Post by Cory Chevelle on Feb 25, 2024 18:50:12 GMT -5
Family History
It was early in the morning, the sun had barely came up over the horizon of the land back at the Chevelle homestead. The cows had began stirring around and grazing off in the fields. You could hear the herd mooing for miles it seemed like. Cory stood quietly on the wrap-around porch of his home, sipping coffee and listening to the herd. His faithful dog, Bud at his side waiting for breakfast. The screen door behind Chevy suddenly opened, and out came Frank with his cup of coffee as well.
"You gonna get any work done today?"
The old man said, baring a grin across his rigid and defined face. Chevy took a sip and nodded. Then he looked over to Frank..
"I reckon so. You should try it sometime, or do you even remember what work is?"
"Son, I put up with you all these years. Best believe I know what work is. So that gal up in your room is that-"
"Nicole. Be nice to her."
"Be nice to her, hell I feel sorry for her. What's she see in you?"
Chevy smiled and shook his head, shrugging his shoulders while watching the steam roll out from his cup.
"I don't know but I kinda like her so she'll probably be around some."
"Oh. What's Haley think of-"
"They've met, they get along. Like I said.. be nice."
"You know in my day I was known for my reputation as a complete gentleman. You could probably learn a thing or two."
"Probably."
The two men continued having their coffee and stood in a mutual silence while gazing out into the hills watching the sun continue to rise. After some minutes went by, Frank took another sip and looked over at Cory.
"Make her breakfast in bed."
"Huh?"
"Nicole, you should get in there and make her breakfast in bed. Especially after the way ya kept her up half the damn night."
"She kept me up.."
"Yeah yeah, make her breakfast in bed ya dumb ape. I use to do that for my Maggie. Her favorite was French toast and eggs with a bloody Mary."
"Of course she had to have a bloody Mary, putting up with your ass all them years."
"Then I'd turn on the record payer and play her favorite Billie Holiday record. She really enjoyed that.. I think."
"I'm sure she did Frank. That sounds like a good idea. I don't know how she feels about Billie Holiday but how do you think she'd feel about Garth Brooks?"
"He's a bum! Don't you butcher my idea!"
Chevy laughed, finishing up his coffee. Frank hated Garth Brooks for some reason. But he hated alot of Chevy's music. He always said it was dumb redneck honky tonk garbage and had no real soul to the likes of Frank Sinatra, or Miles Davis, or Dean Martin. Cory turned and went back inside with Frank following him. To their surprise, Nicole was already up and in the kitchen preparing breakfast.
"Damn Chevy. You better marry this one."
Chevy shot a scowl over at Frank and jabbed him in his side with his elbow. The old man took it well but was over selling it for the lady's sympathy.
"Do you see the abuse I live with, you sure you wanna be around this guy miss?"
Nicole laughed as she laid out some strips of bacon in the cast iron skillet.
"I don't believe we've been introduced yet. I'm Frank O'Leary and I've been raising this big dumb bastard most of his adult life."
"Nice to meet you Frank, I'm Nicole Sanders. How do you like your eggs?"
"Sunny side up my dear! I like you already!"
Frank pulled a chair out from the dining table and took a seat. Grinning like a pig in shit as he glanced over to Cory and winked. Cory, suddenly feeling useless and desperate to shake it off began going through the fridge and cabinets to help her prepare. Nicole quickly ran him out of the way, as she seemed to be doing fine on her own.
"I know what I'm doing you just sit down."
Frank burst out with a "HEH!"
"I like her a lot. Shes already got your kitchen figured out and is telling you where to go."
"Frank don't you have somewhere to be?"
"He's right where he should be, be nice to the sweet old man. Cory's told me stories but he didn't mention what a charmer you were."
"That sounds like him. All he's ever done is complain about me."
"No he had nothing but wonderful things to say about you."
Chevelle sat down, baffled. Was Frank trying to swoop in on his girl right in front of him? Were they really getting along this well so soon. Frank had a tendency to be over protective and this usually meant he hated the women Chevy dated since his divorce. He didn't know how to feel about any of it to e honest.
"So Nicole, where ya from, how'd you two meet?"
"Kentucky. And we met through a mutual friend, my boss, Coral Rose. Next thing I know he's flying me out to meet him and taking me to Alaskan getaways."
"HA-Haa, atta' boy! And I always liked Kentucky. Not enough I'd live there but I always enjoyed visiting. Real down to earth folk it seemed like."
She made her way over to Chevy with a fresh pot of coffee and poured him another cup. He smiled and thanked her but his eyes were more focused on her bare legs as she walked around in his shirt from the night before. Then she began serving out the food. Eggs and bacon, nothing fancy but smelled amazing to the men. Maybe they were just tired of each other's cooking but neither wasted time to start scarfing it down.
"Pardon my manners miss, but this is really good! Haven't had eggs this good since my Maggie was still here."
"Is Maggie your wife?"
Frank nodded
"Yeah, she's deceased now. Has been for..."
Cory could see Frank struggling to remember, and it concerned him. He quickly chimed in on Frank's behalf knowing the old man gets embarrassed when he can't remember things.
"Sixteen years now. Maggie was a damn good woman, sweetest lady you'd ever meet. Don't know why she put up with Frank as long as she did. Frank and her use to go out dancing at balls and street dances... Old man's got some moves too and he's not a half bad singer are ya Frank."
The old man smiled and shot a wink at Nicole.
"Babe, Frank's right, this is great! I was gonna make you breakfast but ya-"
"Beat you to it?"
"Yes ma'am, and thank you. Your cooking turned out better than mine any day."
"That's no lie!"
"Frank..."
Frank laughed some more and finished up his coffee.
"Oh by the way kid, you got another letter from your brother."
"Brother?"
Nicole seemed confused, since Chevy never mentioned any siblings but his sister. She also noticed him tense up at that moment, giving a nod to Frank.
"Yeah, no I didn't mention it because I want nothing to do with him. He's in prison, the feds nailed him for some murders and organized crime."
"Not the family business they were raised to know, ya might say. Chevy never had any involvement with him or any of that stuff, if it makes ya feel any better miss."
"Oh my, murders as in-"
"Oh yeah. So he writes from time to time despite I haven't answered him in years, and lately he's been sending em again."
"And you're not the least bit curious as to what he might want?"
"Nope. He made his choices, he's dead to this family and that's all I care to speak of him if everyone is okay with that."
An awkward silence fell over the room before Nicole broke the silence.
"So what else about you don't I know? Are your parents still alive?"
"Yeah but they're retired. They live a few miles down the road. I bought my dad's land when I finally made a real check."
"Do they ever come to any of your shows?"
"Ha, no not in years. They're not really fans of the business and don't watch TV anyway. They're good people, always been supportive of me. My mom hates the violence and to my dad, it's a man's soap opera."
Nicole laughed, sipping from her coffee while listening. She could tell he didn't care much talking about his family, but didn't really see why.
"I made sure they have comfortable life though and neither of em would have to work again so that was good I guess. Given everything they did for me and put up with."
"His dad had a hell of a time with him as a teenager. Chevy liked to fight."
"Yeah I was ornery."
"I can't imagine that." she said, sarcastically
Chevy smiled and nodded.
"Has he introduced ya to his kids yet?"
"No, but I've heard a lot about them while we were in Alaska."
"They'll like you, dont worry. You've met Haley right? If she's given ya the seal of approval then the twins will do the same. Watch out for the boy though, he's smooth."
"I will beat his ass and he knows it."
"Haley's wonderful! Can't wait to meet Kull and Lilith, right?"
"Mhm. They're both off in school. Lilith wants to be a doctor, Kull...well he's more focused on MMA than he is his schooling I think."
"Haley's the mother hen of the family." Frank said.
"Do any of them wanna follow in your footsteps and get into the ring?"
"I hope not. If they do it'll be Kull or Haley."
"Haley's the one to watch. That girl has a mind for the business and it's only growing in her. She trains with you for a reason."
"I'm not keeping her from anything."
"Oh you hover over that girl like she's still a little kid Chev! I get it, but you need to let her be her own woman."
"Hey their mom is the one-"
"That broad always hated the business anyway. That was more because of you though. Sorry, his ex-wife was a sweet woman for the most part but she did him dirty in this divorce."
"I don't wanna talk about Anna either. Jesus."
"How'd she do him dirty?"
"She took the kids and was getting a quarter of a mill in alimony. Nearly took him under the years later when he took some time away from wrestling, he got the kids and a judge with a level head that changed the order. He was a damn mess though there for a while. I didn't know how or if we would pull through it. But he did, by God."
Nicole looked over at Chevy who just stared down at his cup, face slowly turning red and he began clenching his right hand into a fist. She gently reached over and took his hand, smiling at him when he looked back up at her.
"Yep. Marriage was not my gig. I was gone a lot, there were always other women around and I wasn't the greatest husband then. I wanted to be home with the kids more but someone had to support us and the money I made then was ridiculous. Couldn't turn it down, couldn't give up the sport. It took her leaving to sorta put things into perspective for me."
"She was a good mom, but Jesus Christ she turned into a greedy bitch at the end. Pardon my language. Well, I'm gonna go visit the horses I think. You gonna get any work done today or you just gonna sit around here playing house with her?"
Chevy turned to Frank, annoyed.
"How many times are you gonna ask me that today? Don't worry about what I'm gonna do and just make yourself useful around here for a change."
Frank laughed and nodded as he left the table and went out the front door. Chevelle and Nicole sat there together for a minute before Chevy turned his head to her with a grin.
"Well, we're alone finally.."
"Shower. Now."
End.
It was early in the morning, the sun had barely came up over the horizon of the land back at the Chevelle homestead. The cows had began stirring around and grazing off in the fields. You could hear the herd mooing for miles it seemed like. Cory stood quietly on the wrap-around porch of his home, sipping coffee and listening to the herd. His faithful dog, Bud at his side waiting for breakfast. The screen door behind Chevy suddenly opened, and out came Frank with his cup of coffee as well.
"You gonna get any work done today?"
The old man said, baring a grin across his rigid and defined face. Chevy took a sip and nodded. Then he looked over to Frank..
"I reckon so. You should try it sometime, or do you even remember what work is?"
"Son, I put up with you all these years. Best believe I know what work is. So that gal up in your room is that-"
"Nicole. Be nice to her."
"Be nice to her, hell I feel sorry for her. What's she see in you?"
Chevy smiled and shook his head, shrugging his shoulders while watching the steam roll out from his cup.
"I don't know but I kinda like her so she'll probably be around some."
"Oh. What's Haley think of-"
"They've met, they get along. Like I said.. be nice."
"You know in my day I was known for my reputation as a complete gentleman. You could probably learn a thing or two."
"Probably."
The two men continued having their coffee and stood in a mutual silence while gazing out into the hills watching the sun continue to rise. After some minutes went by, Frank took another sip and looked over at Cory.
"Make her breakfast in bed."
"Huh?"
"Nicole, you should get in there and make her breakfast in bed. Especially after the way ya kept her up half the damn night."
"She kept me up.."
"Yeah yeah, make her breakfast in bed ya dumb ape. I use to do that for my Maggie. Her favorite was French toast and eggs with a bloody Mary."
"Of course she had to have a bloody Mary, putting up with your ass all them years."
"Then I'd turn on the record payer and play her favorite Billie Holiday record. She really enjoyed that.. I think."
"I'm sure she did Frank. That sounds like a good idea. I don't know how she feels about Billie Holiday but how do you think she'd feel about Garth Brooks?"
"He's a bum! Don't you butcher my idea!"
Chevy laughed, finishing up his coffee. Frank hated Garth Brooks for some reason. But he hated alot of Chevy's music. He always said it was dumb redneck honky tonk garbage and had no real soul to the likes of Frank Sinatra, or Miles Davis, or Dean Martin. Cory turned and went back inside with Frank following him. To their surprise, Nicole was already up and in the kitchen preparing breakfast.
"Damn Chevy. You better marry this one."
Chevy shot a scowl over at Frank and jabbed him in his side with his elbow. The old man took it well but was over selling it for the lady's sympathy.
"Do you see the abuse I live with, you sure you wanna be around this guy miss?"
Nicole laughed as she laid out some strips of bacon in the cast iron skillet.
"I don't believe we've been introduced yet. I'm Frank O'Leary and I've been raising this big dumb bastard most of his adult life."
"Nice to meet you Frank, I'm Nicole Sanders. How do you like your eggs?"
"Sunny side up my dear! I like you already!"
Frank pulled a chair out from the dining table and took a seat. Grinning like a pig in shit as he glanced over to Cory and winked. Cory, suddenly feeling useless and desperate to shake it off began going through the fridge and cabinets to help her prepare. Nicole quickly ran him out of the way, as she seemed to be doing fine on her own.
"I know what I'm doing you just sit down."
Frank burst out with a "HEH!"
"I like her a lot. Shes already got your kitchen figured out and is telling you where to go."
"Frank don't you have somewhere to be?"
"He's right where he should be, be nice to the sweet old man. Cory's told me stories but he didn't mention what a charmer you were."
"That sounds like him. All he's ever done is complain about me."
"No he had nothing but wonderful things to say about you."
Chevelle sat down, baffled. Was Frank trying to swoop in on his girl right in front of him? Were they really getting along this well so soon. Frank had a tendency to be over protective and this usually meant he hated the women Chevy dated since his divorce. He didn't know how to feel about any of it to e honest.
"So Nicole, where ya from, how'd you two meet?"
"Kentucky. And we met through a mutual friend, my boss, Coral Rose. Next thing I know he's flying me out to meet him and taking me to Alaskan getaways."
"HA-Haa, atta' boy! And I always liked Kentucky. Not enough I'd live there but I always enjoyed visiting. Real down to earth folk it seemed like."
She made her way over to Chevy with a fresh pot of coffee and poured him another cup. He smiled and thanked her but his eyes were more focused on her bare legs as she walked around in his shirt from the night before. Then she began serving out the food. Eggs and bacon, nothing fancy but smelled amazing to the men. Maybe they were just tired of each other's cooking but neither wasted time to start scarfing it down.
"Pardon my manners miss, but this is really good! Haven't had eggs this good since my Maggie was still here."
"Is Maggie your wife?"
Frank nodded
"Yeah, she's deceased now. Has been for..."
Cory could see Frank struggling to remember, and it concerned him. He quickly chimed in on Frank's behalf knowing the old man gets embarrassed when he can't remember things.
"Sixteen years now. Maggie was a damn good woman, sweetest lady you'd ever meet. Don't know why she put up with Frank as long as she did. Frank and her use to go out dancing at balls and street dances... Old man's got some moves too and he's not a half bad singer are ya Frank."
The old man smiled and shot a wink at Nicole.
"Babe, Frank's right, this is great! I was gonna make you breakfast but ya-"
"Beat you to it?"
"Yes ma'am, and thank you. Your cooking turned out better than mine any day."
"That's no lie!"
"Frank..."
Frank laughed some more and finished up his coffee.
"Oh by the way kid, you got another letter from your brother."
"Brother?"
Nicole seemed confused, since Chevy never mentioned any siblings but his sister. She also noticed him tense up at that moment, giving a nod to Frank.
"Yeah, no I didn't mention it because I want nothing to do with him. He's in prison, the feds nailed him for some murders and organized crime."
"Not the family business they were raised to know, ya might say. Chevy never had any involvement with him or any of that stuff, if it makes ya feel any better miss."
"Oh my, murders as in-"
"Oh yeah. So he writes from time to time despite I haven't answered him in years, and lately he's been sending em again."
"And you're not the least bit curious as to what he might want?"
"Nope. He made his choices, he's dead to this family and that's all I care to speak of him if everyone is okay with that."
An awkward silence fell over the room before Nicole broke the silence.
"So what else about you don't I know? Are your parents still alive?"
"Yeah but they're retired. They live a few miles down the road. I bought my dad's land when I finally made a real check."
"Do they ever come to any of your shows?"
"Ha, no not in years. They're not really fans of the business and don't watch TV anyway. They're good people, always been supportive of me. My mom hates the violence and to my dad, it's a man's soap opera."
Nicole laughed, sipping from her coffee while listening. She could tell he didn't care much talking about his family, but didn't really see why.
"I made sure they have comfortable life though and neither of em would have to work again so that was good I guess. Given everything they did for me and put up with."
"His dad had a hell of a time with him as a teenager. Chevy liked to fight."
"Yeah I was ornery."
"I can't imagine that." she said, sarcastically
Chevy smiled and nodded.
"Has he introduced ya to his kids yet?"
"No, but I've heard a lot about them while we were in Alaska."
"They'll like you, dont worry. You've met Haley right? If she's given ya the seal of approval then the twins will do the same. Watch out for the boy though, he's smooth."
"I will beat his ass and he knows it."
"Haley's wonderful! Can't wait to meet Kull and Lilith, right?"
"Mhm. They're both off in school. Lilith wants to be a doctor, Kull...well he's more focused on MMA than he is his schooling I think."
"Haley's the mother hen of the family." Frank said.
"Do any of them wanna follow in your footsteps and get into the ring?"
"I hope not. If they do it'll be Kull or Haley."
"Haley's the one to watch. That girl has a mind for the business and it's only growing in her. She trains with you for a reason."
"I'm not keeping her from anything."
"Oh you hover over that girl like she's still a little kid Chev! I get it, but you need to let her be her own woman."
"Hey their mom is the one-"
"That broad always hated the business anyway. That was more because of you though. Sorry, his ex-wife was a sweet woman for the most part but she did him dirty in this divorce."
"I don't wanna talk about Anna either. Jesus."
"How'd she do him dirty?"
"She took the kids and was getting a quarter of a mill in alimony. Nearly took him under the years later when he took some time away from wrestling, he got the kids and a judge with a level head that changed the order. He was a damn mess though there for a while. I didn't know how or if we would pull through it. But he did, by God."
Nicole looked over at Chevy who just stared down at his cup, face slowly turning red and he began clenching his right hand into a fist. She gently reached over and took his hand, smiling at him when he looked back up at her.
"Yep. Marriage was not my gig. I was gone a lot, there were always other women around and I wasn't the greatest husband then. I wanted to be home with the kids more but someone had to support us and the money I made then was ridiculous. Couldn't turn it down, couldn't give up the sport. It took her leaving to sorta put things into perspective for me."
"She was a good mom, but Jesus Christ she turned into a greedy bitch at the end. Pardon my language. Well, I'm gonna go visit the horses I think. You gonna get any work done today or you just gonna sit around here playing house with her?"
Chevy turned to Frank, annoyed.
"How many times are you gonna ask me that today? Don't worry about what I'm gonna do and just make yourself useful around here for a change."
Frank laughed and nodded as he left the table and went out the front door. Chevelle and Nicole sat there together for a minute before Chevy turned his head to her with a grin.
"Well, we're alone finally.."
"Shower. Now."
End.
