Tell Me You Love Me [COMPLETED]

Chapter 48: Who You Know

Wednesday August 19, 2020 - Tampa, Florida

Joe POV

It's about...

1:45 PM

...and I'm on the phone with Stephanie McMahon about some final details for my return. I have to let it be known how extremely lucky I feel that the bosses are not too upset about my sudden leave; it put them in a difficult place creatively but they got through it and, after I explained everything to them a while ago, they understood why it was so important that I left. They also saw that it was a break that I needed to take; I was going through a lot a few months ago, had been for a while before then, and I think the hiatus was inevitable but I would've never imagined that I would've fallen in love during that time. Damn, life is so good here right now, I don't want to leave...but I have to and that's alright because I'll be back before I know it.

"You've explained to us about this store that you own now, so we think it's wiser to bring you back but put you in the tag team story for a little bit until things settle down for you."
"I understand but I swear I can handle a major title and the store, I promise."
"I don't doubt that you can, I never doubt that, but we have to think about this logically and practically: if something happens with the store or your family or Aesha, what are the chances that you'll choose a belt over any of that?" She asks and I fall silent.

Dammit.
McMahon - 1
Me - 0

"Exactly. I don't doubt that you love this, that you love this business, but we have to consider your priorities and what's important to you because that dictates how you treat this business. You've been with us for a long time, Joe, you've accomplished so many great things; tell me what is it that you want from this moment on? Do you want to keep going as the face of the company, or do you want to start focusing your energy elsewhere?"

I stay silent and think for a few moments, running my hand through my loosened ponytail.

"Well?" She calmly says and I finally decide on an answer.
"Steph...honestly, I wanna start doing other things; I've had a great run and I can never thank you guys enough for all the opportunities you've given me, but I've had a look into what my future could be and I wanna start investing in that."
"And that's okay, we'll work that out."
"However..."
"Go on."
"I want—no, I need one good Universal Championship run, like, i only held it for about eight months; I'm talkin' a year and some change. If I'm gonna leave, I'm leavin' with a bang, that's just what it is. So, right now, I'll chill in a tag team, no problem, but when I tell you I'm ready to leave, I want that run and I promise you I'll make it gold, make it worth it."

I hear her hum as she thinks and wait with bated breath for her answer.

"You know what, I think we can work something out. Come back at Summerslam, assist Ricochet with his heel turn against Seth, and we're gonna have you replace Rollins since he has to leave for personal family reasons. We want to do more with Ricochet and the chemistry with him and Colby has been a little strained recently and the audience is picking up on that, though it's probably because he's under a lot of stress. The heel turn would be perfect: you help Ric betray Seth, Seth takes a hiatus having gotten tired of being betrayed and still feeling like it's karma for breaking you guys up to begin with, you replace him for a while, he comes back, you guys feud, you betray Ricochet that leads to a solid buildup towards who gets to face Braun at Wrestlemania next year. If by then you decide you wanna leave, we'll put the belt on you, how's that sound?"
"Thank you Stephanie. That means so much to me, I won't let y'all down."
"I know you won't, you never do, and this is why we pay you the big bucks."

We laugh and engage in some brief casual conversation about the goings-on while I've been gone, then we hang up and I walk back inside of the store where Aesha and her new contractor are drawing up blueprints for the new layout. She's decided to independently conduct her lessons from Friday to Sunday at home and work in the store from Monday to Thursday from nine to ten, Sunday being the store's official day off with them closing early on Saturdays at nine. With her teaching lessons from home on the weekends, she's going to turn the workroom into the wine room where customers can taste and purchase the wine. By the way, I haven't told Aesha anything about who I got to sell their wine in her store, I want it to be a surprise when they come in to see the space next weekend while I'm gone.