Post by Cash Money on Mar 30, 2023 8:45:19 GMT
CASH MONEY
(2018 - Atlanta, Georgia)
"I'm pregnant, Matt," she whispers into her husband ear, Matt swallows dryly. It's good news, they've been trying since they got married two years ago but he still feels his stomach sink. Fatherhood is something Matt Shepard has been dreaming of but knowing its actually happening brings realization - life is about to change.
"You serious, Stacy? You're not bull-shittin' me?" Matt puts a smile on his face, he is excited after all. Stacy returns the smile and nods enthusiastically. "Yeah babe," Stacy replies with tears building in her dark brown eyes. She practically leaps into Matt's arms and they kiss. She is as beautiful to him in this moment as she has ever been; he loves her fully and completely. The pit in his stomach fills with love. Love for her, for his unborn baby, and with hope of what good the future could bring them.
They hold each other a little longer before Matt breaks the silence. "So whats next? Like do we need to pick out names or summin'?" "I already got a name in mind if its a boy, Cohen, and about a hundred names if it's a girl . Really, right now what we need to do is sit down and figure out how we're going to afford this baby when it's here. I ain't gonna be raise up a youngin' and working fullt-ime at the nail salon. You think your boss might give you some more shifts at the factory?" Matt grimaces. "Don't think. Things have been winding down for a while over there. Probably looking at a furlough in the next couple of months, if I'm honest with you." Stacy's face falls and Matt can't look her in the eye. "I'm sorry, babe. I'll figure something out, I promise." "I know you will, you always do. It's one of the reasons I love you so dang much, you're a dang fighter to the core."
(2019 - Atlanta, Georgia)
"You serious, Stacy? You're not bull-shittin' me?" Matt puts a smile on his face, he is excited after all. Stacy returns the smile and nods enthusiastically. "Yeah babe," Stacy replies with tears building in her dark brown eyes. She practically leaps into Matt's arms and they kiss. She is as beautiful to him in this moment as she has ever been; he loves her fully and completely. The pit in his stomach fills with love. Love for her, for his unborn baby, and with hope of what good the future could bring them.
They hold each other a little longer before Matt breaks the silence. "So whats next? Like do we need to pick out names or summin'?" "I already got a name in mind if its a boy, Cohen, and about a hundred names if it's a girl . Really, right now what we need to do is sit down and figure out how we're going to afford this baby when it's here. I ain't gonna be raise up a youngin' and working fullt-ime at the nail salon. You think your boss might give you some more shifts at the factory?" Matt grimaces. "Don't think. Things have been winding down for a while over there. Probably looking at a furlough in the next couple of months, if I'm honest with you." Stacy's face falls and Matt can't look her in the eye. "I'm sorry, babe. I'll figure something out, I promise." "I know you will, you always do. It's one of the reasons I love you so dang much, you're a dang fighter to the core."
(2019 - Atlanta, Georgia)
"Arm drag!" Matt calls out to his partner, Chet "Killer"Connors. Chet links arms and tosses Matt effortlessly across the ring. Matt is quickly back to his feet, shooting across the ring like a bullet. The two men lock up in a classic collar and elbow fashion. "Aight, I'm gonna whip you and when you bounce back be ready." Matt whips Chet into the ropes. When Chet rebounds he runs full force into the sole of Matt's foot. Mat goes down for the pin ...1...2...3!
When Matt and Chet reach the back, their trainer and promoter, Broxy V is waiting. "That was great! Did you hear those fans, they loved it." "Thanks boss" the two men say in unison. Since leaving his factory job, Matt has taken his wife's words literally and signed up for a local independent wrestling promotion and has quickly risen in their ranks to the top of the card."Yo Matt," Bronxy V half shouts in his thick and obviously put on accent. "Your wife has been calling the arena phone looking for you, she sounds worked up. Might be a good idea to call her ASAP." Matt has his phone to his ear and his car keys in the other hand before Bonx can finish his sentence. "Gotta go boss," Matt shouts over his shoulder as he heads out the back door. "It's go time!"
The tires on Matt's pick up scream and smoke as he slams on the breaks. The gate to the hospital parking lot are moving at a snails pace. To Matt it feels like they could be moving in reverse. The tires screech again as soon as there is enough clearance for Matt to fit his truck under and he whips his rig into the first space he can see. If Matt's father was still alive he would beat Matt's ass for parking like an asshole. Just one of the many reason's Matt is grateful that his father is six feet under roasting marshmallows in hell.
Its been 20 minutes since Matt hauled ass out of the arena parking lot and he isn't wasting anymore time waiting on machines to get him where he need to be in a timely manner. He skips the elevator opting instead for the stairs. He takes the three at a time and reaches the fourth floor maternity ward before the nearest elevator would have even arrived to pick him up. He burst through the double doors and into reception, "Where's my wife, where's my baby boy? Am I too late, did I miss it?" Matt shouts frantically to no one in-particular.
The receptionist working the desk chuckles, takes Matt by the hand and leads him to the recovery room. There is someone anxious to meet him.
When Matt and Chet reach the back, their trainer and promoter, Broxy V is waiting. "That was great! Did you hear those fans, they loved it." "Thanks boss" the two men say in unison. Since leaving his factory job, Matt has taken his wife's words literally and signed up for a local independent wrestling promotion and has quickly risen in their ranks to the top of the card."Yo Matt," Bronxy V half shouts in his thick and obviously put on accent. "Your wife has been calling the arena phone looking for you, she sounds worked up. Might be a good idea to call her ASAP." Matt has his phone to his ear and his car keys in the other hand before Bonx can finish his sentence. "Gotta go boss," Matt shouts over his shoulder as he heads out the back door. "It's go time!"
(...)
The tires on Matt's pick up scream and smoke as he slams on the breaks. The gate to the hospital parking lot are moving at a snails pace. To Matt it feels like they could be moving in reverse. The tires screech again as soon as there is enough clearance for Matt to fit his truck under and he whips his rig into the first space he can see. If Matt's father was still alive he would beat Matt's ass for parking like an asshole. Just one of the many reason's Matt is grateful that his father is six feet under roasting marshmallows in hell.
Its been 20 minutes since Matt hauled ass out of the arena parking lot and he isn't wasting anymore time waiting on machines to get him where he need to be in a timely manner. He skips the elevator opting instead for the stairs. He takes the three at a time and reaches the fourth floor maternity ward before the nearest elevator would have even arrived to pick him up. He burst through the double doors and into reception, "Where's my wife, where's my baby boy? Am I too late, did I miss it?" Matt shouts frantically to no one in-particular.
The receptionist working the desk chuckles, takes Matt by the hand and leads him to the recovery room. There is someone anxious to meet him.
(2020 - Hawthorne, West Virginia)
"You been watching the news Stacy, things are getting crazy out here. This coivd nonsense has everybody spooked." Matt is on the phone with Stacy. Its the weekend before Cohen's first birthday and he is trying to squeeze in a string of shows before making the drive back to Georgia for his son's party. "It ain't no better neither. I heard on the news that the president might declare marshal law or something. I wish you were here.I don't feel safe with all this going on. What if people start lootin'?" Matt has to stifle a laugh. "I don't think it ill come to that but if it does, I'll be home by Monday night and I've got the next two weeks off with no bookings so I can spend some time with y'all." "Can't wait, babe." "Me neither."
(2020 - 2021 - Atlanta, Georgia)
Matt, Stacy, and Cohen spend most of their day held up inside. They go for walks around the neighbourhood and occasional errands like grocery shopping but for the most part their lives begin and end at the front door. It's hard. Matt is used to being on the road and the small amount of money he managed to squirrel away before the pandemic is practically gone. Stacy has gone back to work full-time at the nail salon but Matt can tell she would rather be home with Cohen. Likewise, Matt would rather be on the road or in the ring making name for himself and a life for his family.
This day is particularly bad. It's the anniversary of his ow father's death and it's making Matt feel both extremely mortal and insecure. Matt's father was a bastard, plain and simple. He loved the drink and hated his son and took every opportunity to remind Matt of that fact. From the time Matt was old enough to listen, his father would tell him how much of a failure he was, and now, out of work and barley getting by, Matt can't help but wonder if his father was right.
Deep in thought, Matt doesn't immediately hear the phone ring. It's Cohen that first pulls his mind back to the world around him by pulling on his leg and saying, "Daddy, drink?" "Sure thing big, pal." Matt heads to the kitchen and finally notices his phone buzzing in his pocket. He slides to screen to answer and raises it to his ear. He's greeted by a familiar voice, "It me, BAYBEY! I got a booking for you, Matt. It pays good money, cash money!"
This day is particularly bad. It's the anniversary of his ow father's death and it's making Matt feel both extremely mortal and insecure. Matt's father was a bastard, plain and simple. He loved the drink and hated his son and took every opportunity to remind Matt of that fact. From the time Matt was old enough to listen, his father would tell him how much of a failure he was, and now, out of work and barley getting by, Matt can't help but wonder if his father was right.
Deep in thought, Matt doesn't immediately hear the phone ring. It's Cohen that first pulls his mind back to the world around him by pulling on his leg and saying, "Daddy, drink?" "Sure thing big, pal." Matt heads to the kitchen and finally notices his phone buzzing in his pocket. He slides to screen to answer and raises it to his ear. He's greeted by a familiar voice, "It me, BAYBEY! I got a booking for you, Matt. It pays good money, cash money!"
(fin)