Feels Like Home
Chapter 1
"Alyssa Marie Harris, get your ass over here pronto!" Nicoya ordered her eight year old daughter, who was trying to get another cupcake off the cafeteria table, and sighed wearily. Sometimes Nicoya wondered why she brought her daughter on the road with her, but then she stared into those crystalline colored eyes and instantly melted. She sighed, seeing those puppy dog eyes staring back at her, and knew Alyssa had her in the palm of her hand. "Fine, but only one more, got me?" She stated, raising a challenging eyebrow, daring her daughter to defy her.
Alyssa smiled sweetly, nodding and took the cupcake. "Just one more, Mom." She agreed, delicately peeling back the wrapper of it before taking a bite. She then picked up another one, smiling sweetly still. "This one is for you, Mommy." She held it out like it was the best gift anyone could ever hope to be on the receiving end of, licking the frosting off her own cupcake.
Smiling softly back at her, Nicoya ran her fingers through her raven colored hair, which was the same as hers, but they had different eyes. Nicoya had deep, midnight blue eyes. "Thanks, baby girl." She replied with a smile, kissing the top of her head, and picked her up, setting her on her lap, and grinned when frosting got on the tip of her nose. "Here, let momma get that." She wiped it off and smiled, loving her little girl with all her heart. She was the only piece she had of her ex-boyfriend, even though he didn't know Alyssa existed.
Alyssa finished her cupcake, snuggling against her mom. She batted her long, black eyelashes. "Mom, why aren't you eating that?" She asked, her forehead wrinkling in puzzlement. Though there was an impish gleam in her eyes. "If you don't want it…"
"Not a chance, young lady." Nicoya scolded gently, smiling, and sighed as she put the cupcake in a napkin, wrapping it up, and nodded. "I'll eat it later when you're in bed. Give your momma a late night snack." She winked, causing Alyssa to groan, and sighed exasperated before standing up, setting her on her feet. "Do you want anything to drink before we head back to the office?" She asked, raising an eyebrow, and seen that impish gleam in her eyes again. "No pop."
"Mom! Besides pop, all they have are those energy drinks and then water…I had water earlier and do you really want me to drink something that'll make me hyper?" Alyssa asked, cocking an eyebrow at her mother. "Especially since I just had a cupcake? Sprite won't hurt…"
"Fine…" Nicoya grumbled with a sigh, handing her daughter a dollar bill, and watched as she bounded over to the pop machine. "ONLY Sprite, Alyssa." She stated, causing her daughter to nod, and smiled before shaking her head. Her daughter was smarter than the average eight year old and had a mouth that matched it.
Alyssa grinned broadly, studying the selection before sighing, knowing if she got something besides Sprite, she could possibly get in trouble. Or at least wind up drinking water all night. She frowned when the machine wouldn't give up her drink and hit it with a tiny fist. "MOM-" Alyssa's eyes widened when another fist pounded on it and tilted her head back. "Thanks Undie!" She giggled, bending down to get her drink when it dropped into the slot.
Mark shook his head, having seen Nicoya and her daughter in passing. Maybe exchanged a half a dozen words with Nicoya, but Alyssa was a cutie with a mouth. "Undie?" He echoed amusedly.
Nicoya was already turning red from her daughter and shook her head, clearing her throat, and grabbed Alyssa's hand, pulling her over to her side, and shot her a look. "I'm terribly sorry about that, Mr. Calaway. Sometimes my daughter's mouth runs off with her." Nicoya apologized, staring down at her daughter with narrowed eyes, and silently wondered what she was going to do with her. She could not believe Alyssa just called this man Undie and felt like crawling in a hole at that moment as she raked a hand through her black hair.
"What? He's called the Undertaker and that's an awfully long name for such a small girl." Alyssa reasoned, looking dead serious. "I'm sorry…Mr. Calaway." She apologized, looking wide eyed and innocent. Mark arched an eyebrow, first looking at the beat red Nicoya before back to Alyssa, slowly lowering himself down to one knee, gesturing her forward. Alyssa hesitated maybe for a fraction of a second before sitting on his knee, instantly reaching out to tug on his hair. Mark winced slightly before catching her hand gently. "What was that for little one?" He asked in his deep voice.
"I heard some of the hair dresser's say it was falling out, but I think they were lying." Alyssa answered sweetly, a smile marring her face.
Nicoya's eyes widened to the size of potatoes, her jaw dropping, and immediately pulled her daughter away from him by her hand. "Alyssa Marie!" She scolded, shaking her head, and was turning even redder. Nicoya wished someone would've taken a bullet to her head at that moment because that would be less painful than how embarrassed she was because of her daughter. "Come on, we need to get back to the office so your momma can work."
"MOM! He ain't mad…are you?" Alyssa stubbornly pulled away, looking at Mark.
Mark shook his head, smiling slightly. He stood up to his full six foot nine height and looked at Nicoya. "She's somethin' else, isn't she?" He asked, chuckling when he seen the 'don't I know it' look on Alyssa's adorable face.
"She definitely has her moments." Nicoya quietly said, glaring down at her daughter, and yanked her back, tightening her grip on her hand. She shook her had down at her and sighed heavily, seeing the innocence in Alyssa's eyes. "I'm sorry about her pulling your hair, Mr. Calaway." She stared down at her daughter hardening. "Don't you have something to say to him, Alyssa Marie?"
"Yeah, what kind of shampoo do you use? Your hair is REALLY soft!" Alyssa beamed up at him. "I don't know what Mom uses, but I think she oughta switch brands." Mark started choking on the water he was now sipping.
"Christ…" Nicoya groaned, shaking her head, and once again felt her cheeks turn a deep crimson red. "Alyssa, just say you're sorry and then we need to go." She groaned, raking a hand through her hair, and kept her eyes GLUED to the floor.
"Sorry? For what? Saying his hair is soft?" Alyssa asked quizzically, looking at Mark and shrugging her shoulders. Marks hugged his back, though now he was looking thoroughly amused. "Um…I'm sorry you have such soft, pretty hair. I'm also sorry my mom is the color of a strawberry." Alyssa said sincerely.
"The color suits her." Mark drawled, glancing at Nicoya with an arched eyebrow. "You alright there, darlin'?"
"I think she's…em-bar-" Alyssa was having a hard time saying that word.
"Embarrassed?" Mark finished it for her.
"Yeah that, thanks!" Alyssa shouted in excitement, glad Mark had helped her out with her speech impediment.
"Alyssa…" Nicoya had that warning tone to her voice, causing her little girl to sigh exasperatedly, and raked a hand through her black hair. "We really have to go now." She then turned abruptly, dragging her daughter behind her, not believing she just embarrassed herd mother like that. "Alyssa Marie, you know better than to talk to people you don't know, young lady!" She scolded, shaking her head in disbelief, still looking like a strawberry.
"Mom, it's the UNDERTAKER! If you act like afraidy cat, you know what he'll do don't you?" Alyssa's blue eyes lit up wickedly. "He'll chop ya into tiny pieces and serve it to your next of kin!"
"Where on EARTH did you hear that?!" Nicoya stated, her eyes going to the size of potatoes, and suddenly started walking hastily back to her office, dragging Alyssa behind her.
"OUCH! Hello-my arm!" Alyssa wrenched away, rubbing her arm, eyes narrowed. "And it was JBL who told me that. Why? You afraid now? Is Undie gonna really cut you up into little pieces?" She looked mildly worried now. "MOM! Why did you have to turn red?"
"Layfield…" She growled under her breath and stopped dead in her tracks. "Would you like to go visit Ashley for a bit? Momma needs to go talk to someone about a script." She lied, not giving Alyssa time to speak, and started dragging her down the hallway again, but being more careful with her speed and grip.
"I don't want to visit Ashy right now. I want to drink my Sprite!" Alyssa protested. "Which was left in the cafeteria!"
"Actually little one…" Came Mark's voice from across the hall, leaning in the doorway to his dressing room, bare from the waist up. "I was gonna bring it to you after doin' my promo."
"Could I have it now instead?" She asked him sweetly, those big blue eyes batting at him.
"If yer momma can spare a second." Mark replied, his eyes drifting from the little girl to her beautiful mother.
"I'll get you another one." Nicoya stated, keeping a firm grip on her daughter's hand, and sighed when Alyssa started throwing a fit, wanting the Sprite Mark had. "Alyssa Marie…" Nicoya held that warning tone, causing tears to pool in the little girl's eyes, and immediately caved. "Fine, but please make it fast. I have a certain…announcer…I need to speak with." She didn't move from her spot in the hallway and kept her daughter close to her.
"Mom's gonna tell JBL off for telling me that you cut people who're scared of you into tiny little pieces and feeding it to their next of kin." Alyssa informed him, wiggling away from her mother.
"Is THAT right?" Mark asked his eyebrows raised.
"Yeah, do you really? Cause I got to tell you, my mom probably doesn't taste all that good. You wouldn't want to eat her!"
Mark looked more then amused now as he cast an appraising look at Nicoya and replied as he stroked his goatee in thought, "I don't know…she looks mighty tasty."
"I TOLD you not to be so scared, Mom!" Alyssa scolded her mother and shook her head as she sighed.
Nicoya was once again as red as a strawberry and immediately glared down at her daughter angrily. "If you speak one more word, I'm going to take away your ice cream tonight." She threatened, her midnight blue eyes telling her daughter she meant what she said, and dared Alyssa to defy her, ignoring Mark for the time being. She was tired of getting embarrassed and this had been the last straw.
Alyssa got a look on her face that definitely wasn't one she got from her mother as she shot back, "Well, I DID have some cupcakes so I think I'm filled up anyways."
"Darlin', why don't you listen to yer momma?" Mark murmured, seeing the look on Nicoya's face.
"Well, is it MY fault she keeps going red? Sheesh…" Alyssa argued promptly, her lips pursed tightly together.
"Fine, no ice cream, Alyssa and if you even THINK about sneaking it, I'm going to paddle your ass. Do I make myself clear? Now keep your mouth shut." She ordered sternly, raising an eyebrow challenging, the redness still in her cheeks, but nothing like it was before. She then turned to face Mark and sighed heavily. "Sorry about her mouth. Like I said, sometimes it runs away with her. What did you need to speak to me about, Mr. Calaway?"
Mark stared at her curiously. "Who said I wanted to speak with ya, honey?" He drawled, winking when Alyssa started giggling. "I was just plannin' on bringin' the angel her Sprite."
Alyssa sidled up to him, totally smitten now. "Can I have it please?" She asked sweetly, too adorable for words.
"Sittin' on the table." Mark pointed, chuckling when she zoomed into the room. "She's got no fear does she?"
"You have no idea." She muttered under her breath, raking a hand through her hair, and sighed heavily. Sometimes Alyssa reminded her too much of her father, which unnerved her. She loved her daughter no matter what though and planned on changing Alyssa's ways, though she knew it was in her genes. Her father had that same smartass mouth that Alyssa had. "Alyssa, we need to get going to Ashley's dressing room, honey." She called out, not comfortable standing in the hallway with Mark staring at her, and crossed her arms in front of her chest. Her next stop after dropping her daughter off was to visit Layfield and give him a piece of her mind about telling her daughter's lies. Filling her head with garbage.
Mark turned around, shaking his head as he asked, "Whatcha got there, darlin'?"
Alyssa pointed at the punching bag and asked, "What's that for?"
"Lemme show you." Mark stepped into the room, punching it lightly, and caught it before it could hit her. "You try." Alyssa instantly put down her pop a took a swing, grinning when it moved only to be knocked down on her butt when it rebounded. Mark chuckled and set her up on her feet. "Try again, angel."
"No, that's not necessary." Nicoya interrupted and pulled her daughter away from the punching bag, shaking her head emphatically. "No, Alyssa Marie! Now come on, we have to get going!" She ushered her out of Mark's dressing room and raked a hand through her black hair. "Nice talking to you, Mr. Calaway." She murmured, having a firm grip on her daughter's hand, and then turned around, hurrying down the hallway.
"Mom, what was that for?" Alyssa whined looking upset now. "He was being nice! JBL's a liar, Undie wouldn't cut us up into pieces!" She perked. "Hey…you think maybe he'd cut JBL up into little pieces if we asked him too?"
"Alyssa, clamp it shut NOW." Nicoya ordered angrily, gritting her teeth. Her daughter was getting on her last nerve as they arrived outside of Ashley's dressing room, and sighed heavily when she seen the woman wasn't there. "Let's go back to the office. Momma needs to get more work done." She then headed down the hallway, passing Mark's dressing room, and walked inside of her office, shutting the door behind her. "Go play with your toys and let me work." She instructed and sat down, scrubbing her face with her hand, and shook her head.
What was she going to do with her daughter's mouth? One thing Nicoya didn't like about Alyssa was that she had her father's mouth and attitude, which made it really difficult to raise her. Alyssa was smart and she had the mouth to back it up, though sometimes it got her in trouble. Perfect example would be having her ice cream taken away from her for the night, which Nicoya was still going to do, especially after Alyssa defied and embarrassed her in front of the conscience of the WWE, the Undertaker Mark Calaway.
