My Number One Fan

“So, how’s your Dad doing?” Kurt asked just as someone walked up to us. He was super tall with graying blonde hair and a graying goatee. I knew who he was, though I’m pretty sure I never really met him. Kevin Nash, known as Diesel when he was feuding with my father years ago.
“Hey Kurt, who’s this, and who’s her Dad?” Kevin asked, looking down at me.
“New knockout, but she was with WWE for years. This is Riley Calaway.” Kurt introduced me.
“Calaway, like Mark Calaway right?” Kevin asked.
“Just the same,” I said. “He’s my father, but excuse Kurt, he just found out so he‘s not used to my new last name. It‘s Riley Hardy.”
“Really.” Kevin asked. “You know we have a Jeff Hardy here.”
“That would be my husband,” I said, laughing.
“No kiddin’!” he said. “Well, this is great. It’s nice to meet you Mrs. Hardy, now I need to talk to Angle about something real quick.” I nodded and excused myself, walking back to the dressing room. I passed several people I didn’t know, but I knew who they were from watching Impact. Lacey Von Erich passed me up, scowling at me as she passed.
“Freak,” I heard her murmur. I just shrugged it off, because I knew it was true. I walked into the dressing room to see Shannon, or Daffney, in the room, waiting on me.
“The Phoenix?” she said when she looked up at me. “I’m Daffney.”
“Phoenix is just my stage name,” I said. “My real name is Riley Hardy.”
“Hardy? Like loser druggie Hardy who just got arrested?”
“You don’t know what happened, so don’t bring that up,” I snapped. She looked at me curiously.
“You’re actually related to that loser?” she asked in a bored voice.
“That ‘loser’ just so happens to be my husband,” I said, walking toward the bathroom to start washing off the face paint.
“I heard of you,” Daffney said suddenly. “You worked for McMahon years ago, as the Phoenix. Phoenix disappeared, poof, into thin air. What happened to her hmm? What scared the poor little birdie so badly?”
“Nothing ‘scared’ me,” I said, grabbing a rag and wiping at my face. “I was pissed off and running out of steam. I took a long needed vacation.”
“For eight years?” Daffney asked, scoffing. “What I find even more amusing is you come back as Riley Calaway, and you end up getting sent off again because a chair shot to the head. Let me tell you something sweetie, we take a lot of shit in the company. I don’t know how WWE does it, but we do things extreme around here.”
“Okay, the only reason I left after the chair shot was because I lost my damn memory,” I said. I then noticed my temper was started to flare worse than it should. I thought back through the day, and realized that I forgot to take my meds for the Bi-Polar. I just finished clearing my face paint and looked up when I saw Daffney in the mirror. I walked past her and glanced at the screen that let me see the progress of the show. Jeff and AJ’s match had ended, so Jeff would be coming back in here soon.
“Oh, lose a little memory?” Daffney asked in a teeny voice. “What, didn’t have hubby there to save you?”
“Okay look,” I said, turning to face her with a sneer. “I’m Bi-Polar and I forgot to take my medicine that keeps my temper down, and I have a really short fuse as it is. You keep this up, I won’t be countable for my own actions, so either get out right now, or shut the hell up!” I snapped my head around just as Jeff walked into the locker room. “Get her out of here before I kill her!” I shouted at him and rushed into the showers.
“Look, she’s on meds and she probably forgot to take one,” I heard Jeff saying. ‘Otherwise she’s a really sweet, down to earth person.”
“Maybe a little too sweet,” Shannon told Jeff. I heard the door shut and Jeff’s feet as he walked into the showers.
“What the hell was that about?” Jeff asked.
“I have no idea, she just lashes out at me for no damn reason!” I exclaimed. “By the time you got here I was ready to bash her fucking head off. You’re right, I fucking forgot to take me damn pill this morning and it’s been affecting me all day.”
“Then let’s get you to the hotel so you can take one,” Jeff said, walking back into the locker room. “You need to keep remembering them honey, or else you’re likely to kill someone.”
“Why don’t I just go kill myself and put everyone out of their miseries?” I mumbled. I jumped and screamed when I heard the bang of a fist hitting the locker.
“Riley Michelle, what the hell did you tell me six months ago when I got arrested? You don’t want to hear me talking about it, so I don’t want you talking about it either.”
“You listened to me? The woman who kicked you to the curb over a misunderstanding, the one who runs away from every little problem she faces? You’re a dumbass Jeff.” I snapped.
“No, I followed the advice of my wife, the smartest, most down to earth woman I know and will ever know. The woman who could very well be giving me my first child within a few years, hell it could even be months that that happens! I listen to you because you have the life experience to be one of the wisest people on the face of this earth.”
“You’re still a dumbass,” I said, my voice cracking slightly. “You married me, and that gave you all my bad luck.”
“You’re not full of bad luck,” Jeff said, grabbing my hand. “All this is just to test you, and you pass each test, and come out a helluva lot stronger than when you went into it.”
“You’re serious about us trying for a baby again?” I asked, trying to make sense of everything he’s said to me.
“I told you, when things get settled down enough, tell me what I need to do, and I’ll be right there to do it, even if it’s just to make a donation.”
“I’m sorry,” I muttered. “I-I need to get my damn pill in my system before I completely lose it.”
“Let’s get going then.” Jeff said, grabbing my hand and our bags. We left the arena and drove to the hotel. We were going to wake up early in the morning to drive home, and I brought my pills so I wouldn’t be cranky in the car. As soon as I got into the hotel room, I grabbed my suitcase and grabbed out the orange bottle, running into the bathroom to grab a cup and fill it with water. I chugged the pill down with the water and breathed as I felt it travel down my esophagus. I picked up the bottle and carried it back to the bedroom, sitting on the bed beside Jeff and laying my head on his shoulder.
“Feeling better?” he asked, wrapping his arm around my shoulders.
“Exhausted,” I replied, my eyes closing. I didn’t hear his reply, but I knew he said something because his chest vibrated from his vocal box moving. I just snuggled in closer to him and let my eyes close fully. I felt him lay me down on the pillows, and then nothing after that.

The next morning I woke up to Jeff shaking me awake.
“Riley, honey wake up.” he whispered, his voice sounding urgent.
“Wha-?” I grumbled, looking up at him.
“Shane just called.” he replied. I stretched and sat up, rubbing sleep out of my eyes.
“What’s up?” I asked, trying to stifle a yawn. I failed epically.
“He’s in deep shit right now,” Jeff answered me, shaking his head. “Christy’s pregnant.” My sleep clouded mind cleared at the announcement.
“But he was just laid off because of ECW ending.” I said, shocked.
“That’s the point.” Jeff said. “He’s planning on coming over to TNA with us and Shannon.”
“It would be so cool if Matt ended up over here as well.” I said.
“Matt’s scared for his job at WWE, he thinks he’s about to be released from his contract after that NXT show is finished with him.”
“I hope not. It’s bullshit how they’ve treated you, Shane and Shannon considering everything you three has done for them.”
“What about you?” Jeff asked. “You’re father’s been in the company 19 years, you’ve been there for as long as we have, gave them literally everything you had, and they still let you go like it was so big lose for them.”
“It’s not,” I said. “because I’m not like the other Diva’s. I’m plain, they’re exciting.”
“They can’t do Swanton Bombs or Shooting Star Presses.” Jeff said.
“You think they care about what moves a Diva can do?” I asked, shocked. “Look at the Garcia twins, Brie and Nikki. How many times have you seen them wrestle? They suck at wrestling, they just keep them around as eye candy! Same with Jillian Hall, she sucks as a wrestler, but she isn’t a sight for sore eyes. Physically I’m plain compared to them.”
“Riley, you know me right?” Jeff asked suddenly. I nodded and he continued. “That’s the first thing I look at on a woman.”
“Her looks,” I mumbled. I know it sounded vain, but that really was him, and it was only because he had certain physical traits he was looking for in a woman.
“If you were as plain as you say you are, would I be with you right now, or would I have gone to a different person. Forget our history together,” he said when I opened my mouth. “Just answer, would I have married you if you were as plain as you think you are?”
“Probably not,” I answered honestly.
“You know why I married you?” he asked me suddenly.
“Because my father struck the fear of a father into your little 9 year old heart?” I asked, trying to lighten to mood. He smiled, so I knew it worked.
“Ri, I married you because you’re my best friend, you’re the only woman I could see myself with for the rest of our lives. You’re the most badass female wrestler in history, but you’re also to most gentlest soul I know.”
“Have you been reading romance novels again?” I asked him, raising an eyebrow. He laughed and tackled me back into the bed coming to a rest beside me with my arm on his head. I gazed up into his eyes as he leaned his head down toward me. His lips came into contact with mine, and I was lost.

We quickly showered and dressed and hit the road to head home. Matt and his NXT Rookie, Paul Lloyd. His ring name is Justin Gabriel.
“Hey you want to hear something cool about Paul Lloyd’s ring name?” I asked Jeff as we drove down the freeway.
“What’s that?” he asked, glancing my way for a second.
“His name before Gabriel was Angel,” I replied. “’Gabriel’ was the name of the Angel who told Mary she would be a virgin mother to Jesus.”
“That’s right,” Jeff said, realizing it when I said it. “You have too much space in that brain of your’s.” he muttered. I smacked his arm and huffed back into my seat. He laughed and grabbed my hand. I couldn’t stop myself, I leaned my head on his arm, smiling. I looked out the window and saw a sign that read “Now Entering North Carolina.” We were almost home.