Erin arrived home barely able to recall the drive from WWE HQ. She had driven almost in a daze, able to think about nothing else apart from the utter shit show that was coming fast over the horizon. Imagining all of the possible consequences of Hank's behaviour was already a nightmarish undertaking. It seemed highly likely that he was going to have to step down. But then what?
One way or another, a new chairperson would need to be appointed. But who would that be? They way Erin imagined it, everyone on the board would want to make a play at the top job. Ironically, she saw herself, as the only option to keep a Voight in charge of the Voight family business, as the only person on the board who wouldn't make a play. She considered herself too inexperienced to be chairwoman. But that would mean a family outsider running the family business, and that prospect made Erin feel sick to her stomach, and very angry. It was never supposed to be this way. WWE was supposed to pass from Hank, through her, and onto her kids, assuming she had kids some day. She did want to have children. That was a subject that she hadn't explored with Jay yet though.
It wasn't just who was in charge of WWE that was going to be a problem. By now, the official statement about the investigation would have been released, which of course would be a public relations disaster. It was also intensely embarrassing for Erin personally. She knew there would be memes flying around already, making fun of Hank, and some would no doubt be making fun of her too. There was already enough of that thanks to Hank being in a relationship with Amanda Rose, who was younger than her.
Thinking about Hank being with Amanda only made Erin more angry. The latest in what now seemed like it might be a long line of bimbos that he had spent his time fucking. God only knew how many former PAs he had slept with and paid off. All of that dirty laundry would be going public soon, Erin knew. She wasn't naive enough to believe for a moment that someone on the board wouldn't leak every sordid detail to some journalist or other, then it would end up all over the internet. And that would be the final nail in Hank's chairmanship of WWE.
Parking up on the driveway at Eagle's Nest, Erin saw Jay come to the front door, having heard the unmistakeable engine tone of her Ford GT. He was home all weekend as his elbow injury had meant removing him from non-televised events, so at least there was that. Having to go through all this with him only available on the phone would have been a lot worse.
"I tried to call you," Jay said as she got out of the car. He was standing with the front door open. "Christ, Erin, it's all blowing up online. Are you okay?"
"My phone's off." She slammed the car door and hurried over to him, hugging him instead of answering his question.
"What the hell has your dad been playing at?" Jay asked. He was obviously trying to come to terms with it himself.
"That's not helping, Jay," she said. "Just hold me for a minute, will you? It's all I've wanted since I walked out of that fucking boardroom." Unnecessary swearing wasn't usual for her at all, but she couldn't help it while she was so stressed.
"Of course, but let's go inside. It's cold out here."
They stepped into the house and Jay pushed the door closed with his foot as he hugged Erin again. Just being in his arms made Erin feel a little better already. She felt supported. She felt safe. She felt loved.
"I can't believe it. I really can't believe it," she said eventually, still hugging him.
"So it's true then? I read Hank slept with a PA and paid her two million bucks for a non-disclosure agreement?"
The leaks had started, Erin realised, not that she was remotely surprised.
"It looks like it," Erin said with a sigh. "And there are more, I'm pretty certain. I confronted my dad after the board meeting and asked him that. He didn't deny it, which is basically the same as admitting it."
"So what does this mean? I'm a wrestler, Erin. I know how to throw people around a ring and cut promos. Don't have a clue about the business world. Actually, don't answer that yet. Go sit down, and I'll bring you a glass of wine. I'm sure you could use it."
"And then some," Erin said gratefully. She kicked off her shoes and walked through to the living area. Sitting down on the couch, she put her phone on the coffee table. It could stay turned off, she thought. Messages and calls about the unravelling of her family business were something she could do without. One advantage of Eagle's Nest, she thought as she looked at the breath-taking view across the valley through the picture window, was that it gave the impression that she and Jay were the only people on Earth. At times, such as now, that felt ideal.
Jay returned with a glass of wine for Erin and a bottle of mineral water for himself. He handed the glass to her and she downed most of its contents in one hit. The alcohol hit calmed her a little. In addition to Jay's presence, it helped her to start feeling better than the mess she had been in on the way home.
"So what does all this mean, Erin?" Jay asked, sitting down beside her and putting a hand on her knee. He put his unopened bottle of water on the table.
Erin looked at him and shook her head. "In simple terms? If the investigation finds that my dad used company money to pay for one or more NDAs, that amounts to stealing that company money. He will have no choice but to step down. And that means someone outside of the Voight family will end up running WWE. That thought makes me sick, Jay."
"Fuck that," Jay said, his tone suggesting that he was wondering if she had lost the plot.
Erin was surprised and confused by his reaction. She had expected sympathy or consolation. "What do you mean? Fuck what?"
"Fuck allowing someone outside the family to take over. WWE is your family business. I'm well aware how proud of that you are. You're not going to sit there and let someone else take over, are you?"
"What choice do I have? I'm not experienced enough to be chairwoman. The board would never appoint me."
Jay shrugged. "Like I said, I don't understand all the business talk. You need to talk to your dad because the way I see it there are only two acceptable outcomes. One: You and Hank find a way to get him out from under this shit. Or two: You find a way to become chairwoman. No one is going to tell me neither of those things can happen. You're incredibly strong and talented, Erin. I know you can do it, and to hell with what anyone else thinks."
Being with Jay always made Erin feel blessed. In that moment she felt it more than ever. She considered his advice naive, but that wasn't his fault. And, most importantly, it came from a place of love. Unconditional, deep love.
"Thank you, Jay," she said. "Your support and confidence in me is lovely. But I just can't see it happening. I'm going to have to talk it over with my dad and find out what he's thinking. Speaking of, we're going over there tomorrow night. We'll probably end up having dinner with him and Mandy." Her tone showed contempt for her dad's partner.
Jay grimaced and took her hand. "Erin, I'm going to say something that you're not going to like. But it needs to be said. Your dad is going through this damn mess too. And so is Mandy. I get that you don't trust her or like her, and I understand why. But for what it's worth? Personally, after seeing them together over the past six months or whatever it has been, I don't doubt that she loves your dad, and sometimes, to be honest, you're awful to her. And I'm sure that hurts your dad, too. It just wouldn't be right for us to go over there and make things worse for them."
Erin grunted, feeling annoyed that he was defending the gold digger. That was how Erin thought of Amanda Rose, whether she owned a gym and some donut shops or not.
"Sorry, Jay, I'm not..." she began, but Jay cut her off.
"No, Erin, you're going to listen to me, okay? I've seen that woman almost in tears a couple of times because of how you've spoken to her. Don't get me wrong, I'm not taking sides here. What I want you to do is just assume for a moment that Mandy does love your dad. Imagine being in her situation. Let's say I'm sixty, but you feel everything you feel for me in reality. Then let's say I have a daughter who is older than you, and that daughter hates you. And no matter what you say or do, my daughter never gives you a break. How would you feel?"
The last thing Erin wanted to do on this already awful day was imagine herself as Amanda Rose, yet here she was. Jay talking about it had already made her do it. If his scenario was true, highly unlikely in her opinion, she had to admit that the situation would be awful for Mandy. But Erin simply didn't believe that was the case.
"I'm not going to like that woman, Jay. And I can't click my fingers and trust her just because you say so. Life doesn't work like that."
"I know that," Jay said, showing some irritation with her. That was rare for him, and did more than anything else to show her that maybe her behaviour towards Mandy maybe was out of line after all. Jay had probably been thinking she was being a bitch for some time, but had tried to avoid having to bring it up.
"What you can do is call a truce," he was saying. "Even if it's not for Mandy, do it for your dad. His life is falling apart right now. I'm sure it would mean a lot to him if you could at least try to tolerate the woman he has chosen to be his partner in life. I'm not even good at relating to people, and I can see that."
Erin had to chuckle, feeling herself softening and moving towards his position on the Mandy situation, against her own expectations. "You're not doing too badly, Jay. You've come a long way with your people skills. And you're right, my dad needs my help, whether he's prepared to ask me for it or not. For that reason only, I'll cut Mandy a break when we're there tomorrow and see how it goes. Good enough?"
"Good enough," Jay said, smiling, seeming a bit surprise that his advice had made a difference.
"Good. Now let's stop talking about her. In fact, let's stop talking about work, period. Why don't I get changed, and we can take a walk down the valley? You know, leave our phones behind and get away from everything for a few hours? That's what I need most right now."
Jay nodded without hesitation. "If that's what you need, let's do it. I'm here for you no matter what. Keep that in mind while this mess shakes itself out. You're not in it alone."
Erin felt that melting sensation in her stomach again. Only Jay had ever made her feel that. With his support, so strong and unwavering, there was a chance that everything might be okay. Somehow.
A/N: What do you make of the advice Jay gave to Erin?
