Tears of a Stranger


Adam wearily walked down the hallway of the arena, hoping to run into one of his friends.  He didn't feel much in the mood to explain his appearance to just anyone.

Fortunately, a couple of minutes later, he got his wish, as he spotted Jeff Hardy and Trish Stratus stepping out of a room together.  He immediately rushed over in the their direction.

"Jeff!  Trish!"  The Canadian waved his arms frantically as the pair suddenly looked his way.

"Adam!" the petite blonde diva exclaimed.  "What are you doing here?"

"Hey, man," Jeff said.  "I was just going to ring Amy's cell...I've been looking for her, but no one's seen her...is she here with you?"

Adam raked his hand through his long blond locks.  "No..."  He cast his eyes down momentarily at the cell phone strapped to his belt hook.  "...actually, I've got her phone..."  After he'd destroyed his own cell phone virtually beyond recognition the previous night, he'd briefly returned to the hotel to retrieve Amy's in case he needed it during his trip.

Jeff and Trish exchanged worried glances before turning back to their friend.

"Adam," the rainbow-haired man said, "what's going on?"

"I'll explain," the Canadian promised.  "Let's first go somewhere private..."

*

"Oh, my God..." Trish breathed, placing one hand over her mouth, her pretty face consumed by horror.  Jeff's face had gone pale as a ghost, his expression grave.

Adam had just finished telling his friends about Amy, and it seemed the news hit them as hard as it had himself.

"Oh, Adam..." the blonde diva said softly, her eyes welling up with unshed tears.  She placed one graceful hand on his arm.  "...I am so sorry...what an awful thing to happen..."  She shook her head sadly.

Jeff, who had remained eerily quiet all this time, ran a hand through his shaggy, colorful hair.  "My God..." he finally said, "...I just...can't believe it."  He winced for his best friend in the hospital and his good friend who sat before him and Trish.

"Anyway," Adam said morosely, his eyes momentarily downcast.  "Amy mentioned wishing that you guys and Matt could be there with her."

"Oh, I'll be there!" Trish stated emphatically.  "As a matter of fact, I'll change back into my street clothes and pack - and I'll be ready in fifteen minutes."  She rose from her seat, and Adam did the same.  The petite blonde was about to leave the room to return to the women's locker room but suddenly thought the better of it.  Facing the tall blond man, she opened her arms.  "Come here, Adam..."

The lanky Canadian went to his friend and allowed her to hug him, hugging her back.  Then, Trish said, "I'll see you in a little bit..."

Jeff looked up into his friend's green eyes, his face still stricken.  "I'll come, too - without a doubt.  God, Amy is my best friend - and you are one of my closest friends...I...I can't believe-"  The young man let his voice trail off.

"I'll go alert Matt..."  Jeff stood up, giving Adam a squeeze on the shoulder, then left the room.

Adam stood there for a moment or two, trying to collect himself.  Everything seemed to surreal.  He almost felt as though he were witnessing someone else's life and experiences, as though watching a movie.  It was hard to believe all of this was really happening to him and to the woman he loved.

As he left the room and began walking aimlessly down the arena hallway, he almost didn't hear the voice calling his name.  He finally turned around to see Chris Jericho several feet behind him.

"Hey, man...what are you doing here?"  The shorter blond's face wore a smile - which quickly disappeared when he noticed the dire expression on his friend's face.  "What's wrong?"

Adam raked a hand through his long hair, then glanced around as he noted the hall was now empty except for them.

"It's Amy," he replied in a soft voice.  "She's in the hospital and had to have emergency surgery."

"What?!"  Jericho's tone was incredulous, his expression matching.  "What hap-"

"It was...an ectopic pregnancy," the tall Canadian explained hurriedly.

Chris' eyebrows quirked up, but they resumed their normal position and he looked completely saddened.

"Oh, man...I'm so sorry.  How is she?"

"Shaken up," he replied.

Jericho shook his head and was silent for a moment.  Then, as he looked back up to meet his friend's eyes, he said, "I want to go see her...do you mind if I ride back there with you?"

Adam shook his head.  "No, but Trish and Jeff, and probably Matt, are coming, too."

Both men looked up as another person suddenly ran toward them.  It was Jay, and his face was full of concern.

"Adam, I just heard..." he spoke.  "Jeff was explaining to Matt, and..."  He raked a hand through his long blond locks.  "I'm sorry, man..."  His face went ashen as he thought about the child that would have been like a niece or nephew to him - as Adam had always been like a brother to him.

"You're coming back with me, too, Jay," the tallest man said.  He was not asking, he was telling.  "That'll make six of us in the car - we'll have Trish sit up from between me and whoever..."

"Or Trish will sit on someone's lap..."  The three men looked up to see the small diva heading toward them, a suitcase dangling from her left hand.  "...or I'll ride in the trunk - whatever," she said.  "Anything to visit my best friend when she needs me most."

Jericho glanced at Jay, swatting him in the chest with the back of his hand.  "Come on, we'd better get ready."  The two men headed down the hallway.

Jeff, accompanied by his older brother, suddenly reappeared down the hall.  They caught up to Adam and Trish, their faces morose.

"Sorry about-"  Matt's voice trailed off, and sadly rolling his eyes heavenward, he put his arms around the tall blond.

"Yeah..." Adam murmured as they separated.

"Hey, we're going to have to tell Eric we're leaving," Trish suddenly spoke, eyeing each of the Hardys in turn.  "And something tells me he's not going to be all that happy about it..."
















Part 9

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