Natalie Landry

I approached Shane McMahon.

Shane is an intimidating man, standing at six-three, but he's still not half as intimidating as his father or sister. Jessa thinks he has a cute smile, but she won't admit it to anyone else but me. I have to agree. His smile is warm and inviting and genuine, not like the cold smile of Stephanie McMahon. He's considered the wild card of the McMahon family, the one who is always bound by loyalty to his family, but torn when it comes to supporting them and doing the right thing.

Jessa and Shane are friendly with each other, but they don't run in the same WWE circles. Since her WWE debut, Jessa figures that she's only exchanged maybe a dozen words with Shane.

I caught up with Shane after the show, while he was packing up his stuff. He was in the Gorilla area. His cohort, Gerald Brisco, was long gone for his late-night cup of coffee. Shane looked up at me as I approached. He flashed me a smile. "Oh, hello...um...Jesus, I'm sorry, it's Nancy, right?"

"Natalie."

"How embarrassing. Sorry about that, Natalie. I feel like an ass." He wasn't lying; he looked sheepish.

"Don't even worry about it." It looked like something dawned on Shane. He stood up straighter.

"You're Jessa's friend," he said. I nodded. "How is she?"

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about. Do you think we could talk in private or something? It's really important I talk to you, but I don't want anyone catching wind of this. It could be trouble for all of us." Shane looked mystified by what I said, but to my relief he nodded.

"Of course. Dad's talking with Edge right now, so his office is empty. Why don't you meet me there in five? I just want to finish packing up, and then I'll be right with you." I looked at him. I thought he had a trustworthy face, but I still felt that niggling feeling in the pit of my stomach that I could be double-crossed. I hated to think that Stephanie and Vince were waiting to ambush me in the office. I wondered how Jessa didn't go crazy with this line of thinking as I walked down the hallway to the office.

It was a well-decorated room with leather couches, an oak desk and a big-screen TV to watch the action in the ring. I sat down on the couch and sighed. I found myself fidgeting, but I couldn't stop myself. John was too busy to talk to me tonight. He's been holding down the fort with Jessa sitting on the sidelines. I can see it's starting to wear on him; he considers Jessa the general in this situation. He feels she's the better general in the situation. We both feel like the only way this situation is going to come to a close is when we run Callie out of the company.

Close to ten minutes later, the door opened and Shane walked in. "Sorry about that. I just hate leaving my stuff out." He sat down on the other side of the couch. I told him I understood. "So, I'm assuming this talk has to do with Jessa and her current predicament?" I nodded. He nodded, too. "Natalie, I'm not going to lie: I'm hearing rumors that my sister and Callie are having her appeal constantly pushed to the bottom of the pile. Is this true?"

"Apparently. It's been over a month since she's been suspended, Shane, and she hasn't come back yet. Don't you think this is a little bit excessive for one well-deserved shot to the mouth?" Shane smirked, but he nodded.

"You know the old saying, Natalie: this isn't ballet. I don't think she should have been suspended in the first place. I think the whole situation is bullshit, to be honest." He sat back. "So what do you want me to do about this? I'm not on the Board of Directors. If I were, I can guarantee you that this suspension wouldn't be in place."

"Well, I'm glad to hear at least one McMahon has some sense."

"I got it from my mother," he told me. I laughed. Shane leaned forward, clasping his hands together. "Look, Natalie, I like Jessa. I think she's fantastic. If there's anything I can do to help her, I'll do it. But dealing with the Board is some murky water that I'm not familiar with."

Just then, my phone rang, flooding the room with the loud Ashanti ringtone. Shane looked at me. "Oh, my God, Shane, I'm so sorry. One second." He laughed. I answered the phone. "Hello?"

"Hey, Nat."

"Well, speak of the Devil."

"Excuse me?"

"One second." I pulled the phone away from my ear and hit the speaker phone button. "Hey, Jessa. It's Natalie. I'm here talking with Shane McMahon."

"Hey, Jess. I was just asking about you," Shane said, that handsome smile spreading across his face. "How are you holding up?"

"I'll be a lot better when I rip every hair out of Callie Berry's over-sized head." There was a moment of silence between the three of us. She spoke. "Can I be rest assured that whatever is said between the three of us is between the three of us and nobody else unless I say otherwise?" I looked at Shane. He nodded.

"Absolutely, Jess. You can trust me," Shane promised.

"I got a visit from Randy Orton at my home last week. He's telling me that he's written a letter to the Board of Directors on my behalf about getting me re-instated. I don't know if he's done it anonymously or if he's lying or what. Anyway, I think I have an idea about how to get around your sister and Callie constantly squashing my appeal."

"Of course you have an idea. You've always been smart as a whip, Jess."

"Shane, you flatter me too much."

"What's your plan, Jess?" I asked, cutting their flirting short. I was just thinking that Jessa and Shane could be a cute pair when Jessa dropped the big guns on both of us.

"I'm going to drop my appeal."

"What?" Shane and I exclaimed in unison. We looked at each other in disbelief. We both weren't sure we heard what she was saying right.

"I have a plan, but I need you both to trust me here. Natalie, you and Adriana are still coming in tomorrow, right?" I heard Sabella shout hello, so I knew she was already there. It sounded like she was only a few feet away from Jess and the phone. With how happy Sabella sounded, I assumed that their discussion about her strange new relationship with Kurt Angle went well. I wondered at what point our lives had turned into such a soap opera.

"Yeah."

"Shane, I know you live in the same neck of the woods I do. Would you mind if I requested your presence at my penthouse tomorrow for dinner?"

"Sure. You've got me hooked, Jess. I want to know what you're planning."

"I promise you that you won't be disappointed. But you are an integral part in this. I need to know that you've got my back. I know we barely know each other, but I need to trust you. I promise that this will benefit you as well. I would never go into a situation and ask for something if I didn't have everyone covered in the long run."

"I know."

"Good. I'm going to let you go. The walls have ears, so speak quietly. I just wanted to call you, Natalie, and make sure that you and Adriana are coming tomorrow." I smiled. Jessa knows what it's like all too well to be stood up - especially by her own family. She always calls to double check. She hates it when plans change. Sabella is bad for that. Changing plans and not calling if she can't make it.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Jess," I said. Shane echoed the same thing and I hung up. He cocked an eyebrow.

"I wonder what she has planned," he mused. I shrugged. We were both dumbstruck by her announcement that she was going to let Stephanie and Callie have their way for now. I don't know if it's arrogance, stupidity or an attempt of her own at mind games, but I'm hoping Jess has a real ace up her sleeves.

"It has to be good. With the mind she has for this business, I'm guessing whatever she has up her sleeve will put Callie and Evolution behind the eight-ball sooner rather than later."