Seth waited nervously inside the empty ring within the middle of the silent wrestling gym.

The large halogen lights shined from above illuminating only the ring, and all around him in the shadows was the typical training equipment you’d expect. There was a light peeking out from the silhouette of an adjoined office door, but so far, he was just by himself.

The ring.

Seth gazed around at the ropes, turnbuckles and stiff mat and reminisced about when he was younger. When he was on top of the world, winning titles, appearing in main events, and all the rest of the grandeur from those times.

He could still hear the crowd’s oohs and ahs from his aerobatic maneuvers.

Golden Pro Wrestling Academy

He couldn’t believe he had actually come this evening. After he had torched all his past connections through deceit, including with Golden Glen Miller, he was shocked to see a letter arrive in his mail. Glen had invited him to come to Memphis for what the note had called “one last chance.”

Outside of the gym, Sean slowly pushed open the front door. It looked dark inside except for a little bit of light coming down the hallway from the main room of Golden Pro Wrestling Academy.

As Sean walked through the lobby, he could see pictures on the wall of Golden Glen Miller in his prime. Pictures of the old legend taking part in his most memorable bouts, and snapshots of his greatest moments of triumph.

It made Sean think about his own moments of triumph in the ring. When he and his younger brother had become tag team champions in the defunct wrestling promotion 21^st Century Wrestling.

But that was a long, long time ago.

That was before Seth went down his road. That was before the years of Seth’s lying and self-destructive behavior that had driven a wedge between them. Time and time again, Sean had given Seth another chance only to see its potential fizzle.

Sean followed the hallway down to the lighted area of the main gym, where in the middle of the main ring he saw a man.

It was his brother.

Seth caught sight of Sean and the two stood frozen looking at each other.

Knowing this was a moment he couldn’t avoid, Sean slowly climbed the stairs and ducked between the top two ropes and met his brother in the middle of the ring.

Face to face after all this time.

Glen slowly opened his office door and peered out into the darkened gym. In the middle, within a lit-up ring stood the two gentlemen he had invited. He never let on to them that they would see each other because if he had, the two brothers wouldn’t have come.

They weren’t talking yet, Glen noticed. He wasn’t surprised; the rift between them had been going on for too long for there to even be pleasantries.

Sean and Seth Kard turned and took notice of Glen. Their eyes went wide realizing the magnitude of this moment because there were times, twenty years prior, that Glen would have smashed their heads together if given the chance.

Slowly, Glen hobbled out into the main room with the assistance of his golden cane. He took a moment to pause at the bottom of the stairs before making his strenuous attempt to climb them.

But climb them he still could.

The Kard brothers briefly motioned to come assist, but Glen waved them off and pulled up onto the outside corner of the ring. Ducking between the ropes was a bit beyond his effort now.

All three of them, the Kards postured cautiously the ring and Glen standing at the top of the stairs, took a moment to reflect.

“It’s been a while, hasn’t it?” asked Glen with his humble, southernly charm. “I’m guessing neither of you have been in a ring for some time?”

Sean and Seth both looked around, and then toward each other.

Neither spoke, and Glen smiled warmly to himself.

“Listen, you both got my letters,” Glen said. “You both came. You’re both here. And it’s time you talked.”

Sean and Seth stared at each other.

“Okay, boys,” stated Glen impatiently. “Either you guys say ‘hello’ to each other or I’m gonna ring this here gawd damn be-”

“Hey Sean,” said Seth casually interrupting Glen. It seemed warm.

“Hey… Seth,” Sean replied after a moment. It seemed suspicious.

“Now, that’s a start,” Glen encouraged. “I invited you both here because we’ve got some business to discuss. You may not know, but I’m kickin’ up some dust and startin’ a real professional wrestling outfit for Memphis.”

The brothers’ eyebrows went up as they listened.

“The only thing missing is some real experience in my tag team division. When I went to look you both up, I couldn’t find any record of you together after 21^st Century Wrestling. Now, I thought to myself that there must be some mistake in them history books.”

“No mistake,” Sean said flatly. “Seth and I haven’t spoken in 13 years.”

“14 years,” Seth corrected. “It’s been 14 years since you cut me off and sent me off on my own.”

“Sent you off?!” Sean exclaimed.

Glen bemused to himself that he was starting to see some progress.

“Don’t worry,” the little brother replied. “I’m not blaming you. I was so high back then that I never stopped lying to you… or lying to myself for that matter.”

“I’ve heard these admissions before,” said Sean skeptically before turning to Glen. “Listen, Glen, I have a lifetime worth of respect for you. I really do. But this ain’t right bringing us here together without warning.”

“But I did warn you,” Glen answered. “I told you in my letter that this was about one last chance, and I didn’t mean the chance to wrestle again. I’m talking about the last chance to forge the bond together that’s been missing from your lives.”

Seth seemed earnestly curious, but Sean shook his head and took a moment to pace around before facing Glen again.

“You have no idea what Seth has put our family through,” said Sean through gritted teeth. “He’s missed everything – including funerals.”

Seth lowered his head in shame.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t there, Sean,” whispered Sean meekly.

“Listen,” Glen interrupted. “I know how years of pain and anger can twist a man. I really do. But I’m giving you a chance to at least talk. You said it’s been 13 or 14 years, and well, that’s a lot of time that can change a someone. Maybe ask Seth how he’s doing?”

Sean turned his gaze over to Seth with a questioning expression.

“Well, Sean,” Seth explained. “I’m three years sober, and I’ve got a baby on the way.”

Sean’s expression softened a bit.

“A little boy, actually,” Seth continued. “I can’t say I’m perfect, but every day I’m trying to be. I know I’ve said this all before, but I’m so sorry for how…”

While Seth’s voice trailed off, Glen noticed that Sean seemed to be letting his guard down a little bit.

“Good for you, Seth,” Sean replied. “I mean it. I’m happy to hear that. I’ve got a couple kids of my own now, too.”

“Ah, progress,” said Glen happily. “Now, I know that you both might need some time to decide if you want to go forward with this. It’s a big commitment to try and get ring-ready, and to figure out if you even want to be around each other.”

There was a moment of silence between the two brothers before Sean finally spoke.

“Listen, Seth. It’s great that you’re on the right path now. It really is but what Glen is asking is a lot,” Sean explained. “I could see myself back in the ring, because honestly, I miss it more than almost anything.”

“Same here,” answered Seth before looking at Glen out of the corner of his eye. “Leave it to the ‘Golden God’ to think he could just reunite us and throw us back out there.”

“How about lunch tomorrow then?” Sean asked. “Just based on what you’ve said, I think I’m willing to catch up, at least. We can figure out the rest one step at a time.”

“Lunch sounds great,” Seth answered.

Glen smiled inwardly. Lunch was a start.