Post by Amanda Fien on Feb 8, 2024 23:01:14 GMT -5
Scene: New York City
Place: Amanda’s apartment.
Narrator: Amanda Fien.
“Friends? Who needs friends when they don’t mean anything to you. According to some people in the Five Boroughs Wrestling Locker Room, I’m toxic, I’m evil, I ruined my own promotion. Many other goddamn words I can think of with the list going on and on. What better way to spend my life as a “widow” than to clean my apartment. That’s what’s kept me sane for the past couple of weeks since I have cameras coming up and questions being asked about Dustin’s death, and if I was involved with it. I refuse to answer those questions, but they seem to haunt me. Hell, maybe I should bring the actual monster I would make up in the wrestling world when my parents were always fighting right before he passed away. Kaitlyn would always hide in her room where I would just stand there, in a green wig and create the alter ego “Kali Pandora” because it made me feel good to get away. My then boyfriend, who was my high school sweetheart, Pete, would mention I would be an awesome villain in a movie. Pete and I broke up in High School and I haven’t seen him since I started wrestling. Hell, if I married him, I wouldn’t be in this boat….
As I am cleaning my apartment, a box fell from the top shelf of my bedroom. “Great” I thought as this was another one of Dustin’s crap I had to get rid of because most of it I gave it away to whoever was in need or it or the useless junk that was still around that he would go and by that was not needed at all. However, it was not junk. I saw it flipped on the lid and picked it up. The box had tape on it. I studied it and it looked very dusty. Of course, I had a paper towel and wiped it down until I saw the words…
To Hayley, my beautiful daughter….
I haven’t cried in a long while. The last time I cried was back in 2021 where I locked myself in a closet after feeling hopeless after my first relationship. My father was not around to protect me from what I suffered and my mom, I had no relationship with her until she decided to get involved with the Hayley Halsey situation and when I tried to repair my relationship back after everything happened in 2021, let’s just say it wasn’t as pleasant. I used my nail to open the box around and I was blown back by a smell I haven’t smelled in a while. It was my father’s scent. Tears rolled down my face as I said “daddy” over and over again. My heart was racing and felt like it was going to fall out of my ass until I saw a note in there. I read this.
Hayley, whenever you get married, I want you to read this letter. I may not have anymore time left in the world, but I want you to read this since you’re the eldest. I want to let you know that this illness started around your prom…..
___________________________________________________________________________
June 9th, 2012
Wildwood, New Jersey
I attended Wildwood High School and they were having their senior prom. Of course, Pete was going to be taking me to this prom. Here I was dressed up in a beautiful lavender gown that I wanted for so long. My father made great money as a tech engineer and would treat Kaitlyn and I well. My mom was also spoiled, but she picked up a job at a call center. There were times where she would come home late from work due to the calls. In this case? She did not want to miss her daughter's prom. My friend Gina was over as she was going with her boyfriend, Finton and they were dressed up in a pinkish color.
Gina: Girl, we are going to look slamming at the prom tonight!
I let off a smile at her. I was waiting for my dad to come outside. There is an annual tradition when seniors go to prom and that's to stand outside on the lawn and get your pictures taken with your best friends. Gina was one of them, but I knew that after graduation, she was going to go away to college in Minnesota while I was undecided with what I wanted to do. I knew I wanted to be a Philadelphia Eagles cheerleader, and college was not on my mind. I looked at my friend as her boyfriend came around.
Hayley: I’m excited for tonight! We’ve waited a whole year for this moment! I am sure Pete is going to enjoy this night as well.
Sure enough, Pete came to my house and boy, did he look amazing. I was blushing because I knew deep down inside that this was the guy I wanted to be with for the rest of my life.
Pete: Hayley, you look amazing.
Hayley: Thank you. You look beautiful yourself.
Just then my dad came downstairs. It looked like he was crying. Instantly, I thought it was because his eldest daughter was going to prom. As he got closer, I smelled something that didn’t smell like him. It smelt raw. I didn’t pay any mind to it as I saw him.
Hayley: Daddy, are you ok?
Timothy: I’m OK. I am just emotional about this.
Pete: Are you sure?
Gina’s face said it all. Just earlier in the year, she lost her grandmother to cancer and she would tell me that it didn’t start off well. Even at a young age, she knew the signs, but didn’t know how to tell her mother about what was going on. Eventually, it was cancer and her grandmother died in January of 2012. She didn’t want to say anything to me and ruin the night.
Timothy: Yes, I am fine. I need you guys to take a picture.
Hayley: But where’s mom?
Timothy: She will be down in a second.
The second turned into minutes and about fifteen minutes later, she came downstairs. She didn’t even bother stopping, and got in her car. Why the hell did she not take a picture of me going to prom? This was a one in a lifetime moment and she just blew it off? I didn’t want to be angry in front of my friends. This was my night with Pete. Just then the limo came to pick us up and took us to the venue. As I turned around, I saw my father walk in with Kailtyn running outside, I knew something was wrong, and I didn’t know what.
The night went beautifully. Everyone from the Class of 2012 was there celebrating and having one last feel good moment before we graduated on Monday. Gina, myself, Pete and Finton all sat at the table with Marsha and Yvette. They were dating one another and they did look beautiful together. The music was hits from 2009 to 2012 and of course, Pete and I kissed on the dance floor, but he leaned over and whispered in my ear.
Pete: Tonight, we are going to the beach…alone.
Of course, I didn’t know what it was about. Was something going to be special for him and I? We’ve been dating for a couple of years, and none of us thought we would be losing our virginities to one another. I nodded to him as we danced. The last song for the night would eventually play and we all parted. Finton and Gina were going to after prom at the high school while Pete and I went to the beach. The beach was not far, but he told me to close my eyes. I closed my eyes and he guided me. I felt the sand come into my shoes until there was a blanket.
Pete: Open Your eyes.
I opened my eyes and saw candles all around as well as water. We were not old enough to drink, and that was the only option. There were Sandwiches and a pizza pie shaped like a heart. In the middle of the sand, there was heart made of rose petals that said “P and H 4ever”
Hayley: Pete, you didn’t have to do this.
Pete: I did because….
Pete looked into my eyes as he moved my blonde hair back. It was falling down after being up for so long and with the movement I was doing, it wasn’t going to last long, especially with my mom getting it done at a cheap place that didn’t know how to do updos right.
Pete: I am in love with you, and I think tonight’s the night….
Pete leaned in and kissed me as the both of us fell on the blanket… right there and then I knew that tonight was going to be the greatest night.
After Pete and I “gave each other the greatest day”. We laid under the moonlight. Pete was shirtless and had a pair of shorts on while I was in his suit top and only had my tights on. Just then my phone rang, and it was my mother. I leaned up along with Pete going behind me.
Hayley: Hello?
Deanna: HAYLEY AMANDA FIEN, IT’S ALMOST 11 O'CLOCK! WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU?!
I was blown back.
Hayley: I am on the beach with Pete….
Deanna: YOU GET YOUR ASS HOME RIGHT NOW!!!
Hayley looked at her.
Hayley: I wi-
Deanna: I SAID NOW!!!!!
I got silent on the phone as I looked at Pete.
Deanna: NOW!! NOW! NOW!
I hung up the phone and looked at Pete. He looked at me and knew something was wrong. My house was only 3 blocks away from the beach and Pete just lived right behind. I arrived home, only to have my mom slam the door behind me.
Deanna: WHERE ARE YOUR CLOTHES!?!
I didn’t bother answering her until I felt her pull my hair from behind. I heard Kaitlyn yell.
Kaitlyn: MOMMY LET GO!!!
Just then a cough interrupted and it was my father. He came in.
Timothy: Deanna, let go NOW!
My mother let go of my hair and there were tears in my eyes. My dad walked over to me and I felt safe around him. He held me as my mother looked at him and shook her head, obviously angry and disgusted from him.
Deanna: I need to get out of here.
My mom walked out of the house, but it was right then and there I felt my dad slip out of my grip and fell to the ground. Right then and there, I knew something was wrong.
Hayley: Dad? Dad?
I tried shaking him and looked at my sister, who was scared as hell.
Hayley: Kaitlyn! Call 911 NOW!!
In case of an emergency, we were taught to always dial 911. Kaitlyn was one of the school safeties and this was one of the things. She called 911 and quickly, everyone came. I had to call my grandmother on his side along with my aunt Meghan, who was his sister. I also called Pete and told him what happened and that he needed to be here. The EMTs came and took him away. Pete came over and helped me with Kaitlyn.
Around 1:30 in the morning, it was Pete and I as the both of us stood downstairs with one another. We were both showered and I was in my 2008 World Series Champion T-Shirt that he bought me after the Phillies won. I slept in it all the time.
Pete: Hayley, I am so sorry that this had to happen.
I shook my head and kept looking straight. I clicked on the television because having the television on helped me sleep at night.
Hayley: You don’t need to apologize, Pete. I should be the one who’s sorry.
Pete: Hayley…
Hayley: This was supposed to be the best night of our lives and it was ruined…
As Pete was about to say something, my cell phone rang again and this time, it was my grandmother.
Hayley: Hey Grandma, how’s dad?
Grandma Fien: He’s doing….
Hayley: Grandma?
Just then I heard the voice of the doctor and heard the words “need to do tests”. Grandma told the doctor that she was on the phone with me and the doctor stopped.
Grandma Fien: Hayley Bear, I need to go…..
Just then the phone clicked on me and I looked at it. I saw Pete fall asleep on the couch and decided to lay up against him. I didn’t know where my mother was nor did it matter to me.
___________________________________________________________________________
Back to the present:
My eyes trickled down the letter as I read it. It explained that the night he went to the hospital, he had to stay overnight so they could run some tests. It also indicated that he was throwing up blood during the day, and that was the reason why he smelled so bad. He told me that my mother did not show up at all and that she had “business relations” to deal with. He was angry about her going after me. While he felt disappointed that I was not in the house, he understood why I wanted to be with Pete after her not showing up. As I read down the page, I noticed there was a number that said 1 of 6, meaning there were six parts to this. As I was about to move to the next page, my phone rang and it made me jump out of my skin. Everytime it would chime, ring or buzz, I was expecting someone asking me about what happened with Dustin or someone coming for me, but it was not. It was the new owner of Total Ambition texting me and asking me questions about a few things. I didn’t want to answer them at all because I knew it was going to get back, but as I was told when I signed this over that business is business and when you’re selling a company, you have to be in talks before it’s finalized. I responded to the text, and shut down my phone for the rest of the evening.
I had to decompress what happened at the start of the note as well as remember the night of when this all went down. It was a lot to remember and to handle for me, but I feared that if I read that letter, the worse was going to come.
Part Two Next Thursday.