Chapter 11

"Are you ready to get out of here? Maybe grab a bite to eat on the way?"

Randy turned and looked at Trish. The meet and greet session ended about a half hour ago and most of the superstars were still hanging around chatting.

Randy nodded before walking over to Matt and Stu. He was being distant with her all day and she wasn't sure why. She knew she fell asleep watching the movie last night and that Randy must have put her in bed, but she didn't understand why that was such a big deal.

They walked in silence to the car before Randy seemed to return to his old self. "I know this great little restaurant on the beach. They have the freshest seafood I've ever eaten. It's amazing. Do you like seafood? Would that place interest you?"

Trish smiled, "Oh my God, do I love seafood? It could easily be my favorite food!"

Randy chuckled as he watched Trish devour a bucket of crab legs. She had crab pieces all over her fingers and shells everywhere. "I'm sorry, I'm such a messy crab leg eater!"

"No, it's fine! This is the best entertainment I've had in a long time!" Randy laughed out as he popped a few more shrimp into his mouth.

"It's just, I haven't had good crab legs in forever and I just love them! You practically burn more calories trying to break them open than you do eating them!"

The waitress came over with the check and more wet naps for Trish. Randy grabbed the bill and paid before Trish could get her crabby hands on it. "Randy, come on, how much was it?"

"My treat…you just worry about cleaning up."

Trish laughed, "I'm going to run the ladies room. I don't think these wet naps are going to help me at all."

Five minutes later Trish emerged from the ladies room. "Ready to hit the road?"

Randy shook his head, "Nope…not yet. Let's take a walk on the beach."

Trish gave Randy a curious look as she followed him down to the beach. She took off her flip flops once she hit the sand. They walked in silence for awhile. Finally Randy spoke, "Any time we stop in a coastal city, I make it a point to come down to the ocean…even if for only 15 minutes. I do some of my best thinking out here. There's something about the sound of the waves with the blowing wind…it's so calming. It's a nice escape from my hectic life."

Trish looked down as she walked, eyeballing the shells scattered on the beach. "I feel bad. This whole time we've been traveling together, we always talk about my failing marriage and issues, but we never discuss Alanna, Sam, or even your parents. How is Randy Orton's life? Are you happy?"

Randy looked out into the ocean, "Yeah, I can say I'm honestly happy. I mean, Sam and I have our differences every now and again, but we've been managing to get through them."

"What kind of differences?"

"Well, a lot of the differences are around Alanna. We both have different methods of parenting and a lot of times, they clash. You know what I mean…just differences in the ways you bring up your children. I for one was spoiled growing up and I can honestly say I spoil the hell out of Al. And Sam disagrees with that. She wants to teach Al that she can't always have everything that she wants. Which is a good value to instill in our daughter, but I hardly get to see her, so when I do, I can't help but spoil her. And it usually always results in a fight."

Trish nodded, as an overwhelming sense of sadness overcame her. She and Ron had tried to have a baby on many occasions, only to find out that the odds of Trish ever getting pregnant were slim.

"Why haven't you and Ron had any children yet? I'm actually very surprised you don't…I would imagine you'd make a fantastic mother."

Trish sighed, "We tried…countless times. Then we went to see a doctor and she pretty much told me it would never happen. I can't remember the jargon she used to describe my condition…all I remember is her saying I have about a 1% chance of ever getting pregnant."

Randy stopped walking; he grabbed Trish's hand and pulled her into a hug. He felt terrible bringing up such a painful memory for her. Trish nestled her face into Randy's shirt, trying to focus on how amazing he smelled as opposed to the aching in her heart.

"Why didn't you consider adoption?" he asked as they began walking again.

Trish sardonically laughed, "Because Ron said he didn't want to. He said he could never love a child that wasn't his…which I find ridiculous. God, as I look back, we argued so much about that topic. Whether it was the fighting while trying to get pregnant, or the fighting over adoption, it was a train wreck. I just gave up and let him win."

Randy nodded and decided to keep his thoughts on Ron to himself. As much of a douche bag Ron seemed to be, Trish was still fighting for him. He was afraid if he came out and told Trish his true feelings on the subject, she might back off and stop opening up to him.

"Ah ha! See! The conversation has somehow turned focus back to me! So, tell me more about Sam. Other than parenting do you disagree on much else?"

"Actually yes, we've had countless knock down, drag out battles when it comes to trust. Sam has some serious trust issues with me. Now granted, I obviously made quite a name for myself, so I can't completely blame her. But I feel I've proven myself over the years. I would never cheat on her. But of course she has a hard time believing me when I tell her that…and I've told her on numerous occasions! The internet doesn't help my plight either. With all the different Medias out there, I'm fucked. I swear she spends her entire day googling me and checking different websites for tidbits of proof to throw in my face."

Trish looked at Randy wide eyed, "Is this constant?"

"No, she's backed off a little after I exploded on her one night. You know I've had anger issues in the past…well, that night, she pushed me to my limit. I mean, I didn't throw shit or hit her or anything like that…I could never lay a hand on her. I just walked out. Since taking those anger classes, my therapist said it's best to walk away when I get too angered. Anyway, I came back hours later and she was still crying, apologizing to me, and promising to stop. So, it's a little better, but not much."

Trish stopped walking and turned to Randy, "So, I'm guessing that she has no idea we've been traveling together?"

Randy let out a little laugh and looked at his feet, "No…she would definitely freak out."

Trish let out an exasperated sigh, "That's really great Randy! She would kill you and me both if she knew we were together so much!"

Randy looked at her incredulously, "Oh, because Ron knows we travel together, right?"

Trish looked angrily at him, before breaking into a softer tone, "No…are you nuts? That would probably be the straw that breaks the camel's back!"

Randy jokingly mocked her, "I thought so…Ms. Hypocrite!"

"Touché…but you should consider telling Sam. If there is one thing I've learned, it's that you can't keep walking on glass. You have to address the issues. Cause if you keep ignoring them, they eventually get to the point where they explode."

"Are you going to tell Ron then?"

Trish looked into the setting sun, deep in thought. "Yes. I'm going to. I'll tell him as soon as I go home for our mini Christmas break. I definitely don't want to break this news over the phone. I mean, I'm not sure why we are so worried about telling them…our relationship is strictly platonic. Are you going to tell Sam?"

Randy glanced down, "Yea, platonic…" His mind began spinning as soon as the word left her lips. "Um, will I tell Sam? Yes…I will. If you're going to, then I will too."

Suddenly, Randy was hit in the face by ocean water. He looked up surprised as he found Trish in the ocean, kicking water on him.

"Oh that's it Stratus, you're dead!" He ran in the water after her and threw her over his shoulder. He swung her down till she was about an inch away from the water, both of them laughing hysterically.

"Orton! Let me up! If you drop me in this water it's so on!"

Randy placed her back down, but not before claiming retribution by splashing her. Within minutes, both of them were out of breath and somewhat wet. Trish was laughing so hard it actually hurt her insides.

"We should probably get back to the car. We have a long drive ahead of us."

Trish settled in the passenger seat and watched as the sun slowly started setting below the water. 'This was the most fun I've had in a long time. This is what a marriage should be like.'