If Jessie was anything, it was a creature of habit. She woke up every morning around five, and headed out for a three to five mile run. When she got back, she made breakfast for herself and now Elphaba. After meeting all of her obligations, meetings, photo shoots, and whatever else she vanished. It was usually down to the children's hospital for volunteer work or a shelter that needed an extra set of hands for a few hours. Then she came home to do more work. The only time that routine changed, as Elphaba was soon to find out, was when she was in training. Elphaba happened to be in the office when her and Marcus came in.
"Jess, it's a good idea, but why do you want to do it for free?" Marcus asked, curiously.
"Every penny they spend on me is a penny less they have for the charity. You want to tell a kid he can't have his dream because they paid me to show up? Because I don't." Jessie said, getting a sigh.
"You are too nice, Jess." Marcus said, shaking his head. He honestly believed she wouldn't ask for a dime for herself if she had to.
"What's going on?" Elphaba asked, curiously.
"I got an invite to do the Make a Dream Come True fundraiser. They offered me ten thousand for a fight, and I told them to keep it." Jessie said, plopping into one of the chairs.
"Skip the fact that we've got bills to pay in the dojo." Marcus said, irritated.
"That always get covered. We make enough with the fights not to need to charge for this kind of appearance." Jessie said, sitting down. Elphaba's eyes went wide.
"Ten thousand dollars? Jessie, that's a lot of money." Elphaba said, getting a shrug.
"Not really. I make a little over a quarter million a pay per view." Elphaba's jaw rested firmly on the floor after hearing that.
"Don't get too excited. Genius here sends most of it to a homeless shelter in Pittsburgh" Marcus said, rolling his eyes.
"They need it more than I do." Jessie said, with a shrug. Elphaba stared at her, jaw dropped.
"You don't keep any of it?" Elphaba asked, when she found her voice.
"I keep a little, just to cover expenses. I try to keep it under ten percent, though. I send the rest out there." Jessie said, non chalantly.
"She's done it since she started fighting. I don't get it, either." Marcus chimed in. Elphaba shook her head.
"Jessie, I know you're generous, but that's insane." Elphaba said, worried. Jessie was entirely too nice for her own good.
"Not really. It's complicated." Jessie said, as Marcus scoffed.
"In Jessie speak that means I'm not going into it." He said, before walking out. Jessie looked at Elphaba, with a heavy sigh. She tried not to keep secrets like that since their talk last month.
"You really want to know why?" Jessie asked, closing the door behind Marcus.
"I am curious." Elphaba stated, she was a little curious why Jessie closed the door behind Marcus. Jessie sat down, looking down at her feet.
"My childhood wasn't the greatest. At eighteen, my parents told me it was time to go. This was after I saw my friend hit, so I just jumped a bus to Pittsburgh. I wanted to get as far away from Louisiana as I could. But when I got there, I only had the clothes on my back, one bag, and a hundred dollars. I couldn't find a job, and was sleeping on the street. When the money ran out, I was starving. I couldn't get into any shelters. Ms. Kathy, the woman that runs the shelter, was coming out of one of the churches when a guy grabbed her. I grabbed him to stop him and got assaulted. Turned out it was one of her ex husbands, but she took me into the shelter. Her and the ladies that live there took care of me until I found my own place to stay. They took care of me when no one cared if I lived or died. So, I take care of them now as much as I can." Jessie said, getting a nod from Elphaba.
"I understand that, but you can do that without sending that much money. What about you? How do you make your living?" Elphaba truly understood Jessie's logic, but found it a bit irresponsible for her to just give the money away. If she invested it, she could start a fund so that the shelter could benefit no matter how Jessie's income is doing.
"I work here at the dojo. Marcus pays me seven hundred a month. Really, all the expenses I have are food, clothes, and insurance. The dojo takes care of all the utilities. Every once in a while, I treat myself. Like my bike, but for the most part it just sits in the bank. That's how I was able to give that money to you that night."
"How much money do you have in the bank?" Elphaba asked, curiously. Jessie sat down at the desk, and pulled up her personal account on the computer. Elphaba's jaw dropped, seeing two hundred thousand dollars.
"Like I said, I send most of it to the shelter, and don't really have a lot of expenses. What I left you is nothing compared to what I have saved up.
"But it's not doing anything, Jessie. What are you going to do when you can't fight anymore?"
"I never thought about it, honestly." Jessie fully expected to be dead long before she had to retire. She faught too hard and had to many enemies in Pittsburgh not to.
"Jessie, what are you going to do when you can't fight anymore? What about the shelter? What if you couldn't help with that anymore."" Elphaba asked.
"Make due, I guess. It's not like I haven't lived off minimum wage before." Jessie said, getting a scoff.
"Jessie, give me three months and one hundred thousand of that. I can set up a few accounts that will make enough that you can live off the interest, and fund the shelters wiether you're here or not. Be realistic, Jessie. You can't expect to fight your entire life. " Elphaba pointed out.
"You really can do that?" Jessie asked, getting a nod.
"I turned the thousand I made in tips to five thousand in three months. I know I can do it." Jessie shrugged.
"Knock yourself out. Take half and see what you can do with it." Jessie said, getting a wide smile, as there was a knock at the door. Jessie grinned, seeing K walk in.
"Got it." He said, handing her an envelope.
"You rock. How much do I owe you, K?" Jessie said, excitedly.
"Don't worry about it. I still owe you for taking care of Tamera's problem for me." K said, getting a shrug.
"I told you don't worry about that, dude. He been back since?"
"Hell no. I think old boy is scared shitless of you." K said laughing.
"Big K, this is Elphaba. Elphaba, this is my friend, Kevin. Everybody calls him Big K." Jessie said, motioning to Elphaba.
"Nice to meet you." K said, with a nod.
"You too." Elphaba looked up at him, he really was very tall.
"You need anything else, Jess, just give me a buzz." K said.
"Actually I do. Elphaba, what's Tony's last name?" Jessie asked.
"Shiarbrook, I think." Elphaba said, trying to remember.
"See if you can find anything out about a Tony Shiarbrook in Las Vegas. He owns an adult nightclub out there. Elphaba was stuck working out there without these." Jessie held up the envelope.
"I didn't know you held a grudge, Jess. She looks OK to me." K observed.
"I don't, but he already came after her once, trying to force her back to work for him." Jessie said, the anger at that showing in her eyes.
"Oh, really? I'll do you one better. I'll get you that file, and keep an eye out at the airport and bus station. If I hear he might be sending someone, I'll have a couple of friends take care of them." K said, he really didn't like the fact that some sleaze had sent some two bit thugs into his territory.
"I love you, man. You know that, right?" Jessie said, hugging him. He hugged her back.
"After you took care of that problem for me, I have no problem taking care of you, and your friend. Now that should be enough to get her a Cali ID. If it's not, I've got a friend at the CTC that can get her an ID and a driver's license." K said with a smile.
"Nice." Jessie said, giving him five.
"Well, I've got a few more things to take care of. It was nice to meet you Elphaba, and Jess Tamera said hi."
"Tell her I said Sup." Jessie said, giving him five, as he left. She handed Elphaba the envelope. "Your birth certificate and social security card." To Jessie's surprise, Elphaba hugged her tightly.
"Jessie….." Elphaba could barely speak from being choked up. She hadn't been expecting to get her papers, especially not for free.
"Nobody has anything on you anymore. You're free." Jessie said, rubbing her back soothingly. For the first time, Elphaba really did feel free.
"Thank you, Jessie. For everything." Elphaba was so choked up a few tears were in her eyes. No one had ever been this nice to her before.
"You're welcome." Jessie whispered in her ear. It took everything in Jessie not to kiss her head, "Come on, let's celebrate. Anything you want to do."
"Anything?" Elphaba asked, the beginnings of a smirk appearing on her face.
"Absolutly anything." Elphaba leaned farther into Jessie's embrace.
"I think I would like to have dinner and watch a movie with you." Elphaba said, softly. Jessie's jaw dropped, hearing the request. Was that a date request from Elphie?
"We can do that anytime, Elphie. This is your night." Jessie just wanted to make sure her hearing was good.
"And I'd like to spend it with you." Elphie said, more insistently.
"OK. What would you like for dinner?" Jessie was still a bit floored that Elphie wanted to spend time with her like this.
"Surprise me." Elphie said, smiling brightly up at her. Jessie nodded, all but running out of the office. If she was making a meal for Elphaba, she was going all out.
"Where are you going?" Marcus asked, seeing her run by.
"I've gotta go grocery shopping." Jessie said, excitedly.
"Not tonight. You've got a sparring match."
"Come on, Marcus. Not tonight. I'm celebrating with Elphaba. Can't we do it tomorrow?" Jessie actually pouts, she was finally going to spend some one on one time with Elphie.
"No. The fight's in six days." Marcus reminded her.
"Sonuvabitch." Jessie said, nearly crying.
"You know the rules. No slacking during training, illness the only exception. Now come on."
"But Elphie's …." Jessie protested.
"I'll tell her. Go change." Marcus said, getting a nod, before Jessie walked off, clearly upset. Marcus shook his head. He'd wanted the two to get together, but now was not the time. While Jessie may not take the three round exhibition fight seriously, all eyes would be on her. She had to make a good impression, both for her and for the IWMMA. A bad showing would be bad for business, and no one, least of all Jessie, wanted that. Whatever they were celebrating could hold for six days. Marcus walked to the office, seeing the smile on Elphaba's face through the door. With a heavy heart, he knocked on the door.
"Elphaba, there might be a problem." Marcus said, coming in.
"Problem with what?" Elphaba asked, confused.
"Jessie was on her way out to buy some groceries for a celebration. She's not going to be able to do anything for six days."
"Oh, it's not a problem." Elphaba said, trying to hide the disappointment in her voice, and failing miserably.
Marcus felt really guilty when he saw that look on Elphaba's face. "I'm sorry, but when it's fight time - even for something like this - it's training, morning, noon, and night."
"I understand. Buisness first." Elphaba said, with a nod, as Marcus walked back out.