Kadence stared at the hotel room door with an overwhelming sense of trepidation. "Things are going to be okay, Kady." Dillon told his sister, noticing the worry on her face as he knocked on the door.
Instantly Sara answered the door and immediately pulled Kadence into a hug. Sara and Kadence clung to each other for a couple of minutes before a feeble voice called out, "Sara is that Kadence?" Kadence pulled away from Sara and made her way into the room.
"Mama?" She asked as she moved towards the bed trying to hold back the tears that were threatening to fall.
"Kadence! My darling girl! How I have missed you." Cheryl Blankenbiller struggled to sit up so she could see her daughter better.
"Mama, be careful!" Sara gently admonished as she moved to help her mother-in-law sit up.
"You must tell me all about these wrestlers you work with." Cheryl said after she was situated and had impatiently waved off Sara. "I especially want to know about Shawn Michaels and Triple H. They seem like fun guys."
"Mama!" Kadence exclaimed, shocked. "Have you been watching Raw?"
"Of course I have." Cheryl sniffed. You didn't think I was going to let my little girl go off and not follow her career, did you?"
"What does dad think about that?" Dillon asked as he and Sara made themselves comfortable on the couch facing the bed.
"We have a wonderful 'don't ask, don't tell' system in place. I 'go to bed' early every Monday night and watch Raw in our room, while he stays up to 'work' and he watches in his office." Cheryl explained to her children. Kadence started to tear up again as she realized that her parents actually cared enough to watched her.
"Now, no more tears." Cheryl gently wiped Kadence's face. "Tell me everything that has been going on in your life." Kadence spent the next several hours with her family as the laughed about the good time and cried over the sad times. When Kadence noticed her mom getting tired, she excused herself.
"I'm really proud of you Kadence." Cheryl told her daughter as she hugged her goodbye. "I will always love you, never doubt that."
"I love you too, Mama. Thanks for coming to see me." Kadence started for the door only to be stopped by her brother.
"I'll walk you out Kady." Dillon said after making sure his wife was okay with settling Cheryl in for the night.
Once they were in the hall, Dillon turned to Kadence. "Thanks for coming today, Kady. I know it meant a lot to her to see you again."
"I'm glad I got to spend time with her." Kadence quickly scribbled her cell number on a piece of paper and handed it to Dillon. "Make sure you stay in touch."
"I will." Dillon promised, taking the paper and placing it in his pocket. They continued to walk down to the lobby, each lost in their own thoughts. "I'll miss you Kady girl. Take care of yourself." Dillon whispered, hugging his sister.
"You be good little brother. Take care of Sara for me." Kadence returned her brother's hug before stepping into the waiting Town car. As the car pulled away, Kadence allowed the tears to fall that she had been holding back. She cried for the pain she knew her mother was in, the pain in her heart at not getting to see her family, and for the pain she knew her father must have felt when she had thrown everything he had given her in his face.
Arriving back at her hotel, Kadence hurried through the lobby and up the stairs to her room. Deciding that she didn't want to spend the night wallowing in memories, Kadence changed her clothes, grabbed her purse and headed back out the door.
Thankful that Dillon had insisted she use the Town car for the remainder of the time she was in town, Kadence placed a quick call to the driver as she headed to the lobby. Stopping by the front desk on her way out, Kadence asked if they could recommend some good nightclubs, knowing that she would prefer to lose herself in a crowd of people. With the name of what was supposed to be the 'best club in hundreds of miles', Kadence looked at her watch. Noticing that she had several hours before the club opened, she decided to go get something to eat.