"I think I should appear with you on Smackdown this week," Maryse says, clearly busy as she tries to soothe a fussy Monroe Sky. "We both know USA execs would be happier with us both present to promote Miz and Mrs, and it... It just makes sense. Heath will be there, he can watch the baby while you and I do media."
Mike grimaces. Examines what of her he can see on the video call for a moment. "I mean, it makes sense, and I heard some rumblings they were curious about you, but I didn't want to bother you while you're still settling in with the baby in Texas, and the wedding-"
"I think we're as settled as we're going to get, honestly," she says. "The wedding plans, well, they're going slowly but I don't think Alicia or I are planning on anything huge, considering her schedule is picking up now that she's back on the road with WWE and everything else." She rocks Monroe quietly before looking back at the screen. "I'll sort out flight plans and let you know how it goes when I tell Heath." She smiles vaguely. "I'll talk with you soon, Mike."
They hang up and he leans against the counter, thinking. He can understand, on some level. Maryse is like him, dedicated to her career, and he can only imagine how restless she's gotten after nearly a year of sitting at home, but she's a great mother and he can tell how happy she is with her little girl. Speaking of little girls, he thinks, hearing Sara starting to babble on her monitor. He quickly goes to her room and hoists her up, kissing her chubby little cheeks and dancing her around the room as she blinks up at him, still a little sleepy but content to tuck her face into his neck and wait for him to slow down.
After waiting to see if she's in need of her potty training toilet, he takes her into the kitchen and prepares her a quick breakfast of cereal and juice, setting her down on her high chair and watching as she spoons at it lazily, lightly kicking her little feet against the sides. She's babbling between bites and he catches a few words here and there, smiling whenever he hears Daddy or Dadada. Mornings like this are rare, AJ is doing more media for mental health awareness and he misses her, but he enjoys having a minute for just him and his daughter, always feeling like he never has a minute to just be with her, get to know her, understand her a little better, get an idea of her general attitude and all of that fun stuff.
After she eats, they lay on the couch and he rubs her back as she watches TV with a content look on her face. "So Daddy has to go to work in a day or two," he tells her, kissing her nose when she looks up at him. "I don't want you to feel weird or jealous or anything but I'm going to be with Monroe Sky, and when you're older, you'll understand that daddy has to play pretend for a little while longer, but just remember." He kisses her forehead. "You're the only baby girl in my life who I love with all of my heart and soul, ok?"
She only stays in his arms a few moments longer before squirming down and rushing over as fast as her little legs can carry her to play with some of the toys scattered on the floor in front of the TV.
All Mike can do is laugh weakly, seeing a situation that will repeat a lot for the next sixteen or so years- first day of school, first school dance, her first date, on and on and on... He sighs and closes his eyes for a moment before getting up to play with her, aware that he'll have to enjoy every moment as it comes instead of dwelling on what's to come in the not so distant future.
-x
Tuesday goes off without a hitch. They make a big production out of putting Monroe Sky in the baby bjorn that Mike is wearing before swapping her out with a baby doll- Maryse walks by a morose looking James Ellsworth as she walks the baby out to where Heath is waiting in the car, handing him the baby. Once they hit the ring, Mike plays it up huge. Belittles and mocks Daniel, does all he can to incite rage until the man comes out. And he fights off security before entering the ring, like he's actually going to dare to do something when he thinks there's a baby in Mike's arms.
So Mike does what anyone would do when defending themselves- he pulls the doll from the straps and throws it right at Daniel, leaving him vulnerable for attack, Mike hitting Skull Crushing Finale and bailing, laughing uproariously with Maryse by his side. He hopes Daniel has to pay in some way for brutalizing the security in the way that he did- he hopes that Paige ultimately sends him out to mope with James, he hopes a lot of things, all each just a little more worse for Daniel than the last.
He laughs as they rush for Heath's car, eager to get away before Paige could do something, or Daniel could get the strength together enough to try to get payback. "Thank you," he says sincerely, looking from Maryse to Heath. "That went off without a hitch. I couldn't have done it without you. And youuuuu," he coos, playing with Monroe Sky's toes as she watches him, quiet and intense. "Awesome little girl, you are. Almost as cute as my little one back home is." He kisses her fingers and sighs, missing AJ and Sara.
His main consolation is now that Miz and Mrs is here, he'll be home soon, and then it's just a waiting game to see what the ratings are like, if WWE might want more in the future. He hopes not, but anything's possible, especially in show business, he guesses. When he sees Maryse looking at him, her hand loosely intwined with Heath's, he smiles. "What'll we do if we get a season two?"
"Do what we always do," Maryse shrugs. "Take it as it comes, roll with the punches." Heath's hand seems tense, and Maryse lightly rubs circles in his knuckles. "It all will work out, one way or another."
He likes her conviction. He hopes she's right.