The Cruiserweight (33 page)

Karen laughed. “Indeed it would, but you don’t
need any more speeding tickets, especially on
my
account.”

“That’s one ticket I wouldn’t mind paying.
Anyway, almost forgot to tell you the boss will have a staff
meeting Monday. He wants you to come. Think you can
manage?”

“Sure. It’s always nice to see everyone, even
if it’s for a few hours.”

They arrived at Karen’s building, and Eddie
parked as close as possible to the entrance. “Get some rest after a
nice gourmet dinner of dill pickles and some ice cream,” he said,
helping her out of the car‘s passenger side. “I’ll pick you up
around two on Monday.”

“Two o’clock,” she reminded him in a teasing
manner. “Not two-forty-five.”

CHAPTER 60

One of Brett’s fan sites released a sneak peek
of his new look before the following week’s show aired, courtesy of
a fan who attended the previous Monday’s taping. The pictures
turned out well, but some fans weren’t sure how to take his new
image.

Karen found the new style refreshing. Much as
she’d liked his previous ‘rocker’ look and the Speedo, it had grown
stale and was too much of a throwback to his previous promotion‘s
gimmick. Now as the New Legend Extremes’ newest member, Brett
needed something fresh, and the wardrobe department worked its
magic.

Eddie glanced at the photo. “Jesus, he looks
like an extra on the set of
Star Wars.”

“It’s not
that
bad,” Phoebe replied.
“Brett also looks like he’s buffed up a little. Nice abs, and his
butt still looks fine.”

“Hey,” Karen said. “That’s my child’s father
you’re drooling over, lady.”

Eddie gave Phoebe a look. “Yeah, what’s up with
that?”

“Don’t even start on me, Eddie Romano,” Phoebe
said. “I didn’t say a word when you were ogling your girlie
magazine’s Honey of the Month while we were in bed last
night.”

“Eddie, really.” Karen shook her head. “Didn’t
your father ever tell you not to read those things when you’re with
your fiancée?”

“I needed ideas,” he replied with a grin. “It
had good articles, too.”

“Riggggggggggggggght,” the women said in
unison.

“Any idea what Mr. Sullivan is planning to
discuss at this meeting?” Karen asked.

“Probably the usual shit,” Eddie answered.
“It’ll start off thanking us for coming back earlier than normal,
even if we had to cut off our lunch breaks, then a sermon about
deadlines, maybe a joke about your belly if he’s in a good mood,
then more sermons about other stuff we’ve heard before. These
meetings are predictable.”

As if on cue, Sullivan and other staff members
arrived in the conference room. “Good afternoon,” he greeted them.
“Thanks for coming in earlier than normal, despite you all ending
lunch early
…
”

*****

“There you are,” the creative team head writer
said when he spotted Brett the following Monday, and handed him a
stack of papers. “Got some new ideas for you.”

“Are you guys trying to drive me insane,
Chris?” Brett asked, joking. “You just changed my story line last
week.”

“Most of that’s still the same. The boss lady
came up with something new to add. I think you’re going to like
what she has in store.”

“Okay, but if it’s something stupid, I’m
kicking your ass right where you’re standing.”

“I think I’m safe in that respect. Check out
page six.”

Brett flipped to the requested page, and
skimmed over it, before something caught his attention. “Whoa! A
face off with Park Perry for the TV Title?” A huge smile crossed
his face.

“Told you you’d like it.”

“I thought she’d penned me in for the Florida
Title.”

“Original plan, but then we all decided it was
time for you to advance to something bigger. Miss Cross really
likes you. Of course, she likes anyone with a good work attitude
and who contributes something to the company, even if it’s the
smallest thing. You’ve done more than your share since you signed,
and it’s time you were rewarded for your efforts.”

“Guess that explains my attire makeover,” Brett
said.

“That’s part of it, and the fact you needed
something a little more bad ass as part of New Legend Extremes.
Nice haircut, by the way.”

“Thanks, bro. My stylist is out front if you
need any ideas. I invited her as a guest tonight.”

“I’ll keep that in mind. Good luck tonight,
man. You and Park are going to set that ring on fire!”

CHAPTER 61

“97
…
98
…
99
…
100!” Brett leaped up from the floor, completing
the one-arm push-ups he’d mastered over the last several months,
just as Park Perry walked in the room. “Quit showing off,” he said
with a laugh. “No way are you getting this belt from
me.”

Brett was psyched about that night’s upcoming
TV Title championship match. He grinned at his colleague and
friend. “Don’t count me out just yet, dude.”

“Okay, but you’re asking for an ass
beating.”

“Like I never heard that line before. Bring it
on.”

“Whatever you say. I’m not the one who’s going
to make an ass of himself wearing some weird Biblical-looking
outfit while fighting a guy almost twice his size.”

“Least I don’t go out in a fag robe covered
with sequins and feathers.”

“Hey, wearing this thing was not my
idea.”

“I know, man; I’m just fucking with
you.”

They shook hands. “Going to be a good match,
buddy,” Perry said. “The hard part is me going out there and
pretending to hate your guts, when it’s actually an honor to
wrestle you.”

“Honor’s mine,” Brett replied. “We should do
this more often.”

They heard music start. “There’s your cue,
soon-to-be-former-champ,” Brett said with a grin. “Go do what you
do best, and amaze your fans.”

*****

“I thought that meeting would never end,” Eddie
said with a groan as he and Karen headed home. “I always knew
Sullivan was a gas bag, but he was really full of wind
today.”

“He went over a lot of material,” Karen
replied.

“Jesus, what does he do in his office all day,
think up new ways to bitch at us during meetings?”

“Come on, it wasn’t all bad. He did have some
ideas worth considering.”

“Yeah, you’re right. It would be nice to see
him crack a smile now and then, though.”

“Being editor in chief can’t be all laughs,
Eddie.”

“I wouldn’t want the job, that’s for sure. You
hungry?”

“You buying?” she asked, teasing.

“Yeah, why not? It was nice seeing you in the
office today.”

“Thanks. I’m up for about anything, so you
pick.”

“You’re close to giving birth for sure.” He
started laughing.

“Just find a place that isn’t crowded and save
the smart remarks.”

“What specialty does the lady crave? Pizza with
anchovies and pineapple? Sardines in honey mustard sauce?
Strawberry shortcake with a dill pickle
—
”

“Eddie, I’d like my appetite intact, not taken
away. Good lord.”

“Well, you’ve eaten some weird stuff in the
last several months. Hey, there’s a good place right up the
road.”

They moved through traffic at a smooth pace for
several minutes, chatting about other things, before two
pedestrians darted out in front of the car without
looking.

“Christ!” Eddie said, taking a sharp swerve to
avoid hitting the pair.

Another car had also turned, but traveling at a
high rate of speed, didn’t have a chance to stop in time. It was
the last thing both Eddie and Karen saw.

*****

Perry was in the ring, accompanied by Dazzle,
when Brett made his way down the ramp. Until Perry became the
current champion, fans hadn’t held much interest in the TV Title.
But now with two popular names facing each other, all eyes were on
the two contenders that evening.

Brett sold a right punch to start off the
match. Perry caught his quad with a round kick, then celebrated
like he‘d captured the victory. He shuffled a bit, and Brett
clubbed him on the back. He tossed Perry into the corner and drove
his shoulder into his abdomen.

“Give up?” Brett muttered into Perry’s
ear.

“You wish.”

Brett tossed Perry halfway across
the ring
. Dazzle ran in to attempt to pull Perry out of the
ring, but Brett grabbed onto Dazzle and pulled him halfway into the
ring before he let go. Perry got some distance and tried to
slingshot into Brett, but he caught Perry in a military press, then
tossed him to the ground.

“Let’s go Kerrigan!” the crowd shouted in
unison, followed by stomps and claps.

To the crowd’s amazement, Brett lifted up Perry
for a power slam, but Perry punched him in the eye and nailed
another kick. He went at Brett with a spinning jump kick, but
Dazzle had the referee distracted.

Perry went to shoo Dazzle off the apron, which
enabled Brett to execute a school boy move for a count of two.
Perry hoisted up Brett, but Dazzle tripped him from the outside by
accident, which gave Brett the opportunity for a counter submission
for the winning three count

Brett Kerrigan was the new Orlando
Wrestling TV Title holder!

CHAPTER 62

Karen woke propped in a bed, with dimmed lights
from a ceiling shining in her eyes. She heard indistinctive hushed
noises in the background, and glanced toward an open
doorway.

What happened? Where’s
Eddie?

A nurse appeared in her room.
“Karen?”

“Yes?” she asked in a faint voice.

“Just came to give you a shot to keep you
comfortable the rest of the night.”

“What time is it? What’s going on?”

“Nine thirty. You were in a car accident this
afternoon, and admitted through the emergency room.”

A nurse appeared in her room.
“Karen?”

“Yes?” she asked in a faint voice.

“Just came to give you a shot to keep you
comfortable the rest of the night.”

“What time is it? What’s going on?”

“Nine thirty. You were in a car accident this
afternoon, and admitted through the emergency room.”

“What
…
what
happened to the man who was driving the car I was in?”

“Treated for a broken arm and released. He came
earlier to ask about you, but you were in surgery.”

Surgery?
Karen’s hand
slid to the upper part of her stomach. She became anxious when she
discovered she was no longer pregnant. “My baby. Where’s my baby?”
She started to sit up.

The nurse stopped her. “You need to stay lying
down. You have a couple of broken ribs and Dr. Sheppard delivered
your daughter by C-section at quarter after seven.”

Karen’s panic turned to joy.
A girl!
“She’s okay? No injuries from the accident?”

“Doctor examined her thoroughly after the
C-section. She‘s perfect and in the nursery.”

“Can I see her?”

“Maybe in the morning when you’re a little
stronger. The babies are asleep. In the meantime, maybe you can
think of a name.”

******

Phoebe panicked when she saw the cast and sling
on Eddie‘s left arm. “Oh my God, what happened?”

“Try turning on your damn phone once in a
while. I’ve tried to call you for over three hours. Karen and I
were on our way to dinner after the meeting when some kids texting
walked out in front of us. I moved the car to avoid hitting them,
and then some nut ran the light in a cross street. We were
hit.”

“Karen
…
the
baby
…
”

“They’re keeping her for a few days. Delivered
the baby by C-section. It’s a girl. Yes, before you start gloating,
you guessed right all along.”

“But the baby’s okay?”

“Doc said she’s fine. Sixteen inches, seven
pounds, two ounces. I can’t say the same about my car, though. It’s
totaled.”

“I’m just glad you guys weren’t hurt any
worse.”

“We both got our bells rung, Karen broke a
couple of ribs, my arm’s broken, and the little one arrived two
weeks early. But the good sides are that we’ll all recover, I can
replace the car, and still use my right arm.”

“Do you think you’ll be up for a visit
tomorrow?”

“Sure, up for anything after a good night’s
rest. Hey, wonder if anyone got hold of Brett to tell him the
news?”