"Hurry up and finish the story! I've been waiting to get a hold of you for two months! So you two were in the rain…"
"Ok sorry. You've been too busy to talk to me! Anyways, so we were in the rain and he was like do you love me? Of course I said yes and then he said good because I love you too and I've been meaning to tell you."
Nattie gasped, "Awe!"
"But then, my dad came outside looking for me and was angry that I was outside in the rain. He was afraid that I would get a cold. Then I spent the next week in bed, sick with the cold."
"I hate when parents are right." Nattie groaned. "Ok, so do you know Teddy's friend, T.J? He's living with them now."
"The guy that's been training with grandma. Yeah, I know him. He's pretty – You like him?"
Nattie did her infamous loud giggle, "I can't help it!"
"Ugh, I could never date someone who wants to be in wrestling. I mean, after what happen with my dad. I don't trust it."
"Speaking off, how is he doing? After the Julie thing especially."
Kate sighed. "He really is trying to be strong. He has a groin injury but he is completely ignoring it. He really misses your dad, Owen and Davey."
"Things will be better soon. I'm going to the beach with Jenny and Muffy."
"Ok, my dad just stumbled through the door. I'll call you back later tonight!"
Bret staggered his way to the couch and threw his bags in the corner. He flinched when he reached for the remote. "Pussycat!"
"Hey dad. Dinner is ready." Kate yelled from the kitchen.
"You cooked?" Bret said take aback.
Bringing out two bowls of chicken soup with glasses of lemonade, "I called grandma and she told me what to do. The pasta should be done soon."
"Why thank you."
"So are you feeling better?"
He cringed again, having to reach to take a sip of the soup. "I feel great."
"Dad! Why won't you have the surgery already?"
"Because I told Eric I'd delay my groin surgery until after the next pay per view."
"I can't believe that you are willing to go through pain just to roll around in a ring with another man." Kate went back into the kitchen.
"Hey! Don't make it seem worst than it really is!"
"I wish Lori was here." Kate said.
Bret nearly did a spit take, "What?"
"I said I wish my mom was here. Maybe you'd listen to her instead of me."
"Kate, how did you –"
She interrupted him, "Pasta's done." Kate put he plate of food in front of him. "Remember what Owen told you, 'There is nothing in wrestling worth dying for.'"
The next night Bret took Julie, Blade and Dallas to a hockey play-off game, the Hitmen, Bret's the founder and co-owner. Bret was suspicious that Kate declined singing the National Anthem at this game.
"Why did Kate come dad?" Dallas asked.
"She said she had homework to do but I think she's up to something."
Even though the team lost, they went in the locker room to wish them a great season. After the game, Bret had to rush to make his flight to L.A for another appearance on The Tonight Show as publicity for WCW.
"Kate, I don't know why you aren't answering but I'm on the plane to L.A. I'll call you when I get to the hotel. I love you pussycat."
Pressing delete on the answering machine, Kate went through the rest of her dad's stuff in the office. "Lindsay, I have to find out more about my mom. I'm twelve years old! If I'm old enough to have my period, I am old enough to know about my own mom."
"Kate, my mom used to tell me stories about how organized your dad is. He'll know you've been through it."
"Auntie Alison also is extremely overdramatic."
The two girls laughed, "God. The phone is beeping again, probably my dad. I'll talk to you later."
"Hello. Oh hey papa. Whoa, I can't understand you. No, he isn't here. He is on a plane to Los Angeles. Yeah, I can call him but what's wrong?"
A couple hours in the air, Bret felt a menacing worry when he couldn't go to sleep. He was over being upset about Kate mentioning Lori. That nagged on his heart enough. Then the pilot came out of the cockpit and handed him a note.
Bret Hart, please call home. Family emergency!
He tried every phone in the first call cabin and keep getting busy signals. Instead, he checked his voicemail to find two hysterical phone calls, one from Kate and the other from a family friend in the wrestling business.
Dad! Something is wrong but no one will tell me what. Come home please. I'm scared. Love you.
Bret this is Carlo. Call me right away!
"Are you sitting down? Are you sitting down Bret?" Carlo said once Bret got signal.
"I'm on a plane, of course I'm sitting down. What happened?"
"Don't be alarmed. Don't get mad. I don't know how to tell you this. Are you sitting down?"
"Just spit it out." Bret replied aggravated.
"Owen's dead. He got killed doing some kind of stunt in the ring. I don't have the facts yet but all I know for sure is that Owen is gone."
Bret couldn't get back to Calgary until 5 that next morning. When he got home, Kate was wrapped up in a blanket that in his bed. Kissing her forehead, Bret curled up next to her attempting to prepare for the agonizing day ahead. The next Bret opened his eyes awoke Kate was not laying next to him. He went into the living room to see her clasping a teddy bear, that Owen gave her, watching the news.
"Professional wrestler Owen Hart, Calgary's own known as 'Blue Blazer,' fell 50 feet, hit his head and died when a wire holding him in the air either broke or became disconnected while he was being lowered into the ring. Sunday's fatal accident occurred during a World Wrestling Federation match at Kemper arena in Kansas City, Missouri."
"Kate turn that off." Bret said with no reply.
"Fans thought it was part of the act but unfortunately it wasn't."
"Kate turn it off now!" With that, a somber Kate shut it off, walked into her room and slammed the door. "Get dressed. We're going to the Hart House."
When they pulled into the yard around noon, a flock of TV cameras and reporters encircled them as Bret and Kate made their way up the porch steps. Kate ran to her grandfather who was sitting at the dining room table looking at pictures of Owen.
"I love you papa." Kate whispered. Stu kissed the top of her forehead. Bret shook his dad's hand and patted his shoulder.
"Go in the living room with the rest of the kids sweetheart." Stu said ever so softly.
In the living room, Bret saw the grandkids in small groups in tears while his brothers and sisters did interviews.
"Kate!" Nattie shouted grabbing on to her teary-eyed. "I can't believe this."
Dallas, Teddy, Harry, Jade, Alex, Nattie and Muffy all gather together around Kate as it finally hit her. "He's gone. He is really gone." She whispered.
Helen walked over to her son when she saw him staring at the family pictures in the hallway. She gave him a huge hug, crying on his chest.
"Has Martha been over? Bret asked.
"No. She hasn't. But she should be over soon with the kids."
Bret paused when she heard Davey's voice on the black and white television screen.
"Owen's death was just an accident." Davey said.
Accident? Accident? You're kidding me. Bret couldn't take it. An hour later, the media circus increased when Martha arrived at the house with the kids.
"Where's your dad?" Julie asked.
Kate scanned the room. "I'll go find him."
In the backyard she saw a person hunched over sitting on the steps. Kate sat next to him, tilted her head on his right shoulder and held his hand. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine Kate. I'm fine." Bret repeated in a monotone voice.
"Daddy. I know Owen was your best friend but I can be your best friend now."
As soon as she said that, he broke down, crying hard. Bret spread out on the concrete and placed his head on her lap. It felt as if his chest caved in as his hands started to tremble.
"I'm responsible. I'm responsible." He said over and over and over again.
AN – Wow. This was one of the hardest chapters for me the write in the series for obvious reasons. With this, more family drama to come. Peace&love.