shay and the kids. Pondering this question for only a second, she nods almost too quickly.

Seleana Zdunich: I think she will thrive soon. She is a strong woman. We just need to help her a little sometimes when a moment becomes too much.

Shay nods in agreement.

Shay Kenyon: Yeah, I spose between a near two-year-old and a six-week-old baby, she’s gonna have herself a few, ain’t she?

Seleana shrugs as this was not something she had ever experienced herself first hand. She’d seen it with animals many, many times, but never with other humans and definitely not in herself.

Seleana Zdunich: How many did you have?

Shay sighs heavily, matching Seleana’s sigh of a few moments previous.

Shay Kenyon: A few, but I also had Lena right there with me and you in town, only a call away. Dean, Jessica, Dars, Cheri, Bethy, Ash and Khary called me a lot too as did my Mama. Miss Squeaky was basically in town, as were Miss Zoey and Miss Katarina too. Kate ain’t got all that. I mean…

Nodding in acknowledgement, Shay looks back towards the door

Shay Kenyon: Yeah, she’s got you, she’s got me, she’s got Tyler around some but she ain’t got that kind of full-on family thing I did.

Seleana nods to herself, pondering this answer.

Seleana Zdunich: Zoey and Katarina are still here as well. Claire has Katie back now, but you’re right, Chickie. She has no true family. I believe both of her parents have passed and her brother does not act as a brother should.

Shay almost laughs at this thought.

Shay Kenyon: Naw, he acts like a right asshole most times. Can’t forget Stacy either but she’s on the other side of the country so it’d take her a minute to get here if Kate needed something from her.

Seleana nods slowly, her face losing it’s usual smile and this is not lost on Shay.

Shay Kenyon: What’s wrong, Sel?

Taken aback, Seleana shakes her head.

Seleana Zdunich: What? Em, it is nothing.

Shay shakes her head firmly.

Shay Kenyon: Ain’t look like nothin’, Miss Sel. What’s eatin’ ya?

Seleana turns her attention to the children and manages a small smile as she watches Jami and Destiny taking a break from their crawling, having made it halfway across the room in their exploration.

Seleana Zdunich: I just…

She nods to the babies before them.

Seleana Zdunich: I wonder if I would understand more if I had my own.

Shay frowns in confusion all over again.

Shay Kenyon: Understand what?

Sighing again deeply, Seleana looks down to her feet looking almost embarrassed to have said anything.

Seleana Zdunich: Brittany, Christina, Alicia…

She shrugs and then turns to face Shay.

Seleana Zdunich: Everything.

Looking away to the babies again, Seleana shakes her head in equal parts confusion and disgust.

Seleana Zdunich: Did we not just… do... this?

She sucks in a sharp, deep breath, desperately trying to control herself in front of the children.

Seleana Zdunich: Did we not just spend the most of six months’ time with Brittany begging her mother not to come at me like this over Alicia?

Her right hand balls into a fist, though she resist the urge to pound it into her open left.

Seleana Zdunich: Did  we not just spend that same time with Christina trying to both justify and apologize for her actions in attacking me over Alicia Lukas and her championship?

She throws her hands up, visibly exasperated, before turning to face Shay again.

Seleana Zdunich: Is this all we are? Are we going to be reduced to being a broken home every time someone has a thought of becoming a champion?

She looks down to the floor, her eyes almost vacant and distant.

Seleana Zdunich: I do not know what to do because they all seem so…

Trailing off, she searches for the proper word to communicate her feeling.

Seleana Zdunich: Inconsistent.

Shay’s frown deepens.

Shay Kenyon: In what way?

Seleana’s gaze remains affixed to the floor.

Seleana Zdunich: One minute, Christina is perfectly happy as we are, the next she wants me to be the top because I’ve surpassed her and the very next she wants the top for herself. Brittany is the exact same way. One minute, she wants to kill her mother, the next she wants to BE her mother, and the next she wants to be the greatest thing ever and the only consistent thing about her every whim is that she wants it all immediately like it should be some microwavable type dish she can just add a little water to and it comes into being.    

Shay raises a hand.

Shay Kenyon: Hold up, surpassed?

Seleana nods, shrugging slightly as she does so.

Seleana Zdunich: She mentions it quite often actually, both as if it is natural and as if it is a great insult to her legacy in some way. I fail to see how a student’s success reflects poorly on that student’s teacher but sometimes, she seems to think it does.    

Shay nods slowly.

Shay Kenyon: And she thinks you’ve surpassed her?

Seleana nods back.

Seleana Zdunich: She speaks of it more often than she does trying to defeat Lukas. Both she and Brittany seem preoccupied that way…

Shay almost laughs.

Shay Kenyon: Like mama, like baby…

Seleana nods knowingly.

Seleana Zdunich: And Alicia cannot seem to decide if she is a nice woman or a fitta…

Shay frowns, having only heard this particular term once?

Shay Kenyon: What’s a fitta?

Seleana exhales heavily.

Seleana Zdunich: Coño…

Shay’s eyes light up with recognition. That was a term she was definitely familiar with having grown up in Texas around many Spanish-speaking people including her best friend, Darlyn Fajardo.

Shay Kenyon: Heard that word many times before, English and Spanish.

Shay can’t help but chuckle to herself as Seleana nods her agreement.

Seleana Zdunich: I had a co-worker in Christchurch called A.J. that said the word so often it almost became his name.

Shay stifles a much harder laugh.

Shay Kenyon: Really?

Seleana nods, seemingly relieved to be talking this memory rather than the previous subject matter.

Seleana Zdunich: He was from Australia and found new and innovative inflections for it almost daily. When he found out there were two others who especially did not like that word and that he also considered to be idiots, he would say it more often around them just to see their reactions.

Shay nods slowly, almost contemplatively, as if this is the only way she can keep herself from dissolving into a fit of hysterical laughter.  

Shay Kenyon: Did they disappoint?

Seleana shakes her head.

Seleana Zdunich: Never, especially the one who thought she could intimidate everyone. She talked to everyone, usually as if they were beneath her. One day she finally said to the wrong man at a concert and he shut her mouth for her for a month. She was never the same after, did not last much longer at her job.

Shay’s mouth falls open in surprise.

Shay Kenyon: Wow…

Seleana nods.

Seleana Zdunich: Shattered her whole world view of herself. Christina reminds me of her sometimes that way.

Shay nods.

Shay Kenyon: When she says that stuff about y’all havin’ surpassed her?

Seleana nods.

Seleana Zdunich: If she take that attitude in against Alicia Lukas, she will go down and go down badly. Brittany would probably not allow her to forget that failure until and unless Alicia then does that to her as well.  

Shay nods slowly, looking over to her girls who have slowed to almost nothing now.

Shay Kenyon: You think they’ll let y’all have your match? Like just you and Miss Alicia, one on one, no bullpucky this time?

Seleana looks to the babies and then sighs sadly.

Seleana Zdunich: Christina?

She pauses and then nods.

Seleana Zdunich: Ja, I think she will. Brittany?

Pausing again, Seleana ponders the question for a second and then shrugs sadly once again.

Seleana Zdunich: I do not know and I would…

She trails off as she searches momentarily for the proper word.

Seleana Zdunich: Lean… towards… no…

Shay looks at Seleana, suddenly alarmed.

Shay Kenyon: You really think she’d do you like that?  

Seleana nods without hesitation or satisfaction.

Seleana Zdunich: Ja, I think she would, especially with Halo, her father, his wife and his sister behind her. I think there is very real possibility Brittany do either to me or for me what her mother do last time I fight Alicia. I think it all depends on who she think she can beast herself better. If she thinks I am an easier pick, she would do exactly what her mother do last time and screw Alicia. If she think Alicia is easier, she would do that to me instead.

Shay nods, slowly, sadly.

Shay Kenyon: Y’all got a bet as to which is the truth?

Seleana nods just as sadly.

Seleana Zdunich: Ja, I do…

Shay watches Seleana’s face and nods knowingly.

Shay Kenyon: That bad, huh?

Seleana nods and Shay takes hold of her hand.

Shay Kenyon: Y’all’ll figure this one out, Miss Cat, even if you have to take Brit out behind the woodshed yourself. If she’s really bein’ a royal pain like you say, God knows she could use herself a good hidin’!

Seleana nods.

Seleana Zdunich: I wish it would not come to that.

Shay nods sympathetically even as she shrugs matter-of-factly.

Shay Kenyon: Well, my Daddy always said you can wish in one hand and shit in the other and you know which one is gonna fill up faster.

Seleana nods knowingly all over again.

Seleana Zdunich: I know, that is what I am worried about…

Shay pats her hand again as they turn to look at the babies, three of whom have now managed to fall asleep on the floor.

Shay Kenyon: Ain’t they darlin’?

Seleana manages a small smile.

Seleana Zdunich: Ja…  they are...  



On-Camera

Friday, May 24, 2019
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport
8:51 PM EDT



The camera opens on Seleana Zdunich as she sits in a seat near the departure gate of the Detroit Metro Airport as she waits for her flight home following the football game she had played in only a few hours earlier. Her wife, Christina, had played quarterback and thrown four touchdowns, the game winner to Seleana. Now, Seleana was ready to return home to ready herself to take on Alicia Lukas in Reno at Climax Control 237. She looks up to the camera and nods slowly, resignedly, wishing it was all different.  

Seleana Zdunich: I…

She inhales sharply and then lets it out slowly, trying to allow herself an extra few seconds of time to ponder the ideas floating in her head.

Seleana Zdunich: I really do not understand all of you sometimes…

She looks down to just below the camera’s lens.

Seleana Zdunich: All of you are just…

She folds her hands together and shakes her head again.

Seleana Zdunich: Brittany wants so desperately to be her mother and yet wants so desperately to not be her mother at the same time. Christina wants to hide who she is because she is terrified that it will never be good enough no matter how many accolades she accumulates, how much money she accumulates, how many toys she accumulates. Halo wants to prove she is not her parents so she won’t ever be who she used to be before she was allowed to make herself her own. Alicia Lukas didn’t want to be herself either so she fashioned a new name and made that name mean something. Kimberly and Jenny can’t decide if they want to be themselves or if they just want to be Todd’s playthings of one form or another and Todd just wants us all to be him with boobs.

She pauses, nodding to the camera knowingly, disgustedly.

Seleana Zdunich: Or jump on him as if his kuk is the most magisk kuk ever and will endow us all with magical powers by injection…

She waves her hands as if pitching a great story idea for a movie or a big time event.

Seleana Zdunich: See here, tonight only,  the Amazing Flying Swede as she somehow manages to swoop in out of the sky and cross the highest buildings, the widest chasms, every river known to mankind…

Nodding pointedly, Seleana lowers her hands and folds them in front of her again.

Seleana Zdunich:  And all she had to do was allow Todd Williams to make her his whore for a night and the world was a much better place for it, ja?

Rolling her eyes, she shakes her head in complete revulsion.

Seleana Zdunich: All of you seem to be focused on things that do not matter to what you seemingly want most. Christina focuses on everyone else’s success, especially my own and Brittany’s as if she should be frightened and threatened by both of these things instead of proud. As i have said many times before, she promised long ago to share success with me and while she does to some degree, she does not embrace it fully because there is a little voice in the back of her head that, for some reason, will not allow her to admit she already has what she always wanted. She cannot allow herself to admit she is a true success now and I do not understand why.

She looks down to her feet, inhaling deeply before looking back up to the camera.

Seleana Zdunich: Christina, you are not the silly little girl in Detroit that had to give up her athletic dreams because she allowed Todd Williams to play hide hamster.

She pauses and then shrugs to the camera almost sheepishly.

Seleana Zdunich: Did I get that one right, Shay?

She nods pointedly again and then stares directly into the lens.

Seleana Zdunich: You ARE a multi-time champion that has gotten herself into many halls of fame. You have a wonderful daughter that wants to be just like you so much, she has put an artificial deadline on herself to achieve everything you have just to say she got there! She wants to be you, to surpass you, to add to your legacy with her own and for you to be proud of ehr for doing it! You have a wife that loves you and a house that is so big, you constantly have other people coming to temporarily take residence in it alongside us. You have more money than you could ever spend and you have built what feels like four separate careers already and still, when you say your list of accolades as proof of why people should respect you, if they do not it is because they can see you do not actually believe in them yourself. They can see that you do not believe you earned all of this or that you deserve it. And since that is what you believe, many of them take your word for it and agree with you…

Looking down at the floor again, Seleana sits forward in her seat, resting her arms on top of her knees, her hands remaining folded together.

Seleana Zdunich: Brittany, I love you. You are the daughter I never got to have myself. You have something special with Halo…

She looks to her hands and then up to the camera.

Seleana Zdunich: I do not know if it is because of your father, because of your own insecurities or because you want this badly to be who you and many other people perceive your mother to be, but you are not helping yourself get where you want to go by doing what you are doing. Instead of focusing on who you should be focusing on in Alicia Lukas and making sure you are ready for her, you all but invited them to give your mother and I championship opportunities before you simply by bringing us into what should have been your story alone. You slapped your mother in the face for no real reason and implied you will do worse and more to both of us just because we were all awarded championship opportunities for winning our matches at London Brawling 2 never once taking into account that they never said what championship your mother and i would be competing for following our victory or what timeframe we would be on to be granted said championship match. If you had just been patient, Christian and Mister Hot Stuff might have been content to allow both your mother and I to wait and ponder what we had earned, knowing full well that the wait would drive your mother crazy and this would allow Christian endless entertainment. If you continue on this road, with your focus in all the wrong places, you will not like where the road takes you because it is not the road to championship glory.

Seleana shakes her head sadly.

Seleana Zdunich: It would be the road to, what did she call it…?

She frowns in confusion as she tries to recall what her friend, Shay Kenyon, had told only two days previous. After a few seconds, she nods as it comes to her.

Seleana Zdunich: Åh ja, the woodshed.

She nods to the cameras grimly.

Seleana Zdunich: Alicia Lukas would be familiar with this, ja? And she would have no compunctions in making your visit as painful as possible.

Her hands separate and rise slightly so that Seleana can wave them palms down towards the ground, obviously trying to calm the situation.

Seleana Zdunich: You must learn patience, Brit. Everything does not need to be here now. Do the work, put in the time, and you will get where you want to go. Look at your wife and her sister as examples. Rain worked ring crew to get into training school and then worked to make the roster of her company in only three months. She has continued to work and was a champion in six months after making the roster and Halo worked so diligently to avoid going back, she was a champion by her third match. Neither of them took the easy way and neither should you because the easy way only ends one way.

Her hands move back to their previous position, arms resting on her knees, hands folded in front of her.

Seleana Zdunich: Pain.

She nods forcefully to the camera as if someone is standing right there with it.

Seleana Zdunich: Ask Alicia, she will tell you all about it as she would be the one causing it if she has her way about things. She does not appreciate the way you are going about things either, however, she has nothing stopping her from doing something nasty and incredibly violent about it. She does not love you and therefore…

She pauses and waves her hand dismissively.

Seleana Zdunich: Ja, you know this, I should stop wasting breath, I know.

She pauses and shrugs.

Seleana Zdunich: But I must try, as a mother…

Her eyes flutter down to the floor for a second as she nods to herself before looking back up into the camera, this time looking as if she is looking another person dead in the eyes.  

Seleana Zdunich: And thus we come to you, Alicia, the one who should have been the focus of it all the whole time. Brittany should have been tunneled on you the moment she won her chance to face you. She should have spent every second of every day getting ready to face you as that is what it will take for her to defeat you and make no mistake, she has the talent and ability to do so. She is gifted that way but you and I both know it takes more than natural gifts to get in the ring with a champion like you.

Seleana stands up, motioning between herself and the camera with the extended index finger on her right hand.

Seleana Zdunich: We have been here once before, you and I, and it did not end well for either of us. You lost your standing as champion and thus your dream of being able to look at everyone and say you made that championship mean something by bringing dignity and honor to it for a very long, uninterrupted time. There was a blip…

The extended finger pulls back in to point into Seleana’s own chest.  

Seleana Zdunich: I was that blip…

She nods, her hand dropping to her side.

Seleana Zdunich: But while you lost your standing to say such things, even if only for a short time, I lost my ability to say I was truly THE Champion.

Her hand raises back up to stop the response she knows is coming.

Seleana Zdunich: Oh, make no mistake, Alicia, I was World Bombshell Champion, but as you were quick to point out at the time, I did not win how I would have liked. I was on a months-long undefeated streak at the time that technically still continues until this day and it did not matter. It still does not matter that no one, not even you, can say that they have beaten me since i punched Christian Underwood and broke his face in November. No one has been able to take one on me in six months and yet I was cast into the abyss with the rest of the co-called “trash” by the actions of my own wife.

She looks down to the floor, outrage starting to flood her face.

Seleana Zdunich: I need this match with you, Alicia.

Seleana looks back up to the camera, her clenched fist raising up seemingly of its own volition.

Seleana Zdunich: I need this one on one match with you to prove to you, to the world to my wife but most of all, to myself, that I am the best!  

She nods forcefully.

Seleana Zdunich: You come in here and I will give you all the credit in world, Alicia. You did not raise the bar, you became the bar and you showed everyone who was here that you were the here, the now and the best there was out there.    

Nodding again, she points to herself again.

Seleana Zdunich: And then I proved I was good and I earned that chance to prove it with you and at the end of the night, I pinned you in the middle of the ring and somehow left worse off than when I went in. That cannot happen this time!  

Her fist fires down demonstrably, pointing to the floor angrily.

Seleana Zdunich: I cannot promise you that my wife and my stepdaughter will not do something incredibly stupid this time. If I were them i would stand back and allow us to simply beat the hell out of each other but that does not mean they will see things as I do but what I can promise you is that I will come into this match and do everything in my power to pin your shoulders down just like I did before! This is MY opportunity, Alicia!

She points to herself again.

Seleana Zdunich: Mina!

Her hand drops back to her side again.

Seleana Zdunich: I will come to that ring in Reno and I will show you that last time was no fluke! I am Seleana “The Cat” Zdunich and I do not care if you think you are better. I do not care who you are, who you think you are or who you think you are destined to be! I’m still the woman that pinned you, I’m still the woman that has spent six months shutting people up and I cannot wait for the chance to do the same to you!  

She moves in closer and nods one last time.

Seleana Zdunich: This Cat has her eyes on the prize, Alicia, and you are in my way!
               

 Off-Camera

Tuesday, April 9, 2019
Laguna Beach, California
Hospital
9:01 AM PDT



Hospitals were never a fun place to be, even when the occasion was one that should be as joyous as bringing forth a new life into the world. No matter how hard the people who worked there tried to keep the mood light, no matter what they tried to do in terms of decoration, they always came off as cold and antiseptic. Seleana Zdunich had found herself here as part of a small group as the friends of hers that she had been living with during the fall out from her wife, fellow SCW wrestler Christina Zdunich, reverting to her Crystal Hilton persona and attacking her for a chance to become SCW Bombshell World Champion once again several months ago. Now, it had been almost exactly a month since that opportunity had taken place, March 10, at Blaze of Glory VII just up the road in Anaheim. The week before that, it had been Seleana who had managed to pin the champion and gain the standing Christina had sought so urgently.

That standing had lasted as week for Seleana as at Blaze of Glory VII, Alicia Lukas had taken the championship back in a fatal fourway match-up that saw Alicia pin Dani Weston while Seleana and Christina fought amongst themselves outside the ring. Christina had factored both in Seleana’s victory and in her loss, something that Alicia Lukas was loathe to allow anyone to forget and so, Seleana had found herself other places to, “go home to.” First it had been her office at the Zdunich Zoological Gardens, a place that, ironically enough, Seleana only ahd because her wife had bought it for her as a Christmas gift.

The second place she had spent a night at had been the home of her friend, Shay Kenyon, a woman that was now also waiting on word form the day’s events here at the hospital as she would need to be involved in watching the elder child of the new mother-to-be.

The third and final place was the home here in Laguna Beach of the woman that was to be induced into labor today, fellow wrestler and near sister-in-law, “The Geekette Extraordinaire Cali-Kate” Kate Bass. Kate was the widow of the late Destiny Cornett and Seleana had been dating Destiny’s brother, Twain Cornett, at the time of his untimely death. The two had become acquainted during family events and then become closer after Destiny and twin’s deaths, both having died within a few days of each other.

The fact that Kate was currently dating Seleana’s former sister-in-law, fellow wrestler Eavan Maloney, also helped the landing process. Eavan had been married to Seleana’s youngest sister, guitar virtuoso Katra Zdunich, until a descent into drugs had caused a rift and a divorce. Eavan had been amazed that no matter how far into the abyss she had sunk, the Zdunich Sisters had remained at her side, still referring to her as family even after she had walked out on Katra and it had been Eavan who had suggested Seleana start spending her nights at the house in Laguna Beach.      

This was how she found herself sitting here in the hospital watching over a twenty-two-month-old Trinity Cornett. As she watches the little one playing with her toys, Seleana’s attention is drawn by a very upset-looking Eavan walking in the other direction. Seleana frowns and then turns back to her phone. She was waiting for one of two calls to come in so she could get to training this week for her trip to Cardiff, Wales for her Climax Control match with Apple Coren and considering how the last match between the two had gone, this was training that was definitely going to be necessary for Seleana.

She glances down to Trinity and smiles at the little one drawing seemingly randomly on her papers, almost as id the toddler were mapping out some grand scheme of things for her toys to be taking part in.

Seleana Zdunich: Toy Story live!

Shaking her head, she laughs as Trinity continues on in her own little world. As Seleana starts to nod, her phone rings. She glances down, hoping this will be one of the calls she’s been waiting and smiles at the name that shows up.

“Dr. Kelley.”

Seleana Zdunich: Heya, how’s it?

A female voice answers.

Voice: Hello, is this Seleana Zdunich?

Seleana nods affirmatively..

Seleana Zdunich: Ja, your office tried to call me before and I return call.

The voice brightens noticeably.

Voice: Dr. Kelley would like to request you come in for a session with him to gauge whether a joint session with your wife is warranted at this time.

Seleana nods slowly. Was this a good idea? Was that something that might help them as a married couple?

Seleana Zdunich: Did you have a date in mind?

Voice: I know it’s short notice, but could you by any chance be available tomorrow?

Seleana glances down at Trinity and takes a pause at this thought. She cocks her head and then smiles at the little one.

Seleana Zdunich: Ja, I should be able to make it fine tomorrow.

Voice: Great, how is ten o’clock in the morning?

Again, Seleana nods to herself.

Seleana Zdunich: Ja, ten is fine.

Voice: Great, we’ll see you then.

The call ends and Seleana sighs heavily.

Seleana Zdunich: För fan i helvete!  

She looks and sees Trinity looking up at her, the tiny eyes visibly confused. Seleana leans down and picks the little girl up, placing Trinity onto her own lap.

Seleana Zdunich: Somehow, you know, don’t you?

Trinity continues to just stare at Seleana before raising her little arms up. Seleana nods and hugs Trinity.

Seleana Zdunich: Tack, liten en.

She hugs Trinity, closing her eyes while the toddler hugs her back.

Seleana Zdunich: You see and know way more than anyone gives you credit for, Chickie. I hope you never lose that.          



Wednesday, April 10, 2019
Los Angeles,, California
Dr. Kelley’s Office
9:51 AM PDT


Seleana sits in her jet black 2019 Maserati Quattroporte and stares at the clock. She was supposed to be inside the building in nine minutes and knowing doctors, it would have been better had she already gone inside. There was likely to be paperwork even if this was just a preliminary session to see if a joint one was doable.

Seleana Zdunich: Kom igen, Seleana. Du vet att du borde göra det här. Christina gör ett försök. Du vet hur mycket ChristianU kommer att skratta om du är den som vägrar att göra en ansträngning i gengäld.

She nods to herself and turns off the car’s engine.

Seleana Zdunich: Seleana, din jävla idiot! Gå in i denna byggnad just nu!

After sitting there for a few more minutes, she opens the car door and walks to the door of the building, stepping inside and nodding to the receptionist.

Seleana Zdunich: Heya, my name is Seleana Zdunich.

The receptionist smiles and nods.

Receptionist: Yes!!! Hello, we’ve been expecting you.

She quickly presses a button in front of her.

Receptionist: She’s here…

An inaudible response comes back and the receptionist nods.

Receptionist: Ok!

The releases the button and looks up to Seleana.

Receptionist: Please, go right in, the doctor will see you now.    

Seleana nods and walks to the far door, gripping the knob and turning it. She walks in and sits down on the couch. The doctor is already waiting in the chair opposite the couch.

Dr. Kelley: Thank you for coming on such short notice. Was it much of an inconvenience?

Seleana shrugs. The doctor was smiling broadly for her and she knew efforts were being made all around her.  

Seleana Zdunich: I was just in Laguna Beach. Someone close to me was induced yesterday.

The doctor nods slightly.

Dr. Kelley: Did that go smoothly?

Seleana cannot help but nod in return.

Seleana Zdunich: Ja, the little one was born with no problem, no complications.

The doctor nods, checking his notes and making a few more.

Dr. Kelley: Are you cheating on your wife?

Seleana’s eyes go wide in shock.

Seleana Zdunich: Vad???

The doctor nods again.

Dr. Kelley: Is that a negative response then?

Seleana’s eyes narrow slightly as she studies the doctor.

Seleana Zdunich: Ja. Kate and Eavan are sisters to me. They have made no effort to become more and neither have I.

The doctor nods.

Dr. Kelley: Are they married?

Seleana continues to stare at the doctor.

Seleana Zdunich: Not anymore.

The doctor nods, looking up as if studying an answer more than anything else.

Dr. Kelley: So they were married?

Seleana nods slightly.

Seleana Zdunich: Ja.

Dr. Kelley: But not to each other.

Seleana Zdunich: No.

The doctor nods and makes a few more notations.

Dr. Kelley: Do you hate your wife?

Seleana sits on the couch, her eyes going wide in shock for the second time in two minutes.

Seleana Zdunich: Nej…

The doctor nods.

Dr. Kelley: How long has it been since you went home to her.

Seleana Zdunich: Since she attack me, 27th January.

The doctor nods.

Dr. Kelley: How do you remember that so exactly?

No hesitation for the second answer in a row.  

Seleana Zdunich: I went to New York for my sister’s birthday after. Her birthday is 29th January, two days after. I stayed at her apartment rest of week.

The doctor nods, looking duly impressed.

Dr. Kelley: What has stopped you from going home?

Seleana sighs heavily at this question.

Seleana Zdunich: At first, I was hurt, heartbroken. Then I became angry, especially when she tried to act like it was nothing to be angry at. Now, Kate and Eavan have needed my help, but I also needed Christina to show me she was willing to try and change. That I was not just going to come home to more of the same and have told her that she could do whatever and there would be no consequences.

Dr. Kelley: How often have you spoken to her?

Seleana Zdunich: In person? Usually just at the shows. Outside of the shows?  Once.

The doctor nods.

Dr. Kelley: Why only once?

Seleana shrugs in annoyance.

Seleana Zdunich: Because she thinks she can act her way out of anything. That she can just talk her way out of a problem, that something like attacking me and leaving me lying bloody on the floor of the arena in front of the world will just be over because she wants it to be in a day. It does not work that way and she should know this! How many times has she violated someone else’s trust? How often had she had her trust violated? I know she’s had it happen to her before but…

She shakes her head, looking ready to come unglued.

Seleana Zdunich: Skit också! You cannot repair trust broken with wish and desire! It takes time and she needs to give me that time.  

The doctor nods.

Dr. Kelley: Ok, I think I have all I need. We’ll be in contact with you when the time comes to schedule the joint session. Thank you for coming, Mrs. Zdunich.

The doctor extends his hand and Seleana tentatively accepts it.

Seleana Zdunich: I am sorry I raised my voice.

Doctor Kelley smiles warmly.

Dr. Kelley: It’s to be expected in situations like this. I assure you, I took no offense.        

Seleana nods gratefully and takes her leave, walking out to her car and quickly getting inside. She straps herself in, locks the doors and then slumps against the seat.

Seleana Zdunich: För fan i helvete!  

She cranks up the car and drive on back to Laguna Beach, hoping for better thoughts than the ones she had just encountered in the office.



Friday, April 12, 2019
Laguna Beach, California
Home of Kate Bass
11:54 AM PDT



Seleana paces the floor of the house, sneaking glances at her phone every few seconds. The last forty-eight hours had seen upheaval in the house as Eavan and Kate had broken up Wednesday night and Eavan had moved out within twenty-four hours, her personal items being moved into storage while she traveled up to Sacramento for Hybrid Wrestling, ironically enough, it was a booking that Seleana and Christina were also supposed to be present for as it was Christina’s inaugural booking for the Unleashed Brand and Seleana was scheduled to be her ringside manager.

It was supposed to be another step towards reconciliation but now another booking had changed that. Christina had flown to Charlotte, North Carolina for a show with a promotion called Queen City Wrestling while Seleana remained behind in Laguna Beach in order to train for her own match at Climax Control in Cardiff, Wales. It was supposed to be another night for Christina to keep her skills sharp and show the world she was not washed up as many had claimed.

As she paces, Seleana glances back at her phone and sees the now several hours old message from her step-daughter, Brittany Williams.

“Moms in hospital AMC beat her up really bad.”

It had taken Seleana an hour to find out the details, and another hour to check on arrangements with Shay Kenyon regarding Kate’s daughter Trinity. Kate and her new baby, Dustin, would not be allowed to come home to this house until Sunday, the day Seleana was scheduled to be in Wales. With Eavan scheduled to be gone even before she had left the house, they had called Shay to see if she could watch Trinity for the weekend. As usual, Shay had said she would love to but now Seleana had needed to ask Shay to move up the timeframe.

Now, it was time to try and go out there to Charlotte to see to her wife, if for no other reason, to make sure she made it to her professional commitments and did not lose out because of what had happened. To do this, she would have to reach out to the COO of Rose Productions, Chloe Martin, and this would not be a fun conversation to engage in. The last time they had tried to talk to each other, it had not ended well and Seleana was not expecting this time to go any better. As she contemplates this going as badly as previously, her phone chimes with a Twitter notification. Seleana looks to see it’s from the aforementioned Chloe.

“@Valentine632 were you trying to reach me?”

Seleana quickly punches in an answer.

“Ja, I have been.”

With that sent off, Seleana goes back to pacing knowing no one else will be here to see it. Twenty minutes later, her phone rings. Seleana looks down to find it’s Chloe calling and answers.

Seleana Zdunich: Heya, Chickie, how’s it?

Chloe’s voice comes back quick and seemingly agitated.

Chloe Martin: Can I help you?

Seleana nods, understanding why Chloe might be a little annoyed.

Seleana Zdunich: I need private transport.

Chloe remains silent for a second and then answers back.

Chloe Martin: What does that have to do with me?

Seleana sighs sadly.

Seleana Zdunich: I need to go to Charlotte and get Christina. She was injured last night and will need help if she is to make her scheduled bookings this weekend.

Suddenly, Chloe’s entire demeanor changes.

Chloe Martin: What? How? What happened?

Seleana Zdunich: She had a match and was then assaulted in the backstage area. She has a match in sacramento tomorrow and then we have to go to Wales for my match on Sunday.

Almost immediately, tapping on a keyboard can be heard.

Chloe Martin: Ok, this will take a couple of hours but I should be able to get you what you need. I will text you details.

Seleana nods, smiling.

Seleana Zdunich: Tack, Chloe.

For the first time, worry enters Chloe’s voice.

Chloe Martin: No problem, please take care of her.  

The call ends and Seleana marches over to grab her bag, knowing it might take that long just to get to the airport in Los Angeles from here.



Friday, April 12, 2019
Charlotte, North Carolina
Hospital
9:17 PM EDT



Seleana walks down the hall and finds her step-daughter, Brittany Williams, and Brittany’s girlfriend, Haylie Jo “Halo” Annis, waiting by a door.

Brittany Williams: Mama Sel!!!

Brittany runs over and hugs Seleana, Seleana hugging her back. Halo steps over and joins in the family embrace.

Seleana Zdunich: I am sorry it took me time to get here.

Brittany doesn’t even bother to look up.

Brittany Williams: Who cares, you’re here now!

Halo nods her agreement.

Haylie Jo "Halo" Annis: Y’all’s here now, Mama Sel. That’s all that matters.

Seleana nods.

Seleana Zdunich: So, how is she?

Brittany and Halo both nod to the room behind them.

Brittany Williams: Not happy.

Haylie Jo "Halo" Annis: She’s been trying to get them to let her out for hours.

Seleana frowns.

Seleana Zdunich: They will not let her go?

Brittany shakes her head.

Brittany Williams: She wanted to drive herself.

Seleana nods slowly.

Seleana Zdunich: That is no longer a problem. Let us take care of this.

Brittany and Halo step back as Seleana goes to the door. As she opens it, Christina throws a mostly empty water bottle.

Christina Zdunich: I told you I want out of…

As the door opens to fully reveal Seleana, Christina cuts herself off in mid-sentence. Seleana steps inside the room, closing the door behind her. The two women stare at each other for what feels like years, neither really sure they can believe the sight before them. Finally, Christina manages to sit up in her hospital bed.

Christina Zdunich: Hey...

Seleana nods back to her.

Seleana Zdunich: Hej.

Christina bites her bottom lip, tears welling up in her eyes.

Christina Zdunich: You’re here.

Seleana nods.

Seleana Zdunich: I am.

Christina nods and then looks at the horrible food sitting on the tray in front of her.

Christina Zdunich: I…

Seleana nods and walks over to her, taking hold of Christina’s hand.

Seleana Zdunich: I am here to get you out and to get you to Sacramento for tomorrow. Then we go to Wales for Climax Control.  I have a date with a bad Apple that I do not think we should miss, ja?

Christina looks up, tears now freely streaming down her face.

Christina Zdunich: You’re here…

Seleana leans in and hugs her wife.

Seleana Zdunich: Where else would I be?

Christina hugs back, sobbing uncontrollably as joy washes over her.

Christina Zdunich: I love you…

Seleana Zdunich: I love you too.  



On-Camera

Friday, April 12, 2019
Charlotte, North Carolina
Airport
10:17 PM EDT


The camera opens upon Seleana Zdunich standing on the tarmac, watching as her wife is helped aboard a private plane. She watches as her step-daughter and future daughter-in-law also board the plane. Once all three have boarded, she nods and faces the camera.

Seleana Zdunich: Lady Apple Coren…

She nods pointedly to the camera.

Seleana Zdunich: I faced off with you once before and you were successful in our encounter. You dismissed me as being beneath you and I said, as you have heard many, many times, that you were a spoiled daughter of privilege and, as it happened, we both turned out to be right on some level. You are a daughter of privilege and you were better than me at that time.

She glances at the plane and seemingly takes stock of recent events.

Seleana Zdunich: I know what it feels like to be dismissed based off of one thing about you. I know what it feels like for people to take one detail about your life and pretend it is the only one that matters.

Looking to the ground, Seleana exhales heavily and then nods to her shoes.

Seleana Zdunich: In my case it is that I chose to marry Christina and that I also allowed her to train me, thus I am dismissed by most as being one of two things. Either I am nothing but her Swedish trophy wife that will be discarded when I have outlived by ability to make her look like she scored something shiny, beautiful and worth showing off or I am nothing but a wannabe that should never have been allowed to step into the ring because if I had really felt a calling to this sport the way others have, I would not have waited until I was over thirty to get started and I certainly would not have chosen Christina as a trainer despite her championship résumé.

She shakes her head and then looks up to the camera, shrugging her shoulders.  

Seleana Zdunich: I know Christina has done some things in recent times to cause her star to diminish in some eyes but to dismiss her completely and therefore dismiss me despite all that she has accomplished just in Sin City Wrestling is…

She shakes her head again.

Seleana Zdunich: I do not understand how she cannot at least be seen as a stepping stone for others. She has won so many championships and was just in the main event of Blaze of Glory VII for the Bombshell World Championship. She is not nothing!

Seleana glances to the plane again, clearly pained at this thought.

Seleana Zdunich: She works harder than most of you will ever know and twice as hard as any of you will ever admit but that is beside the point.

She turns and glares into the camera again.

Seleana Zdunich: The point here is that if she was what everyone says she is, how would I have ever managed to even get in the ring with Alicia Lukas for her championship? Alicia herself admitted I had worked my way into that opportunity and the fact that I pinned her for that championship means all of you who said my trainer was not worth anything are wrong!

She nods, still maintaining the glare.

Seleana Zdunich: You know all about that kind of dismissive, do you not, Lady Apple?

She nods again, this time knowingly.

Seleana Zdunich: In you, it tends to be that privilege as if that means you have never worked at anything in your life and while that may be true in certain aspects, it does not apply to all and those that dismiss you as untalented, unfocused and unwilling to pay your dues.

Seleana shakes her head in disgust.

Seleana Zdunich: You have proven time and time again that you were willing to take this seriously and that you are a physically gifted and talented competitor and yet, still, because you have that style placed before your name, you are dismissed even as you defeat the very people who dismissed you. And yes, you put  yourself on a pedestal and walk around as if you are to be treated a certain way but…

Pausing, Seleana shrugs.

Seleana Zdunich: So what? If we do not like how you put on airs, is it not our job to prove you wrong and knock you off that pedestal?

Seleana nods, pointing a finger into her own chest.

Seleana Zdunich: I have experience in that feeling as well. No one has been able to put me down in months and i have managed to knock several off of their perch as i have gone. Many former champions have tried to take me down in this run and since I punched Christian Underwood, none have succeeded. I am not the same sad rookie you faced before, Lady Apple. I will punch you in the face the same way I punched Christian and I will fight you until I can no longer fight. I have been to the top of the mountain now and I will get back there before all is said and done. I know you will come into this match and look to do what you did before and then some. I would expect nothing less from a highborn lady of class and privilege like yourself. Lady Apple Coren cannot afford to come at me and not appear to be ready to work as if she was a commoner.

The finger pointed in her chest retracts back into the fist and Seleana pounds it twice to her own chest, nodding pointedly as she does so.  

Seleana Zdunich: I am ready to show you and the rest of the world why Alicia Lukas thought highly of me before our first match and why I was on the poster for Blaze of Glory VII!

The fist drops back down to her side.

Seleana Zdunich: You walk to that ring to gather your rightful glory, I walk to that ring to prove that everyone who has ever denigrated me was wrong! I am much more than a trophy and I am more than a nobody trainee. I am Seleana “The Cat” Zdunich and it’s time to show what happens when a cat sinks it’s claws into a ripe piece of fruit! I will see you in Cardiff, Lady Apple…

She smiles and curtsies.  

Seleana Zdunich: An Apple a day will not keep this Cat away!      

She nods to the camera, turns and walks to the place, quickly heading up the steps and disappearing inside.  






 

 

   

 Off-Camera

Sunday, February 10, 2019
Los Angeles, California
Zdunich Zoological Gardens
11:57 PM PST


Climax Control had finished earlier and Seleana Zdunich’s team had won with Seleana getting the victory personally over her wife, Christina “Crystal Hilton” Zdunich while their respective partners, Kate Steele and Jessie Salco, had each done their parts to try to win as well. As Seleana sits down at her desk wondering what she should do next, her phone chimes at her with a message. Seleana glances down and sees the namer at the top.

Christina Zdunich

She nods and clicks on the message to see what the woman could possibly want now. Two weeks on from the assault pushed on by Christian Underwood and one week from Seleana’s own retaliation, the match seemed to have helped pushed the toll on their relationship.  

“...you beat me.”

Seleana stares at the message and frowns in confusion. Was this Crystal being upset and staggered that she had lost to her own student/wife or was this her having some other realization? Should Seleana be worried? Should she be angered? Before she can decide one way or the other, another message chime alerts her to a follow-up.    

“go ahead rub it in tell me im worthless”

Seleana’s mouth falls open in shock. The real Christina was bleeding through the Crystal Hilton veneer. For all of Crystal’s supposed Hollywood trappings, for all of her supposed glamor, for all of her bravado, here was proof that it was all as painted on as the make-up she wore in her movies to change her appearance for a character. Seleana shakes her head as the chime goes of a third time.  

“tell me i suck”

Seleana’s lips curl, annoyance creeping into the worry already there. This was Crystal trying to reassert her dominance and find a way to put the mask of arrogance back on. If Seleana told her what she was asking to hear, one of two things would happen and neither of them was good. Either Crystal would not, smirk and wave it around to show the world that she was not the bad guy because her wife, this supposedly sweet and loving thing that everyone thought of Seleana, was just as much of an arrogant bitch as she was and she could proudly proclaim herself the wounded party to the world while braying loudly about her impending title shot that Christian Underwood was paying her as a favor for attacking Seleana and giving him a way to actually hurt her for breaking his face all those weeks ago.

The other option was equally unappealing as it meant Christina would take the words to heart and do something drastic, opening up another Pandora’s box of questions no one would really wish to deal with. Seleana shakes her head and stares at her phone.  What should she say to that? She pauses and looks up at the ceiling, pondering it all. What did she really think of her wife right now? She continues to think on this question for another couple of minutes, starting and then stopping and deleting a response three times before she finally settles on one and sends it off.  

“And why would I do that?”  

She sets her phone down knowing full well that the response will either wait for hours or there will not be one, per se, and the next message will just come in and act like nothing has happened in the interim. This was a favorite tactic though Seleana was unsure if it was really a tactic or just Christina being Christina about things.

Seleana Zdunich: Vad ska du göra nästa stjärna?

She sighs and sits down into her rather basic office chair. The others who worked here had been surprised that she had opted for the cheapest option instead of getting herself what amounted to an overstuffed leather throne of sorts but Seleana had thought all she needed was a small chair that could move slightly so why bother getting the big ostentatious showpiece when she wasn’t planning on showing anyone anything when it came to her office? She nods to the phone and then glances over to the small cot she’s called home for the last week and nods slowly.

Seleana Zdunich: Jag kommer att bli bra.

Slowly, she moves her gaze back over to her phone. There was no real surprise that there was no response to what she’d sent. This was normal operating procedure for Christina no matter what persona she was trying to put on for everyone else, especially when she knew she’d made a mistake. Sighing sadly, Seleana nods to herself.  

Seleana Zdunich: Vi kommer att bli bra.

Her eyes close and she sits back in her chair, wondering how long it would be until she actually felt the truth of that statement. Would they really be alright? Would she?  Or would Christian Underwood finally have his victorious bit of revenge and manage to break their marriage just for spite’s sake? Again, she nods to herself.

Seleana Zdunich: Så småningom…

How long would “eventually” be?

 

Monday, February 11, 2019
Los Angeles, California
Zdunich Zoological Gardens
10:11 AM PST


Seleana had been up for about an hour, making use of the shower facilities and making a morning meeting that none of her employees had expected her to be at. She had smiles for them and taken a seat in the back corner, remaining quiet as the meeting went on around her for the better part of forty minutes. She was pleased to see how well everything seemed to be running, not bothering to interrupt anyone and only lingering for a few minutes after to talk with the supervisor she had in charge of most of the day to day operations. The woman, an experienced operations manager named Tanya Marsh, was married to the snake handler and seemed to know ehr stuff. She’d quickly managed to cover her thoughts and questions with Tanya before returning to her home away from home to contemplate what she would do next. Not being booked on the next Climax Control and being on an off week in Galactic Women’s Wrestling as well was giving her almost what felt like too much time to sit and think on her current situation. Just as she takes her place in her office chair, her phone chimes at her. She looks down, hopeful it’ll either be zoo business or one of her two sisters, Zenna or Katra, or maybe even her stepdaughter, Brittany Williams, messaging to say hello as they all tended to do with regularity.

Christina Zdunich.

Seleana nods to the name and then pulls up the message to see which direction this would take. Would her wife try to pick up where they had left off the night before after Seleana’s victory over her or would she just act like they hadn’t left off in an awkward place at all?    

“Haiiii hon its me CHRISTINA”

The answer actually made Seleana smile even as she shakes her head in slight disbelief. Even after a year of this, it still managed to somewhat surprise her when her wife just started a whole new conversation. The chime  goes off again.

“Can I take you out for Valentine’s Day?”

Seleana’s jaw drops just as it had the previous evening. Was she serious? Seleana’s head flies back as she looks to the ceiling. What was she supposed to say to that, of all things? Before she can devise an answer, the phone chimes again. Seleana glances down and shakes her head again in stunned disbelief.

“?”

Was Christina seriously trying to push this now? What did she expect Seleana to say after what had happened? To attack your own wife just to get a title shot you have already proven you can get without extra help and then two weeks later act like they should be like the bad commercials for cards, flowers and candy on television was almost unthinkable and yet, here it was happening. Seleana stares at the phone, unsure of what to say back in response.

Seleana Zdunich: Jag…

She sighs heavily, still staring at the phone.

Seleana Zdunich: Vad säger jag?

Before she can answer her own question, the phone chimes with yet another message from Christina. Seleana looks down and cannot believe her eyes.  

“Hey you love you i realize i got nothing left.”

Her jaw clenches as she almost throws the phone.

Seleana Zdunich: För fan i helvete! Din jävla idiot! Varför tänkte du inte på detta innan du angrep mig? Varför tänker du aldrig på sådana saker?

She drops the phone from only an inch above her desk and kicks the floor.

Seleana Zdunich: Skit också! Du jävla slog mig! Du vet att jag inte skulle ha gjort det mot dig!

She turns away, angry tears in her eyes.

Seleana Zdunich: Jag slog honom för dig!

As she sits there shaking her head sobbing, the phone chimes again. Seleana tries to pull herself together as she slowly turns around. She picks up her phone and stares at the fresh message.

“I dont know where to go from here but i wont hurt you no more… be safe.”

Seleana drops the phone and starts sobbing all over again, visions of what all that could mean dancing in her head. What could possibly happen next?


Tuesday, February 12, 2019
Los Angeles, California
Zdunich Zoological Gardens
10:02 AM PST


Seleana steps into her office and glances at the cot she had not used the night before. After spending several hours crying to herself in this very office, she had gotten herself up and gone over to a bar called Broken Promises run by friends of hers named Shay Kenyon and Lena Theras. The married couple lived in an apartment above the bar with their two nearly four-month-old twin daughters, Jami Hope and Destiny Joy, and Seleana had crashed there for the night when Shay had thought it a bad idea to drive back to the zoo in her emotional state despite being dead sober. As she sits down, her phone chimes and Seleana braces herself for another round. She glances down and sees it’s just a spam email about male enhancement products and deletes it, enjoying marking it as something the email host should take a look at as a phishing scam. A second later, she nods to herself and answers her wife.  

“If Brittany and HayJo will be there, I will meet you all somewhere.”

The message ahd only be gone for a second before an answer comes back almost as if Christina had been sitting and staring at her own phone constantly since the previous morning.

“Thats not how a private v day works”

Seleana sighs. So now it was back to this. Seleana swallows hard. What should she say to this? She almost felt like this was an ultimatum without making the actual ultimatum.  Her phone chimes again and Seleana looks at her wife’s new message.

“I need you”

Seleana sets the phone down and just stares at it. Christina was not going to do this to her today, not again. A second later, Seleana walks out of the room leaving the phone on the desk and marching out to the fresh air outside. Fifteen minutes later, she comes back to find a message left on her voicemail. Seeing it’s from Christina, Seleana contemplates erasing it for a second only to stare at the phone, seemingly unable to move a finger.

Seleana Zdunich: Vad har du att säga?

Her finger continues to hesitate. Did she really want to know what Christina had to say? Finally, she presses the button and the message plays, the unmistakable sound of her wife’s voice comes back, crying as she does so.

Christina Zdunich: Please…

Christina’s voice stumbles, clearly sobbing as she does this.

Christina Zdunich: I’m sorry, ok! I fucked up and I know it! Is that what you want to hear? I NEED you! I don’t know what…

She trails off and sobs some more and Seleana closes her own eyes. This was no acting job. She’d heard a speech like this before when Crystal was just putting on a show and this was not that at all. This sounded like a broken child desperately searching for a hand to cling to.

Christina Zdunich: You know what…

Suddenly, the sound of Christina’s voice changes completely.

Christina Zdunich: Fine, don’t talk to me! Just… whatever!  I’ll… whatever!

The message ends and Seleana shakes her head  nearly throwing the phone again.

Seleana Zdunich: För fan i helvete!

She sets the phone down and just stares at it, anger creeping into her eyes.

Seleana Zdunich: Vad är fel med dig?

Stepping back, Seleana turns, shaking her head, and heads for the doorway again knowing full well she’s going back to Broken Promises tonight and this time she might even have a beer or two.      

Seleana Zdunich: Din jävla…
 
A couple of hours later, Seleana is sitting at her desk when her phone chimes back at her again. Her jaw drops as she sees the name of her wife staring back at her. This was a change, especially after the message she’d left earlier that had sounded so final.

“I been contemplating suicide but farrah talked me out of it”

Farrah was Farrah Cornett, Crystal’s stablemate back in L.A.W. in the Boardwalk Angels. Seleana always called Farrah “Mama Red” as she was very nearly Seleana’s mother-in-law in the months before she’d been introduced to Christina by a mutual friend, another former Boardwalk Angel, current Hybrid Wrestling Unleashed Grand Champion Stacy Jones.  Seleana knew given how Mama Red had reacted to the news of Christina’s betrayal that if she had actually called Farrah then this was not some idle threat. Seleana stares at the words and ponders what to do next. The chime interrupts her and she nods to the phone.  

“i want to have a night with you is that so much to ask?”

Seleana’s head droops, her chin nearly colliding with her chest. This was Christina fighting through all the Crystal smoke and mirrors.

The REAL Christina.

Seleana exhales heavily and the chime greets her again.  

“Please”

Knowing how proud Christina liked everyone to think she was, this was a major effort being made. Seleana stares at the phone and nods to herself.

“¿Dónde?”

With that one word, Seleana knew she’d taken a shot in the dark that could very easily blow up in her face. If she were wrong, this could lead to another trap and leave her in a position where the entire world would either be laughing at her for being so incredibly stupid or demanding answers for the exact same reason. It was a chance that people like Christian Underwood and Alicia Lukas would relish and probably use to tapdance all over her and yet, it was something else she’d heard another friend say that made her decide to trust her instincts even in the face of almost everybody else screaming that this was a Admiral Ackbar meme come roaring to life. Eavan Maloney, once Seleana’s sister-in-law and still somebody she considered a sister, had said that she had learned that Zdunich Women do not give up on people and this would be no exception, even if it turned out to be a mistake all over again. The chime sounds and Seleana looks down.    

“ Wherever i need you and im so sorry”

Seleana nods. She would have to get in touch with Christina again tomorrow because this was likely to be the last word on the matter for today. She nods, hoping above hope that she hasn’t just made the biggest mistake of her life.



Wednesday, February 13, 2019
Los Angeles, California
Zdunich Zoological Gardens
10:59 PM PST


Seleana had spent the day waiting to hear back from Christina and was actually somewhat surprised she had not yet. Knowing the previous night had very nearly ended with her going to get drunk, she had decided to stay in tonight to get ready for Valentine’s Day tomorrow.  Getting drunk was not a habit she wanted to pick up. Her younger sister, Zenna, had managed to remind her of this fact several times as had Zenna’s fellow recovering addicts, Eavan Maloney, Zenna’s fiancée Linnéa Lacroix, and her cousin Alexi’s former tag team partner, Raevyn Lilja. She’d seen them all in New York City recently during the celebration for the birthday of the youngest Zdunich sister, Katra. , and they had all said the same thing to her: do not allow this thing with Christian and Christina to push you into habits like that, especially given the prevalence of drugs in Hollywood. In the year she had lived here, she had seen a fair amount of pills, powders and all manner of alcoholic beverages and she knew exactly how easy it would be to find a poison and lose herself into it the same way they all had and, in deed, the way Christina had herself earlier in her life. It had been no secret when Seleana had started dating Christina that alcohol had wormed its way into her as if she was a walking tequila bottle just begging for a refill and Seleana did not relish the idea of becoming that herself. Now, after putting in a full day’s work at the zoo and hearing nothing back, she checks her phone to make sure it has not had a problem. Satisfied that the device in working order, she nods and sends off a message to Christina.  

“¿Dónde mañana?”

An answer comes back quickly, as if Christina had also waited all day for Seleana to make the first move this time.

“Sel you dont have to speak in spanish”

Seleana stares at the screen in momentary disbelief. Did she really think she was doing that just to be patronizing? Seleana had enjoyed learning Spanish and had always thought of it as something they shared. A further chime quickly interrupts her worry.

“Do you wanna sPend the day with me yes or no”

Seleana shakes her head, almost laughing now. The absurdity at times was always a little endearing even if Christina tended to go a little over the top at times with it. She nods and answers before anything further can really happen.

“Where do you wish to meet up?”

She stares at the phone hoping beyond hope Christina does not try and more Crystal approach and start making elaborate plans for surprise trips or something. That would not be a good idea and would be the fastest way to make Seleana regret answering this plea. The chime quickly kills the worried anticipation.

“Do you trust me”

Oh, this was not a good start. This sounded very, very Crystal and not in a good way. This sounded like something she would say before showing up in a limo and trying to start this private evening early. Another chime quickly edges up Seleana’s anxiety level.

“Sel?”

Seleana stares at her phone. Should she back out now or was that not an option anymore? Was this proof that everyone had been right to tell her to cut and run two weeks ago? Was there really nothing else to it than this?  After standing in silence for a few minutes, Seleana tries a response.

“?”

She shakes her head, hoping the next message is not Crystal announcing she’s outside and wants this reunion to start now before it’s even really Valentine’s Day. Seleana could not imagine a worse idea than that. The chime announces she no longer has to wonder and she slowly glances down, holding out hope Crystal will not be as stupid as others have said she is.

“Happy V Day”

Seleana stares at her phone, the look on her face now as if this is the single strangest message she has ever received. Slowly she glances up and sees the time.

12:02 AM…

A small smile crosses Seleana’s face. Maybe there was hope for everything yet.

“Glad alla hjärtans dag.”



Thursday, February 14, 2019
Valentine’s Day
Los Angeles, California
Zdunich Zoological Gardens
9:15 AM PST


Seleana walks back into her office from the shower facilities and looks at her phone. The time was quickly approaching to answer which of them would make the first move. Would it be Christina?  Or would it be Seleana? The answer would come even as Seleana was pondering what to do with herself while this question rattled around inside her brain with a message chime.

Christina Zdunich.

Seleana nods and quickly checks the message.  

“Happy V Day”

A small smile crosses her face and she quickly punches in her answer.

“Glad alla hjärtans dag.”

She sits down on the office chair and quickly glances down ehr list of thing she needed to do and then punches in another message. No need to leave things hanging today. If they were going to go bad, best to get it over with quickly.  

“What we do today?”

The answer comes back quicker than Seleana had anticipated.

“Romantic dinner”

Seleana nods slowly. If this was all Christina was going to go for, this might not be too bad after all. So long as she did not overreach, this might be…

A chime interrupts her train of thought.  

“Massage session for two”

Seleana stares and the smile starts to fall slightly. She would have to inquire about whether this was to be therapeutic or the happy ending type usually bandied about in their neighborhood. That would definitely qualify as an overreach on Crystal’s part and torpedo things before they had a chance to even start to come back. Another chime quickly grabs her attention.

“Sel do you love me”

Seleana just stares in white-eyed wonder at this question.

Seleana Zdunich: För fan i helvete! Vilken typ av fråga är det här?

Shaking her head, Seleana regains her composure and tests the waters.

“When and where?”

The answer comes back and Seleana just stares again.

“Do you trrust me”

Now another alarm was going off inside Seleana’s head. What was Crystal planning with this? Before she can say anything, the chime tells her Christina must have had a moment of clarity as well.

“The limo will get you”

Seleana nods, knowing full well this could still be a major mistake but could she really take the chance the other way? Her instincts had served her well enough lately to get her on the company radar in Sin City Wrestling after nearly a year of trying. Was this really that different when it basically boiled down to business on some level anyway?

“Okej”

The message had barely been gone for a second when a chime announces an answer.

“DO YOU LOVE ME”

Seleana wastes no time in firing her answer back.

“Would I be upset at what you did if the answer was no?”

She stands in her office, glaring at her phone, fully expecting this to now turn into an argument that should not happen but will anyway because of Crystal’s self-described level of being high maintenance. A second later, an answer comes back.

“Ok.”

Seleana nods and sets about getting ready, not knowing what was really in store for her for the rest of the night.



Saturday, February 16, 2019
Los Angeles, California
Zdunich Zoological Gardens
11:30AM PST


Seleana walks into her office. The morning had been filled with getting ready to go to the next Climax Control even though she was not booked and was not even sure Christian would allow her into the building under those circumstances. She was going anyway just in case somebody asked her to do something else on the show. She did not want to give Christian the satisfaction of saying she had breached her contract by not showing up for work. If he sent her away, well, then it would be on him and she would simply chalk that up to his own level of enmity for her. As she set her gym bag down, her phone chimes at her and she glances to see who it could be.

Christina Zdunich.

She nods and then checks the message.

“hey youyuu”

She stares at the screen in stunned silence. It had been a full day since they had woken up next to each at the hotel and Seleana had watched Christina argue with herself before dumping out nearly an entire prescription of her medication and then threaten herself with a knife. Christina had then argued with herself some more before running out, apologizing as she went leaving Seleana standing there alone and confused. There had been no communication since then aside from Brittany telling her over the phone that her mother had returned home and seemed to be in a good mood. Another che and Seleana looks down trying not to remember how that particular meeting had ended.  

“Enjoy Valentines Day”

Seleana shakes her head. She knew this was more a question than a statement and that this was Christina testing to see how far the previous morning had pushed things especially after there had been no sex involved to cap off Valentine’s Day. Cuddling yes, but no sex and that had been Seleana’s call, one that Christina had actually accepted without any kind of protest for once. Seleana nods to the phone and punches in an answer.  

“Ja.”

She pauses, considering her next words carefully before punching in more of an answer.

“Until you pull knife.”

An answer chimes back quickly.

“Ty for coming.”

Before Seleana can even contemplate an answer, the phone itself rings. Seleana sees her wife’s picture and answers.

Seleana Zdunich: Ja?

Christina’s voice comes back, this time without sobbing being involved.

Christina Zdunich: When are you coming home?

Seleana can’t believe her ears. Were they really having this conversation?

Seleana Zdunich: I do not know.

Seleana can hear annoyance creep into Christina’s voice.

Christina Zdunich: Why not?

Seleana considers just hanging up but decides not to.

Seleana Zdunich: You need ask?

Christina almost scoffs. This would be Crystal talking more than Christina now.

Crystal Hilton: You can’t be mad at me forever, Babe…

Knowing this means she will be more combatice now, Seleana once again considers just hanging up.

Seleana Zdunich: You attack me for a title shot, tell the world I am weak and then try to guilt me into things by telling me you are suicidal and you have to ask why I am upset with you?

She pauses and then glares ahead at the wall of her office.

Seleana Zdunich: Look in mirror, Crystal!

For a split second there is silence between them. Then Crystal’s voice comes back again.

Crystal Hilton: Oh, come on! You know that was all business! That was all…

Seleana cuts her off.

Seleana Zdunich: All acting?

She can almost see her wife nod arrogantly in response.

Crystal Hilton: Damn good acting too! I should have won a fucking Oscar!

Knowing what’s coming, Seleana looks to the floor.

Seleana Zdunich: For acting like you are this or for acting like you actually care about something other than yourself?

Crystal’s voice returns, her level of annoyance audibly escalating.

Crystal Hilton: Are you serious right now, Babe? What the hell kind of…

Seleana cuts her off again.

Seleana Zdunich: Nej! Sluta prata! Du har pratat tillräckligt!

Crystal sighs in annoyance.

Crystal Hilton: English, Babe…

Seleana pounds her free hand on the desk.

Seleana Zdunich: ¡Hablaré cualquier idioma que quiera hablar!

Crystal’s voice comes back with slightly less bass in it.

Christina Zdunich: Ok… I’m… I’m sorry… I…  

Seleana stares at the wall, not sure if she should punch it or run out of the place screaming as the voice on the other end suddenly transforms as if a mask has just been shattered into a million pieces.

Christina Zdunich: Please… come home…

Seleana steps back at the sound of Christina talking again.

Seleana Zdunich: Why would I want to do that when we will be scheduled to fight? Both Sin City and Galactic seem to enjoy exploiting our rather public spat.

Christian goes quiet for a second.

Christina Zdunich: Where… have you… been…

She stops short of finishing her question as if she is truly afraid of the answer. Taking pity on her, Seleana nods to the wall.

Seleana Zdunich: I have been sleeping mostly at the zoo.

Christina’s voice takes on a new sound of terror.

Christina Zdunich: Mostly?

Seleana nods.

Seleana Zdunich: I spent two nights over at Shay and Lena’s. I have not found somebody else to go and share my nights with that way. I know you worry of such things.

Christina’s voice starts to waver.

Christina Zdunich: Please?  Come home?

Seleana looks to the floor again.

Seleana Zdunich: I…

Christina can’t take the possibility of the answer coming now.

Christina Zdunich: Please?  We don’t even have to share a room! You shouldn’t need to go crash on friends’ couches to save money! I know you’ve been avoiding that, Sel, I’ve seen the credit statements!  This is your house too, just…

She trails off, clearly about to break.

Christina Zdunich: Take one of the other…

Seleana takes this in and listens as her wife starts to quietly cry.

Seleana Zdunich: I will consider… there are others who are involved as well.  

Christina's voice wavers more.

Christina Zdunich: I missed you... do you want us to get counseling?

Seleana shrugs.

Seleana Zdunich: You think will do good or you think Crystal stop it from helping?

Christina’s voice comes back sounding like she’s been punched in the gut repeatedly.

Christina Zdunich: I... Let’s do it.

Seleana nods slowly.

Seleana Zdunich: I will see you at the show tomorrow and we will discuss it then.

Christina Zdunich: Ok…

The call ends and Seleana shakes her head. What else could be coming now?


On-Camera

Friday, February 22, 2019
Los Angeles, California
Zdunich Zoological Gardens
Office of Seleana Zdunich
6:30 PM PST


The camera opens to find Seleana Zdunich standing by her cot near the edge of the left wall in her office only a foot away from the bare desk that is covered in paperwork, a laptop computer perched on it and the small cheap office chair sitting in front of it. Seleana nods as the camera takes in her complete visage complete with blue jeans and a black American Murder Log t-shirt that reads,  “Everything Burns” in stark white lettering over what looks like a growing anthropomorphic fireball.

Seleana Zdunich: Heya, how’s it?

She glances down to her shirt and then shrugs slightly even before she brings her gaze back to the camera. She nods slowly, still looking down.

Seleana Zdunich: This is an appropriate shirt for the situation, ja?

Looking up, Seleana can’t help but smile slightly.

Seleana Zdunich: Alicia speak of vindication and I know that taste well.

She nods slowly and then glances down at her shirt again, seemingly fixating on the fireball.

Seleana Zdunich: I thought I was standing up for my wife and Christian Underwood saw fit to send me away. I was brought back and he threw several plans at me and I thought I had achieved vindication when he was unable to beat me or break me or put me down like the dog he think I am.  He call my wife much worse and he treat me like how he speak of my wife and yet…

She looks back up to the camera and nods pointedly.

Seleana Zdunich: I am still here. I am still employed by Sin City Wrestling and not only has he not crushed me like the angry fist of God, but he has seemingly accomplished the opposite as I have risen in the ranks because of his attempts to punish me.

She pauses to shrug, looking just off to the right of the camera.

Seleana Zdunich: I would call that vindication, ja?        

She nods as she brings her gaze back to the camera’s lens.

Seleana Zdunich: But that sweet taste, and it did taste sweet in the moment, it turn to ashes as fast as it come. Plan C reared its head and all that sweet vindication went crashing to the floor in a matter of seconds and I know there are some who would say I should have considered Crystal Hilton assaulting me as yet more vindication because Christian had to stoop to calling my own wife and someone he does tend to get along with to get to me and even that has not worked completely but…

She trails off, looking down to the floor again.

Seleana Zdunich: I would be lying if I said it did not get to me.

Looking down, she starts ton nod slowly.

Seleana Zdunich: It is is true, it got to me just as it is true that, as Alicia said, I have not done well in my previous championship opportunities. I have had several and I have yet to win one which, vindication for her, I suppose, ja?

Looking back up, Seleana nods some more, her head moving ever so slightly as if she can hear the voices from outside saying certain things.

Seleana Zdunich: I had one championship opportunity in L.A.W. alongside Christina against what was the best tag team in the world at the time, the Boardwalk Angels. They were on a winning streak the likes of which Alicia can relate to because it was like hers in Honor Wrestling. Christina and I were given an opportunity, one I admit I was not ready for as my career was mere months old at the time. I expected to be destroyed by Farrah Cornett and Zoey Madigan-Star as they both had far more experience than I and they were an incredible team with more chemistry than I had ever had with anyone. They should have destroyed us…

Seleana’s head stops moving as she looks dead into the camera.

Seleana Zdunich: Vindication visited me that night when we were not only not destroyed, but nearly dethroned the undefeatable that night. The taste was sweet but then turned bitter because while it was a moral victory, as many will point out, moral victories do not pay bills.

A small smile graces her features for a moment and then fades away.

Seleana Zdunich: L.A.W. closed and Christina asked me to join her here and in the year or so that I have been here, I have been afforded multiple opportunities to become Bombshell Roulette Champion. I was not ready for those in the same way i was not ready for the match with the Boardwalk Angels. Many dismissed me as being someone who was only treading as far as my more famous family members’ names could take me. Crystal Hilton, Brittany Williams, Robbie Priest, Linnéa Lacroix, Haylie Jo Annis, Amy Rae Annis, Kendra Goganious, they are all related to me or will be sometime in the future as things appear and they have all been champions. Some took longer than others to attain that status and some have done it more often than others, but they have all achieved championship standing and I…

Trailing off again, she shakes her head sadly.

Seleana Zdunich: I have not been so fortunate. I will admit right now, the first nine months or so of my career, I was not so focused on anything but being able to step into the ring and not get myself killed. I did not seek the glory and honor of being a champion despite being given the opportunity several times and perhaps that was a mistake but it is one I can freely say was my own and no one else’s. I was not ready and I did not believe myself ready to challenge another in the ring. I was happy to be there and I was happy to not embarrass myself as I learned and now I suppose vindication comes to me in the form of this championship opportunity. Alicia Lukas says I deserve it because of my hard work and because of all I bring to the table and I suppose that stands as vindication for me as well given how many others have said quite the opposite over my relatively short career in this sport.

She nods to herself and looks to the ground again.

Seleana Zdunich: Vindication does taste sweet, ja Alicia?

She nods again and continues to look down before looking at the fireball on her shirt again.

Seleana Zdunich: You have stated you wish to make that Bombshell Championship something more than the others who have held it and treated it poorly. I say that is a worthy aspiration to carry. You are a worthy champion and one I will not denigrate for taking more than one attempt to capture it because it is the journey that makes the championship worthwhile. You say I choke away championship opportunities while all you do is win and I cannot argue with that assessment aside from I still managed to get them even as a rookie who did not know what she was doing. Despite taking the lumps and losses I did, I still managed to stay around and grow and now I stand in airt I have never breathed before.

She looks up and nods to the camera.

Seleana Zdunich: I have never before gained an opportunity at your championship, Alicia, and had I done so before now, I know I would not have been ready because I had not yet been tested the way I have been now. Before I punched Christian Underwood, I had never tasted true danger in that ring. I had never really been placed in a situation where someone wanted to do to me what he wanted done. Maria Salvatore was the closest to that ever before and even then she was more angry at Christina than she was at me and so did not come at me the way Christian’s hired thugs did.

She nods to the camera and raises her hand with her index finger raised.

Seleana Zdunich: The Metal Maniacs in a hardcore rules handicap match with my family banned from the building.

Her index finger is joined by a second finger.

Seleana Zdunich: Delia Darling’s grand return.

A third finger rises to join its brethren.

Seleana Zdunich: Jessie Salco trying to get herself back into the title pictures.  

A fourth finger joins the others.

Seleana Zdunich: And now my wife attacking me just to try and get the chance at you that she could have gotten all by herself any time she wanted to as she has many times before. I cannot tell you why she did not believe in herself enough to trust her own abilities but I know I do and I always have but now I stand here before you have faced those four trials and I have come out the other side.

The hand closes into a fist.

Seleana Zdunich: Christian threw his fire at me and all it did was harden me up and make me ready to stand in against you for the Bombshells World Championship. I walk into that ring with you, Alicia, ready to go toe to toe with the best in the world and I am no longer simply trying to not get myself killed! I am no longer just happy to be there and just happy to avoid embarrassment.

She shakes her head, the fist seemingly clenching harder.

Seleana Zdunich: Christian and Christina have made sure we are passed embarrassment and now I wish to ram that vindication right back up where it came from with them. I will show you, Christian, Christina and everyone else that vindication is not the only thing tastes sweet and if you are not careful, I will show that I am ready to make that vindication turn to ashes in your mouth!

She nods, the first finally lowering as the shot tightens to frame her face.

Seleana Zdunich: My name is Seleana Zdunich and I am coming to claim my place, the place that everyone has always said I had no business even being in the same area as before. I am coming to to give you what you said you wanted and I am coming to show that sometimes, you should be careful what you ask for!  

She nods grimly.

Seleana Zdunich: Kia kaha, Chickie, now let us go make Christian choke on those ashes together!    

 
Monday, January 21, 2019
Los Angeles, California
Hollywood Hills
Home of Crystal & Seleana Zdunich
8:25 PM PST


Off-Camera

Seleana Zdunich nods happily as she watches her wife, Christina “Crystal Hilton” Zdunich,  tackling a video game. This was a normal activity in the house once everyone had come home from the office during the day. Which game was up for debate since there seemed to be several favorites of late, none of which made sense to Seleana since that was one activity nobody had managed to rope her into yet. She grins as Crystal gives another loud exclamation, her sister, Maia Lopez, sitting next to her for the moment. The two were showing off their competitive streak, something Crystal’s daughter, Brittany “B-Brat” Williams, had picked up in spades. B-Brat was off with a couple of friends and was due to return any second now from this little business trip she’d been on.

She’d called it market research but Seleana knew from experience it usually meant something closer to retail therapy in some form and B-Brat would, no doubt, return with several bags and a smile on her face that the “research” had been a success.  

Making her way around the corner and u the hallway, Seleana hears a voice actively talking from the room only two doors away. This was surprising since the others who lived in the house, Crystal’s old friends, the Sullivan Sisters, were supposed to be off on what amounted to what Americans called grocery shopping. Back in New Zealand, she’d always just heard people call it “popping to dairy,” but this was one of many changes she’d had to acclimate to upon making the move full time to the States. Truth be told, she still struggled with this sometimes, especially when it came to driving, something she had needed to do precious little of in New Zealand. She’d done even less of that back in Sweden but here, it seemed like a serious necessity.      

As she approaches the door, it becomes clear to her that the voices belong to B-Brat’s live-in girlfriend, Haylie Jo “Halo” Annis and her twin sister, Amy “Rain” Annis. Rain was a wrestler who lived in Asheville and worked as a tag team with her childhood friend, Kendra “GoGo” Goganious. Having just completed her first year as a professional, Rain was somebody Halo tried to talk to often to get insight into what she had now gotten herself into right along with Seleana, Crystal and B-Brat.  

Haylie Jo "Halo" Annis: What am I gonna do, Amy?

The tone of Halo’s voice was concerning to Seleana, even if it was not particularly surprising to hear. Halo had always sounded anxious since the first day she’d come to this house back in May and that had never really dissipated for her. Seleana stops at the door and listens for a minute.

Haylie Jo "Halo" Annis: Seriously, what am I gonna do, Amy?

Seleana can see Halo is talking to her computer screen where the smiling face of Rain is visibly confused by the question.

Amy "Rain" Annis: About what?

Halo, sitting on her bed, smashes both fists onto either side of herself on the mattress, clearly annoyed by her twin’s confusion and lack of understanding.

Haylie Jo "Halo" Annis: Ames!

Rain just shakes her head on the screen.

Amy "Rain" Annis: Y’all worry too much, HayJo. Look at where y’all is!

Halo sighs heavily.

Haylie Jo "Halo" Annis: On the edge of…

Rain cuts her off.

Amy "Rain" Annis: Girl, you in a loving house!

Halo nods pointedly to the screen.

Haylie Jo "Halo" Annis: That could decide I should be sent away any second now!

Seleana stares at Halo in shock. It had been eight months since the young woman had been added to the menagerie of people who lived in this house and it hadn’t taken that long for everyone else to just accept that the tall blonde woman from Tullahoma, Tennessee was here to stay.

Amy "Rain" Annis: HayJo, I’m tellin’ y’all, everything’s gonna be fine.

Halo nods sarcastically.

Haylie Jo "Halo" Annis: Easy for you to say, you and Goldi have had each other for years!

Rain stares at her sister, visibly slightly cowed

Amy "Rain" Annis: We hasn’t always been together...

Helo crosses her arms.

Haylie Jo "Halo" Annis: What would you call it?

Rain shrugs, clearly trying to lighten the mood.

Amy "Rain" Annis: Up until D-Man, I’d call it me and Goldi bein’ silly about things.

Halo’s arms drop down, her fists pounding the mattress again.

Haylie Jo "Halo" Annis: I want what y’all have had! I want me and B-Brat to last!

Rain nods.

Amy "Rain" Annis: You been there for a while now.

Halo stares at the screen, her entire body starting to shake now. As she watches, Seleana can’t help but wonder, “What is going on here?”

Haylie Jo "Halo" Annis: I was at Logan’s for a while too.

Rain can’t believe her ears and neither can Seleana.

Amy "Rain" Annis: She ain’t gonna do that, HayJo.

Halo leaps out of her seat and almost looks like she’s gonna lash out at her twin’s image on the screen. Seleana watches, unable to believe her eyes or her ears.

Haylie Jo "Halo" Annis: How do you know that? Huh? How do you know that?

Rain just stares back, seemingly searching for a response.

Haylie Jo "Halo" Annis: You’ve said that so many times, I don’t understand how you keep that kind of outlook on things, Amy!  First you said they wouldn’t send me away in school, and they did. Then you said Mama wasn’t gonna die and leave us and she did! Then you said Daddy wasn’t gonna lose the house and make us homeless and he did right as you were leaving me to go off to wrestling school with Goldi!  

Rain stares at her sister, her own jaw starting to quiver now.

Amy "Rain" Annis: I…

Halo shakes her head, marches voer to the computer and reaches for the mouse.

Haylie Jo "Halo" Annis: Nevermind, sorry to bother you.

Amy "Rain" Annis: HayJo, wait…

Before another word can be said, Halo disconnects from the internet and steps back. She stares at the computer for a second and then pounds on quadriceps.

Haylie Jo "Halo" Annis: Dammit!

As she starts to fall onto the bed, Seleana hurries into the room.

Seleana Zdunich: Det blir okej, sötnos.

She catches Halo, who promptly bursts into tears. Seleana holds onto the younger woman as Halo clamps onto her looking very much the child.

Seleana Zdunich: Det är okej…

Halo holds on to Seleana and starts to shake her head.

Haylie Jo "Halo" Annis: What am I gonna do, Miss Seleana?

Seleana strokes the younger blonde woman’s hair and nods soothingly.

Seleana Zdunich: It’s alright, Chickie.

Seleana cradles her and then sits her up on the bed.

Seleana Zdunich: What is wrong?

Halo shakes her head.

Haylie Jo "Halo" Annis: I…

Her hands ball into fists and she starts to look away but Seleana simply cocks her own head.

Seleana Zdunich: What is it?

Halo looks back and then nods to the computer.

Haylie Jo "Halo" Annis: How much did you hear?    

Seleana nods slowly.

Seleana Zdunich: Do you really worry you will be sent away?

Halo nods quickly.

Haylie Jo "Halo" Annis: Don’t you?

Seleana stares into the young woman’s eyes and then shakes her head.

Seleana Zdunich: Oh, Chickie…

Halo sits there looking like she’s waiting to be yelled at but Seleana simply stands up, cross over to the doorway and closes the door. She walks back to the bed and sits down across from Halo.

Seleana Zdunich: I know what it is to lose someone suddenly but no one can know what it is to have had what happened to you happen. I do not worry about being sent away because I love and trust Christina. We are married and she loves me. I know she does things that seem unexplainable to some people but she is truly a good person. She is not the monster she is portrayed to be by those who simply wish her out of the way for their own professional gain. Does she give reason to be worried sometimes, yes, but I have faith in her. She is a loving, beautiful woman and I know she worries that others are right about her. You understand that worry, ja?

Halo nods sadly.

Seleana Zdunich: I know you worry you will not measure up to Amy. She worked to get into wrestling school and then worked to make the roster within only a few months. She then worked to make herself a champion in six months and now you start nearly a year behind her but you also have the drive she has displayed. You fight for everything because you know what it is to have nothing. It is why you won your first two matches and how you got to be in the main event for your next match amongst some very tough competition.

Halo nods.

Haylie Jo "Halo" Annis: What if I’m not good enough? What if I let B-Brat and the rest of y’all down?

Seleana shakes her head and takes Halo’s hand into her own.

Seleana Zdunich: Chickie, the only way you could let us down is if you just did not try. You make us proud every time you wake up in the morning. We love you, Haylie Jo, we are happy to have you in our family.

Halo stares at Seleana.

Haylie Jo "Halo" Annis: But… what if I…

Seleana shakes her head.

Seleana Zdunich: No what if. You walk into that ring this week and do what you do. No matter outcome, we love you. There is no what if.        

Seleana leans forward and kisses Halo on the forehead as the younger woman hugs her again.

Seleana Zdunich: There is no what if. Just like B-Brat, I love you as you were my own.

Halo nods as they embrace.

Seleana Zdunich: You should call you sister back. She look worry.

Halo nods.

Haylie Jo "Halo" Annis: Ok…

She manages a smile and then nods as Seleana stands up.

Haylie Jo "Halo" Annis: Miss Seleana?

Seleana turns back to her.

Seleana Zdunich: Ja?  

Halo nods again.

Haylie Jo "Halo" Annis: Thank you.

Seleana smiles, nodding happily.

Seleana Zdunich: I hear Brit coming back so I leave you to it, Chickie.

Seleana opens the door and steps into the hallway just as Brittany arrives, almost like they’d planned this. As she watches the door close again, Seleana can’t help but nod and smile again. Brittany would help assuage whatever lingering doubts Halo had for the night and they could all get ready for their next matches.  





Friday, January 25, 2019
Detroit, Michigan
10:05 PM CST


On-Camera


The camera opens upon Seleana as she stands against the wall of a hallway in a hotel wearing a black American Murder Log t-shirt and blue jeans that look like they were painted onto her body. A pair of well worn black Chuck Taylor high tops completes her ensemble as she nods to the camera.

Seleana Zdunich: I wonder…

She looks off to the distance behind the camera as if a great answer will materialize from nothing there at any moment.

Seleana Zdunich: I wonder, is there no teaching you, Christian?

She moves her gaze down to the camera’s lens and nods slowly, almost beggingly.

Seleana Zdunich: Is there no learning for you?  

Nodding slowly again she steps away from the wall and cocks her head to the right as if seeing if a new angle will open everything to new answers.

Seleana Zdunich: I know Jessie Salco say you are world champion at holding grudge but is there no room for anything else inside of you? Is the grudge all there is?

Her head moves to the straight upright posture and then slowly cocks to the left instead.

Seleana Zdunich: She is unable to challenge for championships unless she defeats me in Henderson and has been this way for nearly a year. I do not know how long you have held grudge against my wife but I would bet money none of us have it has lasted longer than my career.

Her right hand raises up showing three raised fingers.

Seleana Zdunich: This is the third time you have sent someone for me since you asked that question of me in front of the world and did not like the answer.

The second and third fingers fall to leave only the index finger remaining in the raised position.

Seleana Zdunich: First you send the Metal Maniacs after me and they bring help. You stack rules in their favor so that there were very few of them so they not have to worry about disqualification or count out. You set stipulation so they can do whatever they want before they go for pin or submit and the referee can do nothing but ask if I quit or count pin. You make it so I have no help in building by banning my wife and daughter from even stepping foot through door and tell the Metal Maniacs to simply enjoy themselves, indulge themselves before finishing me off.

She nods grimly.

Seleana Zdunich: That was supposed to be my end. Two raving lunatics who admit they care nothing for actual wrestling or winning or anything other than inflicting pain and suffering and they were allowed to bring others of like mind to help. They set up to burn me beyond recognition and allow you to laugh and show that anyone foolish enough to step to you was making grave error.

A small smirk crosses her face.

Seleana Zdunich: But they fail. It might be kluck, it might be their own stupidity, it might be anything but at end of day, they fail and it was one of them that ended up in hospital with burns, not me.    

A second finger joins the first in the raised position.

Seleana Zdunich: So then, we come to next plan, Delia Darling coming from whatever rock she had been under to show the world she still dominant and that it was grave error for me to stand against you. She is a former World Champion and again, this was to be my end. Everyone look at this on paper asd a huge mismatch because she is a champion and i am not and coming off a hardcore match where the Metal Maniacs were allowed to try and injure me just for fun, this should be no problem. Delia would take me out, possibly humiliate me in the process and you would have what you wanted.

The smirk fades away.

Seleana Zdunich: Only she fail too and not only did she not humiliate me, she tap out to me. As Jessie said before, you can call it luck, you can call it Delia’s hubris, arrogance or whatever other failing you wish to ascribe to her but in the end, none of it mattered because it was me making her submit!

A third finger joins its brethren in the raised position.

Seleana Zdunich: So now, it is Jessie Salco, a woman who thinks nothing of me outside of my choice of marital partners and what is in the match for her. Jessie salco is a woman that SHOULD get along famously with me. We both enjoy the same kind of music, in fact, my sisters play that kind of music professionally. We are both wrestlers who work hard to make sure everyone sees what we can do in the ring and we both no care much for you and have found ourselves on the wrong end of your grudges.

The hand lowers out of the shot.

Seleana Zdunich: Jessie say she is nothing like the Metal Maniacs and I say she is correct because she is not nearly as reckless or careless as those two are. She DOES care about winning and she does a pretty good job of going for that whenever she steps into the ring. She also says she is nothing like Delia Darling and in this I say she is partially correct again because she is not coming out from under rock to step in on the whim of a boss that only wishes to see destruction.

She pauses and then nods slowly.

Seleana Zdunich: But now I ask you a question, Jessie?

Her hand raises and flashes the three fingers again.

Seleana Zdunich: What if you are like them and you fail as they did?

The hand lowers as Seleana nods slowly to the camera.

Seleana Zdunich: What if you step in the ring with me and dumb luck happen and you do not get your championship ban lifted? What if you look across the ring at somebody you have no respect for and fall to them the same way the Metal Maniacs and Delia Darling did?

Her eyes flash as she nods to the camera knowingly.

Seleana Zdunich: What if you fail Christian Underwood again?

The hand raises, the three fingers still on full display.

Seleana Zdunich: And Christian, I ask you the same thing.  What if… ?

She shakes the three fingers at the camera.

Seleana Zdunich: What if you send three at me seeking my pnishment, suffering and end and three times they are turned back and I still live? What if you send Jessie here to finish me and all that happens is you have to look in the mirror and realize that yet again, you asked me what I was going to do about it and I punched you in the face?

She nods as she flashes the three fingers even closer to the camera.

Seleana Zdunich: What if you cannot break me, Jessie?  What if you cannot break me, Christian?

The three fingers finally lower into the fist.

Seleana Zdunich: What if I am nothing and you still could not flush me away?

The hand lowerras out of the shot as Seleana leans.

Seleana Zdunich: I am coming to Henderson and I am walking out the same way I walked in. You will not break me, you will not destroy me and you will not end me so one last time I ask…

The camera zooms in tightly on Seleana’s face.

Seleana Zdunich: What if?

Seleana steps back and nods grimly just as before.

Seleana Zdunich: And what will you do about it when you fail again?



   

 Off-Camera

Friday, November 23, 2018
Buffalo, New York

Weekends tended to be an almost bipolar event in the Zdunich household in Los Angeles. Sometimes they would be great things that tended to start with an LFL game on Friday for her wife’s team, the Detroit Rampage. Then there was usually a show in Hybrid Wrestling for Seleana’s sister, cousin, and sister-in-law-to-be could all be in action. The fact that the show could either be on Friday night or Saturday night made watching it interesting depending on which week it was. Sunday would bring the show and a match in Sin City Wrestling, possibly involving her wife and stepdaughter.  

This weekend, she finds herself in a Buffalo area hotel having already played the game today against the Buffalo Blizzard. She’d had a good game with a hundred yards and two receiving touchdowns and the team had won, 40-7. Now, she was checking on the show her sister, Zenna Zdunich was main eventing in Spokane for Hybrid in a fatal fourway that had championship implications for the winner. She checks and sees that her sister is not involved in the fall and then is attacked by the maniacal Sylvia Lopez.  

Seleana Zdunich:Den jävla…

She shakes her head, almost throwing her phone even as she sees Zenna get saved by the Hybrid Honor Champion, Zenna’s fiancée, Linnéa Lacroix.

Seleana Zdunich:För fan i helvete!

The unusual screaming draws the attention of Seleana’s wife, Christina, also known as Crystal Hilton. Christina walks into the room from the hallway and frowns as she sees Seleana squeezing her phone in impotent outrage.  

Christina Zdunich: Babe?

Seleana looks up and nods apologetically. She knew how this must have sounded since Christina spoke no Swedish and probably thought it sounded like angry gibberish.

Seleana Zdunich:Zenna was attacked tonight.

Her right hand balls into a fist and, without thinking, another burst comes flying out of her mouth.

Seleana Zdunich:Den jävla fitta!

Christina barely nods, looking simultaneously concerned, amused and annoyed by the enraged chittering coming from her wife’s mouth.

Christina Zdunich: English Babe!

Seleana swallows hard and shakes her head both sadly and angrily.

Seleana Zdunich:Sorry… I…

Seleana shakes her head again, setting her phone down and sighing heavily.

Seleana Zdunich:Why am I never there for the people I love when bad thing happen to them?

Christina frowns but Seleana just looks up at the wall.

Seleana Zdunich:Back in LAW, Brittany grabbed and I do nothing. Sin City, Brittany have arm hurt, I do nothing. You get attacked and hurt, I do nothing. Tonight, Zenna get attacked in Spokane, I do nothing. Not even see her until Monday, maybe.

Christina puts her hand on Seleana’s shoulder and nods reassuringly as Seleana looks at her feet in shame.  

Seleana Zdunich:You, Brittany, Zenna…

Christina nods slowly, obviously trying to think of what she should say to her wife as Seleana’s thoughts seemingly start to run wild inside her head.  

Seleana Zdunich:Eavan get hurt other place, I do nothing! She out for several weeks, I do nothing!

Seleana turns and looks up into Christina’s eyes.

Seleana Zdunich:People in Sin City target you through me, I do nothing. People run Sin City not know we married in June, show world they not pay attention to me at all and I do nothing!  

She turns away, as much in shame as in angry resentment.

Seleana Zdunich:I am sick of doing nothing!

She hangs her head down, her hands clasping together behind her neck as she sits back up, shaking her head to herself as Christina watches on.

Seleana Zdunich:I don’t even know what I am doing anymore.

She draws in a deep breath and sharply lets it out.

Seleana Zdunich:Last match here, I’m in the ring with whiny brat that is fucking the boss and the only reason I’m there is because she couldn’t have who she was really keen to fight. She barely mentioned me at all, the whole company demonstrated to me where I stand with them and still, I…

Her jaw clenches, her teeth grinding together as Seleana starts shaking.

Seleana Zdunich:Do…

Her eyes snap shut.

Seleana Zdunich:NOTHING!

Christina shakes her head.

Christina Zdunich: You did not do nothing…

Seleana nods pointedly.

Seleana Zdunich:I lost…

Christina shrugs.

Christina Zdunich: So?

Seleana looks back at her wife in shock.

Seleana Zdunich:You hate losing!

Christina nods as if this is the single most obvious thing anyone has ever uttered in the history mankind.

Christina Zdunich: Yeah… so? I’m me, you’re you…

Seleana shakes her head.

Seleana Zdunich:I am nothing…

Christina shrugs, looking matter-of-fact about things.  

Christina Zdunich: Then do something about it.

Seleana stands up and turns to face her wife.

Seleana Zdunich:Like what?

Christina shrugs yet again.

Christina Zdunich: Like pull your head out?  

Seleana cocks her head.

Seleana Zdunich:What?

Christina rolls her eyes.

Christina Zdunich: Ugh, you heard me…

She nods with annoyance on every one of her next few words.

Christina Zdunich: Pull…

Nod.

Christina Zdunich: Your…

Nod.

Christina Zdunich: Head…

Nod.

Christina Zdunich: Out!

Seleana’s jaw drops.

Seleana Zdunich:Is that why I’m not good enough for you?

Now it’s Christina’s turn to have her drop.

Christina Zdunich: Excuse me?

Seleana nods knowingly.

Seleana Zdunich:You hear me!

Christina’s head almost falls over even as her hand stays up, her elbow pulled in tight as if she had just been about to blow on her nails.

Christina Zdunich: How do you figure that one?

Seleana shrugs as if the answer should be obvious.

Seleana Zdunich:Are we team?

Christina nods incredulously.

Christina Zdunich: Yes.

Seleana’s eyes almost bug out of her head.

Seleana Zdunich:Hollywood Angels team?

Christina almost laughs.

Christina Zdunich: Babe, Sin City has no Bombshells Tag Team Division, there are no…

Seleana cuts her off.

Seleana Zdunich:Other places!

Christina still seemingly can’t believe her ears.

Christina Zdunich: You only wrestle one other place and you team with somebody else there.

Seleana nods, pointing accusingly.

Seleana Zdunich:So do you!

Christina nods in return.

Christina Zdunich: Because you went without asking me first! How am I supposed to team with you there when you went with your sister?

Seleana is unbowed.

Seleana Zdunich:What about other places? You bring me to LAW, we team once…

Christina’s jaw falls open again.

Christina Zdunich: So it’s my fault they didn’t book us as a team?

Seleana nods pointedly.

Seleana Zdunich:You bring me to Sin City and we can’t be a team. What about Honor before the merge? What about WWA? What all other places you work? Why weren’t you keen to bring me to those places? I would bring up the team and you would tell me we would someday but someday never come!  

Christina just shakes her head in near dumbfounded shock.

Christina Zdunich: You didn’t need to be mixed up in those other places. You have enough trouble where we’ve been already!

Seleana swallows hard, her voice becoming small and almost childlike.

Seleana Zdunich:So I’m not good enough for you…

Christina marches up to Seleana and grabs her by the shoulders.

Christina Zdunich: Seleana Valentina Zdunich, you knock that off this instant! You have always been good enough for me! I married you, didn’t I?

Her hands drop from Seleana’s shoulders.

Christina Zdunich: I taught you! I trained you! There is no way possible you can’t be good enough for me! I am Crystal Fucking Hilton and it’s time you started acting like my wife!

Seleana stares at Christina for a second and then latches onto her, Christina hugging her back as the two women begin to kiss passionately.

Seleana Zdunich:I love you, Estrellita!  

Christina smirks and kisses Seleana again.

Christina Zdunich: I love you too, Babe.

Christina leads Seleana over to the bed and proceeds to prove it repeatedly for the rest of the night.


On-Camera

The camera opens upon Seleana Zdunich standing seemingly alone in the short hallway that leads to the doorway of her hotel room in Buffalo. Dressed in tight jeans and a Detroit Rampage t-shirt, she nods to her bare feet and finally looks up to the lens staring back at her.

Seleana Zdunich:We are nothing.

She shrugs, looking somewhere between apologetic and sadly matter-of-fact.

Seleana Zdunich:It’s the truth, Trinity. You and I are nothing here in Sin City Wrestling. We are the people that show up for the Bombshell Division matches and people have to think of ways to sell our matches to the public because we always have “a good showing” but we never quite…

She shrugs, more to herself than anyone else.

Seleana Zdunich:“Get there.”

She looks down to her feet and just shakes her head exasperatedly.

Seleana Zdunich:The sad truth is we are the people everyone else thinks of as the charity cases. The ones they keep on the roster because there is really no reason to get rid of us but there’s no reason to really give us anything either.

Looking back up, Seleana shrugs slowly.

Seleana Zdunich:We are not the chosen heroes to lead the way and we are not the hated villains they can sell the public on wanting to see die for their amusement either.

Looking off, she ticks off a list as if her hand is a notebook with bullet points on it.

Seleana Zdunich:We’re not their hero, we’re not their villain, we’re not in the mixed tag teams they seem to have fallen in love with here, we’re not either of us really the up-and-comer that people can’t wait to see what happens when they mature into their abilities.

Nodding matter-of-factly, Seleana looks dead into the camera.

Seleana Zdunich:I’m the Swedish trophy wife of a woman people call many things and most of them aren’t good no matter how many championships she wins or how many Halls of Fame she earns berths in and you…

Seleans shrugs sadly again.

Seleana Zdunich:You’re somebody who came here before, did not set the world on fire, left and came back seeking redemption that was not readily available.

Looking back to her feet, Seleana frowns.

Seleana Zdunich:We have both been given chances to shake these labels off and we have managed to become…

She nods pointedly.

Seleana Zdunich:Nothing.  

She nods a couple of times and then looks back into the camera.

Seleana Zdunich:But we have been given another chance, Trinity. We have been given this chance to prove the whole world wrong! We have been given this chance to show the world that the Dragon and the Cat are not just cheap marketing ploys thrown on us to hide the fact that we have less than desirable records. We have been given the opportunity to show Sin City Wrestling and everyone else that they are wrong about us!

She nods pointedly.

Seleana Zdunich:We are NOT nothing!

She stares coldly into the camera as the shot tightens on her slightly.

Seleana Zdunich:You are not nothing. I am not nothing and we both deserve better than to be the afterthoughts thrown together while everyone else pays attention to the two championships and their two contenders.  

She nods pointedly again.

Seleana Zdunich:This is our opportunity to prove to Mark Ward, to Christian Underwood, to anyone else paying attention, that the Bombshells deserve better than to have two slots and then whatever else they can force us to take as charity cases alongside then men in the mixed tag team stuff. This…

She nods as she pointed hard to the ground.

Seleana Zdunich:This is our opportunity to steal the show and prove to everyone that WE!!!

She nods, pointing to herself.

Seleana Zdunich:We can do better and we will do better!

The camera zooms in to frame her face.

Seleana Zdunich:I’m tired of being nothing, Trinity, and I am going to prove I’m the opposite even if I have to drag you along with me kicking and screaming. I’ll see you in Las Vegas, Dragon, where we set the world on fire!  








 

 Sunday
10/14/18
Scottsdale, Arizona
11:15 PM MST

Following the events of Climax Control, Seleana Zdunich finds herself in an unfamiliar place in an even more unfamiliar condition. She sits in the hotel room she was supposed to be sharing with her wife, Christina Zdunich, staring at the walls as they almost seem to close on in her. Silence fills the room as she looks from the door to the bathroom and just shakes her head.

Climax Control had been over for a good two hours and the room was as empty now as it had been during the show when the occupants had been down at the arena. Following the revelations shown on the big screen by Kate Steele, Seleana’s family had all been devastated and scattered. Her injured stepdaughter, Brittany Williams, had yelled at her mother and then vanished into the wind. Christina had followed a few seconds later leaving Seleana sitting alone on a bench in the dressing room wondering what she was supposed to do now.

Staring at her phone, Seleana closes her eyes and fires up her Twitter app to look and see if either had mentioned anything. Since this would be the first thing she’d heard or seen after the show, it would be a relief just to see they were at least alive on some level. She quickly scans her timeline and sees Christina has made a couple of posts. Her jaw clenches and she shakes her head.

Seleana Zdunich: Estrellita… varför?

After making a post herself, she fires off a text into the night at Brittany.

“Where are you?”

She stares hopefully at her phone and then nods knowing this will take a second for an answer to even think about coming back. Quickly, she tries a text to Christina as well.

“Where are you?”

A second later, an answer appears.

“Why?”

Seleana stares at it and can almost hear the cross between attitude and fear in the word. Seleana bites her lip as she tries not to burst into tears again and sends a response.

“You have not come back to the room.”

She exhales heavily, hoping both that this is a bad dream and that they can at least agree to talk, even if it would be exceptionally painful to confront whatever truth there was to confront. Christina’s answer chimes back.

“I’m ashamed.”

And just like that, Seleana cannot hold back the torrent any longer. Her worst fears had been realized. She sets her phone down and then squeezes her hands into fists. This was why Brittany had disappeared. She knew the odds were good that it was exactly as was shown and that her mother had likely found a way to destroy things. Swallowing hard, Seleana picks up her phone and messages Brittany again.    

“I just want to know if you are alright and if you are going to see Jordan?”

She stares at her phone and starts to ponder things. What should she do in this situation? Calling her sisters would probably not be a good idea considering this very same thing had happened to her youngest sister, Katra, around this time last year and bringing up the memory would not be a good idea. Their middle sister, Zenna, would be angry and reminded of what had happened to her with a male ex of her own almost seven years ago and since that had led Zenna down the rabbit hole of drugs and alcohol abuse, it was not a wound Seleana wanted to reopen any time soon. She exhales forcefully and then tries Brittany again.  

“I love you, I want to know you are safe.”

She glances at her timeline again to see messages from Eavan Maloney and Reya Sera Cornett, managing a small smile at their generosity. She answers both of them and then tries another text message to Brittany.

“Please?”

Was this wrong to try and force the issue with her? Teenagers were a strange thing and having one to call her own was still a concept that Seleana was trying to wrap her head around. What had Brittany thought when she’d seen the video depicting her parents getting back together? Was she secretly happy to see this reunion? Was Seleana that bad a parent? Did Brittany really want her to go away and get out of the way of her family? Was she angry at what little family she had was being torn apart again? She had heard Brittany talk of this idea many times before. Seleana nods to herself, hoping beyond hope and tries one last time.    

“I love you Brittany, I am sorry this happened.”

What of Brittany ahd discovered the road Christina had once run down herself? What if Brittany was lying somewhere, drunk and fading into the abyss of unconsciousness? What if it was worse? How would they go on if Brittany had…

Her train of thought is broken by  chiem from her phone. Seleana looks down to see Brittany has answered.

“Hai”

Seleana smiles broadly through her tears and fires an answer back.

“How are you?”

Before she can really even stop herself, she fires off another one.

“Are you safe?

With no answer coming and realizing she’s just sent off two in a row after Brittany had finally made the effort to do exactly as she’d asked, Seleana wipes the tears from her eyes and fires off a quick message.

“I am sorry. I do not mean to nag.”  

She swallows hard and switches over to Christina. What should she do now? What if Christina wasn’t coming back? What if she was? What did Seleana want and which was actually the worse choice tonight? After a few minutes, she nods to herself and sends another message to Christina.

“Do you know where Brittany is?”

An answer comes back almost too quickly, as if Christina was staring at her phone the same way Seleana was.

“No.”

Seleana stares at it and shakes her head.

“Do you think she do something rash?”

When no answer comes back this time, Seleana grips her phone a little tighter.

“Stjärna, please?”

This time an answer comes back quickly.

“I am embarrassed I hurt you, and no Brittany won’t do anything. She’s probably flying to be with her boyfriend.”

Seleana stares at her phone and plays the words over in her head. Was this Christina being snippy or was this her just being in pain?

“You come back to hotel tonight or should I go home and wait for you there?

The phone seemingly goes dead for a minute and then chimes back with an answer from Christina.

“Look it’s not what it seems. One thing led to another. Christina let me back, she wanted me to surface to deal with Kate because she knew she was weak. And well, seeing Todd just gave me memories, that arrogance, one thing led to another…”

Seleana stares at her phone and the tears start to come again.

“You come back to room or need time away from me?”

She closes her eyes and tries not to give in to the ideas in her head. Does my wife hate me? Does she not love me? Should I go drown my sorrows? Should I just go find some of those favors that have been offered in Hollywood at times? Is my life over right now?

Opening her eyes, Seleana looks down and sees no answer has come back from her wife yet. She nods sadly and fires off another text.

“I do not hate you.”

She stands up and starts to look around to see how quickly she can pack up her stuff. It wouldn’t take long since she had not unpacked much at all upon arrival. As she starts to move, her phone chimes with an answer from Christina.

“What Sel”  

Seleana stops dead in her tracks and stares at the words. Without punctuation, context or even a complete thought, what does this mean? Was she being snide? Was she being drunk? Was she simply asking a question? If she was drunk, what would she do?

Seleana nods slowly and then fires back a message.

“Ok. I understand. I will fly home and I will be there when you are ready. Please try to find Brittany. She has not answered me.”

Before she can move, an answer chimes back.

“Why aren’t you yelling at me?”

Seleana stands there feeling like she’s been punched in the gut. How do you answer that one?

“Why do you want me to yell?”

Again, an answer comes right off.

“Because you are supposed to be mad and upset.”

Seleana nods.

“I am upset. I am scared. I am worried.”

When no further answer comes over the next fifteen minutes, Seleana sadly gathers her stuff and takes her leave, booking a flight home to Los Angeles and just hoping that there is still a home to go back to.


Friday
10/19/18
Los Angeles, California


The camera opens upon Seleana Zdunich sitting on a couch somewhere, using the camera on her smartphone to broadcast.  

Seleana Zdunich: It is a funny thing, focus…

Looking down, Seleana stares at her feet.  

Seleana Zdunich: Everyone say you need it, everyone always says few have it and yet, this is not really the case. Everyone has a focus. Everyone is focused on something, it is only when you ask everyone to focus on the same that one can start to say a person has either no focus or has lost their old focus.

She nods slowly, sadly.

Seleana Zdunich: My wife is a perfect example.

Swallowing hard, Seleana takes a deep breath and lets it out, giving life to the melancholy she is feeling.

Seleana Zdunich: People have said Christina lacks her former focus from when she was Crystal Hilton all the time. They say she is not as driven as she was before. They say she lacks killer instinct and even she has said she is weak and not what she was.

Seleana shakes her head forcefully before looking up.

Seleana Zdunich: They are all wrong. Christina is still as focused as ever, her focus has simply shifted. She allows people to continue to shift her focus from what she thinks she wants and therefore she…

Seleana trails off just long enough to raise her free hand to make air quotation marks.

Seleana Zdunich: “Comes up short.”

Her free hand drops.

Seleana Zdunich: Christina is still every bit the talent she was before, no matter what name she uses. If she were to choose to point her focus onto attaining a certain thing and does not split it away from that one certain thing, she will do like she always has. She is still a rose by any other name and still smells twice as sweet!

Shrugging, Seleana looks back to her feet.

Seleana Zdunich: I know some of you are laughing right now. You are saying, “Silly woman, you know nothing. You do not even really know your own wife! You do not know what she will do in five minutes, much less what she will do when she tries to be her former self again.”  

She looks up again into the camera.

Seleana Zdunich: You are wrong. I do her and I know that there is a very good reason you all try to split her focus as you do. You know that if you do not manage such a thing, she will take you down and you will have to listen to Crystal Hilton crow about how she beat you until you cannot stand it any longer and it makes you all sick and scared! My wife will be back on top if she chooses to dedicate herself to it as will her daughter. They are both too talented to stay down for long no matter what you do to them.

She nods and then looks down to her feet once again.

Seleana Zdunich: So now, I come to a match where focus will be split because it is a foruway for a title shot and so, how should it be otherwise?

Seleana shrugs, her focus remaining on her shoes.

Seleana Zdunich: There will be four of us vying for a chance to face Evie Baang and all of us wish to attain this status as we have all had our chances previously.

She pauses and seemingly switches to a spot on the floor instead of her shoes.

Seleana Zdunich: Trinity Jones focuses on her past, her perceived shortcomings in a run prior to stepping away. She speaks as if her record speaks more against her than for her and focuses on things she cannot control. Things she cannot change. Things…

Seleana looks up and shrugs almost sadly.

Seleana Zdunich: That do not matter.  

She nods knowingly, understandingly.

Seleana Zdunich: Who you were in that former run is not who you are now, Trinity. I never see how you were before and it does not matter because you are a different animal now. You can be whatever you want if you just focus on now instead of then. You are capable of greatness, all you have to do is get out of your own way and you can achieve it!

Sighing heavily, she moves her gaze back to the floor.

Seleana Zdunich: Amy Marshall focuses on her closing window of time for success. She acts as if her entire career is a failure if she does not cash in on opportunities right now. She also focuses on something she can neither control nor change and that is the number next to ehr name in the box marked “age.”

She shrugs again sadly.

Seleana Zdunich: I do not know why you think you are on borrowed time, Amy. Your window is just as open now as it was when you started.

She looks up again, nodding pointedly to the camera.

Seleana Zdunich: Everyone’s window of opportunity is open so long as they are able to walk away from the ring after their last match. If you are breathing and walking, and they allow you into that ring, your window is not moving at all. You have always been capable of greatness, Amy, and that has not been diminished by that number changing. If your focus is pointed at the championship the way it has always been before, that number will not matter. It did not matter before and it will not now unless you allow it to, unless you allow it to consume you and allow yourself to be defeated before you ever enter the ring.

She nods again, even more pointedly.

Seleana Zdunich: You are better than that, Amy. You always have been.      

Her gaze slips down and finds her shoes all over again.

Seleana Zdunich: Sam Marlowe focuses on career and her lessons outside of the ring. In some ways this is a thing to be praised. You maintain a level of excellence in both and thus inspire and empower those who take notice. You do yourself credit that way.

She looks up into the camera and nods once again.

Seleana Zdunich: This could also cause you problems as your focus is split. Rest assured, I am not telling you to forsake all other things. That would be foolish and pointless.

She nods even as she shrugs apologetically.

Seleana Zdunich: But if your focus is put in place, you will be unstoppable. You are the talent that can transcend and make little girls everywhere stand up and say, “Ja, I can do anything!” You can be the face that lights the way. The light upon the path that shows everyone how to be.

She swallows hard barely looking down.

Seleana Zdunich: And what of me?

Seleana shrugs, almost laughing at herself.

Seleana Zdunich: Lately my focus has been..

She shrugs again, this time knowingly.

Seleana Zdunich: All over the place. I looked at my shoulder. My stepdaughter and her arm. My wife and her myriad of problems and then last week, I was given a new...  

She shakes her head.

Seleana Zdunich: My focus was on everything but a match so good job I had none for the last two weeks. This past week, I have been unable to focus on anything other than what will become of my marriage, my family…

Her gaze returns to the camera.

Seleana Zdunich: But then I saw those I would be facing, the stakes at hand and I realized, I must focus on the match at hand. Forget about my problems and give you three the match you deserve. You all want to face Evie Baang again and so do I. I have stepped into the ring with her twice and both times she has attempted to injure me only to fall short of achieving that. I do not know why she wishes to hurt me…

Shrugging, Seleana glares straight through the camera.

Seleana Zdunich: maybe she dislikes my wife. Maybe she is insulted by my presence in ehr company. I do not know and at this moment, i do not care. I just know she has tried to injure me twice and in order to get back to facing her and proving her wrong i must focus on this match, on you three and I must focus on getting through you.

She stands and nods forcefully.

Seleana Zdunich: I must stand up, walk into that ring and show that this Cat has claws and she is focused on using them for one thing! I will see you three in the ring and we will see who achieves the needed focus this week. I will do my best to show that it is me and put this whole sordid week behind me!

She nods and starts to walk away.

Seleana Zdunich: That… is my focus…    

 Friday, August 24, 2018
Malibu, California
Claire's Shop
2:04 PM PDT


Usually the near hour long drive from home to Claire’s was a relatively peaceful one as drives in the Los Angeles area go. For Seleana Zdunich, this had always been an eye-opening experience. Nothing in her life up to when she moved to this area had prepared her for what felt like the open warfare that is driving in Los Angeles. She hadn’t had to drive much in her native Sweden and driving in Christchurch tended to be more like driving in a relatively small town when she had done it there. She was used to some mass transit and some traffic, but nothing like what was a usual day on the freeway here. Christina and Brittany had both told Seleana she would get used to it but if she really felt uncomfortable, she should get somebody else to drive for her but she’d accepted the first part as the true gospel of the situation.

Driving in Los Angeles, especially on what always felt like the wrong side of the road to her, was just one more thing she was have to adjust to and learn to get used to upon moving to the States. After a little over a year now, she liked to think she had the hang of certain things and yet, some, like this drive, always managed to still make her a little nervous, especially in Christina’s pink lamborghini. The license plate reading “PRFCTN” didn’t make her feel any less nervous but she was learning to deal with it. As she walks from her car to the door of the place, she can’t help but smile at the thought of having made it safely one more time.

She opens the door and is quickly greeted by a five-foot-nothing blonde woman, seven months pregnant, the small woman’s texas accent kicking in hard as Seleana walks over and hugs her.

Seleana Zdunich: Heya Shay Shay, how’s it?

Shay Kenyon smiles back at the towering Swede.

Shay Kenyon: Imma gettin’ there, Sel. Brutus is downstairs like usual.

Seleana nods.

Seleana Zdunich: How often are you taking him out?

Shay shrugs, stretching out her back.

Shay Kenyon: Me personally, not as often as I’d like but I kinda can’t by myself anymore. He’s a big ol’ boy and don’t know he can’t just pull me along.

Seleana grins.

Seleana Zdunich: I will see what can be done.

She quickly goes downstairs to see Brutus, returning an hour later nodding happily.

Seleana Zdunich: Awesome as dog!

Shay smiles back.

Shay Kenyon: He is… gonna be weird when Dean finally takes him back. He’s been here since December and it’ll feel so…

She trails off and Seleana nods, the smile dimming slightly.

Seleana Zdunich: You are attached to him?

Shay shrugs, trying not to cry.

Shay Kenyon: Damn hormones…

She shrugs again and then nods to Seleana.

Shay Kenyon: It won’t be so bad if Dean is back in Pismo Beach. Then I can go see him any time I want.

Seleana nods and then hugs Shay reassuringly.

Seleana Zdunich: He looks like he would enjoy that, such a good boy.

Shay nods, taking in the full sight of the statuesque Swedish woman.

Shay Kenyon: So, what’s really wrong?

Seleana frowns in confusion.

Seleana Zdunich: Really wrong?

Shay nods knowingly.

Shay Kenyon: Sel, you come over here all the time and it ain’t like y’all’s shoppin for sex toys or vids or nothin’. You walk in, you talk to me, you play with Brutus and then you go to the gym up the street to make sure you don’t take any of Brutus home with you to Christina…

Seleana just stands there thunderstruck as Shay forces a small smile for her.

Shay Kenyon: I mean, God bless you for helpin’ me with the dog and for findin’ a way to do it without hurting your poor wife with her allergies and all but I can’t say you ever look that happy lately so what’s goin’ on?

Seleana still can’t find the words having been caught completely off-guard.

Seleana Zdunich: I…

Shay quickly nods to cut her off.

Shay Kenyon: Don’t you dare say, “nothin’”, Miss Seleana! I done seen you in here all mopin’ like too many times to be buyin’ that shit!  

Seleana is caught off-guard by this all over again.

Seleana Zdunich: Moping?

Shay shrugs, looking almost apologetic for having used that particular word.

Shay Kenyon: As much as you mope. It ain’t like y’all look all depressed but your smile just seems a little less intense certain times is all. So, what’s up?

Seleana nods slightly.

Seleana Zdunich: I… don’t know?

She walks with Shay over to a couple of chairs and then both sit behind the counter.

Seleana Zdunich: I just… thought more would have happened by now.

Shay frowns in confusion.

Shay Kenyon: With what? You ain’t happy in y’all’s marriage?

Seleana shakes her head almost immediately, her eyes going wide at the mere suggestion.

Seleana Zdunich: Oh, no, no, that’s awesome! Christina is the best thing to ever happen to me and Brittany has been more welcoming than I expected her to be to the idea of me. My marriage is wonderful.

Shay smiles genuinely at this.

Shay Kenyon: Ok… then, you miss y’all’s other job?

Seleana shrugs.

Seleana Zdunich: I’m ok with how things are at the moment with animals. I did that for ten years and I still get to with the odd one here or there like Brutus. If I went and found a new job, I would be afraid I’d get attached too much to the older ones and I don’t know that I am ready for that yet.

Shay nods, ideas percolating inside her brain as she does so.

Shay Kenyon: So… not working in that field is probably a good thing for ya right now?

Seleana nods happily.

Seleana Zdunich: Ja, at the moment…

Shay nods and then ponders the situation for what seems like forever. Finally, after a few minutes, she nods to Seleana.

Shay Kenyon: Then, wrestling?

Seleana starts to answer but catches herself. She sits back in the chair and visibly starts to question herself and how she feels on this subject.

Seleana Zdunich: I…

She trails off, looks away and then shakes her head.

Seleana Zdunich: För fan i helvete!

Seleana almost looks like she wants to slap herself.

Seleana Zdunich: I am… disappointed in myself.

Shay frowns, her eyes narrowing slightly.

Shay Kenyon: Why?

Seleana shrugs.

Seleana Zdunich: I…

Shay pats her on the hand.

Shay Kenyon: It’s alright, Sugar…

Seleana tries to smile and Shay pats her hand reassuringly again.

Shay Kenyon: I mean, are you upset with yourself for not doing as well as you think you should?

Seleana shakes her head.

Seleana Zdunich: No, I am not surprised at my record, in that I am not surprised with all the good opponents I’ve had that I have many losses. The only surprise to me is that Christina and I almost defeated the Boardwalk Angels and I did manage to defeat Amy Santino last week. I know I am not Christina or Brittany…

She shrugs sadly.

Seleana Zdunich: I’m not even Alexi or Zenna…

Shay cocks her head.

Shay Kenyon: Sel, how many matches have you had?

Seleana looks her in the eyes, shocked by the question.

Seleana Zdunich: What?

Shay nods, this time more forcefully.

Shay Kenyon: How many matches have you had? Like, total between LAW and SCW?

Seleana stares at her fingers and starts counting out loud.

Seleana Zdunich: En, två, tre, fyra, fem, sex ... nej, fem…

She nods as if coming to a conclusion.

Seleana Zdunich: En, två, tre, fyra, fem, sex, sju, åtta, nio ...

Nodding again, Seleana looks to Shay.

Seleana Zdunich: Fourteen.

Shay nods, grinning knowingly.

Shay Kenyon: Now, say that out loud again.

Seleana stares at Shay and then nods, smiling as comprehension dawns.

Seleana Zdunich: I have had fourteen wrestling matches in my life.

Shay nods again.

Shay Kenyon: So…?

Seleana shrugs.

Seleana Zdunich: I am doing awesome as for somebody who has had to face the likes of Mercedes Vargas, Christina, Amy Santino, Elizabeth Blackwell, Evie Baang, Brittany, Zoey Madigan-Star and Mama Red with no experience!

Shay nods, her agreement apparent.

Shay Kenyon: So, what’s the problem?

Seleana looks at Shay, a realization dawning.

Seleana Zdunich: The Hollywood Angels…

Shay cocks her head, both confusion and curiosity written all over her face.    

Shay Kenyon: What’s wrong with them?

Seleana bites her bottom lip, looking somewhat overcome.

Seleana Zdunich: They have not really happened because SCW does not use tag teams.

Shay’s jaw drops in shock.
 
Shay Kenyon: They don’t have tag teams there?

Seleana shakes her head.

Seleana Zdunich: Not right now, only mixed.

Shay looks as if she can’t believe her ears.

Shay Kenyon: Mixed?

Seleana nods slightly.

Seleana Zdunich: Mixed gender, one man and one woman each. It is the only tag team division SCW has at the moment. If they had a regular one again, I’d be keen but that does not seem like it can happen. The rosters are not large enough. Christina had always said we would be a team and I was keen for it to happen. We had the one match against the Boardwalk Angels and we almost knocked them off but we never got to team again. LAW had Christina looking for singles gold and I only had five matches there. My sixth was supposed to be on the show that never happened because the place closed.    

Shay nods sympathetically.

Shay Kenyon: That sucks.

Seleana nods her agreement.

Seleana Zdunich: Yes and now Christina wishes to retire somewhat as an active competitor so it may never happen after all. Brittany does not seem interested and even if she was…

She trails off but Shay nods as she connects the dots.

Shay Kenyon: SCW has no division for the two of y’all to compete in anyway.

Seleana nods and then exhales heavily.

Seleana Zdunich: Do I really let it show so much? I do not wish for this to weight on Christina or Brittany. They usually have enough to worry about without having to listen to me whine about not being in a tag team with people who don’t need me holding them back at the moment.

Shay crosses her arms.

Shay Kenyon: Seleana Valentina Zdunich, don’t y’all ever talk about y’allself like that ever again, do you hear me? You ain’t no drag on anyone! You brighten us all up!

Seleana stares at Shay and gets another emphatic nod from the small blonde Texan.

Shay Kenyon: Don’t you give me no sass on that, Sel! I know you brighten me up all the time when I’m feelin’ downright awful with my pregnancy and I’d bet money you do the same for both Christina and B-Brat. I know you do it for both your sisters too so don’t do this to y’allself!

Seleana shrugs.

Seleana Zdunich: I just..

She exhales forcefully again and then nods.

Seleana Zdunich: I guess i just haven’t found my place or my groove yet. I know she didn’t mean to have the Hollywood Angels crash like this but I can’t help feeling disappointed that they’ve never gotten a chance.

Shay reaches out and holds both her hands.

Shay Kenyon: Be patient. None of y’all is dead and SCW seems to be rollin’ right proper so, who knows, maybe you still got a shot. In the meantime, keep bein’ you and keep learnin’. Like you said, you only had fourteen matches so far. You still got a lot to learn in that ring and y’all doin’ great in your development!

Seleana leans over and hugs the diminutive blonde.

SL: Tack, Shay Shay.

Shay can’t help but smile.

Shay Kenyon: Y’all welcome, Cat. Now go get ‘em!



Two hours later…


Friday, August 24, 2018
Los Angeles, California
Hollywood Hills
The Home of Christina & Seleana Zdunich
4:05 PM PDT


The camera opens upon Seleana in the living room sitting on the couch. She sits forward, resting her chin on her hands.

Seleana Zdunich: Brittany…

Her head stays rested on her hands while her gaze moves to the floor.

Seleana Zdunich: The last time we had to face each other, you know I did not take the idea very well at all. I did not like the idea of having to strike you in any way. It made me feel dirty just thinking of such things. What kind of stepmother would I be if I put my hands on you like that?

Her head leans down so that instead of her chin, it is now her forehead that rests on her hands.

Seleana Zdunich: many people told me I needed to get over it if I was going to compete in the same sport as you and your mother because sooner or later, this very thing would happen. They all told me I had to accept that these things are commonplace and we just had to accept the matches and agree that we would compete to the best of our abilities and let each other know that no matter what happened in the match it would not change our relationship outside the ring.    

She lifts her head off her hands and exhales heavily.

Seleana Zdunich: I also admit that your promo last time did hurt. I did not understand right away how such things could be said. How could you say such things and could you truly feel that way towards your mother? And if you did truly feel that way about her, what did that mean for how you felt towards me?

Her gaze finally moves up to the camera.    

Seleana Zdunich: I did not know at the time what all you were going through but I was always happy to help any time you came to me. It made me feel good that you really did trust me as you have and that I could be allowed to try and be at least somewhat of a parent to you. I cannot promise I did that job well, but I tried as best i could.

She nods, smiling sadly.

Seleana Zdunich: I love you, Brittany. You are my own. You are as close as I am ever going to get to having a biological child and as such, I would do anything to help you, protect you. You have helped me just as much as you say I have helped you. You were there to help me understand so many things along the way with your family and you helped integrate me in ways I did not know I even needed to know about. Thank you for letting me in, thank you for being the wonderful, strong young woman you are!

Nodding again, Seleana stands up.

Seleana Zdunich: I cannot argue with anything you said about this match. You have pursued this longer and you have more experience than I do in almost every way imaginable when it comes to this sport, this business and most of your mother’s other businesses. She has groomed you for everything and I cannot say that I am more talented than you either. I am obviously gifted physically in ways that you are not since I am eight inches taller and consequently bigger and stronger but you have ways to make up for that difference i cannot even begin to fathom. You have already won championship standing while I am still just trying to gain any standing in wrestling. I had five matches in LAW and I’ve had nine here so far and while I’ve some and lost some, I can say I’ve learned at every turn.

She shrugs, almost laughing despite herself.

Seleana Zdunich: I mean, how can I not when I’m in the ring with the likes of you, your mother, Mercedes Vargas, Evie Baang and Amy Santino?  

She nods again, her eyes momentarily moving off the camera to contemplate the level of talent she’s just named.

Seleana Zdunich: That is a lot of gold in that statement…

Shaking herself, Seleana looks back up into the camera.

Seleana Zdunich: This is an important match and I can promise you, Brittany, if you beat me I will have made you earn it properly. I am not going to hold back in this match because you and several others have shown me the way on it. We go into this match as stepmother and stepdaughter and that is how we will come out of it. Nothing will change my love for you, Chickie and I hope you can say the same about me.

Smiling, she nods sweetly to the camera.

Seleana Zdunich: But that love does not translate to a lack of drive from me to defeat you. In order to survive in this sport, I must learn, I must adapt and I must move forward and right now that means I have to step up to your level just like I did last week with Amy Santino.

She clasps her hands together in front of her.

Seleana Zdunich: I need you to give me your best, Chickie! I need you to come at me with everything you have so that I can see where i am! I need you to hit me with everything you have so I can learn everything there is to learn! I need your help to become one of the Hollywood Angels your mother always told me we would all be. There is only one way the Hollywood Angels get their halos, at least in my case, and that’s going through you in this Gold Rush Tournament.

She squeezes her hands together and then nods pointedly to the camera.

Seleana Zdunich: I need to know who I can be, Brittany and you’re the one who’s going to teach me! The winner goes to the finals against either Dani Weston or Aviana faith for a shot at Mikah but more importantly, the outcome will show us definitively if I have managed to be able to say I belong in this family when it comes to the ring. You can say your mother feels like she didn’t do the family name justice and you may even feel that way yourself but I’m the one who had far to go and now we will see how far I have come. I’m the one who got accused of having a job due to nepotism and I’m the one who has more to prove.

She rubs her hands together and then nods once again.

Seleana Zdunich: You’ve already proven you are your mother’s daughter. You’ve tasted victory and you’ve tasted championship status. I’m the trophy wife that shouldn’t be here until I prove otherwise and to do that, i have to prove that I can do more than just walk to the ring and look pretty before the bell rings. I have to prove that I look even better when it’s all on the line and I am aiming to do just that.

The camera zooms in tightly on Seleana’s face.

Seleana Zdunich: This match, the Cat gets her Angel wings and we see how far I can fly!