Veronica Strader vs. Glory Braddock

[Braddock]

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April 27th, 2024
San Francisco, California
Off Camera
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Glory Braddock and Brittany Lohan have long contended that with or without the championships, that they are the best tag team in Supreme Championship Wrestling. They already ran through the entire division, culminating in a victory over Light in the Darkness to win the tag team championship for the first time. Now they are looking towards repeating that same feat. They ran through the entire SCW tag team division for a second, only this time they did it all in one night at Taking The Leap, defeating a multitude of tag teams all looking not only for that same opportunity but also looking to take out Twisted & Sadistic. But Braddock and Lohan survived and came out with the victory. This victory now has guaranteed them the one on one championship rematch that they feel that is rightfully theirs, that they rightfully deserve. Sure, they may have ruffled some feathers along the way, but Braddock and Lohan were robbed of their opportunity to celebrate their title victory. They were robbed of their titles when they weren’t even pinned to lose the belts. And then CHBK tried to keep them from receiving a rematch. But now they have a date with Light in the Darkness in the future and there is nothing anything or anyone can do about it.

Still, Glory Braddock is very aware of the threat she and Brittany Lohan face going forward. They did rock the boat in order to earn this opportunity. Among others, they made enemies out of SCW newcomers The Cowgirls from Hell, and on next week’s Breakdown The British Bombshell will be facing one of the Cowgirls, Veronica Strader, in one on one action. Glory isn’t all that concerned. She is a very accomplished singles wrestler on top of being one half of the best tag team in SCW. She is a Supreme Champion, meaning she has held every title available to a wrestler in SCW. If Veronica wants a fight, Braddock will certainly give her a fight. And if Braddock has her way, then Strader will have no choice but to tap out or pass out to the Shekhinah Glory.

Breakdown now turns its attention to Japan. The Land of the Rising Sun plays host to the next edition of Breakdown. Glory isn’t going to Japan right away. She isn’t even going to her “Mother” Aphrodite Noel’s home in Orlando, Florida to touch base with her. The British Bombshell has other more deeply personal issues to deal with before making the trip to Japan for her battle with Strader on Breakdown. This is what brings Glory Braddock to a poor, low rent district in San Francisco, California.

The British Bombshell walked through the gritty streets of San Francisco’s low-rent district, her steps echoing against the cracked pavement. Despite the dilapidated surroundings, she held her head high, her determined stride betraying none of the weariness that clung to the neighborhood like a second skin. Braddock herself was wearing loose fitting denim jeans, sneakers, and a purple t-shirt. Her long blonde hair was pulled into a ponytail in the back. Braddock approaches a dilapidated home, its once vibrant façade now weathered and worn by time and neglect. The paint, now a faded memory, peels away in jagged strips, exposing the weary wood beneath to the elements. Glory steps to the front door and reluctantly knocks. She waits for a moment but receives no answer so she knocks again. Still no answer. Braddock sighs out of frustration and knocks for a third time.

“Katherine!” She shouts. “I know you’re in there!” Again Braddock waits. This time she finally hears footsteps approaching from within this run down beat up old home. She hears the door unlatching. It opens and Glory sees a black haired young woman standing before her in tattered, dirty, very worn clothes.

This woman, Katherine Prescott, is dirty in her appearance and appears to not have had a bath in days. Braddock herself is taken aback at first by her appearance, because this isn’t the first time she saw Katherine. This woman, Katherine, is her sister-in-law. This is Kurt Logan’s sister. She used to wrestle for the promotion Glory Braddock owned. Katherine quit wrestling a few years in and then she lost contact with her brother Kurt and Kurt’s wife Glory Braddock. The last time Glory saw Katherine she was doing quite well for herself. She had a feeling that Katherine had hit upon hard times when she found out that she was living in this poor, low rent district in San Francisco, but she had no idea that it had gotten this bad.

“Glory?” Katherine seems to be just as surprised as Glory. “What the hell are you doing here?”

“Just checking up on my family. Is there anything wrong with that?”

“No, I guess I’m just surprised it took you so long to check up on your family.” Katherine remarks. “How long has it been since we saw one another? How long has it been since my brother spoke to me?”

“I don’t know.” Glory shrugs her shoulders. “Almost ten years…maybe?”

“Close to that, yeah.” Katherine remarks. “Kurt I get. I understand why he didn’t bother reaching out. But you? You surprised me. But then again, I guess it shouldn’t surprise me. The moment you let that woman get into your head, the moment you became her “daughter”, you changed into someone I just don’t recognize.”

Glory knows that Katherine is referring to Aphrodite Noel. But Katherine just doesn’t understand, she couldn’t understand the closeness of their relationship. Right here and now isn’t the place to talk about that. Glory Braddock is here for other, more important issues. “Well I’m here now. So may I come in and talk?”

“Sure, whatever.” Katherine sighs as she motions for Braddock to come in. Glory steps across the threshold and into the house. The inside looks just as worn down and broken down as the outside. Katherine leads her into a small ratty looking living area. Glory sits down on a sofa and Katherine sits down next to her. “Sorry this may not be up to your lavish standards but its the best I can afford right now.”

“What happened to you?” Glory asks. “I thought you were doing well for yourself after you quit.”

“Yeah, well, that’s the reason why my brother cut off all ties to me.” The raven haired woman remarks. “I fell back into my drug habit. And just so you’re aware, I did break the habit, I am drug free again. But as you are well aware with your sister’s own past drug issues, that habit is very expensive. It left me in a financial disaster. Thanks to my drug addiction, this is all I can afford.”

“But at least you got free of the drug habit. That’s the silver lining.”

“This is true.” She chuckles. “I might not be here otherwise. I would be in prison or maybe even dead.” She points a finger at Glory. “But you seem to be doing very well for yourself, aren’t you, Glory? Your company is successful. You and Brittany Lohan are number one contenders for the SCW World Tag Team Title. Everything seems to be going your way.”

“You’ve been keeping tabs on me, eh?” Glory asks, her brow arched out of curiosity. Katherine nods her head.

“Yes, I admit, I have kept up with your career.” Katherine sighs. “Look, I know I may sound agitated, and I may have a little sour grapes in my heart and soul right now, but despite our differences I do love you and my brother and I am happy for you both. I’m happy for your success. God knows Kurt deserves a happy life.” She sternly looks at Glory. “So don’t screw it up.”

“How do you think I would screw it up?”

“I told you, I have been keeping tabs on your career. I notice how much more ruthless and aggressive you have been lately. And it isn’t hard for someone who knows you, like me, to figure out what brought about this change. You are allowing yourself to become more and more like HER, like that despicable woman you call your “mother.” I don’t like it and I am worried about how it could influence your marriage to my brother.”

“I didn’t come here to argue about my life choices.” Glory says as she herself starts to get more frustrated. “I chose to become Aphrodite Noel’s daughter because she has been more than just a mentor to me. She helped me save my business and she is now helping me and Brittany win back the tag titles. So how I choose to live my life is my business. Now if you don’t mind I would rather NOT talk about that again. I didn’t come all the way across the continent here for that.”

“Then why did you come here, Glory?” Katherine asks as a look of annoyance crosses her face. “If you’re coming to try and get me to wrestle for you again forget it. I’m not interested.”

“I would gladly help you get a job so you can better yourself.” Glory shakes her head. “But that’s not why I’m here so you can breathe a sigh of relief.”

“Then why are you here?”

“This is going to sound dumb. I may sound dumb. But even you must know that I do love your brother. I love Kurt and I care about him deeply. You do believe that, don’t you?” Glory asks. Katherine immediately nods her head. “I realized recently that I never met your and Kurt’s parents.”

“Well I’m not surprised.” Katherine shrugs her shoulders. “And I don’t mean that as an insult. I mean, you have always been a super busy person. Between being an active wrestler, running your own business, trying to be a mother to two kids…”

“Three.” Glory corrects her. “Kurt and I adopted one awhile back.”

“Oh, well congrats.” Katherine says smiling. “But, yeah, you’ve been very busy. It’s enough to distract anyone. So I’m not surprised you haven’t been able to meet all of Kurt’s family.”

“That isn’t an excuse for never trying to get to know any of his family outside of you.” Glory states. “It also doesn’t excuse him for introducing me. I mean, why didn’t he even once try to introduce me to his family?”

“Oh well there’s a simple answer to that one, Glory.” Katherine says with a hint of snarkiness in her voice. “My brother doesn’t want anything to do with them anymore.”

“Huh?” Glory is stunned. Katherine nods her head.

“Things didn’t end well, and that’s putting it mildly.”

“Do you even know where they are? Your mother and your father? Do you know where they are?” Glory asks.

“I know where our dad is.” Katherine remarks coldly. He is six feet underground. He is dead.”

“Dead?”

The word hits Glory Braddock like a ton of bricks. This wasn’t the news she was expecting. She had hoped to find out that her father and mother in law were still alive, that maybe there was a chance for reconciliation between them and Kurt. But hearing now that one is dead is heartbreaking for Glory Braddock. She has no chance to reconcile with her own deceased parents. She had hoped to bring about some form of reconciliation for Kurt and his parents. Now at least part of that is ruined.

“That’s what I said.” Katherine answers with a nod of her head. “I believe he died of a drug overdose. That’s the one thing Kurt and I both inherited from dear old dad; drug problems. Lucky for us we were able to overcome them. Dad died because of it.”

“I’m…” Glory shakes her head “...I’m so sorry. I didn’t know.”

“Don’t apologize. Dad was not a good person. He beat us, he was abusive, and when he was drunk it got even worse. I hate to say it, but I’m kinda glad he’s dead and I think Kurt feels the same.”

“No wonder he didn’t want to talk about it.” Glory says quietly.

“Yeah, it always has been a sore subject with him.”

“What about your mother?” Glory asks. “Is she alive?”

“I have no idea.” Katherine shrugs her shoulders. “I kinda think she is alive. But I don’t know for sure. And if she is alive, I wouldn’t know where to find her.” Katherine narrows her gaze at Glory. “Why do you care? Why do you want to know all this?”

“I’m just concerned for Kurt. I’m worried about him.” Glory shakes her head. Tears form in her eyes. She reaches up to wipe them away. “I love him to death but I fear he is trying to distance himself from his past, that he is just trying to ignore it, and that is not healthy. It isn’t healthy at all.”

“Look at who is talking!” Katherine chuckles. “You held a bit of a grudge against your own mom for running away after divorcing your dad. Then when both your mom and dad died you just allowed yourself to be adopted by that maniac Aphrodite Noel.”

“Yes, look at what ignoring my past did to me.” Glory’s voice cracks. “Do you want that kind of mental and emotional damage permanently done to Kurt?” There is a long pause as Glory’s words sink in. Katherine finally sighs.

“Alright, alright, I get your point.”

“So you see what I want? You get why I’m here?”

“Yeah.” Katherine nods her head. “And I will do my best to help. I was being honest though, I have no idea if our mother is alive. And if she is, I don’t know where to find her. But I have an idea of where to start.”

“Thank you, Katherine.” Glory leans in and gives her sister-in-law a big hug. “I know Kurt and I haven’t been in touch in a long time. I speak for Kurt when I apologize. Family should always be there for one another and I promise, going forward, we will always be there for you.”

“I hope you mean that, Glory. I really do.” Katherine smiles. “Because I admit, I missed you both. I especially miss my brother.” They break the embrace. Glory smiles back at Katherine.

“Look, if you want I can get you an extra ticket to Breakdown. It’ll be in Japan next week. You can come support me against Veronica Strader.”

“Will Kurt be there?” She asks with an arched brow.

“Possibly.”

“Then no.” Katherine shakes her head. “I’m not sure I’m ready to face him yet. Besides, you don’t need me to support you against Strader. You got that one in the bag, Glory.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m sure.” Katherine says, nodding her head.

“Very well. I don’t want to pressure you into doing something you’re not ready to do. But thank you for helping me, it means a lot.” Glory stands up. Katherine stands up. “Now I want to take you out to dinner.”

“Where?”

“Somewhere very nice.” Glory grins. “I think after everything you’ve been through, you deserve a nice night out on the town for a change.”

“It sounds good.” She sighs and shakes her head. “But I don’t have any good clothes to wear.”

“Who cares?” Glory shrugs her shoulders. “I don’t care what other people may think. You and I are family, always and no matter what.” Glory hears her cell phone ringing. She pulls it out and notices the number. It is Aphrodite. Glory looks up at Katherine. “I have to take this. You go get changed. I’ll wait outside.”

“Sure.” Katherine smirks. “Tell your “Mother” to go to hell.”

Glory chuckles as Katherine walks off. She then takes the phone and answers the call. She steps just outside the front door and puts the phone to her ear. “Yes, Mother?”

“Glory! Brittany informed me you were in San Francisco! And she seemed to rather enjoy rubbing it in my face that you went all the across the country instead of returning to my home to be with me.”

“I know and I’m sorry, Mother, but this was very important.”

“More important than the lessons I am teaching you?” Aphrodite asks. “Recall that I am working to make you more cutthroat and ruthless. That is the only way you will be able to regain the tag team championship. You do understand that you have a match on Breakdown next week, do you not?”

“I know. Veronica Strader.”

“This pathetic girl thinks she is a Cowgirl. And she thinks she is on your level. You need to make her regret stepping up to you. You definitely CANNOT afford a loss before your tag team title match or Taking Hold of the Flame.”

“I know, Mother, but…” Glory pauses “...Taking Hold of the Flame?”

“Yes, you know it is Rise To Greatness season. You win Taking Hold of the Flame and you can earn a World Title Match. Do you really think you should settle for just regaining the tag titles from Light in the Darkness? No daughter of mine should ever settle. Show the world that you are the best in the world, that you can be a double champion. That is how cutthroat you should be.”

“I understand.” Glory nods her head.

“Good. Then waste no more time. Get back here as soon as you can.”

“I will, Mother. I will catch the first flight back to Florida tomorrow.” Glory hangs up the phone. Is Aphrodite right? Is she taking her eyes off the ball by focusing on a family situation? Should she shoot for the stars and try to become a double champion in SCW? It would be quite the tall task but Glory knows that she can do it. Just as Aphrodite pointed out, she is the best wrestler. She is the best in the world. She should not have to settle.

Glory Braddock should win Taking Hold of the Flame.