Disclaimer, etc., in part 1.
Part Forty-Seven
"I should be there with you."
Eve shifted on her couch, the woman wincing a bit in pain as she did so, her cell phone held up to her ear. "You had a public appearance. You couldn't cancel it without getting in trouble. And I don't want you to get in trouble."
"Eve, baby, I really don't care whether I get in trouble or not. Not anymore," CM Punk stated stubbornly. "I should be there, with you... Not stuck here doing some bullshit signing at a nerd convention."
"I thought you usually liked all those comic con-type things. And I thought you were excited about this one because it's actually in Chicago, so you didn't have to leave home," she said, and he sighed, Eve practically able to envision the faces he was making at her words right now.
"I do. And I was. But that was when you were going to be here in Chicago with me, not stuck at home with some pretty serious injuries right now. And I understand why you decided to go home instead - you're more comfortable at your place, especially since you've never been to mine. I just wish I was there with you."
"I'm going to be fine. I have cracked ribs and a lot of bruises. It's not really that serious-"
"It is to me. Damn it, if Maria wasn't a woman... But she is, so I can't touch her. However, since I figure she was sent on this crazy bitch path by Jeff Hardy... I can take it out on him. And I will. He will regret the first time he ever saw either of us. By the time I'm done with that bastard, he will regret ever coming back to the WWE. He'll wish that he'd stayed away three years ago."
"Yeah, well, of course he was going to come back when the WWE made the offer. They pay bigger bucks than TNA does, and well... He has to support his habit somehow," Eve replied, knowing her tone sounded bitter and not really caring. After all, Jeff Hardy had used the distraction of her getting hurt to make sure he had won the title... And in watching the replays, she could see that he hadn't exactly looked surprised when Maria had run out there. CM Punk, on the other hand... He'd looked surprised and horrified. She wondered how Jeff was going to try and spin his reaction - or lack thereof - into him still being the good guy. After all, she'd been out there as his manager, and his opponent had looked far more concerned when she'd been attacked than he had. He'd probably try to say he hadn't realized what was happening or something... She hoped the people wouldn't buy it, but he had so many people convinced that he was a good guy that she was afraid they would.
"Half his paycheck probably goes up his nose. When I win the title back from him, I should probably have it cleaned. You know, make sure there isn't any drug residue on it," Punk replied, then sighed, his tone softening when he spoke again. "How are you doing? Really?"
"I'm sore. I'm irritated and cranky as hell because I hate being hurt. But I'll make it. I'll probably be back by SummerSlam... At least that's what the trainers told me. I might be ready before that, actually. Apparently, I'm not as bad off as Kelly was, so there's that."
"You shouldn't be hurt at all."
"But I am. And beating yourself up about it isn't going to change that fact. I'm going to get better, Punk. And when I do... I'm just going to show up and be with you. Forget faking anything any longer. I'm not standing at ringside for Jeff Hardy ever again. That's the way it goes."
"You know I want you with me. I just wish... I want to bash his face in, and I want to watch while you bash Maria's face in, 'cause we both know they both deserve it. Hell, instead of bashing Hardy's face in myself, I should just put him in a submission hold and let you beat the hell out of him."
"Sounds like fun," Eve replied, then frowned at the sudden sound of her doorbell ringing... Multiple times, actually, followed by the sound of someone knocking on the door several times in rapid succession. "Someone's at the door."
"What? Who?"
"I don't know. I haven't made it there yet," Eve replied, the diva forcing herself to her feet, wincing at the pull in her bruised and banged up body as she did so. Taking a deep breath, she began to make her way toward the door, making a face when the person knocked again, followed by pressing on the doorbell once more. "Whoever it is, they're impatient."
"Don't call out to them and tell them you're coming," Punk said. "You don't know who's out there."
"Yeah, I got that. It's probably a package or something. Or my neighbor. She can get a little nuts when she needs to borrow something."
"Well, if she's a pain in the ass that knocks and rings the bell like that, maybe you should tell her to fuck off," Punk said, then added, "It better not be Hardy."
"Why the hell would it be him?" she wanted to know.
"Because he's a bastard that wants to keep you in line. Don't open it if it's him, Eve. Promise me-"
"It's not going to be him," Eve said, the woman finally making it to the front door, the diva rising up on her toes to look through the peephole, then letting out a breath as she lowered herself back down again. "See? I told you. It's not him."
"Who is it? The crazy neighbor?"
"Not my neighbor, but it is someone crazy. It's Kelly," the woman said. "Did you know she was coming?"
"If I had, I wouldn't have been worried when someone started banging on your door and ringing the bell incessantly. I'll let you go now, okay?"
"Okay. Talk soon?"
"Of course. Love you," he told her, and Eve smiled a little at that.
"Love you, too," she told the man, ending the call, then reaching out to unlock and unchain her door, arching a brow as she pulled the door open to reveal the person standing on her doorstep. Kelly beamed at her, throwing her arms in the air like a cheerleader finishing up some sort of a cheer.
"Surprise!"
Eve shook her head. "Not that I'm not happy to see you, but... What are you doing here?"
Kelly gave her a wide-eyed look. "What? I can't stop by and surprise my injured friend?"
"It's a little more than just 'stopping by', considering the fact that you live in Florida and all. It's more of a cross-country trip."
The blonde nodded. "I guess you're right about that. Which is why it would be really bad form if you turned me away," the woman said, then gave a winning smile. "So... Am I invited in, or do I have to go find a Holiday Inn Express or something to stay in?"
Eve stepped back, wincing a little at the pain the movement caused. "Of course you can come in. I'd help you carry your stuff, but-"
"Yeah... You carried my stuff when I was hurt. Now that I'm not hurt, I'm perfectly capable of doing it myself. Also, I'm completely capable of helping you out with anything else you want, too," the woman said, bending down to get her bags, dragging them in with her as she stepped inside Eve's home, already starting to head toward the guest bedroom. After taking a few steps, however, she stopped, looking back over her shoulder, blowing her hair out of her face as she looked at the older woman. "You don't have any other... company... do you?"
"Punk isn't here," Eve replied as she closed the door, the diva not even pretending that she didn't know what the diva was talking about. "He had some signings this week, and he couldn't exactly get out of them. He wanted to, though."
"Of course he did. Like, the last thing he wanted was for you to get hurt in all of this. He's totally into you, and you know it. And I know that you're into him, too, which is awesome. What isn't awesome is that Maria Kanellis came back at Night of Champions and freaking attacked you. Someone could have told you that she would be there! You deserved to know, considering the crap she'd pulled before she got knocked loopy by Melina," the blonde woman said as she hauled her stuff off toward the guest room, Eve following after her, though the older diva was moving more slowly. Once Kelly had her things in the place's second bedroom, she turned around, putting her hands on her hips as she looked at her friend, frowning as she looked her up and down. "Maria needs to pay for this."
"She will. But I'm not exactly in any condition to do anything about it right now. And as far as anyone knows, she wasn't supposed to be back at Night of Champions. She wasn't supposed to return until SmackDown this week," the woman said. "That's what Dolph Ziggler thought, anyway-"
"Yeah, and what's up with him? He came out there and was all worried about you and everything... Punk doesn't have competition, does he?" she wanted to know, and Eve couldn't help but let out a laugh at that, then winced at the pain it caused.
"Hey, don't make me laugh. It hurts to do that."
"I wasn't trying to make a funny. I was trying to ask a question."
"Well, I took it as a funny, because there is so nothing going on there. Even if Dolph was trying for something... It's not happening. I'm with CM Punk, and that's where I want to be," Eve told her friend, starting to lean against the door frame, then wincing when that caused her to press against one of the bruises that was on her arm up near her shoulder. Thanks to what Maria had done with that stupid tire iron, she really was basically a sea of bruises from her hips to her neck... Sometimes she forgot just exactly where all the bruises were, and it hurt like a bitch to lean against some of them.
"Do you think he is trying something?" Kelly wanted to know, and Eve shook her head after a few moments of thought.
"No, I don't. He... I think he actually did care about Maria... For awhile, anyway. Before he realized that she was still hung up on Jeff. Apparently, in order to make him feel more... secure, or something... she told Dolph that Jeff and I were involved," the diva said, and Kelly made a face at that.
"What? Really? Okay, if she told him that... That's just wrong because it's a lie and a cover for being around him, which makes it seem... Do you think maybe that the thing with Jeff and Maria isn't all one-sided? Like, not all on her part?" the blonde wanted to know, and Eve frowned, then shrugged, wincing a little at the movement.
"I don't know. I mean, if Jeff is with her... I'm not sure it's more than him using her. Even before I realized what an ass he is... He always seemed too... I don't know... There was just something about him that screamed that he wasn't the type of guy to really focus on a relationship. He's so focused on himself, and he's just so... self-destructive. And he doesn't even think he has a problem."
"Doesn't sound like someone capable of having a stable relationship," Kelly said, and Eve nodded.
"Yeah. I mean, I always knew he had problems. He'd been suspended twice already by the time I started managing him. He had me convinced that he was going for a new start, but the longer I worked with him, the more I saw things that I didn't want to see... Changes in attitude. The drinking... Pills that I wasn't sure what they were. I'd seen him messed up at some parties, but the day he pushed me out of that car was the first time I'd seen him get behind the wheel messed up. Of course, that doesn't mean he hadn't been behind the wheel messed up before. Maybe a lot of times."
"Those are his choices, Eve. That's not on you. And from what you said... When you realized he was messed up, you tried to get him out from behind that wheel. What he did that day is not your fault. He's a grown man. He's, like, seven years older than you are, and he's responsible for himself."
"I know he is. I just... I wish I hadn't gotten myself messed up with him. And it's hard to think that I considered Maria a friend, and she's turned into this... She is so sucked into his world." Eve shook her head. "Funny, isn't it? When she first started to date Dolph Ziggler, we thought that was a mistake."
"And now it turns out that between the two... Dolph's apparently the better guy, and Jeff's the one she's really hung up on." Kelly shrugged. "Some people are just dumb when it comes to guys. I can be, but I think I've grown some. Maria hasn't... She's still thinking of Jeff as that guy he was when he was part of a tag team and they spelled the Hardy Boyz with a 'z' on the end. But he's not that guy. Or, he's not who that guy seemed to be. She's got the hero-worship going on and refuses to see how screwed up he really is. We can't change that, but at least we see him for who he is."
"I'm through with him, Kel. I wanted my revenge, to cost him a title match, but... I'm not walking out there with him ever again. I'm through pretending. Next time I show up, I'm going to be there with Punk," the diva said, and Kelly nodded.
"Good. It's where you should be."