Making My Impact

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Off Camera

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This time of year means different things for different people.  If you are a Jew then you may celebrate Hanukkah.  If you are Muslim then perhaps you may celebrate Ramadan.  There is also Kwanzaa for African-American cultures as well as the Chinese New Year.  Of course, this is also the Christmas season and for practicing Roman Catholics like the Jones Family, that is the holiday celebrated this time of year.  And yet the birth of Jesus Christ in a manger thousands of years ago isn’t the only cause for a Jones family celebration.

The family-centered celebration that comes with the Christmas holiday is of the utmost importance for the Jones family, almost to the level of the baby Jesus and the Virgin Mary themselves.  One might think that kind of mindset is sacrilegious but, when you think about it, it is perfectly understandable considering what that family has been through.

Bear in mind that this is the family that damn near lost it all when, over twenty years ago, their beloved matriarch, Kelly Jones was brutally murdered and their father, Bart Jones, made the knee-jerk decision to separate himself from the children by sending them to social services, who in turn split them up into different homes.  It wasn’t until much, much later down the road, after the sisters Jones had been through a pure and unadulterated hell on earth at the hands of foster care, that they were able to reunite in the professional wrestling world.  And it wasn’t until much later after that point that they were able to finally forgive their father Bart and come to terms with the horrible events that had befallen them.

Angelica and Kayla, the matriarchs of the family, are back together.  Since reuniting together, they have also rediscovered other family members, Monroe Jones and his sisters Isabelle and Vanessa.    Since then, Angelica and Kayla have each given birth to the next generation of Jones.  The Jones family, once on a downhill slide, is back on the upswing, owing in no small part to a miracle, and it is for that reason that the Jones women will always look at the Christmas season as a special time of gathering, remembrance, and love for the family.

It isn’t always about the Christmas presents that you receive each year.  Kayla and Angelica know this better than any of the others.  It’s the special people in your life who give you those gifts and who give you their love.

That is a kind of love Kayla Jones had begun to have doubts in for the longest time until certain people and events helped change her mind.  Kayla had doubts in true love until Trenton Snow, her current boyfriend, came into her life and showed her that love was definitely possible.  Forgiveness was something Kayla thought impossible until she finally sat down with her father Bart Jones and had that long overdue argument, one that ended with the two of them making peace with one another, a peace that had been a long time coming.

The Jones Family is now stronger than ever.  It is more powerful and influential than it has been in quite some time.  But today isn’t about power and influence.   This evening is about celebrating family…

Currently Boston, Massachusetts is alive with excitement, but especially in the large, luxurious Jones Estate.  In the guest bedroom we find Kayla Jones primping and preening in front of a full length mirror, admiring what she sees.  The younger of the Jones siblings is wearing white patent gogo boots and a long sleeve red velveteen dress.  The A-line skirt flatters with its mid-thigh hemline. White faux fur trims the hood, long sleeves, and skirt, off-setting the dainty white lace of the sewn-in petticoat.  Tiny white pom-poms are attached to either side of the hood in the back of the dress.

“Mommy…”

Kayla is startled away from her self-admiration.  She turns around to find her young son, one of the twins, little Duncan, has made his way into the room.  Just as any other parent may do on the Christmas season, Kayla has Duncan (and his sister Paige, for that matter) dressed up for the occasion, not in nice church clothes but as elves.

Duncan and Paige put up with their mother’s eccentricities around the Christmas season.  They understand, perhaps better than anyone else, how much Christmas and being with family means to their mother.  She had relatively few happy and joyful Christmases with family, her true family, as a child, before it was all ruined and taken from her.  Duncan’s and Paige’s father separated from Kayla.  They will never have the traditional Christmas, either, but Kayla can do her best to give them what she can.

“Hi Duncan,”

Kayla kneels down so that she is eye-level with her son.  Soon that will no longer be an issue.  Duncan and his sister Paige are both growing rapidly.  It won’t be long until they are already as tall as their mother, or anyone else for that matter.

“What’s wrong, buddy?” Kayla asks.

“Nuttin’,”

“Then what’d you come up here to tell mommy, hmmmm?”

He points out the door. “I think everyone is here, mommy.”

“Ah, I see,” she ruffles her sons brown hair “well you go down there and keep them entertained until mommy can come down, ok?”

Duncan feels as if this task he has been given is quite important.  He smiles with pride and nods his head.

“Ok, mommy!”

Duncan turns and bolts out of the door.  Kayla watches him, smiling proudly.  Jones turns back to face the mirror.  She pulls the hood on over her head and looks at herself.  She likes what she sees as and the smile on her face tells that story.  She pulls the hood back down and begins to go back to work on her long red hair.

Unfortunately, the pitter patter of little feet once again disrupts her thought processes.  Kayla sighs as she turns around in time to see her daughter, Duncan’s twin sister Paige, not-so-conspicuously sneaking into the room.  Her firey red hair pulled into a ponytail in the back.

“Paige?”

“Sorry, mommy,” Paige turns to walk away but Kayla calls out after her.

“No, it’s ok, sweetheart.”

Paige stops dead in her tracks.  She turns and walks back into the room and approaches her mother.  Kayla kneels down so that she is eye-level with her daughter.  Kayla runs her hand through her daughter’s long red hair.

“What’s wrong?”

Paige points out towards the door in a similar fashion as her brother earlier.

“You told Duncan to go do somethin’ and…and…”

Kayla smiles warmly, knowingly “…you want something to do too?”

Paige nods her head sadly.  Kayla laughs lightheartedly.  Typical sibling rivalry. Kayla knows it all too well having grown up with Angelica.  You can’t give something to one and not expect the other to not get jealous.  It’s just how these things work.  Kayla nods over towards the door, the same door Duncan just ran out…

“Go out there, Paige.  Go and keep everyone entertained until I get downstairs, ok?  Can you do that for mommy?”

Paige enthusiastically nods her head. “Of course, mommy!”

With that, Paige makes a hasty exit out of the door and heads downstairs.  Kayla chuckles lightly to herself as she stands back up.  She turns back to the mirror and resumes her primping and preening.

Duncan and Paige are, by far, Kayla’s greatest achievements.  She had always wanted to be a mother more than anything else.  She wanted a family of her own.  No, the father is no longer in the picture, but she has the children.  That is more than enough.  And she has a strong support system, a family who loves and who loves her children.  And that strong support system is waiting for her downstairs in her sister’s main living room area.

Now that she is thoroughly satisfied with her appearance, and hoping that no one else will interrupt her, Kayla winks at the mirror and then turns and makes her way out of the guest bedroom, shutting the door behind her.  She heads towards the stairs and makes her way down the staircase.  The staircase is a long, winding one, signifying the vast wealth that Angelica alone has amounted, let alone the entire Jones family.  Eventually Kayla reaches the bottom of the stairs and she makes her way into the living room area where she is first greeted by her cousins, Isabelle and Vanessa Jones.

“Hi cuz!”

Vanessa waves enthusiastically as she says this.  Isabelle, though, maintains her upscale, demure, stuck up demeanor with just a simple nod in her cousin Kayla’s direction.

“Greetings, Kayla.”

“I am so glad you made it, Vanessa.” Kayla looks at Isabelle. “You too, Isabelle.”

“I’m sure.”

Isabelle’s response is quirt and curt as she walks right on past Kayla.  Vanessa just shrugs as she grins from ear to ear and waves happily at Kayla before skipping on by as well hoping to catch up with her sister.

Jones just shakes her head and turns back to head into the living room, where the action is.  She sees people mingling, her family, all of them enjoying themselves and each other’s company.  Her children, Duncan and Paige, and running around trying their best to tell jokes, sing, or anything else they deem to be “entertaining” so as to fulfill their mother’s wish.

“Dear cousin…”

Kayla turns around to find her cousin, Isabelle and Vanessa’s brother Monroe Jones, approaching her with a glass of champagne in his left hand, which he hands to Kayla.

“…a drink?”

“Thank you, Monroe.” Kayla graciously takes the glass.  Kayla takes a sip.

“This is quite a party you have put together, my cousin.”

“You have to credit Angelica.” Kayla remarks, motioning to her sister standing in the far corner with Lindsey Carter. “It’s all her idea.  Plus she provided the venue.”

“This may be true but you were the one who remained on the phone with the family, informing them of the time and place.  You brought all of the family together…”

He motions to Isabelle and Vanessa “…all of them.”

Kayla chuckles.  “I realize you and Isabelle don’t exactly have the friendliest of relationships, Monroe.”

Monroe shakes his head. “It matters not, dear cousin.  The point of this season is that we can put our differences aside, if only for one night, to enjoy each other’s company and to be grateful to have one another.”

Kayla nods her head. “Yeah, I guess there will be plenty of time for you two to hate each other after Christmas is over.”

Monroe chuckles. “Indeed!”

With that, Monroe walks off in another direction.  Kayla then makes her way over towards where her sister Angelica and Angelica’s wife Lindsey Carter are currently hanging out in a corner.

“Angel…”

Angelica turns, along with Lindsey, towards Kayla.  They smile, greeting Kayla with hugs and kisses.

“Hi, Lindsey.”

“Hi, Kayla.” Lindsey responds.

“Well, sis,” Angelica begins, smiling sheepishly “what do you think?”

“What do I think?”  Kayla grins knowingly. “I think you knocked this one out of the ballpark.”

“And this is just Christmas.” Angelica winks. “Just wait to see what I have in mind for New Year’s Eve!”

Kayla rolls her eyes. “Not again…”

“What?”

“The last time you held any sort of New Year’s Eve party, you ended up in jail overnight.”

“I was only playing pin the tail on the donkey!”

Kayla places her hands on her hips. “Yeah, and you used the police officer as the donkey!”

The three women share a hearty laugh.  But just as suddenly as the laughter began, it comes to a sudden halt as the looks on Angelica’s and Lindsey’s faces both grow gravely serious.  Kayla tilts her head to one side, looking confused at this development.

“What’s wrong?”

Angelica points behind Kayla.  The younger Jones turns around and finds her their father, Bart Jones, standing a few feet away.  Kayla sighs and turns back to face Angelica and Lindsey.

“Excuse me.”

Kayla hands her glass of champagne to her sister.  Kayla then makes her way over towards her father.  Unlike the other guests, who seem to be dressed either festively or at least nicely, Bart is dressed down for the occasion, wearing blue jeans, black boots, a tattered white shirt, and a black leather jacket, similar to the one his own daughter has worn from time to time.  His own grizzled appearance gives off the impression of a man who has been through hell and back.

And that would not be an exaggeration…

“Good evening, dad.”

“Dad, eh?” Bart chuckles lightly. “I didn’t think I’d hear you call me that again.”

Kayla rolls her eyes. “Oh now don’t give me that.  We already made up a long time ago.”

“Maybe, but still…”

Bart looks from side to side, catching gazes at Isabelle and Vanessa with their brother Monroe, he looks at Angelica with Lindsey, he even sees Marie and Corey trying to round up Kayla’s children and calm them down.  He sighs as he turns to face Kayla again.

“…I guess I just didn’t feel as if this day would ever come.”

“Things are different now.” Kayla insists.

“Are they?”

The skeptical look on her father’s face causes Kayla’s defenses to break down.  Eventually she sighs and nods her head.

“Ok, fine, we can forgive but I doubt I’ll ever forget certain things that happened to me, directly or indirectly, because of your actions.”

Kayla smiles warmly. “But I am trying.”

“As am I, dear.   As am I.”

Bart leans in and embraces his daughter with a tight hug.  Kayla forces back her tears after breaking the embrace.

“Ok, dad, go on and enjoy yourself.”

“Will do, sweetheart.”

With that, Bart walks off.  Kayla, meanwhile, begins to scan the room, all by herself, in her thoughts.  Christmas is a special time for Kayla.  She values it above many other holidays.  For this is a chance for the family to get together in a show of unity, a mutual show of support and love.  This is a chance to see just how powerful the Jones family can be if they are ever united like this.

Kayla turns and walks back over to her sister and Lindsey.  When she gets there Angelica hands her the glass of champagne back but there is one other thing of note; Angelica and Lindsey are not alone.  With them is none other than Trenton Snow.

“Trenton! You made it!”

Angelica smirks. “Lindsey and I will leave you two alone for a moment.”

The two walk off, leaving Kayla and Trenton alone.

“Wouldn’t miss this for the world. This is the first Christmas holiday in awhile I’m truly going to embrace the Christmas cheer.”

“There is so much to celebrate.” Kayla begins. “We have our professional success, we have each other, we have family.”

Kayla motions with her head. “Did you see over there?  That was my dad.  My dad is here.  Never in a million years did I think I would forgive him and yet here we are. Together.”

Trenton nods. “I’m glad you were able to move past your issues with your father. If I knew where mine was, I’d love  the same opportunity. No worries. Like you said, we have plenty to celebrate.”

“I’m pleasantly surprised that the entire Jones clan made it.” Kayla smiles warmly. “I never expected this.”

Trenton wraps his arms around Kayla’s waist. “I never imagined I would be standing here with the most incredible woman in the world. I am not the most emotional guy on the planet. You bring out a fire in me. You challenge me like no one does. My jaw hurts at times taking a superkick every now and then..” Trenton chuckles... “I don’t mind. Wouldn’t trade your trigger foot for anything in the world.”   

“It isn’t just my foot you have to put up with,” Kayla says laughing lightly “Paige...Duncan...you deal with them well.  And you shouldn’t even have to.  Not your kids.”

“Paige and Duncan are a pleasure. Its a breeze.”

She touches his chest and then her own chest. “You and me, we are something special, you know that?  A real power couple.”

“Amen to that.”

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On Camera

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We open in a dimly lit room.  Even if the lighting were better, there wouldn’t be much to see.  The room is not just practically empty.  It is empty.  The pale blue wall is bare and there is no carpet, just hardwood floor.  A clicking on the hardwood floor is heard.  Eventually the lovely, feminine figure of Kayla Jones steps into view, wearing a gold colored knee length half-sleeve sheath, chic and modern formal cocktail dress with a bateau neckline.  Her feet are encased in strappy three inch heels and her long red hair hangs down unrestrained to shoulder length.

“It’s so popular to use death dramatically, with a flair.  Charlton Heston famously said that the government would have to pry his gun from his cold dead hands.  My own cousins in this wrestling business itself have said that you would have to kill them in order to stop them.”

Kayla pats herself on the chest. “But me?  All it took was one good shot to the neck.”

She rubs her neck. “Yeah, I got a bum neck.  Hell, I broke my damn neck.  Normally breaking of the neck would be enough to end any career and everyone with half-a-brain thought that mine was done.”

Jones laughs lightly and shakes her head. “Not…just…yet…”

“My career ends when I say it ends and right now I am NOT ready for my career to end!  I am not ready to roll over and die!  That’s why I returned to the squared circle.  I didn’t return to play second fiddle to my sister…no offense Angelica…I returned to make history, because that’s what I do.  That’s what I always have done.  I…make…history EVERYWHERE I GO!”

A confident grin forms across her face. “So I returned intent upon doing something no one else had dared try.  I am a manager of wrestling champions and that brings me full circle.  I have wrestled, I have trained, I have run a company, now I am managing.  I have done it all.  And not only do I manage wrestling greats but I am an active wrestler myself, coming off of my sixth reign as a tag team champion.”

Kayla nods her head. “Yes, Angelica and I did lose those SCW World Tag Team Titles to Gable Winchester and Autumn Valentine.  Congratulations to them…”

She golf claps lightly and slowly “…but The Sisterhood is not going to settle for regaining those belts.  Angelica and I are looking for something far greater.  We want success that far exceeds the reach of the tag team division, because we’ve already conquered that.  We want more.  Angelica has entered the Shot of Adrenaline Tournament and is hell bent on winning it all.  She is hell bent on making her mark.  But where does that leave me?”

Kayla shrugs her shoulders. “Good question.  Where does that leave me?  Some may say that it leaves me out in the cold with nothing to do.  Some may say that Angelica is getting the big opportunity in Shot of Adrenaline while I get nothing.”

Jones shakes her head. “I don’t see it that way.  I see this as an opportunity, because while Angelica is busy playing around with everyone in Shot of Adrenaline, I can look to make my own impact in my own unique way.  And what better way to start than by winning the end of the year battle royal?”

“The prize isn’t what I want.  I don’t need two hundred fifty thousand dollars and I do not need a brand new car.  I will donate both to charity if I win.  The biggest prize for me will be the bragging rights.  Ask any wrestler, ask anyone in this business, and they will tell you how important bragging rights are if you want the ultimate prize…”

Kayla pauses momentarily “…the world heavyweight championship.”

“What reason does SCW have to give me a world title shot?  None.  At least not yet.  I have to give them a reason.  Beating some of the SCW roster’s best in the end of the year open invitational is one of the best ways to not only prove myself to SCW management but to also force their hand and force them to recognize me for who and what I am; Kayla Jones, one of the best wrestlers in this company and worthy of an opportunity at gold.  Singles gold.”

“The End of the Year Open Invitational Battle Royal is going to be my rallying cry for an opportunity, because whether I win or whether I lose I will make an impact.  Whether I win or whether I lose the SCW universe will look at me and recognize me not just as a talented tag team wrestler but as a damn good singles wrestler and potentially the next big thing to hit SCW!”

Kayla chuckles lightly. “Or maybe I should say, the next big thing to KICK Supreme Championship Wrestling…because I do have the most educated feet in SCW bar none and these,” lifts each foot up taps them each and places them back down “are going to kick down the door that separates me from SCW greatness.  These girls are going to help me create a new normal within the SCW universe and that new normal has me standing at the top of the mountain over everyone else.”

“SCW only knows me from my tag team wrestling with Angelica and that has to end because I am oh so much more than that.  Before I returned to the ring, before my neck injury that kept me sidelined for years, I was a two time world champion.  And since returning I have been content to wait because it was someone else’s time, or because management didn’t think I was ready.”

“Well damn it, I am ready!  I am ready to take the opportunity that belongs to me!  And it all begins at the end of the year special in the open invitational, because I am going unleash hell, I am going to show the SCW universe what so many other wrestling organizations found out the hard way…that Kayla Jones is one bitch you do not want to mess around with, because she will kick your teeth right down your throat!”