[O Malley]

 Christmas Night
Misty’s Home- Las Vegas
8 P.M

All in all, today had been a great day for the three time former Bombshell Champion.  She had been spending more and more time with her Irishman, O’Malley, in recent weeks and just last night on Christmas Eve, she surprised him with a very special Christmas gift.  The two would be flying to Ireland in just a few days’ time, to spend New Year’s at Dublin’s finest hotel, The Merrion.  

To say O’Malley was surprised with such an extravagant gift would be an understatement, but Misty would not let him turn it down.  He was all too happy to oblige, but Misty now knew that he would be on the hunt for something just as extravagant and pricey to spoil her with.  Good luck, she thought.  

Now, after spending the day at the Staggs’ home, visiting her daughter and extended family there, she found herself cuddled on the sofa with O’Malley.  She had forced the mysterious Irishman to watch the Doctor Who Christmas Special (yes, Misty is a secret Whovian!) with her, but what she didn’t expect was for him to fall fast asleep so soon into the episode.  After hearing his quiet snoozing, she looked up at him, shaking her head with an amused grin.

“Geez, this episode isn’t that boring,” she thought to herself as she carefully sat up on the sofa.  O’Malley remained fast asleep where he was, and Misty let out a quiet laugh.  The show went to a commercial and as she looked at her empty wine glass sitting on the coffee table in front of her, she figured now would be a good time to go put it in the sink.  

She looked over at O’Malley, making sure he was still asleep, then quietly stood up and grabbed her empty wine glass.  She tip-toed her way into the kitchen and headed over to the sink, but before she made it there, she stopped in front of the refrigerator.  She had forgotten about the picture that was now staring back at her, and she quickly yanked it from under its magnet.

She held the picture in her free hand and took the extra few steps over towards the sink.  She set the empty wine glass down on the counter, and opened a drawer, quickly rummaging through its contents.  Moments later, she pulled out what she was looking for.

A lighter.

She held the picture in front of her and over the sink and held the lighter underneath it.  Looking at her and Drake one last time, she clicked the lighter, holding the flame up to the picture, setting it on fire.  She dropped it down into the sink, watching it burn.

“Now if only I could do that to my brain, everything would be perfect.” She said to herself as the picture shriveled and burned to ash in the sink.  When it was finally no more, she closed her eyes and took in a deep breath.  She grabbed the wine glass from its place on the counter, but before she set it in the sink, she stopped herself.

“To hell with it,” she said as she went and grabbed the bottle of cheap pink moscato wine.  She poured herself another glass then headed towards the door leading to her backyard.  Before she stepped outside, she grabbed her jacket from its place on the back of a chair and put it on.  It was a clear night outside, and even though the winters in Las Vegas were far less brutal than the winters in the Midwest, a light jacket was still necessary.

She finally steps outside into the quiet Las Vegas air and walks over to one of her lawn chairs.  She takes a sip of her wine then sets the glass on the table and takes a seat in the chair.  Thoughts run through her mind as she looks up into the clear sky, gazing at all of the stars.  She closes her eyes and lets out audible sigh, looking as though she is now fighting back tears.  

“Tears on Christmas?”  The voice startles her, but not for the reason you might think. “Come on, Misty.  You’re better than this.”

Misty’s heart races, but she can’t open her eyes.  She knows the voice belongs to, but he can’t be there.  It was impossible.

“Open your eyes, Misty.” He says, but she shakes her head.

“No,” she says, keeping her eyes closed tighter.  â€œY-you can’t be here.  You’re…you’re dead.”

The voice chuckles. “Ever hear of a ghost?  Or a spirit?  You didn’t honestly expect me to not haunt you at some point after I died, did ya?”

Tears continue to roll down Misty’s cheeks as she continues to refuse to open her eyes.  She had to be imagining things, but why now?  And why him?  Frankie, her mentor, had died months ago, and she hadn’t found out about his death until months later.

“Damn it, Misty.  Stop being so scared, would ya?  I’m not gonna hurt ya.” Frankie says.  

Misty calms herself down, taking in a few deep breaths.  She slowly opens one eye and, sure enough, Frankie…or his ghost anyway…is standing right in front of her.  Her other eye quickly opens and she’s overwhelmed with emotion again.

“F-frankie?”  She stutters.  â€œW-w-why?  Why are you…here?”

Frankie smiles.  â€œBecause ya clearly need someone to talk about.  Look at ya.  You’re an emotional mess.”

“Right, because I’m just supposed to be all sunshine and daisies when the ghost of my dead mentor shows up in front of me.”  Misty’s voice oozes with sarcasm and Frankie laughs.  She reaches for her wine glass and takes a huge sip before returning it to the table.

“That’s not what I meant.” Frankie replies.  He takes a seat in the chair next to Misty and she stares at him with a confused look on her face.  â€œWhat’s happened to you?  And I’m not just talking about the new look.”

Misty manages to crack a smile but she shakes her head.  â€œI…I wish I knew, Frankie.  I really wish I knew the answer to that.”  She looks away and wipes the tears from her eyes.

“I think you do know the answer, Misty.”  Frankie says with a nod.

Misty turns and looks at him, and although he technically wasn’t real, she couldn’t deny that she missed him.  She had wanted to see him just a few months ago when she flew to Chicago.  After finding out that Drake had cheated on her with Delia, she had wanted to talk to him.  She needed him to talk her out of doing something stupid.  The same something stupid she had done earlier this year when she walked out of SCW.

“Talk to me, Misty.” Frankie says, breaking the silence.  He can tell she has a lot on her mind, but she’s holding back.

“I don’t know what I’m doing anymore, Frankie.”  She says, finally breaking her own silence.  â€œI don’t even know my next move.”

Frankie cracks a smile. “I thought heading to Ireland with that Irish fella in there was your next move?”

Misty raises an eyebrow at him. “So you’re spying on me now?

“One of the perks of being dead,” he says with a grin. “I see a lot.”

Misty laughs and shakes her head.  â€œI always knew you were a perverted old man.”

“Now I’m just a perverted dead man.”  He replies and Misty can’t help but laugh.  â€œBack on topic.”

“Honestly Frankie…I’m not sure why I got O’Malley that gift.”  She replies looking to the ground in shame.  â€œI…I think it might have been a mistake.”

“Why do you say that?”  He asks.

Misty takes in a deep breath and turns to face him. “Because I don’t know what the hell I want anymore.  I’m being pushed and pulled in so many different directions, and everything I thought I wanted before, I’m being told to get over.”

Frankie nods, now getting the idea.  â€œAnd ya don’t want this O’Malley guy, right?”

“I…I don’t know.” She leans forward and runs her hands through her hair.  â€œI mean, don’t get me wrong, he’s a great guy and he’s been there for me recently.  But…everyone is pushing me towards him.”

“But you’ve been getting all chummy with him recently.  You seem pretty comfortable.” Frankie replies.

Misty shakes her head and fights back more tears.  â€œIt’s all an act, Frankie.  I’m forcing it, because people think it’s good for me.  Hell, I think I’m forcing everything these days.”

Frankie raises an eyebrow. “What do ya mean by that?”

Misty sits up then leans back in the chair.  She looks up at the stars and with as much bravery as she can muster, makes her next confession.  â€œWrestling.  SCW.  Everything.”

“Oh hell,” he says.  â€œNot this bullshit again.”

“There’s no again about it, Frankie.  Still is a better word.”  She replies, staring up at the stars.  â€œI’m being honest with you here.  I’m probably being honest with you because you’re dead and there’s really nothing you can even do about it.  I don’t know what I want in this business anymore.  I don’t know if there is even anything left for me.”

Frankie shakes his head.  â€œSo what now?  You gonna walk away again?”

Misty shrugs.  â€œRight now?  No.  But I don’t know what the future holds.  This is the first time I’ve ever admitted to being bored with it all.  Not to mention, everything…everyone…that I need to stay away from, they’re a part of SCW.  How am I expected to move on, when I’m reminded of shit every single day?”

“You just gotta learn to get over it.  Wrestling has been your passion for as long as I can remember, Misty.”  He says and she looks over to him again.

“Not anymore, Frankie.” She says, shaking her head.  â€œI let the Mean Girls kill that passion for me.”

“Bullshit.”  He replies.  â€œThey didn’t kill nothing.  If that’s true, then YOU killed it all your own, sweetheart.”

Misty laughs.  â€œI’m not denying that.  That’s why I said I let them.  They’ve turned everything I worked so hard for…everything I ever loved…into a joke.  And it’s all become so…boring.  I’m literally bored trying to fight anymore.”

“So find something exciting to go after then.  Forget the Mean Girls.”  He replies.

“It’s not that simple.” She says.  She grabs her glass of wine and takes another sip.  â€œI really don’t think it’s what I want anymore.”

Frankie watches, disappointed, as Misty quickly finishes off her wine and puts the empty glass on the table.  He shakes his head, trying to find the words to say, but nothing comes to him.  Misty takes in a deep breath, then leans forward.

“I think…I really think I’m gonna have to hang up my boots very soon.” She says.

Frankie shakes his head.  â€œSo after all that…after everything you’ve done with your career.  After everything you’ve accomplished, you’re just gonna let it fizzle out?  You deserve a better ending than this.”

“What else am I supposed to do, Frankie?”  She asks.  â€œThere’s no spark in it for me anymore.  Everything I used to love…it’s just gone.  It was all stolen from me.”

Frankie is about to respond, when O’Malley’s voice comes from behind them.

“Misty?”  He says, startling her.  â€œWho ye talking to, love?”

She quickly turns around in the chair to face him.  He’s looking around, trying to see who she might have been talking to, but only Misty can see Frankie.

“You’re awake!”  Misty stands up as he walks over to her. “Sorry if I worried you.  I just needed some fresh air.”

“Everything okay?”  He takes her hand and gives her a quick peck on the cheek.  

“Yeah,” she nods, lying through her teeth. “Everything is fine.  Why don’t you head back inside?  I’ll be back in in a second.”

O’Malley scratches his head and shrugs.  â€œAlright then.”  

Misty offers him a reassuring smile and he turns and heads back inside.  Once he is out of earshot, Misty turns and looks back at Frankie.

“I don’t want to feel this way, Frankie.”  She says.  â€œI want to get over everything that happened.  I want to move on and be happy, but look at me.  I’m literally being poisoned the longer I stay there.  I’m just trying to figure out which is the lesser of two evils right now.  Staying and literally killing myself further…or leaving and disappointing everybody.  So, please, if you have a good answer to that, please tell me what the hell I’m supposed to do.”

Frankie stares at her for a long while, blinking.  He stands up and approaches her.  â€œI…I really don’t have an answer for you.  I guess that is something you have to figure out on your own.”

“Yeah, that’s what I thought.”  She says, shaking her head disappointedly.  â€œNobody can help me with this, and no matter what I decide, somebody is going to get hurt.”

She grabs her empty wine glass and goes to walk past Frankie.  Before she disappears back inside her house, Frankie calls out to her.  â€œMisty, wait.”  She turns and faces him, but doesn’t say a word.

“I’m sorry you’re going through this.  I’m sorry I left you.” He says.

Misty frowns and shakes her head.  â€œYou didn’t have a choice, Frankie.  You died.”

“You’re not alone, you know.”  Frankie reassures her.  â€œYou’ve got people to talk to.”

Misty nods.  â€œI know.  But the one person I want to talk to hates me, and I’m going to Ireland next week to try forget about everything, even temporarily.”  Frankie stares at her, unable to say another word.  â€œGoodbye Frankie.  For what it’s worth, I miss you.”  

Misty then turns and heads back inside after saying her goodbye to Frankie.  He wishes there was more that he could do, but the situation is out of his control.  But that won’t stop him from watching over Misty, and being her guardian angel for as long as she needs him.