Post by Halo on Apr 7, 2023 20:36:22 GMT -7
Off-Camera
Friday, April 7, 2023
Office of Seleana Zdunich
Zdunich Zoological Gardens
Los Angeles, California
6:01 PM PDT
It had been an interesting week for Seleana Zdunich. She and her sister had lost their tag team match and thus their championships and her daughter-in-law had also lost on the same card in the main event. Now she was to focus on her next match with Krystal Wolfe but even before that got her on Sunday, Seleana was going over things here for the zoo. Several animals were to be added to their collection in the next week and certain paperwork had to be completed in advance. As she looks over what is left to do, Halo arrives in the doorway to the office.
Seleana Zdunich: HayJo?
Halo nods to her mother-in-law.
Halo: Hey, Mama Sel.
Seleana cocks her head, concern seeping into her eyes.
Seleana Zdunich: What’s wrong?
Halo shrugs almost as if nothing matters at all.
Halo: Who said anythin’ was wrong?
Seleana sits back in her chair and allows her head to become more upright again.
Seleana Zdunich: You are keen to talk, ja?
Halo starts to retort but then catches herself and simply nods.
Halo: Yeah, Mama Sel, I am…
Seleana nods invitingly.
Seleana Zdunich: What troubles you?
Halo exhales heavily.
Halo: I did it again.
Seleana frowns in confusion.
Seleana Zdunich: Did what again?
Halo shakes her head, her hands balling fists.
Halo: I let him bait me into somethin’ stupid… again!
Seleana nods, comprehension dawning for the Swedish woman.
Seleana Zdunich: And this angers you, ja?
Almost shaking, Halo’s eyes squeeze shut, her fists rising up in front of her as her frustration threatens to explode.
Halo: I should have…
Throwing her head back in anger, Halo pounds her fists against her own thighs.
Halo: Goddammit, I should have known better! I knew somethin’ was comin’ and I let him do it again!
Her head returns to its original upright position and then droops forward slightly, her eyes still squeezing shut even as they start to burn.
Halo: I knew the first night I should have just shut up and let him be the idiot who skipped his chance to be the man but NO, I couldn’t do that. I had to let him bait me into given’ him a chance that I KNEW was…
She pounds her right fist again.
Halo: FUCK!
Seleana nods slowly.
Seleana Zdunich: And now you feel you have allowed it to happen another time?
Halo nods, her eyes slowly opening as angry tears stream down her face.
Halo: I knew he would do somethin’, I knew it and when the time came I…
She falls into a chair on the other side of the desk and sits forward in it, her head falling into her hands.
Halo: All it took were the magic words, and caw, caw, bang, fuck, I’M dead…. again!
Seleana nods understandingly.
Seleana Zdunich: You have done well to not allow that to happen as often as it once did, HayJo. It was only a few years ago when you would be in a far darker place after such things.
Halo takes a deep breath and then nods in acknowledgement.
Halo: Yeah, no getting wasted off my ass this time. I am NOT letting him do that to me!
A smile washes across Seleana’s face.
Seleana Zdunich: It has been a long time for that, ja?
Halo nods.
Halo: Yeah… not since y’all caught sneakin’ blow into Brit’s room at y’all’s house.
Halo looks up at her mother-in-law, surprise slipping through her anger, frustration and shame.
Halo: I’m still amazed that didn’t get me thrown the fuck out right there.
Seleana shrugs as if the idea is patently ridiculous.
Seleana Zdunich: You were hurting. It was not what you needed.
Halo swallows hard.
Halo: Five words… that was all it took…
Seleana shrugs.
Seleana Zdunich: It took eight when I did it.
Halo looks up in shock.
Halo: Do…what now?
Seleana nods to her knowingly.
Seleana Zdunich: You remember, ja?
She raises her right hand in a fist,
Seleana Zdunich: En Kristen Rättighet.
Halo stares at Seleana’s fist and then nods slowly.
Halo: A Christian Right.
Seleana lowers her head.
Seleana Zdunich: Ja, all he had to say to me was, “What are you going to do about it?”
She lowers her fist back behind the desk.
Seleana Zdunich: Then I was fired.
Halo nods, almost allowing herself a small smile.
Halo: Punchin’ your boss and breakin’ his face will do that.
Seleana nods knowingly.
Seleana Zdunich: My punch cost me a job and set me on a path to several things.
Halo: And mine cost me a match and a championship because I let him…
She pauses as she shakes her head, ashamed of herself and her faults.
Halo: All because he said , “You’re just like your father.”
Halo shakes her head.
Halo: And I’m makin’ him right and that’s what drives me the craziest. My Daddy gambled away everything, always makin’ sucker bets to try to go big and make up for losses rather than just cuttin’ bait and I…
She trails off and Seleana nods to her pointedly.
Seleana Zdunich: And you?
Halo looks at her mother-in-law.
Halo: I keep lettin’ him get me to take risks I know are bad because I don't wanna be Daddy. I don’t wanna let everyone down like he did!
Just as before, Seleana nods understandingly.
Seleana Zdunich: And he knows that. He knows that choices made in desperation to avoid something often lead right to it. So what is he avoiding?
Halo frowns, confused.
Halo: What?
Seleana shrugs.
Seleana Zdunich: He continues to bait you into things, ja? What is he hoping to avoid by doing that? What does he fear?
Halo ponders this for a second.
Halo: He keeps tryin’ to avoid fightin’ me straight up.
Seleana nods in agreement.
Seleana Zdunich: Ja, he does.
Halo nods to herself.
Halo: So what I need to do is quit worryin’ about where he’s tryin to send me, and focus on where I wanna go because it’s probably his worst nightmare…
Seleana shrugs.
Seleana Zdunich: Ja, it just might be.
Halo smiles gratefully.
Halo: Thanks, Mama Sel.
Seleana stands up and walks over to her daughter-in-law.
Seleana Zdunich: You will figure it out. Keep the faith in yourself, Älskling. You are capable.
Halo smiles and hugs the older blonde woman, Seleana hugging back.
Halo: You always know what to say.
Seleana shrugs, smiling sweetly.
Seleana Zdunich: I try. Sometimes it is good, ja?
Halo nods back.
Halo: Yes Ma’am.
Friday, April 7, 2023
Office of Seleana Zdunich
Zdunich Zoological Gardens
Los Angeles, California
6:01 PM PDT
It had been an interesting week for Seleana Zdunich. She and her sister had lost their tag team match and thus their championships and her daughter-in-law had also lost on the same card in the main event. Now she was to focus on her next match with Krystal Wolfe but even before that got her on Sunday, Seleana was going over things here for the zoo. Several animals were to be added to their collection in the next week and certain paperwork had to be completed in advance. As she looks over what is left to do, Halo arrives in the doorway to the office.
Seleana Zdunich: HayJo?
Halo nods to her mother-in-law.
Halo: Hey, Mama Sel.
Seleana cocks her head, concern seeping into her eyes.
Seleana Zdunich: What’s wrong?
Halo shrugs almost as if nothing matters at all.
Halo: Who said anythin’ was wrong?
Seleana sits back in her chair and allows her head to become more upright again.
Seleana Zdunich: You are keen to talk, ja?
Halo starts to retort but then catches herself and simply nods.
Halo: Yeah, Mama Sel, I am…
Seleana nods invitingly.
Seleana Zdunich: What troubles you?
Halo exhales heavily.
Halo: I did it again.
Seleana frowns in confusion.
Seleana Zdunich: Did what again?
Halo shakes her head, her hands balling fists.
Halo: I let him bait me into somethin’ stupid… again!
Seleana nods, comprehension dawning for the Swedish woman.
Seleana Zdunich: And this angers you, ja?
Almost shaking, Halo’s eyes squeeze shut, her fists rising up in front of her as her frustration threatens to explode.
Halo: I should have…
Throwing her head back in anger, Halo pounds her fists against her own thighs.
Halo: Goddammit, I should have known better! I knew somethin’ was comin’ and I let him do it again!
Her head returns to its original upright position and then droops forward slightly, her eyes still squeezing shut even as they start to burn.
Halo: I knew the first night I should have just shut up and let him be the idiot who skipped his chance to be the man but NO, I couldn’t do that. I had to let him bait me into given’ him a chance that I KNEW was…
She pounds her right fist again.
Halo: FUCK!
Seleana nods slowly.
Seleana Zdunich: And now you feel you have allowed it to happen another time?
Halo nods, her eyes slowly opening as angry tears stream down her face.
Halo: I knew he would do somethin’, I knew it and when the time came I…
She falls into a chair on the other side of the desk and sits forward in it, her head falling into her hands.
Halo: All it took were the magic words, and caw, caw, bang, fuck, I’M dead…. again!
Seleana nods understandingly.
Seleana Zdunich: You have done well to not allow that to happen as often as it once did, HayJo. It was only a few years ago when you would be in a far darker place after such things.
Halo takes a deep breath and then nods in acknowledgement.
Halo: Yeah, no getting wasted off my ass this time. I am NOT letting him do that to me!
A smile washes across Seleana’s face.
Seleana Zdunich: It has been a long time for that, ja?
Halo nods.
Halo: Yeah… not since y’all caught sneakin’ blow into Brit’s room at y’all’s house.
Halo looks up at her mother-in-law, surprise slipping through her anger, frustration and shame.
Halo: I’m still amazed that didn’t get me thrown the fuck out right there.
Seleana shrugs as if the idea is patently ridiculous.
Seleana Zdunich: You were hurting. It was not what you needed.
Halo swallows hard.
Halo: Five words… that was all it took…
Seleana shrugs.
Seleana Zdunich: It took eight when I did it.
Halo looks up in shock.
Halo: Do…what now?
Seleana nods to her knowingly.
Seleana Zdunich: You remember, ja?
She raises her right hand in a fist,
Seleana Zdunich: En Kristen Rättighet.
Halo stares at Seleana’s fist and then nods slowly.
Halo: A Christian Right.
Seleana lowers her head.
Seleana Zdunich: Ja, all he had to say to me was, “What are you going to do about it?”
She lowers her fist back behind the desk.
Seleana Zdunich: Then I was fired.
Halo nods, almost allowing herself a small smile.
Halo: Punchin’ your boss and breakin’ his face will do that.
Seleana nods knowingly.
Seleana Zdunich: My punch cost me a job and set me on a path to several things.
Halo: And mine cost me a match and a championship because I let him…
She pauses as she shakes her head, ashamed of herself and her faults.
Halo: All because he said , “You’re just like your father.”
Halo shakes her head.
Halo: And I’m makin’ him right and that’s what drives me the craziest. My Daddy gambled away everything, always makin’ sucker bets to try to go big and make up for losses rather than just cuttin’ bait and I…
She trails off and Seleana nods to her pointedly.
Seleana Zdunich: And you?
Halo looks at her mother-in-law.
Halo: I keep lettin’ him get me to take risks I know are bad because I don't wanna be Daddy. I don’t wanna let everyone down like he did!
Just as before, Seleana nods understandingly.
Seleana Zdunich: And he knows that. He knows that choices made in desperation to avoid something often lead right to it. So what is he avoiding?
Halo frowns, confused.
Halo: What?
Seleana shrugs.
Seleana Zdunich: He continues to bait you into things, ja? What is he hoping to avoid by doing that? What does he fear?
Halo ponders this for a second.
Halo: He keeps tryin’ to avoid fightin’ me straight up.
Seleana nods in agreement.
Seleana Zdunich: Ja, he does.
Halo nods to herself.
Halo: So what I need to do is quit worryin’ about where he’s tryin to send me, and focus on where I wanna go because it’s probably his worst nightmare…
Seleana shrugs.
Seleana Zdunich: Ja, it just might be.
Halo smiles gratefully.
Halo: Thanks, Mama Sel.
Seleana stands up and walks over to her daughter-in-law.
Seleana Zdunich: You will figure it out. Keep the faith in yourself, Älskling. You are capable.
Halo smiles and hugs the older blonde woman, Seleana hugging back.
Halo: You always know what to say.
Seleana shrugs, smiling sweetly.
Seleana Zdunich: I try. Sometimes it is good, ja?
Halo nods back.
Halo: Yes Ma’am.
