Ethan's birthday (Ethan, Cody, Max and myself.)

No, I'm not bringing a certain female around. I haven't mixed her and my kid yet. It's his birthday. Not like I'd drag him out on her birthday. This is for him. And figure, with Cody and Max there, it'll feel like, well, festive or whatever the fuck. I don't like many kids backstage and he's a little old to enroll in like, a Daddy and Me playgroup or whatever, and it's not like I'm bringing him to Tilted Kilt (considered it, maybe next year but not quite yet) or Hooters (all the cute girls went to Tilted Kilt. You want a Hooters girl, just look in the audience at a house show), but instead, a family friendly restaurant, which I normally don't go for because I don't need to hear other people's screaming brats, but a diner was too casual, a formal restaurant doesn't feel right at all, but just a regular Italian place, and loose plans to maybe go bowling or to batting cages later. Whatever everybody sort of agrees on. It's just going to be a play-it-by-ear thing.

Because you sure as fuck know I wasn't about to ask him if he wanted his old school/neighborhood friends to be with us. Trying to keep him away from anything related to when he was with Amber. Maybe that's harsh, but I have a lot of time to make up for as well. Throwing him in with who was once my closest friend and his brother is caution on my part of who I let around him. Also shows Cody that no matter what, I do still trust him, no matter how long it's been since we were actually legit close. And Max is a good kid. I have no issues trusting him with Ethan, even if Cody wasn't sort of speaking to me again.

So, http://www.square1burgers.com/#menu is the thing that's on the 4-top table waiting for us as Ethan and I wait at the table for Cody and Max to show up. I didn't drag his presents here..they're back at the house. A fuckton of new clothes, 3 pairs of Jordans, a watch of his own (no, not a goddamned Rolex, but an Apple watch instead), and $1K in Gamestop shit that he didn't previously have.

My eyes wander to the door now and again, hoping in the back of my mind that Cody doesn't stand us up. I think in my heart I know he won't --tourist traffic is fucking murder-- and we did get here 15 minutes early, but fuck. Did I alienate him that badly?

Probably. No matter how this goes down, I'll make this a good birthday for my kid. Failure's not an option.

While I might be considered a "work friend", there was a once upon a time, well before Legacy, where Randy would've called me "close". Roommates in our own apartment during our training at OVW, called up to the main roster together, some pretty epic matches together...

Unlike Legacy, I wasn't the one who pulled away from him like that. I'm still pretty available to him, but he usually rebuffs me, which I don't quite get. Okay, I might not have been one of his "boys" (and that was when he peaked as Asshole Randy. Worse than when he was in Evolution. I could excuse him being an asshole in Evolution because of our youth and who he was surrounded by, but by the time Legacy came along, he took that seriously. Like he still believed in Kayfabe. It was pretty fucked up..(or 'dedicated', guess it's how you look at it) but we hung out for awhile again after Legacy disbanded, but about a month before his father died, I became persona non grata around him.

And forget about his girl, apparently I'm not allowed near her or some shit. Even though I've never gone after his women. Maybe it's her he doesn't trust, and not me. Hell if I know.

Anyway, here I was, free for the day, with Josh. No more than 10 minutes away, and we weren't invited. It's not like he's super secretive about having his kid, but he's being really selective in who he allows -around- his kid. It's almost as if he's ashamed of what he does for a living. I can't explain it.

But we'd have gone and added to the birthday, but we're not about to crash the party. We're aware on the periphery that it's Ethan's birthday. The "on or about" date is something that floats around the roster with the kids, so while we might not consciously know we were snubbed today, we'll hear about it.

And I won't hold it against the guy, because I know he's a goddamned mental case. I lived with him. I work with him. I know. And I guess I forgive him too easy. I accept how he is.

I never really had a birthday like this before. Ever.

My mom usually would let me skip out on school. We'd go somewhere that was as fun for me as it was for her. Maybe a Dave and Buster's, and she'd bring a friend. Or an amusement park, and her friends would bring their kids and we'd all just be walking around together, if they weren't toddlers. There was a time where I ended up babysitting...

...Anyway. This felt good. I really wanted to start feeling at home. Sure, we were moving, but I felt comfortable more than I had. Most days he just grabbed me and we went wherever. I never really asked. Sometimes it would be the gym. Sometimes it would be to his rehab. Other times, just for lunch or dinner somewhere. A few museums. We'd been to the big arch, taking pictures, the whole nine yards.

It was mind-blowing, really. We woke up and had a light breakfast. And then he just started handing shit over. It was clothes, shoes, games. All sorts of shit. For a moment, I didn't think about anything, or the situation as a whole. He had to get a kick out of me being stunned. It was genuine. I didn't even know where to start. Felt good to know that I could get rid of all of my old stuff.

I'd never really had games before. I had a PS4, but towards the end of...staying in Kansas City, there wasn't money for games. At least, that's what she would say. I used it for netflix and music. But now? I had to spend at least 3 hours playing it. It was fun having him watch me beat him up in the video game.

First time in a long time I didn't feel that nagging feeling of regret. Or sadness. Or that any of this wasn't real.

After a phone call to my grandmother, we were here for lunch. Still thinking about what I want to play next.

"I don't get it. So he has a kid older than me...But I've never seen him. AND it's his birthday...So why didn't he come to mine?"

Needless to say, Josh was just a little confused on the whole situation. Chalk it up to him not listening often.

As far as he knew, he was one of the few consistent kids on the road. The others were either too old to come backstage so often, or had grown out of visiting completely. He kept tabs on most of them at least the ones that could get him money or sneak around with him near the stage. As far as he knew, an Orton kid was just an odd statement that sounded more like a joke than anything.

"And you don't even like Randy. How do you know I'll even like him?...What's his name again?"

He'll try. He knows what'll happen if he doesn't at least be nice and be on good behavior and all that. He hadn't even gotten a LOOK this week, but come on! This is almost too strange to be true.

"Wait, am I getting swerved! Dad I swear to god if I am."

I looked over the menu, and was nonchalant as possible as keeping my eyes from being directly on the front door, but I'd glance in passing or something. If the absolute worst was just me and my kid being together --if Cody didn't show-- it wouldn't be horrible. He has a mountain of new shit at home. We can do this.

Max is on the way. I'll be a little late. Keep me updated.

"Cody, come back to bed."

Kid's birthday party or a round 2 with a broad who sucks good and you'll never see again? A musician. She played violin in a symphony downtown or some shit. It's not like he wasn't gonna show. But this was just...his kid. A kid he didn't know. And a very, very nice woman was offering him some free time. So he accepted.

As if he had a choice but to leave the hotel a little early. He saw the way Cody was zoned into his phone. And instead of, I don't know, mourning? He was fucking. Another girl. It was like he had at least two in each state they went to. Except the southern ones. But everywhere else? Christ.

It was weird seeing Randy like this. A parent. Max couldn't ever really recall a time where Randy wasn't, well, Randy. Mind you, he was always nice to Max as a kid. More so than others. Even through the Legacy time. Even through 2006. And 2004. Or maybe he was just tolerated. The whole seeing is believing thing is real. Randy had a heart. Who knew?

"Yo, guys." He said as he walked up. He brought his own gift, hopefully Cody remembered to get the kid something. He remember the kid talking about video games, so he went to gamestop and cleaned up. He knew Randy might, but he didn't know the good shit to get. Extra controllers. Shit for the online store. Things a parent wouldn't know.

"Thirteen so fast. He's grown already." He teased as he took a seat, and got a "shaddup." From the kid.

"How's it been so far?" He asked, and listened in as the kid went through the laundry list of shit Randy bought him.

Randy couldn't help but feel relief. Almost like a blind date had confirmed she wasn't standing him up, to be honest.

You got it. Thanks.

They know each other well enough that Randy knows it's gotta be a broad keeping Cody. That or a massive hangover. Either way, power to him. So he told Ethan that yes, someone's coming, and his eyes occasionally went to the door.

His face broke into a legit smile when Max found their table. Got up, offered the handshake/hug and a "bro", told him he needn't have brought anything, but thank you, and joked with Max, "Christ, I still think of -you- as 13." He chuckled heartily as Ethan told Max to shaddup, too.

He eased back, handed Max a menu and listened to the two of them. Max was just like, immediately at ease. Hopefully, he and Cody could find that same step again as well. We'd see.

The waitress came over and Randy's not a small guy. His eyes are at her chest level and she's got a pretty prominent chest. Didn't have to go to Tilted Kilt after all. He doesn't even realize he's talking to her breasts. "We need a minute, thanks," he said. Then realized. And didn't think much of it, except that 'probably real' registered in the lizard brain. It's not like most women outside of his place of employment had breast augmentation.

It was pretty obvious, but Ethan was damn near in a total state of bliss. It hadn't really ever been -totally- about him. There was always in ulterior motive with his mother. Every party, every play date. No matter what, he was an afterthought.

Max would notice, still stunned at how well the two gelled together. He may or amy not have taken a bet with Cody. Randy would either spoil the kid or strangle him to death. Mind you, the last time Max saw Randy with it kid, it was either like him. Or Gunner. And Max clearly was tolerated, but he stayed around Legacy every chance he got. Let's not even get into Gunner. And the few that came backstage every now and then only ended up as an annoyance. He met the kid backstage briefly, and he had wondered how the kid -really- was. Seemed like he was too well-behaved to be Randy's kid. You get one just like you, and all of that.

"How you been feeling, from what happened in the ring?" Max asked. He had gotten out of the sling, but the arm was still sore every now and then. Ethan went over it with him up until it was time to order. Max ordered for Cody, and sent Cody a text to hurry his ass up. Stupid.

"Expecting anyone else?" Max asked to Randy as he sipped on his drink.

He shrugged off the "how you feeling?" question, with exactly that - a shrug. Ain't no amount of complaining will make the aching go away. Being in the business, something's always nagging on the body.

"Keepin' it small, Max," Randy said quietly. Just those 4 words spoke volumes.

I'm very selective about who I even let around him. You? You without question. Cody? Cody I can only hope warms up not just to my son, but to me again. I don't have a whole lot of people I consider close, and with the exception of my mother, and me? Nobody sees Ethan on the regular. I haven't even let my friend with benefits meet him.