26. Ronan

Ihear a car engine outside. I leave the kitchen where I am making dew worm bread and deer stuffing and peer through the dining room blinds.

It's Chey's car. I'm not expecting a visit, but my lips curl up and my heart beats faster in anticipation.

My tongue, on the other hand, grows two sizes and has a nice fur coating. If her visit is because of what happened with her father and me the other day, this meeting could go so badly for the both of us. I clomp to the door, steeling myself for anything.

"Chey." My mouth stays open, but I can't get out any more words.

"Ronan." Chey's mouth stays open, too. I guess the both of us are at a loss for words.

My brain finally finds a few, and my mouth responds. "Come in. We probably need to talk."

Chey nods and gingerly steps in. At this point, with how meek and mild her demeanor is, I figure I'm at least not going to be slapped in the face.

I lead Chey to the living room, and we both take a seat. Not side by side. In two separate chairs. The tension is palpable.

I intently watch Chey as she glances around the room, focusing on the walls, where I have many framed mementos from my career. There's a variety of things to check out, championship photos, pictures taken with celebrities, and even my framed belts. I shift in my chair, unsure how I should gauge her actions and the delay in starting the conversation.

Chey stops gazing around and drops her head to face the carpet. Then her deep green eyes reach mine. Her look alone has my heart skipping a beat.

"Ro, I'm here to profusely apologize for my dad. I heard about that mess the other day. Everything has got so out of hand. From what I can tell, Marty must have told Dad that you and I are having a sexual relationship. I don't know how he knew, but it's the last thing I wanted to have happen. Liam called me and filled me in, and then I came straight here."

My suspicions are confirmed. I soberly nod my head. That tiff was witnessed by far too many wrestlers not to be gossiped about around town at lightning speed.

"Yeah, that's why you're here. I kind of guessed it would be about that. As far as Marty knowing, don't worry. I don't think you sold me out or anything like that. If I had to guess, I'd say Marty just took one last shot at stirring up trouble for me. Even if it was a lucky guess based on seeing us together, you know?"

I shake my head. "It wouldn't surprise me if Marty ran his mouth just hoping to be right about something so big. And then when your dad came around demanding an explanation, I certainly didn't lie to hide it. Marty probably didn't know for sure if that dog was going to hunt when he sent it out, but he had nothing to lose, really. Why not stick a proverbial knife in my back one more time?"

"Yeah. Lightning speed. Liam isn't trying to hurt me, us, by warning me, you know?"

"I know. Beyond the big mouths out there, I'm more interested in how you feel about all this. How are things between you and your dad? I never wanted to come between you two. I tried to explain the other day, but Joseph wasn't in the mood for explanations. Has it ruined everything we've been trying to achieve, do you think?"

Chey gets up and paces around the room. I can tell she feels caught on the ropes, as we insiders would say.

"Dad and I are fine, or well, we will be. It'll take a bit for him to digest this development. But he knows I'm no longer a kid. I can and will choose for myself who is in my life. It's just the daddy's little girl syndrome, you know? He was trying to protect my honor by taking you on in public like that. Some old-school act by a hurt father. Underneath it all, I think once I tell him I don't need defending, he'll be sorry about the whole thing."

I get up and take Chey in my arms.

"Please believe me when I say I tried to do anything to not hurt Joseph. He forced me to hit him. I knew he wouldn't let up until I did. So, I gave him a light punch. But he fell down. He wasn't hurt. Or, well, maybe his ego a bit. I never wanted to face him in a ring, God no."

Chey reaches up and caresses my cheek. "I'm sure you handled it the best you could. I have bigger fish to fry right now than Dad's hurt ego."

"What do you mean? Listen, come into the kitchen. I'll make you some dandelion tea. You look like you need something for your nerves, and I hear humans like that."

Chey nods, follows me in, and takes a stool along the island.

"Mac made me attend a meeting with Fritz and Lena."

I look back from heating the tea pot. "Oh, yeah? What about?"

"Well, Mac learned about Disastra. He confronted me about it. So I knew I was in trouble walking in, but it was nothing like I expected. They want to end Archimedes and have me play Disastra full time. And I'm sitting there, dumbfounded, racking my brain. How did Raucous find out? I thought you and I were keeping it well under wraps."

"They know about Disastra? Shit. Someone's been snooping around our training sessions, that's for sure. And I thought we were being so careful."

"Me, too. I've been going over and over the last few days. And Ro, I can only come up with one person who would benefit from hurting me and my future career. The one person we thought might tell must have not waited a full breath before shooting her mouth off."

I look blankly at Chey. The kettle whistle blows. I get up and prepare the tea. I reach for the dandelion container, sift the flowers from the earth worms, and steep the hot water.

"Chey, okay, cough it up. Who is on your suspect list?"

"It's Dee Dee, Ro. I feel it in my gut. She slobbers over you day and night and wants a wrestling career of her own. She told me the other day she had put it together, remember? If she hurts me, in her warped mind, she thinks she could be up for both – getting with you romantically and taking top spot with Raucous."

I laugh. "Okay, that's funny as hell."

"Funny, maybe, but can you think of anyone more devious to go to such lengths?"

I pour the tea. The green liquid swirls in the cups with the goat's milk and honey.

My eyebrows pop. "Now that I think of it. No. I can't. Dee Dee is a hanger-on extraordinaire. Like a groupie on speed. And she's been champing at the bit to leave training for a wrestling gig. For what? Like ages. Yeah. I get what you're saying. Man, oh, man. How pathetic."

"Pathetic is the word. And now seriously damaging."

Chey sips her tea and makes a face. I try not to smile.

"Chey, Dee Dee, her hanging around… that's due to me. I am so sorry she's undermined you like this. I never saw her as anyone but a harmless groupie. I figured, smile, offer an autograph, and the chick would eventually tire of me and go away."

Chey turns and grabs my arm. "God, no. It's not your fault. Dee Dee is caught up in her own fantasy. She probably thought she was helping you by blabbing on me, or some such weird belief. You could have never seen this coming. Not in a million years. I figure it was us getting close that tipped her over the edge."

We both sip at our teas, drowning in our own thoughts. How did we get here and how do we get out from under this mess? I finally break the silence.

"I guess we couldn't hope to keep Disastra under a lid forever."

Chey sighs. "Yes. And maybe I needed this push. Now that the secret is out, I have to accept Archimedes' time is past. Dead and gone, like…"

I look over at Chey. Her lips quiver. I stay quiet, knowing this is her moment to finally come to terms with it, and she needs to do this for herself.

"Like… like my mom."

I breathe. I don't say one word. But I breathe.

Chey buries a sob and whispers. "Like you and everyone in the world has known forever. And I've been fighting against it the entire time. To bury Archimedes was to bury my mom forever. And I'd rather burn in Hell than do that. But she's gone. And no amount of repression on my part will change that."

I lean in and hold Chey tightly. Words would only hurt now.

Chey looks up. "I'm so… I'm so sorry, for everything."

"Nothing to be sorry for. Loss of family, of loved ones, it's the greatest loss of all. Who says a daughter has to grieve the way the rest of the world does? You were Moira's daughter. That's a bond beyond all bonds. For people in this callous industry to push you to let go of Archimedes before you were ready is beyond cruel."

"Just so you know. I'm not angry with Dee Dee. Sure, she was snooping into things that weren't her business. But I'm at fault, too. I looked at Dee Dee as an industry joke. More pitying her than taking her seriously. Maybe we all did. It's really no wonder she saw me as an enemy of sorts and lashed out. Maybe if I had been more patient and listened. I could have helped her on her way. But I was so caught up in my own world. Dee Dee is not the one to blame."

I take Chey's head in my hands. "You are the kindest, more forgiving soul I've ever met in a human. I always thought humans were wild cards you never could trust. But you're… you're an angel."

I lean in. Chey leans in, too.

Our lips met. And what starts as soft, light kisses…

Well, let's just say our dandelion tea is the only thing that gets cold.