"And then I think about the times that we broke up before the prom, and you told everyone that I was gay, okay…" Chris sang off key to LFO’s "Every Other Time."
Stephanie grumbled and tried to smother herself. "Turn it off!" She muttered. "Can’t a woman get her beauty sleep here?" Chris chuckled. "I think you slept enough." Stephanie squirmed under the covers.
"What time is it?" She mumbled.
"Twelve thirty."
"In the afternoon?" Stephanie shot up. "Oh my god! We have a houseshow in a half-hour. Chris, I am going to kill you—" Chris pushed her back down. "I told Vince that you and I would not be attending. He said fine, you know, because of Hunter and all."
Stephanie frowned. "But they were going to do a special tribute to him. I’m his wife, I should be there." She thought that sentence over. "Well, I WAS his wife. This is so damn hard, Chris, I am never going to make it."
"You are. You’re a fighter. A McMahon and a Helmsley! You’re strong. You’re made of iron. No one will ever bring you down."
"The Titanic was made of iron, and look what happened."
"But you’re stronger than any ship. You’re going to get through this. I am going to guide you."
"I know. I know."
"Come on."
Chris took her by the hand and smoothly ran a hand over the collar of the shirt she was wearing. "I am going to do whatever you want me to do. What do you want to do?"
Stephanie sighed and looked Chris in the eye. She didn’t say anything, though her lips were moving. She brought them closer to Chris’s.
===
"Hunter was a great fighter, a great man, and a great husband," Stephanie told the arena. "He will be missed greatly. But he’s not suffering anymore, and that’s a good thing. He’s up above, watching down on all of us, acting like a guardian angel to the ones he loved." Stephanie cried into the microphone at the arena, talking about Hunter.
"I loved him with all my heart, and he will forever be in my heart. But I learned something. Sometimes, pain can be grand. Sometimes, misery can be sweet. Chris Jericho—" She looked at Chris. "You helped me through this difficult time and I extremely thankful for that. You showed me sweet misery, and I will forever love you for that."
Chris entered the ring and hugged Stephanie. "What was that for?" He demanded. Stephanie grinned. "Sweet misery." Was all she had to say.
[ email author ]