So so so sorry for the hiatus, guys! I did not mean for it to happen, but if any of you care to hear my excuses, I had surgery, finals, a cold, crazy holiday work hours for retail, and by time I was finally free, I had lost my writing flow. Here's a long chapter to make up for the long wait. I recommend skimming through the last couple chapters to refresh your memory. I hope you all enjoy and I cannot wait to continue this! We're getting to my next favorite part :)
And as always, I would like to give a shout out to those who reviewed the last chapter: Hi14 x, Cena's baby doll, therealchamps, smash07, 1222mercedes1222, my time is now, GlamaHart32, and awesomeone21.
John couldn't deny the jealousy that swarmed him when Alyssa walked in and told him that she'd be leaving the arena with Randy. How did she go from not wanting to talk to him to suddenly spending more time with him? His confusion erupted as explosively as his jealously. Those feelings, however, were soon replaced with worry when she briefly explained before shutting the door: Sam just had a miscarriage.
He barely had time to process those words before he was left alone in the room once again. Sam just had a miscarriage? It seemed that no one knew she was even pregnant. The room he stood in suddenly turned cold. He hoped and prayed that Sam would be okay, but he couldn't help but wonder if Randy had ulterior motives. It was understandable why he asked for Alyssa; Randy was well accustomed to running to her, but why did he insist on having her alone? John was just as good of a friend to Sam. Didn't he deserve to hear the announcement, too?
John shook his head. Of course not. Randy always chose Alyssa. She'd been the driving force behind his every action. It's the sole reason him and Randy's friendship was doomed. Falling in love with Alyssa automatically made John Randy's enemy. It was unfortunate and probably was why it took John so long to admit his feelings for Alyssa. But he was glad he finally took that risk. It was the best decision he'd ever made in his entire life.
Looking around his empty locker room, John took a seat on the cold metal and sighed. He knew very well that tonight, he was stuck in a game of waiting.
"Randy, just because I'm trying to get a hold of Sam with you, it doesn't mean we're friends again. I just wanna get that clear right now."
Amidst bucking in his seatbelt, Randy stole a glance at Alyssa. She was staring at him sternly. He sighed. "Look, I know how bad of a friend I was when I had you, but I'm not that person anymore."
"And that's besides the point." Alyssa crossed her arms and looked straight ahead. The view of a darkened sky wasn't much better than the one she had of Randy. It was bad enough she had to leave John but now she was stuck with this guy.
"Al-"
"Randy, please." She kept her stare straight ahead. "This isn't about you or me. It's about Sam. Now can we please get on with trying to reach her? You said the hospital she's checked into is across the state border. That's at least an hour drive."
His eyes stayed fixed on her profile. He absolutely missed this view. But unfortunately, it was evident to him- through her body language- that she didn't want to be around him. It hurt. Being around her provided visual proof that she wanted nothing to do with him.
Randy dropped his head before forcing himself to start the car. In a matter of seconds, the engine roared to life and the sound of pebbles being crushed under tires became the only source of sound. Alyssa stayed completely mute which inevitably forced Randy to do the same. The both of them knew that this long drive was going to feel even longer than it actually was.
Sam was the only thing that contained Alyssa in her seat. Her poor friend had gone through pregnancy on her own only to lose the baby. She imagined this devastation easily dwarfing the divorce in contrast. It's one thing to lose a marriage, but it's another thing to lose a life.
As they crossed more trees and covered more ground, Alyssa found herself wanting to kill the silence. There was no desire to talk to Randy, but her desperation to break off from her bogged thoughts ultimately overpowered.
"Randy, do you know if the baby was yours?"
His grip on the steering wheel immediately got tighter. His breath took a hitch before he opened his mouth and answered without blinking. "I think so."
"You think? So, you're not a hundred percent sure?"
He shook his head, his eyes affixed on the road. "No, but I'd think the only reason she even called me is because she knows it's mine. But that's not saying that I wouldn't drive to her if it wasn't."
Alyssa mulled over his words. Then, she asked a question that caught even herself off guard. "Did you love her?"
He blinked. A momentary lapse occurred and in those seconds, his whole marriage flashed before his eyes. "Yeah. I still do."
His answer heightened her curiosity. "Then why the divorce? What could possibly be stronger?"
A wash of guilt transformed his face, but he didn't let Alyssa see that. Instead, he enveloped his emotions in a smile and quickly glanced at his passenger. "Are you happy with where you are Al?"
"Yeah," she answered without hesitation. John's face flashed in her mind as soon as she heard the question.
"Well then, you don't needa know. Besides, she's better off not having me as her husband anyway."
Alyssa diligently stared at the one face she's known all her life and saw nothing but a stranger. His words didn't make sense- she couldn't understand them- and even his physical demeanor seemed unfamiliar. What happened to Randy? Last year, he was happy with Sam, and as one, they epitomized the perfect marriage. Somehow, it slipped through his fingers. But it wasn't just Sam. It was John, too. It was her, too. It seemed that everyone he truly cared for was now out of his life. What changed?
Before Alyssa got herself further marinated in these wonders, thick torrent erupted from the clouds and began to slosh against the windshield. She silently stared straight ahead as the wipers began to cross her vision left and right.
Meanwhile, Randy cleared his throat. He spoke loud enough to hush the rain. "You could take a nap if you'd like. I know how rain gets you sleepy. I'll wake you up when we're there. It's still a bit of a drive."
Instead of waiting for Alyssa's reply, Randy reached over and turned up the volume on the radio. Although the rain was blurring the world on the other side of the window, he gladly welcomed it. It came at an opportune time and provided the perfect excuse to stop all talk. No matter how much he missed being able to speak to Alyssa, he sought it best to end their conversation. She didn't need to dither over specifics of why his marriage failed. She didn't need the confirmation that it was because of her that his love for another woman couldn't last.
Lucky for Randy, Alyssa made no effort to disregard his suggestion of sleep. The next time he glanced over to the right, her legs were folded comfortably on the chair. Her eyes were closed, which made it all that much easier for him to pretend that he was alone all over again. It was easier that way.
She was being rattled and her immediate reaction was to push the cold hand away. "What the hell," Alyssa muttered. She opened her eyes regretfully but was shocked to see nothing but darkness. The only source of light came from a faint post light a few yards away.
"We're at the hospital parking lot."
Fighting out of her groggy state, she put a hand over her warm temple. The rain had stopped. "What time is it?"
"Eight."
"Eight? But we left around five. Was the drive that long?"
"No, actually, I saw Sam already," Randy explained.
Alyssa's eyes widened. "What? You saw her without me?"
"I tried to wake you up, but you were knocked out. I didn't wanna disturb you. Good news is, Sam's okay."
"Jesus Christ, Randy, I came here to see Sam, not sleep. Can you take me to her?" Without waiting for his reply, she unbuckled her seat belt and got out of the car. A gust of cold wind hit her face, and she responded by placing her hands into the warm pockets of her coat.
Randy watched as she made her way towards the entrance without ever looking at him. "She's fine, Al."
"Okay, but I need to see it for myself."
Instead of verbally replying, Randy nodded and took lead on their direction. Despite the heavy traffic, he easily navigated their way to Sam's room.
The whole walk made Alyssa's stomach churn. She hated hospitals. Everything around her was moving too fast and the lights were too bright. She crossed so many faces along the way, but not a single one had on a smile. The closest thing that resembled comfort seemed to be the man who was walking right beside her: Randy.
When he stopped in front of a door, he looked back at her. "This is her room. Did you wanna go in alone?"
To her surprise, she shook her head. She didn't understand her sudden inclination to wanting Randy around, but she didn't fight it either. "No, you can come in with me."
"Are you sure? I can wait right-"
"I'm sure," she answered immediately. She crossed her arms in hopes that it would calm her palpitations. It didn't work, especially when Randy brushed against her to open the door.
They were greeted by a nurse with a tired smile. A sigh escaped her lips before her words did. "Hi again, Mr. Orton. Sam will be needing to prepare for a routine pre-surgical test soon, but I'll give you guys a moment."
"Surgery?" Alyssa watched in horror as the nurse walked out. Her legs felt stuck, but her eyes panned to see Randy, then Sam.
"Alyssa, hey. It's so nice to see you." Sam had a brave smile on her face.
"Nice to see me? Sam, it's so nice to see you!" Alyssa was at her friend's bedside within seconds. She grabbed her hand and ignored how it cold it was.
"I'm sorry for not telling you I was pregnant."
"Don't apologize, please. I'm just happy to see your smile."
"Well, it's better than seeing tears, lemme tell you that." She smiled some more. "Thank you guys for coming, I really appreciate it. And I'm okay. I have an angel watching over me now. I'll be fine."
Alyssa squeezed her hand. She almost wanted to cry for Sam. She was being so strong, so brave. Possibly too strong, too brave.
Randy took her words in carefully and nodded. "Did the doctor say when your surgery is?"
"Tonight, after they run a few tests and get me sedated."
"Sedated? What exactly are they doing to you?" Alyssa asked. All this sounded insane, but Sam was talking so nonchalantly like it was nothing.
"A D&C. It's gonna open up my cervix so the doctor can take out all the bleeding inside my uterus. It's nothing too bad. They say I should feel normal within a day or two."
"I'll stay here and take you home," Randy said.
"Oh, don't bother. I can take a cab."
"I'm sure you can, but I'm not gonna leave you alone. I'll stay," he said firmly. He shifted his attention to Alyssa briefly, who was looking back at him. "Will you be okay driving back?"
"Yeah, of course," she answered immediately. The thought of driving back alone for over an hour dawned on her right after.
Randy nodded approvingly before walking over to the foot of the bed. His eyes softened as they returned to Sam. "Thank you for calling me."
"Eh, I thought it was a pretty late way of telling you I was pregnant, but I didn't want you to hear it from anybody else."
"I'm just glad to still have you here, Sam. Whether you mean it that you're okay or not, I'm glad to be here."
A hint of rose flushed Sam's cheeks. For the first time in a long time, Randy was making her feel like the only woman in the world. It didn't make sense, especially since Alyssa was right there, but she didn't question it. After learning she'd lost the baby, all she wanted was to feel elated. And right now, Randy was being the biggest help.
The short silence in the room was broken by a soft click when the nurse walked in with a clipboard in hand. "Sam, we'll be taking you into another room for some tests, okay?"
"Okay," Sam smiled.
"I'll be in the waiting room as soon as I walk Alyssa to the car, okay?"
"Okay."
The heavy thumping in Sam's chest vibrated throughout her whole body as she watched Randy make his way towards her. There was no telling what his intentions were, but when he grabbed her hand, her heart nearly leaped out of her chest.
"Everything's gonna be okay," he reassured her.
"Thank you. Thank you both."
Alyssa, feeling like part of the conversation again, smiled warmly. "It was my pleasure, Sam. I'm glad you're alright."
"Me too." Randy squeezed Sam's hand. "I'll see you in a little bit, okay?"
Clutching her stomach protectively, Sam nodded her head and smiled as her visitors walked away.
The two made a silent trip out of the hospital.
"I told you she was okay." Randy held the door for Alyssa as they walked outside.
"Definitely better than I could've ever imagined," she agreed. As she stepped out, the wind slapped her face again; only this time, it was much harder. Her brown hair swished all to one side. "But you know what, I think her state of mind has a lot to do with you."
"Me?" Randy's voice bled with surprise. He wasn't sure if he heard her right or if it was the wind.
"Yes, you." Alyssa, carefully watching her every step in the parking lot filled with small pools of water, repeated. "You were so sweet to her Randy. I have to admit, it caught me off guard, and I think it caught her off guard too. But in a good way."
"I just want her to be okay. She doesn't deserve to be engulfed in any more pain."
Tucking back the hair that had been slapping her face, Alyssa simply smiled and noted that they reached the car. She held out her hand to Randy.
"Drive safe. Please give me or Sam a text as soon as you arrive." Randy pulled the keys out of his pockets and placed it on her open palm.
"Will do." Alyssa eagerly nodded. Her eyes were barely able to hold Randy's gaze before he turned his back and headed back to the hospital. This was the very first time he didn't open her door and wait for her to drive off. She didn't know what to make of it, but it sure didn't feel like relief.
Alyssa could've fallen asleep in the hotel parking garage. After an hour and half's drive in solitude, she was ready to commit herself to tonight's shuteye. The only, absolute only, thing that drove her out of the car was knowing that she could now be with John.
Tonight's show had ended a couple hours ago, and she was sure to find him in their hotel room waiting. A day without John had been a long one. She aimlessly got out of the vehicle, but despite her efforts, she only ended up leading against it. If she was planning to make it up to their floor, she needed to wake herself up a little more. Hell, it surprised her she even made it back safe. Her eyelids dropped so many times during the drive, it was a miracle her head was able to stay upright throughout it all.
"Wake up, Alyssa. Wake the fuck up." She banged her head against the driver's window and exhaled. Where was the cold when you needed it to slap you to reality? The parking garage was stuffy and not to mention, the air smelled of skunk. She crinkled her nose in displeasure before finally making her way towards the elevators.
As she neared her targeted destination, the sound of laughter grew stronger. Looking up, she saw heels, legs, a short dress, and a head full of brown hair. This woman had her arms wrapped around somebody. It was a show Alyssa didn't mind to miss. She kept her feet moving forward, one eager step at a time. Within seconds, she was within five feet of the women in high heels, which meant that she was five feet closer to passing her. She tried her best to look down, in order to avoid witnessing any possible DNA, but the voices that grew were also voices that were very familiar. The man was telling the woman to stop, to back off.
Looking up, Alyssa was able to confirm and match the man's voice with his face. The man was John, and the woman in heels was Stacy. The sight of them together made her throat clench with anger, but it didn't take long before she found her voice. "Stacy! Back off of him!"
John, realizing Alyssa's presence, stood still with a shocked expression. Meanwhile, Stacy turned with a face mixed of confusion and irritation. She didn't say a word. Instead, her lip was set into a hard, straight line.
Alyssa's chest felt constricted. Her whole body felt paralyzed. Suddenly, she had a flashback of Stacy checking out John in the arena. She called him "a fine piece of meat". That should've raised a red flag. She should've expected this. Typical tramp. This newly found anguish pushed her to move closer to them, her steps defined purpose. "You cannot be throwing yourselves at your co-workers like that. Especially John."
Stacy took a half step back and tried to look at John, but Alyssa's voice forced her to turn again.
"He's mine, alright?" Alyssa didn't wait for anyone's response before she continued her quest to the elevator.
John followed right behind her. Not only did he endure some woman practically jumping his bones out of no where, but Alyssa had come to his rescue. And she declared him as hers? That placed a foolish smile on his face. For a moment, it allowed him to relinquish everything else.
"Ugh, what the hell was that girl thinking?" Alyssa groaned as they stepped into the elevator.
Sensing her pent up aggression, John placed a hand behind her lower back. "Al, baby-"
"She's the one who said you're the reason she got hired. What is her deal with you? Is she some crazed psychotic fan? Is she obsessed with you?"
John opened his mouth to speak, but he didn't know what to say. Kind of like how he didn't know how to react when this woman in heels suddenly put her arms around him. He was still making sense of everything, and as he did, the nerves began to mess with his head. Fortunately, this went by unknowingly to Alyssa. Instead, her shoulders loosened up and her whole guard went down. She looked too exhausted to keep up an angry rant over a deranged co-worker. She changed the subject to something much more relevant.
"Sam's okay, John. When I saw her, it was like nothing happened. She looked happier than the last time I saw her."
John noticed how, in sharp contrast to Sam, Alyssa still appeared to be distraught over the miscarriage. She hid it well under her small smile, but it was her eyes that betrayed her. She looked sad, and John couldn't resist the urge to pull her into a hug right then and there. He buried his face into her hair, which smelled of apricot shampoo tinged with wind. She was shivering, and he didn't know if it was from her delicate state or if the cold had crept in between her clothes, but he was more than glad to offer his warmth to her.
"I'm glad she's okay, and that you're back with me." John, to demonstrate his joy over their reunion, circled his arms around her even tighter.
The elevator came to a stop at their floor, but the both them waited a few more seconds before releasing one another. Silently, they stepped out and made their way to the room, hand in hand.
A sigh of relief escaped Alyssa's lips as soon as she stepped foot inside. It was nice to see a bed. It was nice to have John's arm around her waist. Despite her fatigue, her heart didn't fail to race as John twirled her around to be face to face. They were barely a foot away from the bed, and it was such a tease. A smile played her lips as his eyes danced at the sight of her.
Then, the corners of his lips dropped.
Alyssa leaned her head back with a confused look on her face. "What is it?"
John guided his hands to hers.
The way he looked at her made her nervous.
"I have to tell you something."
She wanted to say okay, but she couldn't speak. She stood still while her heart began to hammer away at her ribs.
"Remember when you asked me if I knew a Stacy?"
"Yeah," Alyssa said softly. There were a million things that this could mean, but she was too afraid to consider any of them.
"Well, I thought I didn't," John said softly. His eyes were already apologizing.
"Okay," Her voice was barely audible. It was just under a whisper.
"But that's because the Stacy you know had told me her name was Candy."
"Candy?" Alyssa pulled her hand out of John's grasp and furrowed her eyebrows.
"I met her during our time away from each other…"
And whatever John said after that, she didn't know. She didn't listen. She couldn't listen. Whatever he said, it couldn't have been any good. All the blood came rushing to her head, but even faster than the blood, was the whirlwind of her past. Melanie. Candy. The notes. She was the one that left John the note.
I had a lot of fun teaching you new tricks last night. Can't wait to do it again. Call me.
"Al," John tugged on her hand, bringing her right back to reality. "I had no idea she was even working here."
She began to nod, but she did so without saying a word.
"I promise you she doesn't mean anything."
Stacy is Candy. And Candy's the woman who'd spent the night with John, the woman who showed him new tricks, the brunette he allowed himself to be with. This was the woman he was with right before he came back to her.
"Al," John cupped her cheeks. "Talk to me."
"John, I believe you. I believe you, okay?" She placed her hands over his. She wanted to believe him. She wanted so desperately to believe him. She wanted to believe that Stacy doesn't mean anything. She trusted this man in front of her and believed that he'd do nothing to hurt her.
It was Stacy who was the problem. She was insane and crazy and she needed to stay the hell away from John. Lying about John being the reason she got hired? Jumping on him at the parking lot just a few minutes ago? What was this girl up to? Judging from her record, it could be anything.
"I-I was walking to the elevator after checking to see if you were there, and then she jumped on me and started hugging me. By the time I saw you, I had barely realized it was Candy. But then here's the kicker: you called her Stacy. It was when we got out of the elevator when I pieced it together and realized Stacy and Candy are the same person."
"That bitch is crazy," Alyssa muttered bitterly. Her whole day had been crazy. Finding out Sam had a miscarriage, driving with Randy, finding comfort in Randy, Randy acting like the man Sam had fallen in love with, seeing Stacy with John, and now finding out that Stacy's hooked up with John? This was too much.
Alyssa closed her eyes for a second, desperate to transport her mind into another world. In that second, she pretended that nothing ever happened and that she was simply laying on the grass with John and that no one else around. This fantasy was short-lived when vibrations began to curse through her front pockets.
She opened her eyes and instinctively drew out the phone from her coat. Her screen read Randy. "Shit. I forgot to let him know I arrived. I have to take this."
Alyssa was again out of John's hold before he could even anticipate it. His eyes followed her until his own cell phone called for his attention. He looked at it and saw he had a text message from an unknown number. And from what it said, he knew exactly who it was. His heart dropped to his stomach.
Hey John, I wasn't aware you were seeing Alyssa. Are you gonna tell her or should I?