Lights Out!!!

Elimination Chamber Turns Into A Test Of Resistance.

The Next morning...
I woke up and saw a new layer of fallen snow on the ground. I heard groaning coming from the guest room Maryse was occupying. I decided to go out and go for a run and let her sleep in.
I ran through the forested area around my home. Even picked up a few mishapen stones while running. One caught my attention. It was more unique than the others because it was crystal clear and was wrapped in a tree branch. I broke the branch and pulled the stone with some difficulty from it. But was unable to get all the wood from around it. I decided to keep it like it was and sand the wood down a bit so it wasn't so rough when I would find time to do so. After I got back from my run. I got breakfast started. Then when I was finished cooking the turkey bacon, six slices of toast and a hardboiled egg for me and I made an extra one for Maryse. I was well aware of her being a vegetarian. So I thought that since she was staying with me that I'd just prepare breakfast as I did normally. And tried to keep to certain standards the vegetarian diet allows. Anyway, before I hit the shower.
I headed upstairs and checked on Maryse. "Maryse," I said as I knocked before opening the door. I saw Maryse sitting in bed with the longest, saddest face I have ever seen. "Hey, what happened?" I asked walking in.
"How come whenever I think things are going to be alright do things always if not dominantly turn to shit?"
"Life is not all sunshine and roses. I learned that early in life. I'm surprised people didn't call me the Angel of Death growing up. You and Mike have hit a rough patch. All marriages do. And I hope that you and Mike patch things up." I said as I sat on the bed. She rocketed into my arms and I held her close. I didn't like feeling helpless to help my friends. I hated that feeling. But I did want to make sure Maryse had a stable environment. "Come with me." She carefully got up with me and we walked to the picture window overlooking the backyard. "See that clear glass greenhouse." I pointed to the small botanical garden in the backyard that was inside a rather old greenhouse. She nodded. "I have yet to have time to decide what to do with it." She leaned into me as she crossed her arms over her chest. "If someone were to either fix it up or make it a thriving garden again. I'd be very appreciative of it." I smiled as I saw a spark in her eyes.
"I'll take care of it for you." She smiled.
"I don't know it's a pretty big job. You would have to clear out all the dead plants. Clean out the pots and other things." I smiled.
"I promise. I'll have that garden green in no time." Maryse smiled.
"Good. I'll hold you to it."
"You knew I needed something to keep my mind busy didn't you?"
"Me, no. Not me. I'm too dumb to see that you were wallowing and writhing in psychological pain." I giggled as she lightly slapped my right arm.
"Well, be that as it may. I'm glad you gave me something to do." She kissed my cheek. "Thank you."
"Come on. Our breakfast is getting cold." We headed down to the dining room and ate our breakfast.

Over the next week...
Maryse stayed in my home and she was a welcome sight when I got home after a hard tour of the northwest. And yes I left her at my home and she did a lot in the four days I was gone. I found her on the couch resting from working in the greenhouse most of the morning. "Maryse, I'm home," I said.
"Mmmm, welcome home." She smiled. "How did the tour go?"
"Ooohhhh, terrible. Aside from Mike being somewhat lax in his duties as a Smackdown Live Superstar recently. I mean I only saw him twice. I usually see him more than that." I sat next to her as she sat up.
"Ohh, well, as you said. He and I are going through a rough patch right now." Maryse smiled.
"I'm slowly beginning to think that he's somewhat hating me for taking  you in."
"Oh, I don't think Mike would be so spiteful." I looked at her as I slowly turned my face toward her. "Of course there was that one time." She blushed.
"Yeah, let's not talk about that again shall we?"
"Daniel. Come with me. I have something to show you."
I followed her to the greenhouse.
"Now cover your eyes I don't want you to peek." She said, so I closed my eyes and she held up my arms so they covered my eyes. "All the way silly." Once we stopped. I heard the greenhouse door close. "Okay. Look." I pulled my hands away and opened my eyes. I was amazed at what I saw.
"Oh, my, god." I smiled.
"What do you think?" She asked.
"I know that these plants couldn't have grown in a short time but you did a really good job." I smiled.
"So you're saying you like?"
"I like it. I love it." I turned to see Maryse holding a white rose in her hand. She smiled as she approached me.
"You are an angel, Daniel. You may be a devil on the outside. But on the inside. You are a real angel." She bent the rose a bit near the head and snapped the stem a bit so she could put it through the button hole on my jacket as a makeshift boutonniere.
"Keep it down will ya I have a reputation to protect." I smiled as she giggled.
"And I'm thankful for having friends like you. But if I may. I'd like to go with you to the Elimination Chamber."
"Of course." I smiled. "Ohh, before I forget." I pulled out a package wrapped nicely with a bow. "Here."
"What's this?" She asked.
"Well, since I have missed your birthday for oh, six years. I wanted to make it up to you." I smiled.
"Oh, you didn't have to do that." She unwrapped the package and when something red appeared from the wrapping. "Ohh, Daniel." It was a red leather jacket, custom job by a local leatherman. With a very special addition.
"I had one of my old friends from high school make it for  you." She looked and noticed the stone I found on my run embedded in the jacket on the left side near the shoulder on the front.
"It's beautiful." She grinned. It even had her name emblazoned over and under the stone. I gently took it from her and held it open. She grinned as she took off her work jacket and turned around and I helped her put the jacket on her. "How do I look?" She asked getting a smile and a giggle out of me.
"Absolutely stunning," I said.
"Well, thank you. Daniel." She turned and zipped up the jacket. "This makes up for all the birthdays you missed and then some." She started to tear up. I smiled as she giggled and modeled the jacket. I loved seeing her happy and smiling. Truth be told whenever Mike wasn't home courtesy of a movie appearance or filming. She would always. Almost always call me to come and stay since Mike trusted me enough to be in the same house as Maryse. I think it was due to the fact that he knew I wouldn't try anything since I knew one of two things. One. Maryse was already taken, and two, it would be a cold day in hell when a girl of Maryse's caliber even looked in my direction.
"Well, it looks good on you regardless." I smiled. "Well, let's head back inside. And I'm assuming the power to the greenhouse is back online." She nodded. "Okay." I walked over to the temp control and put it right in the middle so it wasn't too hot and not too cold so that way the flowers and plants that Maryse got to replace the dead ones didn't freeze. "There. Come on. Let's head inside. It looks like blizzards coming." Maryse grabbed her other jacket and slid into my side as we headed inside.
"I'll get dinner started. Why don't you go to the living room and get some rest? I'll come and get you when it's done."
"You sure?" I asked her.
"Yes." She nodded.
"Okay. I know better than to argue with a French Canadian Beauty." I grinned as did she.