Chapter 7

A month later, slowly rolling her chair into the barn, seeing an old ring setup. Stopping as she rubbed her eyes, Tritan and a couple of the guys were in the ring with Dave and Jeff. Slowly rolling myself up for a better look, stopping as I watched Tritan get put through the paces with Dave. Sitting there intrigued in the paces of what looked like to be wrestling, but to me it looked mostly likely a mugging. Chuckling as Dave knocked Tritan down once more as Tritan laid on his back staring up at the ceiling. Dave stepped up as he looked down at him, "Had enough?" He asked. Tritan could only nod his head once as he was still trying to get his breath back into his body. Dave turned and looked to the rest, "Alright chores need to be done. That's enough for today." The rest slowly turned and walked off, some stopping to talk to me, most of them ignored me and kept right on walking.

Dave helped Tritan to his feet as he patted his shoulder, "You'll get it. Give yourself a chance to get back into the swing of things." Tritan nods as Jeff handed him a bottle of water. "Thanks. " He opened it and guzzled it without even stopping. "Look what the cat dragged in.." Dave commented as he hopped to the ground. "Giving him a run for his money Dave?" Chuckling a bit as I rolled myself up as Dave chuckles. "You could say that. He asked to do this." Nodding as Tritan climbed out of the ring and sat on the side. "When did you get back?" Tritan asked. "Just a few minutes ago. Dad's up at the house talking with Mark..." Dave sat down next to Tritan, "How you feeling?" Shrugging a bit, "From the waist down I don't feel nothing. Waist up I feel everything, getting stronger everyday to do things I need too." Dave nods as he gets to his feet, "I'm gonna go check on the rest of the crew. Good job today Tritan." Tritan nods as Dave took his leave, with Jeff following.

"I'm sorry you got hurt.." Tritan started to say as AJ lifted a fingerless covered hand. "Now don't you dare start with apologizing Tri. It wasn't your fault..." Tritan sighs as he gets to his feet, walking beside AJ as they both left the barn, stepping out into the warm sun, with a cool breeze rattling the trees and tall grass. "Feels good to be out of that hospital finally." Tritan nods as I roll myself along, towards the house. Stopping as Tritan plopped into the grass as he sighs, "I have good news.." He started to say. Lifting a brow to Tritan, "Yea? What's that?" "Heading on the road with Jeff and Matt. Gonna pursue what I started a couple of years ago." "You're going to follow what your dad always wanted you to do eh?" Tritan nods his head once, "Yea I am. But I'm going to do it in my own style. Like I've always done. I'm a high flyer, nothing going to stop me from that, except maybe an injury." Chuckling a bit, "I think you'd be great. I've always told you keep going but you gave up for awhile."

Tritan shrugs, "Well I got back to thinking about it, after what happen. Got me thinking I can't keep going like this anymore, I'm not getting anywhere the way I'm going." Looking to him oddly, "Have you been reading fortune cookies again?" Laughing as Tritan shakes his head, "No I haven't. Just been talking with Mark and Dave that's all. Mark mostly.. He told me some things I wish I heard a long time ago." "Oh the ole wise Man has been after you. Yea.. I got preached too myself. After this I haven't heard the end of it since." Looking up as Mark and Layfield walked onto the porch, "You ready to go?" Layfield asked AJ as he walked down the stairs. Shaking my head, "No I'm not. Why can't I stay?" Turning my chair a bit as I looked to him. "We've discussed this already AJ. There is nothing for you to do here. You're better off in a rehabilitation hospital, where you'll get proper care, like the doctor suggested you do."

Looking to Mark, "What do you think?" Mark stood at the top of the porch steps, leaning against the support beam. "I told him you can stay. Do thing around the house, I would work with you on your rehab, but your father doesn't believe I could do it." Looking to my father, "Why do you think Mark couldn't do it? Worried as always I'll end up dead?" Layfield sighs deeply, "AJ don't start this again. I've got to get back. I'm really busy with work, I don't have time for this..." Shaking my head as I rolled over to the truck, opening the door, grabbing my back pack out of the front seat, placing it over the handles of my chair, then grabbing my duffle bag. Closing the door as I rolled away, sitting near the base of the stairs, placing my duffle bag on the stairs. "I'm staying. I'm old enough to make my own decisions."

"You've done well for yourself so far AJ. You've been in numerous fights, nearly killed twice. Shot in the back and now you'll never walk if you don't work at it. Is that what you want? Stay in that chair the rest of your life?" Layfield questioned. "If I am, then I'm destined to be. Did it ever occur to you, what I wanted to do, besides follow you around in the corporate world.." Layfield removes his hand, running a hand through his hair. "I forbid it AJ. You and I have discussed this numerous times. I'm not going to let you get into that. You've seen what it has done to me physically." Sighing as I shake my head, "I have never been so sure about anything in my entire life and your just gonna shoot it down, just like that?" Layfield stepped up to his one and only daughter, "AJ, I don't want to see you get more hurt or worse. We've discussed this numerous times and you know why." Looking up as I shook my head, "You never cared what I wanted to do.. Only what you wanted.. I'm sick of living in your shadow. That's all I've done. Trying to turn me into a corporate monkey. It's not gonna happen I'm not cut out for that."

"It's better than being a gang banger on the streets isn't it?" He asked. Shaking my head as I moved myself around him, "Just wait until I get there. You'll be regretting in not support me!" I bellowed as I rolled myself across the dirt ground, back towards the barn. Layfield sighs as he watches AJ roll away, shaking his head as he placed his hat back upon his head. "I'm sorry you had to witness that..." Mark shook his head as Tritan was sitting on the steps, not saying a word. He knew what AJ was going through. He went through it with his father before he past. And now he was going through it with his step mother. But he was determined to get where he wanted to be, even if it meant breaking a promise to his step mother, which at the moment he didn't care much about.

"Sounds like AJ has a plan in mind Layfield. Why don't you just let her do what she really wants to do.." Mark commented as Dave stepped out from around the side of the house, stopping in his foot steps. Layfield looks to Mark, "She can't Mark. Limitations are now her enemy you know that just as well as I do. She is not cut out for what we use to do. She'd get killed in that ring before even reaching the big time. I don't want to see her fail and be disappointed." Mark lifts a brow, stepping down the stairs slowly, stopping in front of Layfield. "I think your afraid she'll fail and drag your name through the mud for what you've done for the business over the years. Is that it?" Layfield narrows his eyes, "No I don't want her being disappointed again, after doing what she wanted. I don't want to have to tell her I told her so and she should of done what I told her to do in the first place. This is none of your business Mark." Mark lifts a brow, "It's none of my business? You're on my property and she is in my care. As the paper work states that you signed. So I would get into your truck, drive off back to whatever you do in the city. Thinking about what you just said and what AJ said, then come back and see me, once you get your head out of your ass!" Layfield growled through gritted teeth, turning on his heels, walking around his truck, climbing in and driving off, kicking up dust and dirt as he hit the black top, screeching his tires.

Mark sighs as he shakes his head, placing his cowboy hat back on his head. Catching Tritan out of the corner of his eye, "Where you off too?" He asked as he saw him walking off. "To find AJ, make sure she doesn't do something stupid." Mark placed a hand on Tritan's shoulder. "Leave her be. Trust me she won't kid. Go do your chores. Dave or I will take care of her." Tritan stops as he sighs, hearing Mark's words as he nods, heading the opposite way, off to finish his chores. Mark lowered his hand to his side as Tritan walked off for chores. "Layfield being stubborn again.." Dave stated, more less a question. Mark nods his head once, "Yea.. He's blocking out what AJ is trying to tell him. He's just being Layfield." Dave steps up as Mark turned to face him, "So what are we going to do?" He asks. "Do what I said I would do. Work with her and see what we can do to encourage her to not give up on what she wants to do." Dave lifts a brow, "And what's that?" "Remember what AJ use to do before heading down the wrong road?" Dave nods his head once, "She wants to do that for a career and Layfield is afraid she'll taint his legacy." Dave runs a hand through his short black hair, "That's what his problem really is?" Mark nods, "Yep it is. But AJ is going to prove him wrong, just you watch."

Dave nods his head once again, "But how if she can't walk or anything?" Mark places a hand on Dave's left shoulder. "There are other things she is willing to do, if she can't do that. If you catch my drift." Dave looks to him, finally it dawned on him. "Oh I get it. You are ahead of the game here aren't you?" "Someone has to be around here, especially with Tritan and AJ." Patting Dave's shoulder as he walked off to find AJ.

Finally getting herself into the ring, pulling herself under the bottom rope. Pulling herself up onto her feet in a corner, leaning back against the padding, seating herself on the second rope. Sighing as I shook my head gently. Mark stepped up out of the nearby shadows of the evening. He had finally found AJ after looking all afternoon and part of the early evening. "I'd thought I would find you here." He commented as he climbed up upon the ring apron. Turning as I looked to him. "How did you know where to find me?" She questioned. "Been looking for you all day. This was the last place I thought you'd be. Plus it seems to be a quiet place to collect your thoughts. Care to share?" Climbing between the ropes as Mark leaned against them.

Shaking her head as I looked away, "Don't feel much like talking. You heard what was said. All I have to say about it. But I'm not gonna make it in here, like I originally was working towards in the past. But I want to manage or work behind the scenes or something. It might seem silly, but I miss traveling with dad before he retired. Just love hearing the roar of the crowd, either booing or cheering when he stepped out of the curtain to entertain the crowd. He'd walk into the back stage area with a huge grin on his face, knowing he enjoyed his match and it went over without a hitch. Is that so wrong that I want to be in the business I grew up in practically?"

Mark shook his head, "No it's not wrong at all AJ. I think you'd be a wonderful manager, writer, costume designer. Whatever you do, I know you will achieve whatever you seek in the end." Sighing as I look to him, "Then why is dad giving me a hard time?" Mark sighs gently as he slowly stands to his feet, "Cause he's afraid that' you'll go out there and ruin his reputation that took so long for him to build. Instead of listening to his heart and you and what you really want to do. You're plans sound like there solid. You have yourself together, it's not putting them into motion, following through and reaching the goal you have set in your mind." Mark explained as I nod my head once, running a hand through my hair, slowly seating myself upon the mat.

Swallowing hard as I speak, "Why do you and everybody else understand what I want and my own father doesn't?" "Cause he's being stubborn at the moment AJ. He just thinking one way and his way is his own or you don't go anywhere. You know how he gets." Nodding my head once, "I guess I'm a disappointment to him, always have been." Mark steps up as he kneels down upon one knee, "That is not true AJ. He's just concerned that you'll end up going down the wrong path and not make something of yourself. He's proud of you know matter what. Don't think like that at all, because you're not a disappointment. You've come a long way since you've been here. That something to be proud of isn't it?" Looking up to him as I shrug, "I guess so..."

"How about we head inside, sit down you and myself. Go over your plan of what you want to do. I'll give you a few pointers on how and where to go from here. How about that?" Looking to him once again, "You really want to help me? After all the things I've done to you in the past?" Mark nods his head, "Everybody makes mistakes AJ. As long as you learn from them, then it's was worth the mistake in the first place. I want to help you, because I see potential in you and Tritan. I know you two could really make it, if you are helped along the path. Your hearts and minds will follow, push you to make your strive towards your goals." Nods my head as Mark climbs out of the ring, helping myself into my chair, getting comfortable. "Been in the fortune cookies again?" I asked with a slight giggle. Mark pushes AJ's chair out of the barn as they both slowly head back towards the house. "No I haven't been reading fortune cookies. It's just a bit of advice from someone who's been there." Reaching up, patting one of Mark's hands. "Thank you... Thank you for everything. If I haven't thank you before I am now." Mark smiles a bit, "It was all worth it to see you at this point, even though a few minor set backs. But it doesn't mean you can't jump the hurdles and keep running." Nods as we head inside, doing as Mark promised me.