Chapter 8
"Mom's asleep." Alyssa whispered, peeking back over her shoulder.
"Well I'm sure she won't mind if I wake her up." Ashley replied, her bluish gray eyes twinkling. "Should we?"
Alyssa nodded and in a second, both were jumping on the bed as she shouted, "Mom!"
"Mommy!" Ashley giggled out, jumping on the bed with Alyssa, grinning from ear to ear.
Groaning, Nicoya could hear her daughter and Ashley bouncing on the bed, stuffing her face underneath the pillow. "Children, let me sleep!" She growled out and when Alyssa didn't stop, she got up and grabbed her, beginning to tickle her mercilessly, and then gave her a kiss on the cheek. "That was from Mark. He told me to wish you a good morning, sweetheart."
"Mark, huh?" Ashley dropped down on the bed, sitting Indian style, pushing her hair back out of her face. "Morning sleepyhead." She greeted Nicoya, smiling brightly, looking bright eyed and bushytailed. "So…what IS going on with you and Mark?"
"Nothing!" Alyssa said, sounding almost jealous.
"Nothing, Ashley. He's become a really great friend to Alyssa though and she's smitten with him. I think she has a crush." She giggled when Alyssa began blushing and started tickling her again. "Isn't that right? You have a brush on Mark don'tcha?" She teased and laughed, ignoring her tear streaked face.
"No! He's way too old for me!" Alyssa protested between her giggles. "I just like him!" She shrieked, kicking her feet. "Ashy, help me!"
Ashley grinned. "You look like you're doing fine to me, honeybunch." She arched an eyebrow in curiosity. "Mark, the Undertaker, Calaway hanging out with an eight year old…I always knew that man needed more friends."
Nicoya started laughing at her daughter and smiled, stopping, and wrapped her arms around her from behind, kissing the top of her head. "It's adorable. He's like Alyssa's savior or something because he saved us last night from that elevator. You should see how much Alyssa has this man wrapped around her finger. Who thought an eight year old could bring Mark Calaway to his knees?" Nicoya teased, laughing harder when Alyssa blushed, and kissed her cheek. "And the funny part is that I actually trust him with her."
Ashley looked amused. "Well, stranger things have happened, I can't think of any right now, but I'm sure they're out there." She giggled.
"Stop picking on him! I'm telling!" Alyssa threatened, looking perturbed that her mother and Ashley were making fun of Mark.
Ashley slapped her hands on her cheeks, her face a picture of mock horror, "Oh no!" Alyssa looked like she was trying not to laugh.
"You two are goofballs." Nicoya commented, releasing her daughter, and patted her bottom before sliding out of bed, stretching, and went to make a pot of coffee. She wasn't fully human without at least one cup of coffee in her as she poured the contents in the pot and waited for it to start up. "So, how was the clubbing last night, Ash?"
Ashley rolled her eyes, moving so she was sitting on the edge of the bed, Alyssa sitting on the ground before her, and started braiding her hair. "Don't ask. Let's just say Skittles met Apples and they don't mix. Too bad you couldn't make it. It was entertaining for the most part. What did you do last night?"
"Yeah Mom, what'd you do?" Alyssa chimed in, grinning as Ashley did her hair, truly interested in this conversation.
"I came back here, had a nice bubble bath, and after Mark dropped Alyssa off, I went to bed." She answered, leaving the part out about crying, not wanting to frighten her daughter, and smiled softly down at her. "You look cute in braids." She teased with a giggle, kissing her daughter's head, and walked over to the phone, sighing when a knock sounded at the door. "You wanna get that, sweetheart?"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Alyssa sighed heavily before bounding over to the door and opening it. "Mom and Ashley were JUST talking about you." Was her way of greeting Mark.
Mark arched an eyebrow, holding out the lightweight jacket she had left in his rental car, having been about to go swap it out for his motorcycle when he found the coat. "Really now?"
Alyssa took it, nodding and pulled him in, closing the door behind them and answered, "Yup."
Nicoya smiled when she seen Alyssa dragging this huge man by the hand inside her hotel room and couldn't help, but start laughing along with Ashley. "What did I tell you? She's got him wrapped around her finger." She shook her head, standing up to pour herself a cup of coffee, knowing Ashley wasn't fond of it.
"I can see that. Morning, 'Taker." Ashley greeted.
"Mornin', Punk." Mark replied good-naturedly, calling Ashley her nickname he came up with for her. "Wrapped around her finger huh, Nico?"
"All ten of them." Alyssa piped up sweetly. "Mom, aren't you gonna offer Mark a cup of coffee?" She demanded, sounding appalled at how rude her mother was being. "He does drink it you know!"
"Alyssa…" Mark trailed off, not sure what to say.
Ashley blinked when Alyssa instantly shut her mouth and smirked as she stated, "I'd say he's got her wrapped too."
"Good Lord child, I was setting mine down and then I was going to ask him if he wanted one. Sheesh!" She shook her head and turned her attention to Mark, smirking at how much control he had over her little girl. "I'm impressed." She commented swiftly, looking over at Ashley. "Would you like some coffee, Mark?" She finally asked, ready to go make him a cup if he wanted it.
Mark glanced down at Alyssa, who nodded firmly at him before sighing, mock bowing to her. "Yes please." He smiled at Nicoya. "Punk, don't start." He cautioned when Ashley went to say something.
"Who me? Never!" Ashley snickered, holding up her right hand all innocently.
"Hey Mark, ever thought about braids?" Alyssa asked curiously.
Mark studied Alyssa's hair thoughtfully and shook his head as he replied, "Nope."
Nicoya laughed at her daughter's question and walked into the kitchen, making him a cup, and walked back out, handing it to him. She was surprised when a shiver flowed down her arm when their fingers brushed together, but hid it well as she looked down at her daughter. "Ashley, are you trying to make my baby girl look like Medusa?" She asked amusedly, seeing all the different braids in her hair.
"Medusa was a beautiful girl once…" Ashley countered quickly, smirking slightly. "Besides, that's snakes, not braids."
"Snakes? For hair? That's gross!" Alyssa shrieked, walking over to tug on the edge of Nicoya's robe. "Mom, I'm starving, feed me!" She tilted her head back, looking adorable. "Love me, feed me, never leave me." She batted her eyelashes, quoting the Garfield movie. Mark was busying himself with his too hot coffee, having felt a tiny jolt of electricity when Nicoya's fingers briefly met his own. Though, he didn't show it.
"Child, you are a bottomless pit!" Nicoya exclaimed, placing her hands on her hips, and groaned when Alyssa started jumping up and down, demanding food. "Alright, alright calm down." She shook her head, setting her own cup of coffee down, and pulled out the menu, handing it to her. "Pick whatever you want. Mark, if you want to stay to join us, you're more than welcome too." She added, looking up into his emerald green eyes, before looking over at Ashley. "You can stay too even though you called me mommy earlier."
"Woohoo!" Ashley mocked cheered, raising her fists into the air. "Um…yeah, never mind, I was going to call Mattie, but I think he could use a rest." She smirked, moving to browse the menu with Alyssa.
"I don't want to intrude, I'll just finish this-" Mark held up his mug as he paused. "And be on my way."
"NOOOOOO! Mom, tell him he can't leave!" Alyssa protested, her blue eyes pleading with her mother to make him stay.
"Honey, I can't tell the man what to do." Nicoya replied, staring at her daughter's pleading blue eyes, and shrugged her shoulders, holding her hands up. "I'm sorry, Aly, but if he doesn't want to stay, then he don't have too. You gotta give the man a break. You probably wore him out yesterday." She smirked, her midnight blue eyes twinkling, but never looked up at Mark, her eyes focused on her daughter.
"I didn't wear him out, he's the Undertaker." Alyssa argued matter-of-factly. Mark shook his head, wondering when he became invincible.
"Shhhhhhhiiiiiiitttttttt…" Ashley roared, laughing her ass off now. "You'd wear out Superman, kiddo!"
Alyssa rolled her eyes, looking up at Mark. "So, will you stay?" She gave him her most pleading, adorable look, her big blue eyes getting even bigger.
"It doesn't matter if he's the Undertaker or not, Alyssa. The man is still a human being outside of the ring." Nicoya argued with her daughter, crossing her arms in front of her chest. She smirked when Alyssa turned those big, puppy dog blue eyes on Mark, nudging Ashley, and whispered quietly, "Watch this."
Mark groaned, well aware Nicoya and Ashley were watching him like hawks though he found he couldn't say no to that cherubic little face. "Fine." He sighed defeated, cracking a grin when Alyssa started hooting and hollering.
"Told ya!" Alyssa spun around, shooting her mother a triumphant look.
"Holy Hell is she ever cocky." Ashley commented, her eyebrow raised in question.
"Like her father." Nicoya muttered under her breath, knowing Alyssa wouldn't hear it, and sighed when Ashley gave her a knowing look. It was true. Alyssa got her cockiness from John and Nicoya knew it, which made it even harder to deal with her daughter. However, that was her angel and she wouldn't have traded her in for anything in the world. "Mark, order anything you want. It's on me." She stated, handing him the menu, and then took another sip of her coffee. "You too, Playboy Bunny."
"I think you ought to eat something, Nicoya." Mark said, not even looking at the menu, arching an eyebrow when she shot him a look. "I don't recall you eatin' anythin' last night before comin' here and you look like you could use a good meal in ya."
"I agree with Mark." Ashley declared, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "Pick out something, Coya."
"She likes…this." Alyssa pointed on the menu. "We can order this for her."
"Okay, since when did it become pick on Coya and Mommy day?" She asked defensively, raising an eyebrow at her child, and then at Ashley before turning to Mark. "I eat-" She exclaimed and raked a hand through her hair as she paused. "When I want too." She finished, sipping her coffee, staring over at her daughter.
"I guess I'm starving." Alyssa said, tossing the menu over her shoulder, walking over to take Mark's from him and tossing that too. "We all go hungry."
"See what you did, Coya?" Ashley teased. "Mark's probably going to waste away now, slowly mind you cause there's a lot of him to waste away."
Mark shook his head, finishing his coffee, and carried it over to the sink. "Well Nicoya, looks like you're being boycotted." He remarked, watching as Alyssa and Ashley feigned starving to death.
Nicoya did NOT find this humorous and couldn't believe her daughter was doing this. She shook her head and walked over, grabbing her up by her waist, and started tickling her as she deposited her on the bed. "You're going to drive me up a damned wall, Aly!" She laughed when Alyssa began calling Mark to help her and smirked. "He won't come near your momma, honey. I'm the plague when it comes to you." She teased and kept tickling her daughter, her black hair going all over the place, wearing the long red robe from last night, but it was tied tightly around her. "You're eating regardless."
"No! Nope, I'm not eating anything!" Alyssa shrieked. "MARK! Help me!"
"Sorry, can't do it, angel." Mark replied, watching out of the corner of his eye as Ashley ordered everyone breakfast, including Nicoya. He grinned when she hung up, looking innocent and snorted. Ashley winked at him, raising a finger to her lips, and pressed it to them.
"Oh you just wait and see." Nicoya challenged her daughter, releasing her, and laughed when she immediately ran to Mark, shaking her head. "You two are too cute, hold on." She walked over to her bag and pulled out a camera, hiding it behind her back. "Mark, can you bend down to be eye level with Alyssa?" She asked, flashing those big midnight blue eyes at him. Okay, maybe her daughter got the smitten habit from her.
Mark had WAY too much experience with fans and some minor crazies to fall for that coming from a full grown woman and picked Alyssa up, using her to hide his face. "Put it away." He growled playfully. "Bat them beautiful eyes elsewhere, darlin', it ain't workin'."
Alyssa started giggling. "Mom, he thinks you have beautiful eyes." She said in a sing song voice.
"Yeah, he does but I'm sure he thinks yours are more beautiful, Aly." She replied, knowing her daughter got jealous when it came to Mark, and smirked when she suddenly got an idea. "Okay fine, but I was going to give this to Alyssa to carry around with her for when you're not around." She sighed dramatically, winking over at Ashley. "Too bad kiddo." She frowned mockingly before walking over to join Ashley. "That would've been an adorable picture too."
"carry around with me?' Alyssa squirmed until she was facing Mark. "Mom's going off her rocker." She whispered loudly.
Mark nodded solemnly. "I think so too." He whispered just as loudly, smiling when she pressed her forehead to his.
"I'd snap that picture if I were you." Ashley murmured, gesturing to the moment before them.
Nicoya smiled as her eyes gleamed and snapped it, smirking when Mark growled at her, and waved him off as she took it out. It was a Polaroid camera so the picture instantly came out as she started waving it back and forth to come out faster. A knock sounded at the door, causing Nicoya to groan, and looked over at her daughter. "Do you wanna get that sweetheart?" She asked, still waving the picture.
"Food's here!" Alyssa announced, opening the door wide as the trolley was wheeled in.
Mark walked over to the server, holding out a crisp bill that he didn't let Alyssa see, winking down at her. "Charge this to my room." He ordered gently, but firmly.
"Sure thing, Mr. Calaway." The server nodded, pocketing the rather large tip before walking out, closing the door behind him.
"Oh boy…" Ashley whistled, looking over at Coya.
"Mark, I told you it was on me…" She trailed off when he just shot her a look and shook her head, smiling softly, and looked over at Ashley with a raised eyebrow. "You ordered this didn't you?" When Ashley just grinned, Nicoya growled playfully before looking down at the picture, her heart leaping in her throat, and pressed her hand over her heart as she sighed. "Alyssa, come over here and look at this, baby girl."
Curiously, Alyssa did, looking at the picture of her and Mark together. "Wow." She said, reaching out to touch it, suddenly feeling an overwhelming sadness engulf her.
Mark looked at them, his eyes fastening on Alyssa. "What's wrong, little one?" He asked gently, concern evident in his voice and eyes.
"Nuttin." Alyssa muttered, taking the picture and pocketing it before sitting on the couch, pulling her own meal off the trolley, and stared down at it, looking saddened.
"Alyssa…" Nicoya gently said her name, walking over, and bent down to face her, lifting her chin up to meet her eyes. "What's wrong sweetheart? You can tell momma anything, you know that right?" She already knew what it was about and felt her heart twinge with pain and guilt because she knew how badly Alyssa wanted a father. The thought caused her to tear up, but she blinked her tears away.
Alyssa looked at her mom square in the eye and didn't bother hiding her own tears. "Why don't I have a daddy?" She asked softly. Ashley and Mark exchanged looks before both heading quietly for the door.
"You do have a daddy, Alyssa." She replied solemnly, standing up as she raked a hand through her hair, and wrapped her arms around herself. "He's not fit to be your father though, which is why I never told him about you. I don't want you to get hurt like your mother did, baby girl." She was talking quietly to her as she felt the tears welling up in her eyes. She suddenly wasn't hungry anymore.
"Why isn't he fit?" Alyssa demanded, pushing her own food away, not even looking up when the door softly closed. "What'd he do?"
"It's complicated, Alyssa and Mom doesn't feel like getting into it right now. Just know that he doesn't love you and he never will because he'll never know you exist. One day, when I finally find that special someone, then you'll have a daddy. Isn't having your mother enough?" She asked almost heartbrokenly, wishing her daughter would accept the fact that her biological father would never be in the picture, and raked a hand through her hair.
Alyssa was digesting all of that, taking her time in replying. "He'll never love me because he doesn't know I exist." She said softly. "I'm going to my room now." She said, her voice oddly calm before getting up and walking to her room, closing the door behind her.
"You don't understand, Alyssa." Nicoya whispered after the door closed to her daughter's room and collapsed on the couch, tears pouring down her cheeks, and brought her knees up, crying silently to herself.
If only her daughter knew what kind of monster her father was then she'd hate him as much as her. Nicoya knew this was hurting Alyssa, but this was for her own good. She didn't want John apart of their lives and it was going to stay that way. Even if her daughter hated her for it.