CHAPTER 73:
The next afternoon, everyone had arrived at the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena. Luckily for Nikki, Brie and Bryan it was just a short 2 hour drive away from their San Diego home. Brie and Nikki were in her dressing room as they were conversing. "I can't believe that you're going to tell him this tonight" said Brie as she finished getting dressed. "It's a damn good thing that it's not a live show". "It's just 'Smackdown'" said Nikki. "It's nothing all that serious".
"N-nothing that serious?" said Brie. "Stephanie Nicole Garcia did you forget that you are pregnant with someone's child?" "Trust me how could I ever forget?" Nikki asked as she took another bite of her strawberry yogurt. Brie shook her head. "I swear sometimes you just don't get how serious a situation you have put yourself in" she said. "Look I was drunk so what do you want from me?" asked Nikki. "Yeah Nikki and so was AJ and John" said Brie. "The bottom line is that you are now in AJ's shoes. You and AJ and John and Joe have gotten yourselves in quite the mess".
"Brie are you done?" Nikki asked. "Because I'm tired of your constant scolding". "Nikki I just think that maybe you ought to wait at least a few days" said Brie. "You just got out of a hospital yesterday after being placed on a 51/50 hold, not to mention that you're pregnant". "I get what you're saying Brie, but after everyone has their matches I'm telling the truth" said Nikki. Brie sighed. "Look I'm off to have my match but please don't do anything stupid while I'm gone". With that Brie left, but as she left John came in from the other direction.
"You said we needed to talk?" he asked as he entered. "May I come in?" "You already came in" said Nikki as she slammed down her magazine. "There's no need to get nasty with me" said John as he took a seat. "You called me". "No I didn't call you I texted you. There's a big difference" said Nikki. John sighed. "What is it that you wanna tell me?" he asked. "No, not until AJ and Joe get in here" said Nikki. "Well you're in for a long wait because his match is last" said John. "No matter" said Nikki as she picked up the magazine again. "I can wait an hour". John then looked down at Nikki's right hand.
"Dear God what happened?" he asked. "Is that what this is about?" "No of course not" Nikki said quickly. "And it's none of your business. It was just a training accident." "But you never get hurting during training" said John. "I just hit myself a little too hard that's all while I was boxing" Nikki continued to lie.
John gently removed the magazine from Nikki's hands. "Nicole I am trying here" he said. "Ok John I'll extend you an olive branch" said Nikki. "In an hour when Joe and AJ get in here". "You know Nicole…" said John. He paused. "What?" asked Nikki. "Nothing" said John. "I'll just go ahead and wait the hour". With that the two began their waiting.
Sometime later, AJ and Roman entered into Brie's dressing room as well where they each took a seat. "What's this about?" asked AJ. "First things first: make sure that the door is locked" said Nikki. "Oh my God what happened to your hand?" asked AJ. "Don't worry about it none of you" said Nikki. "Now will you please make sure that the damn door is locked already!?" "But this is your sister's dressing room" said Roman. "No worry" said Nikki. "She came in and got her stuff a long time ago". "Can we get this over with?" asked AJ. "What is wrong?" Nikki took a quick glance at AJ's outfit. She was wearing a plum jacket with a teal camisole, black and silver leopard printed leggings with black 4 inch pumps and her hair was tightly tied back into a ponytail.
"You look nice tonight Mendez" she continued. "Just say what you have to say already" said AJ. "This isn't a joke. Leati and I had to pay the airline $2,500 to change the flight on such short notice. Now either you spill or I'm taking my ass right back to Florida". "Wow home girl got a little tougher since becoming pregnant-by which does anyone else here even know about?" said Nikki. "No they don't" said AJ. "I'm not announcing anything until the 30th, not that's any of your business".
"Actually it is to be quite honest" said Nikki. "Nicole, just say what you have to say already" said John. "Now I did what you asked me to do by gathering everyone here, now please tell us". "Ok but none of you I guarantee are going to like this" said Nikki. "She's just playing with us" said AJ as she stood up. "Let's go Leati". "I'm pregnant too!" Nikki said angrily. "And it might be Joe's". AJ and Leati instantly turned around. "What the fuck did you just say!?" AJ said angrily. "I said that I'm pregnant too" said Nikki. "And it might be Joe's or John's".
"You are the world's biggest liar" said AJ. "Well I hate to tell you this sweet cakes but this bitch right here isn't lying-to any of you" said Nikki. AJ scoffed as both Roman and John's eyes continued to widen. "But that's not possible!" said John. "We haven't slept together in a long time! Months at that!". "Actually we did" Nikki said solemnly. "On May 1rst". "But…damn it Nicole we used a damn condom!" said John. "It broke John" said Nikki. "W-what-how do you know?" asked John. "When you realized that you had left your watch in the bathroom, I looked down into the trash and noticed that it had a hole in it" said Nikki. "Nicole why didn't' the hell you tell me!?" shouted John. "I was on birth control!" shouted Nikki. "I didn't think that I'd even get pregnant! I mean seriously John, we've been together for 2 years having sex without using anything at times but I never seriously thought that I would get knocked up!" "Well you thought wrong!" shouted John. "You thought wrong!"
"Oh my God" said Roman. "But wait…" said AJ. "How does Leati fit into this?" "After I spilled the beans on you guys, I ran out into the parking lot and I was shortly joined by Joe and we were just so mad you know? So I stole John's car and we drove off someplace to get drunk and the next thing we knew we were having sex" said Nikki. AJ walked up to Nikki and gave her a heavy slap. "I guess now we're even now" Nikki said calmly. "You! You just go to hell!" shouted AJ. "Nicole are you sure?" asked Roman. "I'm… pretty sure" said Nikki as she rubbed her face. "And I'll be 7 weeks this weekend". Both Roman and John looked at each other.
"We need to do something about this" said John. "Legally". "What are you even suggesting?" asked AJ. "We need to all get lawyers to discuss possible child support options" said John. "There's no hiding this from the media now. There's nothing we can do". "So what else are you suggesting?" asked AJ. "That we all say that the babies are well ours" said John. "Until otherwise, in order to keep the media at bay, agreed?" The four nodded. "Now that this has been discussed I'm going to be going back home" said John. "Wait John I need to talk to you" said Nikki. "You know what Nicole, you done enough talking tonight. I'll be in contact with all you" said John. With that he left.
"You know what Nicole, I just wanna let you know that I'm willing to be there for the baby if it turns out to be mine" said Roman. "Thank you Joe" Nikki said tearfully as she left. Roman turned around to face AJ. "I know that you must hate me right now but please can you hear me out?" he asked. "Why should I?" asked AJ as she folded her arms. "I'm wondering whatever the hell else you're hiding from me". "You hid the fact that you slept with John for not one, but two months!" said Roman. "And you wanna know how I found out? I found out in a room full of all of our coworkers and boss but from not you, but from Nikki of all people. At least she had somewhat of the decency of having us all gathered around to talk about it in privacy".
"Ok so I'm not perfect either" said AJ. "None of us are!" "I know that already April" said Roman. "I know that none of us are. That's why I fell in love with you in the first place". AJ took a seat and let out a huge sigh. "Are you alright?" asked Roman. "Yeah it's just that my feet are swollen" said AJ as she removed her heels. "I don't know why you couldn't just wear something more comfortable?" asked Roman as he sat back next to her. "I was packing really fast last night" said AJ. Roman sighed as well. "So if you're gonna hate me for what I did than just be pissed" he said. "Damn it Leati I don't hate you but I'm not happy with you right now!" said AJ.
"I guess we now all know what it feels like to be hurt by the person that you love" said Roman. AJ slowly put her hand on Roman's. "This is gonna be a long and hard road that the 4 of us are gonna have to face" she said. "But I'm just hoping and praying to God that we can get through it-the 4 of us." "Come on, let's get home" said Roman. With that, the two got up and left.
Meanwhile, Nikki ran after John. "John!" she called out. "John please wait!" John stopped to turn around to face her. John glanced around before whispering into Nikki's ear. "Not here. This isn't the right time or place to be discussing this. I'll just text you later". With that he turned around to board into his tour bus, slamming the door behind him while leaving Nikki in tears. "John…." She trailed off. "I love you".