It's Not Over
Usual disclaimer - see Chapter 1 for the full details, but I own nothing, all the people own themselves, WWE owns the trademark names, I'm doing this to exercise my creativity and for the sheer pleasure of writing. Ask my therapist!
Chapter 6
The next set of shows were in Texas, and Mark invited Dacey and Glenn to stay at his home, explaining that he and his wife had a big guesthouse and there was plenty of room. They were met at the airport by Isabelle, a smiling woman with long auburn hair who was quite obviously the centre of Mark's universe, and by a toddler with flame coloured hair who ran up to Mark as fast as her little legs would carry her. Mark swooped her up and over his head, which had her pealing laughter, and then hugged her close.
"Hello sugar-pie, did you miss me?" he said, kissing her cheek as she looked over at Dacey and Glenn.
"Yes daddy," the moppet said, before reaching her arms out to Glenn. "Uncle Glenn!!"
"Thrown over already, story of my life," Mark laughed, handing the bouncing toddler to Glenn as he bent to kiss his wife.
Dacey watched with a smile as the little girl reached for Glenn, who took her with a grin. The two rubbed noses, in what was obviously a ritual greeting, and Glenn said, "Hello, Maeve."
Maeve looped her arm around his neck and said "Hello Uncle Glenn," before turning to Dacey. "Who are you?" she asked, in a forthright tone.
"My name is Dacey," Dacey replied with a smile.
Maeve looked at her very seriously, and then pointed at Dacey's hair. "Hey! Your hair is the same colour as Daddy's and mine!"
"Yes, it is," Dacey hadn't really thought about it, but it was true, she and Mark had similar colouring.
Maeve subsided as Mark introduced Dacey to Isabelle. Mark and Isabelle led them to the car, and Glenn buckled Maeve into her car seat, where she sat between him and Dacey in the backseat, and gave Dacey the third degree.
"Do you work with my daddy and Uncle Glenn?"
"Yes, I do."
"I live in Texas. Where do you live?"
"I live in Connecticut."
"Mommy used to live in Connecticut, that's where Uncle Paul and Aunt Joanie live. I was born in Texas. Were you born in Connecticut?"
"No, I was born in Germany."
"Where's that?"
"It's a long way away, in Europe."
That silenced Maeve for a little while, but then another question came.
"My name is Scottish, it's a queen's name. What does your name mean?"
Dacey shot a quick look at Glenn, who was smiling indulgently, just as Mark was in the front seat. "My name is Irish, and it means southerner."
"Why is your hair red like mine and daddy's?"
Dacey debated the wisdom of a genetics lecture for a three year old, and decided on a simple answer, "I don't know - just lucky I guess."
That seemed to satisfy Maeve, and the questions ceased. When they arrived at Mark and Isabelle's home, Maeve decided that she liked Dacey, dragging her by the hand through the sprawling house, showing her everything of interest to a three year old. She then insisted on showing Dacey her bedroom, and introducing the family's dogs. Dacey hadn't had a lot to do with children, but Maeve certainly seemed to be bright and articulate for her age.
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When Isabelle came looking for them, she found Dacey sitting on the floor of Maeve's room with her, working on an elaborate construction of blocks. Dacey looked up with a grin as Isabelle laughed.
"What? I always loved building stuff when I was a kid," Dacey smiled at Maeve as she was handed another block.
Isabelle sat on the edge of Maeve's bed, her eyes soft as she regarded her daughter's serious little face. "Maeve inherited her mommy's love for property - only she'd rather build houses than selll them." She chuckled and then smiled at Dacey. "I'm so glad to finally get the chance to meet you, Dacey. Mark speaks so highly of you - and I have to say, from what I've seen on TV, you really do have talent. This libretto is quite remarkable."
Dacey blinked. "Ah, the 'libretto'?"
Isabelle grinned. "The storyline. One of the first discussions I ever had with Mark was about how wrestling was like opera, except that instead of singing to advance the libretto, you tell the story physically."
Dacey smiled. "I've never been much of an opera fan, but I think that was a compliment - so thank you."
"Very much a compliment. Professionally and personally - Mark is a good judge of character. Let me show you the guest house - I'm sure that wasn't on Maeve's tour," Isabelle stood and Dacey unfolded herself from the floor with a wave to Maeve, which went unnoticed as the toddler busied herself with the block construction.
Dacey followed Isabelle across the courtyard to the guest house, admiring the graceful building.
Isabelle grinned. "I have this thing for property, what can I say? I've put you in here, Glenn has the room at the end of the hall," Isabelle gestured. "You have your own bathroom, and there's a kitchen if you need anything, but Glenn usually joins us for meals. We'd like it if you did too."
Dacey looked around the room, smiling. "Thank you Isabelle, you make me feel very welcome."
Isabelle nodded. "Well now I'm going to make you feel less welcome, because I have a teleconference with my people in Connecticut. Glenn and Mark are in the gym, I'll show you where if you like?"
"Please. That was something else that didn't make Maeve's list of things to see," Dacey chuckled.
She and Isabelle walked back to the main house, and Isabelle pointed Dacey down the hall to the gym, heading off in the other direction to her office. Dacey followed the hall, and the sound of rumbling male voices, and found herself in Mark's home gym, which was better outfitted than some commercial gyms she had worked out in.
Mark and Glenn were sitting on a pair of weights benches, talking, and both looked up when Dacey came in.
"Let me guess. You got Maeve's tour and then played dolls with her?" Mark laughed.
"Nope. We were building something large and complicated when Isabelle found us. I'm not sure what it was though. Maeve was the architect and site foreman, I was merely a hired hand and just did what I was told," Dacey grinned, moving over to them.
Glenn patted the bench beside him, but Dacey smiled and shook her head, putting her feet up on it one at a time instead, bending into a series of deep stretches.
"You need a workout, Dacey? Feel free," Mark gestured to the equipment.
"Nah, I'm cool. I'm just a bit . . . cramped. I feel like I've been sitting and travelling forever," Dacey said, locking her fingers together and stretching her arms above her head.
Mark nodded. "If you'd like to borrow a bike, just say so. Getting the wind in your face might help. I know it does for me."
Dacey's eyes lit up. "Mark, that would be perfect! Are you sure?"
"Yeah, come on, let's get you some wheels." He stood and led the way to the garage, a separate building to the house.
Glenn followed them, grumbling. "Mark, how come you've never offered to lend me a bike?"
"Because you hate bikes? And because you know where the keys to the truck are, and are free to take it out anytime you like," Mark responded, opening the garage door and gesturing for Dacey to enter.
She looked around the building. Apart from the Jeep SUV that had brought them back from the airport, there was a Ford truck and a compact sedan. And then there were the bikes. Dacey lasted about a minute before she was crawling all over them. The Harleys were her focus though. An older Softail, and an almost brand new version. Mark laughed and tossed her the keys to the new Softail.
"Knock yourself out, Dacey. Borrow a helmet if you're taking it on the road through."
Dacey nodded. "I know the rules, Mark, but are you sure you trust me with this bike? It's almost brand new!"
"Yeah, and you stack it and you'll be buying me a new one! Relax, Dacey, I've seen you ride, I know you know how to handle a bike."
Dacey wriggled like a puppy with excitement, looking at the bike and then over at the two men. Mark laughed again.
"You look just like Maeve with a new toy, Dace. Go, get outta here. But be back by 6.30pm, we eat early out here in the sticks 'cause of the kiddo."
She didn't need to be told twice, inserting the keys in the ignition and grabbing an open face helmet, pulling it down over her hair with a broad grin. She stopped as Mark handed her a leather jacket.
"It's one Isabelle uses sometimes. You'll find a pair of Raybans in the pocket too. Have fun."
Dacey shrugged into the jacket and slipped on the sunglasses before buckling the helmet under her chin. She turned the key in the bike's ignition, grinning as the roar of its powerful engine filled the garage. Mark stepped forward and tapped her on the helmet, handing her a remote control for the garage after he opened the door for her. She nodded and tucked it into a pocket, and swung her leg over the bike, settling herself and moving off slowly with a quick wave.
Once she was out of the garage, she accelerated smoothly, quickly getting a feel for the bike. She braked at the gates, looking for traffic, before turning onto the road and roaring off. Mark watched her go with a chuckle.
"Girl's a speed demon, gotta love that about her."
Glenn wasn't quite so sanguine. "Aren't you afraid of her, I don't know, getting lost?" Or getting hurt, was his unspoken thought.
Mark shook his head, closing the garage door. "Nope. Dace lived all over Texas, she knows her way around. And she's a smart girl - I'll bet she memorises street signs as she goes. But she's a gypsy, she needs to be out there with the wind in her ears for a bit. She'll be home safe, and happier for it."
They walked back inside, and Glenn found himself a bit jealous of Mark, who seemed to understand that part of Dacey better than he did. Was it some part of the bike riding fraternity? He had to admit though, when Dacey came back around 6.00pm, her eyes were sparkling and her cheeks were wind-burned, and she looked like she was alive all the way to her toes. Not to mention heart-achingly beautiful.
She came into the kitchen in the main house, straight from the garage, grinning at Mark as she dangled the keys to the bike in front of her face.
"You better check my bags when we leave, big dog, cos I'm fixin' to smuggle this baby home with me!" She shrugged out of the leather jacket and hung it on the back of a chair.
Mark laughed. "Sure you are, girl. You forget, I know where you work. I'll get my bike back sooner or later."
Isabelle smiled at Dacey. "Glad to see my jacket's getting some use."
Dacey blushed a little. "Well, it was okay today, but you're kinda small, Isabelle. Which is a nice way of saying I'm a little big for your jacket. I'll wear my own jacket tomorrow, I think. But I do thank you kindly for the use of it on short notice."
Glen sat straddling one of the kitchen chairs, listening to them talk, as Maeve came into the kitchen. He scooped her up onto his knee and kissed her cheek, making her giggle. She looked around and spotted the jacket on the chair.
"Who was using mommy's biker jacket?" she demanded.
Dacey smiled. "I borrowed your mommy's jacket, Maeve."
"Why?" Maeve's questions seemed to have no end.
"So I could ride one of your daddy's bikes."
"Daddy! Dacey took one of your bikes!"
Mark chuckled. "I know she did, sugar-pie. I said she could."
That seemed to satisfy Maeve, and she hushed for a moment. Isabelle forestalled any further questions by asking Maeve to help her set the table. Dacey was about to offer to help when Isabelle shook her head. She spoke very quietly as Maeve took the placemats to the table, industriously placing them.
"It helps to channel her energy. One of the things we've learned about dealing with a gifted child," Isabelle handed Maeve the napkins next. "She gets frustrated because her mind works so much faster than her body can keep up with. Little chores like these give her a sense of accomplishment in line with her abilities."
Dinner was a warm, friendly meal, with lots of laughter and talk. Dacey felt happily included, enjoying the company and the meal. Isabelle was a wonderful cook, and she knew how to feed wrestlers too, because there was plenty of food, even the way she, Mark and Glenn ate.
Maeve was yawning by the time the adults moved on to coffee, and Mark picked her up to carry her to bed as she waved a sleepy goodnight to everyone. Glenn and Dacey helped Isabelle clear the table, over her protests.
"How many times are we going to have this discussion, Isabelle? I'm helping and that's final," Glenn gave her a level look. "You keep telling me I'm like family. Well, family help clear the table where I'm from. Deal with it."
When she saw Isabelle's smile, Dacey chuckled. "Yeah! What he said!"
Isabelle just laughed and the three of them cleared the table and kitchen quickly, and were relaxing in the living room with coffee when Mark returned from putting Maeve to bed. He dropped to the sofa at Isabelle's side and smiled.
"Never going to get tired of putting that little one to bed. Best part of being a daddy," he leaned to kiss Isabelle's cheek.
Glenn stood up and looked at Dacey. "What do you say to a walk before bed, Dace?"
Dacey was a bit surprised at Glenn's offer, and then realised that Mark and Isabelle would probably enjoy the time alone. She rose from her chair, taking her coffee cup with her. "Good idea. Isabelle, your cooking is delicious, but don't be offended when I tell you I'll need to walk some of it off before bed. Goodnight to you both."
She followed Glenn out to the kitchen, placing her coffee cup on the sink. When they were out in the courtyard, she smiled at him.
"Thanks."
"For what?" Glenn smiled.
She tucked her arm in his. "For making a gracious exit possible before I turned into a gooseberry."
He patted her hand. "My pleasure, sugar-pie."
She laughed. "So, got a destination in mind for this walk?"
He shook his head. "Nope. Figured we'd just put one foot in front of the other and trust in your country girl's direction sense to get us back here."
She laughed. "Lemme just go get some breadcrumbs then. Or a blanket to keep us warm when we get lost and have to spend the night under the stars."
"Now why would I need a blanket to keep warm? I've got you, haven't I?" Glenn laughed.
Dacey laughed again. She liked the easy friendship they had developed, and enjoyed his company. They walked out along the line of trees that marked the edge of Mark's property, talking quietly about nothing in particular. In the moonlight up ahead, she could see the faint outline of a gazebo and she looked up at Glenn with a grin.
"You knew this was here!"
He grinned back at her. "Guilty. I've stayed here plenty of times, Dace, and done lots of walks to give Mark and Isabelle some time alone. This is a nice spot. But I've never been here at night before."
They walked up to the gazebo and stepped inside. It had been built on a small rise, and the view out over the property and surrounding land was almost magical in the moonlight.
Dacey smiled. "This view alone is worth being a little chilly. Thank you for sharing it with me, Glenn."
Glenn didn't even think, stepping behind her and wrapping his arms around her to ward off the chill. He bent down to whisper, "My pleasure, Dacey."
She leaned back against him with a small sigh, enjoying his warmth. She chuckled softly. "I thought I was going to be the one keeping you warm."
He moved swiftly, bending to hook one arm under her legs, lifting her easily as she laughed, moving to one of the wide padded benches around the walls of the gazebo, sitting down with her in his lap. "Fixed. Now you can keep me warm." He grinned at her.
Dacey had hooked an arm around around his neck when he lifted her, and she kept it there when he sat down. She returned his grin, her fingertips stroking over his shoulder absently, leaning against his strong frame as he relaxed against the gazebo wall, one arm around her waist, the other resting on her knees.
"Hmmm, well I'm certainly warm. How 'bout you?" she asked, looking into his eyes.
His voice was low as he replied. "Very warm. I knew you'd be good for that."
She shivered, not from cold. It would be hard to say which one of them moved first, but the next instant their lips were meeting. Dacey slid her arms around his neck, and Glenn's arms wrapped around her waist as they kissed, at first softly and then more insistently. Her lips parted under his, her tongue lightly touching his and he groaned into her mouth, pulling her closer to him as he sucked her tongue gently into his mouth.
Her hands twined restlessly into his hair as the kiss deepened, her body straining against his yearningly. When the kiss ended, they stared into one another's eyes, Glenn's hands stroking her back gently, her fingers still stroking through his hair.
"Wow." It was all she could think of to say.
"Ditto," Glenn said, sounding a bit shaken. "Where the hell did that come from? Not that I didn't enjoy it."
Dacey shook her head a little. "I have no idea. But I enjoyed it too," she admitted.
"So what do we do now?"
She gave him a little smile, and leaned in to brush her lips against his again. "Can I have another one, while I think about it?"
His response was to hug her to him and kiss her deeply, his tongue exploring her mouth, dimly aware of her soft moan as she pressed closer to him and returned his kiss passionately.
This time, when their lips parted, both of them were breathing heavily. She leaned in to pant softly in his ear, "I know what I'd like to do now."
It was his turn to moan, because he had an idea that he wanted exactly what she wanted. She leaned back and looked at him, her eyes dark in the moonlight. He caressed her face gently. She nuzzled her cheek to his hand with a smile.
"Let's be a bit cautious here, Dacey. I would hate to ruin our friendship by rushing into this without thought. Because it will change things."
She nodded slowly. "You're right. I'm thinking with my hormones right now, and that's never a good idea."
He groaned softly. "Don't I know it, honey. I've got all kinds of urges right now, but they all involve getting you naked. And much as I'd love that, I want to make sure it's the right thing to do."
She smiled at him and whispered, "Damn, I like it when you call me 'honey'. Let's not do that while we're supposed to be thinking, because it kind of short circuits my brain."
He laughed, and she laughed right along with him. And the awkwardness passed. She slipped off his lap, but remained sitting close beside him, and he looped an arm around her shoulder as he had done so often in the past. They talked quietly, reaffirming their friendship first and foremost. If anything else was going to happen, now that the barrier had been breached, it would happen without either of them pushing.
Finally, it got too cold to sit outdoors any longer, and they headed back to the guest house, arms around one another to keep a little warm. Dacey giggled.
"Forget this, I'm freezing. Race you back to the guest house, big boy!"
She took off, running at an easy lope towards the lighted guesthouse, and after a startled pause, he took off after her. He could easily have outdistanced her, since she was hardly running hard, but he preferred to follow her, calling quietly, "Damn but the view is fine from back here!"
Her response was to laugh and keep running, and he had to admire her spunk. This was the Dacey he loved as a friend, and he was damned if he was going to lose that - ever.