Glory Braddock & Danny Darko vs. The Haus of Nirvana (GiGi Aries & Datura)

[Braddock]

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July 9th, 2022
London, England
Off Camera
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It is always the darkest just before dawn. That’s what they say, anyway. When it comes to Glory Braddock, things are beginning to grow darker lately, figuratively speaking at least, and this has definitely not gone unnoticed by The British Bombshell. SCW Rise To Greatness is coming up and she desperately wanted to carve out a path for herself heading into the big event. Her first opportunity was at Taking Hold of the Flame, win that and earn a World Title Match. Her next opportunity was to defeat Owen Lee and earn a United States Title Match. Unfortunately Glory failed both times. As it stands, The British Bombshell really has no path to Rise To Greatness. She has no idea what her match will be or if she will even have a match. The closest thing she has had to any path was her recent tag team with Danny Darko; but as much as she may respect Darko, tag teaming with him is not what she wants to do heading into the biggest event in SCW. If she were to tag team, it would be with Amelia Stone. But Amelia has been on the shelf as of late. What started as a budding partnership between the two is now threatened.

Her personal life is growing dark as well. Braddock had tried very hard to create a stable situation within her company, Glorious Golden Enterprise; Aurora Alan is the current CEO and runs the company with the help of company president Francis Taylor. This way Glory Braddock would have no reason to step back into the corporate life, a life that she believes brought out the worst of her personality. Now forces from within that old corporate life now threaten to pull her back inside. That is, if she believes what she is being told.

Jamie Ryan, the young and apparently very ambitious niece of corporate board member Floyd Ryan, has informed Braddock that the board of directors views her as weak. The Board of Directors, specifically the faction that still favors the corporate founders, The Alan Family, feels emboldened with a member of the Alan family now running the company in Glory’s stead and that they are actively working to try and bring about a permanent end to Glory’s run within the company. The logical part of her mind tells her that none of this is true; Aurora Alan is a trustworthy honest individual, unlike the other members of her family. And even if any of this story was true, even if Glory were to lose her company forever, would that be a really big deal, especially considering the fact that she doesn’t really want to return to the corporate life?

Still, there is a small part of her that misses the power. There is also a small part of her that still believes that she is best suited to run the company. It is that part of her mind that kept Glory from selling a majority of her stock in the company to Aurora Alan. Braddock made Aurora a minority shareholder so that Glory could maintain controlling authority if she ever decided she wanted to jump back into the corporate world. She never wanted to permanently close that door. Now she is being tempted to fling that door wide open and step back into the role she had run away from.

It is indeed growing dark all around The British Bombshell, and there seems to be no end to the darkness. At least not yet. Instead of being given a clear path to Rise To Greatness, she is once again teaming with Danny Darko. And there seems to be no clear solution to her problem with her company. She is too afraid to risk ignoring it and yet she is also too afraid to get involved. She has no idea what to do. Therefore, Glory has chosen to take her mind off of her mounting problems by focusing on one of the few bright spots remaining in her life; her daughter, Melinda Braddock.

Young Melinda has had quite the impressive career as a professional wrestler. She decided to follow in the path of her grandfather, Glory’s father Glenn Braddock, and start her career in the European independent circuits. Melinda has wrestled all over Europe for well over a year, mounting quite an impressive undefeated streak. Considering her own active schedule a wrestler, Glory has been unable to actually watch her daughter compete as much as she would like. But she has decided to make a special trip to London to watch her daughter compete.

The British Bombshell finds herself waiting backstage at a small venue in London, England hosting the wrestling card her daughter Melinda is wrestling on. The beautiful blonde is dressed in plain denim jeans, white sneakers, and a plain purple t-shirt. Her long blonde hair is pulled into a ponytail in the back. She checks her watch, that rests on her wrist. Melinda is late, which is unusual for her typically punctual daughter.

“Waiting on someone?” Comes a voice that Glory instantly recognizes to be her daughter’s. She looks up and approaching is definitely her daughter, but there is certainly something obviously different about her. Her facial features belong to Melinda, the build is Melinda’s, but the hair is different. Melinda’s dirty blonde hair has now been dyed orange. She is dressed in all black wrestling gear. She smirks and gives a twirl as she approaches her mother. “So what do you think?”

“You mean your hair?”

“Of course.” Melinda says with a chuckle. “I mean, the gear is the pretty much the same.”

“Kinda the same. Well, same ‘style’ at least. Didn’t you wear more colorful attire?”

“Yeah but I decided to try different things and maybe establish an image. That’s part of why I went with the different hair. Image is everything, mom. You should know that as well as I do, that’s why you call yourself The Best in the World.”

“I USED to call myself that.” Glory shakes her head. “I haven’t used that arrogant, overbearing name in a long time.”

“British Bombshell then.” Melinda shrugs her shoulders. “Still, you have a moniker, you have an image, and that’s important.” She runs her hand through her orange locks. “So again, what do you think?”

“It’s certainly an image.” Glory chuckles softly. “I’m not sure your father would approve.”

“Which one?” The younger Braddock says with a look of mischief etched across her face, referencing how she has two fathers; a biological father, Thomas Gauge, and a step-father, Glory’s current husband Kurt Logan. Any other parent may be offended at a smart ass remark like that one but not Glory. She recalls how she, at Melinda’s age, was that kind of a smart ass.

“I don’t think either one would approve, to be honest, though Kurt would probably be more accepting than Thomas.”

“Are you accepting of it?”

“Do you even have to ask?” Glory asks as she approaches Melinda and embraces her in a tight hug. “I don’t care if you’re bald. You’re my daughter and I love you. That’s all that matters.”

“Love you too, mom.” Melinda says beaming from ear to ear. “I am sooooo stoked you’re here, by the by. I’m kinda surprised you made the trip, actually. Don’t you have all kinds of other stuff you’re dealing with? Matches and…”

“Nothing important.” Glory says, cutting her off quickly. “Definitely nothing more important than you.” The truth is, Glory wants to escape the SCW schedule. She wants to forget about her own troubles finding a path to Rise To Greatness, one that she feels she is worthy of. Teaming with Danny Darko isn’t exactly her idea of a good time. Braddock places a hand on her daughter’s shoulder. “I hate that I missed out on so many of your matches. I want to make up for that. I would like for us to spend more time together once your match is over.”

“That’s cool but hey, mom, you don’t have to worry about anything. I’ve had Aunt Julia here with me. And besides, I’ve been busy wrestling just about every week or so.”

“Just like your grandfather.” Glory says with a knowing grin. Melinda nods her head.

“I remember you told me grandpa was always super busy. I’ve kept super busy too. And just like grandpa I have yet to lose in the indies.”

“Just don’t push yourself, ok?” The mother states with a note of concern in her voice. “You ALSO should recall how your grandfather’s career came to an end.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Melinda rolls her eyes “you lectured me about it before.”

“I’m not kidding.” Glory states more strictly. “He pushed himself so hard, with no real care for his own well-being, that he ended up breaking his back before he could ever sign with a major promotion.”

“That won’t happen to me, mom.”

“You sound awfully confident.” Glory’s voice is taking on more of a lecture now. “Borderline cocky if you ask me.”

“How does that song go?”

“What song?” Glory asks curiously.

“You say I’m cocky.” Melinda winks. “It aint bragging, mother fucker, if you back it up.”

“Language!”

“Oh please.” Melinda rolls her eyes. “Like you’re some girl scout.”

“Fine…” Glory sighs and forces a smile on her face “...I’m sorry, but you know I worry about you. Besides, I didn’t think you liked Kid Rock?”

“There’s a lot you don’t know, mom.”

“I know and that’s why I want to spend time with you today and the next few days.” Braddock hugs Melinda again. “You and I used to be so close. Almost like best friends rather than mother and daughter. Why can’t we just be like that again?”

“The good old days?” Melinda pulls away from the embrace. “The good old days weren’t as good as you think. And I’m serious, you REALLY don’t know me. I don’t mean to sound harsh or anything mom. I mean, I get you have a busy schedule and all, so I’m not blaming you…” she sighs “...but you have basically left me alone to my own devices. You could have called, you could have reached out more, but you didn’t.”

“I know and I’m sorry.” Glory feels guilt washing over her. “I should have been there for you more, but I wanted you to do this on your own. I didn’t want to risk doing to you what my own father did to me. You know? Plus you had Julia over here to watch you and take care of you.”

“Yeah, I get ya. Unfortunately Aunt Julia is just as busy as you at times. She doesn’t even know some of what has changed with me.”

The British Bombshell studies her daughter closely. She can tell based on her tone of voice and the look on her face that she is hiding something. Glory isn’t sure what, but she does know that Melinda is hiding something from her. She decides to dig deeper for more information.

“What kind of changes are you talking about?”

“Look, forget I said anything.” Melinda says as she shakes her head. She forces a smile on her face and begins walking down the halls of the backstage area. “Come on, mom! Keep up! Let’s get you seated!”

“Come back here, Mel!” Glory rushes to keep up.

“You’re going to love these seats I got you!” Melinda exclaims. “They are front row! You will get a good view of me beating someone up!”

“Melinda, stop!” Glory states defiantly. Melinda does eventually stop and motions for her mom to follow her. Unfortunately for Melinda that isn’t working. Glory has her arms folder over her chest and based on the look on her face it doesn’t appear as if The British Bombshell is ready to take any more of her crap. Melinda sighs as she approaches her mother.

“What is it, mom?”

“You’re hiding something.”

“No I’m not.”

“You are.” Glory insists. “You have a tell when you are lying. And you are lying. You are keeping something from me.”

“Hell…” Melinda’s voice trails off. She is visibly frustrated that her mom won’t drop it. “...look, you want this to be a good time, right? Can’t we just drop this? Can’t we just talk about it later? Because if we talk about this now you won’t enjoy yourself today…or the rest of your trip for that matter.”

“When you put it that way…” Glory nods her head “...I DEFINITELY want to know. So tell me now. What are you hiding?”

“You asked for it.” Melinda sighs. “Look, I’m dating Clyde again.”

“Wait, what?!” Braddock’s eyes grow wide with surprise. “You better mean Clyde Eldon Jr!”

“Not that dork!” Melinda exclaims. “Clyde Sutter.”

“Bloody hell…” Glory’s voice trails off as she begins pacing the floor. She starts repeating ‘bloody hell’ over and over while rubbing her temples, as if she is beginning to get a headache. Melinda rolls her eyes out of frustration.

“See? I knew you would overreact!”

“Overreact?!” Glory stops pacing and gets up in her daughter’s face. “You think I’m overreacting?!”

“Yes, you are overreacting.”

“Melinda Alexis Braddock, let me remind you just who Clyde Sutter is, ok? He is the man who was abusive towards you. He beat you. He raped you. He…”

“Quit with that rape talk, mom!” The daughter exclaims. “That’s bullshit and you know it!”

“It isn’t! You said…”

“I said he hit me, yes, but I never said he raped me. Every single sexual act we did…and we did a lot…”

“MELINDA!”

“Oh shut the fuck up, mom. Like you weren’t a sexual deviant in your day? I mean, I am living proof of it, right? I’m the bastard child you had when you were sixteen and still in school. So you have no no damn room to talk because I just did the same shit you did.” She smirks. “The only difference is that Clyde and I used protection.”

That last line put Glory over the edge. She slaps her daughter across the face. Melinda rubs her cheek but, surprisingly, just laughs it off. “Mom, you just simply don’t like him. Plain and simple. Sure, he hit me once. That was when we split. Because no man I date will put his hands on me like that. But he has changed. He got help and you have to know it. You see it every time you turn on the tv and watch him. He’s more controlled than ever and he doesn’t even have a manager to reel him in. But you refuse to believe that he has changed because you don’t like him. That’s why you want to desperately hang onto that sexual assault bullshit, because you just don’t like him and it fits into your narrative that he’s a monster.” She shakes her head. “I hate to crush your narrative, mom, but he didn’t sexually assault me. Everything we did was consensual and you know why I consented? Because he was nice. He was polite. He was GREAT in bed.”

“I do NOT want to hear about that anymore! Do you know what your father would think?”

“Thomas? He KNOWS and he’s ok with it. And you know what? I think Kurt would probably be open minded about Clyde and willing to give him a chance. Kurt has always been more open minded than you.”

“You are too young to know any better.” Glory states coldly. “I have made those kind of mistakes and I am trying to protect you. You know damn well why I kicked him out of my wrestling school. He was too violent and intentionally tried to injure other students and the trainers. And even if I were to believe you that he has changed, that doesn’t mean he is any less of a bad influence. Even sociopaths can control their anger.”

“So he’s a bad influence, huh?”

“Exactly.”

“That’s rich.” Melinda chuckles softly. “Coming from you, that’s rich.”

“What does that mean?!”

“You think Sutter is the reason for all of this? My language, my new look, my personality? Newsflash, mom; Sutter is busy touring with MWE and GCW. I’ve been here in Europe. We have had a long distance relationship and have only physically been with one another for a few fleeting times these past few months. Sutter has nothing to do with this…this is just who I am now, influenced by wrestling the rough and tough European circuits, without my mother there to guide me.” She points a finger at Glory. “But you? You let your former mentor influence you. Hell, you let Aphrodite turn you into a completely different person and that person did things far worse than say a few naughty words. You were just a little better than a crime kingpin.”

“Melinda, I…” Glory shakes her head “...I’m sorry.”

“Look, I’m sorry too.” She sighs. “I probably shouldn’t have said some of those things. But it’s like I said, we shouldn’t have talked about this, either.” She starts to walk off. “Now come on, I’ll show you to your seat.”