The Family Business

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The Family Business

Post by admin » Mon Apr 11, 2022 4:26 pm

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London, England
Off Camera
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Evening has arrived in London, the sun has gone down and the only lights that exist currently come from the street lamps. But for Julia Braddock, that is plenty of light. This community is one she knows well, for this is her own childhood home where she grew up, this is where she was raised by her father, Glenn Braddock. Now she owns this home and calls it her own. Now this is where she raises her own child, her adopted daughter Serena Grace Noel. Lately the traveling schedule for Global Championship Wrestling has become more hectic for The Kensington Knockout. This was to be expected because it is Resurrection season and the closer Resurrection gets the more hectic the schedule becomes. For the most part that isn’t a problem for The Kensington Knockout. She loves GCW and is deeply committed to helping make it the best product out there. She is committed to the fans of GCW and entertaining them the best way she knows how. And she is deeply committed to competing against the very talent in the wrestling world, and that can be found in GCW. Still, such a commitment requires sacrifice. One such sacrifice is time away from her family.

Braddock is returning home after a brief stay in Raleigh, North Carolina, the headquarters of Global Championship Wrestling. She had business with CEO Aurora Alan, who had wanted Julia there for a photoshoot, a few interviews, but mostly to try and convince Braddock to sign a new contract with the company. Julia fully intends to sign a new contract but not until after she defeats Kelsai to become the new GCW Global Champion at Resurrection XI. Julia Braddock made a promise to leave GCW for good if she does not become champion at Resurrection XI and Braddock intends to keep her word. But Julia believes in herself and her abilities. She is certain that she will become champion. Such a contract negotiation was completely unnecessary.

Julia cannot wait to see her adopted daughter as she approaches the front door of the Braddock family homestead. She figures that with Serena home, and expecting Julia’s arrival any moment now, that the door will probably be left unlocked. Sure enough, she reaches for the knob and the door easily opens. Braddock steps inside…

“Grace!” Julia shouts loudly, just in case her daughter is upstairs she wants to make sure she hears her and is made aware of her arrival. “I’m home!”

“In the living room, mother.” Comes the voice of young Serena Grace. Julia smiles warmly as she heads in the direction of the living room. She enters the living room and finds Serena standing there in a silver cocktail dress and high heeled sandals. Julia’s jaw nearly hits the floor.

“You look…” Braddock chuckles “...you look gorgeous.”

“Thank you, mother.” Serena says, smiling sweetly. “Melinda and I were shopping and I saw this. I figured it would be something great to wear on my date with Jackson.”

“Jackson?” Julia arches a brow out of curiosity as she walks further into the living room. She sits down on the sofa and motions for Serena to sit next to her. The nineteen year old obliges. “Who is Jackson?”

“Well don’t get upset, but I have been absolutely bored out of my mind being cooped up here all on my own. I had to get out and do something. Melinda was in town for one of her matches and she agreed to get me backstage so I could watch the show and meet some of the wrestlers.”

“Why would I get upset about you visiting with Melinda? She’s your cousin.”

“I also met a boy there.” Serena says grinning.

“And that’s the Jackson kid you mentioned?”

“Yep! He seemed sweet and he asked me out.”

“How much do you even know about him, Serena?”

“He and I spent a long time talking during Melinda’s match. He was quite a charmer, very polite, and just real nice. He invited me to a nice restaurant near the Julia Foundation; it is a very nice, upscale place, and very public.” Serena really stresses the word ‘public’ for her mother to hear. Julia sighs and nods her head.

“Well just be careful, ok? And don’t stay out too late, and…”

“It’s just to dinner and then immediately he’s dropping me back off here.” Serena pats Julia on the back. “Seriously, mother, you really need to stop being so overprotective.”

Braddock chuckles softly and nods her head. She has to admit, she has been rather overprotective of her daughter lately. “I suppose you’re right, I have been a little smothering of you lately. But Grace, try to understand that it was just ten months ago that I found you. Do you remember how we met?”

“I do.” Serena says, nodding her head.

“Well let me remind you. I met you when you were breaking into The Julia Foundation. You were homeless and needed to stay there overnight. You were also using illegal drugs. Instead of turning you over to the police I kept your secret, I got you in the rehabilitation program, got you cleaned up, and then adopted you. Shortly after adopting you as my own, you ran away.”

“Not my proudest moment.”

“I understand why you did it, though. The hold that the drugs had over you was still strong. But despite being clean you were still fighting the addiction, you were also prone to running away, can you try to understand why I have been a little overprotective of you?” She kisses Serena on her forehead. “I love you, Grace.”

“And I love you too, mother, but I’m not the same person you met back then. I was a wreck back then but you coming into my life was a godsend. You have changed me for the better. Believe me, mother, I no longer have any desire to even think about my past drug use let alone return to it. And why would I want to run away when I live in a lavish mansion like this being spoiled by you?”

This is true, Serena has become a little spoiled. In fact, it may be the one thing Julia did to her that she regrets. Upon gaining sole ownership of the Braddock family homestead from her sister Glory, Julia did major renovations, adding two more stories to the home, making it wider and larger. She even has hired a daytime butler and maid so that Serena would lack for nothing. This dress Serena is wearing, Julia has no doubt that it is very expensive. But she also has no doubt that Serena was easily able to afford it with her money. But perhaps there is a way that she can toughen her up a little?

“I missed you, Grace.”

“I missed you too, mother.”

“I hated having to be away from you.”

“I understand, though. You have commitments to GCW.”

“I do have commitments to GCW, commitments I intend to keep. Aurora Alan wanted to sign me to a new multi-year deal to GCW, but I refused. I made a promise to my fans that I had so much confidence in myself, and in their support of me, that I would put my career on the line at Resurrection XI. And I shall. If I lose at Resurrection then I will leave GCW. But I’m not going to lose, I’m going to win and become GCW Global Champion. Yet, as much as it will please me to be champion again, I realize that being on the road so much does take me away from you.” She pats Serena on the back. “So how would you like to travel with me?”

“Really? You’re serious?”

Julia nods her head. “You’ve earned my trust, Serena. If there ever was a prime opportunity for you to run away, these past few days while I was away in North Carolina was that time. But you behaved, and from what I can tell you held down the fort quite well. You are right, I have been too overprotective. And if you are bored, then maybe I need to find something else for you to do, like coming out on the road with me. What do you say?”

“Are you kidding? I’d love to! I say yes!”

Braddock holds up her hands to calm the nineteen year old down. “Hold on there, Grace. There is a catch. I’m not dragging you into the lion’s den unprepared. You were right when you said that I have been spoiling you. The world of wrestling is a harsh reality.”

“Mother, please,” Serena scoffs “I lived homeless for several years, remember?”

“I remember, but after eight to ten months of reprogramming you, breaking you of your old habits, and especially spoiling you, have you forgotten how to survive in a harsh environment? Just to be safe and prepared I want you to spend more time at my sister’s wrestling school.”

“Really?” Serena isn’t as certain now. “That place isn’t, uh, well…”

“It isn’t your cup of tea, I know.” Braddock says grinning. “Melinda stops by from time to time, and since she is my niece I can probably put the bug in her ear to drop by more frequently to keep you company. And besides, you spent some time there hanging out with Fiona, right?”

“Yeah, I did.” Serena nods her head. “Fiona and I are friends, but I haven’t heard from her since she started traveling the road with your sister.”

“Right, because she is very busy learning. She wants to be a wrestler, like me and my sister.”

“Do you want me to be a wrestler?”

“That’s entirely your choice, Grace.” Julia clasps her hand tightly. “I am not going to force my views on you. You are nineteen years old and in my opinion you can start making your own decisions. But I am your mother and I would love for you to at least consider a role in an industry that means so much to me. I am passionate about wrestling, I love it more than anything else…except family.”

Serena smiles and shrugs her shoulders. “Well, I suppose it can’t hurt to visit the wrestling school a few times. Especially if it means getting to travel the world with you.”

“Excellent.” Julia embraces Serena in a tight hug.
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