Chapter XIV: Anaheim to New York to Anaheim
Instead of going straight to bed, Therese knew she had to call Evan to satisfy him. Not much would do it at first. She did all but say that she used Nash to attend the game. He finally gave up picking at her when she promised him that they weren't dating and that he had no worries of her bringing home the Heart "Stank" Kid's best friend.
Not that she wouldn't like to bring home HBK's best friend. Why does life have to be this cruel? she thought, tossing the cell phone aside after the call. Her legs were still like jelly from his goodnight kiss. Now she had a dilemma. Playing hard to get had been impossible. Kevin had her pegged and she couldn't get away from him without flatly refusing him. Problem was that she didn't want to refuse him—at least, not after tonight. They had connected well, well enough that she wouldn't turn him down if she was just Therese, security agent and her brother's guardian. No, she was Therese, personal assistant to the billion dollar princess and only child with no life.
Would there really be any harm in dating when they had the chance? She couldn't be expected to give up her life twenty-four hours a day for the duration of the assignment, could she? Actually, she was being paid good money to do so. When this was over, maybe there would be a chance. Yet, would he want the real Therese? How would he take knowing he had been lied to? Would they even still be dating when it was over with? This better not take that long! she wanted to exclaim out loud. This was only their first real date. It was not like she needed to make a split second life-altering decision. One step at a time, she told herself, one step at a time.
Stephanie was the least worried of the two. Her relationship with Shawn was progressing nicely in her eyes, well actually, under her eyelids. In the hotel a few blocks away, the man in her dreams was not exactly of the same mind.
"I kissed the boss' daughter, Kevin!" Shawn yelled, running his fingers through his hair.
"Did she kiss you back?"
"Yeah," he replied quieter.
"Then what's the problem?" Nash asked, rolling his eyes.
"C'mon, man. This is serious stuff," Shawn replied, sitting down on his bed to face Kevin.
"I don't think Vince cares in the slightest. Have you heard a word she's said about him? You could beat the hell out of her and he would be upset because you didn't include him."
Shawn laughed quietly but then grew serious. "I don't think it's that bad. They're just going through one of their father-daughter phases. When they come out of it, I'm in trouble."
"She's an adult. If you've been paying any attention, you'd know she can handle him. Besides, McMahon didn't do a thing when Bischoff practically assaulted her last Halloween."
"Yeah, I know—to all of that."
"Then what's the problem?" Shawn didn't say anything. "Shawn," Kevin said sternly.
"We kinda had a lot to drink," he answered, dropping his head.
"Did you get her drunk?"
"No!" he said, shaking his head and standing up. "But I'm not sure we would have had that…moment if she hadn't drunk so much."
"Why did you let her have that much?" Kevin asked, watching him start to pace.
Shawn stopped and said, "It kinda just happened."
"Maybe it was meant to happen."
Shawn slowed down as if he was in thought and then turned to Kevin, "I'm the romantic, not you."
"Maybe I am. I got a kiss and don't feel guilty about it."
"Did you really? Second date too?" Shawn asked quickly, settling back down on the bed.
"Possibly," he said with a grin. With that, the conversation turned to Therese's and Kevin's date.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Stephanie and Therese were in Anaheim for the week since Therese had met Kevin for the game. Monday morning found both women engrossed in their work. Stephanie was trying to get ahead so that they could possibly go home for the weekend. Therese was running preliminary checks on all the visitors to SmackDown! last week and comparing all the other sparse reports that security had been able to dig up from the past few months. Nothing stood out yet as a possible lead. She was about to take a break to call ahead to the restaurant for lunch when her cell phone rang her newest tone, "Another One Bites the Dust." She liked changing them every week—it kept people guessing whose phone was ringing.
The number registered as Evan's school. Dear God, she sent up a prayer as she answered.
"Rese, how ya doing?" Evan cheerfully asked.
"I'm fine, Evan, and I still better be when you tell me why you're calling," she replied, mocking his tone.
"You always have me figured it out. It's not fair," he said with a pout.
"Spill it."
"The school needs your permission for Vera to pick me up."
"And?" She knew there was more and that it wasn't good.
"Your acknowledgement that I've been suspended for two days," he replied absentmindedly, like a little girl twirling her hair.
"Evan Mitchell Blair! What did you do?"
"Therese Renee Blair! I got into a fight," he replied in the same tone.
The line was silent as Therese attempted to process the news and Evan waited for her to bless him out. Finally, she spoke as calmly as possible, "What happened?"
"First, I gave him a European uppercut. Then I put the Angle Lock on him—" Evan enthusiastically explained.
"Evan!" she said sternly to interrupt him. "Is this because of my date?"
"No…"
"Then, why?"
"He said something bad about Mom and about…and about you," the boy answered quietly.
"Honey, there is nothing that anybody can say about me that's worth getting in a fight over."
"Yes, there is!" he replied adamantly.
"There's no point discussing it while you're at school. If Vera can't pick you up, call me back and I'll find someone who can. Now," Therese took a big breath, "put me on the phone with whoever I have to speak with."
A few moments of muffled voices passed and then a woman spoke, "Miss Blair, this is Mrs. Sloan, the school counselor. We have to have your permission for Evan to leave school early."
"Yes, ma'am. Vera Morgan will be coming to get him. She's the one who picks him up every afternoon. If Vera can't, Evan will call me back and we'll get it straightened out."
"Miss Blair, you do understand why he's being suspended?" the older woman asked in a schoolmarm voice.
I'm not a little kid, she wanted to reply. "Yes, I do. As soon as I return home, Evan and I will have a long talk and discuss his punishment accordingly."
"Have you considered family therapy?"
"Excuse me?" Therese asked astonished.
"Do you think it's a possibility that he's reacting this way because he has been in the care of a babysitter for over three weeks?"
"There is a chance. I have never left him with anyone for that long except in the summers when he goes to camp. He does fine when he's at camp," she answered with an edge of anger to her voice.
Mrs. Sloan calmly replied, "I know about his family history and school records and I'm concerned about your guardianship."
"My guardianship? I work my a—I work my tail off to see that he has everything he needs and wants and to put him in a decent school and you question my ability to care for him?" she asked, her voice rising.
"Providing money is not the same as providing care."
"I'm not having this discussion with you over the phone…if ever. Fax my work the slip that I need to sign and you'll have it back before he returns to school. Thank you for time, Mrs. Sloan. Have a good day." Therese was so angry and frustrated that she yelled and threw the papers she had been working on across the room. The yell immediately diminished into tears and silent sobs. This was not the first or the second time that Evan had been suspended for fighting in eight years of school. Each time, he had a different excuse. Then, to add insult to injury, the counselor had questioned her parenting abilities and blamed the problem on their family history. Raising a new teenager was frustrating enough and this work assignment was not helping. She had no idea what would happen when she finally went home.
Therese had not even noticed Stephanie was in the room until the younger woman slipped an arm around her back to console her. Therese didn't care who it was as she laid her head on Stephanie's shoulder and allowed the sobs out that threatened to overwhelm her. Stephanie said nothing as she stroked Therese's hair and rubbed her arm. When the crying was down to sniffles, she quietly asked, "Do you want to talk about it?"
"I…I don't…d-d-don't want t-t-to bother…you."
"You won't. Tell me what happened."
Therese quietly relayed the entire conversation. "Can you imagine someone questioning your ability to do the most important thing in your life?"
"Yes, I can. I understand," Stephanie answered, her mind flitting over the past couple of shows.
"I mean, there's a little screw-up—okay, we had a big screw-up—who am I kidding? It's so hard to be a parent, especially to a child who's not yours."
"Tell me about your family," Stephanie said, a little curious but also thinking it might help her to keep talking.
"There is no family," she replied, standing up and walking to the balcony windows.
"For some reason, you're raising your brother, who is much younger than you, and you haven't said a word about your parents."
Therese whipped around to glare at her. "You just want to know why a single thirty-one year old woman is stuck with her teenage brother and her sorry parents aren't raising him."
Stephanie resisted the urge to just walk out. "No, I don't," she quietly responded. "I thought you might want to talk. You don't ever talk about any of your family."
Therese sighed before starting into the usual routine of explaining her family situation. "I joke that my high school graduation present was my little brother. Evan was a little bit of a surprise. Mom died hours after he was born. I stayed close to home to finish school and help Dad. Evan was five when Dad was killed in a carwreck and Evan's been mine ever since. When I was given the option of training in Atlanta, I took him straight there in hopes that we could start another life away from so much hurt but I was transferred back to New York after two years and we've been trying to make this work ever since. Evan's had a tough time but I thought, still think, he's doing fine considering the circumstances."
"Sounds like you've had a hard life too."
Therese shook her head. "I don't look at it that way. I love Evan and would do anything for him. I sound like a single mother who's made a mistake, but I wouldn't trade anything for him. It's just that…I get really tired trying to be a mother and a sister. It's been nice to sorta have this break from having to play so many roles, but, in reality, I've just added another role."
"I bet you're a wonderful parent, legal guardian, sister, what would you call yourself?" Stephanie asked with a smile.
"You name it, I'm it," she sighed but returned the smile.
Stephanie opened her mouth to say something but her stomach growled. The two giggled and Therese offered to call the restaurant for lunch. After the meal, they returned to their work from earlier in the morning until food called out to them again. Therese was drained, so they stayed in.
In the middle of eating, Stephanie's phone rang. She glanced at the CallerID. "It's Shane. I'll call him back when we get done." Within minutes, her cell went off again. She rolled her eyes and said, "Now, it's Mom. I'm not in the mood." By the time they were done, the phone rang again. "It's Shane again."
"You better answer that this time. I hope everything's fine," Therese stated, starting to clear the table.
Stephanie answered the phone and disappeared into her room. She was treated to her brother yelling at her. "Why haven't you been answering your phone?"
"Because I would like an uninterrupted meal," she bit out at him.
"Steph, sit down," she said, his tone completely different.
"Shane, don't do this to me. What's going on?"
"Steph, Freddie Blassie died today."
"Don't joke with me," she nervously laughed. "What do you want?"
"I'm not joking. We just found out," he replied, his voice shaky.
She knew he wasn't lying but could hardly believe it. She forced her next words out. "When's the funeral?"
"They've not made the arrangements yet but it'll probably be Thursday or Friday."
"I'm coming to be with you all," she said quickly and stood to start packing.
"But you're already in Anaheim. The show's in less than four days."
"I don't care. I'll fly back Thursday morning," Stephanie replied, throwing her suitcase on the bed.
"What if the funeral's on Friday?" Shane asked, trying to talk some sense into her.
"Then I'll be back on the plane."
"California to New York is a long way," her brother protested.
"I know, so I better get going. When are you going to be with the family?"
"I'm already here," he sighed.
"I'll call you when I get to the airport. Shane…I love you," she said and sat back down on the bed.
"I love you too, Steph. Be careful." She stared at the wall, trying to swallow the emotions that were welling up. She wanted to squall but always felt like she had a hang-over afterward. She tried to push the thoughts from her mind.
When Therese didn't hear voices anymore, she knocked on the door. Stephanie didn't answer. Worried, Therese went on in to find her sitting on the bed, her eyes glazed over in shock. "Stephanie, what's wrong?"
"Freddie died."
"Freddie Blassie?"
"Yeah," she said and then looked up at her. "I keep telling myself that if I don't think about it, I don't have to deal with it…but, it's not…" Her face screwed up, threatening tears. "…not…working." The waterworks turned on and Therese rushed over to her. She wrapped her arms around her and rocked her like she would her brother when he was little. Therese said nothing as Stephanie's tears left splotches on her shirt. When her weeping turned to small hiccups, Therese released her hold on Stephanie and stroked her hair.
"Do you need to talk?" she soothingly asked.
"Where have I heard that today?" Stephanie replied with a sniff.
"I just want to return the favor."
"I don't know if I can talk now…he was like a grandfather to me, so…so it's really hard…It's not right. He's a legend…a…a hero. Heroes don't die." The tears started slipping out again. "I'm not—not going to c-cry again."
"If you need it, go ahead."
Stephanie took a deep breath to regain her composure. "I'm going to meet Shane and spend time with Freddie's family."
"What do you need me to do?" Therese asked.
"Nothing, really. I'll have to make my own plane reservations."
"We need to talk about what we're going to do. I know Shane will take care of you and I definitely don't want to intrude upon something so private. If you let me know what time your flights are, I'll leave after you and be here before you get back."
"'Kay," Stephanie replied with a sniffle.
The next hour was spent in a flurry of phone calls and packing. Stephanie had gotten the last seat on a flight that left in less than three hours and Therese's took off shortly thereafter. Once on the way to the airport, the women were silent, each in their own thoughts of the day's events. Every once and a while, Therese would put a hand on Stephanie's arm and pat it before asking if she was okay. The answer was always the same, a very quiet "yeah."
After a long, stern talk with Shane about her safety, Therese put Stephanie on the plane. For the first time in weeks, Therese was alone and not responsible for a soul. She settled into one of the plastic seats to wait and think…think about how she was going to deal with Evan when she returned home. It was useless and she slipped into thinking about the other male in her life.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Shane!" Stephanie yelled out to catch his attention, although he had seen her before she had taken a step out of the portal. Despite being in an airport where security was almost as heavy as at the Pentagon, she still felt extremely nervous but now Shane was with her.
Her brother caught her up in a hug. "Be honest. How are you doing?" he asked, placing his hands on the sides of her head.
A couple of tears leaked out. "I'm really fine concerning the circumstances. You?"
"Yeah."
"How 'bout Mom and Dad?"
"About the same. They're not here yet," he answered, wrapping an arm around her and leading her outside. "It's late. Let's get to the hotel." They settled into a limo and Stephanie finally relaxed. "You haven't talked about Therese in several days. How's that going?"
"Really odd. She has been incredible today."
"You're not fighting anymore?" Shane asked with a shocked look.
"Not today, at least. She had a small family crisis and we talked a little about it and then this happens and she was really understanding," Stephanie answered with a sigh.
"Fingers crossed, it'll last," Shane said with a smile to lighten the mood.
"First, fingers crossed, I'll get through this." Stepping outside the car, Stephanie braced herself for a difficult three days.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Therese tiptoed into her apartment and quietly placed her luggage in her bedroom. Vera had fallen asleep on the couch waiting for her. She stuck her head in Evan's room to find him fast asleep, his hockey figures scattered across the foot of his bed. Back in the living room, she gently shook Vera awake and helped her two floors down to her own apartment, leaving an envelope with a bonus on her coffee table. Therese sank into her bed, grateful to have her own pillow and blanket again.
She awoke to Evan calling out for Vera. Saying nothing, she stepped out of the bedroom to his shocked eyes. "You're home!" he yelped and launched himself into her arms. "When did you get in? How long are you here?"
"Hold on."
He quickly stepped back, his face turning somber. "Did you come home because I'm in trouble?"
"I guess you know that Freddie Blassie passed away yesterday." He nodded solemnly. "Stephanie's with the family, so I decided to come home for a couple of days."
"I know we have to talk, but I'm really happy you're here," he said and the corners of his mouth twitched up.
"Me too," she replied and hugged him again. "I'll make us some breakfast and then maybe we'll have the talk."
"Okay," he replied, dejectedly.
Therese tried to remain as stern as possible throughout their conversation and while he quietly listened to his punishment. The minute she walked out the door, Vera was going to get an earful from Evan about what he was grounded from. However, she relented for the two days they were together because she couldn't handle his moping about with nothing to do but follow her around on her errands. The only reason Evan didn't want to return to school was because Therese wouldn't be home when he got out and, well, because that idiot that he got in a fight with would still be there.
Therese boarded her plane about the time Stephanie was packing to leave. Both were thinking that they had only a few more precious hours alone before the dreaded routine started again.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
TBC…