H
Hex Angel
Guest
"Well? Whaddaya think?"
"I'm trying to find the words, Ivy... it's certainly got balls, but aren't you laying it on a bit heavy?"
They've been going back and forth for fifteen minutes now in Rudy Seitzer's Sweetwater office in the top level of the FISH FUND Arena. His air conditioner labors in the Texas heat, but the room remains at a comfortable temperature.
Currently, he's sitting at his desk - just a table, really, with a computer and a telephone on top of it - proofing Poison Ivy's new "IVY LEAGUE" column for the new online version of the CS TRIBUNE.
Just one more feather in Rudy's cap - one more responsibility he has in this wrestling promotion.
"What's the problem," asked Ivy, sweating despite the drip of the A/C, "you don't think they'll be able to handle it?"
"That's not the issue, and you know it," countered Rudy, "My sources tell me that we're on the brink of a major interpromotional war, and this will be akin to painting a big, red bulls- eye on your back! Forget GXW and Dan Ryan, you're going to have a very large man from Chicago looking to bust a steel- plated baseball bat over your head if this goes to press."
Ivy leans over the table, her glasses slipping down to the tip of her nose. "That's my problem, Rudy."
They stared at each other for a long moment, before Rudy began to laugh. Ivy quickly followed.
"You're never gonna change, are you, Ivy?"
"Hell's no."
"Good."
Rudy typed a few keys on his computer, and hit 'Enter.'
"There it is," he said, "the Ivy League will live again, soon as the tech guys get the Tribune up and running. And I wash my hands of the consequences."
Rudy leans back in his chair.
"Now how 'bout a drink, miss?"
A smile crosses Ivy's face as she sits in Rudy's other chair, watching him produce a bottle of Tequila and a pair of glasses. He filled both, and they clinked together in the universal sign of friendship before Ivy took hers down in one shot and Rudy sipped his slowly.
"How's Eli been? He hasn't come to the last three weeks' worth of shows."
"I really don't know," replied Ivy, "He's been spending most of his time at the studio with Angel - did you meet Angel at the last house show in Cali?"
Rudy nodded affirmation, which Ivy took as a cue to continue, "She's been laying down some new vocal tracks and he's been insanely supportive of her career."
Rudy leans forward. "You okay?"
"Yeah, why?"
"You suddenly looked sad."
Ivy straightened up. "Yeah, I'm fine... just get the feeling from Eli that he might not be back."
"He'll be back," assured Rudy, "This business is in his blood."
Rudy downs his drink, turning his head back toward Ivy when he sees her shaking her head vigorously.
"You haven't seen the two of them together," she said, "It's like he'd never heard of this business before. I dunno - I don't begrudge him happiness.... God knows he deserves it. But at the same time..." She can't finish her sentance, but Rudy nods his head in understanding.
"I know," said Rudy, "Seven years is a long time."
Ivy grabbed the bottle from Rudy's table and poured herself another drink. She took her glasses off and dropped them on the table.
"How's Sean?" asked Rudy, knowing well enough to change the subject, "He looking forward to his first Fish Fund?"
"Yeah," replied Ivy, "He is. Nervous as hell but that's to be expected."
Ivy drains her glass again and looks outside - the sun has set and the stars are shining.
"So it's time for the million dollar question, isn't it Rudy?" she asked, looking back at him.
"What's that?"
"I can see it all over your face... so just ask."
Rudy smiles, taking a drink to cover it. "Fine. Do you love him?"
She doesn't answer immediately, but the smile that crosses her face, filled with sincerity, answers Rudy's question before her voice has the chance.
"Yeah," she finally said, "I do."
"How'd that happen?"
"I don't know, Rudy, I really don't."
"Thought you'd be a bachelorette for life."
"Yeah, so did I."
"He got to you, didn't he?"
"...Yeah."
"I'm happy for you, you deserve it just as much as Eli and Angel."
Rudy holds up his glass of Tequila. "To you and Sean."
Ivy responds in kind, clinking her glass to Rudy's. "To Eli and Angel."
They drink.
"Let me ask you something, Rudy."
"Shoot."
"Those GXW guys ain't gonna know what hit 'em, will they?"
"Nope."
"Thought so."
"I'm trying to find the words, Ivy... it's certainly got balls, but aren't you laying it on a bit heavy?"
They've been going back and forth for fifteen minutes now in Rudy Seitzer's Sweetwater office in the top level of the FISH FUND Arena. His air conditioner labors in the Texas heat, but the room remains at a comfortable temperature.
Currently, he's sitting at his desk - just a table, really, with a computer and a telephone on top of it - proofing Poison Ivy's new "IVY LEAGUE" column for the new online version of the CS TRIBUNE.
Just one more feather in Rudy's cap - one more responsibility he has in this wrestling promotion.
"What's the problem," asked Ivy, sweating despite the drip of the A/C, "you don't think they'll be able to handle it?"
"That's not the issue, and you know it," countered Rudy, "My sources tell me that we're on the brink of a major interpromotional war, and this will be akin to painting a big, red bulls- eye on your back! Forget GXW and Dan Ryan, you're going to have a very large man from Chicago looking to bust a steel- plated baseball bat over your head if this goes to press."
Ivy leans over the table, her glasses slipping down to the tip of her nose. "That's my problem, Rudy."
They stared at each other for a long moment, before Rudy began to laugh. Ivy quickly followed.
"You're never gonna change, are you, Ivy?"
"Hell's no."
"Good."
Rudy typed a few keys on his computer, and hit 'Enter.'
"There it is," he said, "the Ivy League will live again, soon as the tech guys get the Tribune up and running. And I wash my hands of the consequences."
Rudy leans back in his chair.
"Now how 'bout a drink, miss?"
A smile crosses Ivy's face as she sits in Rudy's other chair, watching him produce a bottle of Tequila and a pair of glasses. He filled both, and they clinked together in the universal sign of friendship before Ivy took hers down in one shot and Rudy sipped his slowly.
"How's Eli been? He hasn't come to the last three weeks' worth of shows."
"I really don't know," replied Ivy, "He's been spending most of his time at the studio with Angel - did you meet Angel at the last house show in Cali?"
Rudy nodded affirmation, which Ivy took as a cue to continue, "She's been laying down some new vocal tracks and he's been insanely supportive of her career."
Rudy leans forward. "You okay?"
"Yeah, why?"
"You suddenly looked sad."
Ivy straightened up. "Yeah, I'm fine... just get the feeling from Eli that he might not be back."
"He'll be back," assured Rudy, "This business is in his blood."
Rudy downs his drink, turning his head back toward Ivy when he sees her shaking her head vigorously.
"You haven't seen the two of them together," she said, "It's like he'd never heard of this business before. I dunno - I don't begrudge him happiness.... God knows he deserves it. But at the same time..." She can't finish her sentance, but Rudy nods his head in understanding.
"I know," said Rudy, "Seven years is a long time."
Ivy grabbed the bottle from Rudy's table and poured herself another drink. She took her glasses off and dropped them on the table.
"How's Sean?" asked Rudy, knowing well enough to change the subject, "He looking forward to his first Fish Fund?"
"Yeah," replied Ivy, "He is. Nervous as hell but that's to be expected."
Ivy drains her glass again and looks outside - the sun has set and the stars are shining.
"So it's time for the million dollar question, isn't it Rudy?" she asked, looking back at him.
"What's that?"
"I can see it all over your face... so just ask."
Rudy smiles, taking a drink to cover it. "Fine. Do you love him?"
She doesn't answer immediately, but the smile that crosses her face, filled with sincerity, answers Rudy's question before her voice has the chance.
"Yeah," she finally said, "I do."
"How'd that happen?"
"I don't know, Rudy, I really don't."
"Thought you'd be a bachelorette for life."
"Yeah, so did I."
"He got to you, didn't he?"
"...Yeah."
"I'm happy for you, you deserve it just as much as Eli and Angel."
Rudy holds up his glass of Tequila. "To you and Sean."
Ivy responds in kind, clinking her glass to Rudy's. "To Eli and Angel."
They drink.
"Let me ask you something, Rudy."
"Shoot."
"Those GXW guys ain't gonna know what hit 'em, will they?"
"Nope."
"Thought so."