 |
family business (drabble)
It had been a running thing for as long as she could remember. How she could so vividly hear her dad every time he would recite the famous line I'm Ric Flair. The stylin', profilin', limousine ridin', jet flyin', kiss-stealin', wheelin' n dealin' son of a gun who ever knew that this character he portrayed for professional wrestling would somehow leak into his real world where his family was. A twenty-three year marriage tainted by the obvious temptations that came with being a professional wrestler. No matter how long they stayed together, Brianna grew up with ultimately one parent fully invested in her siblings and her well being. Maybe it was because she was the youngest despite being Reid's twin. Ashley several years older meant when she was old enough she was able to look after herself. With Brianna, her mom was careful, not wanting her to get swept away by the expensive robes and schedules that came with wrestling. Elizabeth wanted her youngest to have the thing she held onto to tightly for 23-years, a family & a marriage. Family was the most important thing in life, not title reigns or a career that would suck the life out of you like nothing else. For years Brianna looked at her mom, thriving on her own in Oregon. Happily content on her own, managing a garden and the 5 acres of land that she had for horses. That was the difference between the mother and daughter. The bond that shared recipes and late night phone calls. The bond that Ashley had with Ric, was the bond Beth and Brianna had. She saw a different side to the story. She saw even though her mom would say she was fine, she still was hurt. Giving years of her life, supporting a husband who was barely home, raising kids pretty much alone but their dad looked at as hero. Brianna didn't see Ric as a hero. She saw him as someone who was greedy and someone who chose a profession over his own flesh & blood. The speech always was "I am doing this for your legacy. For those boys of yours to grow up to have something to attach themselves to." As if she was participating in the legacy in her own way. Maybe posing for a nude magazine wasn't a title belt, but it gave Brianna confidence the SAME exact confidence boost, titles gave Ashley and their father back in the day. Career paths were different but here they were together in the same company. There was always a part of Brianna that despised the profession, the backstage gossip and politics, the way they so effortlessly blocked out one part of their lives for the other. Homelife was homelife and wrestling life was wrestling life. That didn't necessarily happen in the Flair household. It was wrestling, sleep, eat and repeat. Family could wait, those titles needed to be won. All of those years spent training at 12-13 years old only to choose a different path. Ric couldnt stand the fact that his 'pride & joy' didn't want anything to do with wrestling. It took so much willpower for her to avoid it. Yet here she was deciding on an outfit for this week's event.
Previous Conversation with Elizabeth - Around the Holidays 2019
"You know Brianna, your father and I still keep in contact with each other." here mom's thick Southern accent coming into play as she sipped on a cup of warm coffee. Brianna scrubbed the dishes in the farmhouse sink as she listened to her mother continue, "I get you and Fergal are in a difficult spot right now. It comes with this business." The moment those words came out of her mouth, the clanking of glass dinnerware could be heard. Almost frustrated with hearing that line. Especially now. "It's not just the business mom. Ferg knows how to be a dad. That's more than I can say for dad." her words were like daggers, feeling no remorse for the way she spoke of her dad. "You wouldn't say that if your father was here. So don't be saying it now, Brianna." Still at 33, Brianna was getting scolded by her mother. "No, he knows I would say it. That's why he and Ash weren't invited this year. Last time I spoke to Ash was at Grayson's birthday in July. You know what she got him. A card in the mail not even signed Auntie Ash, but as Charlott." Letting out a sigh, Brianna rolled her eyes as she went back to cleaning the same dish for the 3rd time. "A card is something, Brianna. She is trying to extend the olive branch to you." Shaking her head as she laughed to herself finally placing that extra clean dish in the drainer. "No! She is not trying. It was a pity card because she missed his birthday, once again. I get she is your daughter and all but how can you defend her. When was the last time she came to see you?..." she snapped turning to face her mother who seemed thrown off by the question, it wasnt a trick one either. "It has been a few years...but you know her schedule.." Brianna hated to interrupt her mother but she couldnt take her defending Ashley once more, not after she has forgotten about her family. "Don't keep making excuses for her. She is just like dad and you know it." As she continued to clean the dishes, Brianna's mom was silent. Maybe she had hit a nerve but Brianna had enough of her mom getting hurt and let down by her dad and sister. That wasnt how family was suppose to treat each other. "Listen. I know you would defend us but there are some things that can't be fixed." the petite blonde offered as she grabbed a cup of coffee herself and sat across from her mom at the island in the kitchen. "So are you saying your marriage can't be fixed?" Beth asked with a raised brow as she sipped on the coffee. Brianna stirred the creamer into the cup as she stared at it for a few seconds. This was the first time she had talked to her mom about the divorce and it was hopefully the last. "We have tried everything, mom. Counseling, weekends away, schedule changes, more time with the kids. Nothing has been working and I am killing myself here. Thinking that if I get a divorce, I am one step closer to becoming someone I don't want to be... She sighed looking defeated and tired. The tossing and turning at night and trying to go on with her days as if nothing is wrong. But everything was wrong. She was turning into a person she never looked up to, not like others did. She saw how he was behind closed doors. "You mean your father?" Beth spoke after a few seconds, looking up at Brianna to meet her green eyes. Maybe she knew more than Brianna had thought.
|
