Chapter Six: Lita Helps

Jeff's POV:

By Thursday night, I was relieved to see Amy Dumas, known to most as the former WWE Diva Lita, arrive in San Antonio. She had been at her beach house and out of touch, but Matt finally got in touch with her and she agreed to come meet us in Texas. Between Thursday night and Sunday morning she helped me get the last touches for the funeral done, get some of Tammy's things packed away, and helped break some of the boundaries between me and Taylor. I was thankful she was at my side.

On Monday morning, Taylor was discharged from the hospital, though she was still hurt and needed to be helped with things like getting dressed. Amy said she'd stick around long enough for Taylor to heal to help out with that since, with the exception of Taylor, the Hardy family was nothing but testosterone.

"Ready to get out of here, Taylor?" I asked her, showing her the discharge papers I had just signed.

"Yes, somebody please help me get this damn hospital gown off and into some real clothes, please," she said.

"Come on, Taylor," Amy said. "I've got some new clothes for you that I think you're gonna like. I went shopping for you on Saturday after I saw what size clothes you wear."

Amy helped Taylor into the bathroom. Ten minutes later, the two emerged with Taylor completely dressed, more like Amy usually dresses than any of the clothes I found in Taylor's room.

"Comfy?" Amy asked Taylor.

"Very. Thank you. I love the baggy jeans, and the t-shirt. Thank you, Amy," Taylor said.

"No problem. When Jeff told me you were hiding the fact you were more like him, I thought these might be more suited to you than anything we could bring you from home. Plus, these are way more comfortable when you're hurt and need breathing room for your injuries, aren't they, Jeff?"

"That, they are," I laughed as I agreed with Amy.

"I don't have to keep wearing those cardigans and dress pants anymore, do I?" asked Taylor.

"If you don't like wearing those things, no. Amy said she's gonna stick around until you feel a bit better. The three of us can go shopping for new clothes after the funeral, either here or back in North Carolina," I told her. "Now, let's get you out of here. Unless you wanna stay another night?"

"Let's go!" Taylor said, excited.

The three of us left the hospital and met Matt and Michael in the lobby. After taking Taylor home briefly, we took her to Michael's ranch for the rest of the day because he'd invited her over. I'd accepted because I didn't think she'd want to be around all of her mom's things just yet, and seeing her relax, it seemed like I'd made the right decision.

Flashback: Sixteen years ago

"Tammy, don't do this," I begged her. "Just because I'm not the type of guy who can work a 9-5 job doesn't mean I can't be a good father to our baby."

"Jeff, how can you be any kind of father to our baby when you're constantly risking your life for a chance that the WWE will offer you and Matt contracts? You travel a lot and you live on adrenaline. I don't want our baby to grow up like that," Tammy said to me. "I'm telling my father that you've chosen those things over a safer future where we could be together. I don't know what's going to happen when I do, but I do know that whatever the future holds for this child, he'll make sure that you're not included in it unless you give up these ridiculous risks, Jeff."

"You're asking me to completely change who I am, Tammy. I would never ask you to do that for me. I've never asked you to do that for me. I've always loved you for who you are, as you are. I thought you loved me for who I am, but I guess I was wrong," I said to her.

"I do love you, Jeff. But this baby will need stability. These jobs you take with the WWE, the ones where you come back to Cameron bruised and injured all the time, that's not stability. How can we take care of a baby like that?"

"We'd find a way. I would find a way to make sure the baby was taken care of," I said to her.

"I'm sorry, Jeff."

Present:

Dad and Taylor were talking about Cameron and what it would be like when she moved there with us. She seemed nervous, but if she was anything like me, she'd be fine. While I was still watching everything going on, Michael came and sat near me.

"She seems like good kid," he said to me.

"I think so. I think she's just aching to break free of the mold Tamara's been forcing her into all her life," I said to him. "Thanks for everything you're doing for me. I really appreciate it. I never thought I'd ever get to meet my daughter, and here you are, helping me when I suddenly get to. I hope I can repay you one day."

"Don't worry about it, Jeff," Michael said. "I'm just glad you're finally getting a chance to meet her. She seems a lot like you."

"She is, and she's had to hide it. Her mother hated that I was into all the extreme things that I've always been into. Taylor's into them and Tamara's been trying to force it out of her. The kid has paintings like the ones I've done hidden in her room, a skateboard hidden in her closet and who knows what else. She's ready to be freed and I'm hoping that we can bond over that."

"It's good the two of you already have something to bond over. It will make the transition easier for both of you."

"I hope so. Because I'm scared out of my mind."

"All new parents are, Jeff. Just, don't forget it's okay to be her friend, but at the end of the day, you need to give her some kind of rules to keep her safe. She'll need some kind of boundaries. What kind of boundaries you want to give her are up to you, but she'll need to know that you are just as much her father as you are her friend."

"Thanks for the advice."

"Anytime."

Michael got up to barbecue and Amy sat down with me. Matt had joined Dad and Taylor. I just decided to let them get to know her because I had gotten a chance to have some serious conversations with her in the hospital.

"She's a strong girl, Jeff."

"I know she is. I just hope I can be as strong a man for her, Amy. You and I both know I'm gonna have to tell her the truth about my past."

"The drugs?"

"Yeah," I said looking at Amy because I couldn't look at Taylor thinking about how badly I'd screwed up in the past.

"Own it, Jeff. Be honest with her. You've cleaned up your act. You've been clean for a while now. Did you screw up? Yes. We both know that. Everyone knows that. But you ultimately got help and got clean. That's the part that will matter more. Seeing how much that kid is already falling in with your family, she'll be able to forgive your past as long as it stays in your past."

"I have no plans on being that kind of screw up again anytime soon. Especially not with Taylor needing me, Aimes."

"Good. Then you're already on the right track," Amy reassured me, giving me a hug.