CHAPTER 4: Understanding Why…
Shane has been observing Steph for the past 15 minutes or so and figured that she was not her usual self. She was obviously not paying as much attention as she's supposed to, considering she was the head of creative! She was not reacting to whatever anyone said, and when being asked, she needed to be called more than twice, and the question had to be repeated more than once.
"What the! First it was Rissa, now it's Steph! What in the blue hell is friggin going on! What's with today! As far as I'm concerned, they don't have their periods now. They have it at the same time, and Rissa had hers a week ago! So what is going on!" Shane thought to himself. He too, couldn't concentrate much, with what was going on with Marissa, and now, with how Steph has been reacting. How was he supposed to ask Steph what's wrong with Rissa when it was obvious that there was also something wrong with Steph?
When Shawn reached catering, he quickly spotted Paul, and he was not alone. He was hanging out with John Cena, Randy Orton and Ric Flair, and seemed to be in high spirits. At least, his best friend was okay, because he surely wasn't.
"Yo, Shawn!" John called him over.
The other three turned to see the Showstopper. He seemed to be in a not so good mood.
"Hey man, what's up? What's wrong?" Paul knew his friend all too well.
"Just came by to get you… gotta go discuss our match… don't wanna mess anything up… more so, don't wanna kill anybody…" Shawn didn't feel like sharing his problem with the others. Much more to two wife-free young rookies, who won't really understand.
Sensing that there was more than Shawn wanting the match to be discussed, Paul excused himself from the group, and with Shawn saying hi and bye to the rest at the same time, the two left.
The duo went to an empty area—specifically the parking lot—to discuss matters. The lot was a usual hang out place for them, especially when they just wanted solace and wanted to be alone. No one was there, and they would have some privacy.
"Okay, we're alone. Spill." Paul didn't want to pressure his friend, he was just trying to lighten up the mood, and usually, this is how they do it.
"Look, I don't really mean to trouble you with this, seeing that I'm married for a longer time than you are but… I'm just bothered by the way Rebecca is acting. I mean, I'm all sleepy and snappy today… didn't get much sleep cause of the big kid, so you know… you know how I am when I'm like that. Then, coming here, I just noticed she was extremely quiet: that she didn't speak much and that there was something wrong. I just couldn't put my finger on what's wrong… but I know something's not right! I know this seems a little light and shallow, but for some reason, I'm anxious about this whole thing. And I'm scared that if this doesn't go away, something not right might happen out there in the ring, tonight. I don't wanna kill your brother or father-in-law! Oh goodness! Am I blabbing too much? I don't even think you understood a word I said…" Shawn too, was starting to act weird, speaking in an extremely fast speed.
"Whoa man! Calm down! Did you even breathe? Look, this is gonna sound freaky… but Steph has been that way, too, today. She doesn't speak much and isn't paying attention to things she's supposed to pay attention to. I'm not exactly sure how she is right now in whatever office they're having the meeting…"
"What? This is just some co-incidence, right? They are not playing a joke on us, aren't they?" Steph and Rebecca may not be that close, but they are good friends. It's no surprise that they are, seeing that their respective husbands are closer than brothers.
"They better not be…" Paul was thinking of the same thing, as well.
"Oh goodness! I'm slightly hoping that they are… at least there's nothing wrong… I don't want to push her much… more of like waiting for her to tell me herself without me pressuring her." This was Shawn's reply, still semi-worried.
They really were indeed like brothers. Paul was thinking of that same thing inside the bus. But now, he knew they still had to discuss their match for tonight. Despite the crisis they both are facing, they had to act like professionals and forget about their problems for the meantime.
"Look man, I know there's much on our shoulders now… but we have to set these aside for a while. We have a match tonight to discuss, and it's not an easy match. It's a bit complicated, seeing that we, the greatest superstars in the business today, are stuck inside a cell with 2 fuckin sons-of-a-bitch who will have their very first hell-in-a-cell match, and a big damn fat guy who's just scary to get in the ring with. We may be the best, but when your opponents are the worse, we have to come up with something special. Now what ya think?"
The two then started to discuss the match for the night, coming up with magnificent ideas, hoping that it would indeed be the match of the night.
Before they knew it, it was already 6, and it was time for dinner. They were having an early dinner, for whatever reason. And when they reached catering, a lot of the guys were already there.
The two got their food, took a seat, and soon, were joined by Shane-O-Mac. Shane felt that Paul had a clue on what was up with Steph, and wanted to know immediately, because he still felt that she was the key in unlocking the mystery of Rissa's actions.
"Hey, what in the blue hell did you do to Steph! There's obviously something going on with her and she's just out of it today. Did you two fight or something?" Shane was too aggressive, and this somehow surprised Paul and Shawn.
"What's with you!" Paul shot back. He definitely didn't like the way Shane approached them.
Shane grabbed Paul by the collar, "I swear, if you did something to hurt her, I'll freakin kill you. Seeing that we have a match tonight, I tell you, even if I'm not trained well enough to wrestle, I still am capable of killing someone… especially when it's someone hurting my sister!"
Paul was mad, too, but fortunately, he just replied with: "What's it to you?"
Shawn finally decided to step in between the two, before anything else happened. "Guys, guys! Hey! This won't help anything… so just break it! If Vince finds out about this, you'll both be in deep shit! And Lord knows what could possibly happen to the both of you… you may be family, but you still fall under employee! So just stop it!"
Cooler heads soon prevailed, and the two broke up when Shane released Paul. Shane was the first to apologize, realizing that he didn't have to jump to conclusions.
"I'm sorry man… It's just that, you know how I hate it to see my sister suffering. And, by the looks of it, she won't be coming down for dinner. I have no idea why she's gonna stay up there, when it's obvious that she can't work properly. So, you were the first reason that entered my mind… I'm sorry."
"That's cool, bro… I get you. Just tone it down a little bit, you're causing more harm than good. And to answer your suspicions, no, we're not fighting. Or at least, I'm not aware that we are. She's been that way since this morning, and I don't know what's going on either."
"It's just that… I was actually hoping to talk to her, to try and see if she knew what was going on with Rissa. But it seems that they're on the same boat. So I don't know anymore."
"What's wrong with Rissa?" Shawn chimed in.
"She's just like Steph, all gloomy and down and lost. Take this… she hasn't spoken more than three words for every question I ask or sentence I say. It's always "I'm fine." , "Yeah.", "I'm okay.", "I'll be fine.", "Nothing…"… it's killing me! She's only like that when she's extremely mad or pissed, which happens very, very, very rarely. You know how she is. I don't know if I did something."
"Man, you wouldn't believe this… but the same can be said not only for your sister, but also my wife."
"You mean, Rebecca is also acting strange today? You don't think they're playing a huge prank on us, do you?"
"Uhm… I don't know… honestly, we're (pointing to Paul and himself) kinda hoping that they are… at least there's nothing wrong going on. But at the same time, there's something inside of me that's telling me that they're not."
"Oh god!"
"What's wrong? Who's playing a joke on who?" It was Vince, who overheard the last part of their conversation. He decided to sit with them as well, with thoughts of them discussing their match for the night.
"Nothing…" the three replied in unison.
"Oh come on, don't do this to me! First it was Steph, now it's the three of you! I swear, if I hear that word again tonight, I'm gonna go insane! So please, would you honestly tell me why the three of you look problematic and are also bothered by something?"
Since he considered his dad to be his best friend, Shane decided to tell Vince what was going on. He figured, the two others won't mind seeing that Paul's wife was Vince's daughter and Shawn was like a son to him already.
"You don't think they're conniving up on us and trying to pull the lamest prank ever, right?" Shawn asked. He still partly wished that this was just part of a big joke.
"Even if it seems that they are, seeing that they are friends and are "co-incidentally" acting the same way, at the same time, trust me, they aren't. You would really wish they were though. I just have a question for all three of you... Have you already talked to your wives about what's gonna happen tonight?"
The three looked dumbfounded and wondered what Vince met.
After seeing the three's reaction and releasing a small chuckle, Vince continued, "Look, tonight's match is big. It's Hell in a Cell. The both of you (pointing to Shawn and Paul), as superstars who have been there before, should know that, while you (pointing to Shane), as a person who has grown up in this business, should know that as well. It's not your usual, typical match. It's more dangerous. It's scarier. It's a whole new level. The stakes are pretty much higher. And you should also know by now, that when it comes to the-most-worried-wives-when-their-husbands-are-out-in-the-ring, the three of you are married to those who occupy spot numbers 1, 2 and 3. Oh by the way, yours (points to Shane) owns the first."
"And what you're trying to say is…"
"That you should probably have talked to your girls first before this day came. You know why they aren't talking much and are in deep thought? Maybe it's because they're freaking out inside. They are still somehow hoping that this match wouldn't push through, which it will, and are so worried about how you would all turn out to be after the match ends. (talking to Paul and Shawn) This may not be your first time there, and you may be regulars in the ring seeing that you compete 4 times a week, but it's the first serious, heavy match you're going to been into since Aurora and Cheyenne came along. (talking to Shane) You, on the other hand, aren't involved much in the ring. So every time you're out there, Rissa's freakin' out and her heart stops, especially with what you do. How do you think she feels that this would be the first time that you'll be inside that cell! And add to that the fact that you have two boys, of whom the younger is only half a year old… I know you all love this business so much, but there is always something more than this business. Take it from me, I should know… every time you're out there performing, you may have the time of your life, but there are people backstage who are about to have a heart attack. You may forget about all your problems when you're in the ring, but you should not forget that you also have family. You have your wives, and now, kids. How would they continue living if something happens to you out there?... Now, you seem to still have time to talk to them before the match tonight, but in the meantime, (sees Paul Wight (Big Show) coming) let's talk about this freakin' match. We want it to be spectacular, but moreso, we don't want anyone hurt especially our dearest wives."
After Vince's speech and upon Big Show's arrival, the five then proceeded to discuss their match. Paul, Shawn and Shane realized that Vince did indeed made sense, (but still wondered how in the world he knew that) and decided to put the matter at the back part of their brains for the meantime, and be the consummate professionals that they are.
At least, they were getting somewhere…