04-03-2024, 02:19 PM
The couple looks at Veronica, who is snickering under her breath.
“Can she be shut up?”
“Haven’t been able to yet. But that’s part of her charm.”
“And you’d be best not to say anything like that again.”
She gives them her sneer, and with her eyes, imparts her inner dialogue message onto them.
CRAAACK!!!
Cara does a masterful break and sinks two solids before missing her third shot.
“You sink some, you miss some.”
“Is that how it goes?”
“You two always bicker at each other?”
“We don’t not bicker.”
“She tries to, but bruh gets angry fast.”
“You call everyone bruh?”
“It’s my thang.”
“Everyone. It’s not an exaggeration. Except our mom, that’s- - -”
“Mamabear.”
Veronica and Cara share a side eye at the mention of the name. Veronica leans forward on the table, looking up into the woman’s eyes.
“Yeah, Cara is an odd one, and I don’t know. Maybe you have seen us on TV and know what we call our mom… or maybe you just spell it out for us, hmm?”
“Imma with the stiff on this one, bruhs.”
The couple exchange a glance. The woman speaks up.
“Your mamabear is the reason my brother is in jail, all because of that crooked grandfather of yours.”
Veronica nods, eyes rolling, and shakes her head with a laugh.
“Ahh, yeah. Me, my sisters and cousins are always so happy to deal with angry people with our parents' past. ‘Cause obviously we are the next best thing.”
“Totes McGoats.”
“Remember what mom said, a bond like no other.”
“Imma drive her mad, she gonna lovvveee me.”
Veronica sits on the edge of the pool table, chalking her cue, and her sneer has turned to a smile, which Cara notices and shakes her head.
“Sneer to smile? Youse bruhs are fucked with a capital C.”
“Alright, so you know us, so you probably know some call me the Scorpion on account of my nasty sting and the Baba Jaga as I have the personality of a Scandinavian witch who eats children… Either way, I’m a real nasty bitch.”
“It’s true, yo. She threw me off the OCW Arena.”
Veronica just motions with her thumb towards Cara and nods, never breaking eye contact.
“Why are you chalking up the cue?”
She stops, looks at the pool cue in her hand, and runs her freehand through her hair, slicking it back.
“Oh this? You really don’t know? I’ll show you!”
THWACKKKKKK!!!!!
The cue splinters when Veronica cracks it across the young woman’s head. The man rushes in, but Cara sticks her foot out and trips him, causing him to bang his head on the side of the pool table.
“COME AT ME BRUH! IMMA BRING THAT SMOKE!”
“Fuck it.”
The staff is all over this in a second, as Strader bar fights usually end up being twice the insurance deductible. Meghan smacks the table from across the room as Cara and Veronica get pulled off the young couple.
“What did ya do to make that happen?”
“I told them to find a place to slip ‘mamabear’ and blame our daddy for something.”
“Well, it worked. They just got their first taste of working together.”
“Still seems like something daddy would do to us. We sure about going this route?”
“I refuse to feel bad about bringing my girls together. It’s amazing having a sister, and they have two and a brother.”
“And god knows how many kids Dustin has.”
“Honestly, I don’t actually know. A few of his kids aren’t even his kids, but it doesn't change how he feels about them.”
“Let’s continue this somewhere else before we get noticed.”
But it was too late. Cara notices and smirks at herself.
“Bruhs.”
Meghan Strader was hardly ever a ball of nerves, but she also never faced something like this. She looks at the set of Harley Davidson Sportster keys in her palm. It was a gift to her baby sister and her way of asking her to join her in the ring as the Cowgirls From Hell, a nod to their dad and uncles with the Cowboys From Hell.
Meghan and Tamika had only known each other a few years now because if you are a spawn of Scott Nash Strader, it can’t be a normal same dad, different mom situation. It has to be secret siblings, but one thing that Meghan and Tamika had shared in common is they both wanted sisters. Tamika has her twin, John, and while they had a special bond, John was a man’s man.
When their mom finally moved them back home to Canada, Meghan and Tamika bonded damn near instantly over a love of motorcycles and 80s slashers. But other than that, they were different from one another in so many ways. Meghan is brash, while Tamika is more like silk. Strong and independent in their own ways, but it was like how Yin and Yang belong together.
Tamika didn’t hesitate either to say yes. It would be a year before they beat out Farm & Harm and Hell or Highwater for their first set of tag team gold. They held onto them for 287 days before Bound by Blood took them. Not even a few months later, the Cowgirls stormed into BWF and took their second tag team titles with force.
The sisters became ride or die, and have been by one another’s side no matter what. Besides their children, no one means more to Meghan and Tamika than Tamika and Meghan.
Meghan wanted that for her babes (as she refers to her five kids ranging from 4 years old going on 24). There were some obstacles. Cara and Veronica didn’t start on the best of terms which could fill some hopeful psychologists dissertation. How would she bring them together like she was with her own siblings? Create common ground or at least find out what that common ground could be.
She knows she is close. The way Veronica and Cara bounced off each other’s wit and attacked the couple Tamika found to instigate the fight was a good sign. It was unconditional love forming. A sisterhood. Meghan was taking advantage of Veronica’s time in Miracle Galaxy Pro working in a faction with others. Veronica knows teamwork can actually work, and she knows the history of when siblings team up in their family.
First, Meghan needed to see where Cara was with everything, leading us to Hannah Strader’s home, the grandmother of the family, and great grandmother to Veronica and Cara. Cara was close with her Double G (Cara has names for everyone) and had introduced her to edibles for her crippling arthritis.
“Ok, here we go.”
Meghan knocks as she enters the smaller ranch style home. When Meghan’s dad bought the land initially, he built a house for his mom. Then his house, which the family dubbed the Whitehouse as it was a massive two-storey home that was white (what did you think it was gonna be?) and Meghan built her full size working ranch. People hate the Strader family, but the reason why is simple: people hate how close they are. Not Alabama close, but they will always have each other’s backs. Hannah sees her first born granddaughter and smiles widely.
“Oh, my Love! I still can’t believe you are here with us!” Like the sweet southern grandmother she is, she kisses both of Meghan’s cheeks and holds her by the waist, admiring her granddaughter. “Come sit. Your Mini-Me is making her special tea.”
“Cara is here? Oh good! Yes, let’s sit down, Gran. I can’t believe you are pro-weed now.”
“Oh yes, Love. Your sweet southern grandmother is a hippie now. Peace and love!”
Meghan grins, seeing this relaxed, pain-free lady in front of her. Arthritis had been crippling her for years and Cara brought her relief. Cara had become popular in the wrestling industry with her wide range of edibles, as it was a new age and wrestlers were avoiding pills, unlike Meghan and Tamika, who had been on their own share of class two narcotics.
“Peace and love, Gran. I like that. Hey babe!”
Cara smiles widely, seeing her “mamabear” and hugs her tightly.
“Mamabear! I’mma making some of my tea for G-Squared. You want a cup? It’s so good you’ll be calling everyone bruh!”
Meghan nods.
“Why not? Just three generations of strong and proud Strader women getting lit on tea in a southern belle’s living room.”
“That’s the spirit! Where is your sister?”
“At the office. Veronica is helping her with something.”
“Next time you tell her I expect her to be here, too.”
Strader Inc. HQ
Houston, Texas
April 2nd 2024
“Think Cara likes her new bike?”
“The Softail? Oh yeah, she’s had a thing for them since she saw Terminator 2. Cara is easy to please. You could’ve gotten her a Knight Rider big wheel and she would be just as excited.”
Tamika looks impressed sitting behind her desk, going through some files while she watches Veronica search through the filing cabinet.
“How do you know what a Knight Rider Big Wheel is?”
“Found it in storage and this handy thing called Google.”
“Google, eh? Whatever happened to that Jeeves fellow? Someone finally asked him too many questions, and he retired?”
“Sure, we can go with that. I am not seeing the file anywhere, Auntie. Why don’t you upgrade to digital storage?”
“Honestly? I like physical documents in my hand. There are digitals in the archives, but up here, just like my Lady Garden, au naturale.”
Veronica shakes her head.
“You are so weird. No one wants to hear about your 70s obsession.”
“How about you?”
“I love you, but I am not talking about my grooming habits with you.”
“No, your bike, you smart ass.”
Veronica stops and looks at her aunt, head cocked to the right.
“You can see how I got there, though. Yeah, I love it. Quite the coincidence both me and Cara got Harley’s after pitching us the Cowgirls From Hell. Then we get into a bar fight a little later.”
“Oh no... Bar fight? What ever happened?”
Veronica returns her focus back to the cabinet files while answering her.
“Oh, don’t do that, Auntie Meeks. Mom is a much better liar than you are and Cara saw you two sneaking out of the Tail last night.”
Tamika laughs and shrugs it off.
“Look, both me and your mom see in you and Cara what we saw in ourselves. Together we think you can surpass what we accomplished in our careers. We are trying to get you two to bond.”
“I threw her off a roof. An arena roof. That’s not something people can back from. Look, I love her. I really, truly, deeply and honestly do. I let her look after my baby girl. But a tag team? I just don’t know.”
“Listen… I have had the pleasure of being a singles champion with you in OCW at the same time. I have had the pleasure of having Cara in the Cowgirl corner. You both have similar careers in matches, won matches and even have two singles titles in your first years in the ring. Honestly, sometimes it reminds me of daddy and Uncle Payton. You two have a gift and together you would be unstoppable. I know it isn’t happening overnight, but it has to start somewhere and somehow.”
Veronica pulls the file she was looking for out of the Duotang and walks over, handing it to Tamika. Veronica sits down across from her and sighs.
“Ok, let’s say both Cara and I agree to do this. Team up. Take on the impossible mantle of the Cowgirls From Hell. And we fail. What then?”
“Kiddo, you think your mom and I kicked ass right out of the gate? We had a rough first year.”
“Oh, great selling point.”
“Shush, you. What I am saying is, there are going to be good and bad times. Maybe more bad times to start, but the point of any great tag team is to have your partner in every sitchiation.”
“Did you say sitchiation?”
Tamika just puts her index finger to her lips and continues on her extended pitch.
“Every team needs to start somewhere, Ronnie. Plus, I’m going to be right by your side as the Cowgirls manager. It’ll not only help with fans accepting you two baddies as the Cowgirls, but I’ll be there to help guide you both. I get the hesitation, but you two need to do something and find your way to one another.”
“Alright. Fine.”
Tamika’s ears perk up when she gets excited and they are perking up like no perking up before.
“You’ll do it?!”
Veronica nods slowly.
“If Cara says yes, I’ll say yes.”
A little while later…
Meghan walks into Tamika’s office through the secret passage that runs from the Strader Estate to the 40 storey tower in downtown Houston. Tamika paid a pretty penny and greased a lot of hands on city council to have it built, but it was paying off now that Meghan could come to the office without being seen as she comes or goes. Tamika hits a red button under her desk and the doors to her office lock up tighter than a Nun at a convent. Meghan looks around the office and Tamika has decorated the office similar to how their dad did with a large mahogany desk, cherry leather high-back chair, and a small old time looking bar by the big bay window that overlooks the Houston skyline.
“Scott’s desk and chair?”
“I always liked his decor. I needed to make this space my own. I never expected to be the CEO of the family company.”
“How did you beat Kris out of the company?”
“It was actually Cara’s idea. When he took it public to take it over, we used it against him and now your daughters, our brother and myself all bought enough controlling shares and we made me Chief Executive Officer. The look on his face was priceless.”
“I bet. Wish I could’ve seen it. You like running the company, though?”
“Yeah, I really do. We launched a media division last year that is doing well. Not to mention our efforts in finding clean renewable energy. The music division is booming right now.”
Meghan strolls over to the minibar and grabs two whiskey glasses. She pours three fingers for herself as well as Tamika, but puts in two ice cubes in her sister’s glass. Meghan sets the drink down in front of Tamika as she takes a seat across from her.
“That’s great. I don’t have any plans to resume my duties. The company is all yours.”
Their glasses clink together as the “cheers.”
“I got Cara to agree over a cup of weed tea with Gran.”
“Yeah? Awesome. Ronnie said she would if Cara agreed to teaming up. Which is good, because Veronica signed the contract.”
“So did Cara. They are gonna be so good, Meeks.”
Tamika nods as she leans back in her chair, placing her snakeskin boots up on the desk.
“I also signed my manager’s contract. They don’t pay a lot to start, but the bonuses are pretty good. It won’t be long before the Cowgirls are running the tag division.”
“You are getting excited. That’s awesome. They are gonna need you in this experiment. I’ll be here in Houston or out in North Carolina with my husband, but I’ll be watching and making notes. They are going to surpass us in every way.”
Tamika takes a sniff of her whiskey before taking a sip. The barrel cask smell of the Rye was her second favourite part of drinking it.
“They are up against a team that has loads of experience, the European Fiery Nation.”
Meghan’s brow rises and pulls out a soft pack of Marlboro Reds. She taps the butt end of the cigarette on the desk, and Tamika pulls an ashtray out of her desk drawer.
“That sounds familiar.”
“Konrad Raab is the team leader, but they have… hold on…” Tamika pulls out her iPhone 15 Pro in her signature green, opening up her notes. “Ahh, there we go: Dakon Theron and Ludvig Eriksson. Konnie-boy is the leader. They are his lackeys. But you and I know, just because they are lackey’s doesn’t make them- - -”
“- - - any less dangerous.”
Tamika points her glass of whiskey at Meghan and lifts it slightly as if to say, “bingo was his name-o.”
“I’ll gather some intel on them and get it to the girls. But they’re gonna need to learn how to do that on their own. Shouldn’t be a problem for either, though.”
“Ronnie is just like you and me with researching opponents, and Cara, she might be the smartest of us all.”
“The whole dumbass stoner act. Well, she’s definitely a stoner, but the way she uses it to get her opponents to underestimate is just so boopity boppity.” Tamika does her horrible Italian imitation that she ripped off from Family Guy with her index and middle finger pressed to her thumb. “Work is done for the day. Veronica was a great help to get documents together for me. Saved me an afternoon. Let’s go have dinner with your wee ones.”
“Best idea I have heard all day. They are missing you like crazy. I am surprised they even remembered me.” Meghan smiles to reaffirm it wasn’t a shot or anything like it. “I can’t thank you enough for looking after them for me. Dusty was too much of a mess to raise them without me.”
“I’m just glad they have their mama back. Alright, let’s get out of here.”
The sisters raise their glasses of whiskey to one another before finishing them off.
“To a new era.”
“Shhh… do you hear that?”
They share the family's sneer and laugh.
Veronica’s Ranch (the barn)
Strader-Estate
April 2nd, 2024
“Such a gorgeous bike.”
“She sure is purrty, bruh.”
Veronica looks up to see Cara in her favourite cyan blue LuluLemon yoga pants, a Tactilizing One Larry Tact black t-shirt she has tied up at the side showing off abs in her midriff. Her wavy, almost black hair is hidden under a matching solid cyan blue bandana. Veronica was in an old pair of jeans that were grease stained and one of her husband’s hoodies. Her dirty blonde hair is done up in a bun, but a few strands hang in her face.
“Yeah, it is a beautiful chopper. I am sure Uncz helped mom pick it out. Your Softail is gorgeous too. Auntie Tee has good taste.”
“Fo’real. So, I guess we work for Supreme Championship Wrestling now.”
“Yep, as the Cowgirls From Hell. I’ll be honest with ya, Carebear… it’s a really heavy thing mom and Auntie Tee put on us.”
“Bruh, you ain’t wrong but ya know…” Cara grabs a 20L bucket, flips it over to sit down. She pulls a spliff out from her bra, and Veronica hands her a Zippo her husband gave her. “Thanks bruh. (Deep inhale) I have been like, letting this egg fry in the frying pan that is my brain, and ya know… I think they are onto something.”
Veronica puts down her ratchet and grabs the rag off the Panhead’s seat, wiping her hands as she takes the spliff from Cara and takes a drag herself.
“(Speaking through her toke) You think you and me can make this work? Take the Cowgirl name to another level?”
“I’mma be straight with you, Ronnisaurus. We are the best in this family. Gramps, mamabear, Auntie Teebag, they are all were amazing in their times, but we are freakin’ awesome. You been making a name for yourself, I’mma be making a name for myself… together we could rock the industry, yo.”
Veronica takes another drag and hands the spliff back to Cara. Veronica stands up from her own bucket and walks over to the open barn doors and looks up at the star filled night sky.
“I got to ask, Carebear… are we good here? I mean, our history… I threw you off the OCW Arena.” It doesn’t happen often, but tears form in her eyes as she looks back at the sky.
“Ya, you tried to teach me how to fly, bruh. But that wasn’t you, ya know? I’mma putting all that behind us, and we can focus on bringing glory onto the team me and Vee grew up cheering.”
Cara stands up and embraces Veronica from behind. Veronica grabs Cara’s forearm and squeezes. She turns and looks Cara in the eyes.
“Shhh… do you hear that?”
The sisters share the family sneer as they share the spliff under the moonlight.
TO BE CONTINUED...
“Can she be shut up?”
“Haven’t been able to yet. But that’s part of her charm.”
“And you’d be best not to say anything like that again.”
She gives them her sneer, and with her eyes, imparts her inner dialogue message onto them.
CRAAACK!!!
Cara does a masterful break and sinks two solids before missing her third shot.
“You sink some, you miss some.”
“Is that how it goes?”
“You two always bicker at each other?”
“We don’t not bicker.”
“She tries to, but bruh gets angry fast.”
“You call everyone bruh?”
“It’s my thang.”
“Everyone. It’s not an exaggeration. Except our mom, that’s- - -”
“Mamabear.”
Veronica and Cara share a side eye at the mention of the name. Veronica leans forward on the table, looking up into the woman’s eyes.
“Yeah, Cara is an odd one, and I don’t know. Maybe you have seen us on TV and know what we call our mom… or maybe you just spell it out for us, hmm?”
“Imma with the stiff on this one, bruhs.”
The couple exchange a glance. The woman speaks up.
“Your mamabear is the reason my brother is in jail, all because of that crooked grandfather of yours.”
Veronica nods, eyes rolling, and shakes her head with a laugh.
“Ahh, yeah. Me, my sisters and cousins are always so happy to deal with angry people with our parents' past. ‘Cause obviously we are the next best thing.”
“Totes McGoats.”
“Remember what mom said, a bond like no other.”
“Imma drive her mad, she gonna lovvveee me.”
Veronica sits on the edge of the pool table, chalking her cue, and her sneer has turned to a smile, which Cara notices and shakes her head.
“Sneer to smile? Youse bruhs are fucked with a capital C.”
“Alright, so you know us, so you probably know some call me the Scorpion on account of my nasty sting and the Baba Jaga as I have the personality of a Scandinavian witch who eats children… Either way, I’m a real nasty bitch.”
“It’s true, yo. She threw me off the OCW Arena.”
Veronica just motions with her thumb towards Cara and nods, never breaking eye contact.
“Why are you chalking up the cue?”
She stops, looks at the pool cue in her hand, and runs her freehand through her hair, slicking it back.
“Oh this? You really don’t know? I’ll show you!”
THWACKKKKKK!!!!!
The cue splinters when Veronica cracks it across the young woman’s head. The man rushes in, but Cara sticks her foot out and trips him, causing him to bang his head on the side of the pool table.
“COME AT ME BRUH! IMMA BRING THAT SMOKE!”
“Fuck it.”
The staff is all over this in a second, as Strader bar fights usually end up being twice the insurance deductible. Meghan smacks the table from across the room as Cara and Veronica get pulled off the young couple.
“What did ya do to make that happen?”
“I told them to find a place to slip ‘mamabear’ and blame our daddy for something.”
“Well, it worked. They just got their first taste of working together.”
“Still seems like something daddy would do to us. We sure about going this route?”
“I refuse to feel bad about bringing my girls together. It’s amazing having a sister, and they have two and a brother.”
“And god knows how many kids Dustin has.”
“Honestly, I don’t actually know. A few of his kids aren’t even his kids, but it doesn't change how he feels about them.”
“Let’s continue this somewhere else before we get noticed.”
But it was too late. Cara notices and smirks at herself.
“Bruhs.”
Meghan Strader was hardly ever a ball of nerves, but she also never faced something like this. She looks at the set of Harley Davidson Sportster keys in her palm. It was a gift to her baby sister and her way of asking her to join her in the ring as the Cowgirls From Hell, a nod to their dad and uncles with the Cowboys From Hell.
Meghan and Tamika had only known each other a few years now because if you are a spawn of Scott Nash Strader, it can’t be a normal same dad, different mom situation. It has to be secret siblings, but one thing that Meghan and Tamika had shared in common is they both wanted sisters. Tamika has her twin, John, and while they had a special bond, John was a man’s man.
When their mom finally moved them back home to Canada, Meghan and Tamika bonded damn near instantly over a love of motorcycles and 80s slashers. But other than that, they were different from one another in so many ways. Meghan is brash, while Tamika is more like silk. Strong and independent in their own ways, but it was like how Yin and Yang belong together.
Tamika didn’t hesitate either to say yes. It would be a year before they beat out Farm & Harm and Hell or Highwater for their first set of tag team gold. They held onto them for 287 days before Bound by Blood took them. Not even a few months later, the Cowgirls stormed into BWF and took their second tag team titles with force.
The sisters became ride or die, and have been by one another’s side no matter what. Besides their children, no one means more to Meghan and Tamika than Tamika and Meghan.
Meghan wanted that for her babes (as she refers to her five kids ranging from 4 years old going on 24). There were some obstacles. Cara and Veronica didn’t start on the best of terms which could fill some hopeful psychologists dissertation. How would she bring them together like she was with her own siblings? Create common ground or at least find out what that common ground could be.
She knows she is close. The way Veronica and Cara bounced off each other’s wit and attacked the couple Tamika found to instigate the fight was a good sign. It was unconditional love forming. A sisterhood. Meghan was taking advantage of Veronica’s time in Miracle Galaxy Pro working in a faction with others. Veronica knows teamwork can actually work, and she knows the history of when siblings team up in their family.
First, Meghan needed to see where Cara was with everything, leading us to Hannah Strader’s home, the grandmother of the family, and great grandmother to Veronica and Cara. Cara was close with her Double G (Cara has names for everyone) and had introduced her to edibles for her crippling arthritis.
“Ok, here we go.”
Meghan knocks as she enters the smaller ranch style home. When Meghan’s dad bought the land initially, he built a house for his mom. Then his house, which the family dubbed the Whitehouse as it was a massive two-storey home that was white (what did you think it was gonna be?) and Meghan built her full size working ranch. People hate the Strader family, but the reason why is simple: people hate how close they are. Not Alabama close, but they will always have each other’s backs. Hannah sees her first born granddaughter and smiles widely.
“Oh, my Love! I still can’t believe you are here with us!” Like the sweet southern grandmother she is, she kisses both of Meghan’s cheeks and holds her by the waist, admiring her granddaughter. “Come sit. Your Mini-Me is making her special tea.”
“Cara is here? Oh good! Yes, let’s sit down, Gran. I can’t believe you are pro-weed now.”
“Oh yes, Love. Your sweet southern grandmother is a hippie now. Peace and love!”
Meghan grins, seeing this relaxed, pain-free lady in front of her. Arthritis had been crippling her for years and Cara brought her relief. Cara had become popular in the wrestling industry with her wide range of edibles, as it was a new age and wrestlers were avoiding pills, unlike Meghan and Tamika, who had been on their own share of class two narcotics.
“Peace and love, Gran. I like that. Hey babe!”
Cara smiles widely, seeing her “mamabear” and hugs her tightly.
“Mamabear! I’mma making some of my tea for G-Squared. You want a cup? It’s so good you’ll be calling everyone bruh!”
Meghan nods.
“Why not? Just three generations of strong and proud Strader women getting lit on tea in a southern belle’s living room.”
“That’s the spirit! Where is your sister?”
“At the office. Veronica is helping her with something.”
“Next time you tell her I expect her to be here, too.”
Strader Inc. HQ
Houston, Texas
April 2nd 2024
“Think Cara likes her new bike?”
“The Softail? Oh yeah, she’s had a thing for them since she saw Terminator 2. Cara is easy to please. You could’ve gotten her a Knight Rider big wheel and she would be just as excited.”
Tamika looks impressed sitting behind her desk, going through some files while she watches Veronica search through the filing cabinet.
“How do you know what a Knight Rider Big Wheel is?”
“Found it in storage and this handy thing called Google.”
“Google, eh? Whatever happened to that Jeeves fellow? Someone finally asked him too many questions, and he retired?”
“Sure, we can go with that. I am not seeing the file anywhere, Auntie. Why don’t you upgrade to digital storage?”
“Honestly? I like physical documents in my hand. There are digitals in the archives, but up here, just like my Lady Garden, au naturale.”
Veronica shakes her head.
“You are so weird. No one wants to hear about your 70s obsession.”
“How about you?”
“I love you, but I am not talking about my grooming habits with you.”
“No, your bike, you smart ass.”
Veronica stops and looks at her aunt, head cocked to the right.
“You can see how I got there, though. Yeah, I love it. Quite the coincidence both me and Cara got Harley’s after pitching us the Cowgirls From Hell. Then we get into a bar fight a little later.”
“Oh no... Bar fight? What ever happened?”
Veronica returns her focus back to the cabinet files while answering her.
“Oh, don’t do that, Auntie Meeks. Mom is a much better liar than you are and Cara saw you two sneaking out of the Tail last night.”
Tamika laughs and shrugs it off.
“Look, both me and your mom see in you and Cara what we saw in ourselves. Together we think you can surpass what we accomplished in our careers. We are trying to get you two to bond.”
“I threw her off a roof. An arena roof. That’s not something people can back from. Look, I love her. I really, truly, deeply and honestly do. I let her look after my baby girl. But a tag team? I just don’t know.”
“Listen… I have had the pleasure of being a singles champion with you in OCW at the same time. I have had the pleasure of having Cara in the Cowgirl corner. You both have similar careers in matches, won matches and even have two singles titles in your first years in the ring. Honestly, sometimes it reminds me of daddy and Uncle Payton. You two have a gift and together you would be unstoppable. I know it isn’t happening overnight, but it has to start somewhere and somehow.”
Veronica pulls the file she was looking for out of the Duotang and walks over, handing it to Tamika. Veronica sits down across from her and sighs.
“Ok, let’s say both Cara and I agree to do this. Team up. Take on the impossible mantle of the Cowgirls From Hell. And we fail. What then?”
“Kiddo, you think your mom and I kicked ass right out of the gate? We had a rough first year.”
“Oh, great selling point.”
“Shush, you. What I am saying is, there are going to be good and bad times. Maybe more bad times to start, but the point of any great tag team is to have your partner in every sitchiation.”
“Did you say sitchiation?”
Tamika just puts her index finger to her lips and continues on her extended pitch.
“Every team needs to start somewhere, Ronnie. Plus, I’m going to be right by your side as the Cowgirls manager. It’ll not only help with fans accepting you two baddies as the Cowgirls, but I’ll be there to help guide you both. I get the hesitation, but you two need to do something and find your way to one another.”
“Alright. Fine.”
Tamika’s ears perk up when she gets excited and they are perking up like no perking up before.
“You’ll do it?!”
Veronica nods slowly.
“If Cara says yes, I’ll say yes.”
A little while later…
Meghan walks into Tamika’s office through the secret passage that runs from the Strader Estate to the 40 storey tower in downtown Houston. Tamika paid a pretty penny and greased a lot of hands on city council to have it built, but it was paying off now that Meghan could come to the office without being seen as she comes or goes. Tamika hits a red button under her desk and the doors to her office lock up tighter than a Nun at a convent. Meghan looks around the office and Tamika has decorated the office similar to how their dad did with a large mahogany desk, cherry leather high-back chair, and a small old time looking bar by the big bay window that overlooks the Houston skyline.
“Scott’s desk and chair?”
“I always liked his decor. I needed to make this space my own. I never expected to be the CEO of the family company.”
“How did you beat Kris out of the company?”
“It was actually Cara’s idea. When he took it public to take it over, we used it against him and now your daughters, our brother and myself all bought enough controlling shares and we made me Chief Executive Officer. The look on his face was priceless.”
“I bet. Wish I could’ve seen it. You like running the company, though?”
“Yeah, I really do. We launched a media division last year that is doing well. Not to mention our efforts in finding clean renewable energy. The music division is booming right now.”
Meghan strolls over to the minibar and grabs two whiskey glasses. She pours three fingers for herself as well as Tamika, but puts in two ice cubes in her sister’s glass. Meghan sets the drink down in front of Tamika as she takes a seat across from her.
“That’s great. I don’t have any plans to resume my duties. The company is all yours.”
Their glasses clink together as the “cheers.”
“I got Cara to agree over a cup of weed tea with Gran.”
“Yeah? Awesome. Ronnie said she would if Cara agreed to teaming up. Which is good, because Veronica signed the contract.”
“So did Cara. They are gonna be so good, Meeks.”
Tamika nods as she leans back in her chair, placing her snakeskin boots up on the desk.
“I also signed my manager’s contract. They don’t pay a lot to start, but the bonuses are pretty good. It won’t be long before the Cowgirls are running the tag division.”
“You are getting excited. That’s awesome. They are gonna need you in this experiment. I’ll be here in Houston or out in North Carolina with my husband, but I’ll be watching and making notes. They are going to surpass us in every way.”
Tamika takes a sniff of her whiskey before taking a sip. The barrel cask smell of the Rye was her second favourite part of drinking it.
“They are up against a team that has loads of experience, the European Fiery Nation.”
Meghan’s brow rises and pulls out a soft pack of Marlboro Reds. She taps the butt end of the cigarette on the desk, and Tamika pulls an ashtray out of her desk drawer.
“That sounds familiar.”
“Konrad Raab is the team leader, but they have… hold on…” Tamika pulls out her iPhone 15 Pro in her signature green, opening up her notes. “Ahh, there we go: Dakon Theron and Ludvig Eriksson. Konnie-boy is the leader. They are his lackeys. But you and I know, just because they are lackey’s doesn’t make them- - -”
“- - - any less dangerous.”
Tamika points her glass of whiskey at Meghan and lifts it slightly as if to say, “bingo was his name-o.”
“I’ll gather some intel on them and get it to the girls. But they’re gonna need to learn how to do that on their own. Shouldn’t be a problem for either, though.”
“Ronnie is just like you and me with researching opponents, and Cara, she might be the smartest of us all.”
“The whole dumbass stoner act. Well, she’s definitely a stoner, but the way she uses it to get her opponents to underestimate is just so boopity boppity.” Tamika does her horrible Italian imitation that she ripped off from Family Guy with her index and middle finger pressed to her thumb. “Work is done for the day. Veronica was a great help to get documents together for me. Saved me an afternoon. Let’s go have dinner with your wee ones.”
“Best idea I have heard all day. They are missing you like crazy. I am surprised they even remembered me.” Meghan smiles to reaffirm it wasn’t a shot or anything like it. “I can’t thank you enough for looking after them for me. Dusty was too much of a mess to raise them without me.”
“I’m just glad they have their mama back. Alright, let’s get out of here.”
The sisters raise their glasses of whiskey to one another before finishing them off.
“To a new era.”
“Shhh… do you hear that?”
They share the family's sneer and laugh.
Veronica’s Ranch (the barn)
Strader-Estate
April 2nd, 2024
“Such a gorgeous bike.”
“She sure is purrty, bruh.”
Veronica looks up to see Cara in her favourite cyan blue LuluLemon yoga pants, a Tactilizing One Larry Tact black t-shirt she has tied up at the side showing off abs in her midriff. Her wavy, almost black hair is hidden under a matching solid cyan blue bandana. Veronica was in an old pair of jeans that were grease stained and one of her husband’s hoodies. Her dirty blonde hair is done up in a bun, but a few strands hang in her face.
“Yeah, it is a beautiful chopper. I am sure Uncz helped mom pick it out. Your Softail is gorgeous too. Auntie Tee has good taste.”
“Fo’real. So, I guess we work for Supreme Championship Wrestling now.”
“Yep, as the Cowgirls From Hell. I’ll be honest with ya, Carebear… it’s a really heavy thing mom and Auntie Tee put on us.”
“Bruh, you ain’t wrong but ya know…” Cara grabs a 20L bucket, flips it over to sit down. She pulls a spliff out from her bra, and Veronica hands her a Zippo her husband gave her. “Thanks bruh. (Deep inhale) I have been like, letting this egg fry in the frying pan that is my brain, and ya know… I think they are onto something.”
Veronica puts down her ratchet and grabs the rag off the Panhead’s seat, wiping her hands as she takes the spliff from Cara and takes a drag herself.
“(Speaking through her toke) You think you and me can make this work? Take the Cowgirl name to another level?”
“I’mma be straight with you, Ronnisaurus. We are the best in this family. Gramps, mamabear, Auntie Teebag, they are all were amazing in their times, but we are freakin’ awesome. You been making a name for yourself, I’mma be making a name for myself… together we could rock the industry, yo.”
Veronica takes another drag and hands the spliff back to Cara. Veronica stands up from her own bucket and walks over to the open barn doors and looks up at the star filled night sky.
“I got to ask, Carebear… are we good here? I mean, our history… I threw you off the OCW Arena.” It doesn’t happen often, but tears form in her eyes as she looks back at the sky.
“Ya, you tried to teach me how to fly, bruh. But that wasn’t you, ya know? I’mma putting all that behind us, and we can focus on bringing glory onto the team me and Vee grew up cheering.”
Cara stands up and embraces Veronica from behind. Veronica grabs Cara’s forearm and squeezes. She turns and looks Cara in the eyes.
“Shhh… do you hear that?”
The sisters share the family sneer as they share the spliff under the moonlight.
TO BE CONTINUED...