Randy Orton let out a huge sigh as he watched faint streaks of the highway's white lines while his bus sped on by to his next destination. He was thinking about his career in wrestling. Randy loved hearing his name being chanted by thousands of adoring fans in the stadium stands as he finished off his opponent. He felt respected when fellow wrestlers would congratulate him on a excellent match. What Randy disliked was the countless injuries he sustained while entertaining. A certain injury could put him out of matches for weeks or even months. But he would pull through and come back for his fans. Randy detested that people would put him down, shout obscenities about him, even though they know nothing about him or his life. But what he hated the most was being on the road for over half the year, keeping him from seeing his family and friends.
Over all, Randy cherished everything. The good, the bad, and the ugly.
That thought had Randy irritable. He averted his eyes from the infinite outside world to the tiny cell phone that sat on the table before him. He read the minuscule letters telling him that he had one missed call. He didn't have to listen to it to know whom it was from. Randy knew the missed call was from his last girlfriend, Lauren. Their relationship had come to an abrupt end about two weeks ago. That was the main reason he didn't want to play the message, he didn't know how he would react to what she had to say.
It's now or never, Randy thought as his index finger gently started the message. His heartbeat sped up as a reaction to Lauren's chipper tone, "Hey! I know you're busy right now, but I just wanted to wish you the best of luck on your match tonight. I really wish I could have made it, but you know how hectic work can be. I have to go right now, so I will talk to you later. Love you!" And then there was silence.
Randy sat silent as he replayed the message over and over again. He was memorizing every word she spoke while thinking of making a call for himself. The call was either going to straighten things out or make the situation worse.
There was only one way to find out. Randy dialed Lauren's number and waited for a greeting. He was running scenarios in his head, picking the right words to say. After a few more rings, the call went to Lauren's voicemail.
"Hey Lauren," Randy's husky tone called out, "I know this is late, but it's better late than never huh? To be honest, I really don't know what to say. I've been trying to be strong and I'm trying my best to get over you, but it's so damn hard. Listening to your message right now doesn't make things easier for me." Randy paused. When he started again, his voice was cracking, "I wish you never would have left, especially without saying goodbye. I hate that we have words that were left unspoken, and that you will never know how I truly feel about you. I want you to know that I will never forget all the times we shared together. The good and the bad. They made me a better person. I will always think about you in everything I do because you're impossible to forget. I know you're gone now, but I still love you Lauren. I always will, no matter what."
Randy's hands were trembling as he disconnected the call and laid the cell phone back down on the table. Randy was completely distraught afterward the losing the love of his life. He kept the wretched pain inside but took out his anger on his rivals in the wrestling ring because there was nothing he could do to get Lauren back
It pained him that he couldn't change anything that had happened. That he couldn't go back to when Lauren left that message for him two weeks ago; tell her not to go to work at the hospital that night.
Tears brimmed Randy's eyes as he remembered getting a frantic phone call from one of Lauren's best friends. Between sobs, she explained to Randy that Lauren was on her way to work when a drunk driver crashed into her car at a stoplight. There was nothing the doctors could do to help save her.
Randy knew that Lauren would never receive that message he just left on her phone. But relaying that heartfelt speech out loud was a way to help him cope with the situation. He'll get by, one call at a time.