Chapt. 13

Saturday morning Claire woke at ten and showered and readied herself for the day ahead. She was intensely nervous about the talk that she would need to have with Mr. Keirns and hoped that he would be as understanding as Matt thought that he would be. She fixed herself a lunch that consisted of a salad and grilled lemon peppered chicken and took a seat at the kitchen table. Her brain was running in a thousand different directions with this internship and she was torn over it all. A part of her wanted to tell them that she couldn't do it, that they were just going to have to find her somewhere else to do the interning at, but then a part of her said that this was a wonderful opportunity that she shouldn't pass up.

Standing and placing her dishes in the sink she decided that she needed to call her mother and run the situation by her before she headed to the office. As if that horrible place could even be referred to as an actual office, Claire thought. It was more like a place that supported beatings and violence. Surely her mom would have advice that would be helpful to her and that would make it all a little easier to deal with.

Her mother answered on the fifth ring sounding winded, as though she had just ran a marathon. "Mom, are you okay?"

"Oh heavens yes Claire; I was just in the sun room taking a run on the new treadmill is all. How are you?"

"Honestly, I'm so torn and confused and I just need your advice before I leave the house today." Claire filled her mother in what was going on with the internship and when she finished she was on the brink of tears.

"Well Claire it seems to me that you have two options. One, you can continue living in fear, anxiety, and the past, or two, you can get off your tail end and stop living that way and take back you life. That means going into this internship with an open mind and accepting it for what it is. You're not there to get physical, only to guide and mold those who do. Use this as an opportunity to move past Logan Claire, please."

"You're right of course. That's why I called you. I knew that you would have the right words and advice for me, whether it was what I wanted to hear or not. Matt suggested talking to Mr. Keirn and filling him in on my past, just so that maybe I don't have to get so close to the action."

"Then do that, if you think you will be able to do the job required of you. How is Matt dear?"

Claire had eventually told her mother that Matt was gay and was shocked when she did that her mom was not offended. Claire had thought for sure that she would be totally against the friendship because of her religious beliefs, but her mother was full of surprises. She was even coming down for Thanksgiving and was looking forward to finally meeting Matt. Claire was looking forward to it as well.

"He's doing really good and has been a huge help with school since he's done it all. I'm so glad to have him in my life. I think he's good for me." Glancing at the clock Claire said, "Well mom I have to go. I need to get ready to head out for the internship. Night two and I can only hope its better than yesterday."

"It will be dear, just make up your mind to live and get out of the chains of your past."

An hour later Claire was walking into the office of Steve Keirn. She sat nervously and fiddled with the handles on her purse. He took his seat across from her and smiled his warm, fatherly smile at her. A gesture that should have eased her only put her more on edge. She hadn't shared her story with someone she had so recently met and here she was about to pour it all out to a virtual stranger.

"Claire you said you had something that you need to talk to me about concerning your internship here, is that right?"

"Yes, I am so thankful for this opportunity and I can see how amazing it is for me, and I am going to give it my very best effort. I want that out there first and foremost. I just want to let you know where I come from so that maybe we can work out a plan, so that I don't have to sit ringside again."

With that Claire told her story and the older man listened carefully. When she was finished he looked at her with a sad smile. She was afraid that he was going to tell her that this wasn't the internship for her after all, and she was just starting to think that it was. "Mr. Keirn I can do this job without letting my past get in the way, I just think I might be able to do it more effectively a bit more removed from the ring, at least to start out."

"Ms. Ryan, Claire, please let me say that I am so sorry that you have been through the hell that you have in your life. I can fully understand where you are coming from and why you might not even want to do this internship. I then hear you tell me that you want to stay and give this a go. If that isn't strength then I couldn't tell you what is. I am more than willing to do all that I can to make this easier on you."

"Thank you Mr. Keirn, I really do appreciate it."

"Let's do this, because I think that in order for you to really help these people build their character in a marketable way that you need to see them in the ring doing their job. There are monitors in the back area where you can watch the matches and take your notes or however you want to do this in a quiet environment. I want to start you out working with the females, just to ease you into knowing these people and letting you see that they aren't what they seem in the ring. From there we can expand to the men, and building their personas. Tonight why don't you work with Missy Alexander? You met her last night and she's the one who has the love for all things Hollywood. Her match is first so you can watch and then take the rest of the night to talk to her and see what things you and her can work out. Does that sound okay with you?"

Nodding Claire smiled shyly at the man and stood when he did. Shaking his hand she again said, "Thank you, for understanding and for being willing to work with me. I guess while I'm here helping you all out I will be helping myself overcome many things. It's a win-win I would say."

"That it is, and if you ever feel anxious or apprehensive about anything at all do not hesitate to come tell me." They had made their way down a hallway and he opened up a door at the end on the right. "This is an empty office here, and I think it will be good for you to use it. There's a computer for you if you need it at all and that television is your monitor that will allow you to see what is going on in the ring. I can call you when the match starts and you can turn it on then if you'd like." At Claire's nod he said, "Alright then, I'll leave you to get settled. Take a look around and if you need anything at all just ask."

When he had gone she took a look around the office and smiled. She was going to succeed at this and she would do it while growing her confidence too. Sitting at her desk she booted up her computer and began to make sure that all the basic software applications that she would need were already loaded onto the desktop. Pleased that they were she opened up Microsoft Word and across the top of the page, in bold letters, typed: Missy Alexander-Miss Hollywood. Underneath she wrote out the facts that she had at this point and just as she finished she got the call that her clients match was about to start. Grabbing for the remote she flicked the monitor on and sat back in her chair to watch.

For the most part the female's matches were no where near as rough and tumble as the guys were. It was more of full contact cheerleading it seemed to Claire. Of course she knew that it was much more than that and she could fight squeezing her eyes shut periodically when it got a little rougher than cheerleading ever could. As soon as the match was over she flicked the monitor off and turned back to her computer. She made notes about her observations and added in things that she wanted to be sure to ask Missy when she arrived in her office. Ten minutes later Missy was sitting across from her and they were in deep conversation.

Claire and Missy talked for at least two hours before they called it a night. Claire had used tonight to get to know the younger girl on a personal level. Claire felt it important to know that side of a client to be able to effectively create a believable identity for her inside of the ring. She never turned the monitor back on, never gave a second thought to what was going on in the arena just a few hundred feet away from them, and she never saw her best friend take the ring and win.

Outside there were fans waiting on him and for once in his career Matt wished that they would just go away. Claire would be headed out soon and he wasn't sure that he was ready for the fallout that was surely on the way. He tossed his gym bag in his car and spotted Stephen signing autographs and taking pictures over to his right. Great, Matt thought, just what he needed, Claire to realize that he did this for a living and had lied to her about it, then to have her see the tall red monster as she referred to Stephen. He couldn't all of a sudden walk away from the fans though, not when he'd always been the first one to stop and take time with them, so he walked over to the barricade and began smiling for pictures.

Ten minutes later Claire walked out to go to her car. She immediately noticed Stephen, of course with him height and size he would be hard to miss. Her blood ran cold as she realized he must have followed her to the arena this afternoon. He wouldn't take no for an answer about lunch or coffee or anything else and now he was here. Then she realized that he was milling about in the sea of people who had just flowed from the stands in the arena. Her brain clicked into realization of what was happening. The giant was obviously one of the wrestlers, and why should she be surprised really? His build made this a perfect career for him and Lord knew that his Irish temper had to help him beat an opponent to a pulp nightly. Unfortunately none of that appealed him to her any at all; if anything it repulsed her even more.

She heard the mass of fans to her right yelling out to get a wrestlers attention, screaming Evan over and over again. She thought that if it were her she would go insane with everyone screaming her name all at once that way. She turned to see if this Evan was taking care of his fans and froze when she saw not Evan, but her best friend, Matt, signing autographs and smiling his brilliant smile in pictures. He heart broke when it hit her full on that he had lied to her about what he had done for a living, knowing that she was going to be working here.

Just then he caught her eye. "Claire wait, let me talk to you!" He handed a pen back to a fan and ran toward her.

"Matt, what… I mean couldn't you have told me? You lied to me Matt, Evan, whoever you are. I can't believe you; you of all people are involved in this mess. I thought that I knew you and that I could trust you, but I should've known better. I have to go." Claire turned wiping her tears away and climbed in her car.

Stephen caught Matt's eye and raised an eyebrow in question. Matt just shook his head and climbed into his car to head for home. He had totally messed up and now he'd lost his best friend. Why had he been so damn stupid?