Polly Playtime vs. Glory Braddock

[Braddock]

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October 15th, 2022
Miami, Florida
Off Camera
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Glory Braddock’s life has been nothing short of a roller coaster ride in recent months. The British Bombshell got her career back on track with a huge victory at Rise To Greatness which earned her a United States Title Match. But then she learned in a short span of time that forces within her company could be plotting against her, planning to try and wrestle control of the company away from her. She would later learn that her daughter, Melinda Braddock, was dating Clyde Sutter, the brute whom Glory is still convinced sexually assaulted Melinda years earlier. To top it all off, Braddock’s mother passed away. The triple threat of bad news was enough to make The British Bombshell descend into madness. She had no idea what she would do or how she would possibly cope with the grief and pain. All she wanted was to escape from the hurt and trauma. She wanted to turn away from it.

The British Bombshell was able to put the pain in the back of her mind long enough to defeat Josh Hudson at Apocalypse and become SCW United States Champion. She even took it a step further and decided to rename it the United Kingdom Championship, a nod to her native homeland of England. For a very brief and fleeting moment, Braddock felt as if she could overcome her trials and troubles. But then she was outsmarted and beaten in a non-title match by her cousin the SCW Underground Champion Kimberly Williams. That was an embarrassment for Glory Braddock and a harsh reminder that her problems are far from over. In fact, this is the second she was beaten in that manner. The first time was when Andreas Lasiewicz used that very same tactic to beat her for the GDW World Championship. Now Kim Williams used it to outsmart her in front fo the world on Breakdown. To have been beaten by that same tactic twice, and then to be choked out by Josh Hudson after the fact, that is evidence enough for Glory that her mind is not yet in the right place. She is still distracted. The paranoia of recent events is still plaguing her.

These thoughts eat away at her psyche with each passing moment. Member of the Board of dIrectors Floyd Ryan and his niece Jamie insist that there are forces trying to seize control of the company. But could they be the forces in question themselves? Melinda Braddock is dating a man whom Glory believes is dangerous. Therefore could Melinda be endangering herself this very moment? But the one thing that still bothers Glory more than anything else is the loss of her beloved mother. By this time she had hoped to have moved on past the grieving stage but for some reason this has proven to be impossible. Perhaps it is due to how close and how reliant she has been with her parents? During the three years she spent training to be a wrestler she was practically attached at the hip to her father, Glenn Braddock. Glenn continued to be her constant advisor and trainer during her wrestling career until his own death. Then Glory grew closer to her mother, who became a counselor and guide for The British Bombshell. But now she, too, is dead and Glory is left without anyone to guide her.

If anyone could guide her through the problematic waters of her current professional and personal life, problems that include the potential of a corporate takeover, her daughter’s problematic relationship, and this rivalry with Josh Hudson over the United Kingdom Championship, it would be her mother or father, but both are dead. Where can Glory turn to for advice? Where can she turn to potentially put an end to this grief?

The answer may be found in the home of her close personal friend and former mentor Aphrodite Noel. The two began as enemies but eventually grew to respect one another. Aphrodite saw value in what Glory offered her and Glory in turn saw value in what Aphrodite offered her. Glory became a student under Aphrodite’s tutelage. She learned everything she could possibly learn about the business world from Aphrodite. With that knowledge Braddock expanded her corporate empire to include the modeling industry, added an incredible healthcare plan for her employees, and most importantly, squashed any possible challenges to her power. Braddock knew that she owed a great deal to Noel but what Noel wanted in return, Glory was unwilling and unable to give. Aphrodite wanted a closer relationship with Braddock. Aphrodite, a woman who fancied herself a queen at one time, wanted Glory as her heir. She wanted her as a daughter.

Up until now, Glory has refused that request and Noel has respectfully not brought it up again. But now things have changed and perhaps that situation could change? Glory finds herself in Noel’s living room sitting on a sofa. She is wearing a high waist stand collar long sleeve pink bodycon dress. Her feet are encased in patent leather peep toe high heel pumps. Braddock realizes that her former mentor is currently in a relationship with a woman, Melissa Reeves, but thankfully she has arranged it so that they are alone today. Braddock made it clear that she wanted private time with a woman who helped her once before and could help her yet again.

Aphrodite enters the room, startling Glory ever so slightly. She turns and watches as Noel approaches with two glasses of red wine in hand. She sits down on the sofa next to Braddock and hands her a glass of wine while keeping one for herself.

“Thanks…” she sips the wine.

“I always keep some. I know how much you enjoy it.”

“You know me well.” Glory smiles warmly. “I definitely needed the drink. And I needed this time, alone, with someone I could trust. I’m sure it was hard to make time for me so thank you.”

“We have been through so much together. I would do anything for you. All you have to do is ask.” Aphrodite states. Glory nods her head. “Still, it has been a long time since your last visit. I was beginning to wonder when you would return.”

“I know and I’m sorry.”

“No need to apologize.” Aphrodite sips on her wine. “You are a powerful and successful businesswoman, you are a mother of two bright and brilliant children…”

“Technically three. Kurt and I adopted Fiona.”

“Ah yes, I have heard many good things about that young prodigy.” Aphrodite pats her on the back. “You have done a good thing in taking her under your wing.”

“Just paying it forward.” Braddock grins. “I recall someone taking me under their wing and teaching me much of what they knew.”

“And I would do it again in a heartbeat for you. I do care deeply about you.”

“I know…” Glory sighs “...that’s why I wanted to talk. I need your help.”

“Yes, you told me over the phone. I must admit that I am astonished that you need my help. You are the United States…” she chuckles “...excuse me, United Kingdom Champion. You beat Hudson at Apocalypse. Sure, you had a hiccup against your cousin on Breakdown but you are still the champion. You shouldn’t be having any problems.”

“You would think.” Braddock sighs deeply and shakes her head. “Bloody hell, I am now TWO titles away from achieving Supreme Champion in SCW. On the surface it would appear as if everything is going my way. But very few know what’s really going on beneath the surface.”

“I recall the passing of your mother.” Noel sips her wine. “You were devastated. But I had assumed you had gotten past that?”

“I’m just good at hiding my problems. I’m good at putting a good front forward, disguising my pain. My father was my entire life.” Braddock sips on her wine again as she fights back the tears. “Dad was certainly rough around the edges, not easy to get along with, and he had his old fashioned sometimes insanely tasteless views, but he was still my dad. And his wisdom helped me through the tumultuous first few years of my wrestling career. He passed away the year I would main event Rise To Greatness.” Braddock sighs as a smile creeps across her face. “He would have been proud of me, even though I lost he would have been proud of me being there on that grand stage.

“You and your father were quite close. I admit that I was surprised you managed to overcome the grieving process as well as you did.” Aphrodite points out. Glory nods her head.

“It wasn’t easy but the one thing I still had, or one person, was my mother. Mother and I were never close. I had always blamed her for leaving dad and as a result I never grew close to her. But after he passed, I started bonding with her. I grew closer to her and she became the same kind of guide that dad was. Sure, she couldn’t help me with my wrestling career the way dad did because she wasn’t a wrestler, but she helped in other ways. As long as she was with me, I knew that I would be ok.” Glory sips more of her wine and then sets the glass down. She wipes some of the tears that are flowing freely from her cheeks. “So when she died, I kinda lost it. That’s why the night of her wake I lost my mind and ran out of the fellowship hall and started screaming at the top of my lungs. Actually, I was screaming at God because I was angry with Him for taking my mother from me.”

Braddock looks directly into Aphrodite’s eyes. “But you were there for me. You comforted me when I needed it the most.”

“I just happened to be there and as I said, I would do anything for you.”

“You’re right, you would do anything for me. That night when you comforted me, when you brought me back from the edge of insanity, I realized that I had taken you for granted. I needed you once before to teach me how to be a proper businesswoman and to maintain a tight iron fisted grip over my company, and you gave me that knowledge. In return you wanted a daughter. I rejected you then but I see now how wrong I was.”

Aphrodite sets her wine glass down. She arches her brow out of curiosity. “What are you asking?”

“Where do I begin?” Glory shrugs her shoulders. “My daughter is dating Clyde Sutter…the same Clyde Sutter with anger management issues and whom I KNOW sexually assaulted her! Members of my board of directors have informed me that there is a threat against me, and even if they are lying that means they may be the ones who are plotting against me! My mother or father would have given me guidance on how to handle this but they are no longer here. The fact that they are no longer with me, the fact that they are dead is painful enough!” Tears again flow down her cheeks. Aphrodite hands her a tissue and Glory uses it to wipe her eyes. “The problems in my life are painful enough, but the loss of my father and now my mother…” she shakes her head “...I just can’t handle it anymore. I do not want to live in a reality without my mother, without my father…” She lies down with her head in Aphrodite’s lap. She gazes up into her eyes. “So I refuse to live in that reality. I choose to live in your reality, as your daughter. I am prepared to give you what you wanted years ago but have been so lukewarm about it, stubbornly refusing it for so long.”

There is noticeable pain in Glory’s eyes but also a sense of hopefulness as she awaits Aphrodite’s response. Aphrodite gives a half smile as she runs her hand through Glory’s long blond hair. “Yes, this is what I have wanted for a long time. I have wanted for you to fully embrace your status as my daughter and I admit, it has pained me at times to see you publicly reject me. But you rejected me because you were afraid of how your company would react if they learned, or how the public may take the news if they learned. Are you not concerned of the implications if this were to get out?”

“I do not care what anyone else may think.” Glory shakes her head. “I am on the brink of insanity because of the heartache I am suffering from my mother’s death. All I want now is to forget that heartache by living out a fantasy.” She begins to cry again. Noel embraces Glory close to her chest. She pats her on the back of the head.

“There, there, its ok, my child. Let it out. Let it all out. You are no longer alone. I am here for you, now. I have always been here for you. I will always be there for you.” She breaks the embrace and looks directly into Glory’s eyes. “But if this is to work out for both of us, then you must remember to honor thy mother…always do what I say. Understand?”

Glory slowly nods her head. “Yes…”

“Yes what?”

“Yes…mother.”

“Good.” She motions for Glory to stand. “Now stand up.” Glory does as she is told. Aphrodite stands up as well. “Tell me, who knows that you decided to seek my help?”

“Only Sophie. She was the one who suggested that I remove myself from reality in order to ease the pain.”

“Odd that Sophie would be the one to finally send you into my arms. Not that I am complaining. You should tell your sister, though.”

Julia Braddock, Glory’s sister, already has this same mother-daughter relationship with Aphrodite. Though Julia had advised Glory against going to this extreme in order to ease her pain and grief. Glory nods her head. “I will tell her, mother.”

“Now what about your husband? I understand that in the past Kurt hasn’t been as accepting of our relationship.”

“I will handle Kurt.” She smiles as she embraces Noel in a tight hug. “He will understand. I will make him understand.”