Chapter 67

Almost 6 months later...

Matt and Angela had been going out for almost 6 whole months. They didn’t see a whole lot of each other but it seemed to help there relationship, trying to make the time to see each other. They both loved the long romantic notes and the pager messages and the quick calls. They loved the excitment of sneaking away to see each other in the corner of a dark hallway or sending messages through friends in order to meet, or to send a note to each other... it was exciting. They made things between them romantic and sweet and made the challenge of finding the time to see each other more thrilling and adventurous. It made them more crazy about each other.

Raw Night.... in Seattle, Washington. Matt was sitting in his hotel room flipping through the stations to find something good on TV to watch when his cell phone started ringing. He reached to the coffee table and grabbed it, pressing a button then saying hello.

"Hey." Matt said noticing Angela’s cell phone number. She had gone back to the arena to rehearse for the show that night. He’d gotten to see her for a few minutes before she left but he wished he could have more time with her.

"Matt." Angela said as she walked through a hallway at the back of the arena to go to her locker room and get changed.

"Hey, where are you? You at the arena yet?" Matt asked turning the TV on mute and lying back across the couch.

"Yeah I’m on my way to my locker room, uh Matt I got a call from my aunt when I was in the car on the way here." Angela said softly sighing.

"Yeah, what’d she have to say?" Matt asked watching the fire dance in the fireplace casting shadows over his dark room.

"She wants me to come visit her and my uncle. She said my cousin Colleen and her husband will be there and she told me I have to come, its sort of a family reunion thing. I really don’t want to go by myself, would you think about going with me?" Angela asked softly as she got inside her locker room and sat down on her couch waiting to here Matt’s response.

Matt sat up surprised, he had learned a lot about her so far in the time they’ve been together, and enjoyed everything he knew about her, but her family was a subject that Angela seemed to stray from whenever the subject would come up.

Angela always found a way to change the subject and he never pushed her remembering those nights before they’d finally kissed, the first weeks when he’d meet her... when she was so upset and she’d say she didn’t want to talk about whatever had been bothering her, and she promised she’d tell him someday. She hadn’t yet.

Matt never pushed the subject, not wanting to upset her, he didn’t want to spoil the little time they got to see each other and he always let the subject drift. He had invited her home with him one weekend and his father adored her, he thought she was wonderful, and that she was a great match for Matt.

Now suddenly Matt had a chance to meet some of her family and he was amazed that she wanted him to go. "You want me to go meet your aunt?" Matt asked making sure he understood her.

"Yes." Angela said simply. "Will you come with me, I don’t want to go alone...." Angela said not wanting to go at all, fearing to bring back so many bad memories that she’d worked hard to forget now that she had Matt. Jack.... Ray..... The past she feared continuously in the back of her mind. But at least if Matt was with her she decided she’d feel better about having to go herself.

Matt smiled staring into the fire, listening to his sweet & gentle girlfriends voice, how could he say no? He was interested in meeting them, and he would get to see Angela for more then a mere few minutes... "Angie of course I’ll go with, I’d love to go...." Matt said softly thinking of her.

"Really?" Angela asked smiling, feeling better. "Matt your great, I already told Vince I was going to be leaving Wednesday morning so I can stay for the Smackdown taping, I’ll let him know your coming with me.... We’ll be back by Sunday... Matt I’m so glad you wanna go, I just really don’t want to go alone, thanks so much, at least we’ll get to spend some time together." Angela said softly smiling as she thought of how awesome Matt truly was.

"I know I wanna spend some time with you... I’m surprised that you want me to go." Matt said sighing.

"I really do... thank you, Matt this means a lot to me. I gotta go I’m late already. We’ll talk later, are you coming tonight? I know you don’t have a match but you could come and hangout and then maybe if you wanna we can go get something to eat after the show?" Angela asked softly as she got up stretching as she went to her bag and got out her wrestling clothes to change.

"Sure you know I’ll be there. I’ll come by a little later okay, we can go out if you wanna thats fine with me." Matt said yawning.

Angela sighed, "Okay, I better go I’ll see you later then, Matt be careful." Angela said pulling her hair from its messy ponytail.

"I will, you be careful too, I’ll see you later. Bye Ang." Matt said softly hanging up and sitting back wondering what to expect in the days that would follow.

***

Matt spent much of Tuesday packing to go with Angela. Angela was busy at the arena taping Smackdown. Matt was tired by the time he was done and he fell onto the couch and started to doze off when he heard the a knock on his hotel room door. Matt groaned rubbing his head, then he got up and went to the door.

He was surprised to find Jay standing there. "Hey." Matt said smiling at him. "Come on in." Matt said opening the door wider as Jay came inside. Matt followed him to the couch and sat down next to him. "Whats up Jay?"

"Not much, I was bored, so I figured I’d stop by and hangout with you for a while, seeing as your leaving in the morning...." Jay said softly smiling.

"Yeah I just finished packing." Matt said smiling at him.

"I just got back from a dress shop with Trish, God women like to shop, its so boring, I see a pair of jeans I like, or a shirt, I try it on I buy it, sometimes I just buy it! But no! Women they go and shop for hours & hours and are so picky I just don’t get it!" Jay said groaning.

Matt laughed, "She’s dress shopping already? What for? Your wedding isn’t until next May! Why’d she make you go, jezze. Well you know Trish she’s gonna want everything to be perfect. The whole wedding planning thing is a girlie thing anyways." Matt said laughing as Jay rolled his eye’s.

"Well anyways, I take it things are getting pretty serious between you and Angela if she’s bringing you home to meet the family." Jay said chuckling as he watched Matt grin.

"I dunno, I guess you could look at it that way." Matt said softly, "she’s already met my father, I’m really excited to be meeting her family, I told you how she changes that subject so I’m eager to be meeting these people." Matt said softly glancing at Jay.

"Your so gonna marry her you know, I just know you are. I can sense these things Matt." Jay said watching Matt, who burst into laughter.

"Jay my God! Well to be honest the idea has occurred to me hundreds of times, I’d love to be married to her, to be with her forever, for always, I love her." Matt said softly staring at one his close friends.

Jay patted Matt’s shoulder smiling, "I know you do, and I know, I feel it, Angela loves you Matt." Jay said as Matt grinned.

"I hope she does." Matt said softly as Jay smiled at him.

"She does." Jay insisted softly. "So when are you going to tell her?" Jay asked staring at Matt. Matt groaned, "I dunno, I was thinking maybe on our 6th month anniversary, you know, set it up real romantic or something, I dunno. I’ll think of something." Matt said softly shrugging as Jay smiled.

***

It was a long flight to New Jersey. Matt sat next to Angela silently deep in thought. The conversation he had last had with Jay fresh in his mind.

He heard his words over and over again.... "to be honest the idea has occurred to me hundreds of times, I’d love to be married to her, to be with her forever, for always, I love her......." "I know you do, and I know, I feel it, Angela loves you Matt."

Jay thought that Angela loved him. Did she? Could she possibly? Matt wondered if Angela knew how much she meant to him, did she know how much he loved her, how she’d quickly become everything to him.!?

Matt sat silently stunned and bewildered by the sheer amazement of how it was possible to love someone so much, and not have them know, he knew he needed to tell her, he wanted her to know.

The wheels in his head started turning as he planned the perfect way to tell her at long last... RAW next Monday was going to be in Las Vegas.... the glorious city where he had first meet her.....6 months ago....

Besides there anniversary was coming up shortly anyways.......

***

Once they landed, they made there way to there rental car and Angela drove the way to her Aunts house.

Matt sighed as he layed his head back staring out the front window, listening to Angela humming to the music. He glanced over at her, noticing that she was biting her bottom lip, something he had come to notice she did only when she was nervous.

"Nervous?" Matt asked softly as Angela glanced at him.

Then she sighed, "A little, I haven’t been back to see my aunt for a couple of years... its been a long time, I’m just not sure if I can see her, if I can be back here...." Angela said softly knowing she had already said more then she had wanted to.

"Why haven’t you gone to see her?" Matt asked softly trying to be patient and not dwell on the topic to long because he could tell Angela didn’t want to talk about the family thing.

Angela took a breath and shrugged, "I dunno, I just haven’t I guess." Angela said softly as she turned into a long driveway. "Were here." Angela said quietly as she felt Matt’s eye’s. Matt looked out the front window and saw a big house in the distance, with the water from the ocean surrounding it.

***

Angela parked next to a huge Chevy Blazer, and got out as Matt saw an older lady and a Golden Retriever running from the house towards the driveway.

"Angela!" The older lady yelled as the dog started barking. Matt got out and watched Angela smiling as she embraced the woman. The dog ran over to him and sniffed him, then the dog began licking his hand, and Matt patted his head gently.

The older lady who he figured was Angela’s Aunt, Jenny was going on and on about how incredible Angela looked and Matt couldn’t disagree. Angela laughed as her aunt finally let go of her and suddenly seemed to notice him.

"Hello!" She said coming to shake his hand.

"Umm Aunt Jenny this is Matt Hardy, he’s my...." Angela started to say when her aunt who was shaking Matt’s hand and giggling and smiling interrupted her.

"Angela he’s gorgeous!" Her aunt said staring at Matt as he started laughing and Angela blushed as her aunt glanced back at her.

Matt looked at Angela as she rubbed her forehead embarrassed, then let out a sigh staring at Matt, "Yeah he is." Angela mumbled as she looked back at her aunt who finally let go of Matt’s hand and was giggling as she stared at him.

Matt watched the middle aged woman, with light brown short curly graying hair, and dark green eye’s, she was wearing a long yellow house coat and she had on more blush then was nessacary. As Matt started at her he could see the small resemblance of his girlfriend in her.

"I’m Angela’s Aunt Jenny.... its a pleasure to finally meet you Matt! I’ve heard so much about you, its wonderful to have you here!" Jenny said smiling excitedly at Matt.

She seemed like a bit of a high strung woman, yet harmless, and almost witty, she was nice, and friendly, and seemed to love Angela very much from what Matt noticed already. He decided he liked her.

"It’s great to be here, ma’am." Matt said staring at Jenny as she burst into laughter and turned back looking at Angela who looked more red now.

"Angela did you here what he called me? Ma’am! I love it!" She said laughing as she looked back at Matt.

"Matt deary you don’t need to call me ma’am.... ma’am now that’s funny! Just call me Aunt Jenny!" She said staring at him as she raised her eyebrows giggling, emphasizing the word "aunt." Matt sighed as she slipped her arm around his and started back towards the house Angela and the dog following behind.

Her aunt gibber jabbered all the way to the doorway and then when they got inside she let go of Matt’s arm and began yelling that Angela had arrived.

The next several minutes Matt spent watching Angela hugging and smiling and laughing with her family as the all gathered in the hallway to greet her. Matt stood back giving her time to greet her family without being very noticed.

First there was her Uncle Richie. He was an older looking man with graying blonde hair and small mustache. He was almost as tall as Angela, even in his older age. He smiled and called her kiddo as he hugged her telling her it was good to see her. He was wearing a pair of bright green shorts and an official WWE "Angel" T-shirt in her honor.

Then her cousin Colleen was hugging her. She looked a lot like Angela, but several years older. She had long dark curly brown hair and dark green eye’s, she was just a bit shorter then Angela and she seemed friendly. She was wearing a short white sun dress with pale pink flowers and her smile was pleasant. She hugged Angela telling her its been to damn long since she’s seen her, and then that she looked wonderful, and that they watch her on wrestling all the time.

Angela laughed at that and smiled as her cousin’s husband Joe came next to hug her. He was a tall, fairly good looking guy, lawyer type, who seemed friendly. He had short brown hair and wore a pair of red shorts and a white T-shirt. He told Angela it was great to see her and that she looked awesome.

Matt was standing next to Jenny waiting to be introduced to everyone. After Angela had hugged Joe she glanced back at Matt, he was standing in the hallway behind them in the living room.

Angela reached for his hand and Matt took hers. Angela smiled at everybody and sighed, "Uncle Richie, Colleen, Joe, this is my boyfriend, Matt..."

Colleen giggled interrupting Angela, "Matt Hardy!"

Matt smiled at her and glanced at Angela grinning, "Hi everybody." Matt said as Angela’s uncle came to shake his hand and then Joe, and Colleen just stood staring at him in disbelief.

Matt felt good know that he had finally meet these people related to Angela.

"Can I have your auto graph." Colleen said finally smiling. Everyone laughed at that, and both Matt and Angela were happy to have something to sort of help to break the ice.

***

The group moved out back to the deck where Angela’s Uncle and Joe, were barbecuing, hot-dogs and hamburgers, and some chicken. The ladies sat down at the picnic table and started chatting.

Matt watched from the doorway of the deck for a moment and looked towards the guys, "You need a hand?" Matt asked watching Rich flip the burgers.

"Naw, Matt you go ahead and relax, your a guest, you’ve had a long trip, go sit with Angela." Rich said as Joe smiled at him and patted his arm.

Matt sighed as he made his way over and sat down next to Angela. She smiled at him and slipped her hand into his under the table.

"So how long have you two been dating?" Colleen asked sipping a lemonade, and fanning herself with her hand.

It was very warm out, and Jenny started pouring both Angela and Matt glasses of lemonade.

Angela sighed, "About 6 months, we started going around Christmas time." Angela said softly as she glanced at Matt. Matt grinned thanking Jenny for the lemonade taking a drink.

"So how’s the whole wrestling thing going? Do you like it?" Colleen asked excitedly smiling from Angela to Matt.

Angela shook her head, "I love it, its great, I think I’ve gotten better at it." Angela said softly.

Matt took a breath and smiled, "Angela’s become an excellent wrestler, I’ve seen her improve tremendously since she started with the WWE." Matt said smiling at Colleen.

"Awww!" Colleen said giggling as Angela rolled her eye’s.

Matt looked down at Angela next to him and he smiled. Angela sighed leaning against him and resting her head against him.

"Say Angela, what’s Trish like?" Joe asked turning to look at her from across the deck.

Angela giggled as Colleen turned and glanced at her husband, "Your such a typical guy!" She said staring at him. Joe shrugged and began to chuckle.

"He knows I don’t like her.... but he does! She wears such ohh I dunno, her clothes are just to over the top!" Colleen said looking back to Angela.

"Thats the appeal of it!" Joe insisted watching Colleen.

At that Uncle rich joined in, "Hell Colleen honey, I like her, and her clothes or lack of it!" Uncle Richie said joinning the conversation turning to look at his daughter. Matt and Angela , and Joe laughed.

"Ohh shut up Rich you old fart!" Jenny said tossing a rolled up napkin across the deck at him.

Rich shrugged and turned back to the barbecue. Matt grinned as he felt Angela squeeze his hand. Matt looked down at her and smiled seeing her sparkling eye’s. She looked amazing.

Angela grinned at him and then looked across to table at Colleen who was still eyeing her husband disgusted. "She’s nice, she one of my close friends, you know Christian right?" Angela asked staring at Colleen.

"Yeah, he’s so cute!" Colleen said as Joe groaned and turned back to the barbecue himself, and Matt chuckled. "His real name is Jason, we call him Jay okay. He and Trish have been together for a long time right, like forever, so we all went up to his lodge for Christmas up in Canada, and he proposed to her, it was the sweetest thing ever!" Angela giggled as Colleen held her hand over mouth shocked.

"He’s a great guy. He’s one of my best friends." Matt said softly staring at Colleen who still looked dumbfounded by what Angela had told her.

A while later the food was served and Matt enjoyed the layed back atmosphere and the conversation & people. He was having a real good time.

***

After the table was cleared, Angela’s aunt left with her uncle to go make some coffee and tea and to bring some cookies. Matt couldn’t help a yawn and Angela smiled at him.

"Long flight huh?" Joe asked watching him.

Matt shook his head, "All the way from Seattle." Matt said grinning. Colleen continued to fan herself when suddenly a tabby cat jumped up and curled into her lap.

The four sat while Joe talked about a case he was working on and Colleen stroked the cat’s fur. It was a quiet, nice, and peaceful way to being the evening.

The sun was beginning to set and Matt could hear the waves from the ocean behind them. He was content and having a good time. Angela was next to him and he was chatting with her family, it felt good, he felt closer to her now.

Chapter 68
Chapter 66