Chapter 4
A few minutes later, they were on the road and Nicoya smiled as she watched her daughter gaze at Mark out of her window. "What makes you so attached to him, Aly?" She asked curiously, wondering where this fascination was coming from.
"I don't know…" Alyssa shrugged, peeling her eyes away from Mark as he flashed her a quick grin and pulled ahead of them. "He's not as bad as people make him out to be is he, Mommy? He's not mean or angry." She tapped her chin thoughtfully, forehead scrunched together. "Why don't you like him?"
"It's not that I don't like him, baby girl. It's just…complicated." Nicoya sighed heavily, wishing she didn't have to keep things hidden from her daughter, but she had no choice. Some things were better kept hidden as Nicoya watched Mark pull in front of them and shook her head as they drove to the arena. Once they arrived, Nicoya slid out, grabbing Alyssa's hand before she could rush over to the doors, and grabbed her bag before heading inside. "You're going to be the death of me one day, Alyssa."
"How am I going to be the death of you, Mom?" Alyssa asked curiously, allowing herself to be pulled into the arena, looking confused. "I'm not dangerous am I?"
"No sweetheart, you're not." Nicoya reassured her daughter with a smile and walked inside the arena. She immediately stopped dead in her tracks, causing Alyssa to bump into her, and felt her eyes widen in shock at how many people were here. 'What is going on?' She immediately thought and grabbed Alyssa's hand tightly in her own. "Don't you dare leave my sight, Alyssa Marie or you'll be in big trouble." She warned, complete seriousness in her eyes, and started heading toward her office.
Alyssa didn't need to be told twice about this. There were way too many people for her to even think about trying to run off. She clung to Nicoya, wincing when she was tugged between the wrestlers. Some not even appearing to notice her. "Mom, who are all these guys? What's going on?" The little girl questioned, a hint of fear in her voice.
"I don't know, baby girl. Come here." She stated, lifting her little girl in her arms, and smiled when Alyssa wrapped her legs around her waist and her arms around her neck, burying her face in it. "It's okay, Aly. It'll be okay, sweetheart." She cooed to her, knowing Alyssa was scared because she didn't know what was going on.
"Where're we supposed to go?" Alyssa whispered, her eyes wide as she stared over her mom's shoulder. "I can't see any of the signs of the doors like usual." She smiled slightly when she seen Mark appeared in the hallway, a little pathway being made for him. "You should get behind Mark, Mom, everyone's making way. Why? I thought he didn't cut people up…."
"Alyssa, be quiet for a minute please." Nicoya stated, holding her daughter tightly and thrusted her bag over her shoulder as they finally arrived in her office. She barely managed to get the door open, having to shove Melina out of her way, and slammed the door behind her before setting her daughter down. "Go over to the couch and relax. I have work to do." She stated, sitting down in her chair, and had to stop to catch her breath. What the Hell was going on?
Alyssa groaned, knowing that somehow things were going to be much different from now on. She settled down on the couch, picking up the tiny remote that rested on the arm, and started flicking through channels. Getting bored finally, Alyssa switched it so she could watch the cameras panning the hallway. "Can I get that?" She asked eagerly when someone knocked on Nicoya's office door.
"No, stay put, Alyssa." She ordered, clearing her throat, and raked a hand through her hair as she sighed heavily. "Come in!" She called out, hoping they heard her because it sounded like there was a huge circus in the backstage area. This wasn't a pay-per-view weekend so what was going on? Nicoya felt something in the pit of her stomach telling her that the person who stopped in her office now would have the answer and she wasn't going to like it one bit.
Matt opened the door, ushering Ashley and Kyra inside, keeping them away from Jeff, who wasn't happy because they'd both smacked him upside his head. "KNOCK IT OFF!" He ordered when they rounded on him.
"Coya, thank god…" Kyra spun around alongside Ashley, who was her twin sister, tempted to strangle someone's neck, but seeing her friend again overrode that.
"Um, Mom? Which one is which?" Alyssa demanded, bouncing in place, ready to shell out some hugs, but not sure who was who. They were in different clothes, but other than that, it was hard to tell between Ashley and Kyra. One of their many tricks they loved pulling on the Hardy brothers since Kyra was dating Jeff and Ashley was with Matt. "Arms up!" The twins laughed, raising their arms up in the air, waiting patiently as Alyssa inspected them. "Ky!" Alyssa hugged her, giggling when she was scooped up. "Ohhhh Jeffy too!"
Jeff grinned as he lifted the little girl in his arms, after taking her from Kyra's arms, and kissed her cheek, rubbing his nose against hers. "Hey munchkin! What's crackin', jackin'?" He asked with a grin, laughing when Alyssa started giggling, and looked over at Nicoya, immediately wiping the grin off of his face. "Coya, there's something we need to tell you…"
"Christ, I knew it. I knew all of you were here to deliver me bad news." She grumbled, raking a hand through her black hair, and took a deep breath to calm her racing heart. "What is it, guys? What's going on and why are there so many people here on a Smackdown! show?"
Ashley cleared her throat, sharing a look with Kyra before both glanced at Matt. "Why do I always have to be the bearer of bad news?" Matt demanded, raising both of his hands up into the air exasperated.
Kyra rolled her eyes. "Raw and Smackdown!...have been merged. We're all one big show again, Coya." She finally said, knowing an explosion was about to happen.
"What? You mean I get to see you and Jeff all the time now?" Alyssa asked, sounding positively thrilled.
"WHAT?!" Nicoya exploded, causing everyone, even her daughter, to jump about a foot away from her. "WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU MEAN WE'RE MERGING?!" She screamed, not believing what was happening, and suddenly felt tears welling up in her eyes as she shook her head frantically. "Oh god…" She immediately grabbed Alyssa's hand and began packing her things away. "I need to go NOW! We need to leave. We can't be here. I'll do something." She was rambling incoherently as the tears began sliding down her cheeks.
Jeff sighed as he dropped his head forward, shaking it back and forth solemnly, already knowing what kind of reaction Nicoya would have. "Coya, you know Vince won't allow it…" He reminded her softly.
"Coya, calm down! You know we're here for you. We'll help you out with…everything." Ashley said, taking a hesitant step towards Nicoya.
Kyra sighed, rubbing the heel of her hand against her forehead. "There's four of us, Coya, you know we don't mind helping out." She already knew about the babysitting for Alyssa as well as the keeping her away from scumbag. Plus, her brother not knowing she worked for the company.
"Jeff's right, you can't just leave. Vince would haul you into court so fast, your head would spin, honey." Matt chimed in, not wanting Nicoya to leave, hating that she always ran from her problems.
"Um…someone mind telling me what's going on?" Alyssa demanded, walking over to tug on Matt's hand impatiently.
"Let him! Christ, he CAN'T see Alyssa! He just can't! He'll know and my brother…" Nicoya felt her head spinning out of control as she plopped down in her chair, blinking rapidly, and finally broke down as the shock wore off. "How could this happen to me? I was so careful! I don't have any place to send her! I REFUSE to subject her to my grandparent's abuse! What am I going to do?" She cried harder, burying her face in her hands, and hunched over, sobs beginning to take over. Her ex-boyfriend and brother were going to be on the same show that she worked on and she'd have to work with them because they were wrestlers. She was the lead script writer and therefore, all the final decisions went through her after Vince.
"Coya…" Jeff felt his heart break for her, sighing heavily as he lifted Alyssa up in his arms, and hugged her tightly. "Honey, your momma had some bad experiences with a few people who work here. And yes, you'll get to see me and Ky more." He grinned at her, trying to cheer her up. Even though he knew the little girl was scared to death of how her mother was acting right now.
Ashley looked like she didn't know what to do or say. She chewed on her thumbnail for a few minutes, trying to figure out something to say to make Nicoya feel better. "I usually don't have anything to do besides my backstage shots." Kyra said slowly. "I could watch her at the hotel for you, Coya." Matt nodded in agreement, trying to help Nicoya anyway he could.
"Who's HE and you have a brother, Mom? I have an uncle? Who is he? Can I meet him? What's his name?" Alyssa was running off at the mouth with her questions again, going one hundred miles a minute it seemed.
"No, you are not allowed to meet ANYONE in this company, Alyssa Marie. I'm hiring you a babysitter and you're staying at the hotel from now on. No ifs, ands or buts about it, young lady." Nicoya's tone was final as she stood up from her chair, raking a hand through her hair, not believing this was happening. She knew if her ex-boyfriend got wind of her having a daughter, all Hell would break loose, not to mention her brother. She hadn't seen him since she was ten years old so she doubted he'd recognize her so she was safe as far as that was concerned. "And you're not staying with Mark either. I don't trust him, no matter what happened today. This has gotten serious now." She raked a hand through her hair and began pacing back and forth, chewing her thumbnail.
Jeff groaned when Alyssa started throwing a fit and bounded out of his arms, causing him to sigh heavily, and wrapped his arm around Kyra's shoulders. "This sucks." He muttered under his breath.
"MOM, YOU PROMISED NO BABYSITTERS BESIDES MARK AND ASHLEY!" Alyssa screamed, hands on her hips, throwing a temper tantrum. "I'M NOT-" She looked up when Ashley clamped a hand on her mouth, glaring.
"Stop yelling at your mom, she's got enough on her plate right now, Alyssa." Ashley ordered firmly.
Kyra winced when Alyssa tossed herself into her arms, kneeling down to hold her. "Come on, Aly, it won't be that bad…" She said softly, trying to calm the little girl down.
"I'll run away if she does it." Alyssa promised gravely. "I will. I want one of you to watch me. Mom, why can't Ash and Ky watch me? Why can't Mark? Especially after today!"
"Mark? What is up with Mark? I thought you wanted him to stay away?" Matt questioned, raising a black eyebrow in question at Nicoya, wondering what the Hell had happened.
"Alyssa Marie Harris, one more word out of your mouth and I swear I'll make you REGRET IT!" She hissed back at her daughter, her midnight blue eyes shooting fire, and sighed heavily as she looked at Matt solemnly. She went into the explanation about how Mark saved Alyssa and her from the elevator today and how Alyssa asked Mark to be her babysitter. She agreed because she felt she owed him. "That's not going to happen anymore though. Not with that asshole and my brother lurking around. This has gotten serious and if I would've known prior to taking her from my grandparent's, I would've sent her somewhere else." She started pacing again as everyone just stared at her. "She has a fascination with Mark and I don't know why. Don't fucking ask me, but she's NOT coming to the arenas anymore. The subject is CLOSED. I'm hiring a babysitter because you all are too busy to deal with her. Just let me handle this and if she even THINKS about running away, then I'll make sure she regrets attempting it." Nicoya's tone was firm and final, no room for discussion or argument. She was going to do what was right for her daughter, even if Alyssa hated her for it.
"Coya, we're not too busy, but if you feel that way, then that's fine. I'll respect your wishes." Jeff replied lowly, his green eyes narrowed somewhat, and sighed heavily, his heart breaking for the little girl. He just wished Nicoya would open up her damned eyes and realize how much she was hurting her daughter, even though that wouldn't happen. Not after finding out her ex and brother were on the same show as her now.
Alyssa gasped, tears coursing down her face, her blue eyes wide with emotion. "I HATE YOUR STUPID JOB!" She screamed, glaring at her mother from the safety of Kyra's arms. "You always ruin everything!" She sobbed, sounding like her heart would break. "Now I won't ever get to see anyone!" She sniffled, letting Kyra wipe away her tears with a blue bandana she snagged from Jeff's back pocket.
Matt sighed heavily, stuffing his hands in his pockets, his heart breaking for both Nicoya and Alyssa. "Pumpkin…" He began, shutting up with Ashley nudged him.
Sighing heavily, Nicoya didn't like all the stares she was receiving from her friends, and gently, but firmly pulled her daughter out of Kyra's arms. She bent down to be eye level with her and felt her own tears course down her cheeks. "Alyssa, I'm only doing what I feel is right, sweetheart…" She dropped her head when Alyssa began walking away from her and slowly stood up, wrapping her arms around herself, and stared at the wall. No matter what, Nicoya knew she was screwed. He was going to find out even if she did start hiding Alyssa out because of the others who'd came in contact with her. "Alright," She finally spoke, turning around to face her daughter, and wiped her tears away. "This is my mistake. I made this choice and I'm going to suffer for it, not my daughter. She can stay at the arenas with me and she can stay with Mark or whoever she wishes as LONG as I know them." Nicoya knew her change of heart was because of what her daughter said, but she didn't care. She wasn't going to allow her brother and ex to chase her daughter away from her.
"Now THAT'S the Coya we ALL know and LOVE!" Jeff shouted with joy and started doing the chicken dance, grinning like an adorable idiot. "Oh yeah, Coya is da WOMAN!" He began clucking like a chicken. "And Alyssa is da MUNCHKIN!"
"I'd forgotten what a doofus he is." Alyssa commented, trying to smile, but still feeling too miserable to do so after her outburst.
Kyra nodded, studying her boyfriend and replied, "Yeah, he is a doofus."
Ashley walked over to hug Nicoya. "Don't worry so much, Coya. We're all going to do our best to make sure everything works out." She promised, wishing she could do more.
Nodding, Nicoya hugged her back, not able to stop laughing at Jeff's hilarious antics, and walked over as she bent down to be eye level with her daughter again. "There are two people you need to stay away from, baby girl alright?" When Alyssa nodded, Nicoya smiled as she guided her over to the couch and sat down. "The first is Stone Cold Steve Austin. His real name is Steve Williams, you with me so far?"
"Stone Cold, Steve Williams. Got it." Alyssa nodded, looking at Jeff, and busted out into a giggle. "Mom, is he fruity?" Kyra and Ashley slumped against each other, laughing hysterically at that.
"Still mad at me, sweetheart?" Nicoya murmured softly in her daughter's ear, hugging her close, ignoring her question about Jeff since she already knew the answer to that question.
"No…" Alyssa snuggled against her mother. "I wasn't mad…Well, maybe a little. Who's the other person I can't be around?" She asked curiously, wanting to make sure she didn't run into these people.