*Thank-you for all the reviews on the last chapter. They were greatly appreciated. Thank-you all so much. = )
Change they always say it's a good thing. I guess that's good because lately Dave and me were having lots of change over the last few weeks. We had moved to New York City and were adjusting to the cold weather again. Dave and me were both originally from the North and endured snowy winters and winters where the temperature dropped below zero but once we moved to Tampa we got used to not dealing with snow or ice. We got used to not dealing with weather below 60 degrees in the winter time. It was quite the adjustment for us but we got a nice welcoming snowstorm as we moved to New York and that was followed by a wonderful ice storm. It was so cold but we were beginning to get used to it again. I had also started my new job for Cosmo and I absolutely loved it. It was a lot of work but it was worth it. I enjoyed every minute of it. I'm pretty sure I enjoy it more than I enjoyed working for WWE. I didn't have to worry about walking on egg shells with the fear of upsetting my boss. It was a positive but competitive atmosphere. I liked it a lot and I had already made a couple new friends which wasn't too bad considering I had only been there for 3 weeks.
While I was getting settled in at my job I was getting settled in at my new house. It was a new environment but it was slowly becoming a home. I had everything in the kitchen set up and everything in mine and Dave's room set up. It was the living room that was causing all the problems. I just couldn't figure out how I wanted to arrange the furniture. I think I changed it everyday but nothing was ever good enough. Dave would yell at me about moving all that furniture while being pregnant but I constantly ignored him. We even had the nursery almost finished. While Dave was off for two weeks we worked on it and had it painted green, put the crib up and had the other furniture put in. It was pretty funny watching Dave put the crib together. He was getting so frustrated and he was yelling causing all type of a fuss over how the directions were crappy and didn't tell him anything. He eventually got the crib together and it looked perfect. The entire nursery looked perfect. Everything we had was gender neutral so we were looking at a lot of yellows and greens. Honestly, I was tired of looking at ducks and frogs. That was the only bad thing about not knowing the sex because we didn't know what kind of clothes to buy for it so it was just a waiting game but it would be over soon. I was at least a month away from my due date and it couldn't come fast enough for me. Everything was coming together though and even though Dave and me were going through some changes the best change was on its way. We both couldn't wait and we were excited. We were both ready to meet the baby.
It was the middle of January and it was the weekend before Dave's 43rd birthday and surprisingly enough WWE was in town for the Royal Rumble. I was planning on having a party for Dave with Zack and a couple of his friends were also in town to see the show so they were coming as well. I was planning on having it after the Rumble so that Dave could focus completely on the Rumble instead of a party and if he wanted to drink he could drink without being in trouble. Dave was at the house getting ready to leave for the Rumble when he said, "Tess, would you like to come tonight. I have some tickets and a backstage pass. You know they allow us to bring family with us."
"Dave, that's not a good idea at all," I said. "Besides I have stuff to get together before your party tonight."
"Tess, it's at a bar. There isn't really anything you can do to get ready."
"I want to take a nap. My energy is being sucked out of me by the baby. Plus I have some work to do."
"Tess, come on. You don't want to watch me lose the Rumble?" he asked.
"You don't know if you're going to lose," I said.
"Oh so you think Creative is all of a sudden going to let me win and main event Wrestlemania? Yeah right, Tess. You and I both know that I'm losing. I'll probably get eliminated by someone like Andy Leavine or someone like that. I don't know but we both know I'm losing and I'm okay with it. I really am. And you can do your work in the locker room. And you'll be spending the night with me."
"Dave, I can't go back there. I can't face those people. That's like suicide."
"Tess, you can and it would really mean a lot to me if you came with me."
"And what if we run into John? I am just now getting over the fact he doesn't want to be friends. I'm not ready to face him either. I don't have any reason to go to the show tonight. That's a part of my life I never wish to visit again."
"I could be the reason you go," he said, "please?"
"Dave, it's too hard to go back. I don't want to be the person they're talking about because of what happened."
"And by not going you're letting them win. If you go you're showing them that you don't care what they think. Do you want to let them win or do you want to show them you don't care what they think and you're happy with your life?" he asked.
He made a good point if I didn't go with him to the show I was letting them win and I didn't' want to let them win. I wanted to show them I was happy and not miserable. I wanted to show them that I was doing better than I have ever done in my life. I wanted them to see that me losing my job with WWE was the best thing to ever happen and I wanted to show them that Dave was a great guy despite what they thought. He was right. I wasn't going to let them win. "You're right," I said. "I'll go."
"Thank-you," he said. "It really means a lot to have my favorite girl there," he said as he kissed my cheek.
"I guess I better go get ready," I said. "I'll be down in 15 minutes."
"Okay," he said. "I'll be here."
I went upstairs to get ready. If I was going with Dave I wanted to look my best. The best a woman can look at 8 months pregnant. I finally decided on a black maternity tunic and a pair of maternity jeans. I was so glad that I would be out of maternity clothes soon. I had to wear sneakers because that's the only thing my feet could fit in and I was comfortable in because my feet were so swollen. I brushed my hair out and put on a little make up. As soon as I was ready I went downstairs and Dave and me headed to the arena. I was so nervous because I didn't know what to expect. I was sure people were going to talk about me. I didn't care what they were going to say about me because I know what's true and what isn't. It was just I didn't like the thought of being the topic of discussion. I'm sure they could have found something better to talk about and not my little life with Dave.
Dave and me arrived at Madison Square Garden and he parked the car. I took a deep breath before getting out of the car and it was bittersweet to walk into the backstage area of the arena again. It was bittersweet to walk in with Dave and hold his hand something I never could do before. We walked through the building and it was like nothing had changed. We walked passed a couple of superstars and I could feel their eyes burning a hole right through me. Dave leaned over and said, "it's all right. Don't worry about them. You're bigger than that."
"I know," I said as we continued walking down the hall before we ran into Stephanie and her youngest daughter. She was probably the last person I wanted to see since I wasn't a fan of hers to begin with.
I was hoping I could avoid any type of conversation with her but I had no such luck as she said, "Tessa, I'm surprised to see you here. How are you?"
"I'm well. How are you?" I don't think I could have forced it out anymore than what I had.
"I'm good. I wasn't aware that you were friends with Dave."
"I am having his baby," I said, "and he's my boyfriend."
"Oh. I never would have guessed. I guess you're full of surprises."
"Yeah," I said. I knew that she knew about it and that was what I hated about Stephanie was her fakeness. It really got under my skin and it was even more irritating at 8 months pregnant.
"So you came to see the show tonight?"
"I guess so. I mean I love to see my boyfriend lose to mid-carders and see my ex-boyfriend sky rocket to the top as always. Why is it that Dave can't win a match but John is flying high like he did nothing wrong?"
"Tessa, in case you're not aware you no longer work for this company. You don't make the decisions around here anymore. And I don't have to answer that," she said.
"I didn't think you'd have an answer and as for making decisions. No one makes the decisions but you. You are given ideas but you shoot them down because it's not what you want. It's always about you and what you want. Getting fired was the best thing to ever happen to me."
"I'm glad you feel that way," she said, "and you got yourself fired. You have no one to blame but you for that."
"I know," I said.
"Maybe we should go," said Dave. "Bye, Stephanie."
"Bye, Dave," she said as Dave and me walked away.
"I can't stand her," I said.
"Whether you can stand her or not she's still my boss. I can't have you disrespecting her like that."
"But it's okay for you to be disrespected? You're better than what they're treating you. You don't deserve to lose and you don't deserve to be so low on the roster you're sharing some crappy locker room with developmental wrestlers. It's all personal. This isn't a business it's a joke. A true business or company would not allow personal matters to affect their thinking but that's how the McMahons do business obviously and I don't think you deserve it and I'm sorry for getting you into this mess."
Dave stopped walking and looked at me. "Is that what you think, Tessa? You think it's your fault I'm in the position I'm in?"
"Yes," I said. "I do because if I wouldn't have slept with you then none of this would be happening. If I would have just done my job like I was supposed to you would be champion."
"Tessa, screw that championship. I don't need that championship to be happy. I'm happy because I have you. I don't care if I'm losing as long as I have you and that baby. I could care less how those assholes treat me. At the end of the day it's not about winning or losing. It's about what I have to go home to and that's you.. I would rather lose every match of my entire life as long as I could come home to you. Tessa, maybe we shouldn't have crossed the line but I'm glad we did. I don't' regret it at all and you know why? Because if we hadn't we wouldn't be together. I wouldn't be this happy, you wouldn't be this happy and we wouldn't have that baby. Everything happens for a reason, Tess, maybe that's why what happened between us happened because now you're happier than you ever have been. And you got that great job. Just remember sometimes things need to fall apart so that better things can fall into place. I'm not worried about losing. I'm not worried about winning championships. I am worried about you and making you happy. Do not blame yourself at all for this, Tess."
"Aw, Baby, that was the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me," I said with tears in my eyes.
"Well, I love you, Tessa."
"I love you too," I said before I softly kissed his lips.
"Well, this is beautiful," said Randy Orton causing us to break our kiss.
"Hey, Randy," I said.
"Tessa," he said. "I couldn't believe it. I didn't want to believe it. How could you do this to John?"
"Randy, I don't' want to talk about it."
"I just didn't expect it from you. I'm shocked that you could actually do this. After all the times you said you hated him and then you sleep with him. Tessa, I don't even know what to say to you. You're just not the person I thought you were."
I had lost my patience. I was so tired of everyone telling me that I wasn't the person they thought I was. I was tired of being told that they didn't expect it from me. I wasn't perfect. "You know I am so tired of everyone telling me that I'm not the person they thought I was and I'm tired of being told people didn't expect this from me. I'm sorry I'm not the perfect person you thought I was. Good people can do bad things and still be the same person. I did something bad but I have not changed at all. I am still the same Tessa that I always have been except I don't care what you think, what John thinks what anyone thinks. I'm happy now and this is the happiest I have ever been. If you want to be my friend then fine if not then that's fine too. Like I've said time and time again. It's times like this where you realize who your true friends are and who they aren't. I've learned a lot. If you let my one mistake jeopardize my friendship with you then maybe you're not the person I thought you were. And if you're not my friend then bye," I said as we started walking away.
"Tessa, wait," said Randy.
"What?" I asked.
"I don't like what you did and I'm not happy that you're with Batista but we all make mistakes. You didn't' turn your back on me when I was destroying hotel rooms and acting like an idiot backstage. You were one of the few people that supported me, Tessa so I can't hold this against you. You're right no one is perfect and I'm sorry."
"It's okay," I said with a smile.
"I don't get a hug?" he asked.
"I guess you do," I said as I walked back to hug him.
"Thank-you and congratulations. I'm happy for you. I'm happy that you're happy. You deserve to be happy," he said.
"Thanks, Randy."
"No problem. I'm going to get going. I will talk to you another time to catch up. Have a goodnight."
"You too," I said with a smile before walking away with Dave.
While we were in Dave's and Zack's locker room before the Rumble Vince knocked on the door. "Come in," said Zack.
The door opened and Vince walked in with Stephanie of course. "Dave, I have to talk to you about something."
"Okay," said Dave as he got up from reading a book about child birth. "What's up?"
"Well, we were going over the roster for the Rumble match tonight and saw we had 31 competitors instead of 30 so we need to cut one. We just don't' have anything for you to do right now so we think it would be best if we cut you out of the Rumble."
"What?" asked Dave. I could tell that he was getting upset because his face had turned a light shade of red. "Who all do you have in the Rumble."
"That doesn't matter," said Vince. "We have a couple surprise entrants that we know the fans are going to like so we want to keep those spots so we just think it's best if we cut you."
"That's bullshit, Vince. You know it. How the hell are you going to cut me like that? I'm getting so sick and tired of this bullshit. It's I'm going to lose here and I'm going to lose there and now you're cutting me from the Rumble? It's bullshit," he said. He had lost his temper and I figured it would be best if I didn't say anything. Dave had it handled anyway.
"Dave, just calm down."
"Don't tell me to calm down, Vince. How do you think I feel? You're treating me like I'm some fresh new wrestler instead of someone that's busted their ass for you for years. I sacrifice my body every week for you to be treated like some piece of shit. I have a family to take care of and you treating me like shit isn't going to get that done. I'm tired of it, Vince. I'm tired of this corrupt business that I'm working for. I'm tired of the ass kissers and I'm tired of the brown nosers. I'm tired of it all. It's bullshit and I'm not taking it anymore so you can take this job and shove it up your ass. I quit."
"We have you under contract for another year," said Vince.
"I don't give a shit," he said walking over to his bags to pack up. "If you think I'm going to sit here and let this go on for another year you're mistaken. I quit."
"You'll be hearing from my lawyer," said Vince.
"Good because you'll be hearing from mine," he said as Zack walked over to Vince.
"If he's going. I'm going," said Zack.
"What?" asked Vince.
"It's not like you'd miss me anyway. You never use me. You always have me in dark matches. I can be a star somewhere else. I don't need this. I quit too."
"Fine," said Vince. "You both quit. Get out of my arena."
"No problem there," said Dave. "I will gladly leave. Tessa, let's go."
I didn't even know what to say. I couldn't believe Dave quit his job but I was happy that he finally stood up for himself and quit. I knew he wasn't happy with WWE and I knew it was only a matter of time. I was proud of him. And I was even more shocked that Zack Ryder quit with him. I never expected that from him. I guess Dave had found a really good friend because only good friends would quit their job for you. We left the arena and not only did we celebrate Dave's birthday we celebrated his freedom from a job he hated. It was a good night; eventful but good.
*A/N: So what did you think? Please review and thank-you for taking the time to read.