All That Matters

Chapter 7

Monday Night Raw
Baltimore, MD
September 12, 2016

I'm sitting in front of the airport, waiting for Joe to get off the plane so we can go to the arena. I'm pretty upset that Naomi isn't Champion but I am happy for Becky. There's tapping on the window glass and I look over and see Joe standing outside the door. I open the trunk so he can put his things inside and he gets in the car.

"Hey baby." He greets me with a kiss. 

"Hey."

"How's our baby?" He asks me.

"She was sleeping with my mom when I left. Her eating pattern is off and she had a fever." I sigh. "The last thing I want to do is be here." I pull away from the airport.

"I know baby. Me too. But we have a job to do. That's why we have to thank God for having family nearby that can take care of her."

"But I want to be with her." I plead. "I mean to leave my sick baby to watch you get beat up in the end...? It doesn't make any sense!"

"Please don't react like this while you're driving."

"Sorry." I shut my mouth. "But I mean seriously—"

"Babe. Driving."

"Right." We continue to ride to the arena in silence. "But—"

"Pull over." I sigh and do what he says. We switch places and he drives. "If it makes you feel better, call your mom. See how she's doing. That's the smartest thing to do than ranting and getting upset behind the wheel." I sigh.

"You're right. What would I do without you?"

"Make very irrational decisions." I roll my eyes and take out my phone and put it on speaker.

"Mom?"

"Si?"

"How is she?"

"Still sleeping. Her fever hasn't broken yet."

"Just make sure she's giving water and give her Motrin."

"I know how to take care of a baby Malaika. I have 4 kids."

"Who's the fourth?" I ask in confusion.

"Your father."

"Hey!" my dad says in the background. "I heard that."

"It was meant to be heard babe." My mom responds.

"How's it going with you two?"

"It's going very nicely. And no Malaika we haven't talked about getting back together yet."

"I wasn't going to ask."

"Yes you were." Joe and my mother say together.

"If you weren't going to ask now," Joe says. "You would ask me after you hang up."

"I hate how well you two know me." I huff.

~

We pull in and go inside. Bu all I can think about is my baby.

"Something on your mind?" Carrano asks me.

"Yeah. Anjali is sick."

"I'm sorry."

"I'm gonna hang back from Joe's match. I have to stay by my phone just in case."

"Ok. I'll let them know. Listen, I wanted to know if you'd be interested in doing a Ride Along episode?"

"Hell yeah. I'd love to." He smiles.

"That's great. I'll let you know when and with whom later."