2 out of 3, eh?

Perry Residence
Las Vegas, NV
Thursday, November 23, 2017

The air in the kitchen was heavy with the aroma of venison as Alicia Perry, manager of Aurora and Damon Graves, stooped down by the open oven, checking on the centerpiece for what would become dinner – a large, juicy venison meatloaf. With a sigh, the legendary former wrestler stood up, shutting the oven door and turning around to face one of her charges, Aurora, who had just pulled some ingredients from the pantry.

Aurora: Alright, I’ve got the mustard, the brown sugar, and that other thing that you STILL won’t tell me what’s exactly in it....

Alicia: Sorry... it’s an old family secret. Got it from my grandmother.

Aurora pursed her lips, nodding her head.

Aurora: Ah. And what gave you the idea to go with venison for the meatloaf?

Alicia smirked.

Alicia: Well, it started when Jason took me hunting a few years ago. I watched as he took down this MASSIVE buck, and I asked him what he planned on doing with it. He said he was gonna cook it. And then I remembered that Fuddrucker’s does burgers out of all sorts of exotic meats, so if venison could be used for that, then why not a meatloaf? All I did was swap it in place of the beef. I’ve never looked back.

She smirked as she took the ingredients from Aurora, adding them one by one to a saucepan filled with tomato sauce.

Aurora: I suppose the sauce itself is an old family secret?

Alicia: Well, yes and no. It’s Jason’s secret recipe. He came up with it himself.

Aurora turned her head, trying hard not to let Alicia see her giggling. Of course, her efforts were in vain.

Alicia: What’s so funny?

Aurora: I can just see it now... Jason in the kitchen, like some beefed-up Gordon Ramsay.

Alicia snickered, trying to stifle a laugh, but before she knew it, she was doubled over, laughing like a hyena. She grabbed the counter in an effort to regain her composure, sighing as she grasped at her side with her free hand.

Alicia: Okay... that was funny. I could totally picture that happening!

They both began to laugh as Alicia turned her attention to the sauce for the meatloaf. Aurora leaned against the counter, staring at the ceiling.

Aurora: How do you do it, Alicia?

Alicia turned to look over her shoulder, a puzzled look on her face.

Alicia: What do you mean?

Aurora sighed.

Aurora: Here I am, wondering how I’m going to balance my career with just the one kid, and I see you do it with three kids like it’s the easiest thing in the world!

Alicia looked at her client, her eyebrow raised. The expression on her face seemed to say “you’ve got to be kidding me.”

Alicia: Easy? Aurora, let me tell you, I love my kids, but easy is not a word I would use to describe it. Look at it like this... I had to plan for double the extra diapers, double the car seats, double EVERYTHING when the twins were babies. Never mind the fact that they have been traveling – literally – since they were born.

Aurora walked toward the refrigerator, opening the door and pulling out a can of Mountain Dew. Popping the tab, she took a quick sip before shutting the door.

Aurora: I keep forgetting they were born on tour. But I guess you and Jason thought of everything.

The striking brunette nodded her head as she stirred the sauce in front of her.

Alicia: Not only that, but I had a bunch of people that had my back supporting us along the way. Just like you will when your little one arrives. So, have you and Damon settled on a name yet?

Aurora smiled, nodding her head as she took another sip of her soda.

Aurora: Yeah... I think we’re going to take a page out of your book. Don’t want our kid to be one of five kids named Madison in the same class.

The Perry matriarch paused, glancing at Aurora with an inquisitive look on her face.

Alicia: Care to share, or do you plan on keeping that quiet until after everything’s all signed?

The former tag team champion arched her eyebrow, tapping a finger on the tip of her nose.

Aurora: You nailed it. According to Nevada law, we have to wait three days after she’s born before Julia can sign the consent form. I guess it gives her one last chance to change her mind about the whole thing.

Aurora couldn’t hide her displeasure of the notion, her shoulders slumping as she rolled her eyes and sighed. Alicia offered a sympathetic half-smile.

Alicia: Meanwhile, you and Damon would be sitting there, twiddling your thumbs. That’s gotta be torture!

Aurora: The idea that she could change her mind about the adoption? You don’t know the half of it. Damon just finished setting up the nursery, we’ve got stuff personalized with her name... if this all falls through, I...

Alicia held her hand up, shaking her head.

Alicia: Try not to think about it for now. I mean, just because that’s the worst case scenario doesn’t mean it’s going to go down like that. Keep thinking positive! Everything will work out the way it’s supposed to in the end.

The worry in Aurora’s eyes was evident, despite Alicia’s attempt at easing the young, would-be mother’s fear.

Aurora: I hope you’re right. I mean, it wasn’t that long ago that I thought I’d never have a chance to be a mother, and now...

Alicia: Hey, look at it this way. That little girl hasn’t even been born yet, and she’s already got a lot of people who love her, including you and Damon.

Aurora said nothing; the look in her eyes said everything for her. She was grateful for her manager’s comforting words.

Alicia: So, once she’s here, how is that going to affect your travel?

Aurora’s ocean blue eyes lit up like the lights of a Christmas tree as she smiled.

Aurora: Well, I’ve talked it over with Damon, and of course, we’re going to spend more time at home. But when we do have to fly out for shows, my mom said she’d be more than happy to watch her. Later, once she’s a little bit older, we’ll start bringing her with us. We want her to see what we see. Well, some of it, anyway.

Alicia opened up the oven, pulling out the rack where the meatloaf sat. Very carefully, she poured the sauce over the top of the meatloaf, as Aurora took a deep breath, inhaling the heavenly scent.

Alicia: On the plus side, she’ll have plenty of playmates. Jaina loves helping with Alleria, so I’m sure she’ll want to help out with your little one, too.

Aurora took yet another sip of her soda, licking a stray drop that fell from the can’s mouth onto her lip as she pulled it away.

Aurora: What about Darion?

Alicia: Darion is kind of going through a sort of “macho” phase at the moment. He may act like he’s not interested, but I’ve seen how he is with Alleria when he thinks no one’s looking. He likes to sing to her.

Aurora’s eyes went wide, a high-pitched squeal squeaking from her throat as she bounced a little.

Aurora: Oh, that is adorable!

Alicia giggled as she pushed the meatloaf back into the oven. She stood back up, making a note of the time.

Alicia: We should go back into the dining room and let them know that the meatloaf will be ready soon. As in, another couple of minutes.

Aurora: Right.

Alicia: And don’t worry... like I told you, everything will work out the way it’s supposed to. You’ll see....

Aurora: I hope you’re right, Alicia. I SERIOUSLY hope you’re right....

With that, Aurora and Alicia walked out of the kitchen.



Perry Residence Media Room
Later that Evening

Aurora sat on the edge of a brown leather ottoman, her gaze fixed on one of the large screens on the opposite wall, where a replay of her last match with Travis Blake was playing. In the closing moments of the match, she picked up the remote control, pausing the footage.

Aurora: It’s cliché as all hell, but the saying holds true. Those that don’t learn from history are doomed to repeat it.

She set the remote down and got up from her seat, walking up to the screen and leaning her shoulder against the section of wall that stood between that and one of the other monitors.

Aurora: As you can see, while everyone else is sitting in the other room, waiting for their food to settle, I decided to come in here and re-watch our last match. You see, this way, I can more accurately pinpoint exactly where the weak points of your offence lie, and use them to my advantage. You see, the more times I have to face an opponent, the more likely it is that I’ll be able to turn things around in my favor. This time, you’re going to have to work a little bit harder if you plan on staying one step ahead of me.

Granted, I know you’re up to the challenge. The question is, what new tricks will I have up my sleeve come this Sunday at Resurgence?

She walked back to the ottoman, picking up the remote. As she held it in her hand, she hovered her thumb over the play button. She let her thumb linger over the button for a moment before looking into the camera and wagging her finger in a “no” gesture.

Aurora: Come on, Travis. I should think you would know me better than that. Like I’d really spill the beans and even give you the slightest hint as to what my strategy will be this Sunday. Just know not to expect the same fight that we had the last time we faced off.

She paused, turning her head with a smirk on her face. A low, barely-audible chuckle began to push its way out, slowly increasing in intensity until it became full-on, enthusiastic laughter. The former champion brushed her long blonde hair away from her face, and the camera took in the sight of her wide-mouthed smile.

Aurora: Oh, who am I kidding? I know you’re not that stupid!

She shook her head, the smile fading into a smirk as she sat down on the nearby sofa, throwing her feet up and crossing them at the ankles in one quick, fluid motion. She draped one arm over the sofa’s armrest, with the other falling at her side.

Aurora: Let’s cut right to the chase, Travis. You and I both know that this match could take all night, if we’re feeling froggy enough. And who knows? We might actually NEED that third fall to show just which one of us is truly the better wrestler. One thing’s for sure, I WILL be reclaiming some of my dignity this time. The outcome of our last encounter doesn’t exactly sit well with me, so you better believe I’m going to be coming at you even harder than I did last time. Though it would be a shame if the fans didn’t get to see this match go the full three falls.

No offense, but if I have anything to say about it, we won’t need that third fall, because if all I have to do is pin you twice, then the sooner I do that, the sooner I can look ahead to climbing up the ranks and continuing to build my own legacy – outside of the tag team division.

She lightly tossed her head back as she blew some rogue strands of hair out of her face. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a picture frame that was placed on the table behind the sofa. She reached over her shoulder, taking the frame in her hand. The image enshrined therein was a picture of Aurora standing with her manager Alicia and her trainer, Alicia's husband Jason.

Aurora: You spend a lot of time dwelling on the idea that despite everything you’ve accomplished in your career, people still think you can’t hang. The last time we faced off, you showed them that you could. But this Sunday, I am going to show you that just because you can knock me down, doesn’t mean I’m going to STAY down.

As the last two words left her lips, Aurora couldn’t help but ball up her fists and stare at her albeit bare knuckles. The absence of any ink brought a smirk to her face as she arched her eyebrow.

Aurora: Hmph. Every time I hear those words, I can’t help but look at my fists. And while I lack the tattoos to illustrate the sentiment like my husband would, rest assured that my fists – and my feet – will have plenty to say once that bell rings.

She glanced toward the door, spotting her husband Damon leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed. He said nothing; he only stood there, a half-smile on his face as he gazed at his wife. Aurora nodded in his direction before looking back into the camera as she stood up from her seat. With a quick wink, she smiled.

Aurora: Until then....

She waved, then walked toward the door, following her husband out of the room.