A Gift

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Off Camera

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“Why do we have to do contract negotiations at your stupid high rise condominium?”

Julia Braddock has been agitated the entire time.  After Survival of the Fittest she wanted to make a triple back to London to see her father, Glenn Braddock, but she received a message from her agent, Mason Van Stanton, demanding that she come to Raleigh, NC.  Raleigh is his headquarters.  It makes it easier for him to operate, since Global Championship Wrestling is headquartered in Raleigh and that’s where he does most of his business.

“Because I want to.”

Mason’s voice has been stern throughout.  Julia has no idea why he insists on coming here.  He never has before.  But there’s little she can do about it.  She is the exclusive property of Mason Van Stanton and he has control over her wrestling career.  She has attempted to be a team player in recent weeks but she still knows that dealing with Mason is going to always be like walking on egg shells.   He still hates the Braddock family, despite his attempts to win her over.

“I just fail to see why we couldn’t do these contract negotiations somewhere else.  Hell, why even have them at all?  I thought the contract I signed after For Glory & Gold was iron clad.  I can’t get out of it even if I wanted to.”

“And I’m sure you want to.” Mason remarks under his breath.

“I heard that.”

“Anyway, we’re here.”

Mason Van Stanton pulls open the door and allows his client Julia to step inside to the high rise condominium.  He and Julia step inside and Julia’s eyes grow wide.  The room is uncomfortably large; like a perfect magazine cover.  It reminded her of a hotel foyer, not just in the space but in the artwork too.  Julia is almost afraid to sit in case she were to wrinkle the fabric.  The couch is cream but inlaid with a fine green silk; leaves embroidered so delicately that they might have landed there in spring and just sunk in, but she knew they took hundreds of hours to sew. The white curtains are linen, the kind of white that is untouched by hands and devoid of dust. A cursory look to the right shows her the almost hidden cords that are used to open and close them. There is no television, no bookshelf, no dining table, only the chairs arranged around the bespoke fireplace which leaps with a gas flame.  The floor is a high polished wood, dark and free of either dust or clutter; the walls white and the furniture, Julia is certain, from a high-end Scandinavian designer, but the name escapes her for the moment.  It is a perfect place, but cold in its tranquility.

“Nice place, Mason.” Julia says, looking rather impressed despite her feelings towards Mason.  “Very nice.  How much was it?”

“Nearly a million dollars.” Mason states matter of factly.

“A million for this?  Well, it is impressive, I’ll say that much.”

“Only the best for my clients.”

That last line catches Julia’s attention and she immediately arches her brow. “Excuse me?”

“Yeah, I kinda lied.” Mason says with a smirk on his face. “We’re not here to discuss contract negotiations.  I only said that so that I could get you to Raleigh without spoiling the surprise.”

“You mean?” Julia’s voice is full of anxious anticipation as she can see where this is going.

“That’s right, this is yours.  I bought it for you.”

“You can’t be serious.” Julia shakes her head. “Hannah and Kendra, they are much easier to work with than I am.”

“Right, and they’re getting a yacht.”

“Destiny?”

Mason chuckles. “Destiny is the love of my life, Julia.  We didn’t hook up just to take you down.  We hooked up because we love one another.  I give Destiny my life.  But you…”

He runs a hand through Julia’s long blonde hair “…you have always been my favorite client.  I meant it when I told you that your betrayal, you turning on me hurt me.  All I ever wanted for you was to give you the world on a silver platter because you deserved it.  You ran to the Braddock family and became yet another sidekick, another Glory Braddock yes person, and it hurt me and pissed me off because I saw the potential for you.”

He pokes her in the chest. “YOU made Glory Braddock tap out for only the second time in her career at Resurrection VI.  That proves you are the best wrestler to come out of the Braddock Wrestling School.  And just look at you, you are clearly the better looking one between you and your sister.  Everything I have done up until now has never been about trying to ruin your reputation or twist you or corrupt you.  It’s been about me trying to give you the accolades and rewards that you so richly deserved and yet were so wrongly denied.  Julia, you deserve to be treated like a princess. You deserve to be treated like royalty.”

“So this place…”Julia’s voice trails off as she fights off the emotions welling up inside her “…it’s a gift?”

“That’s right.  It’s a gift because you deserve it just for being who you are.  Besides, it serves a very practical purpose.  GCW is headquartered here.  My offices are headquartered here.  If you lived here instead of living across the pond in Jolly Ole, then you would be closer to the action.”

“And JaMarcus…”

“Don’t ask me for permission.” Mason says with a chuckle. “It’s YOUR place now.  You own it.  Anyone can live here or stay here that you allow.”

“Wow, I just…I don’t know how to…”

“A thank you would be nice.” Mason suggests with a smirk.

“Thank you!” Julia embraces him in a tight hug and kisses him on the cheek. “Thank you, so much, Mason!”

“This is just a small token of what my favorite client deserves.”

After breaking the embrace Julia can’t help but continue to laugh and even cry a little bit, not truly comprehending what just happened.

“I was so wrong about you, Mason.  I’m glad we’re back together, working as a team.”

“You’re right, we are better when we work as a team.  And you are better when you do not hold back.  You held yourself back in the past because you were afraid to step on the Braddock Family’s toes.  Not only should you step on their toes but you should step on anyone else who is beneath you.  Because you are wrestling royalty.  Understand?”

“I get you, Mason.  Still, there is one thing that puzzles me and it just hit me right now while I was taking all of this in.”

“What is it?”

“I got this expensive place, Hannah and Kendra got a yacht, who knows what you’re getting Destiny.  How the bloody hell are you affording all of this?”

“That’s my little secret, Julia.” Mason says with a knowing grin.

“I don’t like secrets.”Julia states firmly. “What are you not telling me?”

“You said you’re a team player now, right? You said that you like it when we work as a team?”

“Yes.”

“Well in order for this team to work, I have to keep some secrets from you.  All of you.  Including Hannah and Kendra.”

“So Destiny is in on the secret to your newfound fortune?”

Mason says nothing but just stands there, staring at Julia, smirking.  Finally he nods his head.

“Tell me, Mason.  What’s this secret?”

“Do you like this place, Julia?”

“What?” Julia is taken aback by this question.

“Answer the question, my dear.  Do you like this place?”

“Of course. Who wouldn’t love this gorgeous place.”

“Then don’t ask any questions and just accept it.  Hannah and Kendra didn’t seem to give a damn how I got the money to afford to buy them a yacht.  They just accepted it.  Why can’t you?  That old Glory Braddock corruption isn’t seeping back in, is it?”

There is a long pause as Julia ponders what Mason just said.

“So?  Do you really want me to tell you the secret?”

“What secret?” Julia asks with a smirk.

“That’s my girl.”