As I walk up the ramp the crowd welcomes me back with their cheers and kind words. I stand at the top of the ramp and take a final look at the fans and I do my "signature" pose and raise my arms above my head and they screamed louder than they have since I been out here. The pop was HUGE. I could feel the tears stinging in the back of my eyes, so I turned to walk to the back before they could appear. As I walk through the curtains, I hear applauds. I step down the last step and I see superstars, divas, refs, production staff, and MY FATHER all standing there clapping and congratulating me. 6 years out of the business and I return to my family and their love. I thought I had it all together before my daughter ran up to me and hugged me tight.
"Mom, you were great. You looked so beautiful. I like watching you in the ring. Just listen," Aurora said motioning toward the crowd. I listened with a smile 'Stephanie, Stephanie, Stephanie.' Their chants continued even with us being off air and on a commercial break. That did it. The tears rushed down my cheeks, as I listened more and they didn't die out.
"Mommy, don't cry. They missed you." Aurora said as she hugged me again and this time I lifted her into my arms and held her tight. As we walked through the crowd, and my WWE family welcomed me back, I got to the end of the line and there he stood, standing next to my dad. Paul. Our eyes met and he smiled and gave me a subtle wink.
"Baby girl, you were great," my dad said while hugging me and Aurora to the point where we almost couldn't breathe before he finally let go. "Welcome home sweetheart," Dad said and walked off to attend to some WWE business, and left me standing there, there with him.
"Paul, wasn't mommy great?" Aurora said as I placed her down on the ground.
He looked at me and smiled. I felt a rush down my back and knew he knew with the giggle that escaped from his lips. "Yeah Rory, she was great," he answered smiling still not taking his eyes off me.
"Thanks. I better get going so Janet can do my make-up over and..."
"Not that you need it," he said looking at me and then the ground
I felt myself blush, "well I'm going to go and get ready for my next segment." I said and he nodded. I grabbed Aurora's hand and began to walk back to my office before I felt a slight pinch on my a##.I turned around to find him smiling, "I'm glad the bit**h is back." He whispered as he gave me another wink and then he walked off. I could not stop myself from smiling.
"Give mommy a kiss before I go and be good for Pa," I said to my daughter. She got up and kissed me, "Mom calm down, you'll be gone for like 20 minutes, if that long," she said rolling her eyes. She definitely has my attitude. I smile and playfully pull her nose. She laughs and swats my hand away. "Go before you be late for it." With that I wave to her and my dad and make my way back to the gorilla position to wait until it was time to go out there. I watch as Kurt Angle stands in the ring talking.
"See I'm happy we have a new general manager and I'm happier about who it is. See unlike you rookies back there I have a history with our new GM." The crowd begins to boo him. "Oh it's true, it's true. Me and Steph had a thing one time before. She even kissed me. I'm quite sure she isn't over that or me. I mean I am an Olympic gold medalist." They continue to boo him. "Oh it's true, it's true. So I know Steph knows what I'm worth and will give the title shot I deserve. I mean it's obvious..."
I'm all grown up now... That's my cue.
The fans are going crazy before I even get out there. Once I walked through them curtains my game face was on, after all I'm suppose to be mad at the statements Kurt just made. He holds the ropes for me as I get in the ring. I walk over to Lilian and she passes me a mic and mouths the words 'Go get him'. Lilian is one of my best friends and I adore her.
"Steph..."
"Shut up Kurt!" The crowd goes crazy. "Now I know I've said I'm nothing like my father nor my brother and have allowed you guys to call me Stephanie, but don't take advantage of my kindness because I'm still the bit**h I always was." The crowd loved that one. "And when it comes to our relationship I'm your boss and you work for me as a member on the raw roster and nothing more. The past is the past and it shall stay in the past."
"But Stephanie, we had something"
"Kurt we had nothing. During the 'Mcmahon-Helmsley Era'..." The crowd goes crazy on the mention of the Era that brought me into the business, but little do they know it's the same reason I left. "...You used me to get to my ex-husband, Triple H..." The crowd goes wild over the mention of the #1 contender and quite frankly, I got happy with the mention of his mane also. "...And it got to him, but it also got you to get your a## whipped." The crowd cheers.
"Stephanie I never used you. We were good together, in our matches anyway. Steph you know how good I am. You know I deserve to be champion and not..."
Your time is up my time is now, You can't see me my time is now
John Cena appears and makes his way down the ramp and into the ring. He walks over to get a mic and then walks over to me and places a kiss on my hand. I can see him checking me out, and Kurt getting angrier.
"Stephanie, Stephanie, Stephanie, , 6 years away from us and you still look damn good." The crowd cheers, mostly the men in agreement. "But you're my boss now, therefore that is not allowed. So how you been Stephanie?"
"I've been great John, Thanks for asking."
"Missed us, because we damn sure missed you," John voice gets louder and the crowd get loud with him agreeing with his statement.
"Of course I did, why do you think I'm back?"
"Well I know it's not because you miss this a##," He said pointing at Kurt.
"Hey, you watch your..." Kurt begins, but is interrupted.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Kurt do yourself a favor and don't bother talking to me because you will be out of luck...basically because I just don't give a..." He holds the mic up and the fans finish his statement. "Now you were out here rambling on about how you had a past with our gorgeous GM here. Well so do I Kurt."
I Cringed and curse myself silently knowing what's coming next.
"How?" Kurt demands
"Well I have a clip that explains it all." He motions toward the screen and there it is.
"You serious about that John?
"Uh Let me think about that, hell yeah"
"You want to put you money where your mouth is?"
"Are you serious?"
"Then do it...I dare you?"
I turn my head so I won't see what's coming next, even though I know all to well. By the cheers of the fans I know that it's over and Kurt looks pissed. I bit back a laugh, if I didn't know any better I would think he was really pissed off.
"Look you two, there is no need to stand here and rehashed the past. It's the past, let it stay there. Kurt our past is not going to have anything to do with my role as your boss. Understand that?"
"Stephanie you don't have to hide your true feelings in front of all these people. We kissed. I felt something and I know you felt something." Kurt said playing with the ends of my hair. I pushed his hands off of me.
"You're right Kurt I did feel something."
"I knew it."
"Yeah I felt NAUSEOUS!" The crowd goes crazy and John is laughing hard. I bit back a laugh myself and continued. "Kurt you are the worst kisser ever. I will pick a slap on the a## from John over a kiss with you any day." John is lying on the ring hysterically laughing and the fans are joining him with laughs and cheers. "Now that that is out, I don't think we should sit hear dwelling on the past debating how and who had a better one with me because..."
It's time to play the game, Time to play the game!
The crowd goes wild and my heart drops to my stomach. There he is. He is wearing one of his t shirts and his wrestling gear. His hair is wet and hanging to his back. He's walking down the ramp, but has yet to break eye contact with me. He is gorgeous. It's taking everything in my power not to just jump on top of him and have my way with him right here and right now. He gets in the ring and brushes past me making our shoulders touch. It sends a rush down my back. As he makes his way back over toward the far left turnbuckle after getting a mic, he brush past me again and this time his hand bumps against my a##. I know he did it on purpose; Typical flirting Paul. As the crowd dies down he takes a look at all o f us and makes his way over to me. They start up again. It's been 6 years since they have seen their favorite couple to and hate in a WWE ring together. They anticipate our interactions.
"Sup Steph,"