Wrestling One Shots

Tribal Chief (3)

As soon as my mother reached out, Leati confirmed he'd be here this weekend. Apparently, he reorganized his schedule so that he could spend all of Saturday with Lili. She's so nervous, she's cleaned her room five times in the last two days.

As much as I don't particularly like her father, I'm glad this is happening. I clearly remember having conversations with him about wanting a family. A big one of his own. The memory of Leati Anoa'i telling me he only wants my kids mocks me regularly. He didn't want me at all.

That's the fucking kicker in all of this. It's the question that keeps me up at night sometimes, and that pisses me off. Why didn't he want me? Why was it so easy to walk away? To stay away, if he really loved me. And that's a big if. There's so much resentment and pain and anger in my heart directed towards him, I don't know how it didn't all explode when he stood in front of me.

Just looking at him made my heart shatter into a million pieces that tore at my skin and left me bleeding from a million little wounds that he caused. The pain a black hole that threatened to swallow me whole again. I can't break down, I can't feel that pain, I can't let the emotions control me. There is someone else who needs to be the center of my attention and hold all of my focus. She's the only one whose emotions count. I have to watch out for her heart because she loves so hard and I don't want them to hurt her the way they hurt me.

"Mom, are you sure this is okay?" Lilinoe asked as she hugged me.

"Yes, I am. We already talked about this." I smiled, sensing her nerves.

"I know, but you're so stressed and tense. We can change this to a different day, time, and place."

"Lili, feeling nervous is totally fine, you don't have to pretend to be super happy or even pretend to like them. Respect is earned but you will not disrespect them either.

"I won't." she nervously stated.

"Look at me, if you really want to cancel, we can, and they'll just have to understand." I told her.

"I don't ... no, I don't want to cancel. I just don't want you to be uncomfortable."

"This isn't about me but I appreciate your concern. I want this for you and him, I want you to have a relationship with him. A good one because at one point, I had a good relationship with him too."

"Did you love him?"

"I loved him with everything I had in me to love someone." I sighed softly.

"Could you ..."

Her next train of thought was interrupted by multiple car doors slamming shut outside. By the look on her face, I know that my daughter's heart is racing the same way that mine is. Just the thought of Leati being in my house after all of this time is bringing me intense discomfort but I have to stick it up.

"You got this, Lili." I told my daughter, hugging her again.

"I got this." She muttered under her breath.

"You want me to answer?" I asked.

"Yes, please." She whispered.

"Behind me or in the living room?"

"Behind you." She responded, grabbing onto the back of my shirt.

We waited nervously for about 30 seconds before the doorbell rang and echoed throughout the house. I waited an extra 10 seconds for Lili's hands to stop shaking before turning away from her. Then, I turned back to her with a change of plans in mind.

"Lilinoe, go to the kitchen with your Grandmother."

"What? Why?"

"I want to talk to them first, please baby, do this for me." I said softly.