Mark walked in and I could see he was dead tired. I felt really bad running off the way I did without giving him the benefit of the doubt. But hell I never had no reason to trust anyone before. Scott got up and they talked at the door for a minute. "I'll see ya tomorrow kid." Scott said. "Night." I said as he left. I was lying on the couch watching TV. Mark went in his bathroom and I heard the shower running. He hadn't said too much to me all night. He must be really pissed. I could admit it to myself if I couldn't admit it to no one else; I couldn't stand for him to be mad at me. Somewhere along the way I had started liking him and I cared what he thought about me. That in it self scared me. I heard him come in and lay down on the bed. I took a deep breath and got up. I wasn't one for apologizing but I figured I owed him one and I wanted things to be right between us again. I walked over to his bed. I looked down at my feet anything but him. "Mark I'm really sorry about getting in that fight and I'm sorry I ran off." I said.
Mark lay there looking at her. She was apologizing? He realized today had been a setback. She was starting to trust him and open up to him. Then Stephanie's little prank had ended all that or maybe it hadn't. "Climb up here. We need to talk Hailey." Mark said. He watched Hailey climb up on the bed and set down she still had her head down. Mark lifted her head to see tears running down her cheeks. "Come here baby." Mark said pulling Hailey onto his lap. Mark held her as she cried rocking her gently.
I don't really know why I broke down like that. I guess all these emotions built up in me and just sort of exploded at one time. I don't think I ever cried that hard in my entire life. It felt good Mark holding me and rocking me like I was his kid or something. I sat there wishing he was my dad. But wishing doesn't make it so. I was stuck with the crummy McMahon's as my family. I had stopped crying and Mark lifted my chin. "I want things to be honest between us Hailey. I will always be honest with you. If ya want to know something ask. Don't believe what other people say. Okay?" He said. "Okay." I said. "I would never dump you like that. Do you believe that?" He asked. I looked into his eyes and seen the truth. "Yes I believe you." I said. "Now as for your fight. Let's drop that. I think you need to be on a workout program. You can start working out with me. You would be surprised how much aggression you can get out of your system with a good workout. Me and Chris are going to start training you for the ring." Mark said. I looked at him in surprise. "You do want to don't ya?" he asked. "Yea I really do. Chris said I was a natural." I said. "Yea he told me. No more of that high flying with out some training young lady." Mark said. "Aww your no fun." I said. "I'll show you no fun if I catch you jumping off the ropes." He said chuckling. "All alright." I said. Mark still had his arms wrapped around me and I wasn't in no hurry to move. "One more thing." He said. I looked up at him and seen his look had turned serious. "Consider this sort of a get out of jail free card. Ya used it tonight. You scared the hell out of me little girl, running off like that. Do you know the things that can happen to a kid out wondering around like that?" Mark asked. I nodded. I watched the news and stuff and knew what went on. I didn't think a smart answer was in order. I knew he wasn't playing. "Look at me Hailey." He said. I looked up into his intense green eyes. "If you ever run off like that again, I'm going to tan your bottom till you can't sit for a week." He said.
Mark expected her to give him some lip or tell him to go to hell but once again she surprised him. She wrapped her arms around him and laid her head on his chest. Poor thing thought Mark she had been starved for affection for so long. Mark looked down at her she was about half asleep.
"Mark, Does Chris have a girlfriend?" I asked. "Okay where did that come from?" he asked. I yawned. Damn I was sleepy. "Cause ya know I'm going to marry him someday." I said. Mark gave me one of them grown up looks. Ya know like I was being silly. "Well not at the moment. But don't ya think you're a little young for him." He said smiling. "I won't be 10 forever. I got plans Mark. Someday WWE is going to be mine and I'm going to marry Chris." I said. Mark was grinning now. "So how many grandkids you going to give me. You got that planned too?" He asked. When he said that I sat straight up. "You're not my dad. I wish you was." I said sadly. "Hey now don't look so sad. Family aint got nothing to do with blood. From here on out you're my kid. Got it?" he said he said tickling me. I laughed. "Yea I got it." I said. I lay back against him. "You wont tell Chris what I said will ya?" I asked. "Nope it will be our secret." He said. That night was another turning point in my life. I gained a father that night not just a guardian. I learned to trust. And I learned to plan. Scott had turned my thinking around. I knew what I wanted and decided everything I did would be to work toward that goal. The McMahon's wouldn't know what hit them.