Post by Fiona McFly on Apr 23, 2018 2:54:26 GMT
”So close no matter how far
Couldn't be much more from the heart
Forever trusting who we are
And nothing else matters
Never opened myself this way
Life is ours, we live it our way
All these words I don't just say
And nothing else matters
Trust I seek and I find in you
Every day for us something new
Open mind for a different view
And nothing else matters...“
CHAPTER 3
“In Which Fiona Realises That Taking Time Off Is A Temporary Solution…”
17 April 2018 + 1700 GMT
We find Fiona McFly milling about in the house on Wolf Creek, looking through her inherited recipe book and thinking about what she was going to plan for dinner. The weather outside was spectacular for a spring day in North Texas, with sunny skies and warm temperatures. Yet on this Wednesday, she couldn’t help but smile upon checking out how clean the house truly was. All of the boxes that had a good majority of her late husband Jack Gaither’s wardrobe had already been packed and delivered to the local Salvation Army.
All, that is, except for one--a mid-sized white box that laid firm on the living room couch.
Sighing, she briefly pulled the lid up on it before closing her eyes and gently placing it back down. Whatever was in that package meant something to her, and it made her feel undecided in regards to whom she was going to donate it to. Without warning, the Westminster chime doorbell rang, snapping her out of her sad trance. She opened the front door, where young Sarah Dawkins stepped inside with a wide grin on her mug.
Fiona felt delighted in seeing her friend and student again, for they had not spoken since Sarah won the big wrestling tournament this past January.
FIONA MCFLY:
Sarah, lovely! How’ve you been?!
SARAH DAWKINS:
How I’ve been Miss McFly?! Take a gander at what I got!
Sarah pulled out a green iPad that featured a sticker reading “Property of Arlington High School” on it. She logged into her Blackboard-esque app and searched around for her electronic report card for the most recent grading period. Fiona felt a little overwhelmed by the technology, noting that all she had during her school ways was the old-fashioned pens, papers, and hard-bound books.
SARAH:
I meant to bring this to ya last Friday but you were gone, so...yeah, here it is.
Sarah happily handed her mentor the tablet. Fiona adjusted her reading glasses and took a good, hard look at what was on the display. We see her smile growing wider as she figured out how the young freshman was doing in her studies.
FIONA:
All ‘A’ marks in the first nine-week period, second semester!?! That’s fantastic, darling!
Fiona couldn’t help but glow with sheer delight. Sarah had been a struggling student dealing with anger and academic issues stemming from a long-term bout with depression after he mother’s death in a wrestling accident. To see her protege making such high grades and doing better in school made her feel warm and redeemed inside her soul. Instantly, Fiona gently set the tablet on the dining room bar before wrapping Sarah in a warm, awkward embrace. Sarah’s eyes lit up as she returned the favour, knowing that she would have gone down a different path had it not been for her and Jack stepping in when they did.
SARAH:
I couldn’t have done this without y’all…
FIONA:
You did everything on your own, and...Jack would be proud of you as am I.
The two separated, neither lady losing their respective smiles. They took a few moments to take in the ambiance of the random songs that were softly playing from Fiona’s Android, but Sarah spotted something lying on the bar--two pages’ worth of documents and a large white envelope.
SARAH:
’Ey Miss McFly, what’s that on the bar?! Are those documents or somethin’?
Fiona quickly grabbed the papers and tried to take them back to her bedroom...
FIONA:
Oh...it’s, hrmmm, it’s nothing. Nothing worth reading, love.
...only to be stopped when the “life force” in her mind gave her a quick thought.
”Fiona! I’m watching you...”
Sarah looked on, confused by her teacher’s mannerisms as she sat down on the living room recliner. Fiona’s brain began to pulsate, as the manifestation inside her began to taunt her with a very familiar-sounding tune...
”Oompa-loompa, doo-ba-dee-dah
If you’re not fibbing, you will go far…”
...and it was at this moment in time in which the Northern Irishwoman realised that she was, indeed, lying not only to herself but also to her friend as well. She slowly trudged to the living room couch and plunked herself down next to the white box.
FIONA:
It’s me retirement letter to Imperial--drafted them a little over a month ago. I’m going to post office tomorrow morning to send them off to management...at least, that’s the plan.
Fiona handed the documents over to Sarah, whose eyes widened in shock over the very real possibility that she was contemplating leaving the sport of wrestling after a little over three years.
The vibes in the house turned from happy to sad...
---------
FACEBOOK LIVE w/ FIONA
Recording Date: 20 April 2018
”Retirement.”
It is the point in your life that tells you that, perhaps, you are through with the work you put into making the journey as special as possible and that you should live out the remainder of your existence in solitude. It is the mental state in which your thoughts begin to slow down, making you feel as if you were “at peace.” It is the moment in time in which you decide to take a step back and allow for the others in the crowd to shine their light upon the world.
It had never crossed me mind that I would actually think of leaving wrestling behind.
Until recently.
Once upon a time, I took great pride in the things I’ve accomplished in this industry, most notably winning an Iron Maiden two years ago. I loved the challenges that this sport had to offer, not to mention the numerous chances to enrich myself as a person. Yet after Jack died, after me dealings with Dawn...I’ve found myself contemplating something that I never, ever thought I could possibly think about. Through sleepless nights and bouts with depression, I’ve had serious doubts on whether I truly belonged in a ring ‘cos, as James pointed out, me head wasn’t on straight.
As I cleaned out the house, I found Jack’s old attire...and when I did, a part of me began to think about how it all came crashing down on me. In essence, the very sport I loved became something I never thought I would say...
...a cruel reminder of everything I have lost.
I could think of nothing else...except packing me own gear, and the pain, and throwing it all away likee they were nothing.
Yet here I am, thrust into the middle of a three-way for a newly-christened Open Weight championship that’s had quite the history of holders over the years. Names like Paige Garcia, Eternity, or Kayla Richards tend to ring a bell as far as titleholders go. Yet many names have challenged for this piece of hardware only to come up short--I was one of those challengers.
And so were you, Crystal Hilton--and you won the thing once.
Now you are a challenger once again...so what happened?
Two years ago Crystal, you and I were both in the Iron Maiden together. It was supposed to be an opportunity not just for the world to see what I was capable of doing, but rather...it was meant to showcase how far you’ve come as a person. I wanted you to learn some of the things I’ve learned--about never giving up your smile and, most importantly, showing grace under pressure. You beat the likes of Pandora, Helena, Paige, and myself to win the now-Open Weight belt...and deep down, it made me smile to realise that, perhaps, you’ve turned over a new leaf and reinvigorated yourself on your own.
The sad thing about it is...ever since that match and throughout 2016 and the following year, I didn’t do a good enough job in keeping tabs on you further. I didn’t do very well in making sure that your career was back on the right path after Eternity beat you for the belt. And as a consequence, you’ve slipped back into the pitfalls that made you struggle at times just to find your feet.
Complacency, impatience, indecisiveness.
It’s me fault that I, as Jack would say, ‘screwed up.’
That being said, whatever you do...don’t even THINK of the possibility of not getting a shot at anything for three months. Don’t even think about the pressure in knowing that you might not get pinned and still lose. ‘Cos if there was one thing I’ve always wanted to impress upon you ever since 2016...it’s that the true test of a warrior’s heart comes not from without, but within you that truly matters the most above anything else.
It is never about seeking titles, rewards, or power for yourself.
It is about so much more than that.
It is all about growth, about friendship, about having power thrust upon you. Right Vivienne?
To say that you’ve been ‘quite the breath of fresh air’ would be a gross understatement. Truth be told...I’m very selective when it comes to picking and choosing ‘friends’ to come into me life, and it is a grand honour for me to say that you’ve been a great friend. You’ve brought prestige back to a title that’s been wrapped in uncertainty for a bit, passed around like the proverbial hot potato from Rayne to Astrid and then back to Rayne. Speaking of which...beating Rayne was no easy task unto itself, but beating Alexis Caffery? That’s an amazing accomplishment to behold, and it’s mainly ‘cos of the fact that you’ve always kept your course true and steady.
That you have kept on being yourself instead of pretending to be someone else.
Here’s the big catch of it all though.
I don’t want you to think of me as a “meanie” or anything of the sort, okay? I understand that you want to help people with whatever problems they have, but you see, I remember how you were talking to me about things like “self-care,” wining and dining at some fancy restaurant, going swimming, taking bubble baths, and anything else that might help me heal after Jack’s death. Those are good things to keep in mind love, but...they’re just diversions from the goals you’ve set on the road ahead of you. The problem with diversions is that, even though you enjoy taking the time off for yourself, the pain of losing someone you love always comes back.
You can’t run away from loss forever.
All you can do…is to stand your ground and confront it.
Vivi, Crystal...I can sit here all night long and prattle about how I’ve wanted to do more than just ‘escape’ from wrestling, about how much I’ve failed at the biggest moments throughout this journey I’ve taken. Yet through it all, as I’ve encountered setback after setback, all I can is close me eyes and reflect upon those follies or weaknesses with a smile...for those are the greatest blessings to have in this life. Failure, not triumph, is the best teacher one can have, and when I think about everything I’ve been through, as cruel as this path has been to me in the past, it has given me something much more grander than anything I could have hoped to imagine.
A wonderful reminder of everything I have gained.
Oh, I could talk about selling me house on Wolf Creek, I could tell the lot of you about how much I enjoyed riding the Mystic Timbers roller coaster, I could run off to me retirement ranch to live in peace and solitude without ever saying ‘hello’ to the outside world again, but at the end of the night...these are merely secondary concerns ‘cos I am a proud athlete--now and forever.
No matter what happens between us three, I will never give up on a sport that’s given me more than I’ve realised. For Imperial was, is, and always will be more than just a company I work at. Imperial has been me family for over three years...and no matter the cost, I will keep fighting for this family and this home until I draw me very last breath.
No burdens. No distractions. No pressure.
I will stand me ground and confront the cruel and vile of this world until I earn the prize that has so eluded me for so very long…
...the right to be called...
”Champion.”
Cheerio!
--------
...and Sarah shook her head, taking a deep breath as she wondered what was going to happen next.
SARAH:
Where ya gonna go from here?
FIONA:
I’m going to visit some more theme parks and interact mostly, but eventually I’m going to sell this house and live out the rest of me life on the ranch…
Fiona’s voice trailed off as another thought began racing into her mind...
"Oh pffft, c’mon cuddle-buns...you can do better than that!”
...which led her to close her eyes for a moment before opening up about what she’s been through in the recent months since Jack’s death.
FIONA:
I...I don’t know. The thought had crossed me mind since Jack died yet I'm not sure what I want to do anymore. I haven’t been sleeping well, I haven’t felt as if I belonged in a ring since that day…
Sarah nodded her head, understanding that Fiona was going through the exact same bout of depression as she and her father, car dealer and former wrestler Sam Dawkins, once did. She felt as if she needed to help Fiona, as the latter had help her overcome her own struggles.
SARAH:
Ya know, after my Mom died Dad was thinkin’ of sellin’ everything too and takin’ me around the world before movin’ back to the Piney Woods, where I was born.
FIONA:
Why did he decide to stay in Arlington?
SARAH:
He wound up learnin’ that wrasslin’ wasn’t the thing he wanted to get away from. He was...tryin’ really hard to escape the pain he felt after she died in that accident. He thought he could just pack up his boots into a bag, with his pain, and toss ‘em all away like it was nothin’...but it just don’t work that way.
Sarah pulled back on the recliner to stretch her legs as Fiona intently listened.
SARAH:
When ya think about it...runnin’ away to take time for yourself to heal only helps for a l’il while, but the pain will always come back. Dad realized...that the best way for him to truly rid himself of all that heartache in his soul was to stand your ground and confront it.
Fiona, holding onto the documents, raised her right brow, her lips etched in a quizzical expression.
FIONA:
But this sport of wrestling...it has to feel like a reminder of everything that was lost, right?
SARAH:
Sometimes...but it’s also a reminder of everything we’ve gained together. Oh, we could run off to ride the world’s greatest roller coasters, sell the house, or just enjoy a peaceful existence in the Texas Hill Country...but in the end, it won’t matter. A wrasslin’ family--that’s what we are and always will be.
Fiona paused for a moment, nodding slightly as her eyes focused upon the white box sitting next to her on the couch. She then turned her attentions towards a small pink bin that had a paper shredder attached to it. The Badger alum looked at the contents of her retirement letter with great apprehension anduneasiness, not knowing on whether or not she truly wanted to send them off to managment, her "inner angel" griping at her inside her collective consciousness.
”Shred them papers, dad gummit!”
The “life force” in her head, the very core of her soul that was happy and cheerful, helped her make up her mind as she gently lifted the lid to the box, revealing her husband's old wrestling attire. It was at this moment when Fiona began to fully understand that Jack brought her into wrestling for one purpose only:
So that she could be a part of a larger circle of friends than she could have ever imagined.
Part of a family.
With a slight wink, Fiona took the papers and grinned from ear to ear...
FIONA:
Imperial’s been me wrestling family for over three years now. Perhaps...
...ripped them up in half, and stuffed them into the shredder. Slips of what was going to be Fiona’s “farewell” message fell harmlessly into the bin as Sarah looked on with a smile on her face.
FIONA:
Perhaps...it still is.
Fiona, deep in her soul, began to reflect upon everything she had been through within the space of three years, and in spite of personal and professional setbacks, it made her smile wholeheartedly. Without Jack’s love, she would have never gotten into wrestling in the first place. She never would have met young Sarah Dawkins or anyone else along her journey.
A journey that would have been vastly different had she not made the choices she made.
Sarah, for all intensive purposes, had become Fiona’s guardian angel, her new “life force” as it were.
And from this moment on, everything was going to be alright.
Couldn't be much more from the heart
Forever trusting who we are
And nothing else matters
Never opened myself this way
Life is ours, we live it our way
All these words I don't just say
And nothing else matters
Trust I seek and I find in you
Every day for us something new
Open mind for a different view
And nothing else matters...“
CHAPTER 3
“In Which Fiona Realises That Taking Time Off Is A Temporary Solution…”
17 April 2018 + 1700 GMT
We find Fiona McFly milling about in the house on Wolf Creek, looking through her inherited recipe book and thinking about what she was going to plan for dinner. The weather outside was spectacular for a spring day in North Texas, with sunny skies and warm temperatures. Yet on this Wednesday, she couldn’t help but smile upon checking out how clean the house truly was. All of the boxes that had a good majority of her late husband Jack Gaither’s wardrobe had already been packed and delivered to the local Salvation Army.
All, that is, except for one--a mid-sized white box that laid firm on the living room couch.
Sighing, she briefly pulled the lid up on it before closing her eyes and gently placing it back down. Whatever was in that package meant something to her, and it made her feel undecided in regards to whom she was going to donate it to. Without warning, the Westminster chime doorbell rang, snapping her out of her sad trance. She opened the front door, where young Sarah Dawkins stepped inside with a wide grin on her mug.
Fiona felt delighted in seeing her friend and student again, for they had not spoken since Sarah won the big wrestling tournament this past January.
FIONA MCFLY:
Sarah, lovely! How’ve you been?!
SARAH DAWKINS:
How I’ve been Miss McFly?! Take a gander at what I got!
Sarah pulled out a green iPad that featured a sticker reading “Property of Arlington High School” on it. She logged into her Blackboard-esque app and searched around for her electronic report card for the most recent grading period. Fiona felt a little overwhelmed by the technology, noting that all she had during her school ways was the old-fashioned pens, papers, and hard-bound books.
SARAH:
I meant to bring this to ya last Friday but you were gone, so...yeah, here it is.
Sarah happily handed her mentor the tablet. Fiona adjusted her reading glasses and took a good, hard look at what was on the display. We see her smile growing wider as she figured out how the young freshman was doing in her studies.
FIONA:
All ‘A’ marks in the first nine-week period, second semester!?! That’s fantastic, darling!
Fiona couldn’t help but glow with sheer delight. Sarah had been a struggling student dealing with anger and academic issues stemming from a long-term bout with depression after he mother’s death in a wrestling accident. To see her protege making such high grades and doing better in school made her feel warm and redeemed inside her soul. Instantly, Fiona gently set the tablet on the dining room bar before wrapping Sarah in a warm, awkward embrace. Sarah’s eyes lit up as she returned the favour, knowing that she would have gone down a different path had it not been for her and Jack stepping in when they did.
SARAH:
I couldn’t have done this without y’all…
FIONA:
You did everything on your own, and...Jack would be proud of you as am I.
The two separated, neither lady losing their respective smiles. They took a few moments to take in the ambiance of the random songs that were softly playing from Fiona’s Android, but Sarah spotted something lying on the bar--two pages’ worth of documents and a large white envelope.
SARAH:
’Ey Miss McFly, what’s that on the bar?! Are those documents or somethin’?
Fiona quickly grabbed the papers and tried to take them back to her bedroom...
FIONA:
Oh...it’s, hrmmm, it’s nothing. Nothing worth reading, love.
...only to be stopped when the “life force” in her mind gave her a quick thought.
”Fiona! I’m watching you...”
Sarah looked on, confused by her teacher’s mannerisms as she sat down on the living room recliner. Fiona’s brain began to pulsate, as the manifestation inside her began to taunt her with a very familiar-sounding tune...
”Oompa-loompa, doo-ba-dee-dah
If you’re not fibbing, you will go far…”
...and it was at this moment in time in which the Northern Irishwoman realised that she was, indeed, lying not only to herself but also to her friend as well. She slowly trudged to the living room couch and plunked herself down next to the white box.
FIONA:
It’s me retirement letter to Imperial--drafted them a little over a month ago. I’m going to post office tomorrow morning to send them off to management...at least, that’s the plan.
Fiona handed the documents over to Sarah, whose eyes widened in shock over the very real possibility that she was contemplating leaving the sport of wrestling after a little over three years.
The vibes in the house turned from happy to sad...
---------
FACEBOOK LIVE w/ FIONA
Recording Date: 20 April 2018
”Retirement.”
It is the point in your life that tells you that, perhaps, you are through with the work you put into making the journey as special as possible and that you should live out the remainder of your existence in solitude. It is the mental state in which your thoughts begin to slow down, making you feel as if you were “at peace.” It is the moment in time in which you decide to take a step back and allow for the others in the crowd to shine their light upon the world.
It had never crossed me mind that I would actually think of leaving wrestling behind.
Until recently.
Once upon a time, I took great pride in the things I’ve accomplished in this industry, most notably winning an Iron Maiden two years ago. I loved the challenges that this sport had to offer, not to mention the numerous chances to enrich myself as a person. Yet after Jack died, after me dealings with Dawn...I’ve found myself contemplating something that I never, ever thought I could possibly think about. Through sleepless nights and bouts with depression, I’ve had serious doubts on whether I truly belonged in a ring ‘cos, as James pointed out, me head wasn’t on straight.
As I cleaned out the house, I found Jack’s old attire...and when I did, a part of me began to think about how it all came crashing down on me. In essence, the very sport I loved became something I never thought I would say...
...a cruel reminder of everything I have lost.
I could think of nothing else...except packing me own gear, and the pain, and throwing it all away likee they were nothing.
Yet here I am, thrust into the middle of a three-way for a newly-christened Open Weight championship that’s had quite the history of holders over the years. Names like Paige Garcia, Eternity, or Kayla Richards tend to ring a bell as far as titleholders go. Yet many names have challenged for this piece of hardware only to come up short--I was one of those challengers.
And so were you, Crystal Hilton--and you won the thing once.
Now you are a challenger once again...so what happened?
Two years ago Crystal, you and I were both in the Iron Maiden together. It was supposed to be an opportunity not just for the world to see what I was capable of doing, but rather...it was meant to showcase how far you’ve come as a person. I wanted you to learn some of the things I’ve learned--about never giving up your smile and, most importantly, showing grace under pressure. You beat the likes of Pandora, Helena, Paige, and myself to win the now-Open Weight belt...and deep down, it made me smile to realise that, perhaps, you’ve turned over a new leaf and reinvigorated yourself on your own.
The sad thing about it is...ever since that match and throughout 2016 and the following year, I didn’t do a good enough job in keeping tabs on you further. I didn’t do very well in making sure that your career was back on the right path after Eternity beat you for the belt. And as a consequence, you’ve slipped back into the pitfalls that made you struggle at times just to find your feet.
Complacency, impatience, indecisiveness.
It’s me fault that I, as Jack would say, ‘screwed up.’
That being said, whatever you do...don’t even THINK of the possibility of not getting a shot at anything for three months. Don’t even think about the pressure in knowing that you might not get pinned and still lose. ‘Cos if there was one thing I’ve always wanted to impress upon you ever since 2016...it’s that the true test of a warrior’s heart comes not from without, but within you that truly matters the most above anything else.
It is never about seeking titles, rewards, or power for yourself.
It is about so much more than that.
It is all about growth, about friendship, about having power thrust upon you. Right Vivienne?
To say that you’ve been ‘quite the breath of fresh air’ would be a gross understatement. Truth be told...I’m very selective when it comes to picking and choosing ‘friends’ to come into me life, and it is a grand honour for me to say that you’ve been a great friend. You’ve brought prestige back to a title that’s been wrapped in uncertainty for a bit, passed around like the proverbial hot potato from Rayne to Astrid and then back to Rayne. Speaking of which...beating Rayne was no easy task unto itself, but beating Alexis Caffery? That’s an amazing accomplishment to behold, and it’s mainly ‘cos of the fact that you’ve always kept your course true and steady.
That you have kept on being yourself instead of pretending to be someone else.
Here’s the big catch of it all though.
I don’t want you to think of me as a “meanie” or anything of the sort, okay? I understand that you want to help people with whatever problems they have, but you see, I remember how you were talking to me about things like “self-care,” wining and dining at some fancy restaurant, going swimming, taking bubble baths, and anything else that might help me heal after Jack’s death. Those are good things to keep in mind love, but...they’re just diversions from the goals you’ve set on the road ahead of you. The problem with diversions is that, even though you enjoy taking the time off for yourself, the pain of losing someone you love always comes back.
You can’t run away from loss forever.
All you can do…is to stand your ground and confront it.
Vivi, Crystal...I can sit here all night long and prattle about how I’ve wanted to do more than just ‘escape’ from wrestling, about how much I’ve failed at the biggest moments throughout this journey I’ve taken. Yet through it all, as I’ve encountered setback after setback, all I can is close me eyes and reflect upon those follies or weaknesses with a smile...for those are the greatest blessings to have in this life. Failure, not triumph, is the best teacher one can have, and when I think about everything I’ve been through, as cruel as this path has been to me in the past, it has given me something much more grander than anything I could have hoped to imagine.
A wonderful reminder of everything I have gained.
Oh, I could talk about selling me house on Wolf Creek, I could tell the lot of you about how much I enjoyed riding the Mystic Timbers roller coaster, I could run off to me retirement ranch to live in peace and solitude without ever saying ‘hello’ to the outside world again, but at the end of the night...these are merely secondary concerns ‘cos I am a proud athlete--now and forever.
No matter what happens between us three, I will never give up on a sport that’s given me more than I’ve realised. For Imperial was, is, and always will be more than just a company I work at. Imperial has been me family for over three years...and no matter the cost, I will keep fighting for this family and this home until I draw me very last breath.
No burdens. No distractions. No pressure.
I will stand me ground and confront the cruel and vile of this world until I earn the prize that has so eluded me for so very long…
...the right to be called...
”Champion.”
Cheerio!
--------
...and Sarah shook her head, taking a deep breath as she wondered what was going to happen next.
SARAH:
Where ya gonna go from here?
FIONA:
I’m going to visit some more theme parks and interact mostly, but eventually I’m going to sell this house and live out the rest of me life on the ranch…
Fiona’s voice trailed off as another thought began racing into her mind...
"Oh pffft, c’mon cuddle-buns...you can do better than that!”
...which led her to close her eyes for a moment before opening up about what she’s been through in the recent months since Jack’s death.
FIONA:
I...I don’t know. The thought had crossed me mind since Jack died yet I'm not sure what I want to do anymore. I haven’t been sleeping well, I haven’t felt as if I belonged in a ring since that day…
Sarah nodded her head, understanding that Fiona was going through the exact same bout of depression as she and her father, car dealer and former wrestler Sam Dawkins, once did. She felt as if she needed to help Fiona, as the latter had help her overcome her own struggles.
SARAH:
Ya know, after my Mom died Dad was thinkin’ of sellin’ everything too and takin’ me around the world before movin’ back to the Piney Woods, where I was born.
FIONA:
Why did he decide to stay in Arlington?
SARAH:
He wound up learnin’ that wrasslin’ wasn’t the thing he wanted to get away from. He was...tryin’ really hard to escape the pain he felt after she died in that accident. He thought he could just pack up his boots into a bag, with his pain, and toss ‘em all away like it was nothin’...but it just don’t work that way.
Sarah pulled back on the recliner to stretch her legs as Fiona intently listened.
SARAH:
When ya think about it...runnin’ away to take time for yourself to heal only helps for a l’il while, but the pain will always come back. Dad realized...that the best way for him to truly rid himself of all that heartache in his soul was to stand your ground and confront it.
Fiona, holding onto the documents, raised her right brow, her lips etched in a quizzical expression.
FIONA:
But this sport of wrestling...it has to feel like a reminder of everything that was lost, right?
SARAH:
Sometimes...but it’s also a reminder of everything we’ve gained together. Oh, we could run off to ride the world’s greatest roller coasters, sell the house, or just enjoy a peaceful existence in the Texas Hill Country...but in the end, it won’t matter. A wrasslin’ family--that’s what we are and always will be.
Fiona paused for a moment, nodding slightly as her eyes focused upon the white box sitting next to her on the couch. She then turned her attentions towards a small pink bin that had a paper shredder attached to it. The Badger alum looked at the contents of her retirement letter with great apprehension anduneasiness, not knowing on whether or not she truly wanted to send them off to managment, her "inner angel" griping at her inside her collective consciousness.
”Shred them papers, dad gummit!”
The “life force” in her head, the very core of her soul that was happy and cheerful, helped her make up her mind as she gently lifted the lid to the box, revealing her husband's old wrestling attire. It was at this moment when Fiona began to fully understand that Jack brought her into wrestling for one purpose only:
So that she could be a part of a larger circle of friends than she could have ever imagined.
Part of a family.
With a slight wink, Fiona took the papers and grinned from ear to ear...
FIONA:
Imperial’s been me wrestling family for over three years now. Perhaps...
...ripped them up in half, and stuffed them into the shredder. Slips of what was going to be Fiona’s “farewell” message fell harmlessly into the bin as Sarah looked on with a smile on her face.
FIONA:
Perhaps...it still is.
Fiona, deep in her soul, began to reflect upon everything she had been through within the space of three years, and in spite of personal and professional setbacks, it made her smile wholeheartedly. Without Jack’s love, she would have never gotten into wrestling in the first place. She never would have met young Sarah Dawkins or anyone else along her journey.
A journey that would have been vastly different had she not made the choices she made.
Sarah, for all intensive purposes, had become Fiona’s guardian angel, her new “life force” as it were.
And from this moment on, everything was going to be alright.
Well howdy there pardner.