Home coming

[Cashman]

Home Coming

Saturday, June 2nd 2002

It is a bright, sunny day in Wilmington, North Carolina. A taxi turns into a newly built housing community called Windsor Park. In the back of the taxi cab is none-other than Shawn Cashman. He is staring out the window, watching the trees fly by. He is very excited to see his family after a month away at boot camp, but also very nervous to tell them the news that he received days before the end of camp. The taxi comes to a stop in front of a nice two story house. It has white vinyl siding with dark blue shutters, and a white picket fence surrounding the yard, as well as mail box in front of the house that reads “The Cashmans”. Shawn looks up to the front of the taxi to see what the meter read. He sticks his hand in his pocket and comes back out with a roll of money, counts out a few bills and hands it to the driver.

Shawn: Keep the change!

The driver nods his head as Shawn opens the door and steps out into the street. When he closes the door, the taxi pulls away, he walks up to the fence as the door to the house flies open and a group of individuals run toward him. The first to reach him was his girlfriend Britney; she jumps at him embracing him with her arms and a kiss to his lips. Time seem to stand still, images that surround them disappeared, the only thing they had was each other at that moment and then it was gone as their lips left each other.

Britney: I have missed you so much Shawn!

Shawn: Not as much as I have missed you!

A smile formed on her face as she began to blush. Two other individuals are now standing in front of them very eager to see Shawn. One was a female, fifteen years old her name Elizabeth Cashman. The other was a male, twelve years old his name Brian Cashman.

Elizabeth: Hey Shawn, miss us?

Shawn: Of course I missed my bro and sis! I missed you guys this much.

He moves two fingers apart from each other so that a little space was between them.

Brain: Wow, more than normal!

They all laugh together.

Shawn: Okay you got me!

He drops one arm to the ground leaving one still in the air.

Shawn: This much- now come give me a hug!

The two of them rush at him embracing him with a hug. A few seconds go by before a woman is heard calling from the house.

You guys can talk in the house, don’t let supper get cold!

Shawn: Come on guys, we don’t want to get mom mad!

The four of them walk into the house where his mom gives him a forceful hug as tears fall from her eyes. She brushes them aside and walks back into the kitchen, Shawn looks around the house. It was still as he had remembered. The colors on the walls were the same, pictures of him and his brother and sister was spotted all over the house especially above the fire place in the living room. It had an array of them growing up, birthday pictures, of his first car, and senior prom. The family comes together in the dining room for supper. They say grace and start filling their plates.

Mom: It has only been a month but you look so different!

Dad: They have bulked him up! All those push-ups will do the body good!

Britney: Well, I’m not complaining.

The table broke into laughter.

Shawn: Thank you all on complementing my awesome physique(smiles). But it is good to be home, missed you guys!

Dad: How long will you be home before you get your assignment?

The question was asked way before he thought it would. He looked around the table and braced himself for the faces that would be staring back at him. For this was the first time he would be sharing this information.

Shawn: I ship out next month for Afghanistan….

The look of disappointment went around the table but hit the hardest with Britney. Her eyes began to tear up but she took a deep breath and kept them from falling. An awkward silence was now at the table until Brian started talking.

Brian: Guess what Shawn!

Shawn takes a breath thankful that his little brother broke the silence.

Shawn: What’s that bro?

Brian: Talked to couch yesterday, said I am the starting quarter back next year!

Shawn: Congrats man!

Brain: Yeah, he even said I can be better then you!

The table once again broke into laughter as the dining room fades to blackness and Shawn opens his eyes finding himself in the back of a taxi cab. The cab turns into a housing community named Windsor Park. Shawn is headed to his parents’ house to visit them considering it was only two hour drive from the PPV event. He was thrilled to see them but still was reliving the match from last week in his head. He stepped into the ring with the best the UWA had to offer and put on a pretty good show.

That match was a great not only did I go toe to toe with the best, I learned a great deal from my opponents as well. Manabu is a great wrestler and it showed with him picking up the victory. I look forward to facing him again in the future but I hope he remembers one thing he did not beat me! He beat Classy Jay a fool with a briefcase! From inside the ring it was easy to tell that Jay was easily over matched. My thinking is it does not matter if Jay cashes his case in at the PPV, next week, or next month because he will lose! He will lose because he is simply not as good as Manabu, in fact the only thing he has going for himself is that he hangs with Joanne Canelli. Hopefully she can teach him a few things.

The cab comes to a stop in front of a two story white house with dark blue shutters and a worn picket fence. Shawn pays the driver, and exits the cab just as his phone goes off signaling he has a phone call. It was Emma he answers the phone.

Shawn: Hey, what’s up?

Emma: Umm, where are you?

Shawn: I am in Wilmington visiting my parents.

Emma: Are you serious?

Shawn opens the gate to the picket fence and walks toward the house.

Shawn: Afraid I am… everything okay?

Emma: No Shawn everything is not okay! You were supposed to be here at the arena twenty minutes ago! Remember you and the rest of the wrestlers who were involved in the PPV are doing a press conference for the local press to promote the PPV!

Shawn: Oh I must have forgot… You can take care of it for me how does that sound?

Emma: What!

Shawn: Well you are the best person I know about bull shitting people! You will do great!

He reaches the front door of the house.

Emma: You are such an ass…

Shawn: Yeah love you to Emma gots to go…. Break a leg!

He hangs up the phone and enters the house. A women walks down a hallway of the house towards him, extending her arms for a hug.

Shawn: Hey mom!

Mom: There is my boy! It’s so good to see you; go wash up supper will be ready soon.

Shawn: Okay… were is Elizabeth and Dad at?

Mom: Your dad is taking a nap, I will go wake him up. Elizabeth called earlier saying that she was working on a big case and that she would not be able to make it. She told me to tell you that next time you know you will be in town to call her so she could put it in her schedule.

His mom turns and walks back down the hallway. He walks through the living room towards the rest room. The house was still covered with pictures of him and his sister and brother but the ledge above the fire place looked very different. There was a picture of the whole family before his first tour, next to that was a picture of his brother in high school wearing a football uniform. There was a picture of his sister on her graduation day from high school, followed by an urn that read Brian Cashman rest in peace 1991-2006. The last thing on the ledge was a newspaper clipping that was incased in a frame, it read “Army Ranger thought dead returns home”. Shawn washes up and joins his mom and dad at the table for supper.

Dad: I’m so glad you have joined the UWA! Now I can watch you on the big screen TV and not that little computer screen.

Shawn: The UWA is a nice place, I for the most part have settled in nicely.

Mom: Is that girl still managing you?

Shawn: Oh Emma… Yes she is!

Mom: Such a nice girl…you should ask her out! You know I need some grandchildren running around here!

Shawn: Easy mom! Are relationship together is strictly business, nothing more.

Mom: Well you should date someone already!

Dad: He will when he is good and ready!

Shawn: Thanks dad!

Dad: Let’s talk about something more important like last week’s match! You let your guard down that’s why Manabu set you up for his special! Thank god that Jay got in the ring when he did or you would have had you first lose.

Shawn: Yeah that was my mistake but come this PPV I will be ready for Deaven Benett! This guy comes in two weeks ago and makes the statement that he is the new measuring stick of the company.

His mom begins to laugh.

Shawn: He says that he is part of a group that calls themselves the good looking society. He also states that on February second they will take over the company and start running things.

Dad: Hmm, last week I did not see a guy named Deaven Benett or a group called the good looking society.

Shawn: That’s right that’s why I’m not taking this guy seriously. I mean if you are going to make a threat act on it, now he is simply the boy who cried wolf!

Mom: Well said son!

Dad: Just be ready for anything, he might have missed his chance last week and will try to make a statement at the PPV.

Shawn: It’s not going to happen! What is going to happen is that the renegade is going to run all over him!

[End Scene]

Characters used:Emma Sinclair (with permission)
Characters Mentioned: Manabu, Classy Jay, Joanne Canelli, Deaven Benett