This was supposed to be posted Friday but life happens...
Robyn was sleeping peacefully until a knock interrupted. It wasn't loud or booming but enough to flip her eyes open in surprise. The first thing she looked at was her phone, squinting her eyes against the brightness of the screen. 4:30 AM. Who? What? Why?
Apparently she didn't respond fast enough because the knocking picked up in sound. Groaning, she rolled out of bed onto her feet and waddled to the door. She peered through the peephole and felt safe enough to open it when she saw Joe on the other side.
"I missed you," the hug told her so much more than his 3 words conveyed; it was tighter than usual, almost clingy but still, she melted into him, feeling warm and at peace.
"I missed you, too," she replied softly as her hands roamed his shoulders and upper back. "What are you doing here?"
"You told me to pick you up early Thursday morning…"
"By early I meant 9, 9:30ish," she clarified.
"And if I came at that time, it would take us over an hour to get back home so 11. I don't want to waste any time with you today so get your shoes," he said.
"Just my shoes? Can I at least brush my teeth, shower, run a comb through my hair and put some clothes on first? Geez," laughing, she took a step back to reveal herself in just an oversized t-shirt.
"Well, since I want to make a stop, I guess we can spare 15 to 20 minutes," he decided.
She took 25 after dozing off for 5 as she got dressed. Then they were off to the car. At around 6, he pulled them into the empty parking lot of a diner. "Is this place even open?"
"Yeah, employees park around back. We're just the first customers I guess," he explained. They went inside, ordered breakfast and then waited in a booth.
When she looked at him across from her, she found him staring. "Joe, stop looking at me like that?"
"Like what?" he asked, seeming to not realize what he was doing.
"Like that?" she blushed, feeling a sudden pang of shyness.
"Sorry, I'm just happy to see you after being separated for the last few days especially considering the situation," he replied. "Have you told anyone yet?"
"I don't know how you broke the news to your family but I sat there Monday night after you left trying to find an easy method that didn't involve bluntly saying, 'the cancer is back' but that was impossible," she sighed. "Like, it's already difficult for me to deal with and I wasn't ready for the reactions of others. Anyway, I finally built up enough courage to call my parents who were devastated. The next morning I went ahead and contacted Vince and Stephanie because obviously they deserve to know before everyone else."
"What happened?" he asked as the bell on the door chimed when more customers entered.
"There was shock of course especially with the timing. Then, they offered me an in-ring segment tomorrow on the show if I want to make the announcement," but she wasn't sure if she wanted to take it though.
"So how are you holding up?" he placed his hand on top of hers on the table.
"The first night I was just in shock and couldn't really process it. Since then I've been shifting through moods of hope and despair. I'm trying to find a healthy medium but I'm okay at the moment," she answered as the waitress sat their plates in front of them. "Have you told anyone?"
"G."
"What about the kids?"
"I honestly wouldn't know how."
"It can't be any harder than telling them about your diagnosis. You're their father after all. I'm just the girlfriend who's only been around them for a few months," she shrugged.
From there, they continued to their house. He fumbled with his keys before inserting it into the lock. "I'm not the only one who missed you around here."
As soon as he opened the door, Midnight was on her. "I know, I've been gone longer than usual but I'm back and you're going to be seeing a whole lot more of me now. Have your kids spoiled him yet?"
"Not that I can tell although he does get whiny if I don't get him a treat fast enough. I have a surprise for you…"
"Oh?" she raised a brow. He covered her eyes with his palm and walked her down the hallway. From the sound of things, he pushed a door open with his foot before removing his hands. It was his mancave but he'd done some redecorating and she saw quite a few of her things laying around. "What's this?"
"The den…"
Her mouth dropped in shock, thinking back to how adamant he was about keeping her out the other day. That's when the tears started forming. She shook her head. "Joe, you didn't have to do this."
"I know but I wanted to. I'm pretty sure you don't want to rewatch the Rumble now but it's yours to watch whatever else."
Just when she thought she couldn't love him any more than she already did, he goes and does something like this. "You know what, I think I will rewatch it. I know it's a bittersweet moment but what is avoiding the highlight of my career going to achieve?"
The skin on her arm raised with goosebumps in response to her name being announced as the winner, rethinking her thoughts at that very moment of heading to Wrestlemania and knowing what she found out less than 24 hours later. "Life is so unfair."
"It is…" he agreed as he secured an arm around her shoulder and squeezed.
The comforting gesture moved her, but didn't fully quiet her thoughts. "Obviously we can't hear the commentary while we're in the ring so Cole saying, 'she kept her word and is going to Wrestlemania' really got to me, not because I'm not going but because that part was mostly directed to the kids we visited in the hospital. I'm sad now because I feel like I'm going to be letting them down when word gets out."
"Rob, if anyone understands the curveballs that life throws us, it's them. Now I'm not saying they won't be upset by this but with the right delivery of the news, you can at least reassure them."
"If I could visit every hospital that we visited all over again, I would but I don't have the time unfortunately since I'll be starting treatment next week."
"You can make a video to be sent around to them after the news becomes public," he suggested.
"That sounds like a good idea," I nodded.
He pulled out his phone and aimed it at her. "Alright."
"What?! Not now. I don't even know what I want to say…"
"It'll come to you."
"Alright, I'm ready," she cleared her throat.
"1...2...now," he mouthed.
"Hi guys, by now I'm sure you've heard the news and I'm sure you have a lot of questions. I'm going to be away from WWE TV for awhile but there's no need to worry. This is nothing more than a minor setback that I'll overcome, hopefully," she added and emphasized hopefully because she didn't want to make false promises. "Last month I said that I was going to win the Rumble and go to Wrestlemania. Well, I did one of those things and while I won't be apart of this Wrestlemania, hopefully I'll be apart of the next. We're all on this road to recovery together now so wish me luck and I'll do the same for you."
"That was perfect. I'll hold on to it until it's time to send it around."
"Now what?" she asked and he smirked in response.
Within minutes, they were laid back on the sofa. For the next several hours they went at it like maniacs from one end of the house to the other, dripping with sweat and clawing at each other, only stopping to eat before picking back up where they left off.
Once her treatment began, their sex life would take a hit because the high dose of chemo and radiation would likely make her sex drive nonexistent and even if she desired sex, she'd probably be too tired to have it. Neither of them acknowledged this but she knew he had to be thinking about it as well.
Robyn rolled on top, straddling him in bed that night. She rubbed the head of his erection against her slickness, just enough to get it lubricated before pressing him inside.
"Rob, it's getting later so after this, we need to be going to sleep because our flight is early and I haven't seen you touch a suitcase yet," he said.
"Joe, I'm not…"
"Shh…" he gripped her waist to guide her up and down. Soon, her smooth motions turned into wild bucking. He sat up so that Robyn was straddled across his lap with her legs locked behind him.
He watched as her breast bounced with each movement so she cupped them in her hands and offered them to him; he started kissing and licking them all over, then sucking and biting her nipples. He had his hands on her ass, kneading her cheeks hard, urging her pumping hips. With a groan, Joe thrust one last time before climaxing. Rob didn't slow one beat, milking him dry.
Panting, they shared one last kiss before collapsing on the mattress.
"Now what were you trying to say?" he yawned in her ear.
"It's nothing, I'll tell you in the morning."
His alarm woke her at around 8. He showered and was walking back and forth in the room when he finally noticed that she hadn't moved.
"Why aren't you up yet?"
She hesitated for a moment, trying to figure out how to break it to him. "Because I've been thinking about the offer over the last few days and I've decided to just put out a statement…"
"That's kind of impersonal. You owe it to the fans to-" he started before she interrupted.
"No, I owe it to my fans, not the entire WWE fanbase. Those are the same people who tried to boo my victory and remind me that I'm a 'homewrecker that slept my way to the top' every five minutes on social media. I never told you this because I didn't want to upset you but there were people who actually said they wanted my cancer to return. Now I have to stand in a ring and tell them that their wish came true!"
"Rob, you already know that for every 2 assholes, there's 20 who support you. That's who you should focus on," he tried to reason with her. "You know I'll be in the ring to support you."
"I know, I know but I'm not nearly as strong as you are. I'll never be able to stand there as calm as you did that night. I wouldn't be able to get out one word. I'm sorry but I just can't," she shook her head.
"Then I will," he replied to her shock.
Her phone dinged around 6 and when she looked at the screen, she saw a message from Sonya.
Daria: You'd think the Rumble winner would be front and center for tonight's show? Where are you? Joe didn't say much when we asked.
It was then that she regretted staying home. She still wouldn't have been able to get in the ring to make the announcement but this wasn't news that you deliver to your friends and colleagues via text so she decided to ignore the message until later.
Just when she was ready to get settled before the show, the doorbell rang.
"Who…?" she asked herself, standing. She looked through the window and she saw Galina's car parked out front.
When she opened the door, Jojo was on her, sniffing and crying. Robyn patted her back as they hugged.
"Joe didn't want them to find out from the TV when they watched the show so he called and we told them together," Galina revealed.
"I'm sorry I was mean to you," Jojo whispered.
"Joelle, you weren't mean, you just didn't like change like most children your age wouldn't so I never took any of it personally. And if you're only apologizing because you think something's going to happen to me, I accept but I'm going to be just fine, hopefully," she replied.
"You're sick?" one twin asked. Sick was all they could comprehend at this time she figured.
"Yes," she nodded.
"Do you have medicine?" the other asked.
"Not yet but I'll be taking it real soon," she said.
After the show's intro, Roman's theme hit. She wasn't expecting him to start the show with this information but there he was, in his street clothes. The crowd was full of energy but he put a hand up to silence them. "I know I'm scheduled for a match with my cousins against Corbin, Dolph and Roode but that's not important right now. I didn't think I'd be addressing you as Joe again for a while but here we are…" he said and there were audible gasps and shocked expressions when the camera switched the crowd. She knew the fans were probably scared to death thinking this was pertaining to his diagnosis.
"Oh God..." Robyn watched through her fingers as she covered her face.
"Last week during a routine medical visit, and subsequent tests, doctors discovered that Robyn..." he paused, taking a deep breath to compose himself before continuing. "...that Robyn…"
She popped the TV off. "I can't watch it."
"That's understandable," Galina replied.
Almost immediately her phone blew up with texts, notifications and calls that she didn't answer right away. The twins soon demanded that the TV be turned back on so she did and that's when a match was announced:
Because she was no longer able to compete at Wrestlemania, someone had to take her place. Management decided to gather the final four women in the Rumble match(Charlotte, Shayna, Beth, Natalya) and let them duke it out in a Fatal Four Way elimination match. In the end, the winner was Charlotte who didn't seem to celebrate the victory as she would've if she'd won it under different circumstances.
After the show was over, she helped load the children into the car and asked to speak to Galina inside the house alone.
"What's the status of the divorce?"
"It shouldn't be much longer. Probably a few weeks to a month," she shrugged. "Why do you ask?"
"Because I'm trying to look strong in front of Joe but I'm freaking out right now and I don't know what the outcome of this could be so could you maybe...I don't know...delay it. If something happens to me, he's going to need someone to lean on and if you two are still legally married at the time, you might as well..." she trailed off.
"No! I don't want to hear it. You're going to be fine. Please don't let Joe hear you talking like that," she scolded.
"He already knows how I am and I'm not just talking. People with my form of cancer rarely get second chances, let alone a third. It gets harder each time and I'm already in stage 2 so there's a real possibility that I won't be here in 6 to 8 months," Robyn stated bluntly without sugarcoating it.
Galina looked taken aback and unsure of how to respond. She sighed. "You know more about your situation than I do but you have to at least have faith. Joe was never anything but optimistic and he definitely wasn't making plans and arrangements. Did you really just try to hook me back up with Joe? And for what? So we can break up for a 3rd time? I can't believe you!"
"Yeah, I was being a little ridiculous," she laughed. "I need to at least start treatment first to see how well I'll respond before talking crazy talk."
"Exactly because when your mind gives up, your body does, too. Tomorrow's a Saturday so if you need us to stay, they don't have school in the morning."
"No, I'm fine but thanks," she declined and watched them at the door until they pulled off.
Her phone was still buzzing and ringing off the hook so she wrote up a statement on Instagram.
robwwe: I'm sorry I couldn't be there tonight but as you can imagine, standing in the middle of that ring isn't an easy task which is why I have to thank romanreigns for speaking on my behalf. Love you. I'm going to continue to do what I've been doing in the ring which is fight. To my fans: being here for you is the honor of a lifetime. I'll be home for awhile beginning my treatment plan, which will occur over the next several months. I may miss a few matches during this period but with God's grace I will be walking down that ramp soon. Please keep me and Joe in your prayers as I begin this journey. #ThirdTimesTheCharm
romanreigns: You are the strongest woman I know. You can handle this and then some. I love you and I'm never leaving your side. Keep your phone close, I'll call when I get settled.
username1: I love how everyone in the comments is apologizing and feeling bad for treating her the way they did these last few months. Fake af! This isn't like Ro where we didn't know. Rob being in remission was public knowledge and most of you still chose to bully her knowing that something like this could happen. Those of you who participated should feel like shit right now.
robwwe: username1 although there's a lot of truth in what you said, there's no need to harbor resentment over the past. This is bigger than that now.
From there she went on to respond to as many texts as she could from her friends inside and outside of wrestling until she was interrupted by her phone ringing.
"Hey," Joe greeted on the other end when she answered. "A lot of people were mad at you backstage tonight."
"They've already cursed me out via text so I'm aware. The women's locker room really did deserve to hear it from me but I haven't been thinking rationally these last few days," she heard a lot of noise in the background. "What are you doing?"
"I am boarding a jet so I can get home to you tonight and from there, we can fly down to Miami in the morning for Superbowl weekend."
"Actually, I was planning on flying to New York to visit my family before I begin treatment but I know how important your 49ers are to you so I'll come if you really want me to."
"Nah, being with your family at a time like this is more important than a game so just leave the light on for me and I'll be home soon."
