The Heart Wants What It Wants (Completed)

Chapter 13

Chapter 13

The next morning, Joe caught an early flight out to Pensacola. He had been up all night long trying to make sense of the letter that Val had left for him. He pulled the letter from his pocket and read it again. I'm paying the price for allowing myself to fall in love with you.

"What price?" he asked himself.

"Oh my God! You're Roman Reigns!" A woman exclaimed in an excited whisper, breaking Joe's concentration on Val's letter.

He looked up at the woman and forced a smile. He loved his fans-especially his female fans, because they always showed him so much love. However, on this particular day and at this particular moment, he wasn't looking for the attention from her or any other women whose name wasn't Valkyrie Marvel England.

"How ya doing?" he politely greeted.

"Oh my God! I love you! My name is Tiffany, and you are so hot!"

"Thanks, doll. It's nice to meet you." Please don't ask for a picture.

"Can I take a selfie with you, please?!"

Joe heard himself sigh internally before reluctantly posing for a quick photo. Sometimes, he wished he could just be Joe and not have to worry about being mobbed out in public. That kind of life was a luxury he afforded when he made the choice to step foot inside the ring.

The smile on the woman's face softened his mood a bit, and he soon remembered it was fans like her that made him the success he was today. He volunteered an autograph and after a couple of questions and answers, the woman happily returned to her seat to prepare for the landing at Pensacola International.

As the plane lowered to the runway, Joe's excitement built at the thought of seeing his daughter. He couldn't say the same for Lina just yet, but hoped that things would go smoothly between them.

As soon as the plane landed, he grabbed his carry-on and rushed from the aircraft down to the baggage claim. He immediately spotted Joelle, staring out of a large picture window. When Lina turned to face him, he placed a finger over his lips. She nodded and kept Joelle's attention focused outside by challenging her in a game of "I Spy."

"Hmm. I spy with my little eye something tall with drawings all over. It's big and has long hair."

The child studied for several moments, and then looked up at Lina and declared "I don't see it, Mommy."

Joe stifled a giggle and quietly snuck up behind Joelle.

"It loves you very much," Lina continued. "And-oh my gosh, it's right behind you!"

Joelle quickly turned, slightly startled by Lina's exclamation.

"Hey, Jellybean!" Joe said, stooping in front of Joelle and embracing her.

"Daddy!"

"I missed you, babygirl."

"I missed you too, Daddy."

This was what his visits home were all about. Even though his and Lina marriage was on the rocks, his daughter's unconditional love filled him with happiness. To her, he was just "daddy," and that was the role he cherished the most.

"She's been waiting on you all morning."

The moment soon turned into an awkward silence as Joe and Lina stared at each other.

"Daddy's home now," he finally said.

***

Val awakened a short time after eleven, desperately trying to shield her eyes from sunlight protruding through the blinds of her living room windows. She couldn't remember falling asleep last night, having slept the whole night away on her sofa. When she sat up and stretched, the muscles in her neck and shoulders thanked her for it. She immediately grabbed her television remote and clicked the TV to her favorite channel-Investigation Discovery. Ironically, a rerun of the TV series Wives with Knives was airing.