Hot tears streamed down my cheeks as I watch him place his hat on top of the neatly folded coat, the arena surrounding me felt so far away yet I could feel it suffocating me. He walked towards us, reaching forward to gently kiss Mimi before turning and wiping a tear from my cheek and pulling me into a hug. "I'm so proud of you Daddy." I whispered before letting him go. He walked towards the ramp, away from the place he called home, my childhood seemed to be coming to an end and it was heart-breaking. I felt Kaia tugging on my hand and looked down at my baby sister "Why you crying Ava? Did Daddy tell you off?" I smiled at her innocence willing the tears to stop. We made our way to the back, fighting through the crowds of people and trying to keep a hand on my bag and Gracie in the process.
"HEY SHORT STACK!" I felt hands around my waist as I was hoisted into the air and spun around. There was only one person I knew that called me that and didn't end up getting a swift smack. "JEFF!" I wriggled free and turned around to wrap my arms round is neck, feeling him pull me in to a tight bearhug. "You look great girl, how's life?" I smiled at him, he could talk he looked fantastic, family life suited him. "Great, just finished school. Trying to figure out where to go next to be honest." I shrugged with a weak smile. Truth was I had NO idea what I wanted to do with my life. "You could always follow in your Dads footsteps, go for a Wrestlemania moment." He chuckled, shoving me lightly on the shoulder. Jeff knew full well that I was a fan, I had been my entire life, there was no way I'd be in the ring as a wrestler. "Look don't stress, you'll work it out. You're wiley, you always have been." We talked for a while before I heard my name being called. "Come get lunch with Beth and I tomorrow. We can talk some more." Pulling me into another hug. Welcome back buddy, I've missed you loads. See you tomorrow. I whispered before I turned towards the locker rooms and my family. Who knew if he was right or not, all I knew was that I needed to see my Dad.
I glanced down at the tattoo on my wrist, the jagged lines brought back memories of a crazy night in Cameron when I'd been on the road with Dad. He had gone batshit at me, and had Jeff by the throat at one point. "She's 16 years old for Christ sake. You're 30 why don't you act like it you little punk!?" He was furious. "Actually Daddy I'm 17. It's only a little one anyway, plus YOU have loads." (Looking back, I realised this wasn't a bright move on my part) I glanced at the rest of the guys, Beth sat sniggering behind Dad; it took everything in me not to laugh too. "Move it, this is the last you'll be hanging out with this lot. Whether I do or don't have tattoos is irrelevant…you're my CHILD! Do as I say NOT as I do. Now MOVE!" with that he took my arm and nearly dragged me out away from craft services. To say I was mortified was an understatement. "I can't believe you just did that in front of my friends Dad, you're SO embarrassing." I folded my arms. "Ava you're 17 you don't need to be scarring your body with rubbish like that." "Oh come off it Dad, you had Saras name on your freakin' neck. Besides it's only a little one and they're my favourite tag team." He exhaled and sat down, taking my hands. "Sweetheart I made mistakes with a lot of my ink, you know this I've told you before. I don't want you to know the same remorse I do." He squeezed my hands before letting them go and standing up. I smiled at him, everyone saw him as this big terrifying monster. To me though, he was far from it. He was the man that scooped me up when I fell off my bike, the man who brought me ice cream and One Tree Hill DVD's when my first serious boyfriend broke up with me. Here he was again giving advice that yes at this second in time I thought was bonkers but was most probably perfectly accurate.
"Dad that was insane, you should have won." I pouted, handing him a bottle of water. His response was a chuckle. "Ava you know I had to take a step back, I had to hand the baton over. As much as you don't like it, I see potential in Joe. He'll win the crowds over and you'll look back at this match and think it was brilliant for him." "Like hell I will. He didn't deserve to be the one Dad, out of all the guys in that locker room he probably least deserved it." Shaking his head, he sighed and scooped a sleeping Kaia up from the sofa. "How about we go get some pizza and relax?" Great the one thing he could say that would distract me from my pouting. "Fine, but I'm still not over this. I doubt I ever will be…hmph! I want a 14 inch with extra bacon and extra peperoni AND I want chicken strippers." The only reaction I received was an eyeroll.
After lunch with the Hardys I took a walk along the beach, they'd both given me some food for thought but I still didn't have a clue what I wanted to do with my life, all I wanted was to write. The problem was I just didn't know what. Finding a spot on the beach that wasn't too crowded and tossed a blanket down.
*1 new iMessage*
Hey best friend, how was 'mania? Twitter is going crazy about your dad. Anyways call me when you get this bitch. I miss you. x
Instantly I hit the FaceTime button in the contact. Brooke and I had met at college and instantly gelled. We never went more than a few days without seeing each other and this time it had been nearly a week and I was beginning to get withdrawal symptoms. We chatted for a while, mainly about her being insanely jealous that I was in the sun of Florida while she was stuck in the snow of Iceland with her parents at her sister's wedding. "Tell Sierra and Jamie I'm super happy for them, and that Sierras dress was DIVINE!" "I will I will. Now please tell me you're moving back to LA with me? I. NEED. SUN." "I'm hoping to but not totally sure yet, depends what I figure out I'm going to do as a career I suppose." I scrunched my face up at her. "Well how about move to LA and then we can figure it out together there?" she smirked at me, giving me her infamous, 'I love you, but do as I want or I'll huff like hell.' Look. "We'll discuss it when you're back." After another half an hour of chit chatting I realised that it was getting close to Raw time so had to get back to shower and change. Saying our goodbyes, I threw my phone back in my bag and shook the blanket to get rid of sand, stretched and made my way back towards the hotel.
Sitting at the bar I downed the last of my wine, pulled my coat around my shoulders and headed into the night air. I felt someone bump into me, next thing I knew I was being shoved into an ally. "I want everything that's in your purse and your cell phone or you're done for!"