The talk with Eric made me think about my life before my father 'died'. I was only four but I had some memories of that time.
When I got back to my apartment that day, I went to the trunk that is in my room. I use it to store things in it. Eddy had told me, while I was driving back to the cabin, that it would be a good idea if I didn't go to OVW until things cooled down a bit. I did think that was a good idea.
I sat on my bed with the photo album opened. I had asked my mother several years ago if she could make me copies of the pictures of my father, which she did.
There were pictures of my dad, mom, Uncle Ric, Uncle Arn, aman and woman I didn't know, and another woman who was my mom's best friend. There were quite a few of those in the beginning of it. There were lot of four fingers. I remember asking my mother about it. She wouldn't answer my questions though. She refused to talk about wrestling at all. But the pictures aren't even wrestling ones. They were all personal ones from what I could tell. I kept flipping through till I came across the ones from right after I was born. Dad was standing there holding me. I presumed it was at the hospital. And across from it was a picture of them both looking down at me.
There were pictures of my dad when he was home after his in ring injuries. The ones of him with aneck brace and then later with an arm brace. I started to smile when I saw one of dad and mom walking me to the preschool building. Dad looked happy. I did too but I was only three years old. How could I possibly have known what would happen to my family less then a year later? There were pictures from a late birthday party. We had waited until dad would be home to celebrate it. I had tears in my eyes as I remember that that was the last time dad was home before that PPV he 'died' at. Tatem told me how mom would drop me and Tatem off at her parents and then flew up, or drove up, to spend a couple of days with dad. I wiped away another tear. I closed the album. Those were the last pictures of my dad.
I sighed as I turned the TV on. Nothing good on but it would pass the time.
***
I was barely awake as I sat on my mom's lap at my father's wake. I felt my mom shift me but I didn't make a sound.
"I just don't know what to do Eddy. He won't talk or eat. This is the only time he has slept since that day. I know why he hasn't but I can't help but worry. He cried for an hour yesterday." I snuggled closer to her. She sighed. "It's okay Daniel." She kissed the top of my head.
"Mom!" I heard Tatem yell. I opened my eyes.
"Nancy I'll take him. Go see what Tatem wants." Uncle Eddy said. I felt myself be moved over. My hair ruffled a bit before Iheard a sigh. "I know you are hurting but you are hurting your mother." He said in a quiet voice, "damn Vince for doing this." I was almost asleep and I had no idea at the time what he was talking about.
Beep beep beep
The sound of my alarm woke me up. I rolled over in bed. Talking to Eric the other day really stirred up some memories. That wasn't the only dream I've had this week.
I looked at the time. Megan was going to be here in an hour so I could drive her to see dad. Of course she had no idea that that was where we were going. I had called her the day before saying I wanted to take her somewhere and it was a surprise. I can't even begin to guess what her reaction will be.
I hadn't told Megan about dad yet. I called dad before we left to see if it was okay and he said yes. He already knows about Megan's friendships with the wrong people. I wondered what he had thought of it but hadn't really had a chance to talk to him lately. I was almost scared of how she'd react. I really hoped it would end up all right.
I took a quick shower and ate some breakfast. Around ten there was a knock on my door. Either it was my sister or one of the usual unexpected visitors I seem to get. I looked through the peephole. Good. It was Megan.
I let her in. She did something that was unusual for us. She gave me a hug. "I'm glad you called. You scared me when you took off in Atlanta."
"I'm sorry. Let me get my jacket and we can get going." I grabbed my leather jacket and led my sister out. We went to my truck. "How are you doing?" I asked her as we drove away from the city and towards the cabin.
"I can't believe I was so stupid. I really thought they had cared about me. Stephanie even said she was going to offer you a contract. I was shocked when you turned them down. I thought it was your dream but I see why you did now."
"I'm just glad they didn't hurt you."
"Me too. Where are we going anyway? I really don't like surprises."
"You'll see." I said. "it's a long ride so relax." I turned my MP3 player on.
We listened to music in silence for most of the ride.
"Where are we going Danny?" She asked. We were almost at the cabin. She has asked me that several times now.
"We are almost there and it's a surprise." I pulled the car up to a stop in front of the cabin. I wish mom, Tatem, and David could have come with us but dad said no.
I knocked on the door. Uncle Eddy answered the door. "Come on in." He said. We walked in. The whole first room was almost covered with boxes.
"I'll go get him." He said leaving the room.
"Danny why are we here?" She asked looking around. "Are we helping someone move or something?"
"Not quite." I said looking around. Tammy and Michael werecarrying their own boxes out.
"Megan?" Dad said from behind us. We turned around. He was standing there looking so hopeful. Maybe hoping she'd recognize him.
Megan stared at dad for the longest time I almost thought she didn't recognize him. "Daddy?" She whispered.
"Hey sweet pea." He said. Tears were in Megan's eyes as she hugged dad. "Shh." He said I could tell they were both crying.
I stood back allowing them to have their private reunion. I did feel a bit out of place in it even if it was my father and sister. Dad directed her towards the couch Megan didn't stop crying though.
"Is it really you?" She asked blowing her nose on the Kleenex I gave her.
"It's really me." He held her for a few moments. I felt like an almost outsider while watching. I could see they were both so happy.
But it turned more serious when Megan said, "you must hate me for being friends with the people that tried to kill you."
"I could never hate you Megan. You had no idea what they had tried to do. I'm just glad everything ended before you got hurt." He hugged her again.
"I can't believe I'm seeing you again." She sniffed. "It was only last week I found out Hunter and Stephanie tried to kill you."
"Me neither. I didn't think I would ever see any of you again. But if Danny hadn't been so nosy we wouldn't be having this conversation." This earned a laugh from Megan. It was the first time in a long time that I had heard a genuine laugh from her. "Though you have to admit he didn't look bad in drag."
"Hey!" I said though I was trying not to laugh. I took it as my cue to let them have a private conversation. Megan hadn't seen dad in so long and I've known he's been alive for a month or so. It's only right that they have this conversation in private so I headed to the kitchen.
I opened the refrigerator and took a bottled water out. I turned and stared outside. It was a nice winter day. There was a little bit of snow on the ground but not much. Growing up in Atlanta, I rarely saw snow. It's beautiful up here.
"Oh hey. Didn't know you were in here." I turned around tosee Uncle Eddy standing there in the doorway.
"I thought I should give my dad and Megan some privacy." Eddy nodded and started to goto the refrigerator. I thought about the dream I had this morning. I haven't gotten a chance to really talk to Uncle Eddy other then him yelling at me. Shane talked about how Eddy got involved in this but I haven't heard anything about it from Eddy. "Hey can I talk to you?"
He almost seemed uneasy as he sat at the table. I took a seat next to him. "I figured you'd want to talk eventually."
Now that I've got him here what do I want to say? I wondered. There were so many questions going through my mind. But there was one that stuck out in my mind right now. The reason why we were having this conversation right now. "When I asked what happened to my dad why did you lie?"
He had a sad look on his face. "It would have been better if I had said something different. I still kick myself. I made a mistake by not saying anything. It was a story I have been telling people for years so it was only natural to tell you that. Like I said I never thought Bischoff would send that tape. I didn't even know you went to see Vince McMahon until Eric told Michael how you got the tape."
"How could you lie to my family for so many years?" There were tears in my eyes as I asked him. People comment all the time that I get to the point quick when I want to know something. Mom told me I got it from dad. Course she says that about a lot of things.
Eddy had a very hurt look on his face. He didn't say anything right away. "I think it's best if I start at the beginning. On New Years Day in 1999, I was in a car accident on the way home from the store. My leg was badly hurt and I was on the shelf for months." I nodded. Shane had told me this but I didn't interrupt. "In April of that year I was hanging out backstage at Nitro. I heard a conversation I wasn't supposed to hear between Kevin Nash and Scott Hall. They were talking about the WWF PPV Over the Edge, which was the following month. They were talking about how at Over the Edge there would be one less Hart.
"I was so shocked by that and listened more. I decided to go to the police with the information who sent me to talk to an FBI agent named, of course, Michael Erichson. They were building a case against Vince. There was some questionable stuff going on before this whole Over the Edge PPV. I called Shane Douglas because I needed someone's help in this. I didn't involve your dad, Perry, or Dean because they were busy on the road. The FBI had a medic that worked for them. Shane and I had to wait at a hotel for information because we had no idea if Owen would survive.
There were some weird things going on back then. I'm surprised no one figured something was up other then us. They had some guy whohad been an assistant to the man who created Sting's stunt in WCW, in charge of this. The guy lied about his past experience but I think Vince knew that and that's why he was hired. I don't know but it makes sense to me. We were both relieved to find out that Owen had survived. They kept Owen in the hospital until he could be moved. We were lucky the assumed name worked. No one expected a thing. You know about the walkout in 2000?"
I nodded. "Shane Douglas told me all about it. How you were going to the WWF and that Shane was trying to persuade them not to."
Eddy nodded. "That was the plan but there was no trying to persuade them not to go there. Your dad did have an excuse. Your mother was pregnant with you. This whole thing destroyed three friendships. But we thought that maybe this was the best way to do it. Shane never actually asked for his release and stayed in WCW. It got blown way out of proportion. Your dad and Shane are as close as they everwere."
I nodded. My anger not really dissipating but I let Uncle Eddy continue talking. He wasn't quite saying anything I hadn't heard before.
He started playing with the tablecloth as he continued. "I got fired in 2002 because of an addiction to pain killers. Honestly, those things were the only things getting me through all of this. But that's another story. It wasn't really an uncommon thing for wrestlers to have that problem. I took time to get my life back in order. Your father was a good friend during all of that. I came back and was sent to Smackdown. That's when Bischoff came in to play General Manager for RAW, until the roster split ended and Stephanie McMahon was named General Manager."
"Things started going really bad in May and the summer of 2003. I was suspended because someone had planted drugs in my bag. I was clean of drugs. And there was no other explanation for how they got in there. And someone else had doctored the test to make it look like I had taken heroin. This wasn't the first time someone had placed drugs in someone's bags, but unlike Brian Lawler I wasn't fired. Why I'm not really sure but I'm glad I wasn't.
"Then your dad rebroke his elbow in a match against the Big Show. Totally an accident by the way. He was supposed to win the title and face Steve Austin in the unification match but that of course wasn't meant to be. Both he and I returned to the WWF at the same time. Vince didn't give me a match at Survivor Series but he put your dad in a match that was supposed to set him up for his match at Royal Rumble against Steve Austin. But as you know that also wasn't meant to be.
"Unlike with your father six months later, I didn't go to ringside. We had all thought that would look suspicious so Chase, of course, went out there. He gave me a signal that only I knew meant Steve was alive. But that was an anxious twenty-four hours, since Steve barely survived the fall. People asked for their releases after Survivor Series though not the mass exodus that happened six months later. As for your family...I never liked lying to people but I was never given a choice. I hated looking at your motheri n so much pain. A few times at the beginning I had to bite my tongue to keep from saying anything to her."
"I had a dream last night. In it I was at my dad's wake. I was sitting on my mom's lap and you guys were talking about how my mother was worried because I wouldn't eat, speak or sleep. Then you said Damn Vince for doing this."
His face paled. "I didn't think anyone heard me. But yes Isaid that. I was so mad at Vince for doing something like this to your family. When Vince, Hunter, and Stephanie had planned to kill your father I had never been so angry before. I wanted to kill them myself."
"It really tore me up when I found out your mother and Tatem were in the audience. They were both going to have to witness this in person. Your dad was so excited about spending the next two days with his family. He had no idea that he would never see any of you again for fourteen years. He even thought it was strange that he wasn't wrestling on RAW but didn't want to complain. I had trouble looking him in the eye that night."
"I bet. After all he was going to have his life as he knows it taken away from him." I couldn't help but say that.
Uncle Eddy frowned at me. "That's true. That's what we did to him. I hated every moment of it. We got your dad to the cabin and with the exception of the RAW tribute and one in Japan I was done with wrestling."
"So did you tell my dad Owen was alive before or after you brought him to the cabin." From what Shane said they didn't tell him until they got to the cabin. Did they give my dad the same surprise?
He blinked. "Before." He looked uncomfortable. What wasn't he telling me this time? I wondered. After all of this time he still didn't want to tell me everything. I was getting really tired of this. "Before you say anything your dad wants to tell everyone after the trial." I was right.
"When Vince asked me t o take over OVW I was more then happy to. But I also asked how much it would be to buy OVW from him. When I found out I bought it. He really wasn't asking for much. I think he just wanted to get rid of it. When we started this guest trainer thing I requested one thing. That one thing was that Hunter Hearst Helmsley was never allowed to do guest training. This was long before you or Athena joined."
"Going to your house was always difficult even years later. I could see the pain in all of your eyes. Though your mother hid it really well even after she married Jason. It was so hard for Shane too even though he rarely went there right?" I nodded. "When Vince plotted to off Shane it was the worst thing. Shane loved his father and sister. He had no clue his father, sister, and brother in law were capable of murder. He was a bit too trusting, though he did separate WCW from WWE with some help from Ted Turner. He was so shocked to find out what they did and tried to do.
"Shane told us later how he thinks Vince tried to destroy Bret's career. That Vince was angry that Bret even entertained the idea of leaving for WCW. It's become obvious now that he was. I feel sorry because Andi and Wes haven't had a normal childhood. They didn't even know their last name is McMahon. We thought it would be better for them if they never knew their parents past. Now life as they know it is forever changed."
"Like everyone else's lives." I couldn't help being bitter. Uncle Eddy was being so honest and all I could think about is now.
Eddy gave me a look. I could tell he was barely holding his temper. I should probably back off but I had a right to be angry. So I really couldn't back off. "What are we going to tell my mother?"
He closed his eyes. "It's not something I look forward to doing. I know she'll hate me and I wouldn't blame her. She trusts me. When you and her were constantly arguing about you finishing high school in Atlanta she sent you to spend part of the summer in El Paso with my family."
I remembered that summer. Eddy wasn't there but I spent it with his family. It was the summer between my junior and senior years of high school. Uncle Eddy had accidentally let it slip that there were a couple of people at the school who went to Brown High School. I wanted to do that and mom put her foot down. That caused a lot of arguments. I spent some time in El Paso and went back to my high school in Atlanta.
"I was never against you becoming a wrestler but I would have rather had you go to a different school. That was mostly because of the fact that you would be close to the cabin. But since Athena was training at the cabin I didn't think it would be that much of a problem."
"It might have been different if you were straight with me not that I would change any of it."
"Yeah I know. But as I once told Ric and Arn, it's been going on so long. You don't even think about it anymore. My family and I sort of fit our lives around this. I'd take them up to the cabin at least once a year. Shane would sometimes come down to Louisville to take care of some business stuff. We did everything so discreetly I don't think Vince had any idea that some of WCW stuff was being taken care of by Shane."
"So that's why Shane was at your place that day?" It never occurred to me before today to ask why Shane was at Uncle Eddy's.
"Yes and that's why I was gone most of the previous day." He ran a hand through his hair before sighing. I noticed again that he does that a lot. "I guess there's a lot of what ifs with this. If I had been at my office I could have probably defused the situation."
"Yeah well what ifs aren't going to help my mother, Athena's mother, and Steve's wife understand."
"What do you want me to say to you Danny? That I'm sorry we had to keep your father away from you to keep your family and him safe? None of us exactly had a choice in the matter and I really do hate Vince for doing this to everyone. That's why I'll be glad when the trial is over and Vince is behind bars. Other then that I don't know what to tell you Danny."
I could see he was starting to lose his temper. Maybe it would be best if I let it drop. I knew his temper was not something you wanted to deal with.
He decided to end the conversation himself by walking out of the room. I went back to watching the snowfall outside.
When I got back to my apartment that day, I went to the trunk that is in my room. I use it to store things in it. Eddy had told me, while I was driving back to the cabin, that it would be a good idea if I didn't go to OVW until things cooled down a bit. I did think that was a good idea.
I sat on my bed with the photo album opened. I had asked my mother several years ago if she could make me copies of the pictures of my father, which she did.
There were pictures of my dad, mom, Uncle Ric, Uncle Arn, aman and woman I didn't know, and another woman who was my mom's best friend. There were quite a few of those in the beginning of it. There were lot of four fingers. I remember asking my mother about it. She wouldn't answer my questions though. She refused to talk about wrestling at all. But the pictures aren't even wrestling ones. They were all personal ones from what I could tell. I kept flipping through till I came across the ones from right after I was born. Dad was standing there holding me. I presumed it was at the hospital. And across from it was a picture of them both looking down at me.
There were pictures of my dad when he was home after his in ring injuries. The ones of him with aneck brace and then later with an arm brace. I started to smile when I saw one of dad and mom walking me to the preschool building. Dad looked happy. I did too but I was only three years old. How could I possibly have known what would happen to my family less then a year later? There were pictures from a late birthday party. We had waited until dad would be home to celebrate it. I had tears in my eyes as I remember that that was the last time dad was home before that PPV he 'died' at. Tatem told me how mom would drop me and Tatem off at her parents and then flew up, or drove up, to spend a couple of days with dad. I wiped away another tear. I closed the album. Those were the last pictures of my dad.
I sighed as I turned the TV on. Nothing good on but it would pass the time.
***
I was barely awake as I sat on my mom's lap at my father's wake. I felt my mom shift me but I didn't make a sound.
"I just don't know what to do Eddy. He won't talk or eat. This is the only time he has slept since that day. I know why he hasn't but I can't help but worry. He cried for an hour yesterday." I snuggled closer to her. She sighed. "It's okay Daniel." She kissed the top of my head.
"Mom!" I heard Tatem yell. I opened my eyes.
"Nancy I'll take him. Go see what Tatem wants." Uncle Eddy said. I felt myself be moved over. My hair ruffled a bit before Iheard a sigh. "I know you are hurting but you are hurting your mother." He said in a quiet voice, "damn Vince for doing this." I was almost asleep and I had no idea at the time what he was talking about.
Beep beep beep
The sound of my alarm woke me up. I rolled over in bed. Talking to Eric the other day really stirred up some memories. That wasn't the only dream I've had this week.
I looked at the time. Megan was going to be here in an hour so I could drive her to see dad. Of course she had no idea that that was where we were going. I had called her the day before saying I wanted to take her somewhere and it was a surprise. I can't even begin to guess what her reaction will be.
I hadn't told Megan about dad yet. I called dad before we left to see if it was okay and he said yes. He already knows about Megan's friendships with the wrong people. I wondered what he had thought of it but hadn't really had a chance to talk to him lately. I was almost scared of how she'd react. I really hoped it would end up all right.
I took a quick shower and ate some breakfast. Around ten there was a knock on my door. Either it was my sister or one of the usual unexpected visitors I seem to get. I looked through the peephole. Good. It was Megan.
I let her in. She did something that was unusual for us. She gave me a hug. "I'm glad you called. You scared me when you took off in Atlanta."
"I'm sorry. Let me get my jacket and we can get going." I grabbed my leather jacket and led my sister out. We went to my truck. "How are you doing?" I asked her as we drove away from the city and towards the cabin.
"I can't believe I was so stupid. I really thought they had cared about me. Stephanie even said she was going to offer you a contract. I was shocked when you turned them down. I thought it was your dream but I see why you did now."
"I'm just glad they didn't hurt you."
"Me too. Where are we going anyway? I really don't like surprises."
"You'll see." I said. "it's a long ride so relax." I turned my MP3 player on.
We listened to music in silence for most of the ride.
"Where are we going Danny?" She asked. We were almost at the cabin. She has asked me that several times now.
"We are almost there and it's a surprise." I pulled the car up to a stop in front of the cabin. I wish mom, Tatem, and David could have come with us but dad said no.
I knocked on the door. Uncle Eddy answered the door. "Come on in." He said. We walked in. The whole first room was almost covered with boxes.
"I'll go get him." He said leaving the room.
"Danny why are we here?" She asked looking around. "Are we helping someone move or something?"
"Not quite." I said looking around. Tammy and Michael werecarrying their own boxes out.
"Megan?" Dad said from behind us. We turned around. He was standing there looking so hopeful. Maybe hoping she'd recognize him.
Megan stared at dad for the longest time I almost thought she didn't recognize him. "Daddy?" She whispered.
"Hey sweet pea." He said. Tears were in Megan's eyes as she hugged dad. "Shh." He said I could tell they were both crying.
I stood back allowing them to have their private reunion. I did feel a bit out of place in it even if it was my father and sister. Dad directed her towards the couch Megan didn't stop crying though.
"Is it really you?" She asked blowing her nose on the Kleenex I gave her.
"It's really me." He held her for a few moments. I felt like an almost outsider while watching. I could see they were both so happy.
But it turned more serious when Megan said, "you must hate me for being friends with the people that tried to kill you."
"I could never hate you Megan. You had no idea what they had tried to do. I'm just glad everything ended before you got hurt." He hugged her again.
"I can't believe I'm seeing you again." She sniffed. "It was only last week I found out Hunter and Stephanie tried to kill you."
"Me neither. I didn't think I would ever see any of you again. But if Danny hadn't been so nosy we wouldn't be having this conversation." This earned a laugh from Megan. It was the first time in a long time that I had heard a genuine laugh from her. "Though you have to admit he didn't look bad in drag."
"Hey!" I said though I was trying not to laugh. I took it as my cue to let them have a private conversation. Megan hadn't seen dad in so long and I've known he's been alive for a month or so. It's only right that they have this conversation in private so I headed to the kitchen.
I opened the refrigerator and took a bottled water out. I turned and stared outside. It was a nice winter day. There was a little bit of snow on the ground but not much. Growing up in Atlanta, I rarely saw snow. It's beautiful up here.
"Oh hey. Didn't know you were in here." I turned around tosee Uncle Eddy standing there in the doorway.
"I thought I should give my dad and Megan some privacy." Eddy nodded and started to goto the refrigerator. I thought about the dream I had this morning. I haven't gotten a chance to really talk to Uncle Eddy other then him yelling at me. Shane talked about how Eddy got involved in this but I haven't heard anything about it from Eddy. "Hey can I talk to you?"
He almost seemed uneasy as he sat at the table. I took a seat next to him. "I figured you'd want to talk eventually."
Now that I've got him here what do I want to say? I wondered. There were so many questions going through my mind. But there was one that stuck out in my mind right now. The reason why we were having this conversation right now. "When I asked what happened to my dad why did you lie?"
He had a sad look on his face. "It would have been better if I had said something different. I still kick myself. I made a mistake by not saying anything. It was a story I have been telling people for years so it was only natural to tell you that. Like I said I never thought Bischoff would send that tape. I didn't even know you went to see Vince McMahon until Eric told Michael how you got the tape."
"How could you lie to my family for so many years?" There were tears in my eyes as I asked him. People comment all the time that I get to the point quick when I want to know something. Mom told me I got it from dad. Course she says that about a lot of things.
Eddy had a very hurt look on his face. He didn't say anything right away. "I think it's best if I start at the beginning. On New Years Day in 1999, I was in a car accident on the way home from the store. My leg was badly hurt and I was on the shelf for months." I nodded. Shane had told me this but I didn't interrupt. "In April of that year I was hanging out backstage at Nitro. I heard a conversation I wasn't supposed to hear between Kevin Nash and Scott Hall. They were talking about the WWF PPV Over the Edge, which was the following month. They were talking about how at Over the Edge there would be one less Hart.
"I was so shocked by that and listened more. I decided to go to the police with the information who sent me to talk to an FBI agent named, of course, Michael Erichson. They were building a case against Vince. There was some questionable stuff going on before this whole Over the Edge PPV. I called Shane Douglas because I needed someone's help in this. I didn't involve your dad, Perry, or Dean because they were busy on the road. The FBI had a medic that worked for them. Shane and I had to wait at a hotel for information because we had no idea if Owen would survive.
There were some weird things going on back then. I'm surprised no one figured something was up other then us. They had some guy whohad been an assistant to the man who created Sting's stunt in WCW, in charge of this. The guy lied about his past experience but I think Vince knew that and that's why he was hired. I don't know but it makes sense to me. We were both relieved to find out that Owen had survived. They kept Owen in the hospital until he could be moved. We were lucky the assumed name worked. No one expected a thing. You know about the walkout in 2000?"
I nodded. "Shane Douglas told me all about it. How you were going to the WWF and that Shane was trying to persuade them not to."
Eddy nodded. "That was the plan but there was no trying to persuade them not to go there. Your dad did have an excuse. Your mother was pregnant with you. This whole thing destroyed three friendships. But we thought that maybe this was the best way to do it. Shane never actually asked for his release and stayed in WCW. It got blown way out of proportion. Your dad and Shane are as close as they everwere."
I nodded. My anger not really dissipating but I let Uncle Eddy continue talking. He wasn't quite saying anything I hadn't heard before.
He started playing with the tablecloth as he continued. "I got fired in 2002 because of an addiction to pain killers. Honestly, those things were the only things getting me through all of this. But that's another story. It wasn't really an uncommon thing for wrestlers to have that problem. I took time to get my life back in order. Your father was a good friend during all of that. I came back and was sent to Smackdown. That's when Bischoff came in to play General Manager for RAW, until the roster split ended and Stephanie McMahon was named General Manager."
"Things started going really bad in May and the summer of 2003. I was suspended because someone had planted drugs in my bag. I was clean of drugs. And there was no other explanation for how they got in there. And someone else had doctored the test to make it look like I had taken heroin. This wasn't the first time someone had placed drugs in someone's bags, but unlike Brian Lawler I wasn't fired. Why I'm not really sure but I'm glad I wasn't.
"Then your dad rebroke his elbow in a match against the Big Show. Totally an accident by the way. He was supposed to win the title and face Steve Austin in the unification match but that of course wasn't meant to be. Both he and I returned to the WWF at the same time. Vince didn't give me a match at Survivor Series but he put your dad in a match that was supposed to set him up for his match at Royal Rumble against Steve Austin. But as you know that also wasn't meant to be.
"Unlike with your father six months later, I didn't go to ringside. We had all thought that would look suspicious so Chase, of course, went out there. He gave me a signal that only I knew meant Steve was alive. But that was an anxious twenty-four hours, since Steve barely survived the fall. People asked for their releases after Survivor Series though not the mass exodus that happened six months later. As for your family...I never liked lying to people but I was never given a choice. I hated looking at your motheri n so much pain. A few times at the beginning I had to bite my tongue to keep from saying anything to her."
"I had a dream last night. In it I was at my dad's wake. I was sitting on my mom's lap and you guys were talking about how my mother was worried because I wouldn't eat, speak or sleep. Then you said Damn Vince for doing this."
His face paled. "I didn't think anyone heard me. But yes Isaid that. I was so mad at Vince for doing something like this to your family. When Vince, Hunter, and Stephanie had planned to kill your father I had never been so angry before. I wanted to kill them myself."
"It really tore me up when I found out your mother and Tatem were in the audience. They were both going to have to witness this in person. Your dad was so excited about spending the next two days with his family. He had no idea that he would never see any of you again for fourteen years. He even thought it was strange that he wasn't wrestling on RAW but didn't want to complain. I had trouble looking him in the eye that night."
"I bet. After all he was going to have his life as he knows it taken away from him." I couldn't help but say that.
Uncle Eddy frowned at me. "That's true. That's what we did to him. I hated every moment of it. We got your dad to the cabin and with the exception of the RAW tribute and one in Japan I was done with wrestling."
"So did you tell my dad Owen was alive before or after you brought him to the cabin." From what Shane said they didn't tell him until they got to the cabin. Did they give my dad the same surprise?
He blinked. "Before." He looked uncomfortable. What wasn't he telling me this time? I wondered. After all of this time he still didn't want to tell me everything. I was getting really tired of this. "Before you say anything your dad wants to tell everyone after the trial." I was right.
"When Vince asked me t o take over OVW I was more then happy to. But I also asked how much it would be to buy OVW from him. When I found out I bought it. He really wasn't asking for much. I think he just wanted to get rid of it. When we started this guest trainer thing I requested one thing. That one thing was that Hunter Hearst Helmsley was never allowed to do guest training. This was long before you or Athena joined."
"Going to your house was always difficult even years later. I could see the pain in all of your eyes. Though your mother hid it really well even after she married Jason. It was so hard for Shane too even though he rarely went there right?" I nodded. "When Vince plotted to off Shane it was the worst thing. Shane loved his father and sister. He had no clue his father, sister, and brother in law were capable of murder. He was a bit too trusting, though he did separate WCW from WWE with some help from Ted Turner. He was so shocked to find out what they did and tried to do.
"Shane told us later how he thinks Vince tried to destroy Bret's career. That Vince was angry that Bret even entertained the idea of leaving for WCW. It's become obvious now that he was. I feel sorry because Andi and Wes haven't had a normal childhood. They didn't even know their last name is McMahon. We thought it would be better for them if they never knew their parents past. Now life as they know it is forever changed."
"Like everyone else's lives." I couldn't help being bitter. Uncle Eddy was being so honest and all I could think about is now.
Eddy gave me a look. I could tell he was barely holding his temper. I should probably back off but I had a right to be angry. So I really couldn't back off. "What are we going to tell my mother?"
He closed his eyes. "It's not something I look forward to doing. I know she'll hate me and I wouldn't blame her. She trusts me. When you and her were constantly arguing about you finishing high school in Atlanta she sent you to spend part of the summer in El Paso with my family."
I remembered that summer. Eddy wasn't there but I spent it with his family. It was the summer between my junior and senior years of high school. Uncle Eddy had accidentally let it slip that there were a couple of people at the school who went to Brown High School. I wanted to do that and mom put her foot down. That caused a lot of arguments. I spent some time in El Paso and went back to my high school in Atlanta.
"I was never against you becoming a wrestler but I would have rather had you go to a different school. That was mostly because of the fact that you would be close to the cabin. But since Athena was training at the cabin I didn't think it would be that much of a problem."
"It might have been different if you were straight with me not that I would change any of it."
"Yeah I know. But as I once told Ric and Arn, it's been going on so long. You don't even think about it anymore. My family and I sort of fit our lives around this. I'd take them up to the cabin at least once a year. Shane would sometimes come down to Louisville to take care of some business stuff. We did everything so discreetly I don't think Vince had any idea that some of WCW stuff was being taken care of by Shane."
"So that's why Shane was at your place that day?" It never occurred to me before today to ask why Shane was at Uncle Eddy's.
"Yes and that's why I was gone most of the previous day." He ran a hand through his hair before sighing. I noticed again that he does that a lot. "I guess there's a lot of what ifs with this. If I had been at my office I could have probably defused the situation."
"Yeah well what ifs aren't going to help my mother, Athena's mother, and Steve's wife understand."
"What do you want me to say to you Danny? That I'm sorry we had to keep your father away from you to keep your family and him safe? None of us exactly had a choice in the matter and I really do hate Vince for doing this to everyone. That's why I'll be glad when the trial is over and Vince is behind bars. Other then that I don't know what to tell you Danny."
I could see he was starting to lose his temper. Maybe it would be best if I let it drop. I knew his temper was not something you wanted to deal with.
He decided to end the conversation himself by walking out of the room. I went back to watching the snowfall outside.