So now HBK's now the special Referee for Wrestlemania…What can I say…This match's gonna be crazy! I can't wait though!
January 30, 2002
"Epiphany…"A sudden intuitive leap of understanding, especially through a striking occurrence." …Sound familiar?" The therapist asked as she looked up from the dictionary in her hands.
I laughed softly as I thought back to my own words. "Yeah it does…I had one of those once." I sighed.
"Tell me about it…" The doctor said with a smile as she closed the book, putting it on the desk behind it, "…Make me understand."
"Most nights…After Hunter came back…And especially after he won the Royal Rumble…I'd sit up alone and think. I'd think about how we'd gotten to that stage of our relationship…How we'd gone from those two strangers in Baltimore to…Two strangers in the same house. Someone once told me that "Love's a force that pushes us to dangerous heights…And once you reach the peak…No one can bring you back."…And they're right…Right and wrong're starting to get blurred...The world didn't matter as long as Hunter's with me. Looking back, my epiphany's not what I thought it was…It's the fact I was gonna fight to get Hunter to love me again…Or I was gonna die trying…"
I've always hated giving interviews...They're as intrusive and lame as the questions that're being asked…That day's no exception. I'd been dodging the requests for the last couple of weeks and had no desire to change my mind…Until Hunter dropped my bags in my hands and slammed the door in my face…That's my wakeup call.
So there I was at WWF Studios, sitting back against the leather loveseat. JR's sitting on the couch across from me, getting ready to once again stick his nose where it didn't belong…He'd always reminded me of my Mother in that aspect. Once everybody saw I was ready…The camera crew began to roll…And JR started the interrogation.
"Stephanie Mcmahon Helmsley…We're here today to talk about your career…And your marriage." I smiled and nodded as he continued, "A lot of our fans and a lot of folks I've talked to say that since your failed attempt to put the WWF out of business...Your career's been on a downslide…And that you're really hanging on desperately to HHH's coattails…How do you respond to that?"
I couldn't believe it…This thing's not starting off on a high note. First, the man tries to sweet talk me…Then he insinuates I'm exploiting Hunter's success to my advantage…Using the fans as an excuse to ask the question…Seriously! I didn't wanna be rude, but…I was getting pushed to it right off the bat. "In terms of hanging onto HHH's coattails…I'd have to say to the fans…Wait and see what I'm capable of! And as far as what I am capable of…I think the fans and yourself need to give me a little bit of credit for what I accomplished this summer!" I ridiculed before I proceeded, "Not only did I nurse Hunter back to health…But I also purchased my only company, ECW, and merged with my Brother to form the Alliance! I mean…You have to say I'm the epitome of a career woman! If I hadn't listened to Shane's cockamamie ideas in the first place…I'd still be a success!"
Having just been put in his place, JR moved onto to his next question…And he didn't waste any time in pointing out the reason I finally decided to do an interview. "Not to be argumentative, but…Your actions Monday night on Raw're certainly disruptive as far as HHH's concerned…" Just then, a TV stand was pulled in off camera, paused to the end of Hunter's match, "I'd like your reaction as to what went down between HHH and Booker T." He said as the tape's unpaused.
There it was…Right in front me…What I'd done. My coming down to the ring to attack Christian distracted Hunter to the point he ended up losing to Booker. After the TV's shut off and pulled off to the side, I didn't deny what happened. "I made a mistake…Everybody makes them!" Even though I knew I was wrong in my interference, there's something else I also knew…And I wasn't afraid to say it out loud, "But if you look at all the successes I've had…The reason why HHH's a four time WWF Champion…You'll see I was right there by his side! Still…You wanna pick one isolated incident to show…Fine…Pick it…I'll own up to it!"
"That's admirable, but…Your Husband's very emotional about your "Mistake.". Again…Let's go back to Monday night on Raw and see how HHH reacted." JR pointed out as the TV's brought out once more, being turned on to another paused image…An image that upset me to no end: Hunter being livid as he stormed back to our locker room…Me trying to keep up and apologize…The banging on the door and pleading for it to be opened. "Stephanie…Do you have a response to HHH's actions?" He asked afterwards.
I sniffled back the tears as I started to talk. "Yes he's emotional …Sometimes people do that…They get angry and they have an emotional response! I suppose you've never been that angry before…Have you?" He shook his head as I went on, "Did it hurt my feelings…Yes…But I forgive Hunter…That's what relationships're all about…That's what love's all about!"
Seeing the door opened to another conversation, JR went with it. "Speaking of which, let's talk about that. There's a tremendous amount of rumors that're floating around and…To cut to the chase…Some of them're about your infidelities early on in your marriage to HHH…How do you respond to those allegations?"
If I wasn't pissed off before…I was now. "I respond with a simple…I'd never nor did I ever cheat on Hunter…And I resent you asking me that question!" I snapped back. JR asked me the same question once more. Again…I fought back, "Never…Can I make it any more clear to you?"
"No, I understand that answer…Let me ask you this: The mere fact HHH's one of the most popular WWF superstars of all time…The fact he looks as he looks…Do you ever get a little uneasy when you're separated from him on the road and the fact he might…" JR tested.
I was getting angrier and angrier with every passing moment. "What…Cheat on me? Hunter'd never cheat on me…He doesn't even look at other women…And why would he: There's woman as beautiful as I am…There's woman as sweet or as kind or as loving as I am…And there's certainly woman who's as good in bed as I am! So no…It doesn't concern me at all!" I boasted.
JR's not letting the topic go, moving onto my recent behavior. "Stephanie…We see you on TV…The throwing the temper tantrums and the yelling and screaming. Sometimes your actions're are…Quite frankly…A little childlike. How can you say nothing's wrong with your relationship when we all see it?"
At that moment, I snapped. "Because you're looking at things in a vacuum...You don't see us at home…You don't see me cooking dinner for HHH…You don't see us in bed together…You don't see how happy we really are! You can take your remarks and your questions from all the fans…And you can shove them! I don't give into these little rumors…To what the fans think! Do you wanna feed your ego and ask me intimate personal questions…Is that what you wanna do…Because I'll give you personal answers…Ones you don't wanna hear!"
Amidst my outburst, I suddenly had a moment of clarity…One I should've had weeks before. Hunter and I'd had moments of pure bliss…Moments we'd considered joyful and fulfilling…There's no question about that…But there's only one time in our lives where we're our happiest. It's when two lines held all our hopes and dreams…When our biggest worries weren't Jericho or Kurt or Stone Cold…But rather if we wanted a Son with his Father's eyes or a Daughter with her Mother's smile. It'd be possible...The last time we had sex was the beginning of December...But it'd have to be a perfect plan if it's gonna worked…Flawless and precise. It's then I decided there's no "If's."…It would work…True love would make its presence felt.
I brought myself out of my thoughts, calmly turning back to JR. "But you know what…As far as my marriage's concerned…I'm gonna prove it…I'm gonna prove to you…And I'm gonna prove to the entire world how much HHH loves me!"
Sorry this's so short, Guys…But it did its job just like the short ones always do…I promise we're gonna have some long ones coming up! Also…We're back to "Just Stephanie Talking."…But I don't know how long that's gonna last for! I'm covering the big "Pregnancy." reveal and the Smackdown and Raw after that…Which means the failed wedding ceremony! But there'll also be a moment in between…We gotta find out how Stephanie got an actor to play the Doctor! Stick around Guys…Even though I'm totally "Team Stephanie and HHH."…I'm gonna have so much fun writing these upcoming chapters! :)
