Morning Comes
Feeling the warmth of the morning sun break through the curtains in the bedroom of Jeff’s home in North Carolina, Kalleasto McMahon yawned softly as sleep wore away from her. Stretching, she gradually opened her eyes, not surprised to see Jeff Hardy, evidently wide-awake, hovering over her.
“Morning, Sunshine.”
She smiled sleepily at him, “Morning.”
He reached out, gently pushing some stray strands of hair back from her face, “How did you sleep?”
Fighting a yawn she whispered, “Okay.”
“Yeah?” He queried her gently.
“Uh huh.”
The Hardy flashed her a warm smile, leaning down to press his lips to her forehead. Her tiny smile stretched into a slightly bigger one. “Do you feel okay?”
Memories of the previous night’s events filtered back to her...
“I’ll show you funny!” Stacy stepped forward, her hand raised for a slap. Kalli hoisted an arm, expecting the blow to be aimed for her. To her horror, Stacy kept moving forward, her open palm smacking straight across Tiara’s face.
Falling back a little from the force of the blow, pain shooting through her, Tiara grasped a hand to her injured face as Stacy began to laugh. “Now *that's* funny!”
But her laughter was quickly silenced.
Without so much as a second thought, Kalli leapt off the crate, grabbing Stacy by the hair and slamming her onto her back on the ground. She bent to grab her again when Stacy hoisted a boot to strike her in the chest before scrambling to her feet. Holding a hand to her chest, Kalli went to step forward again, only to have Stacy deliver her a fierce slap.
Her face fell, her father’s words coming back to her.
“You can continue to travel with the WWF, Kalleasto, but consider your suspension from the WWF permanent.”
“I really messed up last night, didn’t I?” She asked softly.
He shook his head, “It’s not all your fault, Kalli...”
“It is.” She whispered solemnly, “Stacy knew what she was doing. By attacking Tiara she was guaranteeing I would retaliate.” She sighed, “She’s not nearly as stupid as she looks.” The girl looked up, her eyes meeting his, “I can’t believe you slapped her.”
Jeff shrugged as nonchalantly as he could. “She had it coming.”
“Yeah, but...” Her gaze intensified, “I know how you feel about men hitting women.”
He shrugged again, “Stacy isn’t a woman. She’s a beast.” He ran his fingertips over her cheek, “And she hurt you. She hurt you so bad.” Jeff gave her gave her an adoring, and slightly playful smile, “No one messes with my girl.”
The McMahon Heiress reached up, gently stroking his brow, “Thankyou, baby.” She managed a smile but it was not to last. She was silent a long while before asking, “What am I going to do now? If I can‘t wrestle...”
“Ssshhh,” his fingers crept across her lips. “I’m sure that, once your Dad has had some time to cool down, he’ll reconsider his decision, Kalli. Surely he has to consider the circumstances.”
She shook her head, “No. His warning was clear. I was to be on my best behaviour... Or he would keep me off that roster, Jeff.” She sighed, tears threatening to form in her eyes. “I blew it.”
“Give it time, baby. Things will change.”
“Maybe...” She sighed.
But her eyes were still filled with tears and she seemed to take little comfort in his words.
“Come here.” He lay back in the bed, pulling her into his arms, her head resting on his chest, her fingers stroking up and down his naked chest absently as they lay. Jeff placed his lips lightly on her forehead again, his fingers toying tenderly in her hair. “What can I do, baby? Tell me how to help you.”
With regret she whispered, “You can’t.”
Disappointed, but understanding, he sighed, simply holding her.
They lay together like that for minutes on end, breathing each other in, Jeff seeking to comfort, Kalli seeking comfort in his arms. Neither was disappointed.
“Jeffy?” Kalli whispered eventually.
“Yeah, baby?”
She paused, taking a deep breath, pondering a while before saying, “I’m not flying home this afternoon.” She added painfully, “I’m not going to go home for Thanksgiving.”
Surprised, Jeff’s jaw dropped, “What? Why?” He tilted her face up to his when she did not answer, “Kalli?”
“I can’t...” She whispered, “I can’t go home and face Daddy again. Not after last night.”
“Kalli...”
“No.” She shook her head, “Jeff, you have no idea how disappointed in me he was. No idea at all.”
He looked at her intently, “Kalli, you said he told you he would see you at home for Thanksgiving.”
“I don’t care,” she lowered her eyes, burying her face in his chest, “I don’t want to go home for Thanksgiving.”
The younger of the Hardy Boys sighed, “I’m not going to let you *not* go, Kalli. I’m not.” He tilted her face back toward his so she had no choice but to look at him, “I don’t care if I have to drag your ass every step of the way. I know you’ll be so angry with yourself if you don’t spend Thanksgiving with your family...”
Hurt in her voice she demanded wearily, “Why should I go, Jeff? Krissy is barely speaking to me, Melly is still peeved with me about that little incident with Matt and Daddy just permanently suspended me from the women’s division.” She shook her head, sad and determined, “I’m not going home.”
“Kalli...”
“No, Jeff.” She snapped gruffly, “I am *not* going home.”
He sighed, pondering a while.
More than anything else, he knew how important family was to Kalli. If she did not go home, when her hurt and anger subsided, she would be bitterly disappointed in herself and her actions, and he would rather avoid such a scenario. She was hurt enough. Stay away would just fuel the fire.
Eventually a smile touched his lips, “Kalli?” The smile played out into an amused grin, “You *do* remember you have to pick Heidi up from an airport that is actually *in* Connecticut, don’t you?”
She was silent a minute before groaning, “Ah, crap.” He chuckled, and despite herself a giggle slipped from her lips. “Don’t laugh. It’s not funny.”
He nodded against her, “Yes it is.”
Kalli sighed, but the words were only half as serious as they sounded, “Trust you to find humour in my distress.”
Jeff kissed her hair, “I’m sorry, baby,” but his smirk remained.
Something occurred to her as his apology filled her ears and she said softly, “Which reminds me...” Their eyes were locked together again, “I’m sorry. For yesterday.”
“Yesterday?” He asked.
She nodded, “Yeah, you know, when I stormed off outta the locker room and was all crappy with you.”
“Oh, that!” He grinned, “I’d already forgotten.”
The McMahon smiled, “Liar.”
Indignant he stammered, “I had!”
“Yeah,” she snuggled back down into his arms, placing a soft little kiss on his chest, “And I’m the Mistress of Pain.”
He laughed, “I wish!”
The laughter trailed away and Kalli whispered again, “Jeffy?”
“Uh huh?”
She whispered, “How will I face my family tomorrow, after last night?”
Jeff rubbed her shoulder, hugging her to him, “The same way you always do, Kalli. With your head held high.” He whispered, “Don’t let Stacy Kiebler be the thing to get you down. Don’t give her that victory.”
She pondered this a while and then nodded, “Yeah. You know what? I think you’re right.” But still she sighed, “I just... God, I would give anything to make Daddy reinstate me, Jeffy.” She started to choke up, “Anything.”
“I know, baby.” Again he touched her chin, beckoning that she look up at him, “And you will, Kalli. Just give it time.” He smiled gently, “Just give it time. Your Dad will come around.”
Her tears threatening to fall she whispered, “And if he doesn’t?”
The high-flying Hardy Boy sighed...
That he didn’t know.
~ The End ~