Date March 5th 2020 / Time11:58AM / Status Not Recording
Location Lovest Bridal Boutique – Las Vegas, Nevada

“Mommy! I go!?”

I pull the sunglasses off of my eyes as we step into the bridal shop, the bright lights hitting my eyes and immediately making me wish I’d of cancelled this appointment today. Why in the hell I scheduled an appointment to pick out dresses so God damned close to Act of Defiance is beyond me.

But at least I wasn’t suffering alone.

“Christ… Why’s it so bright in here?”

Amber says beside me.

“Fuck if I know.”

“MOM-MAY!”

Her screech pierces my ears and I turn around to see Adina jumping around, a cute little scowl on her face.

“I GO?!”

I sigh and nod my head.

“Yes… You go. Go with the nice lady and pick out a couple dresses to show Mommy and Auntie Amber.”

She squeals again and runs off, leaving Amber and I to be directed to a few chairs on the far side of the boutique. As we move through the room, I’m wondering why we’re getting so many awkward looks.. But then I realize that she and I look like we’ve been beaten half to death (which isn’t wrong), and we’re dressed like two homeless people who wandered in here off the street. One’s walking around with one good arm and one looking like she lost a fist fight with a lawn mower.

Yep. That’s us.

Always classy.

But there’s not much they can say when the Jack Michael’s fiance chose their little place to do her dress shopping for her wedding.  I mean, technically Jack doesn’t know about this little surprise yet – But he’ll know in a few days.  Call it a little birthday present.  His fiance has finally decided to stop procrastinating and has finally set a date.   I’m sure he’ll be thrilled.

Even more thrilled when he sees Adina in her cute little flower girl dress.

Speaking of.. I look up from the chair I’ve planted myself in to see Adina pulling the poor woman along by the hand, pointing at every. Single. Fucking. Dress on the hangers.

Better her than me.

“Well that’s more than a few dresses…”

“Definitely your child. Least the chairs are kinda comfy.”

I nod and lean back, contemplating putting my sunglasses back on.

“Well.. She’s excited. But… she’s also a fucking menace.”

“… And I repeat, your child.”

Amber chuckles at her own joke, trying to play off her discomfort being surrounded by expensive dresses, but I can see it.  Hell, I feel that shit in my soul.

I open my mouth to retort.

“MOMMY!”

But, well… instead Adina comes busting out of a changing room wearing… Christ, I don’t even know what I’m looking at. My first wedding wasn’t nearly this involved and Adina was only an infant so…

“LOOK MOMMY!”

She comes up to us and I lean forward in the chair, taking a closer look at what the fuck my daughter has put on her body – and force a smile onto my lips.

“Wow… Just wow baby girl.”

“AUNTIE AMBER LOOK!”

I glance over to see Amber looking at me, her eyes painfully moving back to my kid – forcing the same smile onto her lips.

“I’m certainly looking…”

She glances back at me.

“Your daughter looks like a marshmallow.”

My eyes go wide and I slowly bring my eyes back to my daughter and realize that she’s right. My kid’s a fucking marshmallow. I turn Adina around and pat her backend.

“Well… You go try on another one, okay?”

And I glance up at the worker, shaking my head.

“No more like that one.”

She nods and moves away, and I lean back in the chair, rolling my eyes.

“What the fuck… If I weren’t so damn lazy I’d pick them out myself but who would buy something that ugly?”

Amber pauses, adjusting herself in the chair trying to get comfortable.

“I’m not sure you want me to answer that.”

“It’s you, isn’t it.”

I reply, chuckling.

“Oh yeah, when someone finally puts up with my fucking crazy ass. Good fucking luck.”

Amber replies dryly, her obscenities drawing more awkward stares.

“Well Jack puts up with mine.. God only knows why.”

Amber raises an eyebrow quizzically.

“You’re kidding right… Speaking of, please tell me you have a date in mind… some of us have busy social lives and I need to make sure it fits my schedule.”

More sarcasm from Amber as I grin and put my arms behind my head.

“Actually.. I have. Kinda why I drug us out today so I can show Jack on his birthday that I’m not putting it off anymore. So please, do me the favor of clearing your busy schedule on June 27.”

“Ah, ulterior motive. I see, hanging out with me isn’t good enough on it’s own then… Fuck it, I’ll check my diary and get back to you.”

I roll my eyes and reach into my bag, pulling out a flask.

“Bitch please… I brought you, didn’t I? I obviously needed backup and you’re the one I picked. Pfft.”

“Yeah, can’t imagine Jack fitting into anything here though to be fair.”

I let out a laugh. A quick drink from the flask helps before offering it to Amber, she pauses in contemplation.

“Well, this should be fun.”

She takes a drink of her own as Adina emerges in another rather questionable dress.  Christ.. Maybe I should have gotten up and picked them out myself.

“So Act Of Defiance huh…”

Amber has the worst timing of anyone as Adina parades another dress I hate from the get go. Adina comes up to us, looking proud as can be and I can’t even…

“Oh honey… Honey Umm… Maybe you should just try another one.”

Adina crosses her arms over her chest and huffs away.  She really is my kid.

“So yeah, Act of Defiance. Fun times, am I right?”

Amber forces a chuckle that comes out more aggressively than she likely intended. Or not.

“Oh yeah, I had a great time. Absolute blast… JC showing up was just the cherry on top of a shit sundae.”

I shrug my shoulders. Something tells me I’m the only one that isn’t as peeved about his showing up as my family is.  Then again, can I blame them?

“I mean… I’m not opposed to it. It’s not Bridges and we all know how much I loved Bridges.”

Another pause from Amber, she’s trying to choose her words carefully however the likelihood of them coming out that way is minimal by now.  It’s like I know her or something.

“I just… He hasn’t done anything to show that he can be trusted. After everything, you can’t expect me to just be okay with it without evidence to the contrary- sure Bridges was a slimy bastard, but we knew that from the start.”

“You sound like Jack, I hope you know that.”

I reply, giving her a smile as she screws her nose up at the suggestion.

“Great, now I do feel better. Look- I’m just being cautious… I’m not putting my hand in an alligators mouth just cause it didn’t take my leg last time.”

“No, I get that. Me either.. I guess I’m just prepared to give him that chance. God only knows why.. Maybe it’s because I’m trying to patch things up with Lucy and she loves him for some reason.. But I figure we all fuck up and it wouldn’t be fair to him if we take his previous actions… as fucked as they were… and hold them against him until he gives us another reason to.”

Amber leans back with a heavy sigh, adjusting her arm in her hoodie.

“Why not. He’d do it to us…”

I shrug.

“I don’t know. I guess I don’t wanna be that kind of person.. At least not all the time.”

I chuckle.  Silence settles between us for a few moments, Amber passes the flask back to me as Adina steps out in yet another dress.  This one isn’t as bad.  It’s actually kind of cute.  She walks up to us, strutting like a model before doing a little spin.

“Well this one is nice…  Did I mention I’m planning on a beach wedding?”

I ask no one in particular, as I examine the dress.

“Left that little detail out, I think.”

Amber says, she herself leaning forward in the chair to take a closer look as Adina moves over in front of her.

“I’ll agree.. It’s better than the others.”

I nod my head.

“You look beautiful, baby girl.  But maybe try to pick something that would go better on a beach?”

I say, glancing up at the lady that’s been helping her.   She nods her head and Adina runs off again, leaving Amber and I alone once again.  She shifts in the chair again, turning her body more towards me, sighing.

“I guess my thing is.. I have a hard time forgiving let alone forgetting.”

“Yeah, I get that.  I felt the same way for a long time.  Your soon to be dad has softened me up…”

She rolls her eyes.

“He does that.”

It’s true.  But I’d never tell Jack that.  It’s funny.. I see so much of myself in Amber, but yet she and I are so different.  It’s hard to explain.  The shit JC did… at face value it shouldn’t be forgivable.  Hell it shouldn’t even be forgettable.  But here I am… me… Kyra Johnson… Saying that we should give him a chance to prove himself when I myself wouldn’t even give Lucy the time of day just a half a year ago.

“It’s amazing how much shit changes…”

“It’s amazing how much of it stays the same too.”

I nod.

“Yeah, I–“

“Hey Mommy!  Auntie Amber!”

I’m interrupted by Adina, waltzing out in another dress…

“Hey Baby gir– Oh.. Wow….”

I’m stunned.  I don’t think I’ve ever seen my daughter look as radiant as she does right now.  The dress..

“It’s perfect….”

I see Amber sit up once again out of the side of my eye.

“I gotta say, it’s not bad.”

I scoff.

“Not bad?  Christ.. I can’t wait to go shopping for your dress.”

She chuckles.

“Dear God help us.”

“You like it Mommy?”

She comes up to me and I almost can’t hold back the tears in my eyes.

“Baby girl.. I love it.  Do you like it?”

She nods her head aggressively.

“Uh huh.  Can we get it?!”

I nod back.

“Done.”

With my first wedding, I didn’t even know it was happening.  Didn’t get to pick out a dress or anything… So I guess I missed out on these little emotions… These small things that make the day even more meaningful.  Sure it’s just a dress.. but seeing that little girl beaming the way she is.. So excited to be included in everything…

“Are you crying?”

Amber says, leaning in closer as I wipe my face.

“Only on the inside.  Hey, you go get that off and I’ll make sure that’s the dress you have for the wedding, okay?”

I say, sending Adina back to the dressing room.

“And make sure you thank the nice lady for all her help!”

“‘Kay!”

She yells from the dressing room.

“Does this mean we’re done here?”

I give Amber a sideways glance and sigh.

“For now.  Don’t be too thrilled… You’re gonna be the one modeling soon enough.”

She groans.

“Don’t remind me.  But hey… For what it’s worth… Your kid is gonna look gorgeous.”

“Don’t I know it.  One down… Four to go.”

And so it begins.

I’m getting married in three months… But so much is happening before I can even focus on that…

 

So Act of Defiance was fun, huh?

I mean I went out there intending on winning that battle royal all on my own, but I guess that wasn’t exactly the way it was gonna go… Not that I’m not grateful to have two other meat shields facing Jack along with me at Isolation.

That’ll make things easier.

Not.

But it is what it is.  All I can do is go in there and do everything within my power to walk out with that Ultraviolent championship.

I’m getting a bit ahead of myself though.

This week I get to face you Mitaxia.. One on one.  Maybe a little bit of a preview of what could happen at Isolation?  Who knows… Really.  Who knows with you.

It’s pretty obvious that you ain’t all there sweetie.

And I don’t think you liked me calling you a coward at all.  But hey, I call them like I see them.  And my assessment hasn’t really changed much since Act of Defiance, you know?  Sure, you’re crazy.  You’re fucking batshit crazy.  But that doesn’t mean you’re brave or courageous.   You do know that right?

…

I guess not.

But oh well.  There was a point in time when people called me the same thing, and it wasn’t really that long ago either.  Been there.  Got the T-Shirt.  You’re not really that special, Mia.

I’m just gonna call you Mia because let’s be honest, Mitaxia is a bit… Much.

Back to my point though.  You’re not the first crazy bitch that’s happened around these parts and I’m sure you’re not gonna be the last.  And while you seem to have a hard-on for my relationship with my sister… Yeah, I did some shitty things to her and maybe you’re right that I shouldn’t be upset with you for doing what you did.

But hey, I am.

I am and that’s not gonna change.  I made a mistake.   A mistake that I’ve got to learn to deal with and move on from.  And then some psycho with a fetish for the theatrics comes along and tries to finish what I quote-unquote ‘started’.  Let me get one thing clear right now… If I’d of wanted to finish it.. I’d of fucking done it.

Sorry Luce.

But it’s true and whether or not you believe it isn’t a concern of mine because there are quite a few people out there who know what I’m capable of and they damn well know that I could have.

That’s not the point though.  I didn’t want to.  It’s a damn shame that it took me nearly killing her to realize that she wasn’t the one I hated all along.  But I’ll spare you the tearful bits and just say that I don’t give a rats ass that you think I’m a hypocrite for wanting to kick your ass after you put my sister back into a hospital.   Who’d take your opinion seriously anyway?

I know I sure as hell don’t.

But I’m getting ahead of myself, I know.

I just hope you don’t think this is gonna be a replay of your match with Lucy.  She and I might be sisters, but we also couldn’t be any different.

Ultraviolence isn’t really her thing.  Obviously.

It’s totally mine though.

Don’t really expect you to know that though, I mean why would you wanna look at someone’s history, study them before you step into the ring with them?  What fun is that, am I right?

You’re gonna get as good as you give on Monday, sweetie… maybe even better.

Because while you wanna go by your pseudo-scary little name, trying to act like you’re someone else… Trying to be badder and more sadistic than the next person…

I’m just me.

Just like I’ve always been, and I have no problem kicking your ass from here to fucking kingdom come as plain old Kyra.  I don’t gotta theatric everyone to death to get my point across.

Am I gonna rip that mask off and find a mask of Lucy’s face underneath?  Is that supposed to scare me?  Bitch please.  That little trick is WAY overdone by now.

But hey, you do you and I’ll do me… and I’ll leave you laying like the piece of trash that’s hidden beneath that little facade of yours.

See you Monday.

 

OOC: Amber Used with Permission!