Years in the Making

Chapter 3

Getting back to Ireland was a rarity for Becky these days, and she normally cherished every single second she spent in her homeland. Her brother always made sure to let her extended family know when she would be in town so they could get together, and she made a point of visiting as many friends in Dublin as she could, which led to a lot of pub nights—and hangovers. A Christmas in Ireland, surrounded by family and friends, should have been just the ticket to ease her heart, but somehow all the warmth and wonder just made her feel lonelier. She had finally broken up with Jeff and it had gotten nastier than she was anticipating, but even her wounded pride recovered within a few days.

The sense of freedom, of possibility, hadn't rushed in to fill the void yet, though, so Becky felt off-kilter. Her family were being understanding and respectful, but since they hadn't even met Jeff, there wasn't much she could say to them. Most of her American friends, however, lived in California, which was eight hours behind Dublin; it was a gap she was used to, but it was different when it was family. Figuring out the Central time zone was far easier—and it also happened to be where Seth was. She had made a point to ask him about his holiday plans before she left and quietly noted the days when he wouldn't be busy, but she still hadn't called him yet. We're friends! she tried telling herself whenever she felt like a vulture, scavenging around the ruins of his relationship to make herself feel better about the mess hers had become. Friends call each other and catch up....

She kept telling herself that as she dialled his number—from memory, not speed dial—and listened to the phone ring, which was starting to sound like a mocking laugh. "Becks?" She had almost been ready to hang up when he finally answered, and he sounded tired. "Isn't it like... four in the morning there?"

"Six," Becky admitted somewhat sheepishly as she curled up on her side. She had been having trouble sleeping, but she didn't want to be up and about and disturbing her mother's routines either. I should have stayed in a hotel, she thought, knowing she never would. Annette would have been offended if Becky even suggested it, and in all honesty, Becky cherished every moment she got to spend around her family. "Sorry. I didn't mean to wake you. I thought you might still be up...." She thought it would be midnight where he was and she had called him later than that during her NXT days, but that was a long time ago.

"I was just getting ready for bed, actually," Seth replied. She could faintly hear the whispery sound of sheets being pulled back. "It's okay, though." The slight anxious hitch in his voice made her twitch. "But I'm cool to talk for a bit if you like."

"Only if you're sure...." Becky almost laughed as she turned towards the wall. She had made countless late-night phone calls to friends when she was a teenager, thinking she was being all stealthy by pulling the covers over her head and whispering. Her mother had known about each and every one, of course, but she let Becky feel like she was getting away with something. She felt just as awkward now, but it had nothing to do with her mother or breaking rules. She missed the intimacy of talking in the dark, the way the night seemed to tease out secrets and things better left unsaid. Since it was Seth she was talking to, it was probably a recipe for disaster, but she hadn't stopped thinking about him since she arrived in Dublin. At first she kept telling herself it was because she was a concerned friend, but she couldn't sink that deep into denial anymore; being forced to quit wrestling and eventually getting a second chance had forced her to be more honest with herself, for better or worse.

"Yeah, I'm good. Besides, this way I can experience a Dublin sunrise without having to get up ridiculously early," Seth pointed out. "Your phone still has video, right?"

Becky resisted the urge to roll her eyes; a lot of the American wrestlers didn't realize how versatile some international phone plans were. "It does," she answered, "but the sun won't rise for another two hours or so."