Mend The Bond
Manchester, UK
A Few Weeks Ago
It was a rare beautiful day, and along the streets of Manchester stood LJ Kasey along with his mother Rebecca Collins. It had been practically a month and a half since the whole truth came out and well it seemed like the Gods were offering a chance for all parties to finally come together for peace talks, if one would be so inclined to call it that.
Conversation after conversation between the “kids” had come to the conclusion that there was no bad person but ONE in the entire situation that was remotely bad, and that was the one that provided the seed for all three to walk to face of the earth.
The innocents were the women that he took advantage of and the children he left behind.
So with the chance that was given to them that work brought them remotely close together, the brothers made the agreement to bring the once ‘Best Friends’ together once and for all to say their peace and hopefully things would begin to heal the way they should.
It wasn’t going to be easy, in fact if anyone had even thought that the two would just come together and all would be sunshine and rainbows, they never lived in reality for one iota of a second. It took a lot for LJ to even talk his mother into making the trip south from her humble abode to have this little meet-up. Promises made that he would protect her if things did get bad. But that promise was made by the brothers too that if things got bad, the brothers would protect what matters to them, their mothers.
So here LJ was standing with the woman that gave him life and raised him, standing in front of a local coffee shop and his mother was constantly fidgeting with everything from her hair to her blouse and then switching out to his hair and his shirt, which LJ had to occasionally swat her hand away with an annoyance. He gets it, she’s nervous but it was like he was back in grade school again and it was picture day with how she was picking at him.
“I really don’t know about this, dear. It’s been forever since I’ve even spoken to Mora and so much has happened-”
“Yeah, like my birth and about 19 years since he up and died and then those other three pesky years before that. Mum, you have to eventually come to grips with the fact that you and Miles’ and Bri’s mum need to have this conversation. Uncomfortable as it may be, you both were taken advantage of by our father.” LJ turns on his heels and places his hand on her shoulder and looks right in her eyes, “I’m going to be right there with you, Miles is going to be there with his mum. Besides, if we thought this was going to be a fight, we would have called for a camera and possibly made millions.”
Despite the foot height difference between him and his mother, Rebecca still managed to reach up and whack him upside his head, “Lyle Augustus Kasey, you may be 22 and a foot taller than me, but...”
“OW, I’M SORRY MUM!! GEEZ, I was just joking. Trying to lighten the tension. Especially when you are acting like you are about to go into the Lion's Den without an ounce of protection.”
“LJ, she was my best friend-”
“And you were both taken in by a man that promised you the world. Miles told me all about how he was before he and Brianna came along, it damn near mirrored everything you have told me, on top of how he was after. It’s downright frightening to think what would have happened if I had finally grown up with him around.” LJ glances over his shoulder and spots Miles, making his way down the road with his mother Mora by his side. LJ gives them a quick wave, “And there they are. Pity that Bri couldn’t come, she has the most adorable son that would have probably made this a little easier.”
As he turns around he sees his mother grab at her stomach and start to cry, “Mum?”
“She looks exactly the same. It’s been over 20 years and it’s like she hasn’t aged a day.”
“I’m sure if we found a picture of you from all those years ago, we could say the same for you.” LJ quipped with a smirk.
“Flattery will get you nowhere with me, son.”
LJ just looked at the sky and silently cursed because if his mother got any tenser she was gonna snap like a rubber band pulled way too tight.
“Jesus, maybe we should have met at a pub.”
“Alcohol solves nothing.”
LJ just sighs and mumbles, “Yeah but I know a couple of shots of whiskey could definitely lighten you the hell up.”
And before his mother could even get a retort in, Miles along with his mother Mora got into an ear shot, “I told you they’d beat us here, mum.”
Mora stood stoic next to her son and held a small smile on her face, “Yes, I can see that.”
“Yeah, we hit no traffic from Middleton.Surprisingly. Anyways, I’m sure you already know who this is but- Miles I’d like for you to meet my mum Rebecca. Mum, this is Miles.” LJ decided to get these introductions out of the way as fast as possible, “And you must be Mora.”
“I am and it’s finally wonderful to meet you, LJ- sorry, Ly-”
“Please, Mora, I prefer LJ. Obvious reasons, I’m sure. But it is a pleasure.” LJ looks to his mum who is fighting back tears, and slowly backing away, “Mum?”
“I- I’m sorry, I can’t.” Rebecca turns to run away but Mora takes to long strides and grabs her by the wrist.
“Becks, don’t. Please don’t run away.” that officially opened the waterworks for LJ’s mother, there was just no stopping it now, “Look, I know there has been a lot that we have both gone through. He hurt all of us and nothing we say or do today is going to change anything that we have all been through. So let me say this one thing before I let you go and then you make your choice.”
Mora looks at the two young men that brought this chance for her to make peace.
“Yes, I was upset when I found out that Lyle went to you at one of our worst times in my family’s history. Yes, it hurt when I found out that you had a baby and it had appeared that- that he gave everything that he had to you. Lyle abandoned me and the twins and I thought-”
“That he was loving his new life with his new family?” Rebecca quietly said.
Mora just nodded and eased her grip, “Yes, precisely. He was gone for DAYS at times and I thought that he had died some days and then maybe with you and LJ when I found out.”
“No, believe me, he wasn’t with me.” Rebecca turned around, “He told me that he left you, and that there were problems and I was stupid and impetuous in a way, but the minute LJ came into the world...the things he’d do.”
“You don’t have to tell me, I know. He was evil. And I’m sorry you boys had to be put into the middle of this at all but the man had no good bone in his body and your mothers were taken in by all the smoke and mirrors of practically a peddler.” Mora stands up straighter and looks at the woman she once called her best friend, “I’m not upset anymore, not at you. Not at LJ. And there is no point in being angry at a man that is worm food.”
That causes Rebecca to laugh, “An excellent way to put it.”
“Oh he’s lucky he didn’t get buried in a cardboard box.”
“I offered to set it on fire so we could all piss on the ashes but then I got popped upside the head.” Miles spoke up, as everyone looked at him, “By Bri, she was closer. Look, Rebecca...da was a lot of things but a good man was not one of them. We were all his victims at the end of the day. It’s why I think I am able to connect with my baby brother so easily. I could easily be pissed that he even exist but the fact that Bri and I have a chance to connect. Hell, I’ll take that any day over another chance to go back and correct the bullshit mistakes that the old man made.”
“Honestly, same. I was used to being an only kid with you and Joan raising me.”
“Wait, Joan?” Mora speaks up, “Who’s Joan?”
“My other mother,” LJ says with no change in his voice, “If it wasn’t for her I would have never been able to go to uni, let alone travel to Vegas.”
Mora’s face breaks out in a smile, “Becks? Care to share?”
And as if it all eases, Rebecca can’t help but laugh at Mora’s face as she shows the rings on her left hand, “I mean you always suspected, but she’s been my rock for almost 17 years now. We got married as soon as we could but...”
“Becks that’s...That’s so amazing!” Mora said, smiling ear to ear, she just grabs the ‘other’ woman and wraps her up in a big hug. After a long few moments of the women finally hugging it out, Mora pulls back, and takes a deep breath, “Ok you know what, we can cry later. I need coffee and we need to catch up on so much. Boys, I think we got it from here.”
“Uh, are you sure?” Miles asked.
“Yeah, we made sure that Bri kept Carter occupied and everything for this.” LJ adds in with a confused look.
The two women hook arms and Rebecca just looks at Mora, “Oh look at our boys, Mors. Always so protective.”
“I know! It’s not like we survived through the absolute worst of people in our lives. Boys, we will call if we need anything. Now shoo, your mothers have the rest well in hand.” Mora says, with a wave of her hand and the two make their way into the little coffee shop.
The two Kasey boys just stand there in shock.
“Wha- ...what in the hell just happened?” Miles asks.
“I have no bloody clue.” LJ says shaking his head, “I think they just shoo’d us away.”
“We have indeed been dismissed by our own mothers,” Miles just runs his hand through his curly dirty blonde hair and tries to knock the cobwebs loose, “You know, maybe we should have done this in a pub.”
LJ and Miles stand at the window and watch the two women fully catching up like no time or children had come along. LJ looks over at Miles and smirks, “I did see one not that far from where I parked.”
“Then by all means, after you.” Miles motions in that particular direction and the two brothers walk away as Mora and Rebecca are seen still chatting away. Best Friends Reunited. Women standing strong.
And no one comes between them ever again.
A Wild Opportunity
Gettysburg, PA
Present Time
I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live by the light that I have. I must stand with anybody that stands right, and stand with him while he is right, and part with him when he goes wrong.
-Abraham Lincoln
The scene is simple that stands before you. LJ Kasey, looking dapper in an all black suit, walking through the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum that stands on the ground just outside the original battlefield. The halls are currently empty in the spot that LJ finds himself in.
For those that do not know, LJ prides himself on being an educated man, especially when it comes to history but when it comes to American History, he finds himself fascinated by it all. There was some study of it but he wanted to soak it all in when he had the first opportunity.
So when he found himself staring at an exhibit that featured the former President, he found his eyes trying to take in every bit of it.
“Such a spectacular man that attempted to heal a nation that was so splintered by differences of ideals and the belief that no one individual should be held captive by those that claim to be better than, just because the color of their skin.”
LJ smiles glancing over his shoulder briefly.
“Sorry about that, I just had a moment and don’t worry, I’m sure it will all come together in a few moments.
So, imagine my surprise after coming up short in not only the Blast From the Past BUT the match that I had against Aiden Reynolds that I find myself in one hell of an opportunity. Look, I’m going to be the first to tell you that I am not worthy of such an amazing chance. There are so many others that could have been named but seeing that the tone of the match itself is ‘Fresh Faces’ who am I to say no to such a gracious chance.”
So he just turns and begins to walk and talk, he occasionally glances at another spot and just for fun, he presses a button as it plays a random fact. He smiles but continues along the way anyways.
“I’m pretty much the green horn here, let me say that I gladly did my research on almost everyone here. We’re gonna start off with the man that quite literally holds a golden chance in his hands and has for a number of months and yet he still sits like he has a thumb up his ass. Yes, Rodrigo I am speaking about you. Man, how the hell can you be standing there with that chance and yet not use it for your big moment? You could have easily gone after ANYONE at any given moment and yet it seems like you are content on just pissing it all away.
Bruv, if I were you...I probably would have jumped at the chance and who knows maybe you are looking to bank here but if you don’t...then what? You just don’t seem to know, do ya?”
That just makes LJ stop and scratch his head.
“Then we come to Caleb Storms. I did actually have to ask my brother about when was the last time that he even seemed to even really be around in any sort of capacity and even Miles had to dig into the archives and....well lets just say that it’s been far too long, Caleb. In fact, it seems like you hit a ceiling and just gave up.
Could you imagine putting our bodies through the hell we did and just pop up whenever, when it’s just so damn convenient that a chance at the top title is on the line? Ooof, bruv, bad form.”
“Now for the next man...no...not you Teddy, in fact I feel like there were rules against fighting women in SCW....Oh wait, no I’m sorry, you're just a bitch. And usually I’m not one to take the low hanging fruit here but there is just something about you that screams that you never have ever really had it all together. From your career to your- *cough* “Family Life”. My brother warned me about you, hell Fenris warned him to warn me.
It seems like, I dunno, you are overcompensating yourself for covering up for something more. BUT that is neither here nor there. Darling, you seem to be ripe for another one of your breakouts when you claimed your chances and became something more than a joke. But, mmm...I don’t know...maybe you don’t know either. I just...I can’t place my finger on it but dammit man, I should have more to say! You’re a former Roulette and Internet Champion, for Christ sake! But it’s just another one of those moments where you are only there when it’s convenient for you instead of putting in the work.”
“Jaime Dean, a former tag champ...and that’s about it though. I’m sorry bruv, I wish I knew more. Hell, I wish Miles knew more sometimes beyond just that you have been there, done that and like the rest of us sorry lot, you never got that breakout moment as a singles competitor. Though I will say that I do love being under the proverbial learning tree, as it were, when it comes to working with and against the true veterans of this business and particularly this company.
I wanna soak it all in, mate. Win or lose, I would love every single chance I get to be in that ring with the likes of you. I think we could have a jolly good time...that is until I dump you over the rope. Nothing personal, mate, it’s just business.”
“Now we get to the Bulldog, BILLY BOY, man I have heard and seen a lot about you. Some good, some bad...some say you keep slipping at the biggest and best chances. Slumming your career down in the Roulette division for so long that sometimes you even forget that you are a multiple time champ! YOU perhaps have the best odd out of ALL of us to win this thing, but when you stand and face the fact that Finn Whelan is at the end of this particular rainbow, will you truly finally step beyond just being the man that is constantly mid.
Mid and one-dimensional. Sorry, bruv...you are boring. Hurts but so does life.”
“And finally, Justin Smith. First things first, you come at me for what my brother did to you last week and I will gladly remind you that while my last name is Kasey, I had absolutely NOTHING to do with that. You can hate me for what Miles did all you want but that’s a ‘you’ problem. And if you try to make it mine, then let’s just say that I am not above dropping you.
I look at this as a golden opportunity, mate. We all have a chance to perhaps make history. Finn Whelan is the MAN of SCW and seems practically untouchable. Don’t let hatred cloud your judgment.”
“For if you do, I will make you regret every single moment. I am a man that ...well...”
He looks to the picture of President Lincoln and presses the button and we hear:
I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live by the light that I have. I must stand with anybody that stands right, and stand with him while he is right, and part with him when he goes wrong.
