🦋 II. My True Home 💀

[Abigail]

Having spent the last five years as somebody else, somebody she’d never even met had done absolutely nothing to ease any of Abigail Francine Spencer’s personal anxieties. As it transpired, shedding the most uncomfortable snakeskin of Freya Kane had been not only a hell of a lot easier but also so much more preferable than trying to introduce her new…girlfriend…to her family, officially.

It had only been thirteen wondrous days since she had first experienced the divine ambrosia of her new lover’s kiss. The moment still made her lips quiver even now, and if she thought on it for any appreciable length of time, she could still taste the intoxicating blend of succulent cherries, grapes and bananas on her tongue.

The deeply complex Gordian knot of unreasonable fear, terrible uncertainty and inescapable apprehension which anchored the restless butterflies in the pit of Abigail’s stomach was almost unbearable. Briefly, she considered if it really was too soon for all of this, if she was pushing Eternity too hard and too fast to be an integral part of her personal life.

Technically, most of her immediate family, her four big brothers already knew Eternity from work, at least in passing and by reputation. There was nobody in IWF who didn’t know Eternity, but still this felt different, because Abigail wasn’t about to introduce just another close friend or great coworker - no, she was about to introduce her best friend, her soulmate, her twin flame and the only person she could ever happily envision spending the rest of her life with, if it ever came to that.

Eternity wasn’t Abigail’s first love, but she was the most significant. Throughout her life, more than a few people, including her own dear brother, Bucky, had tried to tell her that no two loves were ever the same. She wasn’t sure she believed that, until now. There was truly nobody else like Eternity in Heaven or on Earth.

What the hell had she done to deserve such a beautiful soul in her life?

It was yet another beguiling mystery about Eternity that Abigail had yet to solve. However, as their fingers interlaced and Abigail felt Eternity comfortably squeeze her hand, she knew now was not the time to be distracted by such frivolous trivialities. Some things just weren’t that important, in the grand scheme of things.

“Ya sure about this, yeah?” Abigail asked.

”Are you?”

”I think so yeah,” Abigail momentarily caught her breath. “How should I introduce you?”

”This has nothing to do with work, so how you know me should be how they know me.”

“I just wanted ta be sure ya were comfortable giving them a real name.”

”Not in full, no, but if we’re being real, I want to be true to your family.”

”Full names are for official forms and certificates anyway,” Abby smiled. “That will always be our little secret, Sephie, I promise.”

”Cross your heart?”

”And hope to die.”

”Never too soon, though,” Eternity kissed her quickly, on the cheek.

”Never too soon,” Abigail waited for the warmth of her blush to cool. “Ready?”

”When you are, love.”

Abigail cleared her throat before she marched into the family room where her parents, four brothers and Ricky’s fiancee, Birdie, were all gathered for a family poker game.

”Guys,” Abby said softly, swallowed the nerves down awkwardly that made her voice crack. It had been far, far too long since she had even considered a relationship, much less bringing a girl home to meet her folks. “Ma, Pa, this is Sephie. My girlfriend.”

The word ‘girlfriend’ had felt far too uncomfortable lodged in the back of her throat all this time, it burst from her lips far faster than she was braced for. Abby felt unseasonably warm once more, still not fully acclimatised to an entirely reciprocal feeling of love and acceptance. She almost felt the need to apologise to Eternity for how much more sweaty her palms had gotten since they’d entered the room.

“Sephie, this is my folks, my Ma, Evelyn and my Pa, Jeremiah.” Abigail breathed slowly, squeezed Eternity’s hand tight to ground herself in the moment. “Ya already know my brothers, and Birdie from work.”

”Of course,” Eternity smiled wide, as she curtsied. “Pleased to meet, y’all.”

”Likewise,” Ma smiled.

”It’s about time ya got your life together, Chicken,” Pa observed.

”Yeah, well, I can now I’m legally allowed ta,” Abby said.

”Ya can blame Spike Kane for a lot over the last five years, Sis,” Jeb began, “But we all know that NDA never extended ta your feelings for Eternity. That was just good old fashioned anxiety.”

”An’ that’s somethin’ you’re quite an expert on, ain’t ya?,” Abby fired back, “Or are ya finally gonna sack it up and do more than make googly eyes at Warren every time he agrees ta help ya train?”

”He’s married ta a psycho,” Jeb protested, “And I’d rather not give Dean Harper any excuses ta cave my head in with a bat.”

”Warren won’t be married much longer if the rumours are true,” Bucky said.

”Idle locker room gossip,” Ricky replied dismissively, “I wouldn’t put too much faith in them. They’re probably all just workin’ an angle.”

”What rumours?” Birdie asked.

”Rumours that The Harpers are headed ta splitsville ‘cause Warren, not Ulf, secretly fathered Viv’s twins through donation or somethin’,” Spencer said. “Ain’t sure I believe it myself.”

”Well, Warren and Viv have always been quite close,” Ricky said.

”Can we please get back ta the game instead of natterin’ like old crows?” Pa interrupted the baseless speculation before it got any more out of hand.

”Yes, Abby sweetie, please won’t ya an’ Sephie care ta join us?” Ma said. She smiled warmly at Eternity. “Do ya know how ta play Texas Hold ‘Em, Angel?”

”I’ve been known to cash in my chips a time or two,” Eternity replied.

”Oh I’ll bet,” Spencer laughed, as he got up to fetch a couple extra chairs.

=======

“And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die. For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.” - Genesis III: 4-5.

Abigail felt more at home now than she had at any other point in her life, most especially over the past five years. She sat in her lakeside shack, on a wooden stool. She was lit by seven strategically placed candles around her.

Ya know, had ya asked me even as recently as six months ago, whether I truly believed I’d ever be in the blessed position I am in my life right now, I’d say absolutely not. Truth is I never thought this day would ever dawn.

A most blessed day where I can truly embrace the freedom most of y’all have taken for granted your entire lives. The simple little liberties few of y’all truly appreciate.

The freedom ta live, the freedom ta work an’ most importantly, the freedom ta love who ya want. For five long years I denied myself each of these fundamental necessities of a worthwhile existence ‘cause the most prolific liar and greatest snake in our industry convinced me that everythin’ - absolutely everythin’ in my life was not only expendable, but also worth the ultimate sacrifice.

Nothin’ should tarnish the life an’ legacy of the late, great Spike Kane.

Nothin’ ever mattered more ta that selfish bastard than his reputation among his peers. The man went ta his grave petrified by the idea that he’d be forgotten by this business, and that in the end, people would see him not the self-proclaimed ‘rasslin’ God he believed himself ta be, but rather what he really was.

A damned human bein’.

Certainly no better than most of us, an’ actually, if we’re bein’ real honest here, a damned sight worse. It is only by the grace of all that is good an’ holy that I’ve finally been able ta shed a little light on the legacy of whoppers Spike told throughout his career. I’m sure pullin’ me inta his web of deceit for five years an’ legally forcin’ me ta live out someone else’s life just ‘cause he could not reconcile his sister’s lifestyle choices, really is just the tip of some infernal iceberg.

I have a whole new appreciation for the kinda BS Warren Harper must face every day of his life, an’ I know I should be talkin’ about my first match back in over two years, but I’ve deceived the world for far too long ta just brush it all under the rug without even so much as an apology.

So, I’m sorry.

I came back ta this company ta reclaim my life - both personally an’ professionally, an’ a most crucial part of my reclamation will be this match with my beloved.

For our opposition, this is just a random oddball tag match.

For me, it’s a long overdue date with destiny.