Breakdown 5-18-23
{{ Sunday, April 30
Kenner, LA
Kenner City Park }}
It's Heath's birthday!
My baby boy, my little Nugget, is one year old. I can't believe how fast the year went by. I am also very aware of how lucky I am that he made it to his birthday at all, considering what Nora had done. Poisoning Heath with something that seems so innocuous – honey.
Nora's sister Mara had explained to me some things about Nora's history, and looking back? Everything strange or odd about her now made perfect sense. It would never excuse what she did. But – and this might sound crazy – it was comforting to know that there was a reason behind Nora's actions, and that she isn't just a psychopath.
But, all of that is behind us now. Mara said Nora was being treated at a mental health hospital. There is absolutely nothing to worry about today at Kenner City Park, where Dom and I decided to have a party for Heath. The park is always open to the public, but certain features can be rented out. There's a large event center, but we didn't need all of that space. Instead, we rented the playground that's on the other side of the building from the open park and pond. We chose this place because it's Heath's favorite place to go. In fact, it was this park where we thought he'd picked up that nasty infection at first, until we realized what really happened.
A few weeks ago, I had asked Jaina's friend Marie Caedes if she would be interested in taking care of Heath on the road with me. Jaina always travels with me too, so they would see each other more too. She happily accepted, and although I already knew Heath liked her since she's been around with Jaina enough for him to know her, now that she's around him even more? He absolutely loves her. Ten years ago, if someone told me that one day the daughter of one of my sister's (I said what I said) biggest rivals would one day be taking care of my son, I'd have laughed myself into hysterics. But here we are. I even invited Marie's mom, Lynn Brewster, to the party. She declined due to work, but she did send a gift. Amy was touched when I told her.
The party started at noon. Dom and I got here with Heath an hour ahead of time to to set up. Wyatt, Amy, and Loki arrived not long after to help. Then Jaina and Marie got here, and they distracted Heath while we finished everything. Now all of the invited guests are here. Amy's mom Ms. Liz, one of Dom's gym buddies, Jerry, with his wife and daughter. The little girl is just a few months older than Heath so we hoped they would get along and have fun playing. Nadine and Simon, with my niece Kayla. I told Simon he could bring his daughter Angel but she wasn't able to come from LA. Scott came in from New York. I had also invited Sienna, Chris, and their daughter. They were unable to get away from their work and charities. Liz and Jordan were also invited but both had matches today so sadly they are not here either. All of them sent gifts though. Dom sent invitations to Dave and Regan, and also Jason of course. Dave and Regan were too busy helping Jenni prepare for a baby, so they declined. Jason... well, when we planned the party that was an obvious inclusion. Since then though things changed drastically, in that he and his wife went back to Los Angeles. He quit the academy, too. Amy was and still is very upset about it. I have no idea what happened other than he and Amy are no longer a thing. If Dom knows anything else, he hasn't told me, and I don't feel it's my place to ask. There was a time when this development would have made me happy and relieved, but today? I just feel bad for Amy.
Other than that hanging over things mildly, everything seems to be going perfectly. Even the weather is cooperating.
A voice in the back of my head was waiting for it to all crash and burn.
I'm sitting on a blanket in the grass, watching Loki holding Heath by both hands, getting him to 'walk.' It's not really walking, since he's being held steady, but it's a great way to teach his little legs what they're supposed to do. Dom and I have been doing it with him at home. The doctors suggested it as a way to help build his strength back up after his illness, and get him ready to walk on his own. Heath seems to enjoy letting his cousin lead him, though. They're both smiling and laughing. It's an odd sight, really, as Loki has always been such a subdued, almost depressed kid. Seeing him laugh and have fun is heartwarming.
"Look at him, Lo! He loves walking with you!" Jaina has a big smile on her face, watching her brother with Heath.
"Yeah, he does, huh?" Loki picks Heath up turns him around, so they can start going back the other way. Amy, Wyatt, Simon, and Nadine watch from a picnic bench, as Kayla sits in the grass nearby taking pictures.
While we did rent the playground, the park is still open to the public, so there are still people walking around. The duck pond isn't very far away, and there are always people near there hanging out with and feeding the ducks. A commotion in that direction, behind me, caught my attention. I turned to look. Two ducks were fighting, and some teenagers were yelling, scared. One of the adults threw a handful of something, some kind of food, towards the ducks. They stopped fighting and started pecking at the ground. Maybe the ducks were just playing. As I turned my head back to my son's party, I see someone out of the corner of my eye, and spin back around, twisting my back around to get a better look.
I would have sworn I saw Nora.
I get to my feet and turn towards the pond, scanning the small crowd for that familiar face ad ponytail. But I don't see her. I look around again, more carefully this time, scanning every face. I'm positive I saw her! Mara was supposed to let me know if the hospital released her, so if Nora is actually here, and Mara didn't tell me...
“Hey Cakes!”
“Aunt Bree! Look!”
The voices of my husband and nephew catch my attention and I turn back to the party. Loki is holding Heath by one hand, and Dom is standing across from them, about ten feet away. Loki takes a step or two with Heath, then let's go of his hand. I hold my breath. Heath wavers on his feet a little, trying to keep his balance. Just when it looks like he's gonna fall... instead he steps forward. Oh my gods! My hands cover my face, and I watch as he takes another step, then another, and one more before starting to fall forward. Dom lunges and catches him before he hits the ground. Heath laughs as Dom lifts him up into his arms.
“Alright! You did it! That's my good boy!” Others who were watching clap.
I run over and grab Heath's little cheeks and kiss his forehead. “Good job, Nugget! I'm so proud of you!”
“I knew he could do it.” I turned to Loki, who stood there looking just as proud as me. “He did one step by himself then sat down. So I stood him up to try again. That's when we made you look.”
“Thank you for helping him, Lo. He trusts you so much that he wasn't scared when you let him go.”
Loki smiles. I love it when he smiles, he's such a handsome teenager. I turn back to Dom and Heath, and Heath leans over for me to hold him. I grab him ad kiss his forehead again.
“You are so smart, and so strong, and so perfect! I love you.” Heath smiles up at me, the wide one with utter devotion in his eyes that melts my heart every time. Dom rests a hand on my arm.
“And you were worried you were going to miss this, being away at work. I'm glad you didn't.”
I smile, but my heart thumps. I almost did miss it. I was obsessively scanning the crowd almost a hundred feet away from us, looking for someone that I thought I saw, in a shadow out of the corner of my eye. Even though I know that Nora is in a treatment center, my paranoia crept up anyway and nearly made me miss seeing my son walk on his own for the first time. I look around a little, at everyone gathered to celebrate Heath's birthday and who also all saw him walk. They had been watching, and I wasn't. Dom and Loki had to get my attention. My attention should always be on my son. I look down at him in my arms, and smile again, feeling tears coming to my eyes.
“I'm glad I didn't miss it, too.” Dom raises my head with his fingers under my chin, then uses one finger to brush the corner of my eye. I'm positive he thinks I'm crying out of joy. But it's really disappointment in myself. If I had missed it, it would have been my fault, all because I couldn't stop being paranoid.
I have to get over this.
Nora is gone, and Heath is safe.
Nora is gone, and Heath is safe.
Heath is safe.
ON CAMERA
Although we can't see a name on the building, it's obviously a casino. The racing lights around the front windows and neon dollar signs in the window give that away. Seated on a low brick rail that surrounds short palm trees in front of the windows, we find Bree Lancaster, current SCW Television Champion. Wearing a grey and black pinstriped halter top, black capri-length denim pants, complete with black and white Chucks, Bree sits with her ankles crossed, sunglasses on her face and a black headband holding back her otherwise loose hair. She smiles, looks around a little, then back at the camera.
As you can tell by my surroundings, I am already in Las Vegas for Breakdown tomorrow night. I decided to come early to make sure I was settled in and relaxed before getting into the ring with Polly Playtime one more time. Relaxation aids focus, and more than anything right now, focus is what's been helping me get through, and focus is what I need to get through the rest of this tournament.
I know, I can guess what some of you listening must be thinking. How can anyone focus in Las Vegas Sin City? With all these lights and sounds and glitz? Well, first of all... I'm from New Orleans, and this place has nothing on Mardi Gras. Who do you think taught everyone else in this country how to party?
Bree shrugs, putting her palms up in the air. She smirks, shaking her head, and rests her hands back on the brick.
But in all seriousness, all the activity here is exactly why its such a great place to seek calmness and refine focus. It forces you to tune out all of the noise – and believe me, there is a lot of noise here – and train yourself to keep your attention on what's important, and nothing else.
Right now, for me, the only thing that's important is this tournament, and the championship waiting at the end, the United States Championship. I've already spoken about what and how much it means to me so I won't repeat myself. This weeks match is just the next step of my journey to see this through to the end. Before I get to Polly though, I want to address Alexis Quinne.
Alexis. I heard that you were very upset after our match. Took it out on your innocent locker room and paid a fine. Listen, I get it. In the past I've reacted badly to a loss too, maybe not with quite so much property damage... but I get it. You blame yourself, you think you're not good enough, you wonder why you bother. Maybe what I said to you before the match touched a nerve. I would apologize except that I believe sometimes people need to hear difficult things. At the same time, I saw your Tweets. How you think you're wrestling like shit, making dumb mistakes. That's where you're wrong. You wrestled a clean match against me, and by clean I don't mean without cheating. I mean sharp, on point, tight. There was nothing shitty about the fight you gave me, babe. I just had the advantage at the end, and sometimes that's all it takes. While I am happy that I moved on, I don't want you to put yourself down over it. You know you're not shit. The issue isn't with your skills. As I said to you before, it's your focus. Don't let this make you lose even more of it. SCW and this business is lucky to have you, and I hope we meet again down the road.
Bree smiles, then adjusts her position a bit, leaning forward and putting both feet flat, signaling a change in topic.
So. Tomorrow night. Polly Playtime. This isn't the first time we've wrestled each other this year. Polly was the first person to challenge me for the Adrenaline Championship. I retained, and Polly moved on to other things. Circumstance has put us in each other's path again, and this time with a different championship up in the air.
Polly. Hi babe. Firstly I want to say congratulations on getting past The One to be able to face me in the semi-finals. Watching the match, it sure looked like she was going to catch you, but you pulled it out at the last second. Some might say you stole the win, but I wouldn't say that. “Stole” implies cheating or shadiness, and I didn't see any of that. Sure, it was out of nowhere and The One was surprised and angry enough that she attacked you after the match. But the truth is that you simply caught her off guard and pinned her.
Let me be very clear.
You are not going to catch me off guard in the same way.
Nothing against The One, she is a very capable and dangerous opponent. But I have the advantage of not only having seen the way you snagged victory from her, but also of having faced you in a title situation before. Those are two very clear learning opportunities, and I promise you I have studied both.
I remember our last match, Polly. You were deep into your roulette wheel game, and I was having none of that. I called you out on yourself, how you were using these games as a cover for your own insecurities. That was months ago, and by now I would have expected you to learn from some of your losses, maybe taken things I and others have said to you to heart, and shown some growth.
Unfortunately, I haven't seen much of that.
Your lips say the words, but your actions display otherwise. I heard you before your match with The One. You want to be taken seriously, you want the world to know that you know when to put the games away and be serious. Unless you learned that lesson between Playing the Wildcard and facing The One, I don't believe you. Why? Well... you fought Glory Braddock in a strap match... a stipulation decided by your little wheel. And then Glory beat you. At your own game.
Bree smirks at her play on words.
Maybe you're being sincere, maybe that loss was the last straw and you truly have changed your outlook. That's what I hope for. There are already enough people in this business who take almost nothing seriously, someone with your ring skills should not be one of them. You have serious talent, and you should be displaying that in serious ways. You're capable of it, I've seen it. You did it against me, you did it against The One. But you're not consistent.
That is why I am going to do everything I can to make sure I am the one going to the finals to fight for the United States Championship. What that title needs the most right now is consistency, stability. It had that for a long time in Josh Hudson's hands. Then Kim Williams happened. It changed hands, and now it's vacant. I suppose the same could be said for the World Championship, but that title isn't my concern right now. My concern... is the championship that means the most to me, and doing my best to ensure that it's represented in the manner it deserves. I am experienced at this, with this championship in particular.
You Polly? You've been Television Champion once for about ten minutes, and... that's all. That's not discounting your skills, it's pointing out your experience, or lack of. A good bit of your experience here in SCW has been working with other people. Namely, your Playgirls Aisling and Coleen. Next week on Breakdown, the three of you have an opportunity. Choose two, to face The One and Nicole Kinneck in a Tag Team Championship Contender's match. Which by the way... you're only having because Datura and I cannot claim our contendership and Tag Team Championship match due to her injury. So, regardless what happens between you and I tomorrow night, you have that waiting for you. An opportunity you seemed eager for.
Waiting for me? Defending the Television Championship. A title that fell into my lap thanks to Kim. Please don't take this the wrong way, I mean no disrespect to the Television Championship whatsoever, I am happy and proud that earning it in that match made me a Supreme Champion... that's a fairly short list in the history of this company. But the truth remains that neither the Television Championship nor Supreme Champion status were things I was actively chasing. The United States Championship? It's always on my mind and in my heart. I will defend the Television Championship each and every time I asked to with no argument, and to the best of my ability, make no mistake about that. I am a champion and I have a responsibility that I take seriously. But I will not pretend that I don't want something else, something that has personal meaning.
Pretending is lying, and that's just not me.
Bree shakes her head a little, emphasizing her words.
Lux veritatis, the light of truth, demands that I be honest not only with the world, but also with myself. And my truth, is that I believe I was put into this for a reason and that the United States Championship is meant for my waist once more. I'm not taking it as a forgone conclusion, I know I have to put in the work. I have to go through every obstacle, let no one and nothing stop me from my goal. Keep my focus clear. Even here, in Las Vegas, where it's sometimes hard to find a coherent thought through all the chaos.
Bree pauses, and looks around again. She hesitates, letting the camera pick up the surrounding sounds. The unnamed casino's doors must have momentarily opened, as the bells and dings of a game can be heard for a second or two before fading away.
I have to wonder, Polly, if all the chaos and noise of every single game in this city is going to affect you. Break through your focus, weaken your resolve to put your games away and take this match seriously. Everyone has a weakness babe, and as the world is reminded every time you walk to the ring, you love to play. There's nothing wrong with play, in fact it's very good for mental health.
But there is a time for play and a time for work. I came here to work. What did you come here to do?
Bree grins, letting the question hang in the air for a few moments. The celebratory bells and music of a slot machine that just hit is the last thing heard as the video fades out.