Latest Roleplays
My hand rests upon the doorknob to my father’s bedroom. The house is rather still after an evening of raucous questions and drinks flowing pretty heavily for just about everyone, save for Lorelai and my father, who remained in his room. After draping a blanket over Lorelai, I notice the light on in his bedroom. One of my sisters mentioned earlier he would be up late, waiting for me. I just didn’t think he would follow through.
Now, I stand in front of his door, frozen and uncertain as to what is to come next.
I open the door and step inside to see my father lying in bed, propped up and reading the newspaper. He looks up at me, his eyes peering over the top of his glasses, and a faint smile appears on his face.
‘David,’ he says through pained breath. ‘Come, sit down.’
I nod my head, close the door behind me, and head towards a chair next to his bed. I notice he’s gone bald since the last time I saw him, is frail and hanging on the best he can.
Sitting next to him, he looks at me, and I see happiness in his eyes.
‘You’ve grown up good,’ he mutters. ‘Stockier than the girls. Lorelai, she looks like you.’
I simply smile, uncertain what to say.
‘I don’t have much longer,’ he continues. ‘I’m just glad you came to speak to me.’
‘Yeah,’ I respond. ‘I know we haven’t had the easiest relationship, but I figured I would regret it more if I didn’t come in and see you.’
My father nods his head and I see the pain and despair in his eyes. Tears flood his eyes and he immediately raises his hands to them, wiping them away.
‘Sorry,’ he offers. ‘I just, I don’t know. There’s so much for me to say. So many apologies I owe you, but they don’t really matter now, do they? I wasn’t fair to you growing up, I didn’t love you the way I should have.’
As the words leave his mouth, I’m stunned by the admission coming so easily.
‘You didn’t deserve the childhood you had. I owe you an explanation, but before we get there, tell me about your life. Tell me about your adventures. Tell me about your mountains and pits.’
As I look at him, he seems genuinely interested. For years, I thought adopted kids were just hated by their parents, but I came to find out that my case was special; that most adopted kids were loved by their parents. They looked at me aghast at the information that my father hated me.
Except in this moment, there is no hatred. Just pure interest and love.
I tell him about my time in wrestling, about Lorelai, about the period of time where I just floated seemingly untethered to the world. Each word, he hangs onto, and I wonder where this man was all my life, growing up.
After an hour, I can see he is tired, his face is drained.
‘Okay,’ I begin. ‘Let me give you some space so you can rest.’
He shakes his head. ‘Stay. I need to tell you my side of the story.’
‘No, Dad, we can talk tomorrow.’
He grabs my hand and I look at him. His eyes tell me everything that I need to know; there is no tomorrow.
I settle into my chair and turn to face him as he forces himself to sit up even straighter. His hands are shaking and I grab them, to settle them.
‘I’m going to tell you something, that is going to change your perception of everything you’ve ever known. I really wanted your mother to tell you this story, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it. And as I’m on the verge, there’s no one else to tell you this story. To explain to you why I treated you the way I treated you.’
I don’t respond.
‘Your mother and I had five girls in rapid succession. By the time you entered this world, all five of your sisters were already born. Andrea was nine. Eliza was two. The other girls were in between though far too young to truly form memories. Your mother, she wanted a boy so badly. She knew I wanted one too, but the idea of a sixth child was difficult to wrap my head around. As you know, we lived simply. We worked as hard as we could to provide for you and your sisters. Feeding seven mouths were already difficult. An eighth? I couldn’t fathom it.’
He pauses, his head lowers. ‘So, I rebuked your mother’s advances. I poured myself into my work and to the girls. I refused to sleep next to her. Because I was too weak, I would give in. So I slept on the couch, I made plans, I just tried to stay away from her as much as I could until she could finally accept that we weren’t going to have a sixth child. That would be my second biggest mistake.’
My father looks at me. ‘Because, by doing so, I pushed her away. The woman I loved more than anything, I just cast aside, and your mother was beautiful, even with having birthed five children. So the first man that gave her some attention, it was like water to her. She resisted at first, but before long, he managed to flirt my wife, the love of my life, into his bed. On multiple occasions.’
The words hit my ears, but I don’t believe them. I shake my head. ‘No, that’s not possible. That’s not—‘
‘I know,’ he offers. ‘That’s not your mother. I did that to your mother. I pushed her away, made her feel like she had to look elsewhere for attention, for love, for appreciation. She regretted it to her very core. She didn’t love this man, just the way he made her feel. And on some level, I couldn’t blame her. Because I’d done it to her, to us.’
He pauses for a moment, gathering himself, his hands shaking harder than before.
‘Except, with that, came a surprise that your mother wasn’t expecting.’
He looks at me and it dawns upon me.
It’s me. I’m not adopted. He simply nods his head, seeing the realization on my face.
‘It filled me with so much hate that I couldn’t give her the son that we both desperately wanted.’ Tears begin to stream down his face. ‘But I didn’t want to lose my wife. I didn’t want to break apart our family. So I made her a promise to raise you. We had to lie to everyone though and tell them you were adopted because otherwise, questions would be raised. You see, I’d had a vasectomy and had told people. I couldn’t let my wife wear the scarlet letter, I couldn’t watch her as it tore her apart.’
His eyes close. ‘And I couldn’t let her give you up for adoption. Because that would destroy her as well. So, we said we adopted you and raised you as our own. In her case, you were her own. You were her life. She found so much happiness in you. And I… I resented you for it. And I hate myself for doing that. Because you deserved love and I never truly gave it to you. Because I wasn’t man enough to be the man you needed me to be.’
He begins to sob. I can tell he has so much more to say, but he is sobbing so hard that I just take his hand and squeeze it as he rolls over onto his side and cries into his pillow, his greatest regret in life was his own actions and he’d held onto it for my entire life.
Until this moment.
I lean back in the chair, trying to make sense of everything he’s told me, unable to process it. I close my eyes, holding his hand.
* * *
[The following is a transcript of the March 23rd edition of the WrestleTalk show, aired lived on SiriusXM radio]
Wade Ross Sapp: Alright, my next guest tonight is someone who has been on our show quite a bit in recent months. He will be competing in the main event at High Octane Wrestling’s March to Glory event on March 27th, Mr. David Noble! David, thanks for calling in and booking some time in your day for us.
David Noble: Definitely, happy to be here. Training has been tight these past couple of weeks, but glad we managed to find a quick thirty-minute slot for us to talk.
WRS: Exactly and before we get going here, let me offer my condolences to you and your family after the passing of your father. I’ve lost both of my parents, so I understand how challenging and transforming that can be. How are you feeling? What is your mental state currently?
DN: Yeah, to say this has been difficult would be an understatement. Not only am I having to deal with that, but I have five sisters who also lost their father and they were far closer with him than I ever was.
WRS: Oh man, that can be brutal.
DN: Exactly, so trying to help pick those pieces up for them is going to be critical for me. The funeral service will be held next week, but I appreciate all of the messages I’ve seen pop up on Twitter and Facebook, even some of the Tim Tok videos, offering their well wishes. It was sorely needed during a difficult time and it is a constant reminder that I have some truly amazing fans.
WRS: You do indeed, fervent and aggressive, which I guess they take after you in that regard. Now, rumors are abound about a new contract offer that HOW has made you. Are you able to talk about that?
DN: Not much to talk about. We had some conversations after Fuse and I defeated Carey and Darkwing. Then my father passed and those conversations are on hold. We’ll talk about it after March to Glory.
WRS: Anything you’re hoping to get?
DN: Really not in a position to talk about it. That’s not where my mind is at. My mind is focused on my family first and foremost, coming to grips with our changing circumstances.
* * *
Three or four hours pass by.
I open my eyes, still holding his hand. Instead of the warmth I felt before, it is cold.
I look over at my father, his eyes closed. There is no movement from him. I know even before I check for a pulse that he is gone.
The tears come before I have a chance to process anything further. My chest heaves as I stand above him, his body growing stiffer and colder with each passing moment.
In the span of ten minutes, I curse at him, I curse him, I sob, I shut off all emotions, I crumple under the weight of said emotions and sob even harder, I tell him every angry emotion I’ve felt all of my life, knowing he can’t hear them.
And then I forgive him. Because he’s not perfect and neither am I. Because he tried the best he could and in the end, that’s what I will always remember. That he tried the best he could. So I have to let those emotions away.
So I stand there and not only forgive him, but forgive myself as well.
* * *
WRS: Now, you touched upon your match with Bobinette Carey and Darkwing. You undersold it and buried the lede a bit there. Noble Gaming didn’t just beat them, but you made the winning pin on Bobinette Carey to put your team in the finals. How are you feeling after that?
DN: I would be lying if I tried to tell you that it didn’t feel good. Defeating a Hall of Famer like that and making the pinfall is something that will always stick with you. Conor had done a fair bit of the heavy lifting in our previous matches. So I was more than happy to help lead our team to victory and put us in the main event at March to Glory.
WRS: I mean, when your knees connected with Carey’s face — BAM! — that was a truly monumental moment, was it not? I think everyone in the arena was shocked at what they saw. You really made the most out of your moment there.
DN: I did what I could and I was in the right spot at the right time, which is what wrestling is all about. It is about timing and being where you need to be to take advantage of an opportunity. That’s what I did.
WRS: Any discussion between Fuse and you about his friendship with Carey? He seemed a bit surprised by the move, by the ferocity that you showed in the match.
DN: Haven’t had much of a chance to discuss it yet, but I don’t see that being anything that gets between us. We’re on a strong path and I know he has my back, much like I have his.
WRS: Well, that pin on Bobinette Carey propelled Fuse and you to the finals of the Maurako Cup and the main event, where one team will be walking out as the new Tag Team Champions. So, before talking about your opponents, what are your thoughts on the match itself?
DN: I mean, this is everything that I ever wanted. I mean, I said on this show right here where I wanted to be and look at where we are.
WRS: Exactly, on the February 16th edition of our show, I have this recording of what you said and we will play it now:
To take this tournament by the horns and prove where I belong within HOW, to be up there with the JJR’s, the John Sektor’s, the Conor Fuse’s, you name the top echelon, that’s where I want to be.
WRS: Prophecy-like, right? Because Fuse and you defeated JJR, you’re teaming with Fuse, and you’re squaring off against Sektor and Page at March to Glory. Is it that surreal to see your words unfold before your very eyes?
DN: Without question. Even then, we were against the wall with no certainty as to what was going to unfold. Now, we’re just days away from one of these two teams walking out with the titles.
WRS: Okay, so let’s talk about your opponents.
DN: You know, it would be easy to come out here and run them down, but you’re talking about a protege like Adam Ellis who is still getting his awareness under him, getting his repetitions in, and he’s done a great job of holding his own against some very stiff competition. Next to him, you have the longest-reigning LSD Champion in HOW History at over 250 days, surpassing Jace Parker Davidson. A man that has defended that title eight times. He is nothing to sneeze at.
WRS: No, those are definitely some worthy challengers.
DN: Exactly. This match isn’t going to be won by talking trash about one another in the press or on radio shows, this kind of match is won in the only place it can be won, in the ring. This is a match that will push all four of us to the very edge because we all want to win this tournament, we want to win the titles, we want to win the main event. Remove the cup, remove the titles, and it wouldn’t matter. Because you have four wrestlers in the ring doing the very thing they love to do, which is competing.
WRS: I think that I couldn’t have said it any better than you. Sektor does have a match earlier in the evening, is that something that gives you an edge, you think?
DN: I feel for Sektor because that’s not easy for anyone. He has to go up against Arthur Pleasant and then come out later in the evening to wrestle once again. That’s not easy on anyone’s body. It’s going to be brutal and painful, and that might just give us an edge, but I know Sektor isn’t going to just lay down for us. He has a heart of a champion. The benefit for us is that so do Fuse and I. We’re going to lay everything we have out there on the line.
WRS: Well, I know that not only am I looking forward to this match but so are fans all over the world. Any final thoughts?
DN: Yeah, just want to wish Sektor and Ellis the best of luck on Sunday. We’re going to put on a show that the world will never forget and I’m honored to be doing with those two opposite of us. Don’t mistake my kind words though for softness or being weak. Take them as respect because if I respect you, you best believe I’m going to hit you harder than I’ve ever hit anyone before. Let’s make history.
WRS: Thanks David and you can catch this match at March to Glory, this Sunday, hailing live from the Best Arena in Chicago! We’ll be back after this commercial break.
* * *
A week goes by. My sisters have their final goodbye after I compose myself and tell them what has happened. Lorelai doesn’t leave my side. I tell her everything when we have a few minutes apart.
‘Man, I didn’t think your life could get even more fucked up.’ We both chuckle at the reality that my mother was actually my mother.
We bury the man, a deeply flawed man. While I don’t have the best memories, I remind myself that he raised me to the best of his abilities. My sisters need me to be stronger than I’ve ever been, so I follow the example of the only man I know who could weather the storm. I think about what he would do and act accordingly, becoming the rock my sisters need in that week.
As the seconds tick down though, I know I have to get back on the road and head to Chicago. Lorelai decides she will stay here and help out her aunts. She pauses after saying the word but doesn’t take it back. She knows this is her tribe now and that’s the most important part.
One morning, as I walk to the front door of the house to catch my flight to Chicago, Andrea is waiting for me outside.
‘I didn’t think you would be awake,’ I mutter as I close the door behind me.
‘Figured someone should see you off. Plus, can’t sleep.’
I nod my head. It’s been a common theme with my sisters this past week. As I look at her, I can see something on her face and I start to put two and two together.
‘You knew,’ I begin. ‘You were nine. You knew that I wasn’t adopted.’
She smiles. ‘Our sisters were too young to truly know what was happening. Mom and Dad were fighting all of the time. I could hear them, I understood what was happening. I heard them as Dad would call her a whore.’
Andrea slowly stands up, her long brown hair flowing freely. ‘I internalized that. I grew to hate you because the way I saw it, you broke them. Even though they still loved each other, I knew my Dad would hate you and he did. So I hated you for what you represented.’
I stand there, looking at her. There is a fire in my eyes. She looks at me and instead of a look of regret, she looks defiant.
‘And I wouldn’t take any of it back,’ she responds. ‘You broke my parents.’
I nod my head, a smile appearing on my face. She then reaches down to the chair she was sitting in and hands me a weathered letter.
‘Dad asked me to give you this.’
I check, the letter is still sealed.
‘We will have to figure out how to get along with all this.’
I simply laugh. ‘Andrea, not in a million fucking years.’
With that, I make my way to my truck and open the driver’s side door. I look up and see her still standing on the porch. I get into the truck and take the letter she handed me. I open it and see my father’s handwriting.
You became a man despite the way I raised you. That shows me your character. The only person holding you back is you.
Don’t let it any longer. Become who you were always supposed to be.
Love, Dad
I smile, closing my eyes in the process. I can feel the tears stinging my eyelids, but manage to keep them contained. I open my eyes and see there’s one last little note.
P.S. The house is yours. Take care of your sisters.
With that, I fold the letter back up and return it to the envelope before putting it on the passenger seat. I look out as I see the sun rising on the horizon. I turn the car on and begin to drive towards it.
I knew as I pulled away that it was my time.
My time to march to glory.