Randy didn't know who made the call to keep him and Selena apart during WrestleMania week, if it was Shane's decision, Selena's, or both.
Normally when absent talents return to the WWE family, there was a whole routine the company made them take part in, where cameras followed them as they met new faces and reunited with old allies and rivals. They'd sit down for YouTube reactions and do WWE-produced podcasts and documentaries. Like the Hall of Fame package before it, Randy once again found that nobody was asking for his input on the good old days. He knew they were filming a 24 special to air on her after WrestleMania, but his presence didn't appear to be wanted or needed for the episode. Randy knew he shouldn't have been surprised by the development, but he kind of was. It felt a little insulting to be completely erased from her narrative, but he understood the damage he'd caused was immense. When everything was said and done between them, he'd treated her like she never mattered to him. He supposed it was only fair she returned the favor.
His first glimpse of Selena in fourteen years came courtesy of Tegan Nox's Instagram account, where she'd posted a photograph of the two of them. Where it was taken, Randy wasn't sure, but what he did know was that Selena was as beautiful as she'd been the last time he'd seen her. Time had made her face a little rounder, and he noticed her nose was slightly crooked now — his guess was that had been a gift the accident had bestowed on her. Her ruby hair was gone, replaced by a coffee brown that still suited her. Sapphire eyes shone with genuine joy in the photograph, her smile radiating warmth and happiness. He could feel it through the photograph, and it made his chest clench. He knew that it had to have been the toughest pill for Selena to swallow to lose her entire career after the accident. The only other person he knew who lived and breathed wrestling as hard as Selena did was Hunter.
It was two nights in Philadelphia before Randy started feeling like he had a disaster on his hands. As they'd got ready for bed, Amy had asked him bluntly about Selena, about who she was to him and wanting to know why people were whispering and gossiping about them. Hearing Selena's name fall from Amy's lips had caught him off-guard. He'd called her an old colleague, and Amy had seen right through him. She'd told him he brought her to make Selena jealous. He'd assured her that wasn't the case, that they hadn't seen each other in over a decade, but it seemed like there was no answer he could give to assuage her concerns. Since then she'd slept with her back to him.
As the ice began to solidify between the two of them, Randy had to concede that Cody was right. He'd made a mistake. He knew it was a mistake when he'd invited her, but it hadn't stopped him from going ahead with his plans. All he'd been doing was making one mistake on top of another since the press release went out, and as he lay awake at night, staring up at the ceiling, Randy understood that the arrangement he had with Amy was more than likely going to end when they got back to St. Louis.
He wasn't feeling all that great about things when the Hall of Fame rolled around. To her credit, Amy understood the assignment. The dress she'd picked to wear was a show-stopper, a shimmering blush pink garment that was low-cut in a way that was attention grabbing but not provocative. Randy had wrestled in the main event of SmackDown, so he'd had to sprint back to the bus, shower, and change into his suit. He waited for Amy to finish doing her hair and makeup, silently scrolling through his phone in the main area.
Randy's suspicions had been correct. Shane McMahon was going to be inducting Selena Sky into the Hall of Fame. He'd also heard through the grapevine that Shane and Selena had filmed some kind of sit-down interview with Corey Graves. Randy and Amy were going to be seated up front with Hunter and Stephanie to take in the inductions. Stephanie McMahon had surprised everyone by flying out to Philadelphia for the week, despite giving up her position and leaving the company months before. Randy had caught sight of her in passing on his way back to the bus. She was talking to Paul Heyman, dressed in a black Herve Leger dress with a black leather ECW beret, her long brown hair brushed straight. WrestleMania week brought everyone out of the woodwork; Shane had spent the week catching up with the ECW guys he'd rolled with during the Attitude Era.
The "red carpet" for the Hall of Fame was in full swing when Randy and Amy made their way into the ringside area. Amy hung onto his arm like things weren't frosty between the two of them. In his periphery Randy could see Jackie Redmond, dressed in a black suit dress, her hair slicked back, interviewing Rio Batista, who was wearing a dress that looked like it had come off the runway at New York Fashion Week. It was black and sheer with cuts and slits. Rio's hair was pulled back, sleek and elegant, her makeup dramatic and bold. Amy froze, gaping.
"Is that Rio Batista?" she whispered. Randy nodded.
"Yeah. Her husband's going in tonight."
Byron Saxton was interviewing Roman Reigns and his wife. Before Randy could clock her, Cathy Kelley was approaching, dressed in a little white dress that was tight and bejeweled. Randy took a step back to allow the cameramen to take his place and for Cathy to take her position.
"Hello, WWE Universe. I'm here now with Randy Orton and his date for the evening. So…with starting your career in Evolution and everything that came with that, tonight has to feel like quite the night for you," Cathy observed. Randy nodded.
"Yeah. A lot of faces from the past taking their well-deserved places in the Hall of Fame tonight. Doesn't make me feel old at all," he cracked. Cathy laughed.
"Who are you most looking forward to seeing take their place in the Hall of Fame tonight?"
"I'm looking forward to seeing different people for different reasons," Randy confided. "I'm excited for Dave. We're all really proud of his success outside the business. And Heyman, here in Philadelphia, home of ECW, that's going to be a special moment. I'm honestly most looking forward to Selena Sky. The way her career ended was a shame, and while I know it didn't end on her terms, this is a well-deserved cap to what was a stellar career."
"Speaking of Selena, the two of you were thick as thieves for just about her entire tenure. Have you seen her at all since she arrived in Philadelphia?" Cathy asked. Inwardly, Randy seethed. He could feel Amy's displeasure. Cathy was being messy.
"No. But you know how it is. WrestleMania week is the busiest it's ever been. If you'll excuse me…"
"Sure thing. You two have a great night tonight."
"You, too."
Randy and Amy separated from Cathy and began to make their way towards their seats. As soon as Cathy turned her back, Amy let go of Randy and created a little space. The crowd in the arena was cheering at the sight of everyone filing out to their seats for the event. Hunter and Stephanie had yet to take their seats, but Randy knew from previous years that they would take their seats moments before the event started. Rio was going to be sitting on the other side of Hunter and Stephanie, beside the latter, and with Heyman's family.
Amy was starstruck by Rio. She couldn't avert her eyes from the former Diva. Randy observed that Amy looked like she was seeing a living, breathing goddess. Rio finished her interview and made her way towards them to take her seat, and he could see Amy become giddy. All these years later, Randy was still baffled how people fell over themselves to please her.
At the beginning of her WWE career, Rio had ensnared John Cena, but that was a short-lived affair. John had come to regret everything in his life when Rio turned her back on him for Dave and Evolution, helping the faction mount a full-scale invasion of the blue brand. Rio was ambitious and cutthroat; it was no surprise to anybody that she'd break into the mainstream. During her WWE career, she'd done just about every mainstream thing she could, from Playboy to reality TV to Maxim and Stuff magazine, to bit parts in movies and TV shows. Her star had always burned brighter than Selena's, but Randy hadn't cared about any of that.
Randy didn't like Rio. He never had. He respected her accomplishments and her willingness to take what she wanted, but he disliked her deeply. He honestly had no idea how she'd sunk her claws so deeply into Dave for so long, but she had.
The moment Rio sat down, she greeted Randy and Amy, who was over the moon to be acknowledged by somebody she clearly admired. Amy asked Rio for a selfie, which she graciously obliged. Randy rolled his eyes while the girls took a quick photo together.
"Hi, Randy. Long time, no see."
"Not long enough," he retorted. Amy's head whipped to him, her eyes narrowing. If Rio was bothered by Randy's reaction to her, she didn't show it. Randy chose not to take Amy's glare personally; after all, she knew the Rio in front of the cameras, handling reality TV specials and guest hosting gigs. She didn't know just how black-hearted and cruel Rio Batista could be. She didn't know how Machiavellian Rio could be, how low she was willing to go to get whatever she wanted.
But he did. She'd gotten what she wanted at his expense several times over the years.
"It's been a while. I know that much. Last time I saw you, you were on your first wife," she quipped. Randy stiffened. Knowing she'd landed a direct hit, Rio shook her head before going in for the kill.
"You know, Dave and I always thought you and Selena were going to go the distance. Crazy how life works out. She must have been real insufferable after the accident for you to leave during her recovery."
Amy wheeled on Randy, who was glaring daggers Rio, who returned Randy's glare with a grin that made him want to strangle her. "Not going to lie to you, Randy, I'm over the moon to see my husband take his place in the Hall of Fame, but I'm certainly interested in what Selena is going to say up there. Aren't you?" Rio turned her attention to Randy's date. "I bet you are now, aren't you."
Amy nodded. Randy opened his mouth to fire back at her that she'd spoken enough, but it was then that Hunter and Stephanie arrived to take their seats. Clamping his mouth shut, Randy turned his attention to the stage area, where a podium had been set up for the inductors and inductees.
The music blared from the loudspeakers, and Randy knew that the ceremony was starting. He could feel the tension and awkwardness hanging thick in the air. Jackie Redmond took her place at the podium to introduce everyone in the arena and watching at home to the Hall of Fame ceremony. Randy absentmindedly clapped with everyone when appropriate. He watched as Bo Dallas and his sister Mika took the stage to introduce the first inductees, the US Express tag team.
While they spoke, Rio's question echoed through every corner of Randy's mind. It was the same question he'd been asking himself for months. Just what was Selena going to say when she took the stage later in the evening? She was going to walk out, probably in a fancy dress or suit, to take her place in the Hall of Fame with the two people who had betrayed her deeply sitting in the front row. Randy wasn't an idealist; he knew whatever shit list Selena had, he had to be a close second behind Rio because of what he'd done.
Tonight, it was Selena's time to get the last laugh on all of them. He just wondered how loud her laughter was going to be.