The fact of the matter is that most people who aren't on the Saudi Arabia tour is seen as optional for the week's shows, so Mike takes advantage of it, and stays home with AJ and the kids. George had woke up with a bit of a headcold so he's in bed by the time Raw comes on, but Sara sits up with him, her head pillowed on his leg as he watches Shinsuke wrestle Finn Balor, his expectations of how the match will go not failing when Damian Priest gets involved and ultimately costs Shinsuke the win.
"Daddy?" she asks, wide eyes staring up at him when he glances down at her, absently playing with her hair.
"Yeah, sweetie?"
"Isn't that your friend?" she asks, wriggling around until she's laying on her stomach, resting her cheek on her hand and peering up at him. "Shi- Shins?"
He chuckles. "Shinsuke," he corrects her. "I wouldn't mind if he was, but he doesn't seem too interested right now. I'll keep working on wearing him down."
She pouts. "Why doesn't he want to be your friend? He seems kind of mean, daddy."
Mike sighs. "Well, honestly, honey, I don't have the greatest track record with friends in wrestling, so I kind of understand why he's a little reluctant to go along with my suggestions."
Sara scoots until she's sitting up once more, examining him. "Track record?"
"It means how often I do something," he says. "I haven't always been the loyalest of friends, especially in wrestling, so it's not easy to get people to trust me."
"Oh," she says, frowning harder. "But Uncle John still likes you."
Mike chuckles helplessly, tugging her closer to tuck against his side. "Yeah," he says quietly. "But Uncle John is a special case, and he's too nice for his own good. Probably for wrestling as a whole. Not everyone is that patient with me and my ways."
"That's not fair," Sara says, pressing her face into his shoulder. "You're a fun daddy."
Mike laughs and leans in to press a kiss to her head. "Thanks, sweetie. I'm glad you think so. But it'll work out one way or another. Shinsuke and I'll figure it out. Don't worry about it. I'll be fine either way."
She hums. "Maybe I could convince him," she suggests. "Like when Mommy helped me invite kids over for my birthday party."
Mike laughs. "No, honey, but thank you. Convincing a wrestler to team with me is different than convincing a group of little girls to come over for cake and games. I'll handle it, I promise."
She pouts at him. "I don't want you lonely, daddy."
He chuckles again. "I'm not, I swear. Sometimes Aunt Maryse comes with me, remember?"
"Oh yeah," Sara says. "Daddy? Why doesn't Mommy come with you? Doesn't she like wrestling?"
They've only talked a little about AJ's history in the WWE, the injuries, the mental toll it all took on her, the issues she had between Daniel Bryan, Dolph Ziggler, Kane, and everyone else. He knows in time the rest will come out, and with it, his own truth with Maryse and her kids, and Heath, and whatever else. But for now, Sara and George both are innocent of the facts, and he plans on keeping it that way for as long as possible. "She's moved on, is all. WWE isn't her home anymore like it's mine or Maryse's. Mommy likes working on her mental health tours and designing graphic novels."
"Right," Sara says, snuggling up tight against him again and yawning, casting curious eyes back on Raw before drifting off to sleep, only twitching when the volume gets a little loud, Mike carefully grabbing the remote and turning the volume down to where he can barely hear it, smoothing his fingers through her hair until she settles and continues to sleep peacefully.
Taking time off has never been easy for him, but the older George and Sara gets, the more he cherishes nights like tonight.