I was a week into being on the road with the WWE. Nick was right, God I hate to say that, I had met everybody and had already made a few friends. I was taken aback by how different some of the people were from their on screen characters. Fandango (Curtis Hussey) was an absolute goof and such a sweetheart, he made me feel right at home. Jack Swagger (Jake Hager Jr.) flaming jerk to me from the word “Go”. I tried to avoid him at all cost. Layla was a sweetheart too, which for some reason shocked me.
Today we were in Atlanta and I had a shoot with Fandango and Layla at the botanical gardens. The company had actually rented out the Trustees Garden and the Robinson Gazebo. I had made my way to the Trustees garden and gotten everything set up and had some music going. Sadly I was dancing around, but thankfully nobody was there yet, or so I thought. I was dancing around like a goof, grinding on the air, to “You can do it” by Ice Cube when all of a sudden there was a pair of hands on my hips dancing right behind me. I must have screamed like there was a knife to my throat or something because the hands flew off of their place on my hips and I hear 2 people dying from laughter.
“Were you having fun Amanda?” Layla asked in her beautiful English accent after she caught her breath. “Yes, I was.” I said laughing. “And what exactly are you laughing at Mr I have to tell everybody how to pronounce my ring name week after week?” I questioned a still laughing Curtis. After he gained his composer he walked up to me and apologized. “I’m sorry darling. And so you know, you do have an ‘ass for weeks’ as the song says.” He replied as he dipped his head and kissed my neck. It was all I could do to not melt into a puddle of mush right there, I had a job to do. That was to make Curtis and Layla look fabulous on film.
**3 hours later**
“Well y’all, I think I got everything that I could.” I said sighing as I finally sat my camera down. “Wonderful! Well love we have to go get ready for the show. See you later.” Layla said giving me a hug as they walked off.
After I was done packing all my things up I knew what I needed. I sat pulled out my phone and called home. After a couple of rings JD picks up. “Hello?” he came on the other end of the line. “Hi Bubba!” I exclaimed, almost with tears in my eyes. “Hi Momma! Chey, its momma!” he all but screamed in my ear. I could hear Annie in the background telling JD to let her see the phone so that she could put it on speaker. “How are my 2 babies doing?” I asked the kids. “Playing with play dough!” Chey said so happily. All I could do was cringe, I hate that stuff, it ruins carpet to say the least. “Are you guys being good for Ms. Annie?” “They are being wonderful Amanda. They are eating good too. No problems out of them that have been too bad. Just a couple of attitude issues out of Chey but you warned me about those. Everything is good.” Annie replied. We talked for a few more minutes but I had to get going to the stadium for that nights show. “Alright JD, Chey, I have to get to work. I miss you guys so much, but I will be home next week. I love you!” “I love you too Momma!” they said at the same time, which was my cue to hang up.
On the way to the Philips Arena I was thinking how much I missed my kids and was already looking forward to going home soon. Luckily when I got to the arena that night I knew that most of my work for the evening was done, all that was left was to get a few candid backstage shots of the SuperStars. I knew one in particular.
