Post by Union Jack on Jul 16, 2021 9:53:51 GMT -5
Andrew Morgan crossed the empty locker-room in silence, his dour demeanor radiating around the room. He sat down heavily on the steel chair at the far side of the suit. A familiar burning in his muscles brought about by the physical effort he had exerted in the ring, a burning he knew would be a dull ache for the next few days and would worsen over the coming weeks; at least until he finally worked off the ring rust.
Apparently able to sense his presence, Charlie climbed to his feet from the pile of towels he had worked into a rudimentary bed, yawned, and padded his way over to his melancholy master. Despite himself, Morgan smiled and sank his fingers into the thick mane of brown hair that obscured Charlie's collar and scratched hard. Charlie grumbled approvingly.
In the depths of his memory, Morgan could hear a ringing phone.
"Daddy are you OK?!" Worry was evident in her voice.
"I'm ok sweetie." He reassured her even now, as he rubbed the last traces of dried blood from the side of his face.
"That man hurt you!" A hint of bitter anger flared in her voice. He wasn't sure if she got that from him, or her mother. He smiled.
"No, no... I'm ok!" Morgan lied, massaging the aching in his shoulder that was already coloring to a deep purple. God damn ring post. "It probably looked worse than it is. Why are you still up?"
"Mommy said we could stay up and watch!" she chirped happily, as if staying up late was some kind of con she had managed to pull off. "Charlie fell asleep on my lap though."
"Well, he is only a baby." Morgan smiled "I remember when you used to fall asleep on my lap watching wrestling too."
"That was before you went back" she sighed "we got to play a lot more then."
"I know sweetie." He too, sighed.
"Mommy says I have to go now.” She hesitated then, quietly, hopefully... “See you tomorrow?"
"Eh.." Morgan looked at the time "Probably not tomorrow, no... it's a pretty long drive. I'll be home by Sunday though."
"Oh.." she sighed again. "OK Daddy. I love you."
"Love you t..." gone. He too, sighed again.
Charlie nudged his master, who had stopped scratching him. Morgan blinked and found himself staring absentmindedly at his phone, the memory of that long ago phone call fading once more.
“Some things never change.” He sighed, climbed out of his chair and walked slowly toward the shower.
Apparently able to sense his presence, Charlie climbed to his feet from the pile of towels he had worked into a rudimentary bed, yawned, and padded his way over to his melancholy master. Despite himself, Morgan smiled and sank his fingers into the thick mane of brown hair that obscured Charlie's collar and scratched hard. Charlie grumbled approvingly.
In the depths of his memory, Morgan could hear a ringing phone.
"Daddy are you OK?!" Worry was evident in her voice.
"I'm ok sweetie." He reassured her even now, as he rubbed the last traces of dried blood from the side of his face.
"That man hurt you!" A hint of bitter anger flared in her voice. He wasn't sure if she got that from him, or her mother. He smiled.
"No, no... I'm ok!" Morgan lied, massaging the aching in his shoulder that was already coloring to a deep purple. God damn ring post. "It probably looked worse than it is. Why are you still up?"
"Mommy said we could stay up and watch!" she chirped happily, as if staying up late was some kind of con she had managed to pull off. "Charlie fell asleep on my lap though."
"Well, he is only a baby." Morgan smiled "I remember when you used to fall asleep on my lap watching wrestling too."
"That was before you went back" she sighed "we got to play a lot more then."
"I know sweetie." He too, sighed.
"Mommy says I have to go now.” She hesitated then, quietly, hopefully... “See you tomorrow?"
"Eh.." Morgan looked at the time "Probably not tomorrow, no... it's a pretty long drive. I'll be home by Sunday though."
"Oh.." she sighed again. "OK Daddy. I love you."
"Love you t..." gone. He too, sighed again.
Charlie nudged his master, who had stopped scratching him. Morgan blinked and found himself staring absentmindedly at his phone, the memory of that long ago phone call fading once more.
“Some things never change.” He sighed, climbed out of his chair and walked slowly toward the shower.
