Chapter 20
Chris's POV
I never got a chance to talk to Vince. He was out visiting with some important people, or so I was told. I did talk to Shane though, and that was probably for the best because we're friends and it just makes things a lot easier to explain. He was very understanding and said that Mandy and I could take off until Raw the next week, which gave us six days. As soon as Shane gave me the okay, I went back to the hotel room and started making some calls about getting a flight back to Tampa while Mandy slept restlessly on the bed. A few hours later we were in the air on our way home. I could tell Mandy wasn't feeling good because she slept through almost the entire flight. I had traveled with her a lot since pairing up with her and I can't remember her ever sleeping through a flight.
When we finally got to the airport in Tampa, despite flying incognito, we were bombarded by fans. It's just a chain reaction. First one person notices who you are and the next thing you know you are surrounded. I tried telling them that we just wanted to get home but Mandy stopped me.
"Its fine," she said and signed dozens of autographs for fans until I insisted that we get going. It really surprised me how loyal she remained to her fans even though she was suffering. It was late when I finally pulled up to her driveway. I grabbed her luggage and walked her into her house. She collapsed onto her couch and closed her eyes.
"Are you going to be okay alone tonight?" I asked sitting down next to her. She barely moved and I wasn't sure at first if she had even heard me. I reached my hand over and rested it on her leg. "Mandy..."
"I think I'll be okay," She whispered. I shook my head and got up to leave.
"Alright, I'll stop by tomorrow to see how you are doing," I announced. She didn't acknowledge me so I figured I would just show myself out.
"Chris," she stopped me, "thank you for everything. I know you don't have to do any of this." I smiled at her in disbelief.
"Well hell Tish, what did you think I was gonna do? Leave you to deal with this alone? I'm that cruel."
"I know, I'll see you tomorrow then," she stated. I nodded and walked out the front door down to my car.
The next afternoon I went to check up on Mandy. She answered the door wearing pajama pants and a sports bra with her hair up in a messy bun. I guessed she hadn't gotten out of bed all day.
"Isn't it a little chilly to be wearing something like that?" I asked jokingly as I stepped into the living room. She smiled slightly. Truth be told, she looked good. I like her better natural than with all the makeup and glitter that all the Divas wear in the ring. She welcomed me into her home with open arms...literally. Not two seconds after my comment, she pulled me into a hug. And it was a real hug, not a forced one that I knew all too well from our many victories in the ring. "Please Tish, you have a boyfriend. You wouldn't want him to beat me up would you?" I asked a bit surprised.
"Shut up! I'm just glad I have someone right now," She replied. "So now that you're here, help me clean my house!"
"What for?" I asked making myself comfortable on her couch. "It looks fine to me."
"My mom is coming to visit tomorrow. She's staying until Saturday and Adam's got tomorrow off too so it looks like I'm playing host during my only time off."
"That's great and all, but I'm just getting comfy. Sorry babe!" I stated putting my feet on the coffee table. I guess that didn't sit well with her, because she sprayed me in the face with Windex.
Chris's POV
I never got a chance to talk to Vince. He was out visiting with some important people, or so I was told. I did talk to Shane though, and that was probably for the best because we're friends and it just makes things a lot easier to explain. He was very understanding and said that Mandy and I could take off until Raw the next week, which gave us six days. As soon as Shane gave me the okay, I went back to the hotel room and started making some calls about getting a flight back to Tampa while Mandy slept restlessly on the bed. A few hours later we were in the air on our way home. I could tell Mandy wasn't feeling good because she slept through almost the entire flight. I had traveled with her a lot since pairing up with her and I can't remember her ever sleeping through a flight.
When we finally got to the airport in Tampa, despite flying incognito, we were bombarded by fans. It's just a chain reaction. First one person notices who you are and the next thing you know you are surrounded. I tried telling them that we just wanted to get home but Mandy stopped me.
"Its fine," she said and signed dozens of autographs for fans until I insisted that we get going. It really surprised me how loyal she remained to her fans even though she was suffering. It was late when I finally pulled up to her driveway. I grabbed her luggage and walked her into her house. She collapsed onto her couch and closed her eyes.
"Are you going to be okay alone tonight?" I asked sitting down next to her. She barely moved and I wasn't sure at first if she had even heard me. I reached my hand over and rested it on her leg. "Mandy..."
"I think I'll be okay," She whispered. I shook my head and got up to leave.
"Alright, I'll stop by tomorrow to see how you are doing," I announced. She didn't acknowledge me so I figured I would just show myself out.
"Chris," she stopped me, "thank you for everything. I know you don't have to do any of this." I smiled at her in disbelief.
"Well hell Tish, what did you think I was gonna do? Leave you to deal with this alone? I'm that cruel."
"I know, I'll see you tomorrow then," she stated. I nodded and walked out the front door down to my car.
The next afternoon I went to check up on Mandy. She answered the door wearing pajama pants and a sports bra with her hair up in a messy bun. I guessed she hadn't gotten out of bed all day.
"Isn't it a little chilly to be wearing something like that?" I asked jokingly as I stepped into the living room. She smiled slightly. Truth be told, she looked good. I like her better natural than with all the makeup and glitter that all the Divas wear in the ring. She welcomed me into her home with open arms...literally. Not two seconds after my comment, she pulled me into a hug. And it was a real hug, not a forced one that I knew all too well from our many victories in the ring. "Please Tish, you have a boyfriend. You wouldn't want him to beat me up would you?" I asked a bit surprised.
"Shut up! I'm just glad I have someone right now," She replied. "So now that you're here, help me clean my house!"
"What for?" I asked making myself comfortable on her couch. "It looks fine to me."
"My mom is coming to visit tomorrow. She's staying until Saturday and Adam's got tomorrow off too so it looks like I'm playing host during my only time off."
"That's great and all, but I'm just getting comfy. Sorry babe!" I stated putting my feet on the coffee table. I guess that didn't sit well with her, because she sprayed me in the face with Windex.