Post by Deleted on May 19, 2020 13:08:14 GMT -6
May 14, 2020
Victoria and Gavin are at the airport in Chicago, about twenty minutes before the flight to Dallas is scheduled to leave. Victoria hasn’t packed too much considering she’s only going to be there for a weekend before returning to Chicago.
Gavin: You’re sure you can tackle this, right?
Victoria: I know I can. This is something that I have to do. Granted, I wish this was someplace other than Dallas…
Gavin: Oh right… the crowds in that DFW area have given you a hard time over the years, haven’t they? You know… over that whole Larry Doane thing?
Victoria: Yeah.
Gavin: It’s been more than six years since that guy last wrestled a match. I’m almost sure most of that hometown region of his is over it. Besides, you’re not slated to make a significant appearance on Resurrection weekend are you?
Victoria: Not that I’m aware of.
Gavin: Just focus on having a good time, alright? You got this.
Victoria nods before she and Gavin exchange a hug and a quick kiss. At this point, Victoria turns and begins to head in the direction of the runway where her flight is located… unsure of what this latest journey is going to bring her.
May 27, 2018
It’s the morning of Night Three of GCW’s Resurrection VII event. Victoria has freshened up for the day and she’s really not in a great mood as she walks a few doors down the corridor of the hotel she’s staying at for Resurrection weekend in Last Vegas. Feelings of regret pour through her veins as she knocks on the door of her intended hotel room. Taking a deep breath, she watches the door open and Shotgun general manager (at that time) Allison Mayberry is seen. She’s surprised to see her so early, but nonetheless, is inviting.
Allison: Vicky? This couldn’t have waited until tonight?
Victoria: It’s urgent, Allison.
Allison: Okay. Come in then.
Allison steps aside and allows Victoria to enter. Victoria lets out a sigh before she just gets right to the point.
Victoria: I’m giving you my 90 day notice, Allison.
Allison: ...WHAT?
Allison is understandably shocked, especially considering that Victoria, for the time she was in GCW, was one of the most reliable members on the roster.
Victoria: This is something I’ve been thinking about for weeks… months maybe. Last night… after I walked off the stage for my Hall of Fame induction… that thought became even more intense. That feeling that… there’s nothing left to do here…
Allison: Did something go wrong with Axl?
Victoria: ...Allison, why would you think that? This has nothing to do with that.
Allison: I just find the timing interesting… I mean… I’ve been to weddings, even planned them when I was a college kid coming out of UC Irvine and I’ve never seen a bride be THAT unhappy…
Victoria: ...we can talk about that later. I need you to be my boss right now, not my friend. There’s nothing left for me here. I don’t want to hang around too long and become irrelevant. I’ve seen what happens to many wrestlers here… no matter how legendary they are... no matter how much they’ve accomplished… become irrelevant. They can never reach that level again for whatever reason. It’s happened to many of them: Midas, Gabby, Angelica, Devon Kayl, Malcolm Cross… and you know that two years ago, I had a big scare… when nothing was going my way and I was being wasted in the tag team division against my own will basically. I can’t risk that happening to me again… I don’t want the same thing to happen to me that happened to the names I just mentioned.
Allison: You’ve got too much passion for this to allow such a thing to happen to you…
Victoria: That didn’t stop me from dealing with way more than I had to deal with 2 years ago. I’m leaving before I reach that point… and that’s that.
Allison: Fine. I’ll put in that 90 day notice for you tomorrow. Listen, if you change your mind…
Victoria: I probably won’t… but I get it.
Allison: You’re going to allow me to be your friend now, right?
Victoria nods.
Allison: What’s going on?
Victoria: Sorry Allison, I’m not in the mood to talk about it. Just let me get through tonight and we’ll talk after the show… tomorrow morning at latest. Let’s just say that I’ve realized I made a big mistake yesterday and I realized that the man I just married isn’t what I really wanted… it’s complicated… but let’s just focus on getting through tonight. My match with Myra is all I care about at the moment…
Allison nods in understanding as Victoria walks out of Allison’s room not realizing the gravity of what her near-future holds at this moment.
May 16, 2020
Being in a GCW event, let alone in that locker room again certainly made Victoria feel a bit awkward. It’s been nearly two years since she had left and in her own mind, when she left, she left on the worst possible note that she could’ve left on. Being dressed in a lavender gown and looking as sophisticated as possible for the GCW Hall of Fame ceremony that was to take place that night doesn’t quell these feelings a bit. Looking around and seeing faces she had never worked with before, realizing how different the roster has become since she left, just adds to the discomfort she’s feeling.
Voice: HI!!!!
The excited voice of Jazmyn Rain buzzes behind her and Victoria turns around to see one of her old GCW friends.
Jazmyn: I’m so glad you came!!!
The two women exchange a hug, though it’s more enthusiastic from Jazmyn’s end.
Victoria: Yeah, I’m glad I was invited.
Jazmyn: You don’t look it… no offense.
Victoria: Jaz, as happy as I am to be here… it just feels really awkward for me. I left GCW as one of the most hated people backstage.
Jazmyn: Really? Where’d you get that idea? I didn’t leave GCW on a high note myself, remember?
Victoria: At least you get to make up for that tonight… even though it’s a year later than it should’ve been…
Jazmyn: I’m not so hung up on that. Listen, we’ll catch up tomorrow. I know that what happened at the end of your run here still has an effect on you today… but that doesn’t mean you still can’t try to interact with people. If GCW really hated you, do you honestly think they’d let me invite you to be here?
Victoria: Good point.
Jazmyn: We’ll catch up later.
They exchange another quick hug before Jazmyn disappears into the crowd, continuing to mingle with some other wrestlers she was familiar with in her time… as if she had never left. It’s hard for Victoria to do the same as she walks around the catering area, not feeling too hungry. She decides to not debate about what she wants to eat at the moment and when she tries to walk toward an empty table, she’s stopped about halfway there by another familiar face…
Woman: Vicky?
Victoria: Christy?
Christy Hightower is one of the faces Victoria is absolutely familiar with. They didn’t get along that great when they first met five years ago, but for the most part, they’ve been on cordial terms over the years. Granted, they haven’t seen each other since Victoria left GCW… until now anyway. Victoria is a bit surprised to see Christy extend her arms for a hug, but nonetheless, she returns the embrace anyway.
Victoria: How’ve you been?
Christy: I’ve been great, you know, the usual. Cody and I have been doing just fine. What about you? I know you’ve been on quite a trip since you left GCW.
Victoria: You don’t know the half of it. Hell, I can’t believe I’m actually here. I thought because of everything that had happened when I left, I’d be hated in the annals of GCW history forever. In fact, I was even worried I’d be kicked out of the hall of fame.
These words cause Christy to be understandably confused.
Christy: Why would you think that? You and Myra left GCW after the last match you had together and I never heard of anyone here really hating you.
Victoria raises her eyebrows in complete shock.
Victoria: Really? I was under the impression that when the whole “divorce thing” happened, I was the most hated person on the roster.
Christy: At the end of the day, your personal life is your business and nobody has the right to judge you for that… even if you should’ve gone about it better. You never got to tell me why you left.
Victoria: I felt like I had done everything there is to do, that’s why. I didn’t want to just hang around and be irrelevant…
Christy: Irrelevant? You? It’s practically impossible. You beat Cody and reigned as a world champion for five months despite being surrounded by three toxic people… their names aren’t important by the way… in the Slay Revolution. It takes a lot of talent to do that. And while we’re on that subject, why do you have to be so ashamed of that title reign? Maybe you did take a few liberties here and there during that reign, but who wouldn’t have in your situation? It’s nothing to be ashamed of and maybe you need to look at it from a different light. It does hurt to see a friend be so hard on herself. Let me ask you this. Has anyone taken GCW by storm the way you have ever since? Two championships AND Civil War within what? Four months? Five?
Victoria: No… not before or since.
Christy: Exactly. You’re too hard on yourself in general. If you had stayed, there’s no way you would’ve become irrelevant. I get that you define relevancy to a degree by how involved you are in the world title picture, but knowing you? You would’ve won number six… maybe even number seven by now if you’d stayed. I do understand wanting to branch out and do something new though. I’ve done it to… almost-undefeated UWA Cruiserweight Champion, remember?
Victoria: Best reign in that title’s history, how could I forget that? You’re not wrong. I am too hard on myself at times. For two years almost, I had it in my mind that I’m so disliked around here over something that took place in my personal life.
Christy: Sometimes you worry too much about how other people look at you, but that’s nothing new. Five years ago, you were the same way. But I promise you, there is not a person in this building that was in GCW at the same time that you were there that holds a grudge against you. What happened, happened. Even if anyone was upset about it at the time, it’s been nearly two years. Everyone in GCW is an adult. Anyone who was upset about it has moved on. You haven’t forgiven yourself for how it ended for you in GCW, have you?
Victoria: No, I haven’t. That’s exactly why I’m here… for closure. I’m not planning on wrestling another match in GCW. MWE is where it’s at for me now. But I want to end things on the right note… to be at peace with myself. I sure as hell don’t want my last memory here to be a loss to Myra Lynwood…
Christy: See… now that I CAN’T blame you for…
Christy has a chuckle to herself, which even brings one out of Victoria, lightening the mood a bit for her.
Christy: But closure is good, Vicky. Sometimes to move forward, you’ve got to close the door on the past… the right way. I need to catch up with Cody, but before I do… as a friend? You deserve to be happy. You deserve to be you. No matter what may have happened at the end of your GCW run or how things unfolded, you’re never going to be forgotten here. There isn’t a soul in this company that will ever take away the impact you’ve left here. Just enjoy the night, have fun! You didn’t get to do that enough when you were here.
Victoria: Yeah… you’re not wrong about that. I’ll do my best! It was great catching up… and thanks for being honest with me. I needed to hear that… you know, for my own good!
Christy: Anytime!
The two exchange a hug before they part ways and Victoria finds an empty table near the corner of the catering area, which is perfect for her at the moment. She sits at that table, all by herself… reflecting on the night she had left GCW…
August 2018
Victoria just sits on the trunk of her car overlooking the arena entrance after her last night in GCW. She went out a loser… which that in and of itself is hard enough… but the GCW ride is over and she’s living with a lot of regret.
Victoria: It feels wrong for me to leave… but I know that I have to…
The last two months in particular have been very hard on her especially in the glow of the news of her marriage to Axl Austin being done after just one month due to an annulment.
Voice: You’re doing the right thing.
Victoria is a bit startled by the sudden appearance of Myra Lynwood, who like Victoria, is leaving GCW on this night as well. The big difference is that Myra got to go out a winner… and at Victoria’s expense at that.
Myra: I just wanted you to know that I meant what I said out there…
Victoria: I know you did. Thanks.
Myra: You know it too, don’t you? That you’re starting to get UWA vibes from this place? Come on, Vicky. These vibes are the reason the two of us and Andrea got the hell out of there.
Victoria: While you’re not wrong on the vibes, I put in my 90 days with Allison a month before the whole “Axl thing” came to light and before those “vibes” started to permeate. My departure has nothing to do with “vibes”. If that’s your thing, then that’s your thing, but I’m not jumping on that bandwagon. I put in my notice because I had nothing left to do here… not because of Axl… or the rapidly changing environment… which I’m very unsure about as far as GCW’s future is concerned...
Myra: It’s not our problem anymore. We’re done here. Regardless of why you’re leaving… it doesn’t change the fact that it’s the right thing. I know how attached you are to this place and how hard it is for you to leave but still. It’s time to move on. Good call on moving on… even if I think you’re going to the wrong place. I’m REALLY unsure about this HYBRID place you’re going to. Are you sure you don’t want to come to Carnage with me?
Victoria: It’s best if I don’t considering the bad blood we’ve had over the years. Still though… if Tina Valentine… TINA… can succeed there… or Arabella Madison or whatever the fuck her name is these days… I don’t see why I wouldn’t.
Myra: Please. Any time you share a locker room with that bitch, she’s always dragged you down in one form or another. You have to ask yourself, Vicky… is the place you’re going to better than the place you left? I can answer yes to that. I don’t know if you can. Either way, best of luck… and I’m sure we’ll cross paths again at some point. I look forward to that…
Myra departs into the night leaving Victoria alone. Victoria takes one last glance at the entrance, feeling heartbroken already.
Victoria: This wasn’t the way I wanted to go… not like this… not with a loss to MYRA LYNWOOD… not with being surrounded by all of this “marriage” controversy. I have to be one of the most hated people here now… after all of that…
Tears begin to flood in her eyes as she enters her car and departs what she thought would be the last GCW event she would ever go to… confidence shattered considering how GCW ended for her at this time…
Victoria snaps out of her flashback at this point as she remains seated at the table.
Victoria (thinking): Christy’s right. I shouldn’t be so hard on myself. Maybe things in GCW didn’t end the way I would’ve liked, but does it take away the good things I did here? It doesn’t. I really need to quit being so hard on myself.
Voice: Hello, stranger.
Victoria snaps out of her thoughts as she looks up to see a fellow Hall of Fame member in Timothy Myers standing above her. Victoria and Tim were never on the same brand, but nevertheless, they had grown quite close during her time there. Victoria stands up to meet him in the eye, feeling quite a bit nervous about the conversation that’s about to happen.
Victoria: Hey Tim. How’ve you been?
Tim: I’ve been well… dealing with some life changing news and all.
Victoria: Oh?
Tim: You haven’t heard?
Victoria: Heard about?
Tim: I’m going to be a father.
This causes Victoria to raise her eyebrows some, as she’s clearly surprised.
Tim: Olivia is expecting in a few months. She’s about halfway through the pregnancy.
This news brings a brief smile out of Victoria.
Victoria: Good for you! Congratulations! Though… knowing you the way I did during my GCW time, I had never really seen you as the fatherly type. You always spoke your mind on things… I remember. You were very much into it. I knew that passion that you always had for this. We’ve always been similar with that… with how hard we push ourselves.
Tim: I see things different now, with this news. Turns out we push ourselves too hard sometimes. I haven’t wrestled since last year and if and when I get a chance to come back to wrestling, it won’t be for a while. I want to be there for Liv and the baby for as long as I feel I need to be there before I come back, no matter how long it takes.
Victoria: Wow…
Victoria is expressing surprise at what she just heard.
Victoria: It’s crazy how parenthood can change a person.
Tim: I know, right? What about you? I know you got remarried. Are you planning on having any children yourself?
Victoria: That’s something that… I haven’t thought about it at all. I’m not at that stage of my life where I’m ready to give up wrestling for that. I can’t imagine being out of the business for that long. It’s great that you’re doing that and I’m happy for you. I don’t think that type of thing is for me though.
Tim: I respect that, 100%. I get it as far as you’re concerned. Still, as a friend? There comes a time where one day, you’re not going to do this anymore.
Victoria: That’s not the first time I’ve heard that lately. But believe me, I’m listening to everything you’re saying. I’m looking into… separating myself from this… a little more. I don’t want to base how I feel about myself on how my career is going. It’s not healthy. You know more than most how much I push myself…
Tim: Trust me, I know. The bottom line is… there’s so much more to life than wrestling, or any career. I’ve realized that now. There’s nothing wrong with taking time for yourself and separating yourself from this every now and then. You don’t need to be a workaholic with this anymore. Take it from someone that’s got a new perspective on life now. Your life outside of the ring is far more important than what goes on inside it.
Victoria nods, completely understanding where he’s coming from.
Victoria: You’re right. I promise you, I’m working on that. Hell, I haven’t done any intense physical training in about… what? A week now? I’ve been focusing on myself mentally more than anything… and learning to love myself as a person outside of the ring. It’s not an overnight change, but I’ll get there.
Tim: I know you will! Hey, it was great talking again. You don’t have to be a stranger. You still have friends here, don’t forget that. I, for one, never held anything against you for the way things ended with you around here.
Victoria: Thanks for telling me that. I’ll keep in touch.
Victoria and Tim exchange a hug before Tim walks back into the party that’s taking place prior to the Hall of Fame ceremony starting. Suddenly, Victoria is starting to come around on the way things ended for her in GCW. As the night goes on, she is gradually feeling better about herself. Still, she’s not quite ready to mingle just yet. She sits back down at the table, observing the party, thinking about the remainder of the night that’s yet to come.
Victoria (thinking): I’ve had it wrong the whole time. I’m NOT hated here… not even close to what I thought. It looks like I just might have that closure that I wanted after all. Christy and Tim are right, I do need to be easier on myself and I need to stop blaming myself for everything that happened when I left. I made mistakes… sure… but who hasn’t?
Victoria sees Jazmyn Rain walking by and she stands up to catch her attention.
Victoria: Jaz… wait…
Jazmyn pauses and looks at Victoria.
Victoria: Mind walking with me while I try to catch up with others?
Jazmyn’s initial response is with a smile.
Jazmyn: Sure! Great to see you trying to break out of that shell! Just because I’m the one getting inducted doesn’t mean you can’t have your closure also.
Victoria and Jazmyn walk away from the table to try to mingle with more of their ex-coworkers as the special night in Dallas rolls along…
TBC...
Victoria and Gavin are at the airport in Chicago, about twenty minutes before the flight to Dallas is scheduled to leave. Victoria hasn’t packed too much considering she’s only going to be there for a weekend before returning to Chicago.
Gavin: You’re sure you can tackle this, right?
Victoria: I know I can. This is something that I have to do. Granted, I wish this was someplace other than Dallas…
Gavin: Oh right… the crowds in that DFW area have given you a hard time over the years, haven’t they? You know… over that whole Larry Doane thing?
Victoria: Yeah.
Gavin: It’s been more than six years since that guy last wrestled a match. I’m almost sure most of that hometown region of his is over it. Besides, you’re not slated to make a significant appearance on Resurrection weekend are you?
Victoria: Not that I’m aware of.
Gavin: Just focus on having a good time, alright? You got this.
Victoria nods before she and Gavin exchange a hug and a quick kiss. At this point, Victoria turns and begins to head in the direction of the runway where her flight is located… unsure of what this latest journey is going to bring her.
May 27, 2018
It’s the morning of Night Three of GCW’s Resurrection VII event. Victoria has freshened up for the day and she’s really not in a great mood as she walks a few doors down the corridor of the hotel she’s staying at for Resurrection weekend in Last Vegas. Feelings of regret pour through her veins as she knocks on the door of her intended hotel room. Taking a deep breath, she watches the door open and Shotgun general manager (at that time) Allison Mayberry is seen. She’s surprised to see her so early, but nonetheless, is inviting.
Allison: Vicky? This couldn’t have waited until tonight?
Victoria: It’s urgent, Allison.
Allison: Okay. Come in then.
Allison steps aside and allows Victoria to enter. Victoria lets out a sigh before she just gets right to the point.
Victoria: I’m giving you my 90 day notice, Allison.
Allison: ...WHAT?
Allison is understandably shocked, especially considering that Victoria, for the time she was in GCW, was one of the most reliable members on the roster.
Victoria: This is something I’ve been thinking about for weeks… months maybe. Last night… after I walked off the stage for my Hall of Fame induction… that thought became even more intense. That feeling that… there’s nothing left to do here…
Allison: Did something go wrong with Axl?
Victoria: ...Allison, why would you think that? This has nothing to do with that.
Allison: I just find the timing interesting… I mean… I’ve been to weddings, even planned them when I was a college kid coming out of UC Irvine and I’ve never seen a bride be THAT unhappy…
Victoria: ...we can talk about that later. I need you to be my boss right now, not my friend. There’s nothing left for me here. I don’t want to hang around too long and become irrelevant. I’ve seen what happens to many wrestlers here… no matter how legendary they are... no matter how much they’ve accomplished… become irrelevant. They can never reach that level again for whatever reason. It’s happened to many of them: Midas, Gabby, Angelica, Devon Kayl, Malcolm Cross… and you know that two years ago, I had a big scare… when nothing was going my way and I was being wasted in the tag team division against my own will basically. I can’t risk that happening to me again… I don’t want the same thing to happen to me that happened to the names I just mentioned.
Allison: You’ve got too much passion for this to allow such a thing to happen to you…
Victoria: That didn’t stop me from dealing with way more than I had to deal with 2 years ago. I’m leaving before I reach that point… and that’s that.
Allison: Fine. I’ll put in that 90 day notice for you tomorrow. Listen, if you change your mind…
Victoria: I probably won’t… but I get it.
Allison: You’re going to allow me to be your friend now, right?
Victoria nods.
Allison: What’s going on?
Victoria: Sorry Allison, I’m not in the mood to talk about it. Just let me get through tonight and we’ll talk after the show… tomorrow morning at latest. Let’s just say that I’ve realized I made a big mistake yesterday and I realized that the man I just married isn’t what I really wanted… it’s complicated… but let’s just focus on getting through tonight. My match with Myra is all I care about at the moment…
Allison nods in understanding as Victoria walks out of Allison’s room not realizing the gravity of what her near-future holds at this moment.
May 16, 2020
Being in a GCW event, let alone in that locker room again certainly made Victoria feel a bit awkward. It’s been nearly two years since she had left and in her own mind, when she left, she left on the worst possible note that she could’ve left on. Being dressed in a lavender gown and looking as sophisticated as possible for the GCW Hall of Fame ceremony that was to take place that night doesn’t quell these feelings a bit. Looking around and seeing faces she had never worked with before, realizing how different the roster has become since she left, just adds to the discomfort she’s feeling.
Voice: HI!!!!
The excited voice of Jazmyn Rain buzzes behind her and Victoria turns around to see one of her old GCW friends.
Jazmyn: I’m so glad you came!!!
The two women exchange a hug, though it’s more enthusiastic from Jazmyn’s end.
Victoria: Yeah, I’m glad I was invited.
Jazmyn: You don’t look it… no offense.
Victoria: Jaz, as happy as I am to be here… it just feels really awkward for me. I left GCW as one of the most hated people backstage.
Jazmyn: Really? Where’d you get that idea? I didn’t leave GCW on a high note myself, remember?
Victoria: At least you get to make up for that tonight… even though it’s a year later than it should’ve been…
Jazmyn: I’m not so hung up on that. Listen, we’ll catch up tomorrow. I know that what happened at the end of your run here still has an effect on you today… but that doesn’t mean you still can’t try to interact with people. If GCW really hated you, do you honestly think they’d let me invite you to be here?
Victoria: Good point.
Jazmyn: We’ll catch up later.
They exchange another quick hug before Jazmyn disappears into the crowd, continuing to mingle with some other wrestlers she was familiar with in her time… as if she had never left. It’s hard for Victoria to do the same as she walks around the catering area, not feeling too hungry. She decides to not debate about what she wants to eat at the moment and when she tries to walk toward an empty table, she’s stopped about halfway there by another familiar face…
Woman: Vicky?
Victoria: Christy?
Christy Hightower is one of the faces Victoria is absolutely familiar with. They didn’t get along that great when they first met five years ago, but for the most part, they’ve been on cordial terms over the years. Granted, they haven’t seen each other since Victoria left GCW… until now anyway. Victoria is a bit surprised to see Christy extend her arms for a hug, but nonetheless, she returns the embrace anyway.
Victoria: How’ve you been?
Christy: I’ve been great, you know, the usual. Cody and I have been doing just fine. What about you? I know you’ve been on quite a trip since you left GCW.
Victoria: You don’t know the half of it. Hell, I can’t believe I’m actually here. I thought because of everything that had happened when I left, I’d be hated in the annals of GCW history forever. In fact, I was even worried I’d be kicked out of the hall of fame.
These words cause Christy to be understandably confused.
Christy: Why would you think that? You and Myra left GCW after the last match you had together and I never heard of anyone here really hating you.
Victoria raises her eyebrows in complete shock.
Victoria: Really? I was under the impression that when the whole “divorce thing” happened, I was the most hated person on the roster.
Christy: At the end of the day, your personal life is your business and nobody has the right to judge you for that… even if you should’ve gone about it better. You never got to tell me why you left.
Victoria: I felt like I had done everything there is to do, that’s why. I didn’t want to just hang around and be irrelevant…
Christy: Irrelevant? You? It’s practically impossible. You beat Cody and reigned as a world champion for five months despite being surrounded by three toxic people… their names aren’t important by the way… in the Slay Revolution. It takes a lot of talent to do that. And while we’re on that subject, why do you have to be so ashamed of that title reign? Maybe you did take a few liberties here and there during that reign, but who wouldn’t have in your situation? It’s nothing to be ashamed of and maybe you need to look at it from a different light. It does hurt to see a friend be so hard on herself. Let me ask you this. Has anyone taken GCW by storm the way you have ever since? Two championships AND Civil War within what? Four months? Five?
Victoria: No… not before or since.
Christy: Exactly. You’re too hard on yourself in general. If you had stayed, there’s no way you would’ve become irrelevant. I get that you define relevancy to a degree by how involved you are in the world title picture, but knowing you? You would’ve won number six… maybe even number seven by now if you’d stayed. I do understand wanting to branch out and do something new though. I’ve done it to… almost-undefeated UWA Cruiserweight Champion, remember?
Victoria: Best reign in that title’s history, how could I forget that? You’re not wrong. I am too hard on myself at times. For two years almost, I had it in my mind that I’m so disliked around here over something that took place in my personal life.
Christy: Sometimes you worry too much about how other people look at you, but that’s nothing new. Five years ago, you were the same way. But I promise you, there is not a person in this building that was in GCW at the same time that you were there that holds a grudge against you. What happened, happened. Even if anyone was upset about it at the time, it’s been nearly two years. Everyone in GCW is an adult. Anyone who was upset about it has moved on. You haven’t forgiven yourself for how it ended for you in GCW, have you?
Victoria: No, I haven’t. That’s exactly why I’m here… for closure. I’m not planning on wrestling another match in GCW. MWE is where it’s at for me now. But I want to end things on the right note… to be at peace with myself. I sure as hell don’t want my last memory here to be a loss to Myra Lynwood…
Christy: See… now that I CAN’T blame you for…
Christy has a chuckle to herself, which even brings one out of Victoria, lightening the mood a bit for her.
Christy: But closure is good, Vicky. Sometimes to move forward, you’ve got to close the door on the past… the right way. I need to catch up with Cody, but before I do… as a friend? You deserve to be happy. You deserve to be you. No matter what may have happened at the end of your GCW run or how things unfolded, you’re never going to be forgotten here. There isn’t a soul in this company that will ever take away the impact you’ve left here. Just enjoy the night, have fun! You didn’t get to do that enough when you were here.
Victoria: Yeah… you’re not wrong about that. I’ll do my best! It was great catching up… and thanks for being honest with me. I needed to hear that… you know, for my own good!
Christy: Anytime!
The two exchange a hug before they part ways and Victoria finds an empty table near the corner of the catering area, which is perfect for her at the moment. She sits at that table, all by herself… reflecting on the night she had left GCW…
August 2018
Victoria just sits on the trunk of her car overlooking the arena entrance after her last night in GCW. She went out a loser… which that in and of itself is hard enough… but the GCW ride is over and she’s living with a lot of regret.
Victoria: It feels wrong for me to leave… but I know that I have to…
The last two months in particular have been very hard on her especially in the glow of the news of her marriage to Axl Austin being done after just one month due to an annulment.
Voice: You’re doing the right thing.
Victoria is a bit startled by the sudden appearance of Myra Lynwood, who like Victoria, is leaving GCW on this night as well. The big difference is that Myra got to go out a winner… and at Victoria’s expense at that.
Myra: I just wanted you to know that I meant what I said out there…
Victoria: I know you did. Thanks.
Myra: You know it too, don’t you? That you’re starting to get UWA vibes from this place? Come on, Vicky. These vibes are the reason the two of us and Andrea got the hell out of there.
Victoria: While you’re not wrong on the vibes, I put in my 90 days with Allison a month before the whole “Axl thing” came to light and before those “vibes” started to permeate. My departure has nothing to do with “vibes”. If that’s your thing, then that’s your thing, but I’m not jumping on that bandwagon. I put in my notice because I had nothing left to do here… not because of Axl… or the rapidly changing environment… which I’m very unsure about as far as GCW’s future is concerned...
Myra: It’s not our problem anymore. We’re done here. Regardless of why you’re leaving… it doesn’t change the fact that it’s the right thing. I know how attached you are to this place and how hard it is for you to leave but still. It’s time to move on. Good call on moving on… even if I think you’re going to the wrong place. I’m REALLY unsure about this HYBRID place you’re going to. Are you sure you don’t want to come to Carnage with me?
Victoria: It’s best if I don’t considering the bad blood we’ve had over the years. Still though… if Tina Valentine… TINA… can succeed there… or Arabella Madison or whatever the fuck her name is these days… I don’t see why I wouldn’t.
Myra: Please. Any time you share a locker room with that bitch, she’s always dragged you down in one form or another. You have to ask yourself, Vicky… is the place you’re going to better than the place you left? I can answer yes to that. I don’t know if you can. Either way, best of luck… and I’m sure we’ll cross paths again at some point. I look forward to that…
Myra departs into the night leaving Victoria alone. Victoria takes one last glance at the entrance, feeling heartbroken already.
Victoria: This wasn’t the way I wanted to go… not like this… not with a loss to MYRA LYNWOOD… not with being surrounded by all of this “marriage” controversy. I have to be one of the most hated people here now… after all of that…
Tears begin to flood in her eyes as she enters her car and departs what she thought would be the last GCW event she would ever go to… confidence shattered considering how GCW ended for her at this time…
Victoria snaps out of her flashback at this point as she remains seated at the table.
Victoria (thinking): Christy’s right. I shouldn’t be so hard on myself. Maybe things in GCW didn’t end the way I would’ve liked, but does it take away the good things I did here? It doesn’t. I really need to quit being so hard on myself.
Voice: Hello, stranger.
Victoria snaps out of her thoughts as she looks up to see a fellow Hall of Fame member in Timothy Myers standing above her. Victoria and Tim were never on the same brand, but nevertheless, they had grown quite close during her time there. Victoria stands up to meet him in the eye, feeling quite a bit nervous about the conversation that’s about to happen.
Victoria: Hey Tim. How’ve you been?
Tim: I’ve been well… dealing with some life changing news and all.
Victoria: Oh?
Tim: You haven’t heard?
Victoria: Heard about?
Tim: I’m going to be a father.
This causes Victoria to raise her eyebrows some, as she’s clearly surprised.
Tim: Olivia is expecting in a few months. She’s about halfway through the pregnancy.
This news brings a brief smile out of Victoria.
Victoria: Good for you! Congratulations! Though… knowing you the way I did during my GCW time, I had never really seen you as the fatherly type. You always spoke your mind on things… I remember. You were very much into it. I knew that passion that you always had for this. We’ve always been similar with that… with how hard we push ourselves.
Tim: I see things different now, with this news. Turns out we push ourselves too hard sometimes. I haven’t wrestled since last year and if and when I get a chance to come back to wrestling, it won’t be for a while. I want to be there for Liv and the baby for as long as I feel I need to be there before I come back, no matter how long it takes.
Victoria: Wow…
Victoria is expressing surprise at what she just heard.
Victoria: It’s crazy how parenthood can change a person.
Tim: I know, right? What about you? I know you got remarried. Are you planning on having any children yourself?
Victoria: That’s something that… I haven’t thought about it at all. I’m not at that stage of my life where I’m ready to give up wrestling for that. I can’t imagine being out of the business for that long. It’s great that you’re doing that and I’m happy for you. I don’t think that type of thing is for me though.
Tim: I respect that, 100%. I get it as far as you’re concerned. Still, as a friend? There comes a time where one day, you’re not going to do this anymore.
Victoria: That’s not the first time I’ve heard that lately. But believe me, I’m listening to everything you’re saying. I’m looking into… separating myself from this… a little more. I don’t want to base how I feel about myself on how my career is going. It’s not healthy. You know more than most how much I push myself…
Tim: Trust me, I know. The bottom line is… there’s so much more to life than wrestling, or any career. I’ve realized that now. There’s nothing wrong with taking time for yourself and separating yourself from this every now and then. You don’t need to be a workaholic with this anymore. Take it from someone that’s got a new perspective on life now. Your life outside of the ring is far more important than what goes on inside it.
Victoria nods, completely understanding where he’s coming from.
Victoria: You’re right. I promise you, I’m working on that. Hell, I haven’t done any intense physical training in about… what? A week now? I’ve been focusing on myself mentally more than anything… and learning to love myself as a person outside of the ring. It’s not an overnight change, but I’ll get there.
Tim: I know you will! Hey, it was great talking again. You don’t have to be a stranger. You still have friends here, don’t forget that. I, for one, never held anything against you for the way things ended with you around here.
Victoria: Thanks for telling me that. I’ll keep in touch.
Victoria and Tim exchange a hug before Tim walks back into the party that’s taking place prior to the Hall of Fame ceremony starting. Suddenly, Victoria is starting to come around on the way things ended for her in GCW. As the night goes on, she is gradually feeling better about herself. Still, she’s not quite ready to mingle just yet. She sits back down at the table, observing the party, thinking about the remainder of the night that’s yet to come.
Victoria (thinking): I’ve had it wrong the whole time. I’m NOT hated here… not even close to what I thought. It looks like I just might have that closure that I wanted after all. Christy and Tim are right, I do need to be easier on myself and I need to stop blaming myself for everything that happened when I left. I made mistakes… sure… but who hasn’t?
Victoria sees Jazmyn Rain walking by and she stands up to catch her attention.
Victoria: Jaz… wait…
Jazmyn pauses and looks at Victoria.
Victoria: Mind walking with me while I try to catch up with others?
Jazmyn’s initial response is with a smile.
Jazmyn: Sure! Great to see you trying to break out of that shell! Just because I’m the one getting inducted doesn’t mean you can’t have your closure also.
Victoria and Jazmyn walk away from the table to try to mingle with more of their ex-coworkers as the special night in Dallas rolls along…
TBC...