*Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter. They were greatly appreciated. Thank-you all so much.
John makes his way to catering to talk with his ex-wife Nikki. He's not sure how the conversation is going to go. They never could talk civilly. Not for a while anyway he thinks as he gets closer to catering. He's hoping there's no audience this time and that Nikki isn't trying to start a scene in front of the other stars. He hated that the most about Nikki everything had to be a show for her. He walks into the catering room and sees that only Nikki is sitting in there. "Where's Ava?" he asks right away seeing she isn't there.
"She's with Brie," says Nikki. "I thought we should talk without her."
"Okay," says John, "I've been trying to talk to you, Nikki, you wouldn't listen remember?"
"Yeah, I remember. John, there's nothing you can say that's going to make me let you see Ava. She is better without you."
"How can you say that my own daughter is going to be better without me? She is my daughter too," says John. He hates when Nikki acts like Ava is not his child. He had every part in making her. It took two of them to make her and he has every right to be in her life.
"Because she is," she says, "John, you are gone at least 300 plus days a year. She's 3 years old she needs stability and having a daddy that's gone most of the year is not stable for her. You work every weekend and mostly every day of the week. There's no way you are going to be able to spend any time with her. What makes you think you will be able to have any type of relationship with her doing some stupid schedule like that?"
"I can make it work, Nikki, how do you know I can't?"
"Because you chose to be a superstar, John and I know your job always comes first. You never think of anyone or anything but yourself and your career. How do you expect to be a daddy too?"
"I am a daddy," he says, "let's get that straight right now. I am a daddy but YOU won't let me see her. I want to see her. I want to be in her life. She saw me today and doesn't even know me."
"That's your fault," says Nikki in a bitchy tone.
"How is it my fault? Every time I want to see her you make some type of stupid excuse as to why I can't. I have tried to be in her life but you never let me. I can't keep fighting about this Nikki. You need to realize I deserve the right to see her when I want."
"And she deserves a dad that's going to be there 100% not just there when her dad is off work or doesn't have to work a show or God forbid injured," she says. "I gave up something I love for something I love more; my daughter."
"I am there 100%. I am willing to take weekends off to be with my daughter. I'm willing to spend holidays and go to birthday parties with her. I'm willing to be in her life 100% I always have been but again you won't let me," he says. He feels like a broken record because he has to keep telling her over and over again that it is her with the problem and not him.
"I just don't want Ava to be hurt, John. She is my entire life and I don't want her to be hurt by you because you can't make it because you have a show to do or some appearance to make. You will never get weekends off. You're the prized guy in WWE no way they can do weekend shows without you."
"Every other weekend," he says interrupting her. "See you're making excuses again. I'm telling you how much I'm willing to be there and you're finding an excuse for me not to be. Nikki it doesn't matter. You're going to let me see her on our terms or the court is going to give you terms that you have to follow. Why are you making it so difficult to see my daughter?"
"I think I told you why," she says, "and besides word has it you've been staying in Alabama with your girlfriend," she says. "In case you have forgotten we live in Tampa. How are you going to spend any time with her when you're too busy with your girlfriend?"
"So you're upset that I spend time with my girlfriend?"
"I don't care what you do with your girlfriend but I do care about what you do with our daughter. You can't be in two places at once, John. I know people think you're a superhero but you're an ordinary human being like everyone else. You can't be in Alabama and Florida," she says.
"I'm sure Nicki would have no problem spending the weekend in Tampa with me so that I can be with Ava for the weekend."
"Not going to happen," she says. "I don't want your girlfriend around her."
"Another excuse," says John. "I'm telling you, Nikki either you're going to let me see her willingly or you're going to be forced to let me see her. Why do you have to make it go to court?"
"Because I strongly believe you don't deserve to see Ava. You haven't done anything for her," she says turning into the vindictive woman she became after they got married. John wasn't sure why she was so against him spending time with his daughter.
"I haven't done anything for her? I think paying you over $2500 a month in child support is doing a lot for her. Maybe I should stop sending you those checks until you let me see my daughter."
"No, John," she says. "You owe me child support."
"I owe you child support?" he asks with annoyance. "I owe you child support?"
"Yeah, you owe me child support," she says with her diva like attitude. She was acting like she was entitled to something like always.
"How do I owe you child support? I have been given child support since we separated. I never missed a check and I have even sent more around the holidays and her birthday. I don't owe you anything," he says, "but you know what you owe me?"
"What, John, what do I owe you?" she asks with the same annoyance. Their anger is rising inside of them as they are starting to get annoyed with the other.
"A chance to see my daughter," he says, "you're so selfish that you won't even let me see her because you feel that I don't deserve to see her yet you think I deserve to send her $2500 a month. It is as if you're jealous that she will get close to me," he says as he starts to raise his voice. "You are scared that she will choose me over you!"
"Jealous of you?" she says with a doubtful tone, "I don't think so. Ava knows who loves her more and it's not you."
"She thinks that because YOU told her that. You told her that I don't love her. YOU told her that I don't want to see her. You filled our child's head with lies of me making me look like the bad person when really the bad person is you, Nikki."
"I didn't tell her that," she says lying.
"Ava told me that today," he says, "so you're calling her a liar?"
"No," she says, "you know how children make up stories."
"I know how selfish bitches make up stories," he says losing his cool. "You lied to her so that she wouldn't want anything to do with me, Nikki."
"You don't love her," says Nikki, "and don't call me a bitch."
"A bitch is what you are," says John, "and I love her. I have always loved her," says John. "You make it like I don't but I do. If I didn't love her I wouldn't be fighting this hard to see her."
"Or it's a big show for you," says Nikki.
"Nikki, I'm not the one that needs to put on a show about everything."
"I'm not either," she says.
"Whatever," he says. "Everything is a show with you. Just like you bringing Ava here tonight. You knew I was coming with my girlfriend so you just had to come cause a scene right?"
"Not true," she says, "I heard that you MIGHT be bringing your girlfriend with you…"
"And you needed to come make a scene," says John interrupting her, "I know you, Stephanie!."
"Don't call me Stephanie," she says. "I came to see her and I see that you downgraded to trailer trash," she says with a smirk.
"Nicki is not trailer trash," says John getting upset.
"Where did you meet her? The bar?" she asks with a laugh. "She's trash."
"No, I didn't meet her in a bar. I met her through Make-A-Wish; her son had cancer."
"Oh," says Nikki feeling guilty by her comment. "I'm sorry I didn't know."
"You're right you didn't know," says John. "You are such an inconsiderate person. Nicki never did anything to you or anyone."
"I'm sorry I said. I didn't know. I'm very sorry. Where's her son?"
"He passed away," says John, "and she's been having a hard time with it."
"I'm sorry," says Nikki.
"Right," he says. "So are you going to let me see Ava or not?"
"No," she says.
"Whatever," says John, "I'm tired of this! I'm done. We're going to settle this in court. I'm sick of fighting to see my daughter. I'll see you in court," he says as he starts to walk away.
"John, don't," she says.
"Too late," he says before storming off.
*A/N: So what did you think? please review and thank-you for reading.