Post by Tamika Strader on Jan 22, 2022 21:40:06 GMT -5
Meghan’s Ranch
Strader Estate/Compound
Houston, Texas
January 22nd/2022
Meghan Strader sat in her living room at the Strader estate with a glass of red wine in hand at her ranch-style home. She sits on her couch, her back to the kitchen and main entrance, watching Thunder Pro Wrestling’s Friday Night Fury to catch a glimpse of her firstborn but also not far was that one’s fraternal twin, Cara, who was sleeping on the couch with her head on Meghan’s lap. She looked down at her “mini-me” and smiled before taking a sip of her wine. Suddenly her phone starts to ring. Looking at the time, she wonders who the unknown number is as she slides the button on her iPhone to answer.
“Hello?”
“Mom… is that you?”
The next few seconds feel like an eternity, but Meghan finally responds.
“Vi… Victoria?!”
Tears roll down the Matriarch’s face.
“Yes, it’s me. I don’t know how long I have…”
“You have no idea how good it is to hear YOUR voice. Are you ok? What has Veronica done with you?”
Cara slightly stirs, and Meghan strokes her hair to keep her asleep.
“I’m ok mom. I have been in a nice place. Remembering mom and dad and my life before I learned about you and everyone else.”
Meghan takes a deep breath.
“We miss you, baby girl. Are you back for good?”
Hopeful thinking never hurts.
“No, she let her guard down and will resume control, but I wanted you to know I have seen and heard everything while I have been away. Please tell Cara I’m sorry and I love her. I love you, mom. Please don’t get hurt in the Battle Royal.”
“You too, and I won’t. What about your father?”
She can hear the shakiness in Victoria’s voice at the mention of The Raven.
“I have heard everything. I got to go. Please, help me get free. I love you.”
Before Meghan can respond, the call ends. She puts her phone down, and her right hand comes to her nose and mouth as tears stream down her face, waterproof mascara proving to be a lie.
“Are you ok, mama?”
Meghan quickly rubs her eyes and the tears away.
“What are you doing awake?”
“I didn’t want to interrupt the call..” Cara replies, motioning that she heard the conversation.
“It was your sister…”
“I know, I can tell by her voice; I love her too, mama.”
Cara slowly sat up from lying on her left side as her right arm was in stents and basic cast. Meghan brushes a few loose strands of hair from Cara’s face that have lines in her cheek from the pillow on her mom’s lap. Meghan takes a sip of her wine and hands Cara the glass, happily taking it.
“She said she has been witness to everything and that she loves you and she is - -“
“I don’t hold her accountable for Veronica’s actions. I shouldn’t have tried to get into that arena. I underestimated Veronica’s viciousness and brutality. When Victoria’s back, she’s buying me a McGriddle for trying to teach me how to fly. At least could’ve given me a cape to glide.”
Meghan lifts her left hand, index finger outstretched, ready to say something but stops herself looking up in thought for half a second before letting out a chuckle and shaking her head. Cara was slightly jealous of her ‘mamabear’ and those long eyelashes, but she was so happy to see her mom’s icy blue eyes weren’t so sad anymore.
“Cara… how do you do that? Find the humour in what happened with you and Veronica?”
Cara was a lot like her Aunt Tamika, who was forever optimistic in the worst of situations. She also knew Victoria and that it wasn’t her.
“Mamabear, I can always find the good in the bad… plus, Victoria and I grew up together; we were just like sisters, and wouldn’t you know it, we are sisters. She would’ve never done something like that, and I am the only one that’s dealt with Veronica. She is twisted mama,” Cara answers, “and it was all her that threw me off that roof.”
Cara never showed it, but the night she tried to get into the OCW Arena bothered her deeply. When she closed her eyes at night, she could see the hate in Veronica’s eyes, her sister’s eyes. How she was able to separate the two of them, even she didn’t know, but she was grateful. Still having a hard time walking, she needed Meghan to help her.
“Mamabear, I’m gonna go to bed. Can you help me there?”
“Of course, baby. Come on, let’s go.”
After getting Cara to bed, Meghan went out on the deck through the living room and the kitchen. She sat on a wicker loveseat and held her knees close to her chest, where she placed her chin in between her knees. A Marlboro Red burned between her signature red lips as she stared at her phone with Knox’s text that was another excuse for not meeting up to discuss Veronica. Meghan’s ears perked up as the rumble of Screaming Eagle Tailpipes filled the cool Texas air. She was expecting John at first but was even happier to see Tamika Kalis roll up on her 2007 Harley Davidson Sportster; the teardrop tank she had put on it still had the original CFH logo airbrushed in the colour of old bones against a black backdrop. She kicks the kickstand down and cuts the engine removing her barely legal helmet letting down her semi-long hair that was growing back after she shaved it last year. Her green eyes smile as Meghan runs to her as she steps off the bike. She is almost knocked over and laughs.
“Nice to see you too, Megz.”
“Oh, shut up and let me hug you. I haven’t seen you since Christmas.”
“Lil’Scottie wanted to go home to Kalistan and see his dad. Simon and I needed to talk.”
Tamika's husband Simon Kalis had bought up all of the Island of Laval north of Montreal and renamed in Kalistan. He's an interesting man.
“Oh, is everything ok?”
Tamika smiles and nods. She motions up to the deck, and the sisters make their way up and head inside into the kitchen. Meghan grabs a wine glass from the cupboard.
“Grab a couple of rocks glasses, would ya?” Tamika inquires as she pulls out a twenty-six-ounce bottle of Gold Gibson's Finest Canadian whiskey. “I stopped at the Whitehouse before coming up here and grabbed this. I had some shipped because as much as I love Texas and Nevada, the Canadian in me prefers our homelands brown liquors.”
“Oh, I haven’t had any of that in years.”
The former baby of the family (that designation belongs to Cara now) pours each of them two fingers’ worth of whiskey. They clink their glasses, and golden brown liquid glides down their tongues and throats. Neither even make a face, but instead, they moan with pleasure. Tamika pours two more.
“Did Matthew come by to talk about Veronica and how we get Victoria back?” She asks, followed by a sip of her whiskey.
“No, he didn’t. I am not asking him again either. This is why I signed up for the Battle Royal. I never needed a man before; I don’t need one for this, Meeks.”
Tamika has a slight smile on her face and raises her eyebrow with another sip as she watches her big sister spin the glass gently on the island piece they are standing.
“But he is her dad, Megz, and he understands this affliction, doesn’t he?”
The raven-haired matriarch rolls her icy blue eyes. Tamika did love her sister's icy blue eyes as it was something John, her twin, and their dad shared with Meghan.
“I hate to say it, but I am beginning to understand why Veronica hates him so much. I mean, he belittled Victoria a few times, figuratively slapped her in the face with how chummy he is with the two people responsible for breaking her heart; he cares only when he has a few bourbons or brandy in him. Like he’s cancelled four different times to talk about this situation. Cara adores him too. She doesn’t really want to have sex with him; she’s just a big tease.”
“Oh, I know. Apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, does it?” she asked with a chuckle and a duck to avoid Meghan’s hand. The sisters laugh at one another. Taking a drink, they sit in silence for a moment, well, not complete silence as TPW’s Friday Night Fury is playing. Meghan looks over at the Flat Screen hanging above the fireplace as the main event is over, and she hears Veronica’s theme music.
“This ought to be interesting…”
“We should probably sit down, knowing Veronica,” she says, making her way over to the couch with her glass in one hand and the neck of the whiskey bottle in the other.
“Yeah, she does have that effect,” she replies as she sits down beside Tamika, taking the bottle from her.
Shortly after watching the beatdown and commotion at the end, Meghan goes to check on Cara. Tamika hears a motorcycle approaching and starts her way over to a window to see who it is. She smirks and shakes her head as she waits for the knock on the door.
