Reality (Linstead AU)

Chapter 57

Erin had arrived at the arena where Monday Night Raw was going to take place with a sense of purpose in her mind. She was two, maybe three, weeks away from becoming the majority owner of WWE according the latest update Hank had given her at his house.

Immediately after getting home with that news, Erin had called Lucy Thorne and updated her, then tried to call Clementine to try and touch base with her. But the call to Clem had gone unanswered. That seemed like a bad sign regarding whether or not Clem would sign a new contract with WWE. It was possible that she had made a final decision to leave in January when her contract expired. That was only two months away. Or, maybe Clem had simply been busy and unable to take the call.

At Raw, Erin had the opportunity to talk to Clem without Clem being able to avoid it. She had sent a staff member to summon Clem to her office. While she waited, Erin prepared to walk a tightrope. At least part of Clem wanted to continue working for WWE so long as Brian Kelton and Hank Voight were no longer involved with the company, Erin felt sure. But another part of her seemed intent on retiring, falling on her sword in some kind of quest to ensure the women in WWE received improved working conditions. It was a noble cause, in fact one Erin agreed with, but leaving the company was not how Clem needed to go about achieving it.

A couple of minutes went by. Erin was growing more anxious by the second. Negotiations with talent was something she was totally new to. In fact, any kind of negotiations were new to her. Maybe taking on the task of trying to re-sign Clementine as her first foray had been stupid, she wondered. No, that wasn't true. If Clem was going to stay, Erin was the only one who could make it happen. Hank wouldn't have been able to. Kelton most definitely wouldn't.

A knock came on the door, and Clementine walked in. She looked uncertain as to what was about to happen. "Boss," she said in greeting. "Sorry I couldn't take your call yesterday. We were out."

"That's okay. Have a seat, Clem. Let's just have a chat. Nothing formal, I'd simply like to know what you're thinking with regard to your contract situation. It's a concern that I've not heard anything from you on it since we spoke a few weeks ago."

Clementine took one of the seats on the other side of Erin's desk. "I'm not sure what there is to say right now. You made some guarantees about things that would happen. So far, they haven't happened. Hank is still in charge, and we still report to that racist piece of trash Kelton in talent relations. Under those circumstances, there's no chance of me staying past January."

"What I'm telling you here is still in the strictest confidence. Two weeks, maybe three at most. That's how long it's going to be before I take over, and my dad is gone. And you have my word that firing Kelton will be the very first action I take. I'm not expecting you to sign a contract today based on me saying that. What I'd like to know is once I am in charge, and once I've appointed someone to talent relations who is fit to do the job, can we do a deal? I've looked at the financial side of things, and I'm going to put a four year contract on the table at a million and a half per year. You'll also have your flights and accommodation paid for. That's more than double your current wage, plus bonuses, and it's up there with the top earners in the company. But, more than the money, I want to be clear that you're vitally important to me, and to WWE. You're a generational star in the ring. More importantly, you're needed in that women's locker room. You do so much for those ladies, and they look up to you because of it. Losing you would..."

Erin stopped because she saw that Clem had started crying. She had put her hands over her face to try and hide it, but it was still obvious.

"Hey, hey, hey," Erin said in surprise, quickly getting up and going around the desk to comfort Clem. Seeing her get emotional like that was a shock, given that she pretty much lived the way she portrayed her badass character on-screen. That was why her work was so good and why fans bought into her stuff – there wasn't a lot of acting involved. Yet here Clem was in tears.