Chapter 20
Michael eventually overcame his shock & had a great time with Dwayne! Along with Matt & Jeff they played outside for hours like they were all 4 years old not just Michael!! The day passed quickly & before I knew it Michael was falling asleep on Dwayne's knee so Jeff took him upstairs to bed. It looked as though we would be spending another night at the Hardy's! Once we were left alone Dwayne came & at beside me. "Thankyou for today!" I smiled, "You made him feel like the luckiest little boy on the planet!" He laughed! "It still amazes me how I can do that y'know? Just turn up somewhere & make someone's day!" "Well you certainly did that today!" "Yeah, not a problem! He's a great kid!" I smiled & nodded, "Wow it's good to see you again Gemma!" He took hold of my hand. "You too Dwayne!" "You & Jeff huh?!" "Yeah it's pretty whacked!!" We both laughed. "How's Shane doing?" "Shane's good! He misses you though! He's had no one to teach, to mould into the next Shane o!" I laughed, "I'm sure there was a queue when I left!" Dwayne shook his head, "Naaah....he was only interested in you!" He smiled, "He was setting you up for the big time y'know? He always showed all of your work to Vince & told him how you were gonna go all the way! The best the business had seen in a long time!" "I miss him too kinda! I even miss his hissey fits sometimes!" "Are you still writing?" "HA! Well if you can call it writing! I freelance but most of my stuff is picked up by a magazine in Australia...nothing exciting but it keeps my brain in working order when Mike's gone to bed! Pays the bills too!" "Shane would have you back in a heartbeat!" I shook my head, "Nope! I think I burned my bridges there a long time ago! It's ok though...I mean I'm doin' ok!" He nodded, "Adam's married now you'll have heard?" "Yeah I heard that!" I smiled, "How is the goofball these days?!" Dwayne laughed, "He's good! He ah....doen't know you're back, doesn't know about the little guy!" "That's good! Well I guess he will find out sooner or later through the grapevine!" I sighed, "Who else knows besides you?" "Vince." "Jesus! What did he tell Vince for?!" "To get some time off!" "Jeff has time off?" Dwayne nodded. "Oh right. Well I guess Vince is professional enough not to announce it on next week's smackdown!!!" I hung my head, "I have so much shit to figure out right now!" "Are you & Jeff erm..." "No...well..yeah..kinda...I guess!" "Oh..." He smiled, "It's like that huh?" "It's like that!" "You'll figure it out! I'm sure you will!" I nodded. The mood was rapidly going down hill so I decided to change the subject. "Anyway enough about all this crap! I wanna hear all the gossip about the rest of the guys....and you too for that matter...Mr 'Hot Shot movie star'!!" I playfully prodded him in the ribs! "Have you seen the movie?" "Yeah...it sucks!" His eyes widened! "I'm kidding you dork! I haven't even seen it yet!!" He laughed & pushed me off the couch! We talked for what seemed like an hour whenit was actually closer to two! All that time I didn't realise that someone was listening in to every word! It was great to catch up with all the gossip about my old friends & I was surprised at how many of them were now married with kids, including Dwayne! He showed me pictures of his beautiful wife & baby daughter & told me all about them! We just talked & talked! Eventually the subject turned to live shows & how much 'little Michael' would enjoy comming along to one sometime! "I know he'd be thrilled, it's me I'm concerned about!" "Aw Gem come on! Jeff has the week off & then you could come to Ohio with him, bring Mike along, it'd be great!" "Yeah I'm sure it would....but what about having to face everyone, having to face Adam! I don't think I could do it Dwayne, not right now!" "Gemma, look honey I don't mean to sound cruel but Adam's married now, he's happy! I'm sure it would be fine!" "Yeah if I turn up to a show 5 years after I all but jilted him at the altar & say'Hey Adam! Sorry I left! By the way this is Jeff's kid!' I'm sure it would be fine...he'd welcome me with open arms!!" "So, I'll talk to him before you come down...explain everything so it's not such a shock! That way at least he wont find out infront of the other guys & it'll give him time to ah....digest the situation before you turn up!" "Dwayne, look how about I call you in a few days? Let me think it over...I just don't know if now is the right time to be battling any more of my demons y'know?!" He held up his hands in defeat! "Ok ok! Jeff has my number, make sure you definately give me a call ok? Whether you decide to come or not!" "I promise!" Jeff walked downstairs & saw us hugging. "Oh well I guess I gotta make a move!" We stood up. "Thanks so much for today man! He was so hyped! He couldn't stop talking about you up there!" Jeff hugged Dwayne & patted him on the back. "Anytime Jeff!" "Bye Dwayne!" I said & Stood on my tip toes to kiss his cheek. "And thanks again!" He put his arms around me, towering above me! "Callme ok?!" I nodded & we walked to the door. As he got into his car he shouted "Don't be a stranger!" Jeff & I stood on the porch steps & waved as we watched Dwayne's car disappear up the raod. I turned to Jeff. "Thankyou for doing that! It was great to see Dwayne again!" He shrugged, "Not a problem! Hey maybe next week I could bring Adam home so you can catch up with him too!" He walked inside & I followed him. "That wasn't very funny Jeff!" I snapped. "I wasn't trying to make you laugh! God knows you must be all laughed out after tonight!" "What the hell is wrong with you!?" I couldn't believe he was being like this! "What the hell have I done wrong now?!" He turned to face me, "Y'know Gem...all that stuff you asked Dwayne about everyone at work, well I know those people too! You....you never asked me any of that stuff, biut suddenly you're laughing & joking about it with Dwayne! I just don't get it!" "What is your problem? I was catching up with an old friend that YOU happened to invite here!! Christ Jeff did you want me to ignore the guy!?" My voice was getting louder as I got angrier with him! "I invited him so that Michael could meet his hero not so you could be all ov.....oh look it doesn't matter!!" "No go on please finish your sentance!" Jeff looked down at the floor, "You think I was all over him?? What am I...a slut all of a sudden?!" "That's not what I meant!" "Then what DID you mean Jeff?!" I put my hand on my forehead, "Jeff I can't deal with this shit ok? I don't know what the hell I've done wrong but I do know that you're freaking me out!!" "Don't shout you'll wake Michael!" "EXCUSE ME!?" I shouted, now shaking from the anger I was trying to hold inside. "Oh I'm so sorry Jeff!" I laughed sarcastically, "I forgot! How stupid of me! I must look like the worst parent on the planet compared to you right now! I mean I dont leap off ladders & defeat the bad guys!!" "Now you're being ridiculous!" "AM I? AM I REALLY JEFF? Well I'm sure that's exactly how Michael sees me too! After all I can't bring the Rock home from work at weekends now can I?!" My eyes filled up with tears & he went to hug me but I took a step backwards. "Just don't Jeff ok?!" I turned & went outside & sat crying on the porch steps.
Michael eventually overcame his shock & had a great time with Dwayne! Along with Matt & Jeff they played outside for hours like they were all 4 years old not just Michael!! The day passed quickly & before I knew it Michael was falling asleep on Dwayne's knee so Jeff took him upstairs to bed. It looked as though we would be spending another night at the Hardy's! Once we were left alone Dwayne came & at beside me. "Thankyou for today!" I smiled, "You made him feel like the luckiest little boy on the planet!" He laughed! "It still amazes me how I can do that y'know? Just turn up somewhere & make someone's day!" "Well you certainly did that today!" "Yeah, not a problem! He's a great kid!" I smiled & nodded, "Wow it's good to see you again Gemma!" He took hold of my hand. "You too Dwayne!" "You & Jeff huh?!" "Yeah it's pretty whacked!!" We both laughed. "How's Shane doing?" "Shane's good! He misses you though! He's had no one to teach, to mould into the next Shane o!" I laughed, "I'm sure there was a queue when I left!" Dwayne shook his head, "Naaah....he was only interested in you!" He smiled, "He was setting you up for the big time y'know? He always showed all of your work to Vince & told him how you were gonna go all the way! The best the business had seen in a long time!" "I miss him too kinda! I even miss his hissey fits sometimes!" "Are you still writing?" "HA! Well if you can call it writing! I freelance but most of my stuff is picked up by a magazine in Australia...nothing exciting but it keeps my brain in working order when Mike's gone to bed! Pays the bills too!" "Shane would have you back in a heartbeat!" I shook my head, "Nope! I think I burned my bridges there a long time ago! It's ok though...I mean I'm doin' ok!" He nodded, "Adam's married now you'll have heard?" "Yeah I heard that!" I smiled, "How is the goofball these days?!" Dwayne laughed, "He's good! He ah....doen't know you're back, doesn't know about the little guy!" "That's good! Well I guess he will find out sooner or later through the grapevine!" I sighed, "Who else knows besides you?" "Vince." "Jesus! What did he tell Vince for?!" "To get some time off!" "Jeff has time off?" Dwayne nodded. "Oh right. Well I guess Vince is professional enough not to announce it on next week's smackdown!!!" I hung my head, "I have so much shit to figure out right now!" "Are you & Jeff erm..." "No...well..yeah..kinda...I guess!" "Oh..." He smiled, "It's like that huh?" "It's like that!" "You'll figure it out! I'm sure you will!" I nodded. The mood was rapidly going down hill so I decided to change the subject. "Anyway enough about all this crap! I wanna hear all the gossip about the rest of the guys....and you too for that matter...Mr 'Hot Shot movie star'!!" I playfully prodded him in the ribs! "Have you seen the movie?" "Yeah...it sucks!" His eyes widened! "I'm kidding you dork! I haven't even seen it yet!!" He laughed & pushed me off the couch! We talked for what seemed like an hour whenit was actually closer to two! All that time I didn't realise that someone was listening in to every word! It was great to catch up with all the gossip about my old friends & I was surprised at how many of them were now married with kids, including Dwayne! He showed me pictures of his beautiful wife & baby daughter & told me all about them! We just talked & talked! Eventually the subject turned to live shows & how much 'little Michael' would enjoy comming along to one sometime! "I know he'd be thrilled, it's me I'm concerned about!" "Aw Gem come on! Jeff has the week off & then you could come to Ohio with him, bring Mike along, it'd be great!" "Yeah I'm sure it would....but what about having to face everyone, having to face Adam! I don't think I could do it Dwayne, not right now!" "Gemma, look honey I don't mean to sound cruel but Adam's married now, he's happy! I'm sure it would be fine!" "Yeah if I turn up to a show 5 years after I all but jilted him at the altar & say'Hey Adam! Sorry I left! By the way this is Jeff's kid!' I'm sure it would be fine...he'd welcome me with open arms!!" "So, I'll talk to him before you come down...explain everything so it's not such a shock! That way at least he wont find out infront of the other guys & it'll give him time to ah....digest the situation before you turn up!" "Dwayne, look how about I call you in a few days? Let me think it over...I just don't know if now is the right time to be battling any more of my demons y'know?!" He held up his hands in defeat! "Ok ok! Jeff has my number, make sure you definately give me a call ok? Whether you decide to come or not!" "I promise!" Jeff walked downstairs & saw us hugging. "Oh well I guess I gotta make a move!" We stood up. "Thanks so much for today man! He was so hyped! He couldn't stop talking about you up there!" Jeff hugged Dwayne & patted him on the back. "Anytime Jeff!" "Bye Dwayne!" I said & Stood on my tip toes to kiss his cheek. "And thanks again!" He put his arms around me, towering above me! "Callme ok?!" I nodded & we walked to the door. As he got into his car he shouted "Don't be a stranger!" Jeff & I stood on the porch steps & waved as we watched Dwayne's car disappear up the raod. I turned to Jeff. "Thankyou for doing that! It was great to see Dwayne again!" He shrugged, "Not a problem! Hey maybe next week I could bring Adam home so you can catch up with him too!" He walked inside & I followed him. "That wasn't very funny Jeff!" I snapped. "I wasn't trying to make you laugh! God knows you must be all laughed out after tonight!" "What the hell is wrong with you!?" I couldn't believe he was being like this! "What the hell have I done wrong now?!" He turned to face me, "Y'know Gem...all that stuff you asked Dwayne about everyone at work, well I know those people too! You....you never asked me any of that stuff, biut suddenly you're laughing & joking about it with Dwayne! I just don't get it!" "What is your problem? I was catching up with an old friend that YOU happened to invite here!! Christ Jeff did you want me to ignore the guy!?" My voice was getting louder as I got angrier with him! "I invited him so that Michael could meet his hero not so you could be all ov.....oh look it doesn't matter!!" "No go on please finish your sentance!" Jeff looked down at the floor, "You think I was all over him?? What am I...a slut all of a sudden?!" "That's not what I meant!" "Then what DID you mean Jeff?!" I put my hand on my forehead, "Jeff I can't deal with this shit ok? I don't know what the hell I've done wrong but I do know that you're freaking me out!!" "Don't shout you'll wake Michael!" "EXCUSE ME!?" I shouted, now shaking from the anger I was trying to hold inside. "Oh I'm so sorry Jeff!" I laughed sarcastically, "I forgot! How stupid of me! I must look like the worst parent on the planet compared to you right now! I mean I dont leap off ladders & defeat the bad guys!!" "Now you're being ridiculous!" "AM I? AM I REALLY JEFF? Well I'm sure that's exactly how Michael sees me too! After all I can't bring the Rock home from work at weekends now can I?!" My eyes filled up with tears & he went to hug me but I took a step backwards. "Just don't Jeff ok?!" I turned & went outside & sat crying on the porch steps.