The apartment is quiet when Alicia is gone. Even more when she's in the UK, and can barely even find time to call between events, traveling, doing touristy things and everything else. Ricardo takes the puppy on a lot of walks around the beach then, taking his time washing the sand off of the dog's paws afterwards just to have something to do more than sitting around and thinking too much. At some point, his phone rings and he grabs at it, answering blind. "Hola?"

"Hola, Chuy," Alberto greets him, smile clear in his voice.

"Ah, hola, Alberto," Ricardo says, running a towel over the dog before letting him run into the apartment. Sitting back on his heels, he stares at the blue sky overhead and exhales quietly, making sure the door's shut securely so the puppy can't get out and get dirty again. "What's going on?"

"Well, I'm feuding with someone much too familiar to us both again," Alberto grouses, picking at something.

Ricardo closes his eyes. "John?" he guesses, considering that it's the only person they both know very well that's in TNA.

"Good guess," Alberto tells him. "He is going after what I want, and I can't allow it. I barely managed to get my name on that belt before it was taken from me. When I win it back, no one will ever take it from me again."

Ricardo nods quietly. "Si, I imagine they won't too easily, El Patron." They sit quietly for a few moments and Ricardo picks at the grass. "I have an event going on this coming weekend for Veteran's Day. Maybe... you should come," he suggests. "I think they've even set up an interview for me on Good Day Orlando. It will give you something else to focus on for awhile."

Alberto's voice is soft, quiet when he responds. "I would like that. Muchas gracias, Ricardo. You don't owe me anything, and yet..."

"I've always been too forgiving," Ricardo jokes weakly, laying back and staring up at the clouds drifting over the sun.

"This is true," Alberto tells him. "Myself and Mike are the most clear examples of that when it comes to you."

Ricardo nods. "I suppose. There's just no reason to stay angry at anyone. Life's too short."

Alberto chuckles. "How many hours of meditation do you think it would take for me to be as zen as you, mi hermano?"

Ricardo shrugs. "Maybe a month nonstop."

"Nonstop? Ay," Alberto laughs. "I would either die of boredom or starvation."

"How do you think the rest of us become so zen?" Ricardo smirks, enjoying hearing Alberto's laughter after so long of there being no reason for them to joke together.

"That explains a lot," Alberto cracks. They chatter about random, innocent things for awhile, until Ricardo looks at the time, and Alberto realizes as well. "I should let you go watch Raw for Alicia. I'll call you in a few days for details on Veteran's Day."

"Gracias. Talk to you then." They hang up and Ricardo goes inside, checking the dog's food and water before settling in front of the TV. Alicia loses to Sasha in a tag match again and names her as the next teammate in the Survivor Series team, all but demanding her help in the match. Ricardo chuckles, glad to see Alicia looking so focused and determined to do what she needs to do for her team to win.

He keeps himself busy during the week with training and general geeking out over Jericho vs Kenny Omega in NJPW January. Despite everything the business has cost him, he still loves it, and dream matches like that one leaves him in awe that things can still surprise him and everyone else around. Jericho's the master at keeping things secret, he's envious of the man's style.

When he's lonely, he scrolls WWE's twitter timeline and watches a few videos of Alicia in the UK, checking her latest Instagram posts out with a small smile on his face. She'll be home soon and he can tell her all about his Veteran's Day event and the TV interview he did, letting her watch the tape of it. She'll be proud of him and he'll be proud of her win or lose come Survivor Series, and everything will be great. He hopes.

He closes his eyes and falls asleep.