Dream Catcher: Part 1

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Miami, Florida
Off Camera
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Everyone has a dream; everyone has a vision of what they want to achieve in their lifetime. Few can actually say that they have achieved their dream. Few can say that they have successfully reached their goal in life. Even amongst the most who were born into the most blessed of environments, the rich and powerful, if they are honest with themselves even they cannot truly say that they have achieved their goals for their lives. Achieving one’s life goals, living a lifelong dream, that is a rarity for anyone in the human race. As a matter of fact, there are many who don’t even know what their dream truly is; they do not even know what they truly want to accomplish in their lifetime.

It may come as a surprise to all but those closest to her that Glory Braddock herself is one of those who grew up never truly knowing what she wanted to do with her life. She was one who grew up without a real dream. She may have her arms into all aspects of professional wrestling now, as a promoter, a wrestler, and as a trainer of the next generation of wrestlers. But professional wrestling was never on her mind until after her father, Glenn Braddock, suffered a career ending back injury that forced him into early retirement and thus ended his dreams.

Glenn Braddock, the now deceased patriarch of the Braddock line, did have a dream and his dream was to one day compete in the Olympic Games as a wrestler. But those dreams were dashed when he suffered the now infamous back injury. His daughter Glory then chose to take up his mantle and pursued wrestling as a career, not out of a desire to one day become Best in the World. Wrestling was never Glory’s dream. Glory did so out of a feeling of obligation towards her father. She felt she needed to continue his legacy. Her father’s injury gave future British Bombshell purpose. It gave her a goal to strive towards, even if it wasn’t truly her dream.

The Olympics may have been out of Glenn Braddock’s reach but his daughter would take his dream of being a great wrestler and send it like a rocket to the moon. Glory as a professional wrestler would win fourteen world championships before opening a promotion of her own and then inheriting her father’s wrestling school upon his death, so that she could pass on her father’s knowledge of wrestling to the next generation. Now The British Bombshell gives back to the wrestling world that her late father loved so much. And that, she realizes, is her dream. She wants to give back to professional wrestling.

Remembering how hard it was on her father when his dreams were taken from him, his daughter now wants to do everything she can to prevent others from feeling that pain of loss. Therefore she wants to use her position of influence to help others achieve their dreams, unlike Glenn Braddock who failed to achieve his own. This is Glory’s purpose as a businesswoman and as the head of the Braddock Wrestling School. As an active wrestler herself she wants to continue to live out the Braddock legacy as one of the best to lace up a pair of boots. In doing so she has already become SCW Adrenaline Champion, a championship she has held since Rise To Greatness. She also won the MWE Riot Championship and held it for quite a long time before losing it to Henri Black.

The opulent living room of “The British Bombshell” is a gorgeous, sleek modern design. It is also clean; almost to perfection with barely a spot and even if one exists, it isn’t noticeable. The cream colored sofa is soft, comfortable, and plush. It is situated in front of a large flat screen television mounted on the wall above a fireplace. The fireplace does seem slightly out of place as it is the only piece in this living room that looks relatively traditional. It isn’t used often; this is Miami, after all. Sitting in a comfortable recliner with her feet propped up is none other than “The British Bombshell” Glory Braddock. Sitting on the arm of the comfortable reclining chair is the remote control and in Braddock’s right is a glass of red wine. The blonde haired beauty’s stone faced gaze is glaring across at a television set which currently has archive footage of an old Dylan Howell match playing.

Doing one’s homework, strategizing, and learning your opponent’s weaknesses were all lessons hammered home by her late father Glenn Braddock. When Glenn himself was an active competitor he would often be too busy to spend time with his daughter because he would be watching tape. Then when Glory became the wrestler of the family he taught her those same habits. Glory tries to make time for her family but she does maintain the habit of watching tape on her opponents so that she can learn and hopefully discover a weakness she can exploit.

Wine is one of Braddock’s alcoholic beverages of choice and she has a glass in her right hand. Braddock lifts her glass of wine to her lips and takes a sip. A sound from the hall startles The British Bombshell. She immediately lowers her glass and listens. “Melinda?”

The first thought is that this is her daughter. Melinda has a nasty habit of trying to sneak out and while she hasn’t been in any danger recently, not since taking care of the personal and professional rivalry that had developed between Glory and the Jennifer Alan Family which had nearly become a full blown gang war, still a mother’s instincts wants her daughter to be safe. “Mel, you know I don’t want you going out right now.”

“Don’t worry, because it isn’t Melinda.” The British Bombshell instantaneously recognizes the voice as that of her husband, Kurt Logan. Glory watches the entrance to the living room and she spots Kurt limping into the room. Kurt still isn’t fully healed from his own run-ins with Jennifer Alan’s thugs. Once he was gunned down but luckily survived. A second time he and Glory were involved in a bad car accident after Jennifer’s hired men ran them off the road. Kurt still walks gingerly to this day and maybe he’ll heal up one hundred percent someday. But his current limp is a stark reminder of a nightmare Glory would like to forget.

“Did you get it for me?” Glory asks curiously. Kurt nods his head as he gingerly approaches the sofa. Kurt sits down and Glory moves from the recliner to join her husband on the sofa. Kurt places a usb flash drive into her hand.

“Yes. More archival footage for you to study for your future opponents.” Kurt sighs with noticeable frustration. “I understand the need for studying up on your opponents, but I always felt you and your dad took this a bit to an extreme.”

“Sun Tzu says ‘if you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.’” Braddock says with a sly grin. Kurt responds with an eyeroll.

“Now you sound like your friend Sophie [O’Brian].”

“I know, she does love to quote Sun Tzu all the time, but this time the quote does fit. And studying his opponents was my dad’s best weapon. He went into every match knowing his opponents better than they knew themselves. And it almost always worked out to dad’s favor. In fact, I can only think of one time he didn’t really do much of any studying up on his opponent.”

Kurt raises an eyebrow out of curiosity. “When was that?”

“Do you have to ask?” Glory sighs deeply. “It was against Thomas Van Stanton, Mason and Henry’s father.”

“Oh…” Kurt’s voice trails off. He knows this match well, despite the fact that Glory does not talk about it much. It was Glenn’s last match as it was the match where he suffered the career ending back injury.

“There was very little out there about Van Stanton. No one knew anything about the bloke. So dad couldn’t really prepare for him.”

“Of course not.”

“But for every other opponent he prepared, he studied, and he did his homework. And every other time he was successful. So why mess with a successful formula, am I right?”

Kurt shrugs his shoulders. “I suppose so.”

“Good. Then after this tape is finished I’m going to binge watch the other stuff you brought. You think you can handle yourself while I’m busy?”

“Sure. But don’t forget about tomorrow.”

The British Bombshell furrows her brow out of curiosity. “Tomorrow?”

“Tell me you didn’t forget meeting Francis [Taylor] tomorrow.”

Francis Taylor is the President of Global Wrestling Enterprise, the company that owns Glory’s promotion GCW and the Braddock Wrestling School. Glory Braddock knows that running a company and being an active wrestler is a difficult task, if not impossible. In order to keep herself from being spread too thin she hired Francis Taylor to handle the company’s day to day operations. A few days ago The British Bombshell received word that Francis wanted to meet Glory at the new headquarters in Miami. Obviously Glory had forgotten.

“I forgot but it’s ok, love, I was going to spar tomorrow but I can reschedule that for Sunday or Monday.”

“Good, I would hate for you to miss what could be an important meeting.”

Braddock chuckles. “Bloody hell, Kurt, what makes you think this is going to be important? I mean, for all I know she just wants to share the latest facts and figures with me about profits, payments, finances, and the like.”

“Maybe but it could be something more.”

“Like what?”

Something is clearly bothering her husband and he doesn’t want to talk about it. Kurt sighs and shakes his head. “I didn’t want to bring it up but have you thought about the Board of Directors recently?”

“No, not really. I mean, why should I? What’s wrong?”

“Right now nothing…at least I don’t think anything’s wrong. But you are beginning to step into some dangerous waters, Gloria.”

“What do you mean?” Glory is frowning as she doesn’t like where this is going. She has a suspicion about what her husband is talking about but hopes she is wrong. Her suspicions are confirmed with the next words out of his mouth.

“Your sister.”

Braddock sighs. “Kurt, we’ve been over this.”

“Yes, we have, and I still don’t agree with what you’re doing. You’re playing into Julia’s mother-daughter fantasy with Aphrodite Noel and it’s dangerous.”

“It may be a fantasy to you but to her it’s very much a reality. And besides, it’s just her being public and vocal about it, not me.”

“But she’s your sister and everyone knows it, including the Board of Directors. What she does will reflect upon you.”

“What do you want me to do, huh?” Glory is getting frustrated with her husband. “Do you want me to have her institutionalized again because I can do that but if I did I’d never again be able to repair this relationship with my sister. I am so close to repairing this broken relationship.”

“I know and I can appreciate what you want to do. I am glad that you are finally putting your family first. But I also worry about you. Are you sure this is the right way to go about this? Are you sure playing into her fantasies is the right way to go about this?”

“I believe so, yes.” Glory says, nodding her head.

“And what of the board of directors?”

“They won’t take action. Like I said, it’s my sister...not me.”

“Isn’t it?”

“Are you calling me a liar?”

“I love you, Glory, but be honest with me here. You go to spend time with your sister and you never tell me where. I do know once was Christmas and you spent it at Aphrodite’s. I wouldn’t be surprised if you were at Aphrodite’s place the other times too.”

Glory sighs. “She’s not a bad person, Kurt.”

“What about your PTSD?”

“Sometimes you have to confront your issues face to face in order to be fully healed from them.”

“Your experience with Aphrodite is what you claim caused your PTSD. So is that what you’re doing? You are facing the cause of your PTSD head on? You and Julia are visiting Aphrodite again, am I right?”

“Julia is visiting regularly, yes. I only go when Julia invites me.”

Kurt sighs and nods his head as he takes this information in. “Just be careful. You have your company back, you have your wrestling career back on track, your father’s wrestling school is successful, everything you’ve ever wanted and it all rests upon your shoulders. Do you understand the weight of that responsibility? Because if you lose focus, or worse if you let your PTSD get the better of you again, then all of that becomes at risk.”

“I know, Kurt. And I knew it was a risky move but it is a risk I feel needs to be taken. I need healing, Kurt. I need healing mentally, emotionally, and also I need to heal this broken relationship with my sister. That’s all I’m trying to do.”

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Miami, Florida
Off Camera
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One of the lessons Glory Braddock learned from her father is to have a great poker face when it comes to doubt. Never show your opponent that you have any doubts or concerns. Never let your opponent see any signs of weaknesses. Any signs of weaknesses such as doubt just gives your opponent an opening to strike. Thus The British Bombshell learned at a very young age to hide any and all doubt that may be hiding inside of her beautiful head. And right now doubt certainly lives within the head of Glory Braddock.

Glory Braddock learned from her father’s mistakes long ago not to put anything ahead of her family. So when she realized the damage that had been done between her and her sister, Julia Braddock, and how their own relationship was nearly damaged beyond repair, Glory vowed to take whatever steps necessary in order to repair the relationship. Family must come first, even if it means taking a risk.

For the longest time Glory thought she was doing right by her sister when she tried to pry her away from Aphrodite Noel. But it only seemed to drive her and Glory farther and farther apart. Glory even went as far as to institutionalize Julia and that nearly ended their relationship permanently. Now Glory is no longer going to stand in the way. She is no longer to stand in judgment of her sister. In fact, she is playing into what she views as her sister’s fantasies. And that is quite a risk.

Kurt Logan, Glory’s husband only further emphasized the risk yesterday and that added the doubt into Glory’s mind. Is she doing the right thing? And will this come with consequences? The Board of Directors has made it known in the past what their views are of Julia’s quirks. If this were to come to light, would the Board take action against Glory Braddock again? Worse yet, there is a chance that the Board already knows what Julia and Glory have been doing. Perhaps this is why Francis Taylor, the president of Glory’s company, wants to meet with her today?

All of those questions are on the mind of The British Bombshell who finds herself in her corporate offices at Miami, Florida. The office was painted grey, and it had only one floor-to-ceiling window, which faced the main road. On the grey desk sat a desktop computer, a notebook lying open, and a stack of papers sitting under a turtle-shaped paperweight. In a corner, the air conditioner was blasting at medium, and there was a swivel chair in the middle of the office. A bookshelf, bursting with books was in a corner, with yet another stack of papers under a paperweight that was shaped to look like a tuft of grass. A few pens were lying on the papers, but some had fallen onto the top of the bookshelf.

She is sitting in her office, behind her desk, that is right by a large window that overlooks the Miami skyline. The beautiful blonde is wearing a black pencil skirt that flatters her curves, a matching black suit coat over a white silky blouse. Her feet are encased in black peep-toe high heeled pumps. Her long gorgeous golden blonde locks of hair hang to just below the shoulders.

BUZZ! The buzzing from her desk phone indicates that her secretary is calling her. Glory presses a button on the phone to turn it on speaker…

“Yes?”

“Ms. Braddock, Ms. Francis Taylor is here to see you.”

“Send her in.”

She watches as the door to her office slowly opens. The company president herself steps in the door and shuts it behind her. Francis Taylor is wearing a dark floral print blouse, a nice pair of dress pants, black patent leather high heel pumps, and her long blonde hair, typically straight, today has a few curls to it but is otherwise left to hang straight and unrestrained to shoulder length. Braddock smiles warmly as she stands up and then walks over to greet Francis in a tight hug.

“Hi, Francis!”

“Good afternoon, Ms. Braddock,” Francis smiles uneasily “you seem rather cheerful today. Any particular reason?”

“No, not really. Why?”

“Not used to being hugged at a business meeting.”

Braddock smirks. “Sorry about that, mate, but I suppose I’m not in my business mode quite yet, even if I am dressed the part. To be perfectly honest, I try not to bring out that business perso n in me.”

“Why not? Obviously you have been successful as a businesswoman.”

“Perhaps but I don’t like what the business mindset does to me. I don’t like what it turns me into.” Braddock points a finger at Francis. “That’s why I have you to handle the day to day operations, remember?”

“Of course. And I am glad that you put such faith in my, Ms. Braddock.”

“Glory.” The British Bombshell quickly says to correct her. “Call me, Glory.”

“Fair enough, Glory. Shall we sit down and begin?”

Braddock nods her head in agreement. She sits down back at her desk and Francis pulls up a chair across from her. “So tell me, Francis, how are things going with the company?”

“Honestly, Glory, things could not be better. GCW is pulling in great profit, probably our best moneymaker of the whole company.”

“That’s great but money, as you well know, isn’t my main concern...at least not anymore. The school was my father’s legacy. His dream was to compete in the Olympics but when he couldn’t do that he wanted to at least pass down what he had learned to others, he wanted to use his knowledge to help others. That’s why the school is so important to me, Francis. I want to fulfill my dad’s dream of helping others through that wrestling school. So tell me, how is the school doing?”

“The school is pulling in a profit as well, not as much as GCW but it is pulling in a profit nonetheless. In fact, from what I’m being told by head trainer Randall Williams popularity of the school has picked up ever since your run with the SCW Adrenaline and MWE Riot Championships began. Even after you lost the Riot Title to Black, your popularity has remained constant. In fact, any time you do something big, interest in the school picks up. You do understand what that means, right? You are still beloved in your home country. So do me a favor, maybe win that MWE World Championship and maybe we’ll see another membership spike.”

Braddock chuckles lightly. “That’d be nice but you know that’s not why I wrestle. I compete for the thrill of competition and to prove I am among the best in the world. It isn’t about collecting a paycheck for me or expanding my brand.”

“Funny you should mention expanding your brand because that is exactly what I wanted to really discuss with you today.”

“Oh?”

Hearing this is somewhat of a relief for Glory Braddock. This means that it is highly unlikely that the board of directors are after her for anything involving her sister or Aphrodite. This means her standing within the company is still safe, for now. But what does Francis Taylor mean by expanding the brand?

“With both GCW and the Braddock Wrestling School pulling in such great profit I think it is time to expand into a new field...or industry, if you will.”

“What industry?”

“Modeling.”

Glory frowns. This does not bring back good memories, especially with her experience working with Sienna Swann and the beauty factory. Braddock shakes her head. “I don’t think that’s such a good idea, Francis.”

“Why not?”

“My dream, my vision for this company is to use it as a tool to help wrestling. Not modeling.”

“But look at those who made the jump from one to the other. Your cousin Kayla [Jones], your old friend Sienna [Swann].”

“Sienna and I aren’t exactly on good terms, mate.”

“I’m just using her as an example.”

Braddock is still against the idea as she shakes her head. “Sorry, Francis. The answer is still no. I just want to help people, not…”

“And you can help people through the modeling industry just as much as you can help them through wrestling.”

Glory pauses to consider Francis Taylor’s words. They are true, she could help. “Yeah, you’re right. But let’s be honest with ourselves, mate, you just see modeling as a cash cow for the company.”

“Yes, I do. I admit I just want to make money, I want make you money and I want to make our Board of Directors money and trust me, they will be overjoyed at the prospects of getting into modeling.”

The mere mention of the Board of Directors causes Glory to stop and think for a moment. Kurt is right when he says that they will always be a threat. Glory has to be logical, she can want to help people achieve their dreams but in order to do so she also has to ensure this company is making money. Perhaps Francis is onto something?

“Look, Francis, I’ve never had any experience with the modeling industry and I’m pretty sure you haven’t either. I’ll consider it but I cannot guarantee I’ll agree to this little scheme of yours. I mean, do you even know how to get started?”

An ear to ear grin forms on Francis Taylor’s face. “That’s the brilliant part! There is a modeling agency I know of that’s currently having some major issues. I may not know much about modeling but I do know business and I guarantee I can convince them to let us take over their operation. So we wouldn’t have to get anything started. All we would have to do is step in and right their ship, so to speak.”

“You act like it is so easy. How are you so sure we can right their ship as you put it?”

“Because their problem isn’t with their operation itself, it is with finances. They need money. With the extra profit we’re bringing in we can provide that profit. In exchange we become the owners of that modeling agency.”

“Again it sounds too easy. How are you so certain that we can convince them to roll over for us?”

Francis smirks devilishly. “Because the modeling agency I want to take over is the one owned by your cousin, Kayla Jones.”

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Boston, Massachusetts
Off Camera
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Home is where the heart is; for Glory Braddock, home will always be London, England even if her current residence is Miami, Florida. The British Bombshell has some extended family but they live in quite the opposite of the warm, tropical climate of Miami. Glory’s extended family, cousins Angelica and Kayla Jones, live in Boston, Massachusetts. Boston is the capital city, the seat of power for the state of Massachusetts. It is the birthplace of the American Revolution, as both the Boston Tea Party and the Boston Massacre, events which led to the American uprising in the late 1700s, took place in this grand city. For the Jones family, Boston is their own personal seat of power. It’s where they lived, grew up, and feel the most comfortable. But this visit will be rather uncomfortable for one Glory Braddock.

The discomfort comes from what she is being asked to do; she was informed by Francis Taylor, the president of her company, that the modeling agency Glory’s cousin Kayla owns and operates is having financial difficulties and is ripe for a takeover. They need money to keep afloat and if Glory’s company provides that money then, for all intents and purposes, Kayla’s modeling agency would be in debt, if not outright owned by Glory's company. Glory certainly sees the logic in Francis Taylor’s line of thought; Global Wrestling Enterprise is doing well financially, they can afford to prop up the modeling agency and, eventually take it over. And expanding into the modeling industry would add more potential profits for the company.

While the logic may seem to suggest a takeover is the right move, Glory’s own conscience is still grappling with the ethics of it all. Family has always been important to The British Bombshell, or at least it used to be, before she got involved in the corporate life. The corporate life changed Braddock and made her into a monster that no one recognized. She put profits and power ahead of family. Only recently has Glory conquered her inner demons and put that monster at bay. Since then she has promised to always to keep her family first, she has promised that family would always be her number one priority. For this reason alone Glory is doubting the ethics of a takeover of her cousin’s modeling agency. If financial assistance is what she needs that’s one thing but to outright takeover the company? Is that right? Is that fair? Would Kayla even want that?

These are all questions on the mind of Glory Braddock as she makes her way up the walkway that leads to the front door of her cousin, Kayla Jones. Despite being first cousins, Glory hasn’t visited Kayla very often. In fact, this is the first time Glory can recall showing up at Kayla’s home and the home she views in front of her face is quite the sight indeed. The house looked like a cut out from some fancy magazine. It was beautiful, but not in the olde-worlde quaint kind of way Braddock was usually drawn to. Everything was geometric, which you could say about almost any pitched roof abode with square windows, but on this house you couldn't help but notice it. The roof was flat for a start and the door was wide as it was tall. The windows took up entire walls with only polished steel beams to break them into yet more rectangles. The look would have been entirely metallic, like a mini down-town skyscraper had it not been for the cedar beams of the external porch and the matching raised plant beds that contained only white blooms. The British Bombshell makes it to the front door and rings the doorbell, which happens to be a buzzer. There is an intercom and it speaks back to her…

“Yes?” It is the voice of her cousin.

“It’s me.”

“Who?”

“Glory.”

“Oh, right...one second…”

Braddock stands there waiting, but the wait isn’t but for a few seconds as she hears the door unlatching. The door then opens and she spots her cousin, the redheaded Kayla Jones, standing there with open arms, ready to greet her with a hug. Glory accepts the warm embrace for a few moments before releasing the grip. Kayla has a wide, warm smile on her face as she clearly and obviously is thrilled that her cousin has come to see her.

“It’s so great to see you, Glory!

“It’s great to be seen, mate. May I come in?”

“Of course, Glory. You know you never have to ask.”

Kayla steps aside and motions for her cousin to come in. Braddock crosses the threshold, entering the home, all the while taking note of Kayla’s overt cheerfulness. It seems a little unnatural for a woman who, not too long ago, had been accused of being terribly full of herself and arrogant beyond anyone’s dreams. Something has definitely altered Kayla’s outlook on life. Is it the financial difficulties that her modeling agency is suffering right now? Have they taken a toll on Kayla’s mental and emotional state of mind? Perhaps.

Braddock stops to allow her cousin to get ahead and lead the way further. This home is unknown to The British Bombshell and she will need a guide. She follows Kayla and as she does so she takes note of the surroundings. The house was welcoming from the open door to the wide hallway. Upon the walls were the photographs of children...a few of them of Marie and Jessica when they were children, Kimberly as an adult, and then there were pictures of Kayla’s own twins, all of these children Kayla so obviously so loved. The floor was an old-fashioned parquet with a blend of deep homely browns and the walls were the greens of summer gardens meeting a bold white baseboard. The banister was a twirl of a branch, tamed by the carpenter's hand, it's grain flowing as water might, in waves of comforting woodland hues. Under the lamp-shine it was nature's art, something that soothed right to the soul.

Jones leads her cousin through a hallway and then into what appears to be a living room area. It was a handsome room in the Italian mode of the Empire period--beautiful old faded tapestry panels--reddish--and some ormolu furniture--and other things mixed in--rather conglomerate, but pleasing, all the more pleasing. It was big but not too empty. It was also perfect, like a magazine cover. The couch is cream but inlaid with a fine green silk; leaves embroidered so delicately that they might have landed there in spring and just sunk in, but you know they took hundreds of hours to sew. The white curtains are linen, the kind of white that is untouched by hands and devoid of dust. A cursory look to the right shows Glory the almost hidden cords that are used to open and close them. As far as the furniture in this room goes, Glory has never seen a room with so much furniture. The furniture is rustic and dark, sprinkled liberally with vibrant cushions. There is a table in easy reach of every seat and the walls are more photographs than paint. Every one is of a happy memory, a smiling child, a birthday, a new baby. There is lively Columbian music in the background and the scent of cilantro in the air. I want to sink into the couch and never move. It isn't just a house, it's a home; she's made it that way.

“Have a seat, please!” Kayla says, motioning to a nearby sofa. Glory nods and sits down. Kayla then exits through a side door. Glory can only guess as to where her cousin went. But it isn’t long until Kayla returns with two wine glasses and a bottle of red wine. Braddock certainly loves wine but the Jones family loves it even more. Glory chuckles as she realizes that she should’ve expected this from Kayla Jones.

Glory receives a glass from her cousin and then holds the glass so that Kayla can pour some wine into it. She waits as Kayla pours herself some wine into the other glass. Kayla sets the wine bottle on the nearby table before finding a seat on the sofa next to Glory. Kayla holds up the glass, clearly offering up a toast.

“To family!”

“To family?” Glory is a little confused but toasts Kayla anyway, clinking glasses together before taking a sip in unison with her cousin.

“So, what do you think of the wine?”

“It’s good, mate. Real good.”

“Thanks. I’ve been saving it for a special occasion and I believe anytime I see family is a special occasion, don’t you?”

Glory nods her head, though this cheerful is definitely uncharacteristic of her cousin. “Of course.”

“I would ask why you came to visit, because I mean you never told me over the phone, but really I don’t care.” Kayla is beaming from ear to ear. “I am just glad to see you. You rarely visit.”

Braddock chuckles. “I could say the same back at you, love.”

“Fair enough, you’re right. I guess I should understand what it’s like, y’know? To run a business and be an active wrestler at the same time? It is damn near impossible and takes up so much of your time. I don’t know how you do it, Glory.”

“It’s tough, I’ll grant you that, but that’s why I delegate tasks and responsibilities to other people. That way I can focus on what’s most important to me.”

Kayla nods her head in agreement. “That’s probably what I should have done all along. I made the mistake of trying to micromanage my modeling agency and my wrestling career at the same time. It worked for a while but the drawback was that I almost never had any contact with family or friends unless we ran into one another at a business function or a wrestling appearance.”

Kayla sighs deeply and Glory can detect a hint of regret. “That’s the consequences of success, I suppose?”

Kayla nods her head. “Yeah, you’re right about that.” Kayla takes a sip of her wine. “But I am glad that I am not as busy as I used to be. At least this way I can take some time to be with those I love. And that’s why I am glad you stopped by for a visit. It has been way too long since we had a talk.”

“Well I’m not sure how long our talk or visit or whatever you want to call this will last, mate. I have to be somewhere next week.”

“Oh come on!” Kayla protests. “Where?”

“Denver. SCW Last Grasp of Reality and I’m defending the Adrenaline Championship. Not to mention I have to make an appearance for MWE and the Riot brand. I am certain I will be challenged in a big way and I need to be ready.”

“And you will be. You have a whole week to prepare but you don’t have to go to Denver right away. You know Trenton [Snow] and I have a gym right here. Plus we have a spare bedroom. Instead of going straight to Denver you can spend a few nights here and use our workout center to prepare for your match.”

“Maybe, but I was hoping to get some sparring in and…”

“And? You have the perfect sparring partner right here!” Kayla says, motioning to herself. “I may not be as active as I once was but I am still deadly. I can get you ready for your title defense.”

The British Bombshell still isn’t sure. Spending time with her cousin sounds like a great idea but her conscience is still eating away at her knowing that she is here to look into a possible takeover of her modeling agency. Braddock shakes her head. “I don’t know…”

“I won’t take no for an answer.”

Glory thinks about it for a little longer and finally sighs. “Fine. I will think about it.”

“That’s all I ask!”

“I make no promises, mate. I mean, I’d have to let Kurt where I am because we were going to meet in Denver. I’d have to change my plans entirely.”

“Understood. Just consider it, ok? I haven’t seen you in forever and spending time with you would be great.”

Something is definitely wrong with her cousin and Glory knows it. She studies Kayla closely, intensely, staring into her eyes and what is it that she sees? Sadness? Concern? “What’s wrong, Kayla?”

“What are you talking about? Nothing’s wrong?”

“Don’t play games with me, love.” Glory says with a smirk. “You’ve been overly friendly and overly cheerful since I arrived and, quite frankly, that’s not the stubborn, bullheaded Kayla Jones I know. And I seriously doubt just seeing my face puts joy into your heart. So what’s wrong?”

“I don’t want to talk about it.” Kayla remarks. Glory notices that her cousin’s demeanor changes to a more stoic one as she immediately takes a big swig of her wine. Glory continues to apply the pressure to her cousin.

“Look, you want me to spend a few days here with you? Every single day I’m here I will annoy you and bother you with questions about whatever the hell it is that’s bothering you until you tell me. So what is it, mate? Tell me now and I may drop it, stay for a few days, or I’ll just leave right now.”

Kayla sighs and shakes her head. “I shouldn’t have to tell you, Glory. You already know.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m not dumb. Like I told you, I micromanage my modeling agency. So it isn’t difficult for me to discover when someone outside my agency has been snooping into my affairs, namely your president Francis Taylor.”

Braddock sighs deeply as her concerns are confirmed. The financial difficulties of her modeling agency are indeed the cause of her emotional state. Glory nods her head. “Yes, Francis told me all about what was going on.”

“And I suppose she wants you to takeover my agency, am I right? A hostile takeover.”

“That’s what she wants but that’s not why I am here.”

“Bullshit.” Kayla drinks another big swig of her wine before setting the glass down. She gets up from the sofa and walks over towards the fireplace. Glory gets up slowly and approaches her cousin. She can hear Kayla fighting back tears, whimpering even. Glory rests a comforting hand on her cousin’s shoulder.

“I did not come here as a corporate shark who smells blood in the water. I came because you are my family and I want to help you.”

“Forgive me if I don’t believe the person who betrayed her own sister in order to maintain power.” The words sting and strike at the very heart and soul of The British Bombshell, primarily because they are true. Braddock sighs deeply and nods her head.

“You’re right, I did that, and I regret what I did. I regret everything I did when I was that person but I am doing everything I can to change and become a better person. So please, mate. Let me help you.”

Kayla looks into her cousin’s eyes with deep skepticism. “You seriously just want to help?”

“I just want to help. That’s all.”

“Fine.” Kayla walks back over to the sofa and sits down. Glory rejoins her on the sofa. Glory gazes into her cousin’s eyes and can tell she is finally ready to open up to her.

“The simple, straightforward truth is that we are losing money and we are losing models. Other agencies are poaching from us, we’re not getting as many jobs, it’s…”

“It’s unbelievable is what it is.” Glory states. “You were doing great once upon a time.”

“You’re right, all of this suddenly came upon me all at once just recently.”

“That sounds suspicious to me.”

“Yeah, me too. I have my own ideas of what might have went wrong but I’d rather not say because I may be wrong. It doesn’t really matter if I’m right or wrong, though, because either way my agency is on the brink of going under.”

“And giving up just isn’t in your vocabulary.”

“No…” Kayla chuckles despite the situation “...you know me? That Jones stubborn streak makes it impossible for me to ever quit anything. But with modeling there’s an extra added motivation because modeling saved my life.”

Tears are forming in Kayla’s eyes, so Glory reaches for a tissue and hands it to her. Kayla nods her head in appreciation before continuing. “My foster father was an abusive drunk, but he was also powerful in the modeling industry. He wanted to use me to make money for himself and his drinking habit so he used his connections to get me started in modeling. What he didn’t anticipate is that the modeling gave me an opening to finally get away from him. Once I made enough of my own money I struck out on my own. And through modeling I discovered professional wrestling, where I became an even bigger star. So I don’t want to give up on this, Glory. In a strange way it is my dream. Wrestling will always be my first love but modeling is a close second and it has been my dream to give other women a chance much like it gave me a chance. Do you understand?”

“Yeah…” Glory’s voice trails off. She definitely understands, maybe better than Kayla can possibly imagine. Glory’s dream is to continue her father’s legacy, the Braddock Wrestling School. Glory’s dream is to give back to professional wrestling. This is why at first she never saw the logic in buying out Kayla’s modeling agency.

“I know part of why you’re here is to look into buying me out. But understand that I’m not ready to give up.”

“I understand, Kay. I wouldn’t dare force you to quit your dream. Francis may want to but she’s not the boss, I am. And all I want to do is help you in any way I can.”

“How can you help me? Seriously, outside of buying me out and putting me out of my misery, how can you help?”

“I don’t know.” Glory shrugs her shoulders. “But just understand that every resource I have, every tool I have available to me is also at your disposal. I want to help Kayla, in any way I can, because you are family and family sticks together.”

The warm smile from earlier returns to Kayla’s face. “Thanks Glory...I’ll think about it…”

==========
Denver, Colorado
Off Camera
==========

The lobby of this hotel in Denver, Colorado is quite exquisite. The floor was tiled in fine marble, which made every step echo. A chandelier made rainbow colors dance across the luxurious lobby. Embroidered silk sofas surrounded a large, flat-screen television. The twin doors that led into the lobby were a pristine white with golden handles. The desk was made of amber-colored wood and a green granite top. Exquisite paintings hung from the rich, red walls. Even the door hinges were engraved with swirls and elegant designs. Music played in the background, even though the only person around to hear it is the attendant at the desk. The music is soft, the colors gentle to the eye and the large dining room is set up and ready for dinner tonight.

Silence never lasts forever. The silence of this hotel lobby ends abruptly when “The British Bombshell” Glory Braddock and her husband, Kurt Logan, arrive in the lobby. They have just arrived, one day ahead of the event itself. Braddock likes to arrive early, it’s something she learned from her famous father Glenn Braddock. She was planning to arrive even earlier than this but things changed when she met with her cousin, Kayla Jones, earlier in the week and insisted that she stay for a few days.

As much as it went against her own instinctual training protocols, Glory Braddock was happy to be able to spend time with Kayla. The obvious fact is that she and Kayla, despite being first cousins, were never that close; at least not as close as Glory was to Kayla’s older sister Angelica. But there was also the underlying desire to help her family that added to Glory’s motivation. Kayla’s modeling agency is having severe financial issues right now and she was sent by Francis Taylor to organize a buyout. Instead of organizing a buyout, a hostile takeover if you will, Glory chose to just offer her assistance to Kayla in any way she can.

Unfortunately not much was said when Glory was in Boston. Kayla did not really want to talk about it as the desperate situation she’s in puts her into a depression. So no real solution was come up with; but the offer is still on the table, Kayla knows it, and Glory will be available to provide whatever assistance Kayla needs.

“It took you longer than expected to get here, but at least you’re finally here.” These are the words of Kurt Logan as he and his wife walk across the tiled marble floor of the hotel lobby. His wife, the SCW Adrenaline Champion, just rolls her eyes at the somewhat sarcastic remark made by her husband.

“I take it you didn’t approve of me staying with Kayla for a few days?”

“Huh?” Kurt looks somewhat confused, then shakes his head. “Oh, you misunderstand. I actually like the fact that you decided to stay with your cousin for a few days.”

“Then why the sarcasm, love?”

“It’s just that I was surprised. That’s all. But I’m glad you did it, because it shows that you’re still the woman I love.” He leans over and kisses her on the lips. “The woman I love cares about her family, friends, and loved ones and would make tremendous sacrifices for them.”

“I’d hardly call spending a few days with my cousin a sacrifice.”

“It may be a very small gesture but it shows that you do care. And that woman who cares about those she loves, that’s the woman I married, that’s the woman I love.” Kurt kisses her again, this time on the cheek. “Keep that woman around.”

Glory forces a smile upon her face but cannot help but feel reminded about her past. She cheated on Kurt not long ago because of her selfishness and greed. She is lucky that their marriage didn’t go to hell. She is lucky to have salvaged their marriage. She is lucky to still have Kurt with her to this day. But he is right, this version of herself truly is the best version of Glory Braddock. Glory Braddock does care about her family and friends and would do anything for them. And that’s why she is willing to do whatever it takes to help her cousin. She just isn’t sure what form that help will take. She knows that Francis Taylor wants to take over the agency. In fact, Francis has already tried to contact Glory several times since her first meeting with Kayla a few days ago but Glory has intentionally ignored the calls. She knows Francis will continue to pressure her to force Kayla into a buyout but that’s not what Glory wants to do. She wants to do what’s best for Kayla. She wants to help Kayla.

Braddock and Kurt make their way to the front desk so that they may get checked into their room. It is there that they are greeted by a man in a nice polo shirt and khaki pants. He has short black hair and seems to be in his late twenties or early thirties. “Yes, may I help you?”

“We have a reservation.”

“What’s the name?”

“Logan. Kurt and Glory.”

“Let me check on your room…” he does some keying into the computer while Kurt and Glory wait patiently “...ah yes, your room is still being cleaned but it shouldn’t take much longer.”

“Ok, that’s no problem.”

“We apologize for the wait. This matter should have already been taken care of; the cost of your room will be reduced because of this.”

“Oh, thank you very much.”

“You’re welcome, sir. Just wait over there on the sofa. When the room is ready I’ll have someone go retrieve your bags.”

Kurt nods and then leads his wife Glory over towards a sitting area nearby. He and Glory spot a cream colored plush leather sofa. Braddock is the first to sit down, followed by Kurt. He wraps an arm around her shoulders and sighs.

“I suppose we bear some of the responsibility for this. I mean, we did have to reschedule the arrival time.”

“You’re upset, aren’t you?”

“Not at all.” Kurt says with a smile. “I just hope this doesn’t screw up any of your plans. I know heading into any major match you have your rigid schedules of what you want to do, when, and how.”

Braddock nods her head. “I do, but I think I’ll be fine. I spent the last several days working with Kayla.”

“Did you spar?”

“Oh yes. I don’t know many better sparring partners to have than Kayla and Angelica Jones. So I took full advantage of it. I’ll be ready for SCW...and even whatever MWE has to throw at me next.”

Braddock rests her head upon Kurt’s shoulder. They continue to wait for their room to be ready. They sit in silence like this for a few moments with an uninterrupted bliss. But that silence is shattered when a booming voice sounds out loudly from across the lobby…

“Braddock!”

A fan? Glory and Kurt both look over in the direction of the voice; it’s coming from the entrance. They spot a man in a navy blue suit and tie approaching waving his hand at them. He has brown hair which is neatly done up. He truly does look like a million bucks. This could be a fan but the way he’s dressed and the way he presents himself makes it unlikely that this is a regular ordinary fan. But he does seem to know Glory.

“Does he look familiar to you?” Kurt whispers.

“Maybe…” Glory has to admit something about him looks strangely familiar but she can’t put her finger on it.

“I swear I’ve met him before. Just not sure where.” Kurt chimes in. That’s the last thing they can say before this stranger finally approaches them. Glory and Kurt stand up to greet him. His hand is outstretched, offering a handshake. Kurt is reluctant to accept at first but does finally shake the man’s hand. Glory shakes his hand next, also after a momentary reluctant pause.

“Ms. Braddock...Ms. Glory Braddock…” despite the fact that he doesn’t appear to be a starstruck fan he certainly sounds like one as he gushes over The British Bombshell “...it is a pleasure to meet you. And this must be your husband? Kurt Logan, right?”

“That’s right.” Kurt says sternly. “Do we know you?”

“Ah, my apologies. My name is Kennedy. Ronald Duane Kennedy.” He winks. “But you folks can call me RDK for short, everyone else does.”

“RDK?”

“Uh-huh…”

“So that’s where I know you from!” Kurt says. “You used to wrestle for Global Division of Wrestling, didn’t you?”

“Yes, I had a brief stint as a wrestler.”

“We wrestled once, if I remember correctly.”

“Probably. To be perfectly honest, Mr. Logan, I remember very little about my time in professional wrestling. It was just something I wanted to try. I’m kinda glad I got out, to be honest with you guys, because I heard it went bankrupt and bought out. Is that right?”

Glory nods her head. “Yes, my company bought it out.”

“Good to see it went to capable hands.” RDK says with another wink. “Now don’t go getting me wrong, I enjoyed wrestling but not as much as I enjoyed business. Business, making myself money, making other people money, that’s where I realized I belonged. I realized that was my strong suit.” He nods towards Glory Braddock. “I hear you’ve become quite a businesswoman yourself.”

“I suppose I’m decent enough.”

“Decent? My, my, you are humble too, aren’t you ma’am? You run a successful wrestling promotion, a successful wrestling school, and on top of all that you are a reigning champion in an active promotion. You truly are the Best in the World.”

Months ago, Glory Braddock the greedy corporate monster would have loved to have her ego stroked like this; but not this Glory Braddock. She is still suspicious of this man. She still has questions that she wants the answers to. “Thanks for the compliment, mate, but if you don’t mind me asking how the bloody hell did you find my husband and I here?”

“Oh, right, sorry. Normally I don’t do business like this; normally I call ahead and arrange for a meeting but I knew this was a rare opportunity for both of us to make a profit and I had to talk to you as soon as I could.”

Braddock smirks. “Nice dodge but that doesn’t answer my question, mate. How did you know we would be here?”

“Every good businessman...or businesswoman in your case...has to have plenty of good contacts. And I have contacts of my own who have somewhat of a good idea about your schedule.”

Glory sighs deeply as she immediately realizes what he is insinuating. “Francis Taylor.”

“That’s right! Francis and I aren’t exactly what you would call friends but we are certainly allies in the business world. Whenever I see a potential profit to be made I let her in on it and vice versa. Ms. Taylor sees a gold mine ready to be excavated and she is worried that you, Ms. Braddock, are going to let it slip away.”

Kurt looks over at his wife with a curious gaze. “What is he talking about?”

“My cousin’s modeling agency. That’s what the meeting between Francis and I last week was about. She wants me to organize a hostile takeover of her modeling agency.”

“Hostile takeover has such a negative connotation to it, Ms. Braddock; it’s just a buyout. Nothing more. And it isn’t necessarily a bad thing, especially if you consider your cousin’s modeling agency is about to go under.”

“But that may not be what she wants.”

“So you’re going to let her agency suffer a slow painful death? You could end it quick, merciful. In business these buyouts are not bad, they are a thing of mercy. It finishes a failing business quickly instead of dragging it out. And in the process you can make more money. I mean, it wouldn’t be the first time you did something like that.”

“What do you mean?” Glory asks. RDK chuckles.

“Global Division of Wrestling once owned the rights to GCW. But then you purchased the rights to GCW from Francis Taylor when she was the owner of GDW because they were in desperate need of financial help. So you gave them a financial shot in the arm by buying GCW from them. Alas, their financial difficulties didn’t improve and who was there to swoop in?” RDK points an accusatory finger at Glory Braddock. “You. When it was all but obvious that GDW was failing you then swooped in and bought them out too. Once Francis Taylor was your boss when you were just a competitor. Now you are her boss. Funny how things work out, don’t ya think Ms. Braddock?”

Braddock shakes her head. “That was a different set of circumstances.”

“Were they? Look, Ms. Braddock, I’m not judging you. I think what you did back then was the right thing. You gave a lot of people working for that company a second chance by buying them out. Kayla Jones is a sweet lady but she is failing. She has people working for her, models she represents, who are unsure of their future. You can swoop in yet again and save them.”

“I think you should leave.” Kurt says angrily. Glory holds out her hand to stop Kurt.

“Hold on...why do you care about what I do with my cousin or her company?”

“I want to help the agency. Francis told me all about the conversation she had with you and one of your concerns was the fact that neither you nor Francis knew anything about the modeling industry. But I do...and Francis wants me to take over the day to day operations of Kayla’s agency once you buy it out.”

Braddock rolls her eyes. “Bloody hell! I wish Francis would tell me these things…”

“If you would answer her phone calls then maybe she would have told you about me and my visit.” RDK winks again. Kurt again steps in between RDK and Glory.

“I really think you should leave. Now.”

Kennedy takes a few steps back. “Ok, I’m leaving. This is me leaving. But Glory, just consider it ok? I do want to help, that’s all. And if you do decide to take me up on my offer, Francis knows how to reach me.” That annoying wink from RDK comes yet again before he turns and does leave. Kurt shakes his head.

“I don’t like that guy. He strikes me as very sleazy...almost like…”

“Mason Van Stanton?”

“Not sure I’d go that far but yeah.”

Braddock sighs. “I don’t get a good feeling about him, either.”

“So you’re in agreement with me that we just ignore his pompous ass?”

“Maybe. I want to talk to Kayla first and see what she wants. She may decide that letting me and Francis takeover is the best and if that’s what Kayla truly wants then I’ll do it and I may let this Ronald Kennedy bloke run it. But if Kayla doesn’t want to quit then I’m not going to make her. That agency has always been her dream and I’m not going to pressure her into giving up on her dreams.”