MTW: More Than Wrestling

NOWHERE TO RUN

On Saturday morning we all went to church for the Sabbath and prayed to God to help us make our next move. While listening to a sermon about running from your past, I couldn't help but think about my brother. Even though we had our bad times, I started to miss him. I never mentioned what happened between us to Gina before but figured I would eventually.

Later on that night while we eating dinner, we watched WWF Saturday Night Main Event so Joseph could watch wrestling too. Gina was strict on what she let Joseph watch, so since it was more kid friendly than UWC, whose name was then changed to the now, WCW she was okay with it.

After a quick squash match from Andre the Giant, they cut backstage to hear from the WWF champion before the main event match. The moment they showed him, I started choking on my food in shock, dropping my plate in the process. Gina patted me hard on the back and made the food come out. I pointed at the TV while trying to stop coughing and catch my breath. Standing there on TV next to 'Mean' Gene Okerlund, was my brother, as the WWF World Heavyweight Champion.

"That's Erik!" I screamed out while finally catching my breath. "That's my brother!"

"Uh uh!" Joseph said with a big smile on his face. "That's not your brother, Daddy!"

Gina and I both laughed and I replied, "Uh huh, that's my big brother and he's your uncle."

Joseph would just laugh and say "uh uh" again while Gina asked if I was serious.

After wrestling went off we put Joseph to bed and I told Gina all about my brother, this time including everything from my past, from the DOGS to my Erik plans to kill me.

Surprisingly, she took it well, and was understanding about why I never mentioned it until now. As I spoke to her, I felt God speak to me telling me it's time to return home to Louisiana and I shared that feeling with Gina.

Although hesitant at first, since she wasn't finished getting her revenge, she eventually agreed it was time to leave. With everything going on we didn't want to waste any time, deciding to flee that next night and immediately started to pack as much as we could, into 2 cars.

Before we headed out Gina said she had to stop by her father's guest house that she used to stay at to get some jewelry her mother gave her years ago. By the time she pulled back up, I had everything packed and ready to go. We put Joseph in the car seat and threw the rest of the stuff in her car and left out, headed to Louisiana.

We drove as much as we could throughout the night and most of the morning, only stopping coffee, and bathroom breaks. It got to the point were we couldn't keep our eyes open so we stopped at a hotel for some rest and relaxation. We was beyond exhausted to continue driving so we decided to just spend the night there and leave out that next morning.

We was all laying in bed sleep when we heard loud banging on the motel room door around five in the morning.

BANG!! BANG!! BANG!!

"Who the hell is it!?" I yelled while getting out of bed to put my pants on.

"Sheriff's department! Open up!"

Gina and I looked confusingly at each other as we had no idea why the cops would be looking for us.

"Alright hold on, I ain't got on no clothes!" I was trying to buy more time to hide my gun. Gina said she got it, then ran to put it in one of her bags and threw it under the blanket with her and Joseph, who was surprisingly still sleeping.

"Open up!" The cops kept banging on the door, growing more impatient as time went by.

I reluctantly opened the door, and was immediately pushed back by the first cop through the door. They were three more cops following behind him, all with their guns drawn, telling us to put our hands up and don't move.

After they were done looking around the room, they asked for our names, then I heard one of them whisper and say "We got 'em. Go make the call." One of the officers left out while the other three basically held us hostage, and would not answer any of our questions.

Several minutes went by before the cop walkee back in to tell the other officers that's someone was is on his way. It was at that moment, I knew that they were talking about Mr. Carter.

Minutes turned to hours with us sitting in our room surrounded by cops still not telling us anything. The cops answered a knock at the door, and there he was, Mr. Carter.

However, he didn't look all high and mighty as I would've thought. He was obviously mad but looked more worried and afraid than anything.

"You know that was a foolish thing you did." Mr. Carter said starring at me, "Why y'all left out in the middle of the night like a bunch of escaped convicts? Why didn't you tell me you wanted to leave? I would have sent y'all away with no problems. You didn't even let me spend time with my grandson. You know how powerful I am. I could tell these men to beat you to a bloody pulp if I wanted to. But lucky for you on my way here I felt your God speak to me telling me not to harm you or say anything good or bad to you. I'm fine with that but you forced my hand having to send the police after you. I want my statue you stole from me!"

"Why you lyin' Mike!? You know why we had no choice but to pack up and leave!" I yelled while jumping up from the bed getting in Mr. Carter's face. The cops had to step in to hold me back. "You was changing my wages constantly, threatened to kill me and your own daughter, and we saw that fake ass will you made! So you really think I was gonna tell you a damn thing? And as far as your statue is concerned, you can check if you want, but ain't nobody took nothing from you!"

Mr. Carter then made his way throughout the room searching all of our bags looking for his pagan god statue. When he made his way over to the bed, he told Gina to move so he can check under the covers in which she stated that she couldn't because she got her period and didn't have anything on underneath and wasn't about to get up in front of everyone like that. Mr. Carter then skipped over the bed and searched a bit more but didn't find his statue.

"You satisfied!?" I shouted. "What we do to deserve all this? You sent the police after me and my family for nothing! I worked my ass off for you! For twenty damn years I put up with your bullshit! The threats, long work hours, being underpaid, backstabbed, etc. I'm done! If it wasn't for God being with me, and blessing me with all I have, I wouldn't have nothing!"

Mr. Carter replied, "You're right. I cheated you out your money, and threatened both of your lives for the sake of my own gain. Ya'll are my family, and gave me a wonderful grandson."

Mr. Carter then made the police officers leave and we all left out together to go get breakfast. After we ate, we went to a park to let Mr. Carter spend some time with Joseph before he went back home.

Mr. Carter then asked me to swear before God that I will never mistreat his daughter, and that I will never go back to Philadelphia to harm him, and in return, he said he will never step foot in Louisiana to harm me. We shook on it and seal the deal with our own symbol of peace. We both took one of our shoes, tied them together, and threw them on a power line to always be a reminder of our peaceful covenant. Mr. Carter said his goodbyes and we both headed out going our separate ways.