Part 4
By the time Stephanie was seven months pregnant, she was exhausted both mentally and physically. And as much as she loathed to do it and in fact had put off doing it, she was now looking forward to giving Smackdown away - at least for the interim - even though it would of course give her more time to feel sorry for herself over the Kurt situation.
A substantial element of her didn't want to believe that he had used her, he wasn't that kind of person. But as her father was always telling her, you never can know another person completely. But did that mean that her judgment was totally wrong? Kurt - at least it seemed to her - lived his personal life according to those three I's that he loved so damn much, was that just pretend? Stephanie hoped not.
A brusque kick reverberated from within her engorged abdomen and broke her from her disheartening reverie. She dropped the pen she was writing with and positioned her right hand over where the child lay within her. Stephanie hadn't wanted to know whether she was expecting a girl or boy, preferring to keep the gender a surprise - much to her father's exasperation. If she was truly straightforward with herself then she would admit that it was also - at least partly - due to the fact that she felt dreadful that Kurt was not with her, was not a part of this pregnancy.
"Stephanie?" Vince's voice boomed as he barged into her office without even giving a courteousness knock on the door. "Are you and *my* grandchild okay? You know that we can do this handing over ceremony here in the office and not out in the ring."
Stephanie struggled to get out of her office chair and Vince rushed over to help her up. Standing up straight, she gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "I know, but it just seems more official if we make the announcement out there in front of the fans."
"Fine," Vince grumbled as he offered Stephanie his arm. When she took it, he smiled and then they headed out to the ring to make the announcement about the future management of Smackdown.
Kurt was if truth be told absolutely and unreservedly depressed. The training schedule that he was being obligated to maintain was more intense than he was used to or had bargained for and the worst of it was that none of the other guys left him by himself for even a minute. So when the day was over and he wanted to go back to his room to sulk over Stephanie, he couldn't, not unless he wanted to sulk in front of a bunch of fellow wrestlers. Furthermore his team-mates had now taken to watching Smackdown each week and forced Kurt to watch it with them, asking infinite questions about each superstar and as expected, Stephanie. It was slowly and painfully killing him, each and every week he got to see how beautiful she looked as her pregnancy progressed, but he couldn't look away. At least if he watched he could slip off into his own private fantasy land where he was the daddy and the three of them would live happily ever after.
"Hey Angle," Jon Nixon one of his buddies said as he put his head around the door. "It's time for our much loved show... Smackdown."
Kurt heaved a sigh and obscured his head underneath his lumpy pillow. "Can't you guys watch just once without me?"
"Nope, it's just more fun when you're around to tell us all the backstage gossip."
"I'll give you a thousand dollars to leave me alone tonight," Kurt offered. He just didn't feel strong enough to withstand Stephanie's big announcement - whatever it might be.
"Sorry buddy. It's a special live episode, I can't let you escape."
Unenthusiastically Kurt removed the pillow from his face and climbed out of his cramped single bed. Heaving another sigh he - at a snail's pace - followed his friend down the elongated corridor to where the common room was to be found. Greeting the other guys with a speedy halfhearted gesture, he flopped down on the nearest couch and geared up to have his heart slashed into shreds once again. What he wasn't primed for was the pre-show dialogue going on around him.
"So what do you think Stephanie's big announcement is gonna be?"
"Probably who knocked her up."
"I think it's Triple H."
"They're divorced you dumbass."
"So are my parents, but that doesn't stop them from humping like bunnies."
"That's because your parents are brother and sister. You freak."
"What do you think, Kurt?"
Kurt shook his head, not wanting to be mixed up in this precise discussion. "I don't know."
"Come on. You know her pretty well."
Kurt glared at the younger man, "What is that supposed to mean?"
"It means you work for her. What did you think I meant?"
"Nothing."
The Smackdown credits began to roll and saved Kurt from having to make clear his defensiveness when it came to the topic of Stephanie Marie McMahon. Kurt closed his eyes and hoped that the next two hours would move by swiftly. However somewhere deep inside of him he knew that it wouldn't, at least not until the maximum amount of damage had been inflicted on his weary heart.
Watching apprehensively from behind the scenes, Stephanie saw her father strut assertively down to the ring to introduce her and her announcement. She knew it was absurd, but she just couldn't help being nervous; after all Smackdown had been her whole life for more than a year and here she was about to hand it over to someone else to look after, even if it was to be a impermanent situation. Forcing herself to concentrate on her father's words so that she didn't miss her cue, she heaved a sigh to herself and in secret wished that Kurt was with her to offer his usual reassurances.
"So without further adieu, let me introduce to you my daughter and your General manager, Stephanie McMahon."
Hearing her cue and her theme music start, Stephanie stepped carefully out from behind the curtained staging and began to slowly waddle down the ramp to the ring. After what seemed like an eternity she finally climbed up the steps to the ring and with the help of her father, she made into the ring.
Taking the microphone from her father's outstretched hand, she spoke. "I know that there has been a lot of rumors running around out there about what my announcement might be. However before I make my announcement I feel that I need to address some of the more ridiculous ones. So I have not remarried Triple H, I am not carrying The Rock's love child and Paul Heyman is not going to be put in charge of Smackdown - ever."
The audience broke out into cheers and laughter just like she had hoped that they would and when the noise finally died down she continued. "The truth is my announcement this evening isn't very exciting. I am simply here to announce the new General Manager for Smackdown. It is my immense pleasure to introduce... my big brother, Shane McMahon."
Shane's music hit and her brother appeared to the roar of the crowd, showing their approval over Stephanie's choice of temporary General Managers. Stephanie watched her brother approach and knew that she was incredibly lucky to have gotten him to agree to take over Smackdown from her and she knew he had only accepted the position because it was temporary - he had no real desire to be out on the road again. The instant he climbed into the ring, he shook his father's hand and hugged his sister fiercely.
"Thank you," he said in reaction to the crowd's fervent greeting. "It's great to be back here on Smackdown. I promise you all that I will continue to deliver the same content that has made Smackdown the number one show in sports entertainment."
The crowd went wild once more and Shane reached out, putting a protective around his baby sister. "As my first act as..."
Shane was rudely interrupted as The Big Show and Paul Heyman suddenly came into view. Heyman unfortunately was holding a microphone of his own. "You're kidding me, right? Shane is your replacement. Even that moron Brock Lesnar could runt his show better than him."
Stephanie and Shane exchanged a look of annoyance. "Look Paul, I told you I wasn't about to..."
"If I was a McMahon, you would have appointed me the General manager."
"If *you* were a McMahon, I would've changed my name and gone into hiding," Stephanie replied as she rolled her eyes.
"Before you even open your mouth again, Paul. I have a surprise for you," Shane told him grinning devilishly.
"What?"
"Well... as my first action as General manager, I declare that tonight in this very ring. Paul Heyman and his client, The Big Show will take on the team of Brock Lesnar and The Undertaker," Shane informed the world wide audience. "Oh and by the way, it will be *no* disqualification."
"B-but..."
"Go and get ready, Paul," Vince finally spoke, showing his support for his son's decision.
Paul Heyman slowly walked away from the staging area with the Big Show trailing behind him. As soon as the pair had gone back towards the locker room, the three McMahon's in the middle of the ring hugged - much to the crowd's approval.
TBC...
