The Robe Resistance

I had told him the time difference did not matter since they were six hours ahead of me. I had hoped that was understood and he wouldn’t hesitate to contact me and let me know how it went. It is sometimes hard to know if he or any man for that matter understands the context of what women mean when I explained that.

I guess I wanted to know.

No, I did want to know.

I had stopped watching wrestling since I had left his orbit after he disappeared fifteen months ago. I didn’t leave by my own accord and haven’t even talked to him since December 16, 2022, at his birthday party before the match with Conor Fuse. Probably the less that is thought of…the better.

I never liked wrestling anyway.

It was a job that had been forced upon me. The ten years he was ‘gone,’ I enjoyed a fruitful corporate experience that stole my soul but paid me handsomely. When he came ‘back’ I found myself once again working with him.

But…over time I learned to respect the sport for the time and effort it took to be successful. He also seemed to enjoy it. Even though I could point to it being that way because it is all he has known for his adult life.

I shook my head in an attempt to stop thinking about the past. I had taken the day off from work and sat on my patio with a glass of wine. I knew the show was starting at 2PM Eastern time and it was now 4PM which meant Steve must have wrestled by now.

I took a sip of the wine and then looked down at the book that was in my lap.

Still on the first page.

It had been like that for the last two hours.

“It was raining…”

Look at my phone to see the time.

“It was raining…”

Check again…oh an email from the doc. That I will have to read later, I wonder if he has been in contact with Steve.

“It was raining…”

It continued like that until the wine was gone. For once I was glad I didn’t have a second bottle because if I did get the phone call, I was waiting for I didn’t want to be sloppy wine drunk.

Finally, the phone rang.

I stood up with my phone rigidly gripped in my hand. The book went flying to the floor of the patio. I spun around and walked back inside for my own privacy, shutting the door behind me.

I stared at the screen, and it was him all right.

For some reason I was nervous and my palm holding the phone began to sweat. I wiped my hand quickly before he hung up and answered the phone.

“Jack?”

“Thought you weren't going to pick up for a second, mon.”

I rolled my eyes at the phone as I am still getting used to the mature Jack Marley, “I thought you weren't going to call. Is everything ok?”

“Better than ok, Steve won his match!”

I couldn't help but smile, “that's great, but it's been a few hours, you were supposed to call me right after the match.”

Pause.

“Well…”

“Yes?”

I heard a deep breath on the other end of the phone, “well…I promised he could have a drink after his match.”

“Ok…and?”

“One drink became two drinks and two became, yadda-yadda, you get the picture.”

“Um…what is the picture of?”

“Hespassedoutinsidethejanitorscloset.”

He spit out so quickly that I had trouble comprehending it. Then when my brain understood I was even more confused. “I hope you didn't just say passed out in a jani…”

He interrupted me, “janitors closet, yes.”

The smile became a frown and began tapping my right foot on the floor which I am self-aware enough to know I do when I am annoyed. “Is this normal…” I paused and shook my head and thought to myself that this isn't important right now. “Nevermind, I will just be glad he won.”

“He was a tad rusty, but I think the two weeks I had him in work out isolation really helped him get back in shape.”

I took a second to let that marinate in my mind because it was something I never expected to hear from Jack Marley. Steve actually let that happen I pondered. “So…did he like the robe?”

“Oh…yea.”

“What, did he not like it?”

“No, he really liked it, and it helped calm his nerves before his music hit.”

“What was with the hesitation in your voice then?”

“Nothing, don’t worry about it.”

“Did he wish it wasn't from me? No, that doesn't make any sense since you said it calmed him down.”

“He just assumed it was a gift from me.”

“And you didn't tell him?” I asked angrily. This whole conversation was becoming irritating to me. Normally I would go with the flow when it comes to Jack, but it seems like he has taken it upon himself to try to control or I suppose manage Steve.

“I don't think that would have helped the situation.”

“Oh, you don't think huh? When did you become his handler? The Steve I know would have rather thrown you into the ocean than have you tell him what to do.” It might have been harsh, but I couldn't come to terms with how much things had changed since I was last with them. I felt like this was another universe or they had become pod people.

He laughed at the comment. “Not going to argue with you about that. Just understand that I am not Ellis, and I am only ever going to help the boss.”

I sighed and realized he was right about one thing: Jack will always do what he thinks is best for Steve. It has always been like that with them even if he was also hired by the same people I was to work with Steve. Of course…he has a long history in wrestling that I don’t have, and I believe the ulterior motives surrounding our recruitment have disappeared over time. Heh, more like Steve figured it out years ago and cut those ties that were controlling us.

I composed myself, “I get it, Jack but please let him know I was the one who got the robe for him.”

“I promise I will…eventually.”

“What does that mean?”

“Are you still digging in the past?”

“I…well, hit a wall.”

“That's for the best, Rebecca, I will see what I can do, mon.”

With that he hung up on me. It was something I guess but it wasn't what I would have preferred. Then again nothing has seemed right since I told Steve I was going to try to find his mom. With Jack's comment still ringing in my head it was painfully obvious that I overstepped back then and that the moment I mentioned that to Steve I had become a pariah to him.

The genuine stares I caught by him were replaced by ignorance of my presence. It was right there for me to understand but I ignored it because I thought what I was doing was righteous and what he needed. I wanted to thank him for saving me but didn't think of what he actually wanted.

What did he actually want?

Unbeknownst to Rebecca Hines, it was HER he had wanted.