Ties That Blind

Chapter Two

Three months had passed since the accident, the accident that took only seconds to happen, but the accident that would likely be affecting Baron for the rest of his life. Three months where he'd had way too much time to contemplate things, like how the hell could a Smart Car do all that damage to his body?

He had all this extra time to think because he sure wasn't doing much of anything else. He wasn't wrestling, he'd needed two separate surgeries on his back and one on his hip and knee, and he'd be doing the rehab and physical therapy for another six months at least, possibly more. And, when it was all done, there was still a question if he'd ever been able to wrestle again.

He sure as hell wasn't enjoying his time off, either. His girlfriend had left him, apparently she enjoyed being the girlfriend of a minor celebrity and active wrestler, she did not enjoy being the girlfriend of a convalescing wrestler who spent most of his time either at doctors appointments, physical therapy, or staring at the walls of the apartment they once shared. It was while at one of these appointments, one he'd gotten a friend to drive him to, she had packed up her stuff and moved out, leaving a note propped up by the coffee maker. "Sorry, Bar, I can't take this anymore. Life is too short to play nursemaid to someone who won't even try to have fun." She had signed her name at the bottom in a flowing, curly script that reminded him of a thirteen year old school girl, right down to dotting her i's with tiny circles. Her true feelings though, were expressed by a PS that read, "Only you could get that messed up getting hit by a Hello Kitty Smart Car. Seriously Bar, that car doesn't make you a victim, it makes you the punchline of a bad joke."

Once the initial shock wore off, Baron realized he wasn't all that upset she'd left. Their relationship wasn't real, built more on his status than any true connection. She had been fairly fun in bed, at least willing to try new things, but since the accident, spending time alone with her had proved to be painful as she seemed to resent him for the accident, as though he had deliberately stepped in front of the car, just to ruin her day. And it struck him that her remark about getting hit by the Hello Kitty car was exactly the type of thing, Lexi would likely say, if he'd been dating her, and gotten hit by a Volkswagon bug, painted to look like a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle or something.

He hadn't gone out with Lexi, the driver of the runaway Hello Kitty Smart Car that had ruined his life, although she had called him once to ask him how he was doing, and then proceeded to rant about all the damage he had caused to her car and how much trouble she was in because of the accident. He had finally hung up on her, mid sentence. She had tried to call back, but he didn't answer. After that, he blocked her number from his phone.

The only thing he regretted about his girlfriend leaving was that he had no one to help him. Not that his girlfriend had been a lot of help, and the help she did offer was tinged with whining about why they had to stay home all the time. But, she still was some help. If she was going into the kitchen, she might ask him if he wanted something. She brought take out food back to the apartment sometimes, and even drove him to rehab and doctor's appointments, if they were late enough in the day that she was awake. Now Baron had no one and getting around was still not easy. Doing anything wasn't easy. He was at the point where he was ready to ask his doctor if he could possibly check into a rehab center, when Hunter called and told him he had a proposition for him.

"A proposition?" Baron repeated, "For me? Trips, I'm flattered, but I'm just not that type -"

"This isn't a time for jokes," Hunter cut him off, not unkindly, but firmly. "If you weren't planning on going anywhere, Stephanie and I can be at your place in an hour."

Baron snorted, but answered. "I'll be here." Where else am I going to go? he thought, Fucking Mardi Gras?

When he'd hung up, he looked around his apartment and sighed. The place wasn't filthy, but it had gotten a little cluttered since his girlfriend, no, make that ex-girlfriend left. Pizza boxes and various other food delivery containers littered the small living room, along with books and magazines he'd read or was reading. He managed to make it into the kitchen to get a trash bag, and had actually cleared off a chair and the sofa by the time the Helmsley's showed up. He managed to get the over stuffed trash bag out of sight before he opened the door.

Hunter didn't seem to mind the state of the apartment, didn't even seem to notice it, which didn't surprise Baron in the least. When Triple H had an idea he was acting on, he could be single minded. Stephanie, on the other hand, looked around the place and for a moment, her face wore an expression that Baron thought straddled perfectly between disgust and pity. Baron was tempted to make a comment, but almost as quickly as the expression appeared on her face, it disappeared and in its place was an expression of such pure neutrality, that almost mimicked boredom.

Baron took the newly cleared off chair, letting Stephanie and Hunter have the sofa. Small talk was exchanged, most of it asking how Baron was doing. Baron answered their questions, part of him praying they wouldn't expect him to play host and get them coffee or cold drinks. His refrigerator contained nothing but condiments and some leftover take out food, that had been there longer than he could remember. He might have some beers in there too, Baron was friendly with the delivery guy from his favorite pizza place, so the young man was always willing to stop at the store and pick him up beer, knowing it was good for at least a twenty dollar tip. But Baron wasn't sure that this occasion called for beer.

Fortunately, Hunter seemed little interested in drinks and wanted to get to the point. "It isn't certain you'll be able to wrestle again," he said. Baron tried to keep his annoyance at bay, but something must have flashed in his eyes, because Stephanie offered a watery smile and Hunter shrugged before continuing. "I'm just being honest. We've been in touch with your doctors and there is a chance you'll never be able to wrestle again."

"We hope that isn't true," Stephanie said, her voice soft.

"Me too," Baron said, forcing himself not to scowl. Yes, Hunter was speaking the truth, but it wasn't a truth Baron felt he needed to hear, especially since his own mind reminded him of that very fact, several thousand times a day.

"There's nothing we'd like more than to see you wrestling again," Hunter continued. "And we're willing to do anything possible to make sure that happens. But let's be realistic, it might not. Have you given any thought to what you'll do with your life, should that happen?"

"Not really," Baron said, hoping he didn't sound like he was snapping. "I thought I'd get through this first and see if I have to find a new career."

"We have a business proposition for you," Hunter said. His voice was low, but it was neither kind nor unkind. It was the voice of a man who was staying in control, a man who knew he had the upper hand in this conversation. "We would like to offer you a chance to come up to Connecticut while you recover. We have already made arrangements for you to have the best doctors available working with you. We already have a physical therapy gym in the main house with all the latest equipment and we have already spoken to one of the finest physical therapists in the world. He's been the physical therapist for many top sports figures when they were recovering. He will come every single day and make sure you are getting the proper therapy you need. If more surgeries are needed we will pay for that. In basic language, we will pay whatever is necessary to make sure you have the very best care while you are recovering. We will do everything in our power to make sure you will be able to one day return to the ring and become the WWE Superstar we know you can be."

Baron noticed that Stephanie said nothing during this exchanged, but occasionally her head would dip slightly in a barely perceptible nod. She was agreeing with her husband, without being obvious about it. Baron wasn't sure what that meant, but he had been around enough to know that when someone was making you an incredible offer, you paid attention to everything. "What happens if I can't go back to wrestling?"

"Then, we will find something else for you to do." Hunter said, his gaze fixed on Baron. "I'm prepared to make sure you are set for life, Baron. I'm prepared to offer you a contract with a guaranteed income of ninety thousand a year, for the rest of your life. This, of course, is only if you are unable to wrestle. If you are able to wrestle again, your income will go much higher, and of course, we'll do everything in our power to make sure you become one of our top superstars. But, no matter how long your wrestling career is, that ninety thousand a year will always be yours. I promise we will always find a job for you to do in the WWE, no matter what your physical or even mental capacities are or become."

Baron studied Hunter for a moment, half expecting him to burst into laughter and say, "Gotcha!" even though he could never see Hunter going to these lengths for a prank of sorts. "Okay," he finally said, "Who do I have to kill?"

"Excuse me?"

To give Hunter credit, he really did look surprised. "C'mon, Mr. Helmsley," Baron said, deciding to be somewhat formal, at least in how he was addressing him. "I think I'm a pretty good wrestler, but I'm not the best. I'm still in the learning stage. I'm rough on the mic, we all know that. There are folks that have more superstar potential than I do, so why me? Why are you making this offer to me? Because I'm not stupid, I know I'm replaceable. And you're willing to offer me ninety thousand dollars a year for the rest of my life, even if I don't wrestle? What's the catch, because I know there is one."

At this, Hunter and Stephanie looked at each other, then to him. "We'd never ask you to kill someone," Stephanie finally said.

"Yeah, but it can't be because of my amazing looks or my sparkling personality," Baron said. "Because again, I know I'm a good wrestler and I know someday if I'm lucky, I'll be one of the greats, but it isn't someday, yet. So, what do I have to do for this awesome deal you're throwing at me? Because whatever it is, it must be pretty serious."

Again, Hunter and Stephanie exchanged looks, and for a moment that seemed a lot longer than it was, there was silence in the room, until Hunter finally spoke. "Well, part of the deal for going up to Connecticut is that, we need you to keep someone company."

Baron stared at him. "Keep someone company?" he repeated. "Why? Is this person unable to make friends on his own, so you're hiring me?"

"She's a she," Stephanie said.

"She?" Baron stared at Stephanie, then, unable to resist, laughed. "You want me to go to Connecticut to keep a woman company? What's wrong with her?"

"Nothing!" Hunter said, his voice louder than it had been. He wasn't physically shouting, none-the-less, Baron could hear shouting in his words. "She's a very nice young woman. Quite attractive, too."

"Oh, an attractive young woman," Baron said, followed by another burst of laughter. "Well, thank god she's attractive!" He leaned forward in his chair, looking at Hunter, noting with amusement that his boss, Triple H, the man who normally defined the meaning of the world "calm" was beginning to look very agitated. "I wouldn't want to befriend an unattractive young lady. Tell me, Hunter, what do you want me to do to keep her company?"

"It's not like that!" Stephanie snapped.

"We figure it's beneficial for both of you," Hunter said. "You could use someone to help you, due to your physical limitations. And she needs some company. I know what you must be thinking, but Stephanie is right, it's not like that, not at all."

Baron fixed his gaze on her. "Oh, really? Then what is it like? Why do you need me to keep this woman company?" Again, Stephanie and Hunter started exchanging looks and while part of Baron was still amused at this situation, he felt part of him growing angry too. Something was going on, something about this generous offer wasn't sitting right, and Stephanie and Trips were treating him as someone might treat a child, dangling a particularly tempting prize over his head in hopes that he would leap for the prize and not ask questions, but instead of an ice cream cone, or a shiny bicycle, the prize was a guaranteed income of ninety thousand dollars a year. "C'mon Hunter, C'mon Stephanie, what's going on? This whole situation sounds ridiculous. You want to bring me up to Connecticut, put me up in your house-"

"Our guest house," Stephanie firmly interrupted. "She's staying in the guest house and you'll stay there too."

"Okay, your guest house," Baron said. "Still, why are you offering me this? And why do you need me to keep a woman company? I mean, what's going on? Did you kidnap her or something?"

"No!" Stephanie said, shaking her head as well. "We didn't kidnap her! What type of people do you think we are?"

"I have no idea," Baron countered. "Before you came over, I would never have thought you were the type of people who would offer to pay me ninety grand a year whether I wrestle or not. So, why don't you tell me what type of people you are, and why you have a woman sequestered in your guest house, obviously being isolated to the point where you're willing to pay me to keep her company? Not just pay me while I'm keeping her company, but to continue to pay me, even when I've stopped keeping her company, because I'm betting you're not going to keep her forever, no, I don't think you're into that. But you have some reason, some purpose for bringing her onto your property and keeping her isolated. Whatever it is, it has to be pretty damned important to you, so what is it?"

"She's pregnant with my baby!" Hunter almost shouted.

For almost a full ten seconds, silence as thick and heavy as pea soup fell over the room. Stephanie looked at Hunter, Baron looked at Hunter, and Hunter closed his eyes and shook his head as if he could not believe what had come out of his own mouth.

"Okay," Baron said, finally breaking the silence. "Stephanie? Can you go to my kitchen? Ignore the mess, I can't really clean in this condition. But go to my refrigerator. I believe you'll find a six pack in there. One or two might be missing, but I'm pretty sure there are at least four or five beers in their. Bring one out for me, will you? And if you and Hunter here, want one, you're welcome to it. Hell, I think there's even half a bottle of white wine in there too, left over from the ex, if you'd prefer that."

Baron half expected Stephanie to balk, but she rose from the couch and silently walked to the kitchen.

"It's not what you're thinking," Hunter said, seeming to find his voice once Stephanie began moving. "Let me explain, I-"

Baron raised his hand in a stop gesture and grinned. "I'm sure it's a fascinating tale and I can't wait to hear it," he said. "But I think a story this interesting should be shared over a drink."

End of Chapter Two

Yes, I know this is a short chapter, but I wanted to get it up and I think it's all that needed to be said.

I'd love a review if you're so inclined. :D