Paige makes the decision to stay with AJ while Mike goes to Smackdown, her next few days spent in California, playing with Sara Louisa and considering her next move. With Ricardo staying away for another month, she has plenty of time to think. Plenty of time to figure out what to do next, and she hates it. Finds herself getting another, small tattoo on her hand at a meet'n'greet, Sara Louisa's initials greeting her whenever she looks at her fingers.
It's with this in mind that she travels out to Main Event and wrestles Naomi. She fights as hard as she can but she still loses. She paces backstage before storming out of the building, sitting on the hotel roof and staring up at the stars, like she used to do with Ricardo when he was home. She returns to Florida the next day and drives over to Kevin's house. He's home, thankfully, and she taps her fingers against the steering wheel. "Here we go," she mumbles, getting out of the car and walking up to the door.
Anxiously digging her nails into her bag straps, she knocks and waits until he lets her in. As soon as she's in, he leans in to kiss her but she pulls away just in time to miss the contact. "Sorry," she says weakly as he stares at her, confused. "We need to talk. It's been a long time coming, I just... couldn't figure out what to do." She stares at him, reassured in her own decision. "I've figured it out though. My best friends have had a little girl, and she's precious, and I maybe would want that some day for myself... but it's not going to be like this." She sighs. "It's not going to be with you."
He frowns at her. "Paige, I know we said that we were just going to be together for Total Divas, but..."
"We filmed in advance," she told him. "We're already teasing a break up in the episodes of Total Divas that are airing now. It might as well become a reality. I can't keep doing this to myself, or to Ricardo, anymore. " She pokes him in the shoulder, smiling waveringly up at him. "You've been great about all of this ridiculousness... and I'm sorry for doing this to you, but it's time to end this. I need to move on, and you deserve to find someone who actually wants you because they love you."
He breathes in deeply and sighs. "Alright. I knew it'd be happening sooner or later, but this does kind of surprise me. I understand though." He leans towards her, smiling painfully. "You take good care of yourself, ok? And thank you for the opportunity to advertise my band." She nods and leans forward, hugging him. "We'll still be friends, right?"
"Of course," she whispers. Pulling away, she turns to leave and waves at him. "I'll see you around, Kavin." Barely listening to his farewell, she walks out and shuts the door behind her, leaning against it for a minute before returning to her car. Sofia is waiting for her when she returns home with lasagna and garlic bread and Paige sniffs, tears filling her eyes. "What would I do without you, Sofia?" she breathes, hugging the housekeeper and following her into the kitchen to eat her fill in the comfort food.
Sofia smiles at the pictures Paige shows her of the baby, gripping Paige's hand and examining the tattoo. "It's beautiful," she says. "A great tribute for the little girl." She rubs Paige's knuckles before patting her hand and putting them down in her lap. "Hopefully I will be able to meet her soon. She looks precious."
"She really is," Paige sighs. "She likes to grip our fingers." Laughing softly, she shakes her head. "I can already picture her growing up to be the leader of a new generation of divas. Whatever she does, AJ and Mike will be so proud of her, I'm sure."
Sofia nods. "Someday, Paige, you will be an amazing madre to your own children."
"Oh, I don't know about what," Paige sighs, a soft flush covering her face at the thought of it. "But maybe. Ricardo needs to come home first for anything to be a possibility."
Sofia smiles sadly at her. "He will. I promise you. Just be patient a little longer, si? Alberto and I, we will help you until April. We all miss him, and we all want him home, but he needs to do this for his career. The more he gets his name out there, the better it will be. You'll see."
"I know," Paige sighs. "He's still trying to make up for lost time after the years he spent in WWE, so I'm trying. I just miss him." Sofia leans forward and hugs her, Paige's fingers digging into her shoulders as she shudders and tries not to cry. "I want him home... but I know this is good for him... so I'll find ways to keep myself occupied. It'll work out."
"Yes it will," Sofia agrees, stroking her hair. "Now let's eat."
"Alright." Paige smiles at her. "Thank you for everything."
"De nada, it's my pleasure," Sofia says with a soft smile of her own, sipping from the iced tea she had made earlier in the week. They eat quietly, both considering the next few weeks- with Wrestlemania, and the countdown for Ricardo's return continuing. Exchanging a glance, they release almost identical sighs.