Chapter 53...
Sunday…
Cory smacked her phone hard, trying to stop the alarm. She needed to sleep at least another hour. Don Juan barked at her in annoyance as she slapped the nightstand again.
"Oh you be quiet, she opened her eyes to glare at him. He barked at her again and between that and her phone still going off, she knew it was time to get up, at least for a little while. She sat up slowly, rubbing her face with one hand and picking up the phone with the other. She frowned when she realized the alarm wasn't going off. The phone was ringing.
"Hello?" she mumbled, pressing it to her ear.
"Good morning," she heard Dawn's voice.
"D," Cory smiled. "You know if it was anyone else I would hang up right now."
"Glad you still love me," Dawn said.
"I always will," Cory said. "Even though you drive me crazy."
"Well hopefully I wont be driving you crazy too much longer," she said.
"What does that mean?" Cory asked.
"Nothing," Dawn dismissed the statement. "I'm calling to tell you how amazing your match is gonna be tonight."
"I'll just be happy if I don't get hurt," Cory said. "You remember what happened the last time I had a street fight with Portia."
"You'll be great," Dawn insisted. "You know..I am so proud of you."
"Thanks Dawnie," Cory smiled, genuinely touched. It meant a lot to know that Dawn was proud. "So…how's my niece or nephew?"
"Been better," Dawn answered. "Food doesn't seem to want to stay down this morning."
"Are you okay?" Cory frowned, concerned.
"I'm fine, it's normal," Dawn said. There was a pause and then Dawn took a deep breath, "Speak of the devil…I'm gonna let you go…But listen, you're gonna be amazing today. I promise."
"Thanks D," Cory smiled. "Feel better. I'll call you after the show."
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"You're sure he's at the gym?" Lianna asked as she slid the keycard into Adam's door.
"Positive, I checked before we got the key," Matt said.
"Before I got the key," she corrected.
"Right, by making the guy at the front desk think you were a groupie," Matt said.
"I didn't see you coming up with a better idea," she said, smiling as she pushed the door open. "Ladies first."
"Has anybody ever told you how funny you are?" he asked dryly.
"All the time," she followed him into the room.
"We need to make this quick, we usually don't work out for too long on a big day like this," Matt said.
"Well then I suggest you get to work," She said, picking up a suitcase and dropping it onto the bed. "I'll start with this one."
20 Minutes Later…
"It's not here," Lianna sat on the floor, shoving Adam's things back into the third suitcase she'd looked through. While she handled the luggage, Matt had searched the room.
"It's gotta be here somewhere," Matt said. "I know he has it."
"Well do you know where he has it?" she asked, standing up and brushing off her knees. "Because I don't see it."
"Did you look through all the pockets and everything in the bags?" he asked.
"No, I just figured I'd skip those," she rolled her eyes.
"Okay fine, you're right, maybe it's not here," Matt sighed, looking around the room.
They put everything back where they'd found it and were on their way to the door when she stopped abruptly, causing him to run into her.
"Ouch," she turned around.
"That was your fault," he pointed.
"Whatever," she pushed his hand out of her face. "There's one place left."
"Where?"
She pointed to the bathroom.
"Seriously?" he stared. "Why would it be in the bathroom?"
"It would be weird but it's possible," she said. "You're the one that said it has to be here, right?"
"Worth a shot," he shrugged, opening the door. She followed him into the bathroom, looking around. They both spotted the small velvet box on the edge of the sink at the same time and reached for it.
"Give it to me," he pulled.
"No, you give it to me," she said. "It was my idea to come in here."
"It was my idea to break in here," he argued.
"No it was my idea to break in here," she insisted.
"I thought of it before you said it," he pulled.
"What are you? A first grader?" she pulled again.
Matt didn't even know why he cared who had to box but for some reason he just couldn't resist arguing with her. They both kept pulling and pulling until the ring box flew out of both of their hands. They both reached out to catch it but bumped heads and missed.
"Jesus, you have a hard head," he rubbed his forehead.
"You're one to talk," she rubbed the bridge of her nose.
"Where'd it go?" he looked around the floor but didn't see it.
"Um…" she winced. She pointed at the toilet, "I think it's in there."
They got closer and sure enough, the box was under water.
"Well…get it," she pointed.
"You get it, you dropped it in there," he said.
"You know what, this is ridiculous, the water's clean," she rolled her eyes, kneeling beside the toilet. "I'll get it."
She leaned over, pushing up her sleeve but then she sat back, looking up at him.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"That's not it," she shook her head.
"What do you mean that's not it?" he asked.
"Look," she pointed. "It's cufflinks."
"Cufflinks?" he followed her direction, frowning when he realized she was right. The box had popped open and there was no ring, just a pair of silver cufflinks. Adam had most likely worn them for the Hall of Fame dinner.
Lianna stood up, rubbing her nose again.
"You're not gonna get them out?" he asked.
"No," she shook her head. "Clean or not, I'm not reaching into a toilet if I'm not gonna get anything out of it..Come on, let's get out of here before he comes back."
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John kept playing his conversation with Mark in his mind. Mark was probably right. And he should probably listen. But was he really ready to just let it go? Could he just stop thinking about Cory when he had to see her almost every day? Would he just stop wanting to be with her when she was so close?
He wasn't sure he could. He wasn't a hundred percent sure he wanted to.
Maybe he needed to try again. He felt like an idiot and maybe he wouldn't do it that very day but..his dad told him once that anything worth having was worth working for. And he had the feeling that, crazy as she made him, Cory was worth working for. He wasn't sure exactly what it was going to take. And right now he needed to focus on his match. But once Wrestlemania was over…he and Cory were going to have to talk, face to face. She couldn't ignore him then.
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Jason put his bag down in the locker room, sitting down beside it and taking a deep breath. He was probably the first person on the roster to show up at MSG that morning but he couldn't sit around at the hotel all day. He was too antsy. His anxiousness wasn't only brought on by the TLC match he would participate in that night. He'd been driving himself crazy for a couple days over his conversation with Viveca. He was feeling guilty. He knew that what he said was true and that Viveca needed to know but…flawed as he was, Adam was his best friend and he felt like he sold him out. He was actually considering telling Adam what he did just to alleviate his guilt. They'd been friends too long not to be honest with each other.
Jason looked up, surprised when he heard someone rushing down the hall. Within seconds, Adam came into the room, dropping his bag on the floor.
"Hey," Jason stood up, surprised.
"Hey, I was looking for you," Adam said, his eyes a little wide. "I need to talk to you."
"I need to talk to you too," Jason said.
"Okay but me first," Adam said, sounding a little out of breath.
"No I really need to-"
"I took the ring," Adam blurted.
"Excuse me?" Jason stared in disbelief.
"Jeff's ring," Adam ran a hand through his hair. "I kinda..I took it."
"What?" Jason stared.
"I took-"
"I heard you dumbass!" Jason exclaimed. "I just cant believe you would do that."
Any thought Jason had of telling Adam what he did flew out the window. He couldn't believe he actually thought that there was a possibility that he hadn't done the right thing.
"I didn't plan it!" Adam exclaimed.
"Oh what? It just happened?" Jason asked.
"Pretty much," Adam nodded.
"You have got to be kidding me," Jason shook his head. "You sat there and listened to Jeff tell us how important that ring was to him and you've seen him tearing himself up over losing it and this whole time you've had it."
"Yeah," Adam winced. "Except now…I don't. It's gone."
"You're an idiot," Jason pointed.
"You gotta help me find it Jay," Adam pleaded. "I don't know what happened. I think somebody stole it from my room."
"Why should I help you find it?"
"I was gonna give it back," Adam insisted.
Jason gave him a disbelieving look.
"Okay I was gonna say I found it," Adam admitted. "Either way, he was gonna get it back."
"When?"
"Soon," Adam said unconvincingly.
"This is your problem," Jason pointed. "You fix it."
"You're seriously not gonna help me?" Adam asked.
"Why would you do something like that Adam?" Jason asked.
He didn't answer.
Jason shook his head, "You really think stealing a ring is gonna get Viveca to choose you over Jeff? You lost Adam. It's your own damn fault. She loves him. He loves her. Get over yourself. Grow up."
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"Now Hunter I just cant understand why someone as good looking and talented as you would be single," Adelle smiled, putting her hand over his.
Cory rolled her eyes, opening her water bottle. They were sitting at a table near catering and she was trying to figure out when she was going to force her mother to go to her seat and wait for the show to start. She was surprised nobody was begging her to make Adelle leave yet. Especially Hunter.
"I just uh..haven't found the perfect girl I guess," Hunter shrugged.
"And what exactly do you want in this..perfect girl?" Adelle smiled, scooting a little closer to him.
"Um..I don't know really," Hunter laughed, obviously growing a bit uncomfortable.
"Oh come on," Adelle moved her hand further up on his arm. "You have to have some idea."
Cory stood up, knowing she needed to stop this before her mother did something that would scar her for life, "Mother..I need to see you alone for just a second."
"But honey I'm talking to Hunter," Adelle argued.
"Hunter has things to do," she grabbed her mother's hand, pulling her out of her chair. "Come with me."
Cory pulled her mother behind her until she found an empty conference room and pulled her inside.
"Okay Mother, I get it if you're having problems with Richard or whatever but this hitting on Hunter thing is seriously starting to weird me out," Cory said as Adelle sat down. "And I understand that saying things that are inherently disturbing to me has never bothered you in the past but this is kind of an important day so if you could-"
"You think I'm hitting on Hunter?" Adelle smirked.
"Uh yeah, I know you are," Cory nodded.
"Sweetheart, Hunter is wonderfully attractive," Adelle smiled. "I don't deny that but I don't want him for myself. He's not my type."
"Then what's with you acting like even more of a cougar than usual?"
"Don't call your mother a cougar," Adelle pointed. "And I'm scouting him."
"For work? Jesus, he told you he'd think about-"
"For you," Adelle interrupted.
"What?" Cory asked.
"He's perfect for you," Adelle smiled.
Adelle said at least one incredibly confusing and out of left field thing a day and this was definitely it.
"Are you insane?" Cory asked. "Is this a joke? Because you're not very good at jokes."
"It's not a joke and I'll have you know I have a fantastic sense of humor," Adelle said defensively.
"Okay delusions aside Mother..Hunter and I are friends. Friends. That's it."
"Because you've never tried to be anything more," Adelle pointed.
"Because I don't want to, and neither does he," Cory laughed. "He likes Jessie."
"Oh Corinne," Adelle smiled, touching the side of her daughter's face. "No he doesn't."
"How would you know?"
"You may think my brain is filled with silicone and botox but I think we can both agree that if there's anything I do know with documented expertise it's where a man's interests lie and Hunter's are not with your sister."
"Okay you have no idea what you're talking about," Cory shook her head. "Can we change the subject please?"
"Why?" her mother asked. "You aren't seeing anyone? What's the big deal?"
"The big deal is that I have a lot on my mind right now and none of it has to do with Hunter," Cory insisted.
"Well if not Hunter then who?"
"I am not talking about this with you," Cory stood up, pacing.
"Why not? You can talk to me."
"No, really, I cant," she shook her head.
Adelle rolled her eyes, "Oh please tell me you're not hung up on that John."
"I'm not," Cory turned away, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Good," Adelle smiled. "Because that would never work."
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"I think you have officially met and hugged everyone I work with," Viveca laughed as she walked Lorraine down the hall.
"What can I say?" Lorraine laughed. "Some of them looked like they weren't hugged as children. Especially that Taylor. My goodness, that gorgeous girl, I just want to take her home and feed her."
"I know what you mean," Viveca nodded.
They were a few doors down from the locker room when her mother stumbled and put her hand on the wall to steady herself. She looked incredibly dizzy all of a sudden.
"Mom," Viveca put an arm around her to keep her up. "Are you alright?"
Lorraine nodded and, after a few seconds, looked over at Viveca, smiling, "I'm alright dear, just had a dizzy spell. It's probably from all the excitement. I cant tell you the last time I was around this many men."
Viveca tried to laugh but she was worried. This wasn't the first time her mother didn't seem to be feeling well since she'd arrived and she thought back to the pills she caught her taking after the funeral. She was hiding something. And Viveca wanted to know what the hell it was.
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Dawn walked slowly out of the bathroom, holding a hand over her stomach. She was dizzy after her third round of vomiting for the day.
"You know baby, you really have to work on your timing," she patted her stomach before sliding onto the bed. She already had her TV seat on the Wrestlemania pre-show. She couldn't wait for the show to start. She was most excited to see Cory's match. She wished that she could be there for the biggest day of her best friend's career but even if she had planned on going there was no way she would have made it. She was just too nauseous. She'd ordered a pizza earlier in the day and she was actually dreading it's delivery. She didn't even want to smell food. She opened a pack of crackers, focusing on the TV as they aired clips of the events leading to Jessica's Women's Championship match with Jazz. She thought about calling Cory again to make sure her mother wasn't stressing her out too much but she didn't want to bother her.
She groaned when she heard the doorbell ringing. The pizza was right on time. She got up slowly and took her time making her way down the stairs. The delivery guy rang the bell a few more times and she rolled her eyes, "Keep your pants on, I'm coming."
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"V, how come you never told us your brother was so hot?" Trish asked as she put on her makeup.
"Yeah, I definitely wasn't expecting that," Torrie smiled.
"I don't exactly see him that way ladies," Viveca laughed.
"He is awfully cute," Cory said.
"You know, between him and Lianna, my siblings are getting hit on a bit too much for my liking," Viveca laughed, putting on her blush.
"Well, we're all getting bored with each other," Trish joked. "It's nice to have new people to flirt with. We cant all juggle the same two guys like Cory and Portia."
"So not funny," Cory pointed.
"I'm not juggling anyone," Portia said. "Randy and I are friends."
"And John and me…aren't exactly anything," Cory said. "Now can we go back to talking about Viveca's hot family?"
"William's already got his mind set on someone," Viveca laughed, looking over at Jessica.
She wasn't paying attention and didn't notice she was being stared at until Trish started laughing.
"What?" she looked up, confused.
"We're just talking about William's instant crush on you," Viveca smirked. "I think it's cute."
"Your brother?" she asked. "That wouldn't happen."
"Why not?" Viveca asked.
"He's attractive but…there's someone else," Jessica smiled, looking back down at her magazine.
"It better be the someone I think it is," Viveca smiled.
Jessica laughed, "It could be."
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"Hey Portia, can I talk to you for a second?" Cory asked.
"Sure," Portia got up, putting her brush down. Cory lead her out into the hall and they walked far enough so that the other women wouldn't hear them.
"What's up?" Portia asked. "You wanna go over the match again?"
"No, I think we know it like the palm of our hands," Cory laughed. "Actually, this is about you..and Randy."
"What about me and Randy?" Portia asked, looking away.
"Look…I wasn't trying to hurt or upset you when I dated Randy," Cory began. "And neither was he."
"I never said you were," Portia shrugged. "I was busy with John."
"Yeah I know," Cory nodded, trying to ignore the sting she got from the mention of her and John. "Anyway..I don't know what's going on with you and John now but I can tell you that there's nothing but friendship between Randy and me..and that's because of you."
"What?"
"He likes you," Cory said. "A lot. We had a talk and he just..he couldn't be with me anymore because he couldn't stop thinking about you. He hasn't been able to tell you because he doesn't know how you feel. Neither do I but..I thought you should know."
Portia looked surprised and a little confused. She nodded softly saying, "Thanks for that."
Cory shrugged, "No problem."
Portia walked back toward the locker room and Cory leaned against the wall, hoping she'd done the right thing and Randy wouldn't be upset with her. She just felt bad for both of them. It seemed obvious that Portia, whether she could admit it or not, wanted him and she knew he wanted her. She figured if she couldn't fix her own situation, at least she could help her friends.
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