It had been two weeks since his suspension had started and things had somewhat returned to normal around his house. He had managed to tell his dad of his suspension and he had taken just how he had thought he would; hard.
He had quickly fallen into a routine each day based around his pills. Each morning it was a given he would need them; usually 3 of whatever he was taking, sometimes more. Anytime an uneasy, unsettling feeling would rise within him, he would pop more.
If everyone could understand his reasoning for the pills, things would be a lot better, he had thought many times. He needed them to feel like a normal person again. He wanted to feel normal, to be able to exist like the billion of other people roaming the Earth. No one seemed to understand that, and he was tired of explaining it.
He had decided to schedule an appointment to have his tattoo filled in even further. It was an ongoing process for the piece of art on the back of his neck, but he was becoming more and more anxious with each tattoo session he had for the out coming product. It was something he took pride in.
He had noticed his phone vibrating in his back pocket a few times, but he silenced the ringer without even looking at the caller. They'll call back, he thought a few times. They'll leave a voice mail, or a text message.
He hadn't taken any pills for a good 6 hours before coming into the shop. This was a form of therapy for him and it helped ease the uncalming feelings that raged throughout him on a day to day basis. It was kind of a twisted scenario seeing as the needle did inflict some sort of pain at the site of the tattoo, but the adrenaline rush he received from the tattoo was just as good as the pills.
It was when he felt his phone ringing again that he felt the needed to at least see who was calling him non-stop. It had to be pretty important for his phone to ring as much as it had the past 20 minutes. He waved for Shane, the tattoo artist to stop for a moment as he leaned forward and started at the screen on his phone.
Matt.
His heart began to race a little and a thin layer of sweat formed on his brow. He knew his brother wouldn't ring him continually unless it was an emergency. He was completely prepared for any bad news, but he calmed himself as best he could before flipping the front open and answering the phone.
"Hello?" he said, trying to control his voice.
"Jeff where are you, man?" Matt asked in a panicked voice.
"I'm at Shannon's shop getting my tattoo-" Jeff started before he was cut off.
"You need to get home ASAP, dude. It's your house." he said almost in a whisper. "It's on fire."
It took him a few minutes to register the information he was just given. He closed his eyes and drew a deep breath inward. That's when he saw it. The eyes of his companion and best friend, Jack. Terror and fear rushed through his body as he wiped the sweat from his brow.
"Matt, please, get Jack. You have to get him out!" Jeff pleaded. "Please!"
"Is everything alright?" Beth asked with a confused look, as she closed the magazine she was reading.
He grabbed her wrist and headed for the door, without giving her so much as an answer to her question. She knew something was wrong. It was kind of hard not to notice with the way Jeff was acting.
"Tell Shannon I'll be back to pay him. Family emergency!" Jeff called behind him.
"Alright, what is going on?" Beth asked when they had made their way outside.
"It's the house. Matt said it's on fire. I didn't ask how bad, we just need to get there fast." Jeff said, as they slid into the car and Jeff started the car and gunned the engine towards the intersection making the short 20 minute drive to his house.
They road in silence, both trying to take in the past 10 minutes. Everything had happened so quickly that Jeff's head was spinning but he forced himself to stay focused long enough to get home before worrying and getting home.
As he turned onto the familiar dirt road, he saw the smoke above the trees int he distance. The sight made him sick to his stomach. He knew this wasn't good and now he wondered just how bad his home was ablaze.
He closed his eyes once more and just like before, he saw the same dark, saddened eyes of his dog, Jack. He looked as if he were crying out for help and it shook Jeff to his core seeing Jack sad eyes staring back at him. He opened his eyes and shook his head, trying to get the burned image from his mind.
He slid the car into the long, winding driveway preparing himself for the worst. He saw the row of firetrucks parking in front of his house. The next image that came into view shocked both he and Beth. The fire had engulfed his entire house and was popping through the doors, windows and even out from under the double wide.
He flung his car door open without cutting the engine and raced over to where Matt and his dad was standing. The heat hit his face almost immediately, causing sweat to form on his brow once again. He smelled the burning plastic and wood as he watched the mist fly from the house in an effort to kill the blaze.
"Matt, where's Jack?" Jeff asked as he tried catching his breath.
"They won't let anyone in. The fire is everywhere and they won't let anyone enter until the control it, at least." Matt said, with a defeated look.
Jeff looked past Matt as his eyes fixed on his home that was burning before him. He watched as the fire seemed to taunt him, flying in and out of the window of the far end of the home, which was once his bedroom window. He prayed that Jack was okay but in the bottom of his heart, he knew the truth. He felt the warm mist forming at the corner of his lids and he closed his eyes in an effort to stop the tears from falling, but to no avail. He wiped his cheeks with anger as Beth grabbed his waist and clung to his white tank top.
"It's going to be alright son." his dad said, squeezing his shoulder.
Jeff didn't say anything, but watched the fire that was destroy not only his home, but the many memories he shared with his family and friends within those walls. The pictures he could never get back. His clothing, his personal belongings from his mother that he could never get back. All those things lost angered and saddened him but what pushed him over the line was his pills. He had a few on him and a bottle in the glove compartment of his Camero but he had his remainder of his stash inside.
That angered him.
Beth gasped as the sound of glass shattering interrupting him from his thoughts. He sighed as the fire trickled through the broken window and danced around, almost laughing in his face. He sighed, as he felt his phone begin to vibrate once more. He looked at the screen and mumbled to himself when he saw the caller to be none other than Vince McMahon himself. He flung the phone open with a huff and forced a friendly tone considering the circumstances.
"Hello, Mr. McMahon." he said through clinched teeth.
"Jeff, I hope I'm not interrupting you." Mr. McMahon said.
Jeff held back a sarcastic comment as he stared forward at the still alive fire that was tearing through the last of his home.
"No, no. What can I do for you?" Jeff asked, hoping that maybe it was good news he would be calling about. Maybe his suspension had been lifted early.
"Well, it's about your current violation against the Wellness Policy. Seeing as this is your second offense, there is another condition other than 60 days without pay and your fine." Vince started.
Jeff sighed as Matt, Beth and his father looked at Jeff wondering what the nature of the call would be about. Especially seeing as the time was clearly awful. Granted, Mr. McMahon had no clue what was going on in Cameron, North Carolina that evening, but they were all taken aback Jeff hadn't mentioned it.
"And that would be what, sir?" Jeff asked, waiting on baited breath for the conclusion of his agreement.
"Well, the policy states you have to complete a 60-day program at a rehab facility we have set up for you. That is, if you would want to return to the WWE. If not, well then we could part ways as soon as possible."