After the Death

“You gonna be okay?”

I nod, slowly, sniffling again. Johnny Electric pats me on the back.

“It sucks, I know.”

“I just…it seems too unreal.”

Johnny frowns.

“I know. I’m gonna miss him.”

His voice cracks. I feel bad for him. Dad had always spoken very highly of Johnny Electric. The two had been best friends for years, even before Chuck’s NLWF career. Now that he was gone…Johnny seemed to be struggling to take in the news.

“He’s…I guess he’s in a better place, right?”

Craig was a bit more difficult to read. His voice was deep and raspy, as though he too, was struggling to swallow a lump in his throat. His face was emotionless…but as I’d learned from my uncle over the years, sometimes no emotion was the saddest of them all. Craig was the proverbial tough guy. It seemed that, much like my uncle Chris, he thought emotion to be a sign of weakness. Unlike Chris, Craig was an entertaining guy in the ring. Craig puts his hand on my shoulder.

“Your dad was a good guy.”

“I know.”

Maybe that’s why it sucked so much. The last time I had seen Chuck, we argued. It was disappointing to think that…right…

“I need to go.”

Craig nods, and lets me go. I walk away, trying to wipe tears from my eyes. He was really gone. I move quickly, heading for the locker room. I just wanted to get my stuff and go home. I open the locker room door, and almost run right into…

“Ashley!”

She’s surprised, clearly not expecting me. Alison stares at me for a minute.

“Are you okay?”

I shake my head, unable to speak out of fear of crying.

“Ash, I’m so sorry.”

I bite my lip, struggling to hold back more tears. She steps forward, hugging me, holding my head close to her. I bury my face in her shoulder. Already, I feel the tears flowing, soaking into her shirt. Alison runs her hands through my hair. She kisses the top of my head.

“It’ll be okay.”

I hug her closer. There was something surreal about it. My father…or, rather, the only man I had ever considered a father, had died. And the person who was helping to comfort me was Alison Williams. Think of things that I would have never dreamed of just one year ago. I look up at Alison, who smiles. She wipes a tear from my cheek.

“Do you want me to stay with you tonight?”

I nod slowly.

“Ok.”

I kiss her.

“I love you.”