Post by Danielle Basch on Jul 14, 2018 17:34:00 GMT -5
Vacation Rental
Petaluma, CA
Friday, July 13, 2018
It’s late in the evening, and Starr stands up in the living room, stretching out her arms as she yawns. Curled up in the corner of the navy blue sectional, I’m sitting with my feet tucked underneath my body. On the television, the credits for Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan scroll by as Donovan gets up to head to the kitchen.
Donovan: Had enough, Starr?
Starr: Yeah, I think I’m gonna call it a night. I’ll leave you two to binge watch all these slasher flicks in peace...
With a sleepy giggle, Starr clicks her tongue, then heads off down the hallway toward her bedroom. I watch her until she’s out of sight, and then I get up and follow Donovan to the kitchen.
Danielle: What a week it’s been, eh, Spidey?
I wrap my arms around his waist and rest my head against his back, my face tickled by the ends of his long mane of dark brown hair.
Donovan: Indeed it has... especially for Starr.
Danielle: Yeah... not every day that everything you’ve ever known is ripped away from you by the one person who’s supposed to love you the most...
Donovan: That... WOMAN who... I can’t even bring myself to say that she raised Starr...
I can feel his body tense up at the mention of his mother. I can’t say that I blame him, either.
Donovan: She’s incapable of love. Everyone that has the misfortune of walking into her life is just another person she can use for her own selfish gain. She did it with my father, she did it with who knows HOW many other men...
Danielle: Don’t waste your breath, Donny... just let the cops do their job.
Donovan: The police, my lawyers... karma. But I suppose that will happen in time.
I nod my head, squeezing just a little bit tighter as he reaches up into the cabinet to pull out a couple of bags of popcorn.
Donovan: So... Caramel or Movie Butter?
I pull my head back and flash him an incredulous look.
Danielle: Are you serious? Movie Butter... naturally!
He turns around to face me, and for the first time since the incident in La Jolla, I see a genuine smile on his face.
Donovan: You’re right. Besides, you’re sweet enough as it is....
Danielle: Flattery will get you everywhere, Donny... but for now, we’ve got one more movie to watch before Friday the 13th comes to an end. You handle the popcorn, and I’ll swap out the Blu-Ray....
I stand up on my toes to give him a quick kiss, then I slip back into the living room to pop the movie into the Blu-Ray player.
Gym
Petaluma, CA
Saturday morning, July 14, 2018
The scene fades in outside of the gym, where Danielle Basch can be seen in dark gray yoga pants and a light gray tank top, her hair pulled back into a ponytail as she flips a tire across the pavement. Once she’s reached the other side, she heads back into the main building, where her husband Donovan is waiting with a bottle of Gatorade, from which she quickly pours a good amount down her throat.
As she puts the cap back on the bottle, Donovan gestures toward the gym’s main entrance, where WCG interviewer Mia Bala is standing by with a camera crew. She’s chatting with Donovan’s sister, Starr, who is sitting on one of the leather couches in the lobby.
Donovan: Time to go to work, dearest...
Danielle: So it would seem. Better get to it before your sister talks her ear off....
Danielle kisses her husband on the cheek, then moves around the dividing half-wall to greet the interviewer.
Danielle: Sorry if I’m a little sweaty... I had hoped to grab a shower before our meeting, but time kinda got away from me.
She smiles as she grabs a towel that had been draped over the wall. After blotting off the sweat from her forehead, she takes another swallow of Gatorade.
Mia: If you want, I can always wait...
Danielle: Nah; it’s not like the shower is going anywhere. Besides, I’ve already kept you waiting as it is. It’d be rude to hold you up when I know you have other things to do to get ready for the show later.
Mia: Now that you mention it, I do. Anyway, let’s get down to business. Later tonight, you have your rematch against Tasmin Richards for the South Bay Championship. I’m sure that by now, you’ve heard what she’s had to say about the match...
Danielle: Indeed, I have. Frankly, she seems a little distracted with outside things. Granted, I’ve got no room to talk; I mean, I think everyone’s a little distracted leading up to this show. It seems like everyone has had reality kick them in the proverbial balls lately, and my family is no exception.
Mia: Must be a bit strange for your husband to suddenly find out he has a sister after all these years....
Danielle: Yeah, but that’s beside the point. Regardless of the circumstances, I can’t let it affect my performance in the ring tonight. Tasmin’s a hell of a competitor; one slip, and I lose my shot at regaining my championship.
Mia: Fair enough. How does this time differ from the previous times you and the youngest Richards sibling have competed against each other?
Danielle: Before, I was the one holding the South Bay Championship. Now, she’s the one with something that I want. It took me five years, Mia... FIVE YEARS to win my first championship, and now that I’ve held that title, now that I’ve had that taste of gold...
She motions across her waist with her hands, where a championship belt would generally go.
Danielle: Let’s just say I’ve been feeling a little underdressed lately.
Mia: Quick question about your husband’s match. Any thoughts on what might go down tonight?
Danielle looks over at Donovan, who is coaching Starr through a rope climb.
Danielle: Well, obviously, I’ll be rooting for that glorious beast over there to retain his championship against Keiji. Nothing against him, but it’s going to take a lot more than goofing off with a bear to be able to stand toe-to-toe with my husband. And as for Tasmin...
She walks over to the camera and stares right into the lens.
Danielle: Tasmin, we’re all going through all kinds of shit right now, but if you don’t have your head in the game 100% when we face off later tonight, then you’d better believe that the South Bay Championship will find its way back around my waist, because regardless of how we may be outside of the ring, I won’t hesitate to take you down.
She steps back, allowing the camera to pan over so that Mia is in frame. As Danielle continues to stare into the camera, Mia smiles.
Mia: Well there you have it, folks. Tune in later tonight as West Coast Genesis is live at the Phoenix Theater, where one half of WCG’s Golden Couple looks to regain the South Bay Championship!
Danielle nods her head, once again making a motion with her hands across her waist as the scene fades out.
END