Better With Time

“Well, here she comes!” John shouted the next morning as Keri walked up to their table. Eve turned around and greeted her with a warm smile while Randy sat back in his chair, looking her up and down with his piercing blue eyes.

“Morning everyone,” she said, sitting in the only seat that was available, to the right of Randy.

“Morning, sleep well?” Eve asked, taking a sip of the hot liquid in her cup.

“Very well, thank you.” Keri replied. She turned to Randy, who was mixing something into his coffee. “Hey Randy. How’s baby Alanna?” Keri asked him.

“She’ll be fine, just a little cold,” Randy replied, surprised she asked about his daughter. Not many people ever did, especially females. Only ones he was really close to ever asked about her. He considered Keri a lose friend, but he wouldn’t say he was as close to her as John had gotten. After all, her older brother was his mentor some years ago.

“Yeah, Paul thinks there’s something going around. Apparently Murphy was sick all day yesterday too.”

“Really, poor kids,” Eve sighed. “I hope they both feel better soon.”

“Alanna’s a fighter,” Randy said, the pride in his voice all but apparent. “So is little Murphy. They’ll both be back to driving everyone crazy in no time.”

“Paul’s having it fun though,” John spoke up. “He’s alone with Aurora, Murphy and baby Vaughn.”

“That’s right, they just had another baby right?” Eve asked Keri. Keri nodded, quickly swallowing the mouthful of orange juice she just took.

“Yep, she’s seven months now, and I still haven’t seen her.” Keri sighed, setting the glass down.

“Then you should go see her your next break,” Randy said, folding his arms over his broad chest. Keri couldn’t help but let her eyes graze over his tattoo covered arms. She knew it was wrong, since he was married and all, but she couldn’t help but realize just how attractive he was. It was much to her brother’s disliking, however, considering Randy was a really close friend of his.

“I’m going to,” Keri replied to him, looking around as voices started shouting from down the hallway.

“Ted, shut your monkey ass up!” Cody was yelling as they walked into the area. They saw the four of them at the table and, if it was possible, shouted even louder.

“Randy, John, Ker!” Ted said, wrapping his arms around Keri’s shoulders.

“Get off me Ted,” Keri laughed, tossing his arms from around her.

“Ha, that’s what she said!” Cody shouted.

“Damn Cody, we’re inside still, shut the hell up,” Randy snapped. “No need to fucking shout you know.”

“I know,” Cody shrugged, pulling a chair up to their table.

“Then why are you insisting on being so annoying?” John asked, glancing over at Keri with a wink. Keri covered her mouth to stop the giggles from coming from her mouth. She knew right away what John was doing, and she knew she would end up dying from lack of oxygen when everyone else realized what he was doing.

Randy saw the look between Keri and John, and knew something was up.

“Because I can be,” Cody shouted in reply.

“You can be what?” John asked, looking as though he was confused.

“Annoying,” Cody answered him, his demeanor faltering slightly.

“I know you are, but I’m asking, why do you insist on being so annoying?” John managed to get out with a straight face. Randy glanced over at Cody, and turned his head away at the dumbfounded look on the other man’s face.

“Because I can be,” Cody replied again. Keri, who felt a pain in her side from holding her laughter back, finally collapsed out of her chair, Randy following right behind her. John and Eve laughed at the confused look on Cody’s face. As soon as the confusion showed, however, it was replaced with realization, and mock anger.

“Fuck you Cena!” Cody shouted, pointing at John. Keri started gasping for breath as Randy helped her back into her seat. She waved her hand to her face, trying to cool herself down while at the same time give herself a fresh supply of oxygen.

“Man, the look on your face,” Randy said, holding his hand to his mouth. “You know you’re never living that down now though.”

“Whatever, I was actually looking for you guys.” Cody said, shrugging off anything else that was said to him. “Miss things Daddy over there wants us on the bus as soon as we’re finished packing. No later than eleven though.”

“We’ll be ready,” Randy assured him.

“Vince isn’t my Daddy,” Keri spoke up. “He’s my brother’s father-in-law.”

“Still makes you family Ker,” Ted added.

“Kierra, you’re still newer than most of us here, so I’ll let you in on a little secret,” John said, standing up and walking to her side of the table. “The WWE, we’re just one big happy dysfunctional family, but just remember, when you think of our dysfunctional family, add emphasis on the fun part of it all.”

“Cena, I might not have been on the roster as long as most, but I’m almost like Randy, Teddy and Cody, I basically grew up with this company. I might be close with my brother, but don’t forget we’re ten years apart in age. I was fifteen when he debuted here you know.”

“That’s actually an older age then Cody, Ted and I, but we get what you mean.” Randy said, smirking at Keri. “You’ve been around enough to know how the locker room works.”

“Exactly, like you and John hate each other on camera, but real life you’re each others best friends.” Keri looked at the clock on the wall, and sighed. “I better go make sure my stuff is packed,” she said, standing up from the table.

“I’d better go to,” Eve said, standing up as well.

“See you on the bus,” John said. Keri just made it to the elevator when her phone started ringing.

“Hello?” she answered, not bothering with the caller ID. Only a few people ever called her cell phone, and that was her brother, her sister-in-law, or her boss, who happened to be her brother’s father-in-law.

“Hey Ker,” Stephanie’s voice greeted her. “So, I talked to Paul, and he said you was worried because you haven’t gotten to see Vaughn yet.”

“It’s not as bad as I’m sure he made it seem, all I said was what is true. I’ve never gotten to see my new niece yet.”

“Oh, well, either way it goes, it won’t be that way much longer. You do realize where we’re going to be next week for Raw.” Keri stopped and thought for a minute, then gasped as she slapped her hand to her forehead.

“That’s right, we’re in Connecticut this coming week.” Keri said, shaking her head. “Damn where is my head?”

“I can guess a place,” Stephanie joked. Keri rolled her eyes, but smiled all the same. She loved Stephanie like she really was her sister. Keri was glad she and Paul got married. Since they both wanted a pretty small and conservative wedding, Paul had made their father his best man while Keri filled in as Stephanie’s maid of honor.

“I’ll suggest a place to you if you finish that sentence,” Keri warned her with a laugh.

“Anyway, you know your brother, he’s insisting you stay at least one night with us while we’re docked in Connecticut for the weekend, so appease him and go over first chance you get?”

“I will Steph,” Keri promised, tossing her shoes from last night in the luggage for her shoes. She started doing a thorough look over of the room to make sure she wasn’t forgetting anything. “We’ll be there when, about twelve tomorrow?”

“About that time yeah,” Stephanie replied sarcastically. “No, we’ll be there about…I’m kicking your ass when I see you the next time Keri.” Stephanie finally growled.

“So I’ll call and tell him I’ll be at the house by two at the latest.”

“You have a house key, so that sounds good to me,” Steph replied. “ Just don’t wake up my babies now.“

“I won’t,” Keri promised her sister-in-law.

“Well, I’ll let you finish packing. I’ll see you when you get home.”

“Thanks Stephanie, love you.” Keri said. She shut the phone and placed it in her purse, doing another look over of the room. Satisfied she wasn’t leaving anything, she grabbed the phone and called for someone to help her with her luggage.

“So, excited about going home?” John asked later on while they were waiting for the bus to take off.

“Yeah I am, I can’t wait to see my brother and nieces again,” Keri smiled. Randy was sitting in the row of seats in front of them, Ted in the seat next to him. Behind them was Cody and Anthony.

“You going there first thing?”

“Yeah, I told Paul I’ll be by the house at two.” I answered him, looking out the window. It was going to be a long drive getting to the arena. They had mapped out where they were going to stop and everything, but Keri wasn’t worried about having to spend nearly 12 hours on the road. She just couldn’t wait to get home.

“Okay everyone, we’re heading out,” Vince said from the front of the bus. He scanned the seats, which Keri knew he was doing to make sure we were all on the bus and ready to go.

“Are we in fucking elementary school again?” John asked suddenly as Vince got off the bus.

“Why do you ask that?” Keri asked, a giggle in her voice.

“He fucking keeps a checklist of who made it on the bus. If someone is too stupid to miss the bus, then fuck them and let them rent a car or something. They’re own damn fault.”

“Johnny, what did you tell me to consider these guys as? One big happy, dysfunctional family. Vince is the boss of everyone, so he’s practically the papa of this big family. He wants to keep his family safe.”

“Yeah I guess you’re right,” John muttered, sitting back in the seat more. “Wake me when we stop.” he said, his eyes closing. Within minutes Keri heard him snoring softly. She smiled and looked up into a pair of bright blue eyes.

“Stuck with John again?” Randy asked, a smirk on his face as he looked over to their mutual friend.

“Yep,” Keri replied with a sigh. “He is not good company on the bus.”

“I heard that,” Randy laughed. “So you’re visiting your brother when we get to Connecticut?” Keri nodded as the bus started up finally.

“Finally,” Randy muttered, looking toward the driver. “Seriously, you would think that the way they treat us we’re a bunch of teenagers about to tip the fucking bus over or something.”

“That’s Vince for you,” Was all Keri could reply with. Randy watched her as she looked out the window, something in her hazel eyes seemed a little off.

“Oh, I uh, never told you this, Cena and goofballs know, but I never got to tell you earlier.” Randy said suddenly, forcing Keri to turn to look at him. “Sam and I are getting divorced.”

“Really? I’m sorry to hear that.” Keri said, not knowing what else to say.

“It’s fine, it was a mutual decision. Neither of us was feeling the spark anymore,” Randy shrugs.

“What about Alanna?”

“We’re keeping joint custody. When I have breaks days off, I spend those days with her. We’re just ended our marriage to allow each other to be with other people. Our relation concerning Alanna isn’t changing one bit. I wouldn’t allow it anyway.”

“I know you wouldn’t,” Keri smiled at him. “Well, good luck with things then.”

“Thanks, I guess.” Randy sighed. Keri turned back to look out the window, lost in her own thoughts again. Randy knew he lost her for a little while, so he turned back to face the front and grabbed out the book he bought for the trip.

“Dude, you couldn’t have been more obvious,” Ted muttered to him.

“What are you talking about?” Randy asked, confusion in his eyes.

“’We’re just ending our marriage to allow each other to be with other people.’” Ted repeated Randy. “Dude, you know you want to be with Keri, so go for it man.”

“It’s not that simple, I’m still married for one,” Randy pointed out. “And for another, she’s Paul Levesque’s little sister. Paul was a mentor to me and I’m sure he wouldn’t very much care for me going after his baby sister.”

“Paul loves you like a brother Randy. He wants his sister happy, if this is what will make her happy, then go for it.”

“I can’t man,” Randy sighed. “There’s just too much in the way at the moment. I just want to get through this divorce right now.”

“Okay, but just think about asking her on a date?” Ted asked. Randy looked out the window as they passed a shopping center, heading toward the highway. He watched as the passed through the country side of Ohio, and couldn’t help but admire the beauty the place had. How green everything looked as the bus passed it by.

He gave up on trying to get into the book. He threw it back into his bag, his thoughts on one thing, and one thing only, and that would be Kierra Levesque.