04-26-2019, 09:17 PM
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The Veteran of Los Angeles.
Returning to action in the ring, it was a hell of an experience for me. I didn’t know what to expect when I walked down to that ring and entering it to face Sabrina Bello. A number of emotions took hold of me, fear, excitement, pride among other things. But the end result with my arm raised in victory was the most important one of all. I had feared I wouldn’t be ready, that I had needlessly rushed into this moment but while there was some rust. Trinity and even Owen Cruze helped me get over most of it.
They say it’s like riding a bike, like all things you stop doing over time. The muscle memory wasn’t something you were going to lose and that proved itself to be true. But the pain I was feeling afterwards was also something I had forgotten about if I’m to be honest. My body ached more than it had in many years, but in that same instance helped me to feel alive once again, it was a feeling that I’ll admit I really missed.
The water hit my skin and did an incredible job to wash my pain away, each drop of water my own personal masseuse thanks to the setting. My mind would go back to that match and I would already be thinking where I miss stepped, what I should have done instead. It was one of my better qualities I liked to think. My only problem is sometimes I get lost in the moments and over analyse when I really didn’t have to.
This was one of those times as I continued as the water began to get colder now and snapping me out of my little trance. I turned off the water and stood there a moment and stretching a little more in the shoulder before going to get myself dried up and changed. Drying off myself and my hair I tied it up into a ponytail and sat there on a bench as the remained of Emerge went on, I was only just a spoke on this wheel now but the desire to be the most important one was there. The reflection glaring back at me caused a smirk to appear on my lips, I couldn’t believe I was doing it…
But here I was.
It was then my cell phone had begun to ring, I noticed a dozen or so missed calls but the person calling wasn’t one of them. I smile as I looked down at number and hit answer…
Ivy: “Hey hun, everything okay?”
The sound of laughter on the end of the line brought a grin to my face, it was Lawrence who none of you would know but that’s okay. It’s what stories are for but his was something special because it led me to meeting possibly the love of my life, which I’ll admit I never thought I’d say…
Lawrence: “Woman, you know everything is mutha-fuckin-tastic. So that’s you doing the wrasslin shit huh, I guess you live n learn.”
Ivy: “Yeah, that’s it for the most part. You not watching the rest of the show?”
He chuckled down the line, I knew it was something I’d probably regret asking…
Lawrence: “Yeah, but it’s a couple of hills have eyes motherfuckers and I don’t have time for that shit. Been there, done that, fought the wars and probably something else. Now when you gonna bring that ass of yours back to Los Angeles?”
Ivy: “C’mon now Lawrence, what did I say about talking to me like that?”
There was a momentary pause, and a more apologetic tone to follow…
Lawrence: “I’m sorry, just excited is all. Watching you wrestle lit a fire inside me Yvonne. You know I think the world of ya but that doesn’t change the question. When you are bringing that butt back to Los Angeles.”
Yvonne: “Probably tomorrow hun, going to crash when I get back to the hotel and then probably check in on my brother and family. After everything that’s been going on lately, I want to make sure they’re okay.”
Lawrence: “I understand, just make sure you come visit this old bastard as well ya hear?”
Yvonne: “You know I will. You are taking all your meds?”
Lawrence: “Of course.”
Yvonne: “Really?”
Another pause, another shift in tone…
Lawrence: “Yes, most… Some of them taste like they were made in the ass crack of a Walter white…”
I laughed; I couldn’t help it.
Lawrence: “Okay that’s enough talk of ass thanks. You alright though yeah?”
Lawrence: “Yes sweetheart, I am as good as one my age can be. I am glad you’re okay.”
I smiled again; you’re probably wondering just who this person is? I’d be remiss if I didn’t answer that question. Lawrence Harewood is his name and he was someone I met three years ago in the most unlikely of circumstances, if serendipity is really a thing then this meeting between us was a real happy accident…
Three Years Ago, Los Angeles…
I was in a state of flux after my last career move came to an abrupt halt, all of which was my own doing as well. I had fallen out of love with the wrestling business and wanted to check out other avenues. I tried dating for a while, but none of that really worked out for me. I guess all things considered after Shaun and everything happened after that, it put a dampener on things there as well. Which was a shame because I really had begun falling for Shaun.
But he’s happily married now to a beautiful wife, he got his happy ending along with a movie career. I had hoped I would find mine, but it was playing an incredible game of hide and go seek and seek I did. I left the United States to return home to the United Kingdom, a lot of shit went down there in politics and the whole Brexit bullshit which just angered me for thinking about it. I joined a few demonstrations to try and battle it, but it wasn’t exactly a fair fight. Three years later it was a huge mistake we all see that now, but it is what it is I guess.
My trip U.K while soured by some idiocies, didn’t stop me from pushing forward with my goal to find true happiness. I toured a lot of countries; I took a few gap years to try and find myself you know? Took in a lot of the sights of the world, visited so many countries and met so many interesting people along the way. I learned a lot from the varying degree of styles out there too as a teacher myself in the art of wrestling, I would have been a fool NOT to see how the other side taught.
All of this though while incredible as an experience, didn’t set me up to find my true happiness. I was happy of course, I smiled and loved my life as it were, but it was always missing the one of two things which would render me complete. Someone to truly love and wrestling again… The itch had returned, and it wasn’t due to the mosquito bites I had gotten while over in Asia.
I was sat in a food market in Singapore when I made the decision to return to Los Angeles, my family were there now more than anywhere else. My father, brothers, nephews and nieces. Crazy how that works isn’t it when you think about it. But that was the nature my of the business my family had championed for so many years, but it wasn’t the same business, not really and I’ll admit that irked me.
When I returned home, a lot had changed since I had left. Donald Trump had only just been president I think, which was a horrible miscarriage of justice if you ask me. But my own country had its own issues to deal with. When you travel the world, getting back to reality can be a hard pill to swallow. The freedom to do whatever it is you wanted was an aphrodisiac like no other if I’m honest. It wasn’t something for everyone though, the never knowing what the next day will bring, especially in another country where you didn’t know the language.
It was a challenge, a good one but not everyone’s cup of tea.
Being back in the states, I’ll admit felt alien after my time away.
But it was time well spent and not wasted I liked to think, after settling back at my apartment I had noticed a lot had changed around the area. It had begun to fall into disrepair which wasn’t the case when I left. People I used to know were no longer living in the area and this concerned me. After I slept away the jetlag because let me tell you it sucks, I begun to get my mind around things a bit more.
Lucas had visited me, same with Jacob who I’ll admit our relationship had bene frosty, had grown better during my time away. He had gone through a lot lately himself, a lot of catching up was done. So after settling down I headed back out into the open world to see what it would bring onto me. I didn’t like what I was seeing with how things were turning out, this used to be a good area you know? Wasn’t this bad when I left but I guess it happens from time to time.
I got a lot of eyes watching me as I walked through, I didn’t know any of them but I was glad to see Mr. Lee’s market was still open and he still run it with his wife. They were happy to see me, really happy and told me a lot of what was going on since I had left. Drugs mostly was more prevailant, and the rising of costs such as medical bills had been a major problem for a lot of the families. Some had what was dubbed Obamacare, but for others that just wasn’t enough…
Ivy: “I don’t know what to say, I can’t believe things have gotten THIS bad in such a short time.”
Mr. Lee: “You be surprised, but this is nothing we can do other than push forward. It is very good to see you back, are you still living in the apartments up the road?”
I nodded while opening my drink.
Ivy: “Yeah, thankfully my brother took care of things while I was gone, one of the perks of him being as successful he was over here.”
Mr. Lee: “Yes, but he asshole unlike you.”
Ivy: “Ah… Take it you met him then…”
We shared a laugh; I could only imagine what Lucas said or did while visiting to check up on the place while I was gone. It would be a story for another time thought when I began to hear a commotion outside the store.
“You muthafuckas leave me alone.”
Mr. Lee: “Oh no.. Not again…”
I looked at Mr. Lee who shook his head and grabbed a bat from under the counter, I don’t think I had ever seen that before. He begun tow alk out from behind it where I held out my hand and stopped him.
Ivy: “What’s going on?”
Mr. Lee: “This happens every day, I need to stop it.”
I shook my head and immediately walked out of the store to see these two guys standing over this homeless man who was now on the floor holding his chest while grimacing…
Ivy: “Oi, what you think you’re doing?!”
Instantly when I see him, I cried out to them both looking up and laughing, it changed when Mr. Lee walked out with his bat in hand however and they had second thoughts. Which I’ll admit I’m glad, I could have taken em I think but I rather of not found out. Soon as they left, I rushed over to the man on the ground who had seen and smelt better days, but I didn’t let that distract me from what was happening.
Ivy: “Are you okay? Do you need a doctor?”
He couldn’t’ say anything, although he tried to his credit. He begun keeling over to his side while holding his chest once again which sent me into panic mode which is where I removed my cell and dialled 911…
Ivy: “Hello, yes I need an ambulance right away, theres someone here having a cardiac arrest…”
Mr. Lee rushed back into the store to get a blanket from the shelf and some water, I placed it under the man’s head and did my best to keep him conscious. It was when I found it his name was Lawrence Harewood, he was a former marine that had seen his fair share of combat back in the day. He had fallen onto hard times and been living on the streets for the last twenty something years. How he survived this long was a testament to his training and determination, however age and life on the streets had other plans…
Ivy: “You’re going to be okay Lawrence, okay? My name is Yvonne, I’m not going anywhere.”
I gripped his hand tightly as I could see the look of fear in his eyes, he didn’t want to die and god I didn’t want to see someone die in front on me just days after returning to the States. The EMT’s came and managed to stabilize him before taking him to the hospital, I went with them to answer any questions, especially when It led to those two assholes who were tormenting him.
I was worried that being in his situation, they were not going to treat him, so I told them to bill me. I know Lucas would lose his shit if he found out, but this would be on me. I didn’t know what else to do, it was a spur of the moment thing and I’m glad I did because I would never have forgiven myself if I left him to fend for himself be it outside Mr. Lee’s shop or now in this hospital…
To be continued…
Vs Gwen Blair
I looked at the camera with a warm smile as I sat in my hotel room. Traveling was few n far between for EMERGE, that much was obvious it was def one of the perks, but with that was the frustration of waiting you know? After my first match back in years against Sabrina, I just wanted to go at it again. I wanted something the following night, the next week but I had to wait three weeks which was probably for the best. It allowed my body to heal completely, it allowed me to focus on everything, take in the lay of the land that is Emerge and deal with a lot of the stuff going on away from the company.
Stuff like what is going on with Kelcey Wallace and her estranged husband, Chris Cannon… A man the world idolized, a man the world respected a man who was now despised, and I understood why, but also understood the other side of things as well. But while my loyalty once was to Chris many years ago, I was more loyal to Kennedy and especially Kelcey who needed everyone she could get, I felt so bad for her.
But I could ill afford to allow her troubles to cloud my judgement moving towards Emerge, I know she wouldn’t want me to do that, it was one of her many traits I respected. She was a woman who won Taking Hold of the Flame mere days after her father passed away on her wedding day... She embodied strength then and even more so now and was an inspiration for the woman I wanted to be not only in EMERGE, but Professional Wrestling.
[Rec.]
Yvonne: “I want to begin by thanking Sabrina Bello once again, I want to thank her for giving me all she had in our match. I want to thank her for bringing out the very best in me because I had moments where I thought that might not be the case. The term its like riding a bike is thrown around a lot for various things, and wrestling for me wasn’t one but it was handling the crowd, the pressure which was the most daunting task for me. Sure I had rust and I did m best to work through it by training with a couple of friends. But truth be told it was pressure that was being placed on my shoulders by Drew, and the lofty expectations I knew the EMERGE Fans would have for me.”
I sigh.
Yvonne: “But they also motivated me as well, they opened my eyes a lot because I’ve seen a lot of things going on lately elsewhere, things I can’t believe I would ever see. IT put a lot of things into perspective for me now, it has shown me that I was right to come back to wrestling because the chaos that is going on right now is getting absurd. The respect is going out of the window now, we have husbands cheating on their wives. Friends turning on each other, we have people injuring one another and it gets to the point where I ask when is it going to stop? I know it’s wrestling, and I get that, but there has to be a line somewhere surely?”
Yvonne: “I don’t know where that line is, but it starts with me if anywhere. But I think I’m safe in thinking that you won’t be like that Gwen, I don’t have anything to worry about with you. I’ve seen what you had to say and much like I, you haven’t been too far from my thoughts. I’m actually looking forward to this because I know you’re going to test me just like Sabrina did. I see you surround yourself with some good people and that tells me you’re a good judge of character. I don’t think I’ve met anyone nicer in this world than Chris, he is a beautiful soul and while our time I believe in UWA was brief, it was one of the finer moments of my time there.”
Yvonne: “But as sweet as this all is, you and I are going to have to put the pleasantries aside when we set foot into that ring on Monday night. But I want you to know love that I won’t be walking into our match without the win on my mind. Sounds ironic given the business we’re in, but it’s a fact no matter which way you want to paint it. This is a business of wins and losses, career defining moments and while this might sound egoistical of me, your career defining moment is standing in the ring with Yvonne Knight.”
I smile now though.
Yvonne: “Just like I’m sure facing you will be for me also. EMERGE is all new to me, it’s a real adventure and Gwen, it’s one that I will enjoy sharing with you as well. Good luck.”
[/Rec]