5 Years Later...

"Mommy! Mommy!"

A little girl of five years old ran circles around me as she giggled with her dark brown hair pigtails. She was so beautiful and everything that I could ever ask for in a child. She had her little Hello Kitty backpack on while she excitedly ran around me.

Even when everything went bad five years ago, I wouldn't change a single thing about my life now. After I found out that I was pregnant, I had to resign from wrestling temporarily. And, after my daughter was born, I realized that I didn't want to ever be apart from her and, so, I retired.

Even though much of my beloved and dedicated fans didn't like this so much, they couldn't argue with me in this matter. I wanted to be something that I had always wanted to be, other than being a professional wrestler... I wanted to be a mother.

"Aria, baby, please," I begged of my wild child, "he'll wait on us until the end of time. We have a minute."

"No minute!" she argued, placing her little right index finger up at me. What a sassy child I have. She, then, pointed to the front door with pouty lips. "Let's go!"

I rolled my eyes and sighed. "Fine," I playfully growled as I placed her extra bag of things over my back.

We flew out of the front door of our nice big home and she beat me to the car. I put our stuff in the very back as she made her way in the backseat. I had to make sure that she was all buckled up, which she did herself successfully. I was so proud.

Once my own seatbelt was on and the car was cranked, I backed out of the driveway and onto the road. I turned on the music and she bopped her little head in the back to the beat.

She looked so much like somebody that I know very well, other than myself... It wasn't even like looking back in a mirror because she practically didn't even look like me anymore. As a baby, maybe, but now... She's somebody else with their attitude, too.

"Play Uncle K's," she demanded, referring to her Uncle Karl Anderson's theme song. "Uncle Luke's, too!"

I rolled my eyes and smiled, turning it to their theme song. "No, Mommy, not that one," she whined and I glanced at her through the rearview mirror in question. "Bullets!"

Oh, she wanted the Bullet Club's theme song from New Japan Pro Wrestling. She's so crazy, but I turned it to that theme instead. She liked the beat of it and how it could easily remind her of them. She always seemed to miss them and even I did, even when we never talked to one another. They loved this kid, though.

Five years have gone by so fast that it's legitimately not even funny. Five years ago today, I gave birth to her and almost did in the backseat of a car. If I hadn't gotten to the hospital when I did, that is.

She was the birthday girl and it was all about her today, as it is everyday. Today wasn't any different, except for the pain that I haven't felt since that day. Months before she was born was one of the worst days of my life. Everything, including my heart and that especially, hurt more than anything else.

Suddenly, my phone started going off, so I reached over and grabbed it. Placing it to my ear, I answered: "Hello? Hey!"

"Hey, Britt, where are you at?" I heard Karl ask, seemingly annoyed already. "Everybody's here, waiting on you and the birthday girl!"

"Sorry, but the birthday girl took forever getting dressed," I murmured, rolling my eyes. "She wanted to look perfect, after all."

"Which she always is," he added, reminding me of this. Even if she considered him her uncle, he'll always look at her like a daughter. He has all boys, not a single girl. Aria is his girl, though.

"Well, we're almost there," I said, turning on my turn signal. "Thanks for checking on us."

"No problem," he said, a bit happier than last time. "See you guys here in a minute."

"Alright," I said before I heard Aria yell out something. I smiled and said to Karl, "Ari says that she loves you, Uncle Karl."

"Tell Ari that I love her more!"

"Uncle Karl loves you more, baby girl," I told her with a laugh. "Alright, see yah!"

"See yah," he grunted out before we hung up on each other.

"Mommy?" Aria asked from the back. Yes, sweetie? "Will Daddy be there?"

My heart fell into my stomach as I nearly choked on my salvia. I took a deep breath and tried to focus on the road ahead of me instead of what's behind me, which is my daughter's sad face.

"Maybe, sweetie," I sighed with a gulp. "Maybe..."

Only a split minute later, I was pulling into the parking lot of the local park. I could see the venue of sheltered picnic tables. Decorated in pink party wear, her birthday party up and going. With my closest friends and their kids, plus family, everybody was here.

I got Aria out, but she really got herself out as she raced right into Karl's welcoming arms. I never see him smile quite as wide as he does around Aria. His wife and their three boys gathered around, welcoming Aria in.

I walked up with my bags and Luke came directly up to me, offering his hand. "Need some help, Mama?"

I laughed, but nodded and handed him one of my bags. "Her birthday gift from me is in there, but it's a surprise," I smirked with a wink. He caught on very quickly as he helped me take them to the table.

—

We ate first before presents later that day. Little Aria demanded that Karl would sit by her as she ate and opened up all her presents. She claimed that Karl had all the muscles to help her rip them open. It warmed my heart dearly to see her so attached to him like she should be with her real father.

"Mommy! What about my present from you?" Aria asked once all of her other gifts were opened. "And... Where's Daddy?"

I sighed and stood up, taking a stance behind her. "Your present from me is a surprise, so," I said as I slid my hands over her eyes.

Then, almost like a blast from the past, AJ appeared and looked as good as he ever has. He was holding a gift, wrapped perfectly in Hello Kitty wear with a big, bright pink bow on top of it. Everything, from his head to his toes, looked absolutely amazing.

"Alright, Ari, open your eyes up, baby girl," Karl whispered in her ear as I unwrapped my hands from being over her eyes.

Her little eyelids flew open and she immediately seen her daddy standing right in front of her, across the picnic table with an award-winning smile.

"Daddy!" she screamed, which broke me on the inside a little bit. She literally climbed onto the table and flew right into his arms from the top of it.

He held her as tight as he possibly could, nearly squeezing the life out of her little body. "Happy Birthday, Baby Girl," I heard him whisper in her silk hair. He, then, let go of her and practically shoved her wrapped present into her tummy.

She squealed, wide-eyed and smiling from ear to ear. She didn't need Karl now to rip open that present from her daddy. And, as she ripped open the box part of it, she looked confused. I stood behind her as AJ sat on the concrete ground in front of her, equally studying her reaction.

She picked the light pieces of papers up, but they weren't any ordinary papers. She didn't understand because she couldn't read, so AJ leaned up and grabbed them from her for a second to explain. "Baby, this is for you and Mommy," he started to say while her eyebrows grew together in utter confusion. "You guys are going to start going on the road with me, so here's your passports."

"On the...," she started to say until she broke down in a fit of tears and squeals. "I'm going with Daddy?!"

"Yes," he agreed and jumped up, taking her up in his arms again and spinning her around. Kissing her head, he let go of her as she ran right into Karl's arms again to celebrate again.

I held back my tears as AJ walked up slowly to me, taking me in his arms almost just like he did with our daughter. He kissed my lips, like he has the past five years, and it always felt amazing.

We've been married for exactly five years now with our five-year-old daughter as a very happy family. Even though he's been on the road a lot the past few years, we've survived somehow. Now, however, we're going on the road with him, Karl, and Luke. And, as always, as a big old happy family.

Not to brag, of course, but my life as a whole – with AJ, The Bullet Club, New Japan, Ring of Honor, NXT, WWE, and our daughter – has been pretty PHENOMENAL!

Fin.

✨ All the love .xx 💚