"Okay," Chris said, hefting up a duffel bag. "I'm packed."
"Okay," Stephanie said, picking up car keys and heading toward the garage.
"Steph," Chris said, looking toward their daughter sitting her her high- chair.
"What?" Stephanie asked. She looked back her daughter and her face contorted into a mask of horror. "Oh my God."
"It's okay baby," Chris said, handing Stephanie his bag as he went to go pick up Isabella. "It's been crazy this morning.
"Yes it has been," Stephanie said, still not believing she had almost left her daughter alone in the house. She shuddered to think what might have happened if Chris hadn't been there.
"I wish I didn't have to go back yet," Chris said, cradling Isabella against his chest. "I'll miss you two more than I can say."
"Three whole days apart," Stephanie said, smiling as she lifted herself up onto her tiptoes to lightly kiss Chris.
"I don't think we'll make it," Chris said, grinning down at Stephanie.
"You're probably right," Stephanie said. "I know Isa and I will fall apart."
"Aw, don't break my heart," Chris said.
"Lets go," Stephanie said. "You'll miss your plane and my dad will be mad."
"Shivering in my boots," Chris sighed. They walked out to the car, the picture of a loving, happy picture. When they were teasing and smiling, it was easy to believe it was the truth. Stephanie couldn't help but feel that they weren't perfect. Or she wasn't perfect in any case.
They drove to the airport, joking and just generally enjoying each other's company. She would genuinely miss the companionship she and Chris shared over the next three days. He wasn't only her husband, but he was her best friend.
"Okay," Chris said as he leaned across to kiss Stephanie before hopping out of the car. "I'll call you when I get to the hotel."
"Okay, have a good time returning," Stephanie said.
"It's not too late," Chris said. "You can come too."
"No we can't," Stephanie said. "We have to get back to the house and get some cleaning done and someone has a birthday coming up."
"You don't need to worry about that," Chris said.
"Of course I do," Stephanie said.
"Well," Chris said, kissing her again. "I love you."
"I love you too," Stephanie said.
"See you soon," Chris said. "Bye Bella!"
Stephanie watched as Chris jogged into the airport. "Well, it's you and me now baby."
*
"Hey Chris!" Kurt Angle said when Chris walked into Vince's office.
"Hi Kurt, Vince," Chris said.
"How are my daughter and granddaughter?" Vince asked, shaking Chris' hand.
"Seemed pretty good when I talked to them on the phone," Chris said.
"When are you going to get them on the road with us?" Kurt asked.
"Well, I want Isabella to be able to sleep through the night before we even consider that," Chris said. "Stephanie barely gets enough sleep as it is and I know I wouldn't really be in a good place to help out with taking care of her in the middle of the night after wrestling."
"Well, that sounds good to me," Vince said, happy that Chris was concerned for Stephanie's welfare. "On to business."
"Sounds like a plan," Chris said.
"Who do you want?" Vince asked.
"Well, Hunter," Chris said. "He has the belt."
"Of course," Vince said. "But Kurt has a match with him tonight."
"Okay," Chris said. "I'd actually like to get in on some tag-team action."
"Benoit?" Vince asked.
"If it is feasible," Chris said.
"Anything is possible," Vince said. "I'll see what I can work out."
"Great," Chris said. "I'm going to head to my dressing room."
"Alright," Vince said. "I'll get back to you about your match."
"Later Vince," Chris said.
"Oh and Chris," Vince called after his son-in-law.
"Yeah?" Chris asked.
"Welcome back," Vince said.
"Thanks," Chris said.
*
"So, I hear you have a daughter," Chris Benoit said from the doorway of Chris' dressing room.
"That's what Stephanie tells me," Chris said, grinning at his friend. He went over and embraced his longtime friend and rival.
"How is fatherhood?" Benoit asked, sitting on a chair in the room.
"Pretty good," Chris said. "Bella is a princess."
"Dear God," Benoit said. "She takes after her mother."
"Hey, that's my wife you're talking about," Chris said with mock indignation.
"I know," Benoit said, showing off his imperfect grin. "Just makes it that much more fun. How is Stephanie?"
"Good as far as I can tell," Chris said.
"As far as you can tell?" Benoit asked.
"She seems good," Chris said. "Just sometimes she doesn't really seem to be with the program if you know what I mean."
"No, I don't," Benoit said.
"She seems kind of faraway, sad almost," Chris said.
"Post-partum depression?" Benoit asked.
"What?" Chris asked.
"Could Stephanie be going through post-partum depression?" Benoit asked slowly.
"I don't know," Chris said.
"Maybe you should have it checked out," Benoit said.
"You don't know Stephanie very well do you?" Chris asked. "That might mean she would have to admit she needs help from someone who isn't family."
"Well, that woman in Texas killed all of her children because of post- partum depression," Benoit said. "I assume you love your daughter."
"Of course I do," Chris said. "And that woman was crazy anyways."
"Many people might say that of Stephanie," Benoit pointed out.
"Look," Chris said. "She's fine for now. She doesn't hate Bella, she never acts like she might. She's just a little sad."
"Okay," Benoit said.
"I just don't feel comfortable discussing her like this," Chris said.
"Okay," Benoit said again. "I just want you to know I'm here for you."
"Thanks," Chris said.
"I hear we are tagging tonight," Benoit said.
"That's right," Chris said. "But shh, I'm your mystery partner."
"Right," Benoit said.
"I'm going to call Stephanie really quickly," Chris said.
"Okay," Benoit said. "I'll see you in the ring."
"Later man," Chris said, fishing his cell phone out of his bag.
"Hello?" Stephanie answered the phone.
"Hey," Chris said.
"Hey you," Stephanie said happily. "What's on tap for tonight?"
"A tag match," Chris said.
"Really?" Stephanie asked.
"Yeah, Benoit and I," Chris said.
"Sounds like a nice return," Stephanie said.
"I can't wait until you return," Chris said.
"Me neither," Stephanie said. "I miss you already. That's crazy isn't it?"
"No," Chris said. "I miss you too."
"Well, I'll let you get ready," Stephanie said. "Good luck."
"Thanks," Chris said. "I love you."
"I love you too," Stephanie said. "I'll talk to you tomorrow."
"Tomorrow," Chris echoed.
"Okay," Stephanie said, picking up car keys and heading toward the garage.
"Steph," Chris said, looking toward their daughter sitting her her high- chair.
"What?" Stephanie asked. She looked back her daughter and her face contorted into a mask of horror. "Oh my God."
"It's okay baby," Chris said, handing Stephanie his bag as he went to go pick up Isabella. "It's been crazy this morning.
"Yes it has been," Stephanie said, still not believing she had almost left her daughter alone in the house. She shuddered to think what might have happened if Chris hadn't been there.
"I wish I didn't have to go back yet," Chris said, cradling Isabella against his chest. "I'll miss you two more than I can say."
"Three whole days apart," Stephanie said, smiling as she lifted herself up onto her tiptoes to lightly kiss Chris.
"I don't think we'll make it," Chris said, grinning down at Stephanie.
"You're probably right," Stephanie said. "I know Isa and I will fall apart."
"Aw, don't break my heart," Chris said.
"Lets go," Stephanie said. "You'll miss your plane and my dad will be mad."
"Shivering in my boots," Chris sighed. They walked out to the car, the picture of a loving, happy picture. When they were teasing and smiling, it was easy to believe it was the truth. Stephanie couldn't help but feel that they weren't perfect. Or she wasn't perfect in any case.
They drove to the airport, joking and just generally enjoying each other's company. She would genuinely miss the companionship she and Chris shared over the next three days. He wasn't only her husband, but he was her best friend.
"Okay," Chris said as he leaned across to kiss Stephanie before hopping out of the car. "I'll call you when I get to the hotel."
"Okay, have a good time returning," Stephanie said.
"It's not too late," Chris said. "You can come too."
"No we can't," Stephanie said. "We have to get back to the house and get some cleaning done and someone has a birthday coming up."
"You don't need to worry about that," Chris said.
"Of course I do," Stephanie said.
"Well," Chris said, kissing her again. "I love you."
"I love you too," Stephanie said.
"See you soon," Chris said. "Bye Bella!"
Stephanie watched as Chris jogged into the airport. "Well, it's you and me now baby."
*
"Hey Chris!" Kurt Angle said when Chris walked into Vince's office.
"Hi Kurt, Vince," Chris said.
"How are my daughter and granddaughter?" Vince asked, shaking Chris' hand.
"Seemed pretty good when I talked to them on the phone," Chris said.
"When are you going to get them on the road with us?" Kurt asked.
"Well, I want Isabella to be able to sleep through the night before we even consider that," Chris said. "Stephanie barely gets enough sleep as it is and I know I wouldn't really be in a good place to help out with taking care of her in the middle of the night after wrestling."
"Well, that sounds good to me," Vince said, happy that Chris was concerned for Stephanie's welfare. "On to business."
"Sounds like a plan," Chris said.
"Who do you want?" Vince asked.
"Well, Hunter," Chris said. "He has the belt."
"Of course," Vince said. "But Kurt has a match with him tonight."
"Okay," Chris said. "I'd actually like to get in on some tag-team action."
"Benoit?" Vince asked.
"If it is feasible," Chris said.
"Anything is possible," Vince said. "I'll see what I can work out."
"Great," Chris said. "I'm going to head to my dressing room."
"Alright," Vince said. "I'll get back to you about your match."
"Later Vince," Chris said.
"Oh and Chris," Vince called after his son-in-law.
"Yeah?" Chris asked.
"Welcome back," Vince said.
"Thanks," Chris said.
*
"So, I hear you have a daughter," Chris Benoit said from the doorway of Chris' dressing room.
"That's what Stephanie tells me," Chris said, grinning at his friend. He went over and embraced his longtime friend and rival.
"How is fatherhood?" Benoit asked, sitting on a chair in the room.
"Pretty good," Chris said. "Bella is a princess."
"Dear God," Benoit said. "She takes after her mother."
"Hey, that's my wife you're talking about," Chris said with mock indignation.
"I know," Benoit said, showing off his imperfect grin. "Just makes it that much more fun. How is Stephanie?"
"Good as far as I can tell," Chris said.
"As far as you can tell?" Benoit asked.
"She seems good," Chris said. "Just sometimes she doesn't really seem to be with the program if you know what I mean."
"No, I don't," Benoit said.
"She seems kind of faraway, sad almost," Chris said.
"Post-partum depression?" Benoit asked.
"What?" Chris asked.
"Could Stephanie be going through post-partum depression?" Benoit asked slowly.
"I don't know," Chris said.
"Maybe you should have it checked out," Benoit said.
"You don't know Stephanie very well do you?" Chris asked. "That might mean she would have to admit she needs help from someone who isn't family."
"Well, that woman in Texas killed all of her children because of post- partum depression," Benoit said. "I assume you love your daughter."
"Of course I do," Chris said. "And that woman was crazy anyways."
"Many people might say that of Stephanie," Benoit pointed out.
"Look," Chris said. "She's fine for now. She doesn't hate Bella, she never acts like she might. She's just a little sad."
"Okay," Benoit said.
"I just don't feel comfortable discussing her like this," Chris said.
"Okay," Benoit said again. "I just want you to know I'm here for you."
"Thanks," Chris said.
"I hear we are tagging tonight," Benoit said.
"That's right," Chris said. "But shh, I'm your mystery partner."
"Right," Benoit said.
"I'm going to call Stephanie really quickly," Chris said.
"Okay," Benoit said. "I'll see you in the ring."
"Later man," Chris said, fishing his cell phone out of his bag.
"Hello?" Stephanie answered the phone.
"Hey," Chris said.
"Hey you," Stephanie said happily. "What's on tap for tonight?"
"A tag match," Chris said.
"Really?" Stephanie asked.
"Yeah, Benoit and I," Chris said.
"Sounds like a nice return," Stephanie said.
"I can't wait until you return," Chris said.
"Me neither," Stephanie said. "I miss you already. That's crazy isn't it?"
"No," Chris said. "I miss you too."
"Well, I'll let you get ready," Stephanie said. "Good luck."
"Thanks," Chris said. "I love you."
"I love you too," Stephanie said. "I'll talk to you tomorrow."
"Tomorrow," Chris echoed.