Flames

Idol to Rival, part 2

What a life. As Becky looked around at the sprawling park, she couldn't believe how normal everything seemed, and how that made it that much more precious. For the longest time, she doubted whether she would find someone she trusted enough to marry and have a family with, and there she was, watching her rambunctious daughter run around the park while she took pictures of Roux to send to her husband.

Lita—idol, rival, friend—was sitting beside her on the bench, smiling as Roux chased her small dog, Kenz. "She's really good with her," Lita said appreciatively. "A lot of young kids can be grabby with small dogs, and older ones can be cranky about that."

"Kevin's older too," Becky explained, "so she gets lots of practice at home. We made sure we taught her to be gentle." She laughed as Roux and Kenz took turns chasing each other. The little dog seemed to sense that Roux wasn't the fastest or sturdiest and paced herself appropriately, and when Roux caught up to Kenz, she always planted a little kiss on the dog's head. "Thanks for meeting to talk shop with me. I just really want the match to go well...."

Lita gave her shoulder a friendly bump. "We're going to kill it out there, Becks. I know you've seen Twitter. They went wild when I challenged you. We've got more hype than any other match on the card!"

"I know." Becky couldn't help but smile. What a life! Here she was, sitting beside the woman she idolized as a teen, the woman whose fashion she copied and career she was inspired by, and now they were not only friends, but she was also getting her elusive dream match. So many wrestlers never got to meet their idols, let alone share the ring with them, so she knew she was incredibly fortunate. "All the more reason to get it right. You were screwed out of a proper send-off. I want to make sure you get your moment."

"Trying to get rid of me already?" Lita laughed. "Kidding, kidding. Seriously, I appreciate it. I know some of the other women's returns haven't gone well, so I'm glad we've been able to keep the hype up for this. And wrestling in Saudi Arabia...." She shook her head in wonder. "That wasn't even on the radar for the women back in my day."

"I just wish we could have a proper feud," Becky replied, "but I guess this is a start, right?" She secretly hoped that their match went over well enough that it could spark a post-Mania feud, but it was so hard to gauge Creative's direction lately.

When she saw a woman and a young boy approaching Roux and Kenz, she started to stand up, but the woman waved and pointed from Roux to Becky. "Can we say hi to your daughter and your dog?" the woman called out. Becky glanced to Lita first, who nodded, before giving the woman a thumbs-up. Both she and Seth had been caught by people who claimed their kids wanted to play, only to discover that they were seeking photos or autographs; this woman's cell phone was nowhere in sight, though, so Becky sat back. Roux needed to learn how to interact with people and make friends, after all.

Lita raised her coffee cup for a toast. "Here's to beginnings." After she took a sip of her coffee, she grinned. "I think you should try a Litasault on me. Not right now," she added with a laugh when Becky's mouth dropped open. "In the match."

"You know top-rope moves aren't really my thing...." Becky kept glancing over at Roux, who was happily babbling to the boy and petting Kevin. She waved at the woman and gestured to her phone, indicating that she wanted to take a picture. Her thumb accidentally hit the video button, though—just before Roux tried to kiss her new friend. "Shit. Be right back." Becky dashed over and scooped Roux up. "I'm so sorry. She's never—"

"It's okay!" The woman's laugh was warm and she lifted her son, who seemed more confused by the kerfuffle than anything. "No one's hurt, and Graham knows what to do when he doesn't like something. Let's say thank you for letting us pet the doggy, Gray."