A/N: Thanks for reading and reviewing.
[the next day]
It was Wednesday; the day of the Father-Daughter carnival at Michael and Reby's school. Liz had forgotten about it completely until that morning when she dropped the kids off at school. Reby saw all the other little girls with their fathers; she asked Liz about Randy but Liz couldn't come up with an answer because she hadn't talked to him since Monday night when she kicked him out.
After a few minutes of coercion, Liz was able to get Reby to go into the school. Liz felt like a terrible mother as she drove to work; she decided to call Teddy.
Hey, Liz. What's up?
Hey, Teddy. I don't know if Randy has already talked to you, but I need a huge favor from you.
Let's pretend that he hasn't.
Liz sighed. I really don't want to talk about that right now. I just really need a favor. Today is the Father-Daughter carnival at the school. Could you go in Randy's place?
Why would I do that, Liz? I'm not her father; she's not my daughter. You need to talk to Randy. I don't like being in middle of this. At least call him and remind him about the carnival. You don't even need to talk about what happened. Y'all can hash that out later; but today is about Reby. Don't make her suffer because of what happened.
Did he tell you what he said to me, Teddy? I don't want anything to do with him after that. I'm done with him. I don't want him anywhere near me.
Dammit, Liz. You're being so fucking selfish. You have amazing kids who love him; he loves the kids, too. Are you really going to forbid them to see him because of something he said? If you are, I feel sorry for them. You know how he feels about you; anybody can see how much he loves you. He didn't mean it, Liz. Just call him. Bye.
Before Liz could say anything else, Teddy had hung up the phone. Liz was upset as she finished the drive to work. She didn't want to deal with Randy at all; it wasn't something she was ready for yet. When she got there, her receptionist greeted her. After a few days, she realized his name was Bo; Bo Dallas.
Bo smiled wide when he saw his boss walk in. "Good morning, Miss Caro. You have an 8:00 appointment scheduled this morning. He should be here in a few minutes," she said.
Liz nodded and continued to her office. She closed the door and sat behind her desk with a heavy sigh. She replayed Teddy's voice in her mind. She knew he was right, but she didn't want the task of calling Randy. Just when she was picking up her phone to call him, she had an idea. Instead of calling Randy, she called the front desk of her office to talk to Bo.
Yes, ma'am?
I need you to call Randy and give him a message for me.
Okay. What's the message?
Liz smiled at her cleverness and gave Bo the phone number and message. "Just tell him that his daughter's father-daughter carnival is today and that he should be there," she said.
Yes, ma'am. I'll do it right now. Oh, and your 8:00 just arrived. Would you like me to send him back?
Yes. Thank you, Bo.
Liz tidied up her desk for her client. She had to get in the right frame of mind for her job. It was rare for her to have a male client, so she tried her best to exude perfection so the client could refer other potential male clients.
Just as her office was presentable, Bo opened the door and stepped in with the client. Liz turned around with a smile to greet the man, but her smile faded almost immediately.
"Please don't fire me, Miss Caro. He made me lie; he said he would break bones I didn't know I had," Bo pleaded.
Liz groaned. "Get out, Bo. Don't forward me any calls; take messages until I say otherwise," she said sternly. Bo nodded and left. When he was gone, Liz turned to the supposed client. "What do you want, Randy?" she asked.
"I've been calling," he said simply.
Liz rolled her eyes. "Yeah and I haven't been answering. What's your point?" she crossed her arms and sat on the edge of her desk; her legs were crossed at the knee.
Randy sighed. "I need you to know that what I said last night wasn't right and I know that. I'm sorry for the way it came out, but it just bothers me that you don't trust me," he said.
"I don't, Randy. Not all the time. You and I have been through so much. It's hard for me to be trust anybody right now," she said.
Randy sighed and started to rebut, but Liz interrupted him.
"And it's not even the trust issue. It's also the fact that you don't seem to understand that I need time to warm up to the idea of being close to you. You need to realize that the last person I had sex with wasn't exactly—" she trailed off. "I just need time, okay?" she said quietly as she wiped a tear that escaped her eye.
He nodded. "I get that, Liz, I do; but I really think we could use Dr. Richardson's advice. The massages might actually help us. It makes a lot of sense, too. It's not like some quack is giving us tips and tricks. She's a licensed sex therapist; she could really help us, babe," Randy said. He had started inching closer to Liz; only about 3 feet separated the two.
They both stood quietly; Liz stared into her lap while Randy waited to hear her speak. It wasn't an awkward silence, though. "I'm scared, Randy," Liz admitted.
He offered a comforting smile. "I'm scared, too, Liz. I'm afraid that if we do make it to that level of you being comfortable with me, that I'm going to do something wrong. Like even standing this close to you gets me nervous," he said. Liz looked up and saw that only a few inches were between her and Randy. She gave a small smile and reached out to touch Randy's face. There, they silently admired each other; it was like Randy was finally seeing all the pain Liz was feeling. He never noticed it because she had never been so vulnerable with him. Randy almost felt the pain Liz felt deep inside her. As a tear dropped onto his cheek and rolled down into his neatly groomed beard, Liz wiped it away.
"I need you, Randy. I need you emotionally. If you can be completely open and honest with me emotionally, we could really go far. Promise me that you and I are going to be open and honest with each other about everything," Liz said as she fingered the slightly greying beard.
Randy smiled and nodded. "I promise, babe," he said wholeheartedly. He smiled as Liz's lips curled into a tiny smile. "Can I hug you?" he asked.
Liz snorted lightly and nodded. Randy smirked and wrapped his strong arms around Liz's body; he squeezed her tenderly to assure her that she would always be safe in his arms. Liz hugged him back by draping her arms around Randy's neck.
Liz melted when she felt how tightly Randy held her; his gasp was so tender and loving. It was something she hadn't felt in a long time. His heartbeat was loud and strong; it reminded Liz of a loud base drum. The steadiness of the beat made Liz realize that what Randy felt for her was real; everything he was saying and promising was true.
When Randy's thumb brushed against her spine, a shiver went down it. Just a touch from him made her crazy, but she couldn't push herself to be intimate with the one man who loved her as much as she loved him. As strange as Dr. Richardson's advice sounded, Liz understood that massages with gradual nudity may be the solution to the battle between her mind and body.
Randy whispered into Liz's ear, but Liz couldn't have cared less about what he was saying; the security she felt in his arms spoke volumes and that was all she ever wanted to hear.
When they broke the hug, Randy smiled and pecked Liz's lips. Her lips trembled nervously at the contact. As a flashback of Wade tried to make its way into Liz's mind, she couldn't fight it and pulled away from Randy.
Just as she was about to apologize, Randy smiled. "It's okay, babe. We'll work on it," he said.
Liz smiled gratefully and kissed his cheek. "Thank you for coming here," she said. Liz noted that Randy's persistence showed how passionate he really was about her. If he didn't love her, he wouldn't have threatened a receptionist just to see Liz.
Randy checked the time. "Oh shit. The carnival is about to start. I have to go," he said as he turned away.
Liz frowned. "You remembered?" she asked just before he left.
"How could I forget about a Father-Daughter Carnival? I've been looking forward to this since I saw it in Reby's folder last Monday," he said.
Liz was shocked. "You're amazing," she whispered. With a wink, Randy was gone.
oOo
Randy pulled up at the school and nearly ran inside the gym where the children were waiting on their dads to get there. He gave a sigh of relieve when he saw that Reby wasn't the only little girl left waiting for her father.
"Daddy!" she squealed as soon as she saw Randy.
He smiled and scooped her up into his arms. "Hey, baby girl. You ready to have some fun?" he asked as they walked outside to the carnival.
Reby nodded. "Yes! We're going to get our faces painted, and we're going to catch ducks in the pool, and we're going to win prizes, and we're going to eat lots and lots of cotton candy," she said excitedly.
Randy gasped dramatically. "We get to do all that? Oh my goodness! I'm so excited! What should we do first?" he asked. Reby looked around at all of the attractions and pointed to game booth. Randy saw the setup of balloons taped to a board and darts laid out on the table. He immediately picked up on the concept of the game; he knew it would be easy for him to win.
He and Reby went to the booth. While Reby gazed at the prize she wanted, Randy talked to the game attendant about the price of the game.
"Okay, baby girl," Randy said once he paid. "Which balloons do you want me to pop for you?" he asked Reby.
The four year old looked up at the display of balloons and wrinkled her nose. "The orange ones. I don't like orange," she said with disgust.
Randy chuckled. "Okay. Here goes my first shot," he said as he threw the dart. Sure enough, Randy hit an orange balloon.
"Yay!" Reby cheered. "Hit another one, Daddy!" she encouraged.
Randy winked at his daughter and threw another dart that the board of balloons; again, an orange balloon busted.
Reby grinned and clapped her hands. "You're good at this, Daddy," she said happily.
"You think so, Reby?" he asked. She nodded enthusiastically. "How many more do I need to hit?" he asked.
Reby took a moment to count on her fingers. "Three more?" she asked.
Randy smiled. "Yep! You're so good at adding and subtracting, Reby," he said.
The small child grinned; she was so proud of herself. After a few minutes, Randy had won a plush animal for his daughter. The game attendant handed Reby a large pink monkey.
"What do you say, Reby?" Randy asked.
Reby looked to the game attendant with her big blue eyes and smiled. "Thank you," she said confidently. Randy smiled; he also thanked the game attendant. "It's so soft, Daddy!" she said as she hugged it close to her. "I'm going to name her Monkey," she said. He chuckled. "Monkey it is, then," he said.
The father-daughter duo walked around for another two hours while they played—and lost—other games. Randy smiled and picked Reby up as they walked around the carnival ground. "What's next, baby girl?" he asked.
"Um…" Reby thought as she looked around. She saw the face painting booth, but she changed her mind about going. Randy noticed how sad she got when she looked in that direction.
"I thought you wanted to get your face painted?" he said.
Reby suddenly hugged him tightly. "I don't wanna go," she said into Randy's neck.
He held her close to him. "What's wrong, baby girl?" he asked.
"That mean girl was mean to me," she said as she cried.
Randy stopped and stepped aside from the light traffic to talk to Reby. He put her on her feet and knelt down to her level. "Why are you crying, sweetheart?" he asked.
Reby sniffled and wiped her eyes with back of her arm and hand. "That girl was mean to me. She hurted my feelings and so I pushed her down and cut her hair and that's why come I got in trouble," she said.
Randy thought back to last week when Reby was told to stay home because of her violence. The other girl was initially expelled for bullying, but the school withdrew their decision and allowed the 8 year old back into the school.
"Is that her daddy standing next to her?" he asked. Reby looked towards the face painting booth then looked back at Randy to nod. Randy gave her a comforting smile. "How about you go into the bouncy castle while I go talk to that mean girl's daddy?" he suggested.
Reby nodded and walked hand in hand with Randy to the inflated piece of nylon/vinyl blend. "Can you hold Monkey?" Reby asked as she handed the stuffed animal to Randy. He nodded and took the prize from her.
"You have to take off your shoes, baby girl," he said pointing to the sign. Reby stared at the sign in an attempted to read it; she sounded out the words out loud. Randy beamed with pride. His daughter stood before him reading so well for her age. She was a smart little girl and she had her mother to thank for that. Randy knew intellect could be genetic, but he also knew that Reby taught the kids random lessons all the time while at home or just out and about around town.
Reby took off her shoes and put them in the provided set of cubbies that sat beneath the sign; he stuffed the pink monkey in the cubby as well. Randy helped her into the bounce castle and watched her bounce for a moment before he approached the man who fathered the girl who hurt Reby's feelings.
With a smirk, Randy approached the man. "Randy Orton," he said with his hand out for the man to shake as a greeting.
The man nodded. "Chris Garrett," he said as he shook Randy's hand.
"Listen, my daughter…" Randy pointed to Reby in the bouncy house. "…she told me that your daughter has been picking on her. Is there any reason why a girl twice my daughter's age is picking on her?" he asked.
Chris chuckled. "Kids will be kids, man," he said.
Randy scoffed. "Apparently your wife needs to make sure he keeps her mouth shut about what goes on in my household. Your son was invited to my son's birthday party last week; my girlfriend and the other mothers had a conversation about my daughter. That wife of yours must have gone home and talked about it around your daughter because she's been pushing my daughter around about what was said. Bottom line: I don't appreciate it and neither does my daughter. I suggest you teach your kids to be kind to others. I'm sure my daughter would appreciate an apology from yours," he said.
By then, people around them had started to listen and agree with Randy was saying. Chris shook his head. "I don't even know you, man. I don't even know what my daughter said or did," he said.
"It doesn't matter what she said. The fact of the matter is your daughter has been bullying my daughter who is half her age," Randy said. "It would still be wrong if the girls were the same age, but Reby is only four. Don't you think that's messed up?" he asked.
Chris shrugged. "Regardless, dude, you can't tell me how my wife and I should raise our kids; we teach them to speak their minds. While we're giving parenting advice, maybe you should teach your kid how to not be so damn sensitive,"
Randy took a deep breath and balled his fists. "I'm really trying to turn my life around, Garrett, I really am. I am a work in progress and I don't want to cause any trouble, so if your daughter could kindly apologize, I'd really appreciate it and leave you alone," he said in a low, suppressed growl.
"My daughter doesn't have to do a damn thing. You and bastard kid can kiss—" Before Chris could even finish, Randy clocked him with a right hook. The onlookers gasped; some rushed to tend to Chris who ended up laid out on the ground.
Randy covered his head with his hands and took a deep breath as he paced in circles. He hated that he let his anger get the better of him; when he was calm, he faced Chris again. "I'm sorry for that, but I won't tolerate you or anybody else speaking of my family like that. Now, my daughter and I will be over at the bouncy house if you and yours decide to pay us a visit," Randy said. Chris only stared up at Randy from the ground where he was sitting and holding his face. He nodded slightly before Randy walked away.
When he got to bouncy house, Randy waved at Reby to let her know that he was near her again. Reby saw him and waved back; she bounced towards the exit and slid out. "I'm hungry, Daddy," she said as she approached him.
Randy smiled. "Okay, baby girl. Get your shoes on and we'll go get you some lunch," he said. Reby grinned and nodded; she skipped away to the cubbies to put her shoes on.
While Reby sat on the grass and put her shoes on, Chris and his daughter Bailey walked up to her. Randy quickly went to stand next to Reby.
Chris swallowed nervously. "What are you supposed to say, Bailey?" he asked.
Bailey sighed. "I'm sorry for being mean to you," she said to Reby who had just fastened the Velcro straps on her sandals. Reby stood and looked up at Randy. He offered a comforting smile. Reby looked and Bailey and smiled. "I forgive you," she said before hugging the 8-year-old.
Randy couldn't help but smile; Reby applied her situation with Michael hitting her to Bailey being mean to her.
When the children broke the hug, Chris took a deep breath and held his hand out for Randy to shake. "I'm sorry for what I said earlier; you were only standing up for you family and I totally get that," he said.
Randy nodded and shook his hand. "Thanks. Have a good one," he said.
With that, Randy and Reby walked away and headed towards the school to pick up Michael since it was almost noon. "Did you have fun, baby girl?" he asked Reby as she held his hand while she walked beside him.
Reby nodded. "Yep. It was so much fun!" she said. Randy smiled. "What was your favorite part?" he asked her. Reby was quiet for a minute while she thought; she gasped when she thought of an answer.
"I won this toy!" she said holding up Monkey. Randy smiled. "What was your not-so-favorite part?" he asked.
"When you hit Bailey's daddy," she said.
Randy's eyes widened; he didn't think Reby saw him. "How about we don't tell mommy about that," he suggested. Reby giggled and nodded.
"Now, let's go find your brother so we can all go home and eat," he said as they walked inside the school.
Immediately, Michael ambushed Randy. "Daddy!" he screamed as he ran to Randy and hugged his legs.
Randy laughed. "Hey, buddy. You ready to go home?" he asked. Michael nodded walked towards the door. He and Reby raced to Randy's car in the parking lot.
"NO RUNNING!" Randy bellowed to the kids.
As expected, Reby and Michael stopped in their tracks. Randy smiled at the two; his two children, his and Liz's two children. He tried to imagine how his life would have been different if Liz had never gotten pregnant with Michael; if she had never had Reby. He admitted that his life would have been much less complicated, but he realized that he would prefer his life be complicated rather than empty altogether.
A/N: Thanks for reading! Please review…