Chapter Thirty-six:
"No. No. You are not working for him." Nicole puts her foot down.
"I am not working it is a favour for him. I shouldn't have called to change his mind. I must deal with the consequences." Soph explains.
"Wasn't the apology letter enough?"
"He was actually impress." Sophie smiles.
"So, why did he ask for this favour?" Nicole proudly speaks but wants to maintain her state.
"I don't know, but I want to help. Please mommy, can I? Daddy Derrick, Daddy Morrison, Aunt Trish, and Momma-"
"She isn't your momma." She raises her tone.
"Okay, Aunt Layla will be there to babysit me, since I am a baby. I will stick to them like glue." She quietly speaks.
"Sophie." She moves closer to have her daughter flinch a bit. "Sop, I am going to give a hug not hurt you." She assures Soph because of the moments with her father.
"Promise." She looks up to Nicole who nods so disappointed in herself for letting her emotions take over.
"Of course, no one will hurt you again, especially me." She promises to not let what happen two years ago happen again.
"Okay." She hugs her mother. "I will be protected you know that. It will be just for a week. I am proud of myself that a billionaire wants my opinion on matches." She is very surprise by the offer.
"I am proud for you. I am just concern because I will be here working." Nicole express. They have never been apart for more than a day.
"You provide for you us that is something I don't take for granted." Sop knows her mom can't take time off.
"How did you get so smart?" Nicole pokes her nose with her daughter being the voice of reason.
"I am surround by smart people all day, it rubs off." Her mother smiles at her compliment for her. "No one can replace you." Her mother hugs her again. Nicole rubs her daughter's back still concern on leaving her in Layla's hands.
"Daddy Derrick!" Sophie runs to him with a backpack on at the airport.
"How is my beautiful daughter?" He picks her up.
"Excited to express my opinion."
"Remember what we discussed." Nicole reminds her as she rolls her luggage with her.
"Yes mommy." She nods in agreement.
"Remember, just speak like you are at home with the storyline." Nicole shares some advice.
"You judge our storylines before." Layla gulps.
"Absolutely, especially Daddy Derrick's and Aunt Trish. Don't worry, I forgive you for teasing Daddy before."
"Well, look at that, stamp of approval from Sophie." Derrick hopes it gives her more confidence on their relationship.
"Thank you, you had me nervous for a bit." Layla sighs a breath of relief.
"You're welcome Mama Layla." She looks at her mother who still is unhappy about the name.
"Layla, do you mind taking Sophie, I have to talk to Derrick alone?" Nicole request.
"Certainly, come on Soph let us give them privacy." She takes her luggage in one hand and Sophie's hand in the other.
"Everything okay?" Derrick questions curiously.
"Just nervous with Sophie being away from me for a week."
"She is in good hands. We all will take care of her no worries." He assures her.
"Thank you." She debates if she should open a topic on Layla. "Derrick?"
"Yeah."
"You really like Layla." She starts.
"Absolutely, I love her. Remember I talk to you about a missing piece." She nods. "She is the one that completes that missing part. I thought it wouldn't be her or this fast, but it is." He expresses with a grin on his face.
"So, not chance for us to get back together." She hopes.
"Nicole, you always have a special place in my life because of what you have been though, but she has my heart. We are just better as friends, me being a father figure to Sophie." Derrick tells her hoping she understands that they are just friends, nothing more.
"How do you know? We only broke up because of Kim." She still tries to find hope for them.
"Actually, we broke up because I wasn't ready for that commitment. You wanted to get married in a few years of dating, I wasn't ready.
"Now you are." She crosses her arms.
"No exactly, we haven't discussed it. Down the road yes, I would like too."
"Remember, she played you and can again." Nicole reminds him.
"That was for a storyline, she wouldn't do that again." He rejects that statement.
"Just watch out." She warns.
"Nicole, we are friends that is all I am sorry." He wants to send her straight. Nicole sneaks a peck on the lips. "Nicole, what did you do?" He wipes her lips immediately.
"Just a present, that if it doesn't work out I am here." She smiles.
"You can't just do that." He disagrees. "I am with Layla and I love her. I don't see us leaving each other. You have to move on." He raises his voice.
"Derrick." Nicole surprise by his tone.
"We will see you in a week." He leaves to head to the gate.
"There is our new boss." John Cena greets ignoring the others.
"Uncle John!" She runs to him to get a big bear hug. "New boss?"
"Yup, word has it that you have a say on storylines." He informs her.
"That is right, you have to be nice to me." She warns sweetly.
"Always, I am your favourite, right?" He sucks up sarcastically.
"Of course, you-"
"Wait, I thought I was your favourite." Evan Bourne disagrees coming towards them with Big Show.
"I thought I am the only one to give you bear hugs." Big show includes.
"Sorry, those statements are wrong." John informs them.
"Uncle John, you know they are true. You are a close second." She breaks the news to him with a giggle.
"That hurts Sophie, that really hurts." He touches his hurt heart.
"Sorry, Uncle john." She pouts.
"Wow, the big guns." John looks at her as she pouts deeper. "Fine, my heart doesn't hurt anymore." Sophie smiles again.
"Can I get a big fan hug?" Evan requests.
"Absolutely, did you know, I was the popular girl at school when I told them that I got your autograph?" She story tells.
"Is that right?" Sophie nods. "I guess I should visit sometime." Evan feels honoured.
"Really, that would be awesome. You are getting a great storyline." She conveys.
"Come on." John Cena and Big Show objects while Evan Bourne and Sophie snicker at this.
"Sweetie, we have to meet Mr. McMahon." Layla waves her over.
"Okay, see you three later." She hugs them as Big Show gets a peck. Big Show grins wider unnoticed by Cena and Bourne.
"There is my star opinion." Vince greets Sophie at his office for tonight.
"Hello Mr. McMahon." She greets back.
"Now, we have tons to manage with little time, shall we start?" Vince gets straight to the job at hand.
"We shall." She takes out her notebook and pen. All of them chuckle a bit at her professional attitude.
"Behave sweetie, we will be back when Raw is over." Derrick kisses her head.
"I will Daddy Derrick."
Derrick and Layla are ringside scouting Layla's opponent for her Divas Title.
"Who do you think will earn a chance to be #1 Contender?" Cole asks.
"Of course, Trish does, but because she is my best friend. Besides that, it does not matter because I will defeat anyone to stay champion." She speaks with confidence.
"Kelly seems to earn her shot now, would you be surprise if she won?" Cole questions to Derrick this time.
"At least I know she earn it."
"How about you, Derrick? Miz is in the battle royal along with Del Rio next week." He continues the conversation.
"The difference between them is that-" He ponders. "Never mind, if they win, they earn it and won't mind beating them again." He answers.
"The self-proclaim power couple are back to reign for a long while." Cole conveys.
"We don't care who it is as long as they earn it." Derrick speaks.
"Modest as well." Michael Cole adds.
The final four women in the match are Kelly Kelly, Eve, Trish, and Natayla.
"I wonder if Eve and Trish will team against Kelly and Natayla. Remember Natayla was a member of the group who try to cost you a title shot before." King relays some backstory information.
"If Natayla does win, I applaud her. I will see her at our match. However, she is in the ring with former champions." Layla adds her input.
"Oh, Kelly is trying to eliminate Eve." Kelly successful does so as the Miz walks down clapping this distracts her as Trish flips her over the rope. Kelly is in shock as Miz chuckles all the way to the back.
"I guess Miz gets his revenge on Kelly for costing him the title before." Michael Cole acknowledge.
"Miz is always upset about something. I wouldn't be surprise if Kelly retracts the angry she now has on his match next week. As you say King, there is nothing worse than a woman scorn."
"That is right." King agrees.
The closing moments of the match, Natayla has the Sharp Shooter on Trish to weaken her down. Trish in pain tries to remove it knowing that is the only way for her to break it. Natayla lets go as she just picks her up to throw over the rope. Trish hangs on, but is knocked down by a kick.
"Your winner and #1 Contender, Natayla." Lilian Garcia announces.
"What do you think, Layla?" Layla stands up as she raises her title as an answer.
"Any thoughts?" Mr. McMahon questions Sophie as they just witness the match.
"Many, but will you like them is the real question." Sophie answers.
"What do you have in mind?" Mr. McMahon interested in her opinion on how to book this match.
Sophie starts telling him her opinions on how it should go.
At the end of the night, Derrick is carrying an exhausted Sophie to the car while Layla is wheeling both their luggage with them.
"Poor baby, all exhausted on making big storylines." Layla removes a strand from her face.
"Mr. McMahon said she fell asleep during the main event."
"We will tell Nicole she fell asleep."
"Umm… we need to talk about Nicole." Derrick request to tell his girlfriend about the peck from her.
"Sure, what about?" She is hoping it is good news and not what she speculated before.
"When we lay Sophie down, we will talk." He informs her rubbing Sophie's back.
"Okay." She is worried on what this could be.
"What do you want to talk about?" Layla all dress for bed as they sit on the couch. Sophie is sleeping in their bed to give her a good sleep.
"Layla, something happened when you two left." Layla nods. "She asks if I really like you."
"What did you say?" Layla curious not want to react yet.
"I confirm I do. I love you." He kisses her cheek as Layla blushes.
"After that, she wonders if there is any chance her and I can get back together." She sighs that this proves her speculation right.
"I decline it. I told her you are my missing piece. Next, she brought up Kim being the reason we broke up."
"Why did you?" Layla again curious with how he is with Sophie.
"Nicole… Nicole can be too clingy sometimes. She wanted marriage in a few years. I wasn't ready. She thought I would be ready now."
"Oh." Layla is surprise by that because they never discuss marriage yet.
"I know we haven't discuss it, but I would like to be married down the road, no rush." Derrick assures her.
"Derrick." She cups his cheek. "I know we still need to discuss some matters, but I do love you. It seems everything is better with you. Now, for this marriage topic, if it is a proposal now, it is lame. If it is not yet, I will wait. I see a long future for us whether or not we are married." She kisses him.
"I do too." He kisses her again.
"Now, is that all?" She senses there is something more.
Derrick rubs his neck. "No, when I told her we would only be friends, she sneaks in a peck on my lips." Layla starts to get annoyed. "I pushed her away and wipe my lips. I told her I love you and to move on. I don't want her to have hope anymore."
"Is that it?" She asks sternly not wanting anymore of Nicole news.
"That's it, I left afterwards."
"Good, I will speak to her when we get back." She promises.
"No, please I handed it." Derrick tries to prevent an argument. "You just let me love you because I only love you." He smiles.
"Fine." She calms down. "Next time she moves on you, I won't be this calm right away." She warns.
"I understand." He accepts. "Let's get some sleep."
"Yes." She snuggles into him as close as she can.
"You go any deeper we will be forced as one." He chuckles having no objections.
"That would be a problem?" Derrick shakes his head.
I don't know when I will upload the next chapter. The only thing I am sure of is that I will finish this story no matter how long it takes.