December 13, 2016
The OWF was dead.
Not only was the OWF dead, but Chase Johnson, maligned and possibly misunderstood president of the promotion, had closed it in a tweet. Every wrestler in the promotion learned they were out of work the same way. They went to Twitter to see if anyone else in the community had been talking trash and the official Twitter account ruined their holidays.
It struck JC particularly hard, and like other things of this nature, he wasn't sure why.
JC spent much of his time in the OWF hoping to destroy it. At least, that's what the psychotic features of his bipolar disorder told him. He attacked everyone and everything in sight, hoping to turn the promotion into what he wanted it to be. Near the end of his time with the illness before he sought treatment, he wasn't even sure what his motivations were anymore. His convictions melted away with his sanity.
He knew it would be hard to explain to anyone how he felt. A large part of his career was devoted to burning the OWF down to only its bare essentials to he could reshape it into whatever he deemed appropriate.
But that part of him was dead, or at least, kept dormant through the use of medication. All he could think about now was how much he gained thanks to the OWF and how much he was losing as a result of it's closure. If it were not for the OWF, he never would have had his symptoms manifest to the point he would get diagnosed. He wouldn't have had the match with Trent Steel that finally caused him to seek treatment. He would have become friends with Lucy Wylde, a surprising alliance for the both of them. He wouldn't have started to repair his relationship with his brother, who returned not long after he did.
More importantly, he wouldn't have had the career resurgence he was currently enjoying. In the last year since his return, he gave then-champion Redemption the toughest match of his career. He was only pinned twice in nine months. Most recently, he decimated current OWF World Champion Jesse Williams in a matter of minutes, arguably the most important win of his entire career. With that, he won a title shot that he chose to wait until March to cash in. So he he was biding his time, giving whoever his opponent may be time to prepare.
That was when he read the tweet that changed his world.
"The OWF is closing as of today," it read. "Apologies to all."
He looked at his smartphone incredulous. He had taken a break from watching matches of his Holiday Bash opponent to check Twitter and found his entire life had been thrown in upheaval. Everything he worked for was gone in an instant. So what he shouted next seemed to be the most appropriate reaction at the time.
"MOTHERFUCKER."
His wife was out, so he felt vindicated in shouting for no reason. He quickly looked through his phone's contacts to put a call to Chase Johnson's business line. He imagined it would be busy, or Johnson would have no time for the likes of JC, but he tried anyway.
It went straight to voicemail.
So not only was Johnson taking away his livelihood, but he didn't have the guts to speak with him or anyone else about it. Didn't have the respect for any of his employees to explain himself. In that one tweet, Chase Johnson proved right every negative comment ever made about him. It made JC wish he had kicked him a little harder when he was trying to take him out.
He pushed the thoughts out of his head when he heard the door upstairs click. Stacy was home. She was out running errands and she came home to a completely different landscape than when she left.
It's not as if the two had money. Their gym was now running independently of them, so JC could continue his passion in wrestling. They still had royalties from the OWF Network, assuming it stayed open, as well as paychecks from Carnage Wrestling.
As he did with his family home, before he moved, he converted the basement of his home with Stacy into a gym and training area. The ring was new, as he only returned to wrestling back in March. He had been spending a lot of time down here, because his wife was aloof and he was retreating into training for matches with Will Prydor in OWF and Gary Altus in Carnage. Now he only had the latter to worry about.
It seemed in his grieving process for the OWF, he moved from denial straight to anger. Or maybe "anger" was just his default and this was the right time to show it. He also felt a little ashamed, because all he could think about at the moment was himself. While he hated to be selfish at this particular moment, all he could think about was how hard he worked to pull himself back from the brink and how easily it was all taken for him. The deck of cards representing his hard work had been toppled by the careless actions of a fool unconcerned with what happened to anyone else.
He stared at the bottle of olanzapine sitting on a small table near his makeshift basement ring and knocked it aside in anger. It ricocheted off the wall, popping off the cap and spilling the few pills that remained in the container onto the dirty mats covering his basement floor.
"Hey Joe, can we talk? I've got some...are you okay?
While retreating into the recesses of his mind, he hadn't heard Stacy walking down the basement steps. If he had been paying attention he would have, as those particular steps creaked. He felt his cheeks flush with embarrassment, as if this was the first time she caught him lashing out.
"Sorry. I just got some really bad news."
She stooped and grabbed his pills, brushing them off and placing them back in the bottle one at a time before coming and sitting next to him. She hadn't heard the news yet and immediately wanted to comfort him. As always, he felt he didn't deserve her.
"The OWF is gone."
"Gone?"
"Yeah. Chase closed it...on Twitter."
"Wait, he didn't even call you?"
"There's a statement on the website and a tweet. Neither really explain anything. All of our contracts are null and void."
"So, what happens with Holiday Bash?"
"I believe the statement said, 'There will be no final show; no reunion tour, or farewell.' So that means that Holiday Bash is cancelled."
"And that means..."
"My title shot is gone. Everything I've worked for in the past several months is gone."
She looked at him for a moment as he tried to hide his disappointment. It was impossible to do. It hurt him, as though he lost all of his possessions in a house fire. It wasn't necessarily important in the grand scheme of things, but it was important to him. He had lived his entire life for the moment he would have in March. He was asked to hold off on his title shot so he did. Now he was rewarded by having it taken away.
Stacy didn't hesitate in draping her arms around him for a hug.
"Joe, I'm sorry. I've never really understood why you love wrestling so much, but I know it's your life."
He gave a sad smile, returning the embrace.
"It's a huge part of my life, but you're the reason I keep going."
"That's nice to say, Joe, but I know passion when I see it. Some people don't care about anything the way you care about this sport."
He didn't want to comment on his passion right now. All his passion got him was a wasted year.
"So...you said you had to tell me something?"
She looked as though she had been caught doing something embarrassing. He knew right in that moment that she had something she wanted to say but he also saw from her expression she had no intention of revealing it. He raised an eyebrow, and she stammered out a reply.
"It's...not important. Really, it was just something silly."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. Don't worry about it."
He didn't think she was, but they had been playing this game for weeks. She was acting secretive and while she assured him that he had nothing to worry about, he knew something was up. He guessed she would tell him when she was ready, and decided to drop the subject.
"If you say so, Stace. Look, I hate to cut the conversation off short, but I've got to call Trent."
"How do you think he's taking it?"
"My best guess? He's found the closest bar and he's trying to drink everything inside."
He grabbed his phone and went back upstairs, leaving his wife alone with her thoughts. He was getting frustrated. Part of it was with her, as she had something to tell him and wouldn't let it out. Part of it was with his current situation. He was also frustrated with himself. He was acting selfish and he was not being proactive. Other wrestlers were already making plans. Shouldn't he be trying to salvage what was left of his career?
He was halfway up the stairs when the idea came to him. He would challenge Jesse Williams. He would wait a day, give everyone time to grieve, then he would lay everything out on the table. After all, he was owed. Jesse Williams owed to JC. Jesse Williams owed it to himself. JC embarrassed him the last time they met. He didn't know a lot about the current OWF World Heavyweight champion, but he felt he would jump at the chance to embarrass JC in time.
If Jesse turned him down, it would make Jesse look like coward. If he accepted, JC would do everything he could beat him.
It made perfect sense, and yet, he felt shame again for once again thinking of himself. The OWF was dead, and he was trying to figure out how to get what he felt he was owed. But he dismissed the negativity, because at the moment he didn't care what anyone thought, including himself.
He would have time to think about regret after he found a place to fight the champion. If he could find a place. If Jesse would agree. If he could even beat him a second time in a row.
There were too many 'ifs' in this situation for JC's liking.
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June 8, 1998
Joe didn't have a lot of regrets for deciding to sign up to Jason Munroe's school, but this was definitely high up the list. Today was his brother Eric's birthday and he was going to miss it. He didn't really have a car at the moment and he was busy working on crucial drills. It wouldn't be the first time he missed his brother's birthday, but Joe really felt like an asshole for doing it this time.
Eric understood, of course. He was pursuing the same dream, although he hadn't saved the money yet. They were sort of in the same boat. They had to put as much money as they could together to get into wrestling school. Joe just happened to make it first and didn't really have the funds to live on and help his brother out. Eric understood that too, because both of them wanted to be wrestlers. They knew sacrifices had to be made. There would be many more birthdays they could celebrate after the two were living on the road and doing the thing they loved.
It didn't change the fact that Joe felt terrible that Eric was turning eighteen and he wouldn't help him celebrate his first days as an adult. Ever since their parents died they had been almost best friends, helping each other through everything. People had often commented that they were closer than other siblings. Apparently most siblings just fought each other and kept a cold distance. He was glad he didn't have to worry about that with his own brother. They were all they had these days.
"Are you sleeping in there, kid? I told you to run the ropes!"
"For fuck's sake, give me a couple of minutes."
"What?"
"Nothing!"
He had been doing running drills for the last hour. He didn't need these basics anymore, he knew what the ropes felt like. He had plenty of large bruises on his sides to prove that. He didn't know why Munroe pushed him more than anyone else. He told him that he saw nothing in him. He told him that he wouldn't mean anything.
Considering this came from a man who only worked as enhancement talent in his like, Joe found that laughable. He also considered the training he was going through to be a form of torture, and was pretty sure he could have this place shut down with a single phone call. He wouldn't do that, of course, because this place was all he had and he spent all of his money making it possible. Of course, he already told Eric to go somewhere else to complete his training.
This wasn't the first time he'd been forced to do running drills all day, but he supposed it was better than throwing his back to the mat to absorb the pain 100 times in a row.
As far as Joe's crime, all he did was ask him when they were going to start learning moves. He thought it was a fair question, since he had been doing the basics for the past four months. He wanted to start learning the craft already. There were other students who still hadn't learned the basics that were learning moves.
Joe was ready to move on and his trainer wasn't.
"One more time, Lee. Get your ass up and run those ropes!"
Munroe, a guy who never had any kind of a win in his life, was a drill instructor. He pushed himself up on legs that felt like rubber, feeling his joints scream out in a mix of pain and burning fire. Every day it was the same thing. Monotonous fitness exercises. Basic drills on strikes and general ring awareness with maybe an occasional hip toss thrown in. Although Joe always suspected that was a way to continue throwing his students onto their backs for more pain.
He took a couple of shaky steps forward and pushed himself to run the ropes again. At this point, even to the most callused individual (of which Joe was not), the ropes would feel like bricks to his tender flesh. He pushed against them anyway, trying his best to block out the pain as he launched off and ran to the other side to repeat the process.
He did this for a few times more before Munroe shouted at him again.
"Alright, stop. That's enough for today."
Munroe climbed up on the apron and entered the ring.
"Tomorrow, you're going to team up with Hank over there..."
He nodded behind him as he said this.
"And throw suplexes."
That was definitely surprising.
"Are you serious?"
"Fuck yes, I'm serious. I don't start with shit like a body slam. Anyone can do that, it's a simple matter of lifting and tossing. Suplexes take precision. You want to learn wrestling moves, I'm going to teach you wrestling moves."
"Then what was the running for?"
"Because you fuckin' questioned me. You're paying me to do a job, so trust my judgment."
"You told me to only care about myself."
"In this gym, I am an extension of you. So listen to me if you want what's best. Now go get yourself showered up and get the fuck outta here."
Joe could barely contain his joy as he suddenly felt a renewed surge of energy. He climbed through the ropes and leaped to the ground, only realizing when he landed that his legs were way too strained for activity like that. He felt a thousand pinches shooting up his legs and winced, but still felt pretty excited about this latest news.
Four months of pushing himself and it was finally paying off. Eating Ramen noodles at night because he only made just enough to pay for his classes. Living in his aunt's cramped apartment and finding himself disagreeing with her constantly on everything. Never getting a moment to do anything but train. Going to bed with his entire body aching to the point that sleep came hours after his tired mind would have liked.
It was nice to see that his work was paying off. Maybe Munroe knew what he was doing after all. Or maybe he just guessed he'd lose a customer if he kept up the torture. He had no idea Joe had no other options. Every time Joe thought about his rough treatment, he pushed himself harder, because this was what he wanted to do with his life.
He made his way into the tiny locker room, which was simply a converted storage room for whatever this place before Munroe got his grubby little hands on it. The showers, as his trainer called it, was just the one shower, and students usually had to wait in line for access to it. This usually resulted in a lot of small talk about matches they had tracked down. Joe in particular took notice of this place called BTW, and thought he might try there once his training was complete.
He heard the shower on and assumed someone was in there, so he looked at his options. He could either sit on the stool and wait, or use the payphone to make a call. He chose the latter, because he knew just who to call.
He reached around in his locker for some spare change. None of the lockers had actual locks on them, but none of the students had any reason to steal from the others. They were all here for the same reason and tried to help each other reach that goal even if none of them felt their trainer would. Joe had heard whispers about guys sneaking in at night to teach themselves, but he hadn't had the guts to commit to breaking the law just yet.
Maybe if he was finally learning moves, he wouldn't have to.
He shoved a coin into the semi-rusted payphone and was amazed, as always, to get a dial tone. He hoped one day this place would get an overhaul, for future generations' sake if not his own. He dialed in the number to his house, hoping that Eric was there. Eric had been taking care of himself in this time, but they both agreed that he could. It was just the two of them after their parents had passed, with relatives helping out until Joe became an adult.
Joe skipped out on college to look after Eric during his teenage years, but he wasn't about to miss an opportunity like this. Eric intended to follow him once he graduated and saved up his own money, so he understood. The one bond they had since they were young was that they wanted to wrestle. They wanted to do this together. They wanted to get big and become tag team champions.
"So why do I feel so bad about missing his birthday?"
He heard the phone ring twice and thought maybe his brother was out, but then he heard his voice on the other end.
"Joe?"
"How'd you know it was me?"
"Who else is in Camden that would want to talk to me?"
Joe thought of their aunt, but she didn't have a phone.
"Yeah, I guess. Anyway, I have a reason for calling."
"Look, we already talked about you not being here. I get it. Your training runs late and there's no buses to get you here in time. I understand, bro."
Even if Eric didn't show it, he could hear the disappointment in his voice. They both knew Joe wasn't going to make it, but having confirmation sort of put a awkward cloud over the whole conversation.
It wouldn't be the last time Joe had disappointed his brother or hurt him in such a way.
"You know I'd be there if I could."
"I know. I've got plans anyway. A couple of the guys are coming over, we're going to go out and get into some trouble."
"Hookers and crack?"
"No, it's a special day! I thought we'd go with some high-priced escorts and cocaine. None of the cheap stuff for me."
Joe held back a loud laugh.
"Well, you only turn eighteen once. What are you really doing?"
"The movies, hitting the mall, really dumb stuff. But whatever, it beats doing nothing. Maybe we can check out that Godzilla movie you've been wanting to see."
"I don't know, I heard bad things."
"Anyway, what'd you call me for?"
"Well, I've got the official word from the guy in charge. Tomorrow, we do suplexes."
"That's great! Man, I'm so jealous of you right now. I wish you'd just put in a good word for me and let me come train with you."
Joe immediately tried to talk his brother down from that idea, for his own good. He also tried to say it in a way that the guy he paid money to every week wouldn't hear it and throw him out.
"Really, you don't want to do that. You can probably find a much better use of your money."
"If it's so bad, why do you keep doing it?"
He was blunt. He felt he had to be.
"I've got no other options."
"Bullshit. Use the rest of your money for a bus, come back here and we'll join a place together. Then we can do what we've always talked about instead of this one at a time stuff."
"Eric..."
"You don't like that place, so why keep giving him your money?"
"I'm so close now. I don't want to have to start all over somewhere else."
"Yeah I...I understand."
He heard the disappointment again. The two had had this conversation multiple times already. The first time was when Joe finally acquired enough money to make the trip. He didn't want to put off his training any longer and Eric really wanted him to wait until he could get out of high school. Joe was acting selfish, he said. He was more mature about it now, and they both knew they would eventually be able to join the same place together, but it didn't make this any easier on either of them.
Sacrifices had to be made, and their dream of being tag champions would have to wait until they were both properly trained. Joe got his head start simply for being older, and that seemed to irritate the both of them more than it should have.
"Look, you've got that job so it won't take you very long at all to get your training started. And now that I'm doing actual moves, it shouldn't take me long to finish. So wherever I go, I can get you hired on when you're done. Then it's everything we've always wanted to do."
"Yeah. Joe and Eric Lee, tag team champions."
"Maybe we can pick better ring names."
"Once you get a ring name, you're stuck with it. So hopefully neither of us get anything silly."
"Listen, I mostly just called to tell you happy birthday. So have a good night, bro. Go out, have some fun. You're only eighteen once."
"I will, Joe. If you get a chance to practice a suplex on that Munroe guy, make sure you dropped him a little harder for me."
"Will do. Love you, bro. Happy birthday."
Joe hung up the phone and went to his second option: the stool. Whoever was in the shower was taking a long time.
It would be another two years before Joe finally 'graduated' and joined up with Big Time Wrestling. He would keep his word on scoring GI a roster spot, but the tag title reign never came.
Just another disappointment in a long string of them.
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December 24, 2016
"Merry Christmas, bro. I'm glad you're here."
While JC was genuinely glad to see his brother, they both knew the circumstances surrounded this Christmas get together. Everyone involved, including Stacy, was impacted by the OWF's closing only ten days prior. GI seemed like he was in good spirits but having his title reign abruptly cut short couldn't have felt good after he just won it back.
"How are you taking the news?"
"My gut instinct was to challenge Jesse Williams and get the title match I was owed. I'll be in Chicago on New Year's Eve. That's how I'm taking it. You?"
"I'm weighing my options. I hear UGWC is nice."
There was familiar unease to the conversation, one that had been present at several of their conversations since they had both actively tried to fix things. His little brother, who had grown up to be OWF PDA champion GI, had been trying very hard to put the past in the past. JC knew it would take a long time. He also knew that just showing up was a big step for Eric, even if he guessed he was only doing it for Stacy's benefit.
Stacy, perhaps sensing the awkwardness between the two brothers, decided to chime in. It was clear that she was taking the lead in restoring their relationship, as she recognized both men were incredibly stubborn. He was just glad that she and Eric actually got along after years of not knowing each other. At this point, she knew JC better than GI did, and the thought of that made him a little sad.
"So, how was the cruise?"
"Cruise?"
It took him a minute to realize what she was talking about, then he chuckled softly to himself.
"Oh, the thing I wrote on Twitter. Yeah, I didn't take a belt on a cruise. That would just be weird."
"But you had a funeral for it?"
"I like to keep people on their toes. Besides, didn't you hold a mock funeral for your boss once?"
A sore spot, considering GI's first OWF debut happened on the same night and led to their feud. Even Eric seemed to realize this was a mistake. They both shared a somewhat pained, uncomfortable look and seemed to shuffle a bit, unsure of where to take the conversation.
"Sorry, just trying to quickly get to the 'we'll laugh about this later' part of our relationship."
"This is awkward for me too. I don't know how many times I've said 'sorry' to you. The word's starting to lose meaning at this point."
"Look, Joe. I know you're trying. But...you've got to understand. I looked up to you. To see what you were, even after learning about your illness, that hurt. It hurt more than your boot. Then I found out you were sick and trying to get better, and I just couldn't accept it. I guess I would rather think of you as an asshole than a victim."
"It's probably easier to hate me that way."
"Joe!"
Stacy even punched his arm for emphasis. He already began to regret it. 2016 was a hard year for everyone, and JC wasn't exactly making things easier.
"No, he's right, Stacy."
"He is?"
"Well, sort of. I never hated you, Joe. But like you've told me before, we're all we have. The attacks didn't hurt as much as losing my brother and my passion for wrestling at the same time. I was a mess for a few months there. I even tried to get back into the business, but there were always reminders. Eventually it just got to the point where I said 'fuck it' and came back to OWF. I got numb and stopped caring."
"I know it doesn't mean much, but I really am sorry."
"Not to butt in, but he is, Eric. You have no idea how many times he's wanted to call you over the years. I told him to and he didn't because well, he thought you hated him for what he did."
"He's tried to call. I was just stubborn. So I guess I'm sorry for not giving you a chance and not helping you when you really needed it."
He then looked at Stacy, and smiled. At that moment Joe wished he had been present for their first meeting to learn what she said to make him turn around. Either way, she was once again proving herself to be better than he deserved.
"Like I told her, I never gave you a shot. So that's why I'm here. Let's start over."
He stuck out a hand and Joe readily accepted it. It wasn't a hug between brothers, but it was a promise that both would try harder to be family than they had in the last eight years.
"A chance is all I've ever wanted."
After the handshake, GI clapped his hands together and looked around.
"Okay, the drive from East Rutherford was longer than I thought and I'm really hungry. When do we eat?"
"In a little bit, I'm waiting on some other guests."
"You didn't invite Trent, did you?"
Joe laughed, sensing the tension in his brother's tone. It was very possible that GI and Trent Steel would never like each other. They went to war twice and it was always violent and bloody. The two likely had permanent reminders on their bodies about how much they hated each other, given their predilection for hardcore wrestling.
"No, Trent has his own family. Plus I don't need my house getting trashed."
"Let's just be clear, I'm not giving him a shot. That guy's an asshole."
"Trent has his own family. He's not coming. The Wyldes are, though."
"Both of them? I thought you didn't like CJ."
"CJ doesn't like me. But I think we can be civil."
"The Wyldes love me. Lucy even showed up for my celebration with Belty. They're good people."
"Yeah...I'm going to go hang out on the porch and check my phone while I wait for them. I'm sure you and Stacy can find something to talk about."
JC clapped his brother on the back and thanked him for coming, before grabbing a jacket and stepping outside. The bitter cold air hit him again. It wasn't quite as bad now, but it made him wish he put on something a bit warmer.
He didn't particularly want to stop talking to Eric, but he did want to speak to Lucy and there wouldn't be much time when everyone was inside joining the holiday. Or at least pretending to enjoy the holiday while secretly worrying over the new uncertainty in their lives. Besides, Eric needed to spend more time with Stacy than him at the moment anyway. She was basically his sister now, so they need to get to know each other.
The sky was darkening as the afternoon drew to a close, with JC's phone becoming a growing light against the darkness. He lost track of time as he swiped through Twitter, watching the wrestlers of the OWF hastily making plans for what they would do now that they had no other place to go. CJ Wylde was headed to UGWC. Robert Zodiac and Brian Crucifix were making plans to join him in Carnage. He still had yet to speak to Trent Steel outside of the occasional text, and he thought his best friend might be shutting out the world at this particular moment.
Even his opponent had only said two words in the past week. "I'm in." So he knew Jesse was showing up but there had been radio silence ever since. Maybe he was using the time to prepare for the match of his life. Maybe he took JC too lightly. It didn't really matter, because in a week JC planned to win that title or risk permanent injury trying.
He saw the headlights of a black car driving up, what he assumed to be a rental. It wasn't hard to make out who was in it, as Lucy was driving and Lucy's hair stood out against the darkness. He sat patiently and continued to look at his phone, letting them come to the porch before he greeted them. He shook Lucy's hand, then CJs, although CJ seemed hesitant to do so.
"Hey Joe, sorry we're late."
"Lucy. CJ. We actually haven't started yet, so you're fine. How was the trip?"
"What do you mean? The trip from Poland to my house, or from my house to here?"
CJ's sarcasm was not lost on JC, as the male Wylde had a tendency to hide his feelings underneath a cloak of snark. JC appreciated it, because he did the same thing. He decided to be a bigger man and not play into CJ's game. He decided that even though they didn't like each other, he wasn't going to let that ruin his Christmas.
"Let it mean whatever you want, Ceej. I'm just glad you're here. Both of you."
"Hey, is that GI? I've been meaning to ask him why I haven't been getting credited for my cameos in his films. Bein' a mop is hard work, you know."
CJ walked past JC, leaving Lucy outside for a moment as her husband simply allowed himself inside to greet everyone else.
"'Do you mind letting me inside your home, Joe?' Sure, CJ, come on in."
Lucy laughed and then made a motion to follow CJ, Before she could, JC put a hand up to stop her.
"Actually, can I talk to you for a minute?"
"What's up?"
"Okay, a couple of minutes. I know it's cold but..."
"Actually, it's not that bad out here. Let's talk."
There were a couple of chairs on the porch, which JC felt was better than sitting on the considerably colder steps. He also felt that Lucy was lying about the temperature for his benefit but didn't push the issue. She was an adult, after all, if she felt she can handle the cold, then she could handle it. They sat down and he gave a smile.
"I really do appreciate you coming. It can't be easy to even get out right now, considering."
"Actually, it's fairly easy to get out lately.. considering neither of us have jobs anymore. Well, you do.."
"Yeah, still the tag team champion at Carnage. You could always join me there. I don't really know Kyra at all but I would assume she'd love to have you."
She simply shrugged, almost unsure of how to even answer the question.
“Kyra as my boss? Yeah.. I'll pass. I don't know though.. I might join CJ over at UGWC. But really, I don't even know if I want to keep going anymore.”
He tilted his head at this, questioning her without saying a word.
“Don't give me that look... OWF was my home. I'm sure you understand that. It's really hard to think about starting over somewhere else when I should still have my mind on what was supposed to be happening tomorrow. I nearly won the Christmas Tree match last year, and this year I was planning on going all the way. I don't know.. I had all these plans. I know it sounds selfish, but I really thought I was in it for the long haul here... and now it's done.. just like that. Like it never meant anything at all.”
JC let out an unintentional laugh. He had to. He couldn't help it. It was almost scary how sometimes they thought alike. He had just been angry with himself for these same thoughts, until Stacy informed him she was pregnant. Now he was just focused on beating Jesse and coming home with the belt to take care of his new family.
"What's so funny about that?"
"You're being ridiculous. Retire? You? You're the Network champion! Even if you were never to pick that belt up again, you were pegged by many to be the next champion. Truth be told, I was laying out strategy to face you in March after Jesse beat CJ. You were the next immediate threat, and I didn't see Phantasm getting the job done."
"Oh really, you had a strategy against me?"
"I have a strategy against everyone."
"So you're a wrestling Batman?"
"No I saw that guy before, he sucks."
The two shared a laugh and then JC began to get serious. He had a reason for asking her out here and he needed to get to it. He waited a moment then said what he needed to say.
"You're not entirely off base though. At least, about being selfish. I had those exact same thoughts when I was told the OWF closed. It's like..where do I go from here? I worked so hard to get back to the OWF after my treatment, to convince everyone I had changed. To prove that I still had what it takes in that ring. I got my title shot, I got the respect...I had everything right there. Then OWF closed. Everything I worked for is gone. The entire year was pointless."
Things took a darker turn than he wanted, but he had been struggling with these thoughts for the better part of two weeks. Once again, he wanted to confide in someone other than his wife, who he felt would really understand where he was coming from. Lucy Wylde worked her way back just like he did, achieved more success than he did (if he was being honest) and even saved her marriage, as rocky as it was at times.
They were kindred spirits. And once again he felt as though he was oversharing, but there was a trust there neither could explain. Perhaps it was because they were so similar. He wasn't sure, but he was glad to have a friend he could talk to about these things.
"Now you're being ridiculous."
"How? I worked this hard to get where I am and now I have nothing to show for it. At least you have a big shiny belt."
“Yeah, I've got that belt. But what does it really mean anymore? There are more important things.. I mean look at you. You've got your brother here. How crazy is that? You've got me here... Did you ever think that that was going to happen six months ago? And Jesse Williams could have easily just retired the OWF World Champ, but he gave you a shot... the shot you earned. Don't shortchange yourself, Joe. You've got a lot going for you, even though it doesn't exactly feel like it now. People respect you, not only as a competitor – but as a human being. Not a lot of people can do what you've done. Remember that.”
He understood what she was trying to say, but he didn't want to believe it. Jesse Williams, at best, was indifferent to him. He simply accepted the challenge because that's what he did. If CJ had made the challenge first, Jesse would have granted it. That's what fighting champions do. He had reservations about more than that, however.
"When I was five years old, my dad took me to my first wrestling show. I can't even remember the name of the place or the guys that were in the ring. It was some trashy independent show in the early 80s. I just remembered seeing these larger than life guys punch and throw each other down. The biggest hero of the place had beat up the guy who insulted New Jersey, and I remember wanting him to lose. From then on, my dad and I tried to go to every show when we could. Eventually, Eric started going with us. I've known I've wanted to do this since I was five. This and only this."
He saw Lucy smile at the fond memories he had of his childhood. He wasn't quite finished yet, as he was telling her a story to get to a point.
"Now, 35 years later and I finally get a shot. It had to be after OWF closed, but I got it. Now I'm doubting myself. I've thought about it over and over. I've tried to convince myself otherwise, but...I'm not even sure I can beat him."
She scoffed at this immediately. It was like she knew where the train of thought was headed. Lucy Wylde, after all, was someone who saw through bullshit. It was probably she didn't like him when the first met and why she did like him now. He was a more open and honest individual, even if he still had his issues.
"Are you serious? You were at Shock and Terror, right? Or did I just imagine you treating Jesse Williams like he was CokeKid?"
"No, I get it. I beat him worse than he's probably ever been beaten. But that doesn't mean I can do it again. He wasn't prepared for me then, because he wrote me off. Now he'll be focused. He'll be the franchise. And while I worked hard in the OWF and I may have some things to show for it, I've never been a huge success there. When it counted the last time against Jesse, he beat me. When I had a chance to win Quest, Redemption beat me. Those kinds of losses take a toll on someone, you know."
“I don't know. I feel like you're not giving yourself enough credit. You're not done showing the world who you really are, Joe... So don't give up on yourself and your chances just yet.”
"I appreciate the pep talk, Lucy. But after this rough 2016, I just have my doubts. And I'm sure other people do too."
"Do you remember what I told you when you returned to the OWF?"
"Most of it, yeah."
"I told you to prove everyone wrong. You've been doing that. Now you just need to go to Chicago and do it again."
He smiled, and patted her on the shoulder. Then he stood up and rubbed his own arms, before breathing into his glove-less hands.
"It's getting a lot colder out here. I think we need to go inside. We have a fireplace."
"That would be good. I don't want to pry, but are you going to be okay?"
"In the end, I think I will be. I might have my doubts at the moment, but like you said, I've got to prove everyone wrong again. That means myself. I've got something else I want to tell you, but I think that can wait until after dinner."
The two of them headed to the door, fully intending on celebrating Christmas Eve with their peers.
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December 24, 2016
The dinner went well, considering a lot of these people hadn't spoken more than a few words to each other outside of work. OWF barely came up, outside of a few comments about how they would miss it when it's gone. And yet, that seemed to be all anyone could think about. It could be seen in their actions and in their lingering stares when the promotion's name came up. While each of them likely had their issues with it, it was a part of their lives for a long time and now it felt as though something was missing.
Only Stacy Lee, a woman with little concern over the OWF outside of how it affected her husband, elected to break the unspoken gloom when she stood up. JC wasn't sure what she was doing until she decided to do it.
"Okay everyone, I have an announcement. I was originally just going to tell JC and move on, but GI has a right to know to. He probably already knows. And since Lucy and CJ are here, I'll tell them too."
Everyone looked at her with curious stares, not sure where she was going with this. JC imagined it was somewhat awkward for the Wyldes, who were getting an announcement that was probably best saved for family and close friends. Perhaps that was Stacy's way of saying they were the latter.
"Joe and I...we're going to be parents."
There was a roar of approval from the small gathering of people. JC glanced around to get a quick reading on how everyone was taking it. GI was the loudest, doing his best Arsenio Hall impression with his whooping. CJ seemed sincerely happy to hear it, and JC hadn't seen CJ sincerely happy about anything. Lucy Wylde was also smiling and clapping, although he noticed a sadness behind her eyes that he didn't want to bother her about. She would tell him if she decided he was worthy enough to hear it.
"I can't believe I'm going to be a funcle!"
"A funcle?"
"You know, a fun uncle."
"Just keep Jack away, I don't need his crazy rubbing off on my kid."
"Joe, that's really great news. Seriously. I'm happy for you."
"Yeah, what CJ said. What a great way to end the year."
"Thanks, guys. The whole thing is still kind of a shock to us."
"I had been waiting on the right time to tell him and figured Christmas Eve would be the best."
Now it was JC's turn to stand, as he wanted to offer another toast. JC looked around at the gaggle of people who stood before him. His now-pregnant wife, beaming with beauty. His brother. His friend Lucy. Even CJ, who he wasn't on the best of terms with, seemed happy to be there. He thought about exactly what he wanted to say, then held up his wine glass, filled with a non-alcoholic mocktail to account for his medication.
"It's kind of cheesy and not really the sort of thing I'd do, but I'd like to make a toast."
As is customary with this sort of thing, everyone held up their glasses.
"Here's to new beginnings. Bad things happen, but life goes on."
That was something everyone could toast to.
After all, the OWF was dead, but none of the people at this table were.
The Outsider Wrestling Federation was a star that burned bright in the wrestling world, allowing many talented individuals to compete on what was the grandest stage of their careers. It resulted in some fierce rivalries, legendary matches and moments that wouldn't be forgotten. It gave JC not only one career renewal but two, and in return he gave it his blood, his sanity and almost his career. The amount of work put into keeping the company going by the staff and the roster was nothing short of admirable, and it's a place that would live on as its displaced wrestlers moved on with their lives.
JC thought about a lot in the last two weeks. He thought about his brother, who experienced a resurgence and was arguably the best he's been in his entire career. He thought of the Wyldes, who came into the company divided and were once again happily married. There was Trent Steel, a man who was unarguably the heart of the company and the one who would never admit to missing it the most. He thought of Phantasm, who lost out on an opportunity like he did and had now vanished back into the ether. He even thought his rivals like Redemption or Moxie Roxie, two people he would never get along with but made their names within the doors of the OWF. Everyone was affected, and everyone played a role in making his wrestling home what it was.
Finally, his thoughts turned to Jesse Williams. He realized his upcoming match was the perfect coda on everything. A battle between the undisputed franchise of the company and a man who had a passion for the business that almost caused him to ruin his own legacy. Even if JC didn't win, it was a redemption story in itself that he was even competing for it. He was in a main-event level match with one of the best ever. JC meant to prove that he was better.
This was the finale on this chapter of his life. His time as "The Answer", a rampaging maniac who cared more about his delusions about the business than the business itself, was over. It would end with one final match against the greatest champion in OWF history. There was a finality to it, a feeling that this was the culmination in everything he had worked for during that phase of his life, good or bad.
After this match, win or lose, JC planned to move on.
