Post by Le'Andra Fury on Mar 28, 2020 15:45:54 GMT -5
March 21, 2020, 2:00 pm - New York, NY, 230 Central Park S, # PH16
The door to Le’Andra Fury’s room opened and her assistant, Chan, walked in carrying a tray that had a pitcher of ice water, two glasses of ice, some tomato soup and some saltine crackers. When he had come up the first time to wake her, she had informed him that she had a migraine. He made her a bath and made her something light to eat to see if that helped. Le’ was already back in bed propped up on the pillows with the blinds closed blocking out the sunlight. She had the ice pack on the back of her neck that he had already brought up to her, her face and eyes lacked it’s usual spark.
This is the reason why your mother insisted on you having an assistant, back home there’s an army of people to help take care of you, over here, you have no one. Chan walked over and placed the tray across her lap and poured her a glass of water. He pushed the clear cup with a couple of pills her way, signalling for her to take them. He poured himself a glass of water and went over and took a seat in a chair that sat in the corner. I am really glad you didn’t fight the idea longer than you did. Your mother warned me that you were opposed to this, she also said you would eventually give in.
Le’ popped the pills in her mouth and took a drink of water. Like on that old sitcom, what was it with that kid, Steve Urkel.
Family Matters?
Yes. She nodded and smiled a little bit. You wore me down.
Honey, you realized you needed me and were a hot mess without me. He took a sip from his water and gave her a look that said, go ahead, tell me I am lying.
That, too. Le’ said and caused Chan to chuckle. She picked up the spoon and took a sip of the soup. I have to give you some credit, I gave you crap from the moment you picked me up at the airport and you managed to stick it out. I am glad you did.
Girl, have you seen this house? He motioned around. If you had asked me to dress like the biker from the Village People and wear assless chaps, I would have. Chan shook his head just as soon as he saw Le’Andra smile. And don’t get any cute ideas now, you had your chance.
Drat. She snapped her fingers. But, I do know what your Halloween costume is going to be this year.
Oh, Lord, help me. Chan rolled his eyes and made the sign of a cross. He looked over at Le’Andra as she nibbled almost daintily on a cracker. The Doctors can’t figure out what causes these headaches?
No. She shook her head. And believe me, my mother had the best doctors flown in to see me. She has them, too. A few others as well, sometimes it skips a generation, but it didn’t with me.
Nothing that they can do with them?
She shook her head. Just what we are already doing with them.
I think we could do more with making sure that you eat the right foods and stay away from the ones that trigger them. Chan suggested.
If you try to take away red meat, Chan, I will eat your face off.
Hey, hey, calm down, killa. Chan raised a hand up as if saying hold up, stop, down girl. It was just a suggestion, keep having them if you want to. Your momma pays me enough to hold your hair back while you throw up.
Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that one today. Le’Andra said and then took a drink of water.
Did Xavier hold your hair back for you, too? Chan slipped in there.
Le’Andra choked on the water. Jesus Christ.
Oh my, Le’. Are you okay, Honey? Chan chuckled and quickly got up and ran to the bathroom and grabbed a hand towel for her. You want me to warn you from now on when I ask about your husband?
Not asking would be nice. But, yeah-- She nodded her head. If you’re going to ask about him, please warn me. Don’t just blurt something out like that while I am eating or drinking.
I’ll workshop that. Chan chuckled and took a seat on the end of the bed. Okay, now that you’re in a weakened state, let’s talk about your husband.
Estranged husband. She corrected him. She knew this conversation was going to happen. And she knew as soon as she saw that Johnny Stylez had placed them in a match it was going to be more sooner than later. She was hoping for a little more later, not when she had a headache. Been three years since I last saw him. She shrugged her shoulders. For all I knew, I was a widow and didn’t even know it.
How-- did this-- happen, Le’? He emphasized hard on certain word groups. Xavier Wolf would be one of the last men that I would have ever thought.
What’s that supposed to mean? She picked up a few crackers and crumbled them into the soup and squashed them under the soup with the spoon. I would really like to know. She took a bite of the soup as she waited to hear what he had to say.
All those tattoos, that hair. He tried to explain. I am sorry, Le’. He just doesn’t look-- pretty enough to be a man that you would date let alone marry. Seriously, what could he possibly ha-- He stopped midword as he remembered one of the Wolf families “biggest” traits. Oh, I get it.
Yeah, something like that. She smiled and blushed a little bit.
Spill it. Tell Chan how it all started.
She took another sip of the soup and swallowed. It all started six, maybe eight months after he showed up at my dad’s place.
@}-,-'-- --,-’-{@
Le’Andra and Xavier are in the ring with Le’s father, Brian Fury. They were working on submission moves and her father was taking it to Xavier pretty hard for it to be just them going over the moves; Le’ knew it was because the two of them had been butting heads about a few things the last couple of months. Right now, Xavier was in the center of the ring with Brian on his back with his knee in the center and his right arm wrenched back as far as possible.
Le’, see how I have my hand here? He nodded to X’s shoulder, she nodded her head. You just have to keep adding pressure by pulling back. They will eventually say mercy. He pulled a little further back on X’s arm. Come on, Xavier, just tap out. Brian encouraged him. It’s not a real match so it doesn’t count.
Le’Andra leaned against one of the turnbuckles and watched. She didn't pay as much attention to her father’s teaching as she was paying attention to the man that her father was using as a teaching instrument. There was just something about him; his strength, character, demeanor, the way he never backed down from her father the way the other men he trained did. She thought about the way he would defend her when the other guys would talk crap to her, even though everyone in the gym knew damned well that she didn’t need any man to be her champion, which sure didn’t help her attraction to him.
Or they can be hard headed as Hell, like X. Brian said as he gave one last quick tug on Xavier’s arm and got up off of his back. And let you break it before they say mercy.
Xavier rolled over on his back and began to rub his shoulder and flex his fingers as he worked the circulation back through his arm. He looked at her father with an angry scowl in his face that Le’ knew meant X wanted to really lay into her father. His eyes then came to rest on her causing her face to flush warm and look away and his eyes to soften just a bit. She watched as he rolled to his feet and all she could think about was-- damn, that was hot.
For the next three hours, Brian had Le’Andra and Xavier beat the hell out of one another and every time that he thought they weren’t, they would have to go through a verbal tirade in that calm tone of his. One that seemed to make the both of them madder and madder.
We’re done for the day. Brian threw his hands up. You two make me so furious sometimes.
They watched as her father left the ring, both of them slowly turned and faced each other with the same thought in mind-- keep it up and i’ll make you more than just furious.
@}-,-'-- --,-’-{@
And then you two went and bumped uglies? Chan asked with a smile.
Oh, no, not for about another month or so. She took another sip of the soup.
What? Chan shook his head. You two disappoint me.
Yeah, I think we both were trying not to cross that line, but Dad just kept pushing and pushing. He kept pushing my training harder and harder and Xavier told him he thought he was pushing me too hard too soon. All three of us got into a big huge fight and stormed off in different directions.
I am still waiting for the bumping uglies part. Chan reminded her.
That came after the Dragon and the Wolf.
The what? He didn’t know if he had heard her right.
It was a bar.
Alcohol. Chan smiled. Now we're talking.
@}-,-'-- --,-’-{@
Le’Andra was sitting on a bar stool, she tapped the bar in front of her signalling to the guy behind the bar to hit her with another shot. The guy sitting on the barstool beside her said what the fuck; she looked over to see Xavier’s hand on the back of his shirt pulling him off the barstool and then taking his seat. He, too, tapped his finger on the bar and signaled that he’d have whatever she was having. They sat in silence as the bartender walked over with two shot glasses and a bottle and poured two shots for them and started to walk away, but turned back around and looked at the two of them, sized them up and then sat the bottle down and walked away. They picked up the shot glasses in front of them and tossed them back and when X put his back down he picked up the bottle and filled them both back up.
Your dad’s a pain in the ass. Xavier told her as they picked the shot glasses back up again and threw them back.
You noticed? Le’ sat her shot glass back down.
For the next 3 hours they matched each other shot for shot and were beyond lit when “Butterfly” by CrazyTown came on the jukebox. Xavier grabbed Le’Andra by the hand and told her to come dance with him, the song reminded him of his brother and didn’t want to look like an ass dancing by himself. Someone must have been a fan of CrazyTown, because the next song was “You’re the One” and they stayed on the dance floor through that song as well.
At the end of the song, Xavier grabbed Le’Andra by the waist and pulled her to him and kissed her. She was shocked at first, but as soon as his tongue slipped past her lips and danced with hers it was on and only ended when they elicited a couple of catcalls from a few of the guys. Xavier took Le’Andra by the hand and led her off the dance with the intention of taking her to the closest motel and them taking their frustrations with her father out on each other.
@}-,-'-- --,-’-{@
And then he punched a guy in the mouth. She told Chan with a chuckle.
He did not.
He did. Le’ smiled. We went and gathered up our stuff and as we were walking through the bar, some guy bumped into him and X turned around and punched the guy in the mouth.
Oh my God, he did not.
Yup, the guy's friends got involved, and when they got involved, I had to get involved. Le’ smiled. We beat up a pub and then went and tore apart each other.
And then you just decided to get married?
No, first we took off and left my dad’s.
Wait, you what?
@}-,-'-- --,-’-{@
Le’Andra watched from the doorway of her room as Xavier stormed into his room slammed the door behind him mumbling; his door swung back open. They lived in the dorm at the wrestling school, there were 10 rooms, 4 of them were occupied with other students. Le’ walked over and stuck her head inside to see Xavier packing everything that he had in a duffel bag.
He finally got to you, did he? She asked from the doorway.
He just won’t listen, Le’. Xavier didn’t look at her as he continued to pack. She smiled as he picked up a small wolf stuffed animal that she had won in a crane machine and gave him and shoved it in the bag. I can’t be here anymore. Either him or I will cop a murder charge.
Hmm. I’ll be right back. Le’ turned around and went back to her room.
Xavier continued packing up his stuff and looked around the room one final time before he zipped up the bag and walked out the door. When he stepped into the hallway, Le’ came out her door with a backpack slung over one shoulder. Xavier stared at her for a moment, then nodded his head slightly and together they walked out the door and never looked back.
@}-,-'-- --,-’-{@
And then we just kind of traveled around Europe. She said as she took the final sip of her soup and put the spoon down.
You didn’t even say goodbye to your dad?
Nope. Le’ shook her head. I did call him and let him know. She looked at Chan and smiled. My father said he should have known not to trust a Wolf around his Lamb. But he understood; mother and him ran off once, too.
And the “I dos”? I can’t wait to hear about this.
Well, like I said, we were traveling around Europe and we were in Sweden. We stopped to look at an old church and graveyard. We saw a little tour going on and joined it. We were standing there listening to the tour guide and he just leaned over and said-- do you want to get married.
Bam, just like that?
Bam, just like that. With the right amount of money we were able to get a marriage license and within 45 mins he had picked me out a ring and we were back at church. She smiled and looked down at the silver pearl ring as she played with it on her finger. Twenty mins later, I was Mrs. Le’Andra Marke.
And all these years later, you’re still in love with him, aren’t you?
I think he’s an asshole. She pushed the tray down towards him. I’m kinda tired, you know how those pills make me tired.
Mhm. Chan said as he stood up and took her glass and the pitcher of water off the tray and put it on the night table. I’m going to make you a cup of coffee, maybe the caffeine will help.
Thanks, Chan.
Le’Andra leaned back against the pillows and reached over and picked her cell phone from off the table and looked at it; twenty missed calls, 31 texts, and 5 voicemails, swiping the notifications away. She cringed a little. She knew her choices this past week at Showcase were going to have ramifications. She scrolled through the OpW website looking for a replay for Roger Wright and Allison’s match, specifically the part where she slid into the ring, took the shovel from Stylez and belted Wright and Riggs-Preston with it.
That really looked like it hurt. She finally said. You all okay? I imagine you caught a helluva headache from that. She pointed to her head. They say karma is a bitch. I wonder how many people sat back and thought, wow, did not see that one coming. When Johnny found out that Xavier and I were married, he came to me all “Hey, Doll, let’s talk”. And I sat there, and I listened to him, and a few things went through my mind, things like--
Jeez, they say women talk a lot--
Was he a woman in a past life, because he sure talks a lot--
Can I get a google docs transcript of this convo so I can arrange it in the order it should go so I can make sense of it--
How is he breathing--
And then he said it--
Come on, Le’, Hell Hath No Fury than a woman scorned.
Indeed, a woman scorned. And that’s what it felt like coming home to that tiny little cottage the size of a shoebox we were living in to find all of your stuff gone, X; and my mother sitting there with that smug look on her face. I sat there as she told me what happened, what you said, what you did, and I imagined you gathering up your stuff much like the day we left my father’s. I wanted to fling myself in the bed and cry until there was nothing left to cry. But I couldn’t, my mother was there. You know what she thinks about feelings and emotions. So, I did the next best thing, I packed up my stuff-- She paused and smirked just slightly. --and burned the house down. And you know mom was there clapping her hands the whole time.
Another text came through, she paused for a moment. Stylez telling her great job at Showcase and that he will remember the look on Xavier’s face when he and Jesse kissed her cheek forever.
So, if you’re listening, Allison, Roger, saying this was nothing personal, technically would be a lie, because it was personal. But it wasn’t personal with us, it was personal with Xavier and I. You just happened to get caught up in it. What IS the best way to bring the Wolf out of one of you? She smiled. Attack someone in the Pack. Of course, that’s going to bring down the whole Pack on me, so that’s where Stylez and the Syndicate comes in at. You know, safety in numbers and all that. If the two of you want to be mad at someone, be mad at X. His actions and his actions alone caused that. Please, take it up with him. She paused. Oh, and do me a favor-- The smile left her lips, blue eyes cold as ice. Keep that pitbull you call a girlfriend on a leash, preferably a short one.
Le’Andra put her cell phone back on the night table and then closed her eyes and began to move her head from side to side in an effort to relieve some of the pain in her head; after a moment she opened her eyes and the smile returned.
It’s going to be like old times back at my dad’s. He used to make us spend hours and hours in the ring, just pounding the hell out of each other. He wasn’t down for all that “just for practice” stuff. What was it he said every time he thought you were taking it easy on me? Her opponent never will. That’s what we finally get to be at this upcoming Showcase, opponents, so don’t think my father’s words won’t be echoing in the back of my head when we step into that ring. She paused for a moment. There’s one thing that I do know, Mr. Wolf, this match is going to have everyone on the edge of their seats. All that time we spent training with each other, showing each other our dirty little tricks without even thinking that one day we would be facing off against each other in the future on opposite sides of the ring, instead of together as a team. You’ve trained with me, you know what it’s going to take to put me down and keep me down, just like I know what it’s going to take to do the same to you. She gives a wink. Should bring back memories with me being the one on top.
Chan came walking back in with a cup of coffee, black, no sugar. It was one of the things that made Le’ stand out to Xavier. Not too many women drink their coffee like that; usually it’s sugared or flavored down that resembles coffee.
Here you go. Chan handed the cup and looked at her. He crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head with a smile. Xavier Wolf. Never, Le’, in a million years would I have seen this. I just have one question though.
What’s that?
What’s his family going to think? He noticed the look on her face and continued. You’ve told me simply by birthright your families are enemies, and here you went and did the very thing that the enemy does, join with another enemy. In a sense making them stronger.
Did I make them stronger? She said with a shrug of her shoulders. Or did I make me stronger? If I was to straight go after X, that would bring every member of the Wolf family down on me. So, I joined with Stylez and the Syndicate. I made them stronger just as much as they made me stronger. We're getting ready to show the Wolfpack that they aren't the biggest and baddest Pack around.
Probably bring the matriarch straight up out of retirement. Chan nodded.
Is she retired? Le’Andra gave Chan a ‘come on, now’ look and she took a drink of the coffee. Does anything about the woman give you feelings of retirement? She’s like a shark, just swimming around its prey, waiting for the right moment to strike.
Or a wolf.
Mhm, or a wolf. You’re catching on Chan, I am proud of you. She took another drink of the coffee and sat it on the table beside her.
What do you think Xavier is going to think about all of this?
Probaby, that I am an asshole. She smiled and slipped down into the pillows. I’m tired. Keep dinner light for me tonight.
Will do, Le’.
Chan pulled the blankets up on her, tucking her in and quietly made his exit, leaving Le’Andra alone in her darkened room, to think about her upcoming match and dwell on thoughts of the past, the present and the future.