Post by Admin on Oct 21, 2022 0:31:22 GMT
Tamika was frustrated she had to pretend to be someone she wasn’t. For whatever reason, living a day in the life of Sahara Duke was not what she would call ideal.
“What a magnificent view, though,” she says out loud, the light breeze carrying the words into the night sky. “What was the point of all this? And don’t say to walk a mile in her bra, daddy.”
Tamika expects to see her dad leaning on the railing overlooking the bay and New York City from the top of the Statue of Liberty. It wasn’t the infamous Cowboy From Hell. A look of shock is plastered all over her face.
“Well, you tell me, kiddo. What did you learn about the TransAtlantic champion today?”
“Mom?!”
Without hesitation, she embraced the spiritual and physical manifestation of her deceased mother, Lisa Anne Hayes.
“Mama! It’s so good to see you! But why are you here?” Tamika asked, loosening the bear hug on her mom. Lisa looks over the top of the crown’s ledge on the Statue of Liberty at the splatted Goon below and then at her daughter.
“Well, judging by the mess down there, you might be more your father’s daughter than your big sister,” she says to Tamika, but there’s no judgment in her voice; lord knows Lisa had her own autobiography of sins that was a true page-turner. “I’m here ‘cause your daddy said my baby girl needed me.”
“Yeah, daddy isn’t exactly great at telling me what’s happening here. Why do I look like that tramp server from Wafflehouse who should’ve been the bus girl at Hooters?” Tamika asks, frustrated with the situation.
“This past year has been something special, has it not? Your neck fusion surgery went better than expected; you and your sister saved a very popular promotion from going under, not just with your money but by competing. My little girl won her first singles championship and set records as Craze champion. You are the CEO of an international company. My grandson has grown into a handsome young man. The one thing that always made me the proudest about you was your empathetic soul. This whole thing was meant to help you rediscover that beautiful quality,” she says, answering Tamika. The moonlight makes her mother’s eyes sparkle, the same way Tamika’s did.
“Mom… I have always tried to give people the benefit of the doubt. See the good in them, but THIS,” using both hands, Tamika motions up and down the side of the body she is stuck in, “woman is insufferable. Thad? Honestly, besides his incessant need to show he has the biggest dick, he’s ok. Arrogant but not the worst person in the world. I never said one bad thing about either of them, and they (mostly her) have dragged my name through the mud. My big sister is dying, my niece is in a coma, and they constantly slander us. I haven’t done a bloody thing to him or her. In fact, if it weren’t for me and Megz, Thad wouldn’t have had a company to buy and to give his wife a championship she didn’t even earn. So, yeah, I’m not racing to understand or relate to her in any way. All this day has done is make me dislike her even more.”
Lisa looks at Tamika with a bit of a frown and looks over at New York City. It was quite the sight with the sundown, the moon up, and the lights from the many skyscrapers lighting up the horizon.
“Ok, I get it, baby. You don’t want to relate to her, but you must’ve learned something about Lauren Duke today,” Lisa asks, hoping Tamika can get passed her hard feelings.
“Well… the one thing I know for sure is that Frankie adores her. I also think she feels trapped and smothered by her husband because he’s contradictory when it comes to her,” she replies, turning around to lean on the small of her back.
“What do ya mean?”
“I mean, he talks a big game about his wife being able to take care of herself, but he wanted to put a security detail with me just to go to GameStop. Thankfully I brought Mr. Pink and used him instead. Fairly certain that she emasculated the poor bugger, so he wasn’t in any hurry to chat me up.”
“Sounds to me like you did learn something,” she replies. Lisa shrugs, “maybe it’s not about relating and more about understanding how to use her weaknesses against her.”
Crossing her arms, Tamika’s brow goes up slightly in thought.
“The major difference between her and me? Is her lack of confidence and the belief I have in myself.”
“Sounds pretty confident to me when she’s out there,” Lisa’s matter-of-fact tone pissed her off. Even in the afterlife, Lisa knew how to fire her kid up.
“See, Sahara is a lot like the Casino Kid; they put themselves in limited action, claiming that the people don’t deserve to see’em in action. Belittle the catering staff at OCW shows. Yell at lackeys, and be the loudest person in the room to make others think the bite is as bad as the bark!”
Tamika shakes her head and looks out over the skyline.
“She knew how she was gonna get the TransAtlantic title. No one can tell me that wasn’t planned beforehand; they used the situation to take what they wanted.”
“Come on, Meeka. You tellin’ me you wouldn’t have done that for Lil’Scottie?” she asks without hesitation. Come on, Tamika. Let it out.
“You know exactly what I would’ve done. I would’ve done to Cyph3r what I did to protect Megz back in Panama,” her tone shifts remembering walking into their home in South America, putting a bullet in the back of a man’s head who was going to hurt her best friend/big sister. “Use an innocent child as an excuse to take something that doesn’t belong to them. I’m not saying they are sociopaths who don’t love their child. From what I saw today, they obviously do but damn it, mom, they have no respect for OCW, the talent in the locker room, or the TransAtlantic championship.”
“Plus, just this past February, I watched Sahara spit all over OCW when she was a part of FIGHT NYC and calling the TransAtlantic title nothing. Calling OCW nothing. I imagine she would twist it, though, to say it’s only great now because she holds it. Did Ronnie beat two lower-tier talents for the title in the first place? Yeah, but at least she truly won it and defended it every chance Welsh allowed for 176 days. 176! And since it left this family, its standing has gone down. You can’t change my mind.”
Tamika shakes her bleached blonde head.
“Cyph3r might’ve been different; unlike Dangy Danny, he had a successful defence. All this day has taught me is that her lack of self-confidence and self-respect has bled into her professional life. Are there times when I feel bad for her? Sure. I guarantee she suffers from body dysmorphia the way she gets when people mock her eating habits in catering. She needs to seek help, not squat and piss all over me and OCW. If she wants to be taken seriously, maybe she should’ve done the right thing; beat Cyph3r one-on-one and then handled his betrayal.”
Tamika shakes her head and looks over the city like her mom did earlier. She is tired of not being in her own body.
“See, this experience has shown you who she is.”
“Yeah, a scared little girl that gets fired from promotions unless her husband is 90% owner,” Tamika snaps back and instantly regrets it. “Sorry, mom. I didn’t mean to snap at you… I’m… just tired.”
Lisa smiles and embraces Tamika. Running a hand through her platinum blonde hair, it turns strawberry blonde. She is the Proud and Strong Tamika Anne Strader again.
“I know you didn’t. Take what you have learned today, and use it to make everything right again. Just remember, your father and I are proud of the person you are. Never change, sweetheart.”
“Will I see you again? Me and Johnny miss you so much….”
“One day, we’ll be together again, but not for a very long time. Tell your brother I love him.”
With a tap of her foot, Tamika gears down as she turns her Harley Sportster onto Eldorado Avenue. Tamika mainly had been riding her Indian Scout, but she was feeling nostalgic and took out the bike Meghan had given her when they formed the Cowgirls From Hell. When Tamika rolled up to Victoria’s childhood home where Veronica was being cared for and Meghan dying a slow, painful death, she could see all the damage done when Outcast’s enemies had shown up. Tamika paid off the neighbourhood and the local law enforcement to forget what had happened, but the evidence was still there. Contractors would hopefully be there soon.
Walking into the house, it was quiet. Meghan was sleeping on the couch, so Tamika put a blanket over her and kissed her forehead. Tamika walks down the hall to the master bedroom, which she had converted into a hospital-esque room for Veronica, who had been comatose since Victoria’s attack.
“Hey, kiddo,” she said, sitting in a comfy padded chair beside the greatest TransAtlantic Champion ever. “The time is drawing near to face Sahara for your old belt, and I won’t lie… I’m nervous.”
Tamika had never been one to get nervous on big stages; after all, she was the one who scored the winning pin 4 out of 6 times CFH was named tag team champions.
“As much shit as I give in regards to Sahara, I think she has what it takes to be a dominant wrestler anywhere she goes, assuming she doesn’t piss off her bosses. And if this was just me stepping into the squared circle for the sole reason of becoming a champion again, I wouldn’t think much of it… but this isn’t just for me; it’s for you.”
Tamika takes Veronica’s hand in hers, squeezing.
“I promise you, kiddo, I will not take Sahara lightly. I recognize she is as dangerous between the ropes as she is between the sheets; well, I guess I am assuming that last one since she calls herself the White Widow. I have never taken an opponent lightly, and I am not about to now, with everything that is on the line. I will not let you down,” her voice cracks with the words to Veronica. “Things have been so crazy…our Uncle Ryan passing away, the cyber attacks on Strader Incorporated, your mama battling cancer, The Stalker who I am 87.2% sure is back and Vee doing what she did to you… a chance to become the TransAtlantic Champion feels like the only thing I have had any semblance of control over lately. I’m gonna bring you the strap you made relevant, Ronnie. I promise.”
Tamika leans her head down to her hands holding Ronnie’s and sighs. She stands up, kisses her on the forehead, and wipes a strand of hair from her niece’s face. Tamika stands up and starts walking towards the door.
“If anyone can do it, it’s you.”
The Matriarch stops instantly and slowly turns around, her eyes filled with tears as she sees Veronica looking at her.
“YOU’RE AWAKE!”
Tamika dashes the two steps towards her and embraces Veronica. The latter chokes and coughs a little bit from the sudden embracement.
“Where am I?”
“The house on Eldorado! I turned the master bedroom into a hospital room so you could be cared for by the family and your mom!” Tamika exclaims happily. Her eyes go wide from a sudden realization. “Your mom! I gotta go get her!”
Tamika ran out of the room to wake her sister with the good news. With Veronica awake, the pressure was on Tamika, but she thrives under pressure.
