Chapter 6
"All she said, Mom was that there was a line and that I'd have to wait my turn, but she was a real snotwad." Alyssa said, totally oblivious that there might be something wrong.
"She didn't really say or do anythin', Nico." Mark assured her, mildly intrigued now. He generally steered clear of the gossip and the lives of his co-workers, but this time, he was a tad curious.
Nodding, Nicoya bent down to be eye level with her daughter, staring into her eyes, and took a deep breath to calm down. "I want you to stay away from that woman, Alyssa. She's nothing, but trouble and I don't want you talking to her. Do you understand me?" She asked, her voice full of seriousness, and actually grabbed both of her hands, ignoring Mark's presence for the time being.
Alyssa nodded, looking mildly curious herself. She stared at her mother, debating whether this would be a good time or not to enquire what the deal was then decided against it. "Alright Mom, I'll stay away from her, alright?"
"Thank you, baby girl." She whispered, kissing the top of her head, and raked a hand through her hair. Not realizing her face was tear streaked from her unfortunate visit with John earlier while her daughter was out getting something to drink with Mark.
"Mom? Have you been crying?" Alyssa asked, a frown marring her generally cherubic face.
Mark frowned, taking a step forward. "She's probably just sweatin', angel. Why don't you grab that game you were goin' on about and show it to me?" He suggested, waiting until Alyssa was rifling through her bag before offering Nicoya a bandana. "You alright?" He asked softly.
"Thanks." She whispered, taking his bandana, and wiped her tears away from her eyes. Just the mere mention of that cunt Torrie Wilson caused tears to spring to Nicoya's eyes since she was the Diva John cheated with on her. She sighed heavily, turning her chair away from her daughter, not wanting her to see them. The last thing she wanted to do was worry her precious angel as she took a deep breath.
"Okay…here it is." Alyssa held up the game to him.
Mark kneeled down besides her, taking it and studying it intently. "I think I'm a bit too old fer this." He said solemnly.
"I think you are too." Alyssa agreed, looking perfectly serious. "So was she crying?"
"Nah…" Mark lied, smiling, and glanced back at Nicoya. "You hungry?"
Nicoya didn't know he was talking to her as she turned back around in her chair, smiling at her daughter, and looked back down at the two scripts she had left. One was John's and the other was her brother's. She sighed heavily, raking her hands through her hair, and gripped it tightly before raising an eyebrow. "You gonna answer him or just let him stand there wondering, sweetheart?" She quietly asked Alyssa.
Alyssa smirked, looking mildly smug. "He was talking to YOU, Mom." She said, crossing her arms over her chest. Mark held a hand up to his face, hiding his grin. "You gonna answer him or just let him stand there wondering, sweetheart?"
Nicoya couldn't help, but laugh softly at her daughter and could feel her cheeks tingeing red again, for the fourth time in the presence of this man. "Alyssa, you're going to get it." She growled playfully and stood up from her desk, grabbing her daughter and started tickling mercilessly. Her daughter's squeals and laughter was the most beautiful sound in the world to her as she lifted her up and placed her on her hip, tapping her nose. "Momma's not hungry, sweetie, but if you want Mark to take you, ask him." She then set her down and raked a hand through her hair, turning around to wipe the rest of her dried up tears away.
"Do I really have to ask?" Alyssa arched an eyebrow, shooting Mark a knowing stare, already knowing she had him wrapped around her little finger.
Mark glanced at the clock that was on the wall. "We got time…" He said finally, shaking his head. "You sure you don't want us to bring you back somethin', Nico?"
"You know something?" She glanced over at her paperwork, getting a smirk on her face, and walked over, staring into Mark's beautiful green eyes, and then down at her daughter. "I think I will take a small break and join you two for something to eat." She smiled softly when her daughter started jumping up and down, shaking her head.
Mark smiled, nodding his head then looking down when Alyssa took his hand then her mother's, arching an eyebrow at Nicoya. Neither had time to say anything as Alyssa dragged them out into the hallway. Mark halted to let Nicoya out first then followed, shaking his head when Alyssa linked hands with them again. They walked inside the cafeteria a few minutes later and Nicoya instantly stopped in her tracks. There he was. Her brother. The man she hadn't seen in ten years and suddenly felt her appetite leave her. She swallowed hard, pulling her daughter protectively toward her, her midnight blue eyes filling with unshed tears, and looked up at Mark.
"I-I changed my mind…" She then turned on her heel abruptly and started down the hallway, dragging Alyssa with her.
"MOM! I'm hungry!" Alyssa protested, dragging her feet, her stomach growling loudly as if on cue. "Mom! Mom! My arm!"
"I'll get you something later, Alyssa!" Nicoya argued back, walking slower, but still at a fast pace, raking a hand through her black hair. She couldn't face him. Not yet. Especially when he didn't even know she worked for the same company he did.
"Later? Why is it always later?" Alyssa demanded, clearly perturbed at the moment. "Everything is 'later with you, Mom! What happened back there?"
"Alyssa Marie, clamp it shut NOW." Nicoya ordered, walking into her office, and closed the door behind her as she sighed heavily. "I'm not telling you anything because you're too young to understand." She stated, seeing the perturbed look on her daughter's face, and scrubbed her hand down it in frustration. "It's…complicated, alright sweet-" Her words died on her lips when her door swung open and there stood her ex-boyfriend, looking positively livid. "Can I help you, Mr. Cena?" She asked hotly, her own temper about to spike, and shot a warning glare at her daughter not to say a word and pointed to the couch.
John didn't look happy, his gaze moving onto Alyssa, who was sulking towards the couch, muttering under her breath. "I didn't know you had a daughter, COYA." He said finally, emphasizing her name.
"That's none of your business, Cena. What the Hell do you want?" She demanded angrily, standing up from her chair, and walked over, crossing her arms in front of her chest, blocking Alyssa. "I don't have all night and the name is Ms. Harris to you or you can call me Nicoya, but you're NOT calling me Coya. That right was taken from you a long time ago, Cena." Alyssa just watched on curiously, wondering who this guy was and what he did to piss off her mother.
John tried to look at Alyssa, only to wind up with Nicoya blocking his view every time, his blue eyes narrowing. Then, he shrugged, a disarming smile on his face, and stated, "I'm here, MS. HARRIS, about my script. Is it done yet?"
"No, it's not finished yet. When it is, I will send it to you." Nicoya replied, crossing her arms in front of her chest, and kept blocking her daughter. "Stop trying to look at MY daughter, Cena. She's no concern of yours." She stated angrily, her midnight blue eyes shooting fire.
"I don't know about that, Ms. Harris. You bring her to work with you and everyone knows we all are one big happy family in the WWE." John replied coolly, dropping to one knee, peering at Alyssa, who was peering right back. "Hello sweetheart."
"Mom? Why is this doofus talking to me?" Alyssa asked, hiding her face with her hair.
"Because that's exactly what he is, baby girl. A doofus. Mr. Cena, you're scaring my daughter so you better knock it off before I call for security." She threatened, backing up toward her daughter, and put her hand out, smiling slightly when Alyssa immediately took it. "Why don't you go find Torrie to torment and leave me and my daughter alone? I'm not, nor will I ever be, your family, asshole!"
"Who's Torrie?" Alyssa asked softly, glancing back and forth between the doofus and her mother.
"Still upset over that, Nicoya?" John scoffed, looking pointedly at Alyssa. "It looks like I'm not the ONLY one who had fidelity problems, SWEETHEART."
"Don't worry about it, baby girl. It's not important. Just be quiet." She ordered her daughter gently, glaring back at John, and raked a hand through her hair. "It doesn't matter what happened in the past between us because I'll never forgive you. I never cheated on you either. We dated on and OFF for eight years, Cena. During the off period, yeah, I had a fling, so what? Not like you didn't have them everyday of your life that you were dating me with someone else!"
John stood up, his blue eyes narrowing again as he stared at Nicoya coldly, finally nodding. "Try not to be too much longer on that script. The show started awhile ago. I would hope you can keep up with the added load or else you might wind up looking for a new job." He said conversationally before heading towards the door.
"You DATED that dimbo?" Alyssa questioned in disbelief, scoffing in disgust.
Nicoya stifled her laughter as she turned around, lifting her daughter up, and placed her on her hip, rubbing her nose against hers. "Yeah, honey. I dated that dimbo." She kissed her forehead and glared back at John, not believing the audacity of him, and walked over to her desk before throwing it on the floor to him. "If you EVER threaten my job again, I will personally make sure Stephanie fines you. I am great friends with the McMahon family, almost like their daughter and sibling, so don't even get any ideas about trying to make me lose my job, Mr. Cena. Your script is done now get out."
John half smirked, looking somewhat smug. "Thought it wasn't ready yet, MS. HARRIS?" He asked innocently before walking out, whistling to himself.
"What a jerk." Alyssa muttered, staring at her mother curiously. "You never mention your past…" She said slowly, sounding hesitant.
"He is my past and it will stay that way, Alyssa. You don't need to know about what momma has went through." She stated, releasing her daughter, and sat down in the chair as she blinked her tears back. She knew it was going to be extremely hard to hide Alyssa from John, but she was willing to do just about anything to protect her daughter. "Alyssa, you can't tell him your name, alright? You can't even look at him. Do you understand me?"
"Basically scream bloody murder if he ever approaches. Got it." Alyssa nodded, trying not to be curious, but finding it difficult. "Is that the other guy you warned me about earlier, Mom? When you told me to steer clear of that Stone Cold guy?" She asked.
Sighing, Nicoya nodded as she stared over at her daughter, sadness evident in her eyes. "Yes, his name is John Cena and he's a bad guy just like Steve Williams. Stay away from both, Alyssa and don't talk to them. If you're ever out with Mark and you see them, just ask him to take you somewhere else." She instructed, running her hand down her daughter's arm, knowing she was confused, but she refused to get into her past with her eight year old.
"Why don't you tell Mark about them so he already knows?" Alyssa suggested, squinting her eyes. "How am I supposed to remember all that plus the other kajillion and one rules you have for me?"
"You'll remember because your brain soaks up information." Nicoya stated promptly and sighed when he cell phone rang, raking a hand through her hair, and seen it was the terror twins. She smiled a little and looked back at Alyssa. "Momma needs to make a phone call. Go play and then we'll talk more." She said and flipped open her cell phone, dialing Kyra's number, and waited for her to answer. Alyssa rolled her eyes, wondering why she always got shunted off to the side and headed over to her bag. She pulled out a drawing paid and some crayons, scribbling furiously, muttering under her breath. And she was still hungry!
"Coya!" Kyra greeted loudly, the sound of music blaring behind her along with a million other noises filling Nicoya's ear. "Ashley and I want you to come join us when you get done working! Think you could for a few hours?" She asked, getting straight to the point. "It's a man free night!"
"I'd love too, Kyra, I really would, but unfortunately, John came in here and upset Alyssa. I have to spend time with her tonight. Maybe some other time!" She shouted back into the phone, knowing that was the only way for the terror twins to hear her, and sighed when she seen the perturbed look on her daughter's face. "Plus, I need to take my angel here to get something to eat before she starves!" She laughed softly.
"Give the princess hugs and kisses from us!" Ashley shouted. "Hey, put her on speakerphone for a quick sec!"
Alyssa wandered over when her mom called for her, staring down at her phone curiously, "Hello?"
"Angel! Your song is playing!" Kyra laughed, holding her own cell out so Alyssa could hear the music.
Alyssa started dancing around, singing along. "Mom! Where are they? Can we go?" She asked hopefully.
"No, they're going out clubbing and you're too young." Nicoya said with a smile, sighing when her daughter started pouting just as another knock sounded at the door. "Hey girls, gotta go. I have another person to make happy or piss off. Call me later!" She replied loudly before snapping the lid of her cell phone shut and looked up at her door. "Come in!" She called out, pointing to the couch for Alyssa to go sit down on.
Steve Austin stepped in, his blue eyes quickly taking in the still dancing Alyssa before moving onto Nicoya. "Hello, you must be Ms. Harris. I'm Steve Austin." He immediately introduced himself, holding out a hand for her to take. "I was told yer the head script writer."
Nicoya swallowed extremely hard when she heard Steve's voice, having been looking down at his script, and took a deep breath to calm her racing heart. "Alyssa, sit down please." She instructed, standing up from her chair, and hesitantly slipped her hand into Steve's. Her brother's. The man she hadn't seen since she was ten years old. "Hello, Mr. Austin. It's nice to meet you." She lied, her midnight blue eyes peering into his.