Thanks for the reviews as always x
Summer 2008
Nicole watched her fiancée as he stormed off, shaking his head as he went. He was mad, he had never, ever shouted at her the way he just had, they had never so much as had a cross word in their ten years together. Whenever they disagreed, Jeff tended to back down knowing how stubborn she could be, he always said it was easier to walk away rather than stay and risk her sulking. But today he hadn't, Jeff had grown up around Tianna as well, yet he was taking Shannon's side over this and Nicole couldn't shake the feeling that maybe he knew something that she didn't. That night at the New Years Eve party, Shannon had disappeared; Nicole knew just where to find him and had sent Jeff along to see if he was okay. He'd been real quiet in the week preceding and she was concerned about him, Jeff had been gone for ten minutes or so when she had seen her brother fly through the house, a look of sheer panic on his face, then Jeff had reappeared at her side and placed a light kiss on her cheek. She had asked Jeff what had been said, but he just replied that he'd spoken to Shannon and he'd gone to speak to Tia, nothing to worry about. She hadn't seen Shannon again until they had gone out the front to watch the fireworks a little after midnight, his face was stained with tears and he seemed to be staring into the distance at nothing in particular. Jeff had attempted to talk with him, but he'd shrugged the arm off his shoulder and muttered 'Happy new year…thank God it's over' before taking himself to his room, where he stayed for the next six days, emerging only to shower and eat.
Now nearly a decade later, it was happening all over again, him in his room all day, her and Jeff wondering what the hell was going on and how they could help. Something Jeff had said had struck a chord with her, he was right. She desperately wanted to believe that Shannon's ego had been bruised like Tia had said, it would be easier to take, but deep down she knew that's not at all what it was. Shannon hiding himself away and crying himself to sleep whilst Tianna acted like it was nothing at all, that wasn't right and as much as she hoped that Tianna was innocent in all this, she knew otherwise.
"Nicole, I'm sorry that Shannon feels he has to hide away while I'm here. I think maybe we should do this another time, at my place"
"Tianna, you can't run away at the first sign of tension"
"I'm not running Nicole…like I said, Shannon shouldn't be sitting in his room 'cause I'm around"
"No, he shouldn't. Maybe you can tell me why he's doing that?"
"Nicky we've had this conversation already, I told you…"
"I know what you told me Tia, but this time I want the truth. Shannon wouldn't react this way to your presence over a bruised ego he suffered a decade ago….so you wanna fill me in on what really happened?"
"Nicole, I've already told you. I chose swimming over staying here and Shannon couldn't hack it. We just weren't as strong as you and Jeff, I wanted my dream and Shannon wasn't mature enough to deal with that"
"I beg your pardon? Shannon wasn't mature enough?"
"You know what I mean; the four boys always were a bunch of kids in adult form. Sometimes it was like watching a flying circus, and from what I've seen on the TV and that little website that Matt has, they still haven't grown up"
"That 'little website' is an online phenomenon, it's for the fans and the fans love it! No other wrestlers take time out of their lives to entertain the fans the way these boys do! And as for them not having grown up….how the hell would you know Tianna? You left us nine years ago, without so much as a bye or leave, so I don't think you are in any place to comment about that!"
"I left because your perfect brother told me to! He made me promise never to come back… and do you know what? Maybe he had a good point….this town is a backwater hole and the people in it need to open their eyes and see that there is life outside of Charlotte, North Carolina!"
Nicole brought her hand hard around Tianna's cheek, her face screwed up with the effort. Her chest heaving and the adrenalin flowing fast, Nicole lunged at her childhood friend, grabbing her by the arm and forcing her toward the door.
"Nicky please…I'm sorry, I didn't mean that. I was just mad at the constant questioning and I lashed out, I'm sorry, please stop and talk to me"
"What do you want to talk about Tianna? How you left all of us for years, how the only contact we had with you was cards at birthdays and Christmas or how you left my brother with a broken heart that took years to heal or maybe how you waltz back in here nine years later like nothing ever happened, a gold medal around your neck and an ego to match! Huh? What was it you wanted to discuss?"
"Let her go Chicka, she's not worth it"
Nicole spun around to see her brother at the foot of the stairs, Jeff behind with a hand placed on his shoulder. Shannon looked like death warmed up, his eyes were bloodshot and the body he'd worked so hard for, covered in loose fitting clothes that wouldn't be out of place on a beggar. Her heart ached at the sight, at that moment she knew that that she'd been wrong, her adulation of Tianna had clouded her judgement, and she owed her brother an apology.
"Shannon, I'm so sorry. I should never have taken Tia's word over yours"
"It's alright Chicka, you were just trying to protect your friend, we've all been guilty of that from time to time"
Shannon placed a fond kiss on his sister's temple before addressing his former lover who was still stood in the doorway, an angry red welt appearing along her jaw line...
"I think you should leave"
"Shannon….I know I'm probably the last person you want to see right now but….I think we should talk, it's not healthy for you to carry this anger around after all this time"
"Like I said Tianna, it's time for you to leave"
"Shannon, please. This is stupid; we can't go on like this, isn't it about time you let it go and moved on, for everyone's sake"
"Let it go? Let it go? You have no idea what trouble you've caused have you? Everyone was fine until you appeared, I told you there was nothing for you to come back here for and I meant it. Nobody wants you here Tia, just go back to where you came from and leave us alone or so help me God, I'll start revealing some home truths….and I know that you don't want that Tianna"
"I came back for my family….and for my friends. They're my friends too Shannon, just because you can't stand to have me around doesn't mean that I can't still be friends with them"
"Take a look around you Tia! Does it look like anyone wants you here? You ignored your family for years, now your career is over, you come crawling back and think that all is forgiven?"
Shannon took a step forward; standing inches away from Tianna he uttered his last words.
"Well, you're not forgiven Tia! I haven't forgiven you and I damn well won't forget! Just go and this time when I say don't come back, you had better take heed of my words. I won't have you here upsetting my family"
"Fine, I'm going. But just so you know, for all your declarations of being a close knit family… you sure do have a funny way of showing it. You haven't even told them about the one thing that changed your life! How's that for caring and sharing!"
Nobody in the room moved even after the door had closed behind her, all of them trying to collect their thoughts and figure out what to say, desperately hoping they didn't have to be the first to speak. As always, Jeff broke the tension and began what Nicole always referred to as 'damage control'.
"Come on, I think we've all earned a beer. We'll all sit down and sink a bottle or two…then I think some truths need to be told Shannon, don't you?"
Okay, I had a lot of fun writing this chapter...I love a good argument! Please read & review x
H ;)
