Twelve Person Tag Match

[Braddock]

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January 26th, 2023
Atlanta, Georgia
Off Camera
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The State Farm Arena is busy at the moment; busy with people rushing to and fro as SCW officials take down the set, other employees and wrestlers get ready to leave the arena either for their hotel room or to head to the next stop. In this case the next stop is Nashville, Tennessee and Body, Heart, & Soul. After this evening’s events, “The British Bombshell” Glory Braddock is looking forward to continuing her march towards her goals. Selfishly, materialistically, her goals are to hopefully push forward and either achieve a tag team championship match or a television championship match, as she needs both titles to finally become Supreme Champion. But Glory has other much more personal goals in mind as well.

Braddock has been dealing with a triple threat of crises the past several months. First, her biological mother, Maria Kurinsky, passed away. This left a void in her heart and soul and it nearly drove her mad. Then she began to hear rumors of a possible hostile takeover of her company. The potential suspects; board member Floyd Ryan or minority shareholder Aurora Alan. Last, but certainly not least, Glory’s oldest daughter, Melinda Braddock, not only had drifted further away from her but also began dating Clyde Sutter, a bitter family rival. The British Bombshell managed to deal with the grief and loss of her mother and even managed to mend fences with her daughter. But to ensure her company was safe and secure, Glory knew she had to go back to a dark place within her own soul. Through manipulation and deception, Glory got rid of both Floyd Ryan and Aurora Alan. Floyd Ryan was arrested by federal authorities and Aurora Alan’s power was severely weakened. Braddock was safe once more. All threats were eliminated.

Still, at what cost did this come? Glory had to go deep into her darkest self in order to accomplish this and she found herself spiraling out of control. The darkness she unleashed spilled over into her SCW career. After winning the SCW United States Championship she tried to rename it the United Kingdom Championship, a slap to the face of a country that had been very welcoming and kind to her. She betrayed the trust of many people she once called allies, namely Selena Frost. Why? Just so she could achieve her own selfish designs? Just so she could market herself and promote herself? It didn’t do any good. She would lose the United States Championship in her first defense of the gold, she failed to win the next Trios Tournament, and then when she transitioned towards trying to become Supreme Champion she has yet to get any traction. Yet the one thing that still makes her feel the most guilt is the loss of her fan support. Sure, people like Asher Hayes, Selena Frost, Owen Cruze, and others no longer trust her, but her fans, she betrayed them. They are forgiving fans, they have forgiven her before, but the guilt of knowing that she turned her back on her fans eats away at her conscience.

Body, Heart, & Soul is coming up and Glory Braddock already knows what awaits her is a twelve person tag. She will be teaming with Bree Lancaster, Datura, Cassie Wolf, YUYO, and Kelsai Adamson. The history she shares with Bree and Kelsai is not lost on Glory. That alone makes this match challenging, but it is a necessary challenge on her quest for redeeming herself and achieving Supreme Championship status. Every journey has its beginning point. This is the beginning of Glory’s next journey.

Her match against Asher Hayes has already come to its conclusion and Glory Braddock has changed out of her ring gear and into her standard casual attire. The British Bombshell typically dresses to the nines but tonight she isn’t feeling it. She is wearing a much simpler attire of denim jeans, simple black flats, a black crop top, and a simple black jacket. Her long blonde hair hangs straight and unrestrained to past the shoulders. After tonight, and with Body Heart & Soul just over the horizon, The British Bombshell just wants to get out of here as quickly as possible and make her next plans and preparations. She walks the halls with bags in hand hoping that she won’t run into anyone; unfortunately that hope is dashed when she happens to spot someone very familiar to her standing right in her path; her cousin, Angelica Jones.

“Going somewhere, Glory?” Angelica asks with a note of humor in her voice. Jones is dressed in a knee length black pencil skirt, black patent leather high heel pumps, a red silk blouse, and her signature black leather jacket.

“Trying to leave for my hotel. Or maybe I’ll just go straight to Miami? Either way, I don’t plan to stay here very long.”

“That’s a shame. I was hoping to talk.”

“I don’t really feel like talking, mate.” Glory says as she tries to side step her cousin. Angelica is ready for this and she steps in front of Glory’s path again. Braddock sighs out of frustration and shakes her head. “Seriously, Angel, I’m not interested tonight. I’m tired and I just want to go.”

“Really?” Angelica shakes her head. “Glory, you just lost to Asher. The way you had been acting lately most would have expected you to just walk away and let Kandis beat his ass. But not you. You saved him. Quite frankly, I’d like to know what’s going on in your head.”

“I did the right thing and you think something’s wrong?”

“Yeah, especially considering that doing the right thing hasn’t been your M.O. lately. So I would like to know what is going on. I’m sure that your partners for the twelve person tag would love to know what’s going on in your head.”

“Is that so?” Glory rolls her eyes. “They can wait. Whether I’m loved or hated, I always do my job, I always hold up my end of the bargain in any team I am a part of. Bree, Datura, Cassie, YuYo, and Kelsai can trust me and I’m pretty sure they know it.”

“It’s not that easy and you know it.” Angelica shakes her head. “But a good first step would be to let me in, open up and let me talk to you for just a moment.”

“I’m not interested.” Again Glory tries to sidestep her cousin but again Angelica gets in her way.

“Too bad because I think it is long past time that we talked.”

“Bloody hell…” Glory sets her bags down and then proceeds to rub her temples, as if she has a headache. Angelica is giving her a mental headache. Her red headed cousin has always been very stubborn and Glory knows that avoiding this conversation is unlikely. Therefore she relents and decides to give Angelica what she wants. Glory shrugs her shoulders. “Fine, we can talk. What do you want?”

“Look, I’m not trying to be annoying…”

“Could have fooled me, mate.” Glory answers back sharply.

“...I’m just worried about you. Other people look at you and what you’ve been doing lately and they may think it’s just you and your quirks, its just you being you. But I know you better than them because we are family. I know the real you, not the persona, the front that you give to everyone else behind the scenes and in front of the camera.”

“You know me, eh?” Glory chuckles softly. “By all means, tell me who I am. I would love to know that myself, to be honest.”

“I know you are a good person. Deep down inside you are a good person who has a strong moral compass, a strong belief in right and wrong. And I have noticed that the past few months that good person I used to know has slowly but surely become an overbearing, arrogant bitch.” Angelica states plainly. Glory winces upon hearing this. It may be the truth but it still hurts coming from her cousin.

“A bitch, huh?” Glory nods her head. “I admit that I haven’t been acting like myself lately.”

“That’s an understatement.”

Angelica motions for Glory to follow her. Braddock really wants to leave but she is too deep in this now. She picks up her bags and follows her cousin a short distance to where some folding chairs are propped up against a wall. Jones takes two of them and set them up. She sits down in one and Glory sits down in the other. Angelica folds her arms over her chest and stares deep into her cousin’s heart, piercing into her soul.

“That’s not the only thing that concerns me. If you becoming arrogant and overbearing were it then I wouldn’t be here right now. Hell, I have had my own moments where my ego gets the best of me and I start acting a little delusional myself. But with you there’s something different. Just the last couple of weeks you have changed. You kicked Amelia to the curb, wanting to go it alone. Now suddenly you are all apologetic for how you’ve been acting the last few months. A complete 180 degree turn from how you have been.”

“So I saw the error of my ways and I want to make things right. Is there a problem with that?”

“The problem is how quickly all of this came about. You went from the good person I knew, to an overbearing bitch, back to that good person all within a year.” Angelica shakes her head. “It doesn’t make sense to me. I think something is wrong.”

“You’re the bloody delusional one, Angel.” Glory states defiantly. “I am fine.”

“You’re not fine.” Angelica says, putting the pressure on. “Something is bothering you. I can tell.”

“You can tell what? You can tell how much I’m hurting? Is that it?” Glory shakes her head. “Good for you. I still don’t want to talk about it or anything with you.” There is a tense pause while Angelica and Glory lock eyes. The Boston native sighs and shakes her head.

“Look, you ARE hurting and yes, I can sense it. But whether you want to admit or not we are family and I will not stop or let you leave until you let me help.” A grin forms on her face. “So you may as well open up, otherwise we’ll be here for a long time.”

“You’re serious, aren’t you?”

“As serious as a heartbeat.”

“Fine.” Glory rolls her eyes. “Look, I admit that many things have been troubling me lately. Some of them took a toll on me mentally and emotionally.”

“That’s better.” Angelica leans back in her chair. “Tell me all about it.”

“It all began when a member of my corporate board of directors, Floyd Ryan, came to me with rumors of a hostile takeover, about how people within my company were plotting against me. You remember how much it scarred me the last time I was removed from power. Paranoia began seeping back into my mind.”

“What did you do?”

“Ordinarily I would have went to my dad. But that was no longer possible so I went to my mum. At least, I WAS going to talk to her, but then she had a massive heart attack and died. And the icing on the cake was after her death I found out that my oldest child, my Melinda, was dating Clyde Sutter again.”

“Damn.” Angelica says softly. “Three major problems all at once.”

“So yes, you can see why I might have had a shift in attitude?” Glory sighs. “But I took care of all three problems. Everything is ok now. Hence why that ‘good person’ you knew so damn well is back. Now if you’ll excuse me…” Glory tries to stand up but Angelica grabs her arm and brings her back down into the seat.

“Not so fast.” Angelica smirks knowingly. “I don’t buy it.”

“Bloody hell…” Glory rolls her eyes “...I need to find my husband! Kurt probably got the car pulled around by now and is waiting on me so we can get back to the hotel!”

“Your husband can wait.”

“I should text him…” she goes for her cell phone but Angelica snatches it out of her hand and puts it to the side.

“Not so fast.”

“Damn it.”

“There’s something else there, isn’t there? There’s something you still are not telling me.”

“Bullshit!”

“Is it really bullshit?” Angelica asks curiously. “Answer me this, did you really get over the death of your mother?”

“I…” Glory tries to deny it but the words are not there. Instead the emotions and the memories of that painful time returns. Tears form in her eyes. Braddock shakes her head. “...I never…I couldn’t.” Glory begins to cry. Angelica feels a great sympathy for her cousin. She leans over and embraces her in a tight hug.

“It’s ok, Glory. This is helpful and healthy. Let it all out. I grieved too. She was my aunt.”

“Yes, she was your aunt. And I envy you.”

“Why would you envy me?” Angelica asks curiously.

“I spent my entire childhood in England. I didn’t leave for America until I was in my early to mid-twenties. But my mum? She didn’t always get along with dad. She didn’t agree with how damn much he devoted himself to wrestling. So they split up. They got a divorce and after the divorce, mum left England for America and I never saw her again or even spoke to her again until I made my professional debut in America.” Glory points a finger at Angelica. “You and Kayla, you actually had much more time with my mother than I did.”

“I always knew about your strained relationship with your mom but I thought you and your mom fixed that?”

“Yes, yes we did try to bond.” Glory nods her head. “It took awhile but it did finally work. We reconnected. But just as it stuck, just as we reconnected, that’s when she passed away.” Glory wipes the tears from her eyes. “I never got to have any of those special mother-daughter moments with her. So yes, I do envy you, Angel. You had some of those special moments that I never could have with her.”

“You envy me?” Angelica shakes her head. “Glory, dear cousin, I envy you. At least you did have the chance to spend some moments, however fleeting they may have been, with your mother. At least your final moments with your mother were mostly positive. The final memory I have of my mother was when she was murdered.”

“Angel, I…” Glory immediately regrets what she just said. She knows this story all too well.

“I was thirteen when our home was invaded. I was tied up and forced to watch as my mother was brutally murdered.” She taps her head. “Imagine what that does to a psyche?”

“I don’t…” Glory shakes her head “...I don’t want to think about it.”

“I still have nightmares about that day. I still have never truly gotten over her death.”

“Does the pain ever go away?”

“It never fully goes away.” Angelica says, shaking her head. “You can numb the pain. You can cope with it, learn to live with it, but you never just forget. It isn’t that simple. Besides, forgetting or repressing those memories and emotions can be unhealthy. Its best to try and deal with it the best way we can.”

“I’m afraid I have been trying to just forget that it ever happened.” Glory admits quietly. “I went to Aphrodite and decided to live out a fantasy, a fantasy where I was her daughter so that I would still have a mother. Was that a mistake?”

“Who am I to judge any alternative lifestyle?” Angelica shrugs her shoulders. “And if that helps you, then by all means go for it. Just don’t try to suppress the memories and emotions of your mother, of my aunt Maria. Never ever forget.”

“She’s right, you know?” The voice sounds familiar to Glory. She looks up to see her husband, Kurt Logan, has made his way over. Braddock wipes more tears from her eyes as she stands up to greet him.

“How long have you been there?”

“I heard most everything.” He says. “Angelica told me that I should probably hear this for myself.” He places a hand on her shoulder. “Why wouldn’t you talk to me about this?”

“I tried but it was too difficult. Talking about my mother’s death was just too painful.”

“Too painful to talk to me about it?”

“Yes.” Glory admits quietly.

“I think I’ll leave you two alone.” Angelica says as she stands up and walks away. Glory sighs as she turns her attention back to Kurt.

“I won’t deny that I have not been exactly pleased with your actions lately. You manipulated both Floyd Ryan and Aurora Alan.”

“Floyd needed to be gone.” Glory insists. “He had criminal connections.”

“You’re right. But Aurora too?”

“She is an Alan. I cannot trust her.”

“There is that paranoia you were talking about.” Kurt points out sadly. “Is there anyone in the company you can trust? Is there any way you can step aside and just let the company be without fear of any crazy hostile takeover notions?”

“Yes, there is.” Glory nods her head. “And that’s what I’ve done by making Aphrodite a minority owner of the company.”

“Right, Aphrodite.” Kurt says with a frown. “A woman who corrupted you once before and who you are now insisting on calling ‘mother’ just to ease your pain.” He shakes his head. “I don’t like this, Glory.”

“This is different, Kurt.” Glory insists. “I assure you this is different!”

“How is it different?” Kurt asks. “You wouldn’t even tell me that you and Aphrodite had resumed this relationship. I had to find out on my own.”

“Because of this reaction! You never trusted her, you always felt threatened by her but there is no reason to feel threatened. We are not lovers, Kurt! She’s my adoptive mother! And yes, she may have corrupted me once, but she is different now. She has changed. Besides, she taught me everything I know about business. It was her idea to turn Floyd over to the authorities instead of taking him up on his proposal.”

“It was?” Kurt asks curiously. Glory nods her head.

“It was.” She confirms. She embraces Kurt with a tight hug. “Love, I know who I am. I am Glory Braddock. Perhaps I forgot some of what that means? Maybe I forgot what it means to be a Braddock and what I should stand for? And maybe I should try to relearn it? I promise to try. I really do. But at the end of the day I know who I am. I am still Glory Braddock, the same Glory who fell in love with you.” She kisses him on the lips.

“That does help.” He grins knowingly. “But Aphrodite…”

“She’s just someone I use to help ease the pain I still feel over losing my mother. That’s all. It was also her idea to give Melinda and Clyde’s relationship another chance.”

“Wait, that was her too?”

“Yes.” Glory nods her head. “She warned me that I was pushing Melinda away by strongly opposing this relationship between her and Clyde.”

“I’ve been saying that for months but she managed to convince you?” Kurt chuckles softly. “That’s great. Maybe she isn’t as bad as I thought? I just wish you would have trusted me and the rest of your family with these problems you were dealing with, that’s all.”