Sunday May 19th
The Fall Out
I should have seen something like that coming. But I guess I was a little too naive, or just wanted to believe that my own friends wouldn’t bother to do something like that to help me out to get the win. I mean, I expected something like that from Bobbie at least to protect me, but the fact that Miles did what he did? Well, I’m not exactly happy with him. He and Bobbie- and everyone else really- should understand that a tainted win in a tournament like this isn’t exactly something to be proud of.
After the match I headed straight backstage. Miles and Bobbie both tried to talk to me, but I didn’t want to hear anything they had to say at the moment. They exchanged a few words out of my ear shot and Miles went on his way to go find Carter for their match. I don’t even know how long ago that was, because I’ve been brooding in the locker room for a while. Bobbie is still out in the hallway, giving me some space, when I suddenly hear a commotion just outside. I jump up from my chair and head over to the door to see what is going on.
When I peek into the hall, I see Carter being helped into the medical locker room with Miles right with him. I don’t even know what happened, but Bobbie looks concerned, which is understandable. Miles stays out in the hall, reluctantly, giving the medical team a few moments to check Carter over and Bobbie checks on him. He’s overwhelmed with concern for Carter’s well-being, and while I am, too, I’m still mad at Miles for interfering in my match. This might not be the time to say anything, but I guess that is what anger does to you. It breaks your brain to mouth filter.
“Why did you do it?” I ask and Bobbie and Miles both turn their attention to me. Bobbie shakes her head at me, quietly pointing out what I already know, but I don’t really care right now.
“Excuse me?” Miles asks, confused? He must be too caught up with whatever is going on with Carter to remember what happened earlier. “Why did I do what?”
I shake my head and step closer to them. “Why did you interfere in my match earlier?” I feel my eyes narrow, almost out of my control. “Why did you help me win?”
Miles lets out an annoyed laugh and shakes his head. Bobbie steps forward, trying to talk me down and insists on having this conversation later, but we’re past the point of that. It’s now or never. “I guess I was wrong in expecting a thank you, huh mate?” Miles responds, his patience very low. “Maybe when you make it to the finals and then win the World Heavyweight Championship, you’ll thank me then.”
“Artie, sweetie,” Bobbie starts, placing a hand on my arm. “Can we talk about this later? Miles needs to check on Carter.”
I shake my head and pull my arm out of her grasp. “I don’t need anyone’s help.” I snap back, looking at both Bobbie and Miles, because I wanted Bobbie to know as much, too. “If me and Kallie make it to the finals and if I win the World Heavyweight Championship opportunity and eventually the title, I’m not going to thank you even then, because I’ll have done it by myself.”
Bobbie lets out a sigh and shakes her head. She knows how angry I am right now, so she should understand why I am speaking my mind, regardless of whatever is going on with Carter in the medical locker room. She looks to Miles and quietly apologizes for me, even though I don’t need her to do that.
“I’m in no mood for this right now.” Miles bites back. “Be angry all you want, mate. I need to go check on Carter.” And with that, he disappears into the medical locker room, not bothering to wait for the all clear to enter.
Bobbie turns her attention back to me and just stares at me, eyes wide and almost surprised. “What was that?” She asks, holding her hands up to further her confusion.
“You know what it was.” I bite back, turning around to head back into the locker room. “I don’t need or want anyone’s help winning, Bobbie.” I say with my back turned to her. Before I disappear back in the locker room to be by myself again, she grabs my arm and spins me around.
“No you don’t.” She says, and I’m not sure if it means she is agreeing with me, or if she is saying that to stop me from shutting myself inside again. “Maybe Miles was wrong to help you out there, but your attitude towards him just now wasn’t right, considering what happened to Carter.”
I shrug. “I don’t even know what happened to Carter. I’m sure he’ll–”
“You know what? You need to confront your mother.” Bobbie blurts out, interrupting me.
My eyes narrow even further and I shake my head. “What? Absolutely not.” I refuse. I hadn’t seen or talked to my mother recently since my father told me of her affair, and I still have no desire to either. As far as I was aware, she still had no idea that either my father or I had any knowledge of her affair. He was trying to figure out this situation himself, which is understandable.
“You have to.” Bobbie replies calmly, more out of concern than anything. “The fact that you know what you know is eating at you, Artie. One minute you’re fine, and the next you’re not.” She was right, if I’m honest. Lately I just couldn’t help being on this rollercoaster of emotions and the slightest thing setting me off.
“This has nothing to do with me not wanting Miles helping or anyone helping me.” I reply, but I’m not lying. Even if the situation with my mother was not the way it is, I’d still be mad at the interference. “Someone helping me like that just makes me look weak. And you know it.”
“It might not have anything to do with it, but it’s certainly adding to your short temper.” She quickly replies. I close my eyes and take in a deep breath. “I’m not used to this side of you. I’ve been trying and trying to be as supportive as I can.”
“We’ll, if you are tired of it, just leave.” Stupid brain to mouth filter malfunction again. I really should not have said that, and instantly regret it, but my attitude certainly says otherwise. Seriously, what is happening to me? “It’s obviously not that hard to do.”
Bobbie’s jaw drops as I leave her shell shocked. I don’t give her a chance to say anything else before I turn and disappear back into the locker room, preferring to be alone in my own thoughts. What I said wasn’t fair, but to me it was the truth. Bobbie and I had been in each other’s lives for so long, but together as a couple much less than that. Our history was complicated. How sure could I be that she wouldn’t step outside of our marriage if she couldn’t truly handle me at my worst? I am so busy worrying about that, that the real question I should be asking I still haven’t.
What happened to push my mother to do just that to my father?
Monday May 20th
Back Home In the States
The last few weeks of the tour have been the hardest as we have been traveling to different countries. Our next stop is in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania so it makes it easier to fly home to Vegas for a few days before the next show. We have been itching to see Loki, and I know he is just as excited to see us, too. Especially Bobbie. I love him just as much as she does, but they have a particular bond that Loki and I don’t, which is fine.
We’re not that far from her parents’ house to see Loki and I am more than ready to just relax for a few days. Jet lag is no joke. Bobbie hasn’t spoken much to me since last night. I will eventually break the silence, but I just need some time. It would make it easier if my father knew what he was going to do about it all, because the longer he doesn’t say anything, the more her infidelity will go on.
When we pull into the driveway of her parents house, I see Loki come running to the fence line from the backyard. His huge wiggle butt starts wagging once he sees us, and the Lyft driver barely has the car in park when Bobbie jumps out of the backseat. I thank the driver and grab our bags as Bobbie goes running to see Loki.
Bobbie’s father greets me at the front door, grabbing Bobbie’s suitcase and helping me inside. No sooner than I walk in the door when I am left shocked as who should come running up to me but my mother! She smiles and has her arms outstretched as she embraced me in a huge hug before I can back away.
“Artie!” She squeals, happy to see me. “Oh I missed my baby boy! Why haven’t you called?!” She steps back and looks me over, as if checking to make sure I am healthy or unhurt. I glare at her, not returning her enthusiasm to see her. Just as I am about to question what she is doing here, my father is the next to enter the room, confusing me even more.
“Son.” He says, greeting me as we share an awkward knowing glance.
“What are you two doing here?” I ask, glaring once again at my mother.
She is taken back by my demeanor, and she should be. She looks to my father, then back to me. “What is with the attitude? Did we do something to upset you?”
I let out a laugh. “I don’t know, Mom. You tell me. Is there something I should be upset about?” I fold my arms and wait for her to answer, but she is genuinely confused. Ken just quietly steps away, getting the sense that this should be a private matter between us. I pray Bobbie hasn’t told him or her mother anything.
“Artie, what is going on?” She looks to my father. “Do you know what he is upset about?”
I know it is against my father’s wishes, but just being face to face with my mother sets me off. My father is about to stop me from saying or doing something stupid, but it’s too late. I throw my hands in the air, and let it all out. “You! Mom! I am angry at YOU!”
“Artie, son…” My father tries to interrupt, but I stop him. This has to happen. She has to be called out on what she’s done.
“No, Dad.” I snap at him, just as angry with him for choosing to continue dealing with her lying. “She has to hear this. She needs to know that we know what she’s done. And how, while you may end up forgiving her, I sure won’t.” I think she is starting to figure out just what I am talking about, but she’s trying to hide it.
“I…I haven’t done anything.” She’s. Terrible liar. Even my father knows. I stare at him, giving him a look that says it’s now or never. He needs to break his silence as much as I did. He is reluctant, but he finally gets it off his chest.
“Enough with the lying, Amelia. I know that you’ve been having an affair!” I can immediately notice the incredible weight that has been lifted off his chest as he says the words. Bobbie has also stepped inside from the door leading to the backyard, but she stops dead in her tracks when she hears my father. My mother looks mortified.
“Thought we didn’t know, Mom?” I say, and I make sure the words are like daggers. She can’t speak. She’s trying to come up with another lie, no doubt, but she just stumbles on her words and is on the verge of tears. “So do either of you care to tell me who she cheated with?”
“H-How? How did you find out?” She looks at my father. Because that is her main concern. She’s more upset that she got caught, than she is about actually destroying our family.
“That’s all you are worried about?” I snap back. I will never understand how I could think so highly of her, only for her to destroy it all with one decision.
“Your father and I should go.” She is panicking, searching around for her purse or something. “We…we need to talk about this in private.”
“What else don’t I know?!” I throw my hands in the air. I’m so tired of being lied to for one reason or another. “Forget this. I’m going home. Bobbie, I need some time alone.”
My mother is even more horrified when she realizes Bobbie has heard everything. At this point, I don’t even care. I just need to get out of here and away from everyone. I’m spiraling out of control, and I don’t know what to do or how to feel about anything. I grab my suitcase and pull my phone out to call another Lyft to take me home.
Seriously…what is happening to my life right now?
I’m beginning to realize that the further I make it through this tournament, the more some people are actually starting to root for me. The fans at least, because they sure have been cheering me on like crazy every match so far. Whether or not they think Kallie and I will actually win, that’s a whole different story, but maybe they are starting to believe now, anyway. They sure should believe, because we’re so close, I can taste it!!
I can’t tell you how happy I am that we’re finally back on American soil. Not because I don’t like the other countries or anything, because it was amazing getting to travel to all of those historic cities. It’s just that traveling such long distances just wears me down pretty fast. And this week, we’re going to be in Gettysburg, which is just…surreal. To be wrestling in the place where Battle at Gettysburg happened is a once in a lifetime experience. And let me tell you, this Battleground Tour is finally starting to make sense to me.
I won’t get into too much detail but I’ve been fighting my own battles this entire tour. And battling against opponents who think I shouldn’t be in this tournament or that I’m stupid for having made such a mistake with the contract. Generally just mean things they’ve said about me. Which is whatever to me at this point, because I’m in the semi-finals and they are not. But let me make one thing clear to everyone about what happened last week.
I did not ask Miles, or anyone else, to help me. And I did not want his help. I’m very aware of how bad that looks, and I’m sorry to Kallie that our last win was a tainted win. I want us to make it to the finals on our own, and not because someone interfered. I don’t want people to think less of us, or that we don’t deserve it so I can promise you…it won’t happen again. No matter how we win on our own, we got this! We’re about to go down in history in SCW and I can’t wait!
Now..I guess focus on the two people standing in our way this week. Sean Parker and Luna Pasilno. So…they seem like a pretty cohesive team right now, which probably isn’t super encouraging for Kallie and me. It’s hard to compete against teams that actually work together outside of the ring to try and be on the same page. Things just haven’t worked out the same way for me and Kallie, but it doesn’t mean we don’t still work together pretty well when we have to!
Sean Parker…he seems pretty good. Like, really good from what I can tell. Better than my last two opponents. Obviously, considering we’re both in the semi-finals and we’re not. But, even really decent teams have been eliminated already. Bobbie and Peter Vaughn being one of them. The best teams don’t always make it to the finals. And the best teams don’t always win the whole tournament. You know who does?
The underdogs. The ones that everyone bets against, because underdogs have spirit. They have fight, and that’s what me and Kallie are! Sean might think he deserves this, and maybe he kinda does. But who is he really? Other than another SCW outsider that joined just for the chance to maybe win some gold. They’re trying to take away what everyone else works hard for in SCW. But I guess I shouldn’t complain because the tournament is open to everyone. And it is used to hopefully get some of these people to stick around.
I have a question for Sean, though. He’s teamed with Luna..who is married to Alexander Raven. Raven just so happens to be in the semi-finals, too. So I have to wonder…how much can Sean really trust Luna? Let’s say they beat Kallie and I and end up facing Raven and Alexandra Calaway. Is it possible that Luna is working with Raven to ensure he wins it all in the end? She could very well turn on Sean if that match were to happen and cost them everything. Is that really what is happening? Maybe not. But…stranger things have happened.
Out of the four teams left in this tournament, Kallie and I are probably the lowest on the pole who stand a chance at winning. That’s fine, because we have something that perhaps the other three teams don’t have…people rooting for us to win. We may be the favorites to win just because we’re the rookies.
I want us to win this so bad. I don’t think I’ve ever wanted something so bad in my life. I know the odds are stacked against us, but that just makes me want to win so much more. I don’t even know what to else to say about Sean Parker and Luna Pasilno. I’m not good at this trash talk nonsense so many of the others excel at. I’ve never understood it. And I’d be a hypocrite to sit here and try and make myself seem better than them, because I’m really not. I’m only like two months into my training, and they’re years into it. I know what I’m up against, but I’m ready for it.
I’m not scared. The nerves are calming down with each match. I’m excited to step into the ring with guys like Sean, and then maybe Alexander Raven or Mark “the disappearing Dragon” Cross. Or whatever his name is. I’m excited because if I put up a good fight against them, it proves that no matter what anyone else thinks, I can defy the odds. I can do this on my own. I don’t need anyone’s help or their pity or worry about me. All I need is the drive and the willpower and magic will happen.
And this Sunday in Gettysburg, the best magic will happen when Kallie and I advance to the FINALS of the Blast From The Past tournament when no one thought we would make it past the first round.
Look at us now, people. LOOK. AT. US. NOW!
The Underdogs are coming for it all!!
