Chapter Two: The Call
Jeffrey Hardy was at home with his father when his cell phone started to ring. He didn't recognize the number, but something told him to pick it up. After telling his dad he had to take the call, he walked to the kitchen and answered it.
"Hello?"
"Hello. Is this Jeffrey Nero Hardy?" the woman on the other side asked.
"Yes it is. May I help you?"
"Mr. Hardy, my name is Lauren Kingsley and I am an attorney for Tamara Adams."
"What does she want?"
"Mr. Hardy, I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this, but Ms. Adams was killed in a car accident two days ago."
Jeff went quiet. Tammy was dead? The lawyer had to be wrong. She was too fired up to be dead. Then another thought occurred to him, one he couldn't let himself think of for fifteen years.
"What about her daughter?"
"That's why I'm calling you, Mr. Hardy. Ms. Adams had no other living relatives after her father's heart attack three years ago. According to the girl's birth certificate, you are her biological father."
"I am. Will I be able to get custody of her?"
"Seeing as there are no other alternatives in place, Mr. Hardy, if you or a member of your family don't take Taylor, she will end up in foster care."
"I won't let that happen. She has a family. Where is she?"
"San Antonio General Hospital. I'm sorry to tell you this, but Taylor was in the vehicle with Ms. Adams when another vehicle jumped the divider and hit them head-on. She's been in a coma for two days. Ms. Adams was killed on impact."
His daughter was hurt, in a coma, and alone. The thought was too much to bear.
"Ms. Kingsley, thank you, I'll be on my way to San Antonio tonight. I should be at the hospital in the morning."
"I'll notify them and will meet you there to discuss things further."
"Thank you."
Jeff got off the phone and went back to the living room to find Matt sitting with their Dad. He must have come in while he was in the kitchen on the phone.
"Guys, I've gotta leave tonight and I don't know when I'll be back."
"What's wrong, Jeff? I don't think you should be going anywhere alone like this," Matt said.
"I just got off the phone with a lawyer in Texas. She called to tell me that Tammy and our daughter were in a car crash two days ago. Tammy was killed instantly. Our daughter, Taylor, has been in a coma since," Jeff said, crying. "My little girl needs me. Tammy's gone. Her dad died a few years ago. If we're not there for her, she's alone."
Matt and their father got up and hugged Jeff. They'd wanted to be part of his daughter's life almost as badly as Jeff did. Now she needed them.
"We'll go as a family," Gil said.
"You're not in this alone, Jeff," Matt said.
"Thanks, guys. We need to go. I'll book the tickets and everything. You guys go get ready."
The three Hardy men split up to go pack. When Jeff was alone again, he pulled out his phone and called an old friend.
"Hey Jeff, I wasn't expecting to hear from you."
"Hey Michael, I need a favor from you, if you don't mind. I know I haven't called in a while and now I'm calling to ask for a favor, but it's important to me," Jeff said to Michael Hickenbottom, aka Shawn Michaels.
"Are you okay?"
"Not really. I'm flying into San Antonio tonight with my dad and Matt. Do you think we could stay with you for a while?"
"What are you coming down here for?"
"My daughter is in the hospital. The daughter I was never allowed to see."
"Text me your flight info and I'll meet you three at the airport."
"Thanks, Michael."
"No problem, Jeff. If I can do anything else, let me know. In the meantime, I'll be praying for you and your little girl."
They got off the phone and Jeff dialed another number. He contacted the president of Total Non-Stop Action Wrestling, Dixie Carter.
"This is Dixie."
"Dixie, this is Jeff Hardy."
"Jeff! Are you excited about your upcoming return?"
"That's what I needed to talk to you about. I need to postpone it."
"Why would you do that?"
Jeff explained about Tamara and Taylor.
"Darling, go be with your little girl. Keep me updated and we'll talk when things settle down."
"Thanks, Dixie."
"We'll miss you, but obviously your little girl needs you more right now than we do."
"I'll be in touch."