*Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter. They were greatly appreciated. Thank-you all so much!
NATALIE
About a week later!
Tonight is that night when WWE superstars make their way into our hotel. I'm not as nervous as I thought I would be but maybe that's because by the time they check in tonight I will be getting ready for bed and have no chance of running into them until tomorrow morning. I plan to stay out of sight tomorrow. Tonight I am enjoying dinner with Max and Angelina. "How was school today?" I ask Angelina as I fill her plate with food.
"It was good, Mommy. It was really good. Except," she says sadly.
"What's wrong?" I ask laying her plate down in front of her.
"Ruthie was talking about the father daughter dance next month. I really want to go but I can't. It's going to be so much fun," she says, 'but I can't go."
"Why can't you go?" asks Max.
"Because I don't have a dad to take me," she says even more sadly than before. "And my uncle can't take me."
"I'll take you," says Max. I am pretty shocked by his sudden commitment to Angelina and telling her he will accompany her to a father daughter dance.
"You will?" I ask.
"Yes I will," says Max. "With our engagement we're going to be married soon and I would really like to take the father role in Angelina's life so why not start with a father daughter dance."
"Really?" asks Angelina as her blue eyes light up with excitement. I really hope that Max is serious about this and not just saying it to get into my good graces.
"Really," he says with a smile. "So tell your mommy to take you out for a dress."
"Max, you're awesome! Thank-you," she says as she jumps up from her chair to give him a hug. "You are the best!"
"Thank-you," says Max with a smile as he hugs her back.
"I love you, Max," she says.
"I love you too, Angelina," he says as he gives her a kiss on the cheek. "You can call me daddy if you want to."
"Max," I say. "Are you sure?" I really don't know what is going on with him. He never allowed her to call him daddy before maybe it's because we're engaged now; I don't know but I don't know if I feel comfortable with Angelina calling Max daddy. He is not her daddy. I am not sure why it bothers me so much because Max is the closest thing she has to a dad but I just don't like the idea of her calling him dad. I feel like it's a stab to John even though John has no idea she exists.
"Yes, I'm sure," he says. "Are you okay with it?"
"I think we should just stick to Max," I say. "I'm not sure I'm comfortable with that."
"But we're getting married," says Max. "Why can't she call me daddy?"
"I don't know," I say. "Just ease into this," I say.
"Okay," he says, "so I guess I am Max."
"That's okay," says Angelina, "but you can still come to my father daughter dance with me right?"
"I wouldn't miss it for the world," he says with a smile as Angelina heads back to her seat.
"All right, Angelina it's time to eat," I say as the phone rings. No one ever calls me at this time because they know we're having dinner so that makes me believe it's an emergency. "I'll be right back," I say.
"Okay," says Max as I excuse myself from the table and go to answer the phone in the kitchen.
"Hello," I say as I answer the phone.
"Natalie, It's Callie. I'm sorry to call you at home but we have a problem," she says.
"What is going on?" I ask as I roll my eyes.
"We have a guest here trying to check in but there is no room for him. He is not on the list of guests," she says.
"Callie, you know how to handle this. How do we always handle it? You apologize and try to find them a room. If you can't do that then you apologize and recommend a hotel nearby."
"Natalie, this time it's not that simple. It's a WWE superstar. I can't just send him away," she says. "I need you to come down here and fix this situation."
That was not what I wanted to hear. I knew I had to go as soon as she said WWE superstar. "All right," I say. "I will be there in about 10 minutes."
"Thank-you, Natalie and I'm sorry," she says.
"It's okay. Bye," I say hanging up the phone. I walk back into the dining room and say, "I will be right back. There is a room issue with one of the WWE superstars at the hotel. I have to go take care of it."
"I thought they weren't checking in till later?" asks Max.
"Me too but apparently there is a superstar trying to check in but there is no room for him so I have to go fix this situation. Can you keep an eye on Angelina for me?"
"Yes," he says. "Good luck."
"Thanks," I say as I grab my keys and my purse to head out to fix this little problem at the hotel. It would just be my luck that I would have to deal with this when I'm trying to avoid all superstars at all costs.
I arrive at the hotel about 10 minutes later, park my car outside and head into the building. I take a deep breath as I make my way over to the desk where Callie is standing with no superstar in sight. I'm hoping that they fixed the problem before I got there but no such luck. As soon as I reach the desk Callie is in a panic and says, "Natalie, I don't know what happened. I searched the database 100 times already and I can't find his reservation. I don't know if it got lost or what but it's not there."
"Calm down," I say. "Where is he?"
"He is right over there sitting down with his friend," says Callie.
"Can you bring him over here so I can get his information?" I ask walking behind the desk. I look like a complete mess. I definitely don't look like a manager of any kind dressed in knit black shorts and a pink tank top. The weather in Hershey this week is well in the 80's and my brown hair is pulled up into a messy bun. I don't look professional at all.
"Yes," she says as she walks to get this man. I bring up the database and look at all the reservations and just our luck we are full. It is to be expected because Hersheypark opens this coming weekend so it's no surprise to me that our hotel is full. I don't look up as Callie walks over with the two men. "Natalie," says Callie, "he's ready."
I can hear the nervousness in her voice as I slowly look up. I mean really they are just superstars there is no reason to be nervous. She will never be able to handle the others when they arrive. I finally look up and my heart stops. I am looking face to face with the man I have not seen or spoken to in 8 years; my daughter's father, John Cena. My heart is racing and I feel the color drain from my face. Talk about being slapped in the face by your past. "Natalie," he says in a puzzled tone.
"John," I say barely having a voice. I feel like I am going to be sick.
"You work here?" he asks.
"I am the manager," I say. I gain my composure and say, "What is the problem?"
"I need a room but this lady here told me there is no room with my name," he says with his smile. Oh that smile still has the same effect on me as it did 8 years ago. Looking at him I can see Angelina in him even more. She is his mini me.
"Okay, Mr. Cena," I say, "There isn't a room for you. There is one for a Randy Orton."
"Oh. Randy is not joining us on this trip," he says. "I guess Vince forgot to cancel is reservation."
"I'm sorry, Mr. Cena, but without Mr. Orton's request or Mr. McMahon's request I can't cancel a reservation."
"So what does that mean, Nat?" he asks as Callie watches our interaction. I think she may be shocked that I know John Cena but believe me it is not a blessing especially at this moment.
"It means there is no room for you so you're either going to need to go to another hotel or room with someone else."
"He can room with me," says the man standing beside him. "My name is Zach Ryder. John, you can room with me."
"Is that allowed, Nat?"
"It is," I say as I look up Zach's reservations. "Well, Mr. Ryder, you do seem to have an extra bed in your room. It would not be a problem if Mr. Cena roomed with you as long as you are okay with that."
"It's fine," he says.
"All right, then it is all set. Mr. Cena, you're rooming with Mr. Ryder."
"Thank-you," he says just as Max and Angelina walk in the front door and over to the front desk. My heart stops as Angelina skips over to the desk. I hand Zach and John their keys hoping to send them on their way.
They start to turn away as I walk out from behind the desk. I know Callie can handle the rest and my main goal is to get Angelina out of there as fast as I can. "Did you get everything straightened out?" asks Max.
"Yes. It's all squared away. What are you two doing here?" I ask as I keep my eye on Zach and John. I know they are within earshot. I am so busy watching John I don't notice Angelina run up to him.
"Angelina and I figured it was a good night to go out for ice-cream so we figured we would meet you here and then head over to get ice-cream," he says as I see Angelina talking to John and Zach. My heart completely stops and I know my color drains from my face again. "Nat, are you okay?"
"Hold on," I say as I walk over to John, Zach and Angelina. "Angelina, please leave Mr. Cena alone. He is a busy man."
"But Mommy, he is a giant," she says. "Look at his hands."
"I know," I say looking at John's hands. He does have massive hands. I remember them well. They are all a part of the reason Angelina is standing here between us. I suddenly feel like Hester Prynne when Dimmesdale, Pearl and Hester are standing on the scaffold that night before the big secret is out. It is not a good feeling. "I'm sorry, John."
"You know him?" asks Angelina.
"He's a friend of mine. A friend from where I am from," I say.
"I thought you were from Hershey?" asks Angelina confused.
"No, Honey, I'm from Massachusetts," I say.
"Oh," says Angelina.
"So you're a mommy now?" asks John with a smile.
"Yes," I say.
"I never would have thought," he says. "She is beautiful."
"Thank-you," says Angelina intercepting the compliment.
"And polite too," he says. "So how have you been, Nat?"
"Good. How about you?" I ask. I am relieved because he doesn't seem to realize that Angelina is his daughter. I don't know if Angelina realizes that is her father or not but she is drawn to him. I have never seen her so outgoing with anyone.
"I've been pretty good. Living my life," he says.
"I see that," I say.
"You know I tried to call you after you know but you never took my call," he says.
"John, I don't want to have that conversation right now. It's not the time."
"Can't you just tell me why?" he asks. "Why?"
"John," I say, "because it just wasn't going to work out. That's all I can say," I say this as Max joins us. "John, I want you to meet my fiancé; Max, Max, I would like you to meet my friend; John," I say.
"Nice to meet you," Max says extending his hand.
"Nice to meet you too," says John as he shakes Max's hand.
"How do you two know each other?" asks Max.
"He's a friend from my past," I say quickly.
"You never told me you knew a WWE superstar," he says.
"Was it important?" I ask.
"Not really," he says.
"Your daughter is beautiful," John says to Max. I am fully relieved now because he has no idea.
"Oh. She's not my daughter," says Max. "She's Natalie's daughter. I am going to be her step father her father isn't in the picture."
"I see," says John as Zach bumps him with his elbow. "What, Zach?"
"I think we should go to our room. They look like they're busy," he says as he looks at Angelina, then at Max and then at John. He gives me a look and then looks at Angelina. "Sweetie, how old are you?" he asks Angelina.
"I'm 7 years old," she says with a smile.
"Cool," says Zach as he looks at her and then at John one more time.
"Well, I will let you two go," says John. "Angelina," he says. "It was nice meeting you."
"It was nice meeting you too," she says with a smile.
John looks at me and says, "Nat, it was good seeing you again."
"It was good seeing you too," I say even though I almost had a heart attack but he didn't put two and two together so I think we're good.
"Please try to keep in touch with me," he says. "I would like to catch up with you," he says as he pulls out a little card and hands it to me.
"What's this?"
"That's a card with my phone number on it. Please, Nat give me a call."
"We'll see," I say.
"Okay," says John as he moves forward to hug me. Before I know it his arms are around me and he is hugging me. I do my best not to cry because every single memory I tried to forget comes flooding into my mind. I hug him back and as he breaks the hug he says, "I miss you, Nat."
"I miss you too," I say.
"And it was nice meeting you," he says to Max.
"Nice meeting you too," says Max as he wraps his arm around my shoulders pulling me closer to him. I think he might be threatened by John but I'm not sure.
"Have a good night," I say.
"You too," says John as he grabs his luggage to head up to his hotel room.
That was a crisis avoided. John had no idea but I'm not sure if Zach saw the resemblance or not but I am hoping that Max didn't. As Max, Angelina and I are walking out of the hotel Max says to me, "so how do you know that guy?"
"It's a long story," I say, "and I don't feel like talking about it."
"Okay," he says, "but the way he hugged you just infuriated me."
"Aw. Are you jealous?" I ask.
"Yes," he says. "Very."
"That's pretty sexy," I say with a smile. "You have nothing to worry about. I love you."
"I love you too," he says with a smile before I lean up and kiss his lips softly. As if it was that simple. I think he may have a lot to worry about.
*A/N: So what did you think? Please review and thank-you for taking the time to read.