Hatfields & McCoys: Part 2

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January 2002

Cardiff

Off Camera

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Wrestling fans from all over Europe are gathered at the Cardiff International Arena in anticipation for classic wrestling action.  If you had to ask any of these fans who they are here to see, odds are fairly good that you would hear one name and one name only; “Britain’s Best” Glenn Braddock.  Now most wrestlers are arrogant enough and self-proclaim themselves to be the best of the best.  Glenn Braddock, on the other hand, has never declared himself to be Britain’s Best.  It is a nickname that fans, wrestling experts, and his peers alike have bestowed upon him throughout time.  He has won many tournaments before and this one tonight at Cardiff International should be no different.  The only thing that makes this tournament any different is Glenn’s ulterior motive.  He has his eyes set upon competing in the tournament of all tournaments, the 2004 Olympic Games.  Glenn Braddock, a proud Englishman, wishes to represent his country in the Olympics and, in the process, win this greatest of all wrestling tournaments, thus proving beyond the shadow of any doubt that he is truly the best in the world and not just Britain’s Best.  The fans do not know this; they are just excited to see Glenn competing.  Cheers erupt loudly arena, nearly causing it to shake, as Glenn Braddock walks out from the back and makes his way down the aisle.  The announcer calling his name only serves to further cause excitement in the crowd…

“Introducing, GLENN BRADDOCK!!!”

And there it is, the roar of the crowd.  Glenn ignores it.  He has other plans and more important things on his mind right now.  If only these fans knew that in their presence, near the front row, stood two figures familiar to Glenn.  These are two women who are very important in his life; his wife Mary and his oldest daughter Glory.  If the fans knew they would probably be swarming them right this very moment.  Glenn is ignoring them as well; his focus is solely on his opponent.  But Mary and Glory definitely are focusing on him.

“Isn’t this exciting, mom?” Glory asks with an excited tone in her voice.

“I’m not sure I would call it exciting.” Mary states flatly.  “But then again, I’ve seen them all.”

“Oh come on, mom!  You can’t be serious?” Glory insists. “Sure, dad has been in many tournaments before, but this is different!  He’s trying to prove his worth to qualify for the Olympics!  The bloody Olympics!”

“Right, the Olympics.” Mary sighs and shakes her head. “Just another tournament.”

“The Olympics isn’t just another tournament, mum.  It’s bigger than any tournament!  If dad can win that, he would show the world what you and I have known all along, that he is the BEST IN THE WORLD!”

“Best in the world?” Mary asks as she stares stoically and tensely down at her daughter. “You have no idea of the cost of being best in the world.”

“What do you mean?” Glory asks inquisitively.

“Your father has been at this for as long as I’ve known him.  If I remember correctly from what he told me, he got his start when he was your age or younger.  It took him this long to finally get to the precipice of finally making the Olympic Games.  That was his lifelong goal but at what cost?  Years upon years of physical wear and tear on his body.”

“But the Olympics…” Glory’s voice starts to fade off.

“The Olympics won’t mean a damn thing if you’re paralyzed.” Mary states in a matter-of-fact tone. “I know you love your father, you adore him and want to see him happy, but the only thing that will make him happy is if he competes in the Olympic games.  At this point, I think his opportunity to qualify has passed him by, but he’s going to try anyway.  He will keep competing until either he reaches his goal or he is permanently injured.”

There is a long tense pause as mother and daughter exchange looks.  Mary realizes she may have startled her daughter and forces a smile upon her face. “I’m sorry, Glory.  I didn’t mean any of that, it’s just that I worry about your father.  You know?”

“Yeah, I guess.” Glory nods her head.  Mary embraces her in a tight hug.

“Good.  Now watch, your father’s opponent is on his way.”

“And his opponent, THOMAS VAN STANTON!!!” Glenn Braddock is the hero in this country and thus his opponent for this evening gets a considerably chorus of boos.  Much like Glenn earlier, Thomas appears to ignore the crowd as he makes his way down the aisle until he joins Glenn Braddock on the wrestling mat.  Young Glory Braddock turns to face her mother.

“Dad has this one in the bag!” Glory’s excitement has seemingly returned. “Olympics here we come!”

Mary still doesn’t seem as confident as her daughter but nods her head in a futile attempt to show confidence.  Glory and Mary’s attention immediately turns towards the front as the referee signals for the match to begin.

Thomas and Glenn tie up in a collar and elbow tie up but Thomas gains the upper hand early with a leg sweep, slamming his entire body weight on top of Glenn’s chest area while Glenn lands on his back.  Glenn fights and scrambles to get back to his feet.  Another tie up and Glenn this time takes the offensive with a front headlock.  Thomas fights out of it and manages a bear hug transitioned into a massive suplex, slamming Glenn hard on his back.  Mary is already starting to look overly nervous.  Glory Braddock shakes her head.

“Dad’ll be fine…” Glory says assuringly “...he’s got this.”

Glenn Braddock nods his head in a seeming show of respect for Thomas, who has thus far done better than he expected.  Thomas and Glenn tie up again and Glenn attempts a throw but Thomas lands on his feet and then snatches Glenn and throws him instead, slamming Glenn on his back.  Glenn is done playing around; he gets to his feet and throws Thomas down with a head lock takedown.  Glenn wrenches the headlock in tightly, refusing to let it go.  Thomas breaks free.  Glenn with a suplex of his own to Thomas.  There is a tension and anger in both men’s eyes and the crowd can sense it, bringing them to their feet.  Thomas and Glenn tie up once more and battle back and forth for supremacy.  Frustration builds as neither can seem to gain an edge.  Eventually Glenn starts to back Thomas up near the edge of the legal perimeter of the mat.  The referee warns him but Glenn keeps pushing him back, out of the circle and into the outer area of the mat.  The referee shouts out another warning but Glenn doesn’t stop.  He pushes Thomas Van Stanton to the edge when the referee shouts a third and final warning, threatening disqualification for disobeying his commands.  This is when Glenn releases his grip but Thomas takes advantage, grasping Glenn around the waist and throwing him with a belly to belly overhead suplex.  Glenn lands hard on his back on the concrete floor.

“Dad…” Glory now gets just as worried as her mother as she watches the referee check on her father.  Glenn is shouting out in pain and agony.  It appears as if he cannot move very much.  The referee motions for some other officials to come out and help.  Mary starts to panic.

“GLENN!!!”

“DADDY!!!” Glory exclaims loudly.

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January 2002

1 Hour Later

Cardiff

Off Camera

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It has been nearly one hour since the abrupt ending of Glenn Braddock versus Thomas Van Stanton.  Glory Braddock and her mother Mary have joined Glenn in the trainer’s room backstage where he is being looked at by medical personnel.  Tears are flowing down the cheeks of their daughter while Mary seems to be upset, angry at Glenn Braddock for placing himself in this situation.  The mother is shouting at her husband while he lies in agony on the bed in the trainer’s room.

“Glenn, you damn fool, I warned you that this would happen someday!”

“Not now, Mary!” Glenn exclaims. “Of all the bloody times to argue about this, NOW IS NOT THE DAMN TIME!”

“Oh I think it’s a perfectly good time.” Mary states pointedly. “Because now may be the time for you to consider retirement before something worse happens.”

“Retirement?!” Glenn’s eyes flare with anger. “THE HELL I’M GONNA RETIRE!”

He tries to sit up and shout but he can’t seem to sit up.  He falls back down onto the bed.  Mary shakes her head. “See?  You can barely even move and yet you want to compete in the Olympics?”

“Daddy, please,” Glory chimes in “I don’t want to see you get hurt anymore.”

“Hurt?” Glenn turns and looks at his eighteen year old daughter and scoffingly laughs. “I’m not hurt.  It’s just a flesh wound.  I’ll be back on my feet in no time and furthermore I will make that Van Stanton fellow pay by kicking his ass all over Europe!”

“You sure?” Glory asks uneasily, unsure of what to believe.  Glenn nods his head.

“Yes, I’m sure.  I’m fine.”

“Ok.” Glory nods her head.

“I can’t believe it.” Mary shakes her head in disbelief. “You have our daughter convinced that you are invincible.”

Glenn Braddock is ready to fire off some more verbal offense at his wife but he is interrupted when the door to the trainer’s room opens.  A head medical official enters the room.  Mary immediately turns to face him as she wants answers about her husband’s condition.

“What is it?  What happened to my husband?”

“Not a damn thing!” Glenn insists loudly.

“I cannot say for certain.  Mr. Braddock will have to endure a more thorough medical examination in order to assess the full extent of the damage.  What myself and my staff can tell here is that he did land very awkwardly on his back and that there has been some damage.  My initial recommendation is to take some significant time away from competition, if not retire permanently, especially at his age.”

“BULLSHIT!” Glenn shouts angrily.  This was most definitely not the news he wanted to hear.  Mary sighs and nods her head.

“Thank you.”

“I am NOT retiring!” The man walks off as Glenn shouts after him. “Do you hear me?!  I AM NOT DONE!”

“That’s right, dad.  You’ll be back and better than ever.” Glory answers. Mary turns to face her husband Glenn and glares angrily at him.

“I cannot take this anymore, Glenn.  I really cannot.”

“What the bloody hell are you saying, woman?!”

“I love you and I love our daughter and I know you love me back but I’m not sure which you love more, me or wrestling.  It’s obvious you have our daughter convinced that you can do no wrong.  So allow me to spell it out for you as clearly as I can, Glenn.  For your own health and well being, for this family’s well being, you need to learn when to quit.  You need to give up wrestling and if you don’t, then I refuse to be a party to your own self-destruction.”

Mary turns and starts to walk off. “It’s either me or wrestling, Glenn.  Make your decision.”

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September 14th, 2019

Columbus, OH

Off Camera

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The sunlight streaming in through the window doesn’t immediately wake up “The British Bombshell” Glory Braddock, who sleeps rather soundly in a king size bed next to her husband, her beloved Kurt Logan.  Glory’s eighteen year old daughter sleeps in the room next door, which is all a part of the luxurious Hilton suite that she reserved for them stay in during their time in downtown Columbus, Ohio.  Later on tonight, in fact, SCW would be hosting a House Show in Columbus.  Braddock needed to be woken up but it wasn’t just the warmth of the sun’s rays that did the trick.  Instead it was a combination of the sun and the smell of buttered popcorn in the air.  No doubt her daughter has already risen from her deep slumber and has popped a bag of popcorn.  Glory’s eyes flutter open as she sits up in bed and stretches her arms out wide open.  A yawn escapes her mouth as she looks out the window at the brightness of the Columbus, Ohio skyline.  Braddock realizes that it must be late.  The British Bombshell turns to the nightstand and looks at the clock for confirmation: nine thirty in the morning.  For most that would be normal but for Glory Braddock that is late.  She is typically an early bird.  But then again, she does have a great deal on her mind.  In one week’s time she competes at SCW Apocalypse against Abigail Lindsey.

Or is it Serenity now?

Doesn’t matter to Glory.  Abigail is a threat, not just to her but to anyone who gets in her way.  It seems as if she has to be the one to stop Abigail Lindsey before she gets too out of control.  After defeating Abigail, maybe then Glory can refocus on her SCW World Championship chase.  She still hasn’t forgotten Rise To Greatness.  She had the championship won until Abigail interfered.  Glory was never pinned nor made to submit in that match and thus she feels she deserves another opportunity, as soon as she takes care of Abigail Lindsey at Apocalypse.

But she also has her daughter on her mind.  Melinda Braddock, Glory’s oldest daughter, only just recently got out of a bad relationship with none other than a mentally unbalanced Clyde Sutter.  Now it seems as if Melinda rebounded with another questionable relationship; a young man Glory only saw and spoke to in passing.

Archie Van Stanton.

Glory isn’t quite sure if she is more upset over the fact that it is a Van Stanton Melinda is dating or the fact that she kept it a secret?  Either way, this is an issue Glory wants to deal with as soon as possible.  She doesn’t want this problem to fester and grow the way her previous problems with Melinda did.

Braddock walks over to the closet and pulls it open.  She reaches inside and produces a pink robe.  This can do for now as far as clothing goes.  It’ll be several hours before she has to be at the Nationwide Arena.  She has plenty of time to deal with her personal problems and she knows just where to find her daughter.  Glory follows the smell of the buttered popcorn into the living area.  The British Bombshell finds her daughter sitting on the sofa in front of the television with a bag of popcorn in her hand.  The television is tuned to a classic rock music only station.  Melinda is dressed in denim jeans and a plain black “SCW” logo t-shirt.  Melinda doesn’t seem to notice her mother’s arrival.

“Good morning, Mel.”

“Huh?” Melinda is somewhat startled at first.  She turns to see her mother and smiles. “Oh, good morning mom.”

“Having trouble sleeping?” Glory asks curiously.  She has a feeling that she knows what’s on her daughter’s mind.  She figures that she is bothered by the same situation that she is bothered with.  Melinda nods her head.

“How can you tell?”

“You are a late sleeper.” The British Bombshell remarks. “When you were younger I had trouble getting you up in the morning, so I had to use a spray bottle full of water on you.”

“I remember.” Melinda chuckles. “I hated that.”

“Someone had to get you up.” Glory says with a laugh of her own.  There is a moment of tense silence after the laughter fades.  Melinda finally breaks it.

“What happened to us, mom?”

“What do you mean?”

“We used to be pretty close.  Now it seems as if we’re always...um…”

“Tense?” Glory suggests. Melinda nods her head.

“Yeah, tense.  It’s as if we’re growing apart, especially with Clyde and now Archie...”

“I see.” Glory states with a nod of her head.  She motions to the sofa. “May I sit down?”

Melinda nods and then moves over, giving Glory plenty of space.  The British Bombshell approaches the sofa and sits down next to  her daughter.  They lock eyes as another tense moment passes before Glory speaks up.

“We’re not really growing apart, Mel.  Our relationship is just changing because you’re beginning to grow up.  You’re maturing into your own woman.  The same thing happened to me and your grandfather.”

“Really?” Melinda asks.  Glory nods her head.

“Yes, really.  I used to idolize my father.  He could do no wrong in my eyes.  I thought he was untouchable.  I still love my father but now I see him as a human, no longer the super hero that I once thought he was.  And he recognizes me as the independent woman that I am.  It’s bound to happen to every parent/child relationship, Mel.  It’s beginning to happen to you and I.”

“But what about Clyde and Archie?”

“Some might call it rebellion.” Braddock chuckles lightly. “Heck, I think I did call it rebellion.”

“You did.” Melinda confirms as she places some more popcorn in her mouth.

“Well it isn’t as simple as that.  You could call it rebellion but it’s more just you making your own decisions.  Not all of your decisions will be good ones.”

“Clyde.” Melinda answers.  Glory nods her head.

“Right, placing your trust in Clyde Sutter was poor judgment.”

“And what about Archie?” This is the question Glory was anticipating.  The British Bombshell sighs deeply and then shrugs her shoulders.

“Honestly I am not sure what to think.  My instinct tells me he’s trouble, just like Clyde was trouble.”

“That’s not fair, mom.” Melinda snaps back. “You never even stayed long enough to really get to know him last week.  You’re basing your opinion of him purely on your opinion of his father.”

“That’s enough of a basis, Mel.” Glory states, her voice growing colder.

“How can you say that?!” Melinda exclaims, growing angrier. “You’re not even willing to give him any chance!  Just because he is a Van Stanton doesn’t mean he is exactly like them!”

“Maybe…” Glory’s voice trails off as she tries to find the right words “...maybe I am being unfair?  I’ll admit that it is tough for me to be fair regarding the Van Stanton clan.  Archie’s father tried to end my career at GCW Resurrection.  Archie’s uncle Mason used his significant influence to get that sociopath Clyde Sutter an SCW contract just as a way to get back at me.  But what you don’t know is that I watched helplessly as Archie’s grandfather ended my father’s wrestling career.”

Melinda’s eyes grow wide with shock as she hears this startling revelation from her mother. “Mom, I didn’t know…”

“I don’t talk about it very much.” Glory remarks quietly. “Your grandfather refuses to talk about it out of pride.  He is ashamed he let that happen to him.  But me, it rocked me to my core.  I thought my father was unbeatable and invincible.  Then on that night I saw him receive a back injury that ended his career for good.  So you can understand why I have a difficult time trusting the Van Stanton family.”

“I can understand.  But mom, I still contend that just because Archie is a Van Stanton doesn’t mean he is just as bad as his father, his uncle, or his grandfather.  There is a history of trouble, yes, but shouldn’t we judge him as his own independent person and not judge him based on his family name?”

The British Bombshell pauses to consider her daughter’s words.  Rarely does the child ever seem more mature than the parent but in this case, Glory is beginning to feel convicted.  She feels as if her daughter may be right.

“You may be right, Mel.  Technically, the only thing you two have done that pisses me off is that you kept this whole relationship a secret instead of being open and honest about it with me.”

“You’re right, I kept it a secret.  But I kept it a secret because I knew you wouldn’t give Archie a fair chance.  So can you really blame me?”

Glory Braddock doesn’t answer right away.  Instead she stands up and starts pacing the floor.  Her daughter watches closely and nervously.  “Mom?  Are you ok?”

“How the hell is Archie getting around?  I mean, he traveled to an SCW show in bloody Canada last week just to see you.  I know for a fact that the Van Stanton family lives in North Carolina now.”  She turns and points at Melinda. “This sounds an awful lot like the stalking crap Clyde Sutter was doing.”

“Last week he was traveling with his uncle Mason who, by the way, was also in town for that same SCW House Show.  He will be in town for Breakdown next week in Washington DC.”

“Is he staying with Mason again?” Glory growls under her breath.  Melinda shakes her head.

“No, Henry be there next week.”

“Good.” Glory stops her pacing and nods her head. “Very good.”

“So does that mean you’re going to meet Archie and give him a real chance?” Melinda asks, sounding somewhat hopeful.

“Oh I definitely want to meet Archie.  But I need to talk to his father first and if he’s going to be in town for Breakdown, then that’s just perfect.”