Chapter 8
A month later, sitting on a cushioned bench on the back porch, sighing as Mark finished working on my therapy for strengthening the muscles in my legs. Looking to him as he finished up, wiping his hands off on a hand towel, after using some kind of cream on my legs. He told me it was suppose to help my muscles once it's rubbed in right. Almost like a massage more than anything. "How your legs feeling, since we've added those new exercises?" He asked as he stood to his feet, cleaning up a few things. "Same as always. I feel very little, some places are still numb. I don't think I'll ever walk Mark." Mark stepped back out onto the back porch, seating himself once again, placing a bottle of water upon a small table next to AJ. "You will, just got to give my methods more time. If you don't at least you have some sensations, your not totally numb like you were a month or so ago." Nodding my head as I grab the water, drinking some as I put it down. Sitting in the shade of the awning that the guys on the ranch had installed so we could enjoy the back porch without getting sun burned.
"Yea I know, be patient and all that. You're right this is a lot better than where I was before hand." Mark nods as he turned his head as Dave stepped up, "Something wrong?" Dave stops in his foot steps, "Not today from anybody. Everything is working smooth. Which to me is a miracle within it's own rights." Dave continued his walk up the porch steps, placing the mail upon the table. "Mail call." Taking the rest to deliver it to the workers rooms, for when the day's chores were completed, they'd have something to look forward too. Mark nods in taking his part of the mail, going through it. "Anything of interest?" AJ asked as she saw the expression on his face. Mark looked up from a letter as he lowered it. "Letter from my old boss Vince McMahon..."
Lifting a brow as I place my leg braces on. Climbing myself into my chair, getting comfortable once again. "Oh? What did he have to say?" Mark sighs gently, "I.. I don't know how to tell you this..." Rolling forward as Mark hands me the letter. Taking it from his hand gently as I read it over. Lowering my head as I shook it, placing the letter on the bench, rolling off, down the ramp, heading off. I wanted to be alone. Mark sighs as he picks up the letter, crumpling it in his right hand as Dave stepped out onto the porch. "Whoa.. Something wrong?" He asked as he seated himself. "Vince that's what's wrong..." Mark grumbled. Dave lifted a brow, "Now what did he do?" Mark looks to him, "He just made AJ's dreams not a reality anymore..." Dave sighs as he runs a hand through his short hair. "He'll take Tritan at the drop of a hat, but not AJ. Just because she'll do something else within the company. Did he say why he wouldn't take her?"
Mark sighs gently, "Cause she isn't able body to perform in the ring. He rather have her in the ring working than be a manager or even be a writer." Dave snorted a bit, "Could use the help in the writing department.." "Yea I know..." "Where did AJ go, after finding this out?" Dave asked, looking around. "She took off to be alone.." Mark answer softly. Dave sighed as he shook his head, "That kid has been through enough. Why can't she catch a break?"
"To be honest Dave, I really don't know. Even her own father isn't giving her any support either. We're the only ones she has now." Dave looked to Mark, "What do you have strewing through that mind of yours..." Mark chuckles a bit, "I don't have nothing.." Dave chuckles, "I can tell, you do have something brewing in your mind. I want to know what you have planning. So I can help out, maybe beat the crap out of some people." Mark chuckles as he climbs to his feet, "Don't worry about it Dave. You'll see once my plan is in motion and completed. Trust me." Patting the man's shoulder as he walked off.
Later on that day, sitting out in the field, one of the best places to sit on the property to see everything. Running a hand through her hair, lost in thought mostly of what to do from this point on. "I'd thought I would find you here..." AJ sighed to that voice, not wanting to even hear it never mind speak. "What do you want? Ridicule me.. Tell me I'm more worthless now than ever before?" Layfield sighs as he removes his cowboy hat from his head, running a hand through his hair. "Alright I think I deserve that..." Sighing as I shake my head, not even turning to look at my father. "What do you want? I don't need nothing from you." Stepping up as he adjusted his dark grey suit jacket, just coming from the office, after getting a phone call. "I got a call from someone today. I guess you got the news you were not wanting to receive today.." Rolling my eyes, "Oh yea I received it alright. When did it become a crime to be handicapped and make a living? He had a one legged kid in that ring before." "This is different AJ, you know that. You can't move period. That kid could at least hop around and do moves in the ring."
Whipping around as I turned my chair, "Who side are you really on? That's what I want to know.. His or Mine?" "I'm not taking sides AJ. I'm trying to make you see how unfair things can get while you try many things, that not many can achieve in your aspect." Layfield explain, while fiddling with his hat in his hands. Shaking my head, "Ever since I turned eleven you've never backed me up. Ever since mom passed. You've been distant from me. Shoved yourself deep into your work and forgotten me, unless I was in trouble. Then you'd show even if it killed you or took time away from you job. I'm really nothing to you am I?" Layfield furrowed his brow, "What gives you that idea that I think that way? I'm working my ass off to keep a roof over your head, food on the table, clothes on your back. Send you to the best schools in the city. Try and give you things I never had growing up. I did it all for you, not just for myself." Rolling my eyes a bit, "This ole bit again... I've heard this a million times. You did it cause that's what you wanted. I didn't want to go to the private schools. You forced me to go, cause you hated the fact that I was hard to handle in the public schools."
"That's not true AJ and you know it. You told me yourself you wanted to go to all those places I sent you." "Oh yea sending me to JUVIE! That was great dad! Thanks for sending me somewhere that nearly killed me! I think I was better on the streets than there." Layfield sighs as he shakes his head, "What do you want me to say to you AJ.. How will it help you get over the hatred you hold against me?"
"Nothing you say can bring back years of you ignoring me and making your work be the number one thing and not your own daughter. Mama was never liked that, she always had time for me. If she didn't, she made the time for me. You never did. When she was alive, you weren't always there. I would sit in my room, hear her in the next room yelling into the phone, trying to make you come home. You always gave her an excuse. You never heard her crying, wishing you were home for certain things. No.. You never heard her.. Cursing the day she past, you'd regret not coming home when she wanted you home..." Layfield growls, reaching back releasing what frustration he just had into his hand, connecting with his daughter's jaw.
Falling out of my chair as pain ran through my jaw, placing a hand upon it, checking making sure it wasn't broken. "You son of bitch! You hit me!" Layfield shook his hand as he picked his hat up off the ground. "I loved your mother and you. I was out making a living so you two could have everything that you both wanted! She wanted more than I could give her AJ..." He spat as he was seeing red in front of him. Growling as I went to move towards him, seeing him swing again. Moving as he missed. Backing away the best I could as he came at me again. Ducking under some nearby bushes as I gasped for air. I had never crawled that fast in my life, except for when I was trying to hide, beaten and battered in alley ways.
"She knew what she was getting into when she married me. She excepted it all! Even who I was. As things went on, she hated what I was becoming and the success I was having! She wanted me home more when my career was at it's high point. I wasn't going to come home every time your mother cried wolf practically to me on the road!
She had issues AJ and I've told you that many times before. You still don't except that. That's not my problem that you can't take the truth!" Layfield bellowed as he stood on his feet, near the bushes, where he knew his daughter climbed under. "Fine.. You think what you want and do what you want. You always have and always will. Just leave me out of it. I want nothing to do with you if you're going to be like your mother! Look me up when you've got yourself together and want to talk like an adult." With that said, picking his hat up off the ground, once again, stalking off back to his truck.
Shaking as I swallowed hard, hearing every word he said to me. Avoiding the dirt he had kicked my way, before walking off. Laying my forehead upon my hands, that I had folded in front of me. Sighing as I growled, pounding my fists into the Earth, many times over getting every single piece of frustration out. I lost count as I saw my knuckles were cut, caked with blood and dirt. Hearing nothing but the sounds of the night coming out. Slowly dragging myself out from under the bushes, seeing it was dusk. Sighing as I slowly sitting myself up, dusting myself off a bit. "AJ! Where are you!?!" I heard bellowed as it echoed through the ranch. Sighing as I recognized the voice, it was Mark looking for me. He saw my battered jaw, he'd get in his truck and find my father and beat'em beyond recognition. At this moment, I didn't really care.
"Over here.." I yelled as I dragged myself along the ground over to my knocked over chair. Slowly getting my wheel chair back up on it's wheels, as I heard Mark climbing the hill as he came over the top, following the mini dirt path. "There you are. What the hell happen?" He asked as he stopped in his foot steps, seeing AJ on the ground, getting her chair back upright. Slowly walking up as he stopped in shock, seeing the bruises on the left side of AJ's jaw. Sighing as I looked to him, "Don't... Say anything.. Please." Mark sighs as he shakes his head, helping AJ back into her chair. Settling in as I looked to him, "My father and I had some words exchanged.. Next thing I knew I was on the ground, crawling for my life into the bushes." Mark crouched down beside AJ as he sighs, "He hit you didn't he.." He stated, not actually a question, seeing the evidence was good enough for him.
Nodding my head as I sigh, "Yea he did. He didn't like something I said and slugged me. I guess I deserved it in his eyes. Him and I will never see eye to eye. Told me I was turning into my mother. Told me she had issues and shit. I think he's the one with the issues." Mark sighs as he places a hand on AJ's shoulder, "Your father is no saint AJ, I think you know this by now." Nodding her head once, "Yea I know. You and some of the guys told me what he use to do on the road while working. He was the same thing, when he came off the road too. Home life wasn't always as he tells it..." Mark didn't know what to say at this moment, hearing this from AJ was different. Beyond the Layfield he knew all those years. Layfield told him things at home weren't the best, why he buried himself in his career when he was on the road. But he didn't know it was this bad.
"Wanna talk about it?" He asked. Shaking my head as I looked to him. "Not really. I just want to get cleaned up, get some sleep and get a fresh start on what I guess I'm really going to become. Absolutely nothing per my father." Shaking his head, "You are going to be something AJ. Give something else a chance." Lifting a brow to him, "What can I do now Mark?" "What was the other things you wanted to do, if you couldn't get in the ring again." "Manage, booking or writer.. Why do we ask this Mark?"
Climbing to his feet as he grabbed the handles of AJ's chair, pushing her gently around and back towards the house. "How about being my Personal Assistant?" Lifting a brow as I looked up to him, "Personal Assistant? Alright what's the catch?" Mark looked down to her, "Dave and I talked about it. The boys here are done. They head back to wherever they came from starting tomorrow..." "Okay.. What does this have to do with being your PA?" "Dave and I are heading back on the road. Coming out of retirement. Heading back on the road and getting back in the ring. We're joining Tritan and the boys back on the road." Lowering my head as I looked away, "I don't know..." "No need to answer at the moment, give me your answer when you're ready. You have two days to decide. That's when Dave and myself head back onto the road ourselves."
Pushing AJ up the ramp and into the house, which was kind of noisy with the help in the kitchen making dinner with Dave supervising. Mark pushed AJ past the chaos, down the hallway to his office. Closing the door as he walked around AJ, turning a couple of lights on, seating himself behind his desk. Slowly AJ rolled herself a bit forward, looking to Mark as she moved, placing herself in front of his desk. "If and I mean if I take this offer... What do the duties entail?" Mark grabbed a few things out of a nearby drawer, placing them upon the desk top. "The duties entail, making sure everything for me is booked. That means, hotels, flights, rentals the whole fifty yards. Making sure everything is prepared in our rooms, signings everything I have to know for that night's performance. Script changes everything like that." Lifting a brow as Mark listed everything that I would be doing.
"I'd be traveling with you all over the place..." Mark nodded his head once, "Everywhere I go.. You go, except the ring of course." Chuckling a bit as I lean back against the back of my chair. "Why the change?" She asked. Mark leaned back in his high back, cushioned office chair. "Miss being on the road, entertaining in the ring. I was the best of the best, when I left. I miss it all I guess. Dave too." "I see. What makes you think I can do this for you, without screwing it up royally?" Mark chuckles a bit, "I know you better than anybody else that will not take no shit from nobody. You rule with an iron fist. Most important of all you know how to stand on your own two feet, without my supervision twenty four seven. If I had someone else I would have to train them. You already are from being here for so long." Nodding her head gently, "I get it. No need to make it seem like it's a fluffy chair type job here Mark."
Mark shakes his head, "It's not. It's a hard job and not many can handle it. But I know you can. So what do you say? You going to follow your big buddy all over the place or go do something else?" Placing his hand upon the papers he had placed upon the desk. Pushing them gently forward with a pen on top of them. "If you are, go over this contract that I have personally written up and is signed by Vince McMahon himself. Trust me I made sure things are fair, but if there is anything that needs to be changed or added, per your wants and such. Then we'll discuss them and come to an agreement. Then you pack up your gear and we head out." Moving closer as I lift up a dusty, blood caked dirt hand as I grabbed the pen, slowly reading every page.
Mark sat back watching, seeing AJ's hands were going to need some tending too after they were finished here. Looking as AJ placed the pen on the line on the last page, next to Vince's john hancock, which was already on the paper. Placing the pen upon the desk, placing the papers back down, pushing it back towards Mark. "You've got yourself a Personal Assistant Mark. I like the terms and everything. To me they are also fair." Mark nods as he grabs the contract, placing it in a large mailing envelope, sealing it as he places it upon the desk. Climbing to his feet, walking around as he leans his hand out, "Welcome to the family AJ." Smiling broadly as I took his hand firmly as we shook on it. "Glad to be apart of it. One way or another." Mark nods as they released the shake.
"Let's get you cleaned up and get to dinner. Dave will have our heads if were aren't there." Nodding as Mark led me out for our last meal with the boys before heading out into another chapter of our lives.