Right Before My Very Eyes 1. She sat at the table by herself. One hand leaning on her chin, the other tapping restlessly against the hard surface. Anyone watching her would have assumed she was trying to solve the problems of the world. What she was really doing was trying to think of the slowest, most painful way to kill him. Him, being Don, her fiancé....or ex-fiancé if she really wanted to be correct. It had taken her days to get over seeing the two of them. Everytime their image flashed in front of her, she became sick to her stomach. Now it had lessened somewhat. Only to be replaced by a cold, hard anger. Anger at being deceived, anger that had absolutely no remorse for what he had done and anger that she seemed to enjoy throwing it back in her face every chance she got. She, was Torrie Wilson. “New resident skank” as her friend Terri Runnels liked to refer to her. Nobody was all that thrilled when the McMahon’s had announced proudly that they had purchased WCW. All it meant to the men and women of the WWF was reduced ring time and maybe even the loss of their jobs. “I’m not gonna go around being nasty,” said Terri. “But I’m not gonna be Miss Congeniality either.” As it turned out, she needn’t have worried. Torrie seemed content to ignore the women she would be working with, happy to give her full attention to the men. Most of the men were happily married, and they viewed her flirting as a harmless thing. When this fact finally seeped into Torrie’s brain, she decided to set her sights on someone else. Unfortunately for Dara, that man had been her fiancé, Don. They had met innocently enough. Vince had decided to host a welcome party. He wanted the performers from both federations to meet one another in a relaxed setting. And after some initial tension, things seemed to be going as well as could be expected. It was obvious from the start that Torrie was on the prowl. She looked every man up and down as if they were prize cattle. She was standing by the bar when Dara and Don walked over. “Hi,” Torrie said. Her voice, dripping with honey. “Hi Torrie,” Dara replied, suddenly wanting to be anywhere but at that bar. “And who’s this handsome guy?” she practically purred. “This is my fiancé Don,” Dara said, slipping a possessive hand into his. “Well Don, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” she said, extending her hand. Don dropped Dara’s hand, the way you would drop a dead fish and eagerly took Torrie’s.” “The pleasure is all mine,” he said sweetly. “It’s so nice to see a friendly face. I’m still trying to fit in here.” “Oh I’m sure you’ll fit in just fine,” he said, causing her to giggle. “Oh brother,” thought Dara. “What is she? 14?” Suddenly, they heard the band begin to play a nice slow dance number. “Would you like to dance?” he asked her. “I’d love to,” she said, turning to hand her glass to Dara. “Would you hold this please?” she asked. Dara took the glass, fighting the urge to pour it’s contents over Torrie’s bad dye job. “You don’t mind....do you hon?” Don asked, never taking his eyes from Torrie. “No..it’s fine,” she said, watching them stroll to the dance floor, hand in hand. 2. She was standing there seething when Terri came up behind her. “I’m pretty sure Steve Austin keeps a gun in his truck. Want me to go ask him?” Dara laughed softly. “Is it that obvious?” “Only to me and the rest of the women here.’ Dara turned to face her friend. “Is it me..or is she as subtle as a sledge hammer?” “Oh, it isn’t you,” Terri said with a laugh. They were still standing there, Dara shooting daggers at Torrie’s back when Shane McMahon came up behind them. “You ladies enjoying yourselves?” he asked. “Yeah...I suppose,’ said Terri. “I think I’ll go find Perry. Heaven only knows what he’s up to.” Shane turned to Dara and tapped her on the shoulder. “Would you like to dance?” he asked. She turned quickly. “What?” “Dance? You know...out there?” he said pointing to the dance floor. Dara smiled with embarrassment. “I’m sorry Shane. I’d love to dance.” She glanced quickly at Don and Torrie, trying to figure out if she could get any closer to him. Finally she turned to Shane. “I keep meaning to ask you..how’s Angela?” “Very crabby these days,” he said with a smile. “Well can you blame her? She’s due any day, isn’t she?” “Yep,” he said. “And Please God, let it be a girl.” Dara laughed out loud. “Don’t get me wrong...Angela loves those three boys of ours. But it would be nice to have one child who isn’t determined to be the next Stone Cold.’ They continued to dance, making small talk. When the song was over, they walked back to the bar. “Thanks,” he said with a smile. “Tell Angela I’ll give her a call,” she said. “Something tells me she could use some adult company.” “I’ll do that,’ he said with a grin as he walked off. She returned her gaze to the dance floor, but Don and Torrie were nowhere to be seen. “Oh swell,” she thought. “I have no intention of trailing after those two all night.” She spent the next five minutes, looking everywhere for them. She had just about given up hope of ever finding them when she heard that grating giggle. She glanced out onto the patio and there they were, locked in a very passionate embrace. Dara stood frozen to the spot, refusing to believe what her eyes were seeing. Stepping out onto the patio she cleared her throat. They broke apart suddenly, looking guiltily at Dara. “Honey, this isn’t what it looks like,’ he said. Dara looked at Torrie and saw an unmistakable gleam of triumph there. In a split second Dara knew that the future she had imagined with this man was never going to happen, She slipped her engagement ring from her finger and without a moments hesitation threw it over his head and into the pond behind him. “That was exactly what it looked like,’ she said, turning and rushing back into the crowded room. She made her way blindly through the crowd, stumbling out into the parking lot. Her vision was blurred by tears. Struggling to catch her breath, she looked around frantically for someone.....anyone... who might get her out of here. Then she saw him. “Glenn,” she called. “Wait...please.” 3. Glenn Jacobs turned at the sound of her voice. “Hey Dara. What’s wrong?” he asked as she got closer. “You’re crying.’ “I hate to ask you this,” she said. “But do you think you could drive me home?” “Well, sure,” he replied. “But what happened to Don? I thought you were here with him?” “Glenn..please,” she whispered. “I just want to go home.’ “Come on,” he said, placing a huge arm around her shaking shoulder. He got her settled into the front seat and he turned to watch her. “I don’t think you should be alone right now,” he said. “Why don’t we go for some coffee?” “Fine...anything,” she said. “Just please....get me out of here.’ They drove without speaking, the only sound was her quiet crying. By the time they got to the diner, she had stopped, but he could tell she was still very upset. He asked the manager for a booth in the back. When they were seated and Glenn had given the waitress there order, he turned to her and took one of her hands. “Ok....now talk to me. What in the world has you so upset?” “I hate him,” was all she could whisper. “Don?” he asked gently. “Yes, Don!” she snapped. Suddenly she looked up. “Oh Glenn, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be taking it out on you.” “That’s ok,’ he said. “What exactly happened?” “Two words,” she said, her voice filled with venom. “Torrie Wilson.” Glenn sat back and whistled softly. “ I’m sorry,’ he said. “That makes two of us,” she said. “I take it she was flirting with him?” “If you call sticking her tongue down his throat, flirting..then yes..that’s exactly what she was doing.” “You know....maybe it wasn’t as bad as you think. Maybe he just....” “Why are you defending him?” she asked. “We were engaged. Why would he even think about kissing someone else?” Glenn had to admit she had a point. “God....I feel like an idiot,” she said, dropping her head into her hands. “You’re not an idiot,” he said. “I’m also not engaged any more,” she said. “You broke it off?” “I certainly did. And he’s going to have to hire a scuba diver to get his ring back.” Glenn couldn’t help but smile. “Good for you,’ he said. “Can we talk about something else?” she asked, stirring her coffee. “Sure, just name it.” She looked up at him. “How are you and the rest of the guys handling this WCW thing?” “It’s hard to say,” he replied. “I haven’t had a whole lot to do with any of them. But if I know Vince, he’ll have Kane jobbing to them on a regular basis. “Well do me a favor,” she said. “Get in some good shots first....and think of me when you’re doing it.” 4. That had been four days ago. Since then, Don had tried to call her repeatedly. At first she simply refused to answer his calls. Then finally she decided that she needed to confront him..if only to give herself some peace of mind. He called her early, when he knew she would still be at home. “Dara, please don’t hang up,” he said. “I really need to talk to you. I hate to think of you being so angry with me. The last thing I want is to lose your friendship.” “Guilty conscience getting to you?’ she asked snidely. “I know you’re hurt,’ he said. “But maybe this was for the best.” “Gee, do you think so?” she asked. “I was so looking forward to spending my life with a lying cheater.” “I guess I deserved that,’ he said quietly. “What you deserve would put me behind bars,” she said. “I don’t want to talk to you ever again. You and that...piece of trash....deserve each other. Just keep your fingers crossed that she doesn’t find someone she likes just a little better than you.” She slammed the phone down, surprised that she was breathing so heavily. She had never felt so angry in all her life. She placed her coffee cup in the sink and grabbed her purse. For the first time since the whole, ugly incident had taken place, she suddenly realized exactly what it meant. She had been planning her whole life around this man. Now, in the blink of an eye, it was over. It was going to take some getting used to. Thank God for her job. Being a production assistant at the WWF kept her plenty busy. Having her work and her friends to fall back on was going to be a blessing. So there she was. Sitting at the table, drumming her fingers and thinking evil thoughts. Suddenly a large shadow loomed over her. “Feeling any better?’ he asked. She looked up to see Glenn’s smiling face. “Yeah, I think I am,” she said. “At least a little.” He set down a can of Coke in front of her. “What’s this?” “Well it always makes the people on all those commercials feel better,’ he joked. She popped the top and raised the can. “Here’s to feeling better,” she said. He took a sip from the can he held in his hand and looked at her. “Can I say something?” “Be my guest,’ she said, looking at him thoughtfully. “I know it probably doesn’t seem that way now, but maybe this was a good thing.” “Ok...you’ve lost me,” she said. “Would you rather find out now what kind of guy he is? Or find out later...after you’re married?” “You’ve got a point,” she said softly. “Who needs a guy like that anyway. You want to know the truth? You were too good for him.’ She smiled softly at him. “You sir...have a way with words,” she said. “Thanks. You made me feel a whole lot better.” She was about to take another sip of her soda when she heard her name being called. She turned to see Stephanie waving to her. “We have those script changes. Think you could get them to the guys?” “I’ll be right there,’ she responded.’ She turned back to Glenn. “Thanks for the soda. And who knows..maybe you’re right. Maybe this break up is a good thing. Maybe Don actually did me a favor.’ She walked off and Glenn’s gaze followed her. “I think he may have done me a favor too,” he thought. |