2022

Seth paid the cab driver while Randy stepped out of the car with the bag in his hands. In that bag were two bottles of red wine that he and Seth had bought. They were in front of Seth's 46 year old big sister Callie's house.

"Have a nice evening," Seth said.

The cab driver took off and Randy looked at Seth with a smile on his face.

"I know you like her," Seth chuckled.
"She knows it too," Randy said.
"Ask her out then," Seth said.
"I have," Randy said. "She says it feels weird when I'm your friend."
"Me? She's making it about me?" Seth laughed. "Let's see if I can knock some sense into her. I would love to see the two of you becoming an item."

They walked up the driveway and Seth knocked on the front door.

"Thank you, Randy," Seth said. "Callie and I aren't as close as I would like us to be. You're the reason she has allowed me to visit today. I'm grateful for that."
"Maybe you can become closer with me in the picture. It's never too late for that," Randy said.

The door opened and Randy's smile grew at the sight of Callie. Her curly, dark brown hair was pulled back in a ponytail and her chocolate brown eyes were looking at him. He loved how she hadn't dressed up for him. To her he was a normal guy tagging along with her just as normal brother. It didn't matter to her that they were both famous wrestlers.

"We brought wine," Randy held up the bag.
"That's very much needed," Callie twisted a sideways smile. "Come on in."

Randy and Seth stepped inside and made their way to the living room. They sat down and waited for Callie to join them with three wine glasses in her hands. She placed them on the table and Randy opened one of the bottles and poured them all a glass.

"Cheers!" Seth said.

They all tasted the wine and Randy let out a happy sigh.

"My favorite wine," Randy said.
"It is good," Seth said.
"What do you think, Callie?" Randy asked.
"It's good," Callie nodded.
"We brought two bottles," Seth said.
"How long were you planning on staying?" Callie asked.

Randy looked at Seth with furrowed eyebrows. He thought Seth had cleared it with his sister that they would be there all evening and maybe even stay the night.

"We took a cab here," Seth said sheepishly.
"Wise call since you won't be able to drive home after drinking. Good thing they drive at all hours of the day," Callie said.

Seth nodded and sent Randy an apologetic look. It was clear Callie wasn't planning on having a sleepover with the two of them. Seth quickly emptied his glass of wine and Callie followed with her own glass. Randy watched them in silence. There was tension in the air that he didn't quite understand. Seth had said they weren't close but this felt like something else was between them.

"We'll leave later," Seth said. "Let's have another glass."

Randy refilled their glasses and emptied his own in silence. Nobody spoke for 30 long seconds. Everything felt awkward in that moment.

"Why are you here, Seth?" Callie broke the silence.

To Randy it felt like some sort of accusation. It should be normal for a brother to visit his sister but Callie didn't seem to be all that welcoming.

"Can't I visit my sister?" Seth asked.
"You were pretty forceful on the phone. You said it was important and that Randy would come as your emotional support animal," Callie said.
"What?" Randy laughed.
"I did not call him that," Seth looked at Randy. "I did not call you that. Yes, I said I would have you with me because I think I might need a friend for this but I swear I didn't call you my emotional support animal."

Randy looked at Callie and she twisted that same sideways smile that she had done when she opened the door. The tension wasn't as thick anymore. It was clear he was somehow needed to help both siblings through whatever was to come. He still didn't know the full story.

Seth had sold Randy the idea of tagging along since he knew Randy and Callie had been talking ever since they met at Seth's birthday. That day she had seemed weird too, as if she didn't actually want to be there. When she went outside for some air, Randy had joined her. They had ended up sitting outside for an hour, just talking with each other and forgetting all about the birthday going on inside. He had gone home that day with her number and the biggest smile on his face. Ever since then he made sure to text her at least once a day, even if it was only to tell her good morning or goodnight.

"Mom and dad," Seth said.

Callie's sideways smile faded again. Randy knew their parents had died in a car crash back in February. Seth had been heartbroken about it and couldn't even go home to help Callie clean out the family home. She had told him she would do everything and that he should continue focusing on his career and his mental health. She would sell or donate what needed to be given away, and she would keep what needed to be kept. Seth had trusted her with that giant task. Back then Randy hadn't met Callie yet so he hadn't questioned anything.

"I would like to go through the stuff you kept to see if there's anything I want," Seth said.

Callie emptied her glass of wine and sighed.

"I got rid of it all," Callie said.
"What?" Seth asked. "But you promised you would keep whatever needed to be kept until I was ready."
"I didn't want any of it," Callie said.
"But I did!" Seth shouted. "You had no right! Those were my memories too!"

Callie shrugged, grabbed the open bottle, and stood up.

"I'm going outside for some air. You can stay or you can leave. I don't care," Callie said.
"Callie, you can't fucking leave. We need to talk about this," Seth said.
"You can talk all you want but I don't have to listen to any of it," Callie said.
"Let her go," Randy said lowly. "She needs some air."

Callie left the living room, and Randy and Seth heard the front door open and close seconds later. Seth fell back in his chair and shook his head in disbelief. Randy quickly found the other bottle of wine and opened it.

"I think we need some more wine," Randy said.
"I think I need to get drunk," Seth said.
"Then get drunk. I'll carry you home if I have too," Randy said.
"We're gonna need more than one bottle for that," Seth said.
"She took the other bottle," Randy said.

Randy poured wine in both of their glasses and they drank it as fast as possible. He refilled their glasses and watched Seth. He was going to follow Seth's lead. If Seth wanted to get trashy drunk, they would. If Seth wanted to talk, they would. Seth picked up his glass again and slowly twirled it around between his fingers.

"I wonder if she ever turned her basement into a fine wine cellar," Seth started grinning. "Let's find out."

Randy grinned back at Seth and they both got up. They found the door to the basement and went downstairs. Seth froze at the bottom of the stairs and stared towards five boxes stacked together.

"What is it?" Randy asked.
"Zebra striped tape," Seth said lowly.
"Oh yeah," Randy chuckled. "That's cute."
"You don't understand. I recognize that tape. These boxes come from our parents' attic," Seth said.
"What's in them?" Randy asked.
"I don't know. Stuff they saved over the years. Pieces of our childhood and other things probably," Seth said.

Seth walked over to the boxes and saw the tape had been cut open. He looked inside the first box and recognize one of his own drawings on top.

"You drew Randy Savage?" Randy laughed.
"I was always a wrestling fan," Seth said. "I think I was 6 when I drew that."
"What are you doing down here?" Callie asked.

Randy and Seth turned around and stared at Callie who had come back inside. She looked angry. Seth started feeling angry too.

"You lied to me," Seth said.
"So?" Callie asked.
"So?" Seth questioned her. "What the fuck, Callie? Why would you do that? You know how much that stuff meant to me."
"I wanted to hurt you," Callie said.
"Why?" Seth asked.

Callie took a few steps closer. The anger didn't disappear. If anything, she seemed even more angry now.

"I never got anything but you were the golden child who got everything. I wanted to play soccer but they told me they didn't have time because of your sport. On my graduation they took you to the theater instead of showing up. I wasn't allowed to have friends because I needed to babysit you. They made me do your homework. I wasn't allowed to go to college because they only wanted to pay for you. When I was struggling and needed help one month, they told me they couldn't help me because they were going on a vacation with you. I had to steal to be able to eat that month. I got nothing because of you," Callie said.
"Fuck," Randy whispered.
"Callie," Seth's eyes filled with tears. "You... I... You..."

Seth had no idea what he was trying to say. He couldn't get a full sentence to form in his head.

"Get out of my house," Callie said.
"Let's sit down and talk," Randy tried.
"Get the fuck out of my house!" Callie screamed.

Seth grabbed Randy's arm and dragged him over to the stairs. They both disappeared upstairs and out of the house. Instead of calling a cab, they took a long 30 minutes walk back to Seth's place in silence. Clearly Seth needed to think a lot about what had just happened, and Randy didn't want to interfere in that thought process. It wasn't until they were inside Seth's house and sitting down that Seth let out a loud sigh and looked at Randy.

"She's not wrong," Seth said. "I got everything while she got nothing."