Post by matt on Apr 22, 2021 6:18:52 GMT -6
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Miami, Florida
Off Camera
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Professional wrestling is just one of many things that “The British Bombshell” Glory Braddock is passionate about. Another passion of hers is helping people. This desire to make a difference and to help, to be a bright light in the darkness, is something that she inherited from both her mother and father, but especially from her mother. But Glory’s parents, Mary Ford and Glenn Braddock, divorced when Glory was only sixteen years old. Glenn got custody of the children in the breakup and Mary moved to the United States to be closer to her sister Kelly Ford Jones, the mother of Angelica and Kayla Jones. As a result of Mary being in the United States, she never got to see her daughter’s growth into adulthood. But still, despite many years absence, Glory Braddock still picked that desire to help others from her mother.
Another value that Glory picked up from her mother was the importance of sticking by her family. Mary Ford and her sister Kelly both escaped Soviet Russia, and they knew that they had to stick together in order to survive. So when Glory’s cousin, Kayla Jones, needed help to keep her modeling agency afloat, The British Bombshell didn’t even have to think twice about doing what was necessary to keep Kayla’s modeling agency afloat. As far as Braddock knew, she was just helping a cousin and, in the process, helping those who were at risk of potentially losing a job if the modeling agency were to go under. Little did Braddock know that she was getting herself into a war with another corrupt businessman named Ronald Duane Kennedy.
The man who wants to be known simply as RDK was working for Kayla’s modeling agency, but he was also secretly sabotaging the agency in hope of eventually swooping in and taking it over right from under Kayla’s nose. Once again Braddock would be there to help her family member by keeping the modeling agency afloat herself by buying it out and merging it with her own Glorious Golden Enterprises and keeping her cousin Kayla on as the President of the modeling agency, and RDK would not be allowed anywhere near the agency.
RDK wasn’t happy about being outmaneuvered by The British Bombshell and swore that Braddock would regret her actions. At first she thought those were just empty threats but then she learned RDK had started his own modeling agency and was trying to poach their models. Even then Braddock wasn’t concerned about the threat RDK and his new agency posed, but then the worst case scenario happened. RDK approached Braddock and her husband Kurt Logan at a public appearance and provoked Kurt into assaulting him. Now RDK has filed a lawsuit requesting a massive sum of $500,00 in damages.
The lawsuit nor the damages requested do not concern Glory. She is no lawyer but she knows enough to realize that five hundred grand is an insane amount to ask for when he was just punched one time by Kurt Logan. Glory’s attorney, Robert Odom, even confirmed that no judge worth their salt would grant RDK the full sum he is requesting. What does concern The British Bombshell is the potential damage this could do to her company’s reputation. Her name, her husband’s name, is tied to this modeling agency and RDK will be using this scandal to try and convince more of the models to leave the agency. Image is everything, Glory Braddock knows this, and she is concerned about what this could do to her image.
Inside the kitchen area we see Glory Braddock with her cell phone placed up against her ear with one hand and a glass of red wine in the other hand. She is wearing a yellow sundress that stops just above the knee and a pair of low heeled sandals. Her long blonde hair hangs straight to past the shoulders. She is listening intensely as the individual on the other end is none other than her attorney, Robert Odom, who is giving her an update on the legal proceedings.
“Yes, I understand Bob…”
As Glory paces the kitchen floor she happens to notice her husband, Kurt Logan, entering. He is wearing a pair of black gym shorts, flip flops, and a plain white t-shirt. He notices Glory is on the phone and mouths the word “Odom” as if to ask Braddock if that indeed was their attorney she was speaking with on the phone. Glory nods her head, confirming Kurt’s suspicions. Kurt then listens closely while he retrieves a glass from the cupboard…
“So they’re willing to settle? That’s good to hear but how did Kennedy feel about that, he couldn’t have been happy?”
Kurt cannot hold back the smile that now creeps across his face. It sounds as if Odom’s legal instincts were correct; the judge did not side with RDK. At least that is the way it sounds based on Glory’s end of the conversation. Kurt cannot hear what Odom is saying on the other end. Kurt walks over to the refrigerator and produces the orange juice. He pours some juice into the glass from the cupboard.
“That’s good to hear, Bob. Thank you for everything you’ve done.”
Braddock pushes a button on her phone to hang up and then places the phone down. The British Bombshell sighs deeply and walks over to the island in the center of the kitchen. There is a stool and she sits down with her glass of wine. Kurt pulls up a stool next to his wife and sits down next to her with his glass of orange juice. Kurt looks over at his wife and smiles.
“Good news I suppose?”
“Maybe.”
“Maybe?” Kurt seems confused at this answer as he takes a sip of his orange juice. “I thought I heard you say that the judge wasn’t going to give Kennedy what he wanted?”
“I said that, yeah.”
“That’s good then, right?”
Braddock shrugs her shoulders. “Somewhat.”
“How can it be just somewhat good? The judge isn’t giving him the five hundred thousand he wants is he?”
“Hell no. The judge damn near laughed Kenndy out of courthouse. Kennedy’s own attorneys knew it was a bad idea to seek damages of that size and had to convince him to settle for the one thousand the judge was willing to give him.”
“One thousand dollars? That’s all we owe Kennedy for that punch to his jaw?”
“That’s right.” Glory says nodding her head as she takes a sip of her wine. Kurt smirks arrogantly.
“Hmmm, I think one thousand dollars may be worth punching that cocky little bastard.”
“I’m not sure I would agree with you on that one, love.”
“Why are you so pessimistic, babe?” Kurt asks incredulously. “He wanted five hundred thousand for a simple punch to the jaw. The judge basically bitch slapped him and said here’s a thousand, take it or leave it. And wasn’t Kennedy pissed about that?”
“Oh yeah, he was incensed.”
“Great! So what’s the problem?”
“The problem isn’t our legal troubles or the money. It never was.”
Braddock sounds very frustrated at her husband, frustrated that he doesn’t seem to understand. The British Bombshell gets up off of the stool and walks away with her glass of wine. Kurt watches as his wife exits the kitchen. Immediately he gets up and follows suit, exiting the kitchen and following her into the living room. He finds Braddock sitting on the plush leather sofa, her legs crossed and her face staring blankly ahead. Kurt realizes something is definitely wrong but he doesn’t know what. He sits down next to his lovely wife and wraps an arm around her shoulders.
“What’s wrong, Glory?”
“Do you really not understand?”
“No, I don’t.”
“I suppose you wouldn’t understand. You’re not a businessperson. You’re a wrestler and a damn good husband, but you’re not a businessperson. I am a wrestler but I also know business and I know a problem when I see it and this is a problem. Kennedy may act like he is upset about the money, about the settlement, about the judge verbally smacking him down. And y’know what? A part of that arrogant ass may be legitimately upset. But the money was never his primary goal. That isn’t what he really wanted and what he really wants to do is damage; damage my company, damage Glorious Golden Enterprise.”
Kurt furrows his brow in genuine confusion. “But we’re only losing out on one thousand dollars. How is he damaging our company?”
“You’re right, he didn’t do much damage to us financially, but he can do a lot of damage to our reputation. You know as well as I do that he has been trying to convince some of Kayla’s models to leave the agency and join his new startup agency. Some were already tempted because he used to work for the agency before I got rid of him. He can tempt others to jump ship by running our name through the mud, by telling any media outlet who will listen about how Glory Braddock’s husband assaulted him.”
“That isn’t what happened and you know it.”
“I know it, you know it, and hell, even Kennedy knows it. But as Mark Twain once said, never let the truth get in the way of a good story; and RDK now has a bloody wonderful story to tell about you assaulting him.” Braddock tips back her glass and finishes off her wine in one gulp. She sets the glass down and sighs deeply out of frustration. “We’ve basically given the buffoon the ammunition he needs to wage a public relations war on my company.”
Kurt is silent. He honestly had never thought about it like that but his wife is correct. Image may not be the only thing but it does matter a great deal especially in the corporate world. And a conman like RDK will definitely use this scandal to his advantage. “No, I gave him the ammunition. I was the one who punched him. I’m sorry.”
“Hush with that talk, love. I already told you that there’s nothing for you to apologize about. I would have done the same damn thing, you just beat me to the punch…” Glory smirks as she realizes she just made a pun “...yeah, punch, ironic?”
“Ha!” Kurt laughs as he gives his wife a kiss on her cheek. After this brief moment of levity Kurt leans back and sighs. Then he asks the next and most obvious question. “So what are we going to do?”
“The only advantage we have is that we know what he’s going to do. There is no mystery about it, there is no guessing. He’s going to try and slander us. But how do we stop it?” She shrugs her shoulders. “I don’t know that one…”
“What does he want though?”
“You know that one, Kurt. He wants Kayla’s modeling agency to go bankrupt. He wants it dead in the water. That’s what he wants.” Braddock shakes her head. “But I can’t give him what he wants. I am not going to kill the agency and let him win.”
“You don’t have to do that. He can only slander us. I am the one who assaulted him, he filed a lawsuit against us. None of this has anything to do with your cousin or her modeling agency. If we disassociate ourselves from her modeling agency then her agency is out of the line of fire.”
Braddock rolls her eyes, frustrated with Kurt’s suggestion. “And how do I do that, Kurt? The only way to truly disassociate myself with my cousin’s modeling agency is to sell it to someone else. Kayla doesn’t trust anyone else. It took a great deal of convincing for her to sell it to me, and we’re family. This is her dream and she doesn’t trust her dream in just anyone’s hands. The only person I could sell it to is back to Kayla herself and then she’d just be back in the same problem she was to start with. Remember she needed to sell to me because she didn’t have the finances on her own to keep her agency alive. She won’t have the financial capability to support it now.”
“But it may be the only chance.” Kurt insists. “RDK is out there right now using this scandal to his advantage, trying to poach Kayla’s models away. The only way that his sleazy con is going to work is if we are still associated with the modeling agency. If we sever our ties then…
“...then her agency dies!” Braddock screams loudly standing up and glaring angrily at Kurt. “Either way, RDK wins!”
With that Glory Braddock storms out of the living room. Kurt gets up to follow after her but then he hears the front door slamming shut. Obviously she just left. Kurt sighs and realizes that his wife needs some space. He sits back down on the sofa. He isn’t sure what he can do to help his wife through this. Despite his attempt at optimism, he must admit that their current situation is dire. Either Glory severs ties with Kayla’s modeling agency and thus Kayla has to shut down because she cannot financially support it or RDK slowly kills it via a public relations massacre. Kurt knows that his wife wants this dream to stay alive but he isn’t sure if this dream has any hope left.
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Boston, Massachusetts
Off Camera
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It has been several days since the heated exchange between Glory Braddock and her husband Kurt Logan after hearing the news from Robert Odom over the settlement of the lawsuit. One would think that the news of the lawsuit not only being settled but for far less than what the plaintiff, one Ronald Duane Kennedy, wanted, would have been good news and cause for celebration. In the mind of Kurt Logan it was good news but Glory Braddock saw past the monetary and financial value of the settlement. She saw the true damage that this entire lawsuit could do to them in the long term. She knew that Kennedy didn’t care as much about the money he was asking for as much as he cared for the potential damage this could do to the reputation of Glory’s company, namely her newly acquired modeling agency.
The gorgeous blonde is wearing a black pencil skirt that stops at the knee, a silver blouse, and a black women’s suit jacket that matches her skirt. She is perched atop black patent leather high heel pumps. Her long blonde hair hangs unrestrained and straight to past the shoulders. Braddock is in Boston, Massachusetts approaching the offices that her cousin Kayla Jones has set up for her agency’s headquarters. She decided to fly up to Boston shortly after her argument with Kurt. The British Bombshell is undecided as to what her next move is, so she wants to speak with her cousin. She feels that Kayla should know what’s going on and maybe then, between the two of them, they can sort out some kind of answer to this dilemma.
Braddock notices that the offices are far more modest than they used to be. Back when Kayla was doing much better she had a building that had three levels to it. But due to cutbacks during their financial difficulties Kayla had to relocate to a smaller, more modest headquarters which is now just a one story building. It is bittersweet to see this building now, because Glory had hoped to move them to a nicer headquarters in Miami where Kayla would be closer to the Glorious Golden Enterprise corporate headquarters but that dream may be dashed along with Kayla’s dreams of keeping this modeling agency alive.
Braddock pushes open the front door and walks across the threshold. The waiting room isn’t fancy by any means but it does have a plain blue carpet, cream colored wallpaper, and a few chairs. There is no secretary waiting on anyone. In fact, there doesn’t seem to be a soul in this entire building; or at least this room, anyway.
“Hello?” Glory calls out curiously. “Anyone here? Kayla?”
There is no answer. Braddock starts to look around the room to see any evidence of anyone but finds nothing. She hears nothing. Braddock decides that apparently no one is here so she turns to leave but stops when she hears someone approaching…
“Ms. Braddock?”
She has only heard this voice once. She can’t exactly place who it is but it is a familiar voice. The British Bombshell turns around and finds a young woman approaching. She is wearing a purple blouse and denim jeans with flip flops. Braddock recognizes the young woman immediately as the individual who helped inspire her to keep fighting even when she at the time was considering giving up the fight herself. This is Fiona Osbourne, one of Kayla’s top models.
“Fiona? Is that you?”
“Yes, it’s me Ms. Braddock.” Fiona nods her head, smiling warmly as Glory approaches Fiona and embraces her in a tight hug. Glory winks at the young woman knowingly.
“I already told you that we’re friends now and you can call me Glory. Ok, mate?”
“Sure thing, Glory.”
“How have you been, by the way? It seems like forever since we last spoke.”
“Oh I’m doing great, Ms. Bra...err, Glory! Ms. Jones-Snow has been teaching me so much about the business side of modeling. I’ve learned so much that she has given me more responsibilities within the agency. I’m unofficially her number two in command out here.” Braddock grins from ear to ear. She enjoys hearing about the success of Fiona, a bright young woman who was an inspiration to her when she really needed it.
“That’s great, mate. It’s good to hear that you’re doing so well.”
“I’ve been watching you too, Glory. I was so excited that you won your fifteenth World Championship, even if it wasn’t for a very long time. I’m just glad you decided to stick around and not give up.” Fiona frowns. “You’re not quitting, are you?”
Glory chuckles and shakes her head. “Not on your life. I was going to quit but a certain someone reminded me that for every hater, there are hundreds of thousands of supporters out there, people who may go unnoticed, but whose lives I still impact, who would miss me if I was gone.”
“Who was that?” Fiona asks. Braddock smirks as she places a hand on her shoulders.
“You, silly!” Braddock chuckles. “You made a big difference with me and reminded me that my dreams can still come true.”
“Wow, I didn’t realize I helped you…” Fiona is blushing clearly embarrassed.
“Well you did.” Braddock looks around. “Now can you tell me where everyone’s at?” Braddock motions to the empty surroundings. “I wasn’t expecting to find things this abandoned.”
“Well it isn’t abandoned.” Fiona points with her finger down a long hallway. “The girls are all meeting with Ms. Jones-Snow in the conference room. I can get her if you need her.”
Braddock shakes her head. “Not necessary, mate. I’m going to be here for a couple of days so I can catch up with her later. I wouldn’t want to interrupt what I assume is an important meeting. It must be important to bring all the models together, am I right?”
Fiona nods her head, confirming that this is indeed a very important meeting. “Oh it is very important. She’s doing damage control. Kennedy is still talking to our models and trying to convince as many of them as he can to leave the agency. There’s been some rumors running rampant about…” Fiona’s voice trails off. Glory can tell that the young woman isn’t comfortable with the subject. She can already guess as to why. “...um...well…” Fiona is clearly nervous. Braddock sighs and just nods her head.
“It’s ok, mate. I think I know. It’s about my husband, isn’t it?” Glory asks. Fiona nods her head, smiling sheepishly.
“I didn’t really wanna say so but...yeah…”
Braddock sighs as she walks over to one of the many empty seats and sits down. Fiona joins her, sitting in a chair next to her. Braddock looks over at Fiona. “So what’s going on?”
“I won’t lie. Many of the girls aren’t thrilled with that their new ownership was accused with assaulting a man that they trusted in RDK.”
“They shouldn’t trust him.” Braddock growls. “He is a con man of the worst variety. For starters it was just one damn punch my husband threw, just one, and secondly RDK provoked it. He wanted Kurt to hit him so he could use the negative publicity against us.”
“That’s what Ms. Jones-Snow suspected.”
Braddock sighs deeply out of frustration. “The sad thing is, Fiona, I’m just not sure how Kayla and I are going to fix this. RDK is going to use this assault to smear my good name, my husband’s good name, and this agency’s good name by association. As long as my name is tied to this agency, I fear that RDK will have plenty of weapons to use against you guys, enough to eventually bring you down. That’s what I need to talk to Kayla about, mate. I am deeply worried about this situation and I fear I may have to cut ties with this agency.”
Fiona’s face grows pale. She quickly realizes what that could mean for the future of the agency and she shakes her head. “No, you can’t quit!”
“I might have to; it is a tough decision but I see no other way for you guys to even have a prayer of surviving this PR onslaught Kennedy has planned.”
“We can get through this. We can find a way.”
“If I don’t quit he’ll eventually drain you of all of your best and most important resources; your people, your models. He’ll get them to quit and jump ship to his agency. If I quit…”
“If you quit we won’t be able to afford to keep the doors open!” Fiona shouts. Glory sighs and as much as she doesn’t want to admit it, Fiona is right. Without Glory’s financial backing, Kayla’s agency may not survive. Braddock shakes her head.
“I just don’t know what to do.”
“You said I inspired you? Glory, you were an inspiration to me. The things you’ve done, the things you put yourself through and endured for the sake of professional wrestling and your family, all of it is so inspiring. What I learned from you is that you cannot give up on your dreams. You need to keep fighting until you find a way to make your dreams a reality.”
“But I’m not sure there is a way…”
Fiona looks into Glory’s eyes, pleading with her. “There is a way. And I know if anyone can find it, it is you.”
The British Bombshell immediately stands up and starts pacing the floor. Fiona looks concerned and stands up as well. She eyes Braddock cautiously. “Glory...what’s wrong?”
“There may be another, Fiona. Hell, I’m pretty damn sure there is another way.” Braddock shakes her head. “But in order to do that I’d have to go back to a place I have tried very hard to suppress.”
“You talking about fighting dirty?”
Braddock nods her head. “You could put it like that, yeah.”
“Considering what RDK has done, considering how he tried to sabotage the agency, how he provoked you and is now using this to ruin your reputation and to ruin this agency, considering all of that, don’t you think anything that you may be thinking about, whatever action you have in mind, may be justified?”
“Is it justified? Certainly. But do I dare go back there?” Braddock shakes her head. “I’m not sure I can.”
Miami, Florida
Off Camera
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Professional wrestling is just one of many things that “The British Bombshell” Glory Braddock is passionate about. Another passion of hers is helping people. This desire to make a difference and to help, to be a bright light in the darkness, is something that she inherited from both her mother and father, but especially from her mother. But Glory’s parents, Mary Ford and Glenn Braddock, divorced when Glory was only sixteen years old. Glenn got custody of the children in the breakup and Mary moved to the United States to be closer to her sister Kelly Ford Jones, the mother of Angelica and Kayla Jones. As a result of Mary being in the United States, she never got to see her daughter’s growth into adulthood. But still, despite many years absence, Glory Braddock still picked that desire to help others from her mother.
Another value that Glory picked up from her mother was the importance of sticking by her family. Mary Ford and her sister Kelly both escaped Soviet Russia, and they knew that they had to stick together in order to survive. So when Glory’s cousin, Kayla Jones, needed help to keep her modeling agency afloat, The British Bombshell didn’t even have to think twice about doing what was necessary to keep Kayla’s modeling agency afloat. As far as Braddock knew, she was just helping a cousin and, in the process, helping those who were at risk of potentially losing a job if the modeling agency were to go under. Little did Braddock know that she was getting herself into a war with another corrupt businessman named Ronald Duane Kennedy.
The man who wants to be known simply as RDK was working for Kayla’s modeling agency, but he was also secretly sabotaging the agency in hope of eventually swooping in and taking it over right from under Kayla’s nose. Once again Braddock would be there to help her family member by keeping the modeling agency afloat herself by buying it out and merging it with her own Glorious Golden Enterprises and keeping her cousin Kayla on as the President of the modeling agency, and RDK would not be allowed anywhere near the agency.
RDK wasn’t happy about being outmaneuvered by The British Bombshell and swore that Braddock would regret her actions. At first she thought those were just empty threats but then she learned RDK had started his own modeling agency and was trying to poach their models. Even then Braddock wasn’t concerned about the threat RDK and his new agency posed, but then the worst case scenario happened. RDK approached Braddock and her husband Kurt Logan at a public appearance and provoked Kurt into assaulting him. Now RDK has filed a lawsuit requesting a massive sum of $500,00 in damages.
The lawsuit nor the damages requested do not concern Glory. She is no lawyer but she knows enough to realize that five hundred grand is an insane amount to ask for when he was just punched one time by Kurt Logan. Glory’s attorney, Robert Odom, even confirmed that no judge worth their salt would grant RDK the full sum he is requesting. What does concern The British Bombshell is the potential damage this could do to her company’s reputation. Her name, her husband’s name, is tied to this modeling agency and RDK will be using this scandal to try and convince more of the models to leave the agency. Image is everything, Glory Braddock knows this, and she is concerned about what this could do to her image.
Inside the kitchen area we see Glory Braddock with her cell phone placed up against her ear with one hand and a glass of red wine in the other hand. She is wearing a yellow sundress that stops just above the knee and a pair of low heeled sandals. Her long blonde hair hangs straight to past the shoulders. She is listening intensely as the individual on the other end is none other than her attorney, Robert Odom, who is giving her an update on the legal proceedings.
“Yes, I understand Bob…”
As Glory paces the kitchen floor she happens to notice her husband, Kurt Logan, entering. He is wearing a pair of black gym shorts, flip flops, and a plain white t-shirt. He notices Glory is on the phone and mouths the word “Odom” as if to ask Braddock if that indeed was their attorney she was speaking with on the phone. Glory nods her head, confirming Kurt’s suspicions. Kurt then listens closely while he retrieves a glass from the cupboard…
“So they’re willing to settle? That’s good to hear but how did Kennedy feel about that, he couldn’t have been happy?”
Kurt cannot hold back the smile that now creeps across his face. It sounds as if Odom’s legal instincts were correct; the judge did not side with RDK. At least that is the way it sounds based on Glory’s end of the conversation. Kurt cannot hear what Odom is saying on the other end. Kurt walks over to the refrigerator and produces the orange juice. He pours some juice into the glass from the cupboard.
“That’s good to hear, Bob. Thank you for everything you’ve done.”
Braddock pushes a button on her phone to hang up and then places the phone down. The British Bombshell sighs deeply and walks over to the island in the center of the kitchen. There is a stool and she sits down with her glass of wine. Kurt pulls up a stool next to his wife and sits down next to her with his glass of orange juice. Kurt looks over at his wife and smiles.
“Good news I suppose?”
“Maybe.”
“Maybe?” Kurt seems confused at this answer as he takes a sip of his orange juice. “I thought I heard you say that the judge wasn’t going to give Kennedy what he wanted?”
“I said that, yeah.”
“That’s good then, right?”
Braddock shrugs her shoulders. “Somewhat.”
“How can it be just somewhat good? The judge isn’t giving him the five hundred thousand he wants is he?”
“Hell no. The judge damn near laughed Kenndy out of courthouse. Kennedy’s own attorneys knew it was a bad idea to seek damages of that size and had to convince him to settle for the one thousand the judge was willing to give him.”
“One thousand dollars? That’s all we owe Kennedy for that punch to his jaw?”
“That’s right.” Glory says nodding her head as she takes a sip of her wine. Kurt smirks arrogantly.
“Hmmm, I think one thousand dollars may be worth punching that cocky little bastard.”
“I’m not sure I would agree with you on that one, love.”
“Why are you so pessimistic, babe?” Kurt asks incredulously. “He wanted five hundred thousand for a simple punch to the jaw. The judge basically bitch slapped him and said here’s a thousand, take it or leave it. And wasn’t Kennedy pissed about that?”
“Oh yeah, he was incensed.”
“Great! So what’s the problem?”
“The problem isn’t our legal troubles or the money. It never was.”
Braddock sounds very frustrated at her husband, frustrated that he doesn’t seem to understand. The British Bombshell gets up off of the stool and walks away with her glass of wine. Kurt watches as his wife exits the kitchen. Immediately he gets up and follows suit, exiting the kitchen and following her into the living room. He finds Braddock sitting on the plush leather sofa, her legs crossed and her face staring blankly ahead. Kurt realizes something is definitely wrong but he doesn’t know what. He sits down next to his lovely wife and wraps an arm around her shoulders.
“What’s wrong, Glory?”
“Do you really not understand?”
“No, I don’t.”
“I suppose you wouldn’t understand. You’re not a businessperson. You’re a wrestler and a damn good husband, but you’re not a businessperson. I am a wrestler but I also know business and I know a problem when I see it and this is a problem. Kennedy may act like he is upset about the money, about the settlement, about the judge verbally smacking him down. And y’know what? A part of that arrogant ass may be legitimately upset. But the money was never his primary goal. That isn’t what he really wanted and what he really wants to do is damage; damage my company, damage Glorious Golden Enterprise.”
Kurt furrows his brow in genuine confusion. “But we’re only losing out on one thousand dollars. How is he damaging our company?”
“You’re right, he didn’t do much damage to us financially, but he can do a lot of damage to our reputation. You know as well as I do that he has been trying to convince some of Kayla’s models to leave the agency and join his new startup agency. Some were already tempted because he used to work for the agency before I got rid of him. He can tempt others to jump ship by running our name through the mud, by telling any media outlet who will listen about how Glory Braddock’s husband assaulted him.”
“That isn’t what happened and you know it.”
“I know it, you know it, and hell, even Kennedy knows it. But as Mark Twain once said, never let the truth get in the way of a good story; and RDK now has a bloody wonderful story to tell about you assaulting him.” Braddock tips back her glass and finishes off her wine in one gulp. She sets the glass down and sighs deeply out of frustration. “We’ve basically given the buffoon the ammunition he needs to wage a public relations war on my company.”
Kurt is silent. He honestly had never thought about it like that but his wife is correct. Image may not be the only thing but it does matter a great deal especially in the corporate world. And a conman like RDK will definitely use this scandal to his advantage. “No, I gave him the ammunition. I was the one who punched him. I’m sorry.”
“Hush with that talk, love. I already told you that there’s nothing for you to apologize about. I would have done the same damn thing, you just beat me to the punch…” Glory smirks as she realizes she just made a pun “...yeah, punch, ironic?”
“Ha!” Kurt laughs as he gives his wife a kiss on her cheek. After this brief moment of levity Kurt leans back and sighs. Then he asks the next and most obvious question. “So what are we going to do?”
“The only advantage we have is that we know what he’s going to do. There is no mystery about it, there is no guessing. He’s going to try and slander us. But how do we stop it?” She shrugs her shoulders. “I don’t know that one…”
“What does he want though?”
“You know that one, Kurt. He wants Kayla’s modeling agency to go bankrupt. He wants it dead in the water. That’s what he wants.” Braddock shakes her head. “But I can’t give him what he wants. I am not going to kill the agency and let him win.”
“You don’t have to do that. He can only slander us. I am the one who assaulted him, he filed a lawsuit against us. None of this has anything to do with your cousin or her modeling agency. If we disassociate ourselves from her modeling agency then her agency is out of the line of fire.”
Braddock rolls her eyes, frustrated with Kurt’s suggestion. “And how do I do that, Kurt? The only way to truly disassociate myself with my cousin’s modeling agency is to sell it to someone else. Kayla doesn’t trust anyone else. It took a great deal of convincing for her to sell it to me, and we’re family. This is her dream and she doesn’t trust her dream in just anyone’s hands. The only person I could sell it to is back to Kayla herself and then she’d just be back in the same problem she was to start with. Remember she needed to sell to me because she didn’t have the finances on her own to keep her agency alive. She won’t have the financial capability to support it now.”
“But it may be the only chance.” Kurt insists. “RDK is out there right now using this scandal to his advantage, trying to poach Kayla’s models away. The only way that his sleazy con is going to work is if we are still associated with the modeling agency. If we sever our ties then…
“...then her agency dies!” Braddock screams loudly standing up and glaring angrily at Kurt. “Either way, RDK wins!”
With that Glory Braddock storms out of the living room. Kurt gets up to follow after her but then he hears the front door slamming shut. Obviously she just left. Kurt sighs and realizes that his wife needs some space. He sits back down on the sofa. He isn’t sure what he can do to help his wife through this. Despite his attempt at optimism, he must admit that their current situation is dire. Either Glory severs ties with Kayla’s modeling agency and thus Kayla has to shut down because she cannot financially support it or RDK slowly kills it via a public relations massacre. Kurt knows that his wife wants this dream to stay alive but he isn’t sure if this dream has any hope left.
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Boston, Massachusetts
Off Camera
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It has been several days since the heated exchange between Glory Braddock and her husband Kurt Logan after hearing the news from Robert Odom over the settlement of the lawsuit. One would think that the news of the lawsuit not only being settled but for far less than what the plaintiff, one Ronald Duane Kennedy, wanted, would have been good news and cause for celebration. In the mind of Kurt Logan it was good news but Glory Braddock saw past the monetary and financial value of the settlement. She saw the true damage that this entire lawsuit could do to them in the long term. She knew that Kennedy didn’t care as much about the money he was asking for as much as he cared for the potential damage this could do to the reputation of Glory’s company, namely her newly acquired modeling agency.
The gorgeous blonde is wearing a black pencil skirt that stops at the knee, a silver blouse, and a black women’s suit jacket that matches her skirt. She is perched atop black patent leather high heel pumps. Her long blonde hair hangs unrestrained and straight to past the shoulders. Braddock is in Boston, Massachusetts approaching the offices that her cousin Kayla Jones has set up for her agency’s headquarters. She decided to fly up to Boston shortly after her argument with Kurt. The British Bombshell is undecided as to what her next move is, so she wants to speak with her cousin. She feels that Kayla should know what’s going on and maybe then, between the two of them, they can sort out some kind of answer to this dilemma.
Braddock notices that the offices are far more modest than they used to be. Back when Kayla was doing much better she had a building that had three levels to it. But due to cutbacks during their financial difficulties Kayla had to relocate to a smaller, more modest headquarters which is now just a one story building. It is bittersweet to see this building now, because Glory had hoped to move them to a nicer headquarters in Miami where Kayla would be closer to the Glorious Golden Enterprise corporate headquarters but that dream may be dashed along with Kayla’s dreams of keeping this modeling agency alive.
Braddock pushes open the front door and walks across the threshold. The waiting room isn’t fancy by any means but it does have a plain blue carpet, cream colored wallpaper, and a few chairs. There is no secretary waiting on anyone. In fact, there doesn’t seem to be a soul in this entire building; or at least this room, anyway.
“Hello?” Glory calls out curiously. “Anyone here? Kayla?”
There is no answer. Braddock starts to look around the room to see any evidence of anyone but finds nothing. She hears nothing. Braddock decides that apparently no one is here so she turns to leave but stops when she hears someone approaching…
“Ms. Braddock?”
She has only heard this voice once. She can’t exactly place who it is but it is a familiar voice. The British Bombshell turns around and finds a young woman approaching. She is wearing a purple blouse and denim jeans with flip flops. Braddock recognizes the young woman immediately as the individual who helped inspire her to keep fighting even when she at the time was considering giving up the fight herself. This is Fiona Osbourne, one of Kayla’s top models.
“Fiona? Is that you?”
“Yes, it’s me Ms. Braddock.” Fiona nods her head, smiling warmly as Glory approaches Fiona and embraces her in a tight hug. Glory winks at the young woman knowingly.
“I already told you that we’re friends now and you can call me Glory. Ok, mate?”
“Sure thing, Glory.”
“How have you been, by the way? It seems like forever since we last spoke.”
“Oh I’m doing great, Ms. Bra...err, Glory! Ms. Jones-Snow has been teaching me so much about the business side of modeling. I’ve learned so much that she has given me more responsibilities within the agency. I’m unofficially her number two in command out here.” Braddock grins from ear to ear. She enjoys hearing about the success of Fiona, a bright young woman who was an inspiration to her when she really needed it.
“That’s great, mate. It’s good to hear that you’re doing so well.”
“I’ve been watching you too, Glory. I was so excited that you won your fifteenth World Championship, even if it wasn’t for a very long time. I’m just glad you decided to stick around and not give up.” Fiona frowns. “You’re not quitting, are you?”
Glory chuckles and shakes her head. “Not on your life. I was going to quit but a certain someone reminded me that for every hater, there are hundreds of thousands of supporters out there, people who may go unnoticed, but whose lives I still impact, who would miss me if I was gone.”
“Who was that?” Fiona asks. Braddock smirks as she places a hand on her shoulders.
“You, silly!” Braddock chuckles. “You made a big difference with me and reminded me that my dreams can still come true.”
“Wow, I didn’t realize I helped you…” Fiona is blushing clearly embarrassed.
“Well you did.” Braddock looks around. “Now can you tell me where everyone’s at?” Braddock motions to the empty surroundings. “I wasn’t expecting to find things this abandoned.”
“Well it isn’t abandoned.” Fiona points with her finger down a long hallway. “The girls are all meeting with Ms. Jones-Snow in the conference room. I can get her if you need her.”
Braddock shakes her head. “Not necessary, mate. I’m going to be here for a couple of days so I can catch up with her later. I wouldn’t want to interrupt what I assume is an important meeting. It must be important to bring all the models together, am I right?”
Fiona nods her head, confirming that this is indeed a very important meeting. “Oh it is very important. She’s doing damage control. Kennedy is still talking to our models and trying to convince as many of them as he can to leave the agency. There’s been some rumors running rampant about…” Fiona’s voice trails off. Glory can tell that the young woman isn’t comfortable with the subject. She can already guess as to why. “...um...well…” Fiona is clearly nervous. Braddock sighs and just nods her head.
“It’s ok, mate. I think I know. It’s about my husband, isn’t it?” Glory asks. Fiona nods her head, smiling sheepishly.
“I didn’t really wanna say so but...yeah…”
Braddock sighs as she walks over to one of the many empty seats and sits down. Fiona joins her, sitting in a chair next to her. Braddock looks over at Fiona. “So what’s going on?”
“I won’t lie. Many of the girls aren’t thrilled with that their new ownership was accused with assaulting a man that they trusted in RDK.”
“They shouldn’t trust him.” Braddock growls. “He is a con man of the worst variety. For starters it was just one damn punch my husband threw, just one, and secondly RDK provoked it. He wanted Kurt to hit him so he could use the negative publicity against us.”
“That’s what Ms. Jones-Snow suspected.”
Braddock sighs deeply out of frustration. “The sad thing is, Fiona, I’m just not sure how Kayla and I are going to fix this. RDK is going to use this assault to smear my good name, my husband’s good name, and this agency’s good name by association. As long as my name is tied to this agency, I fear that RDK will have plenty of weapons to use against you guys, enough to eventually bring you down. That’s what I need to talk to Kayla about, mate. I am deeply worried about this situation and I fear I may have to cut ties with this agency.”
Fiona’s face grows pale. She quickly realizes what that could mean for the future of the agency and she shakes her head. “No, you can’t quit!”
“I might have to; it is a tough decision but I see no other way for you guys to even have a prayer of surviving this PR onslaught Kennedy has planned.”
“We can get through this. We can find a way.”
“If I don’t quit he’ll eventually drain you of all of your best and most important resources; your people, your models. He’ll get them to quit and jump ship to his agency. If I quit…”
“If you quit we won’t be able to afford to keep the doors open!” Fiona shouts. Glory sighs and as much as she doesn’t want to admit it, Fiona is right. Without Glory’s financial backing, Kayla’s agency may not survive. Braddock shakes her head.
“I just don’t know what to do.”
“You said I inspired you? Glory, you were an inspiration to me. The things you’ve done, the things you put yourself through and endured for the sake of professional wrestling and your family, all of it is so inspiring. What I learned from you is that you cannot give up on your dreams. You need to keep fighting until you find a way to make your dreams a reality.”
“But I’m not sure there is a way…”
Fiona looks into Glory’s eyes, pleading with her. “There is a way. And I know if anyone can find it, it is you.”
The British Bombshell immediately stands up and starts pacing the floor. Fiona looks concerned and stands up as well. She eyes Braddock cautiously. “Glory...what’s wrong?”
“There may be another, Fiona. Hell, I’m pretty damn sure there is another way.” Braddock shakes her head. “But in order to do that I’d have to go back to a place I have tried very hard to suppress.”
“You talking about fighting dirty?”
Braddock nods her head. “You could put it like that, yeah.”
“Considering what RDK has done, considering how he tried to sabotage the agency, how he provoked you and is now using this to ruin your reputation and to ruin this agency, considering all of that, don’t you think anything that you may be thinking about, whatever action you have in mind, may be justified?”
“Is it justified? Certainly. But do I dare go back there?” Braddock shakes her head. “I’m not sure I can.”