Elphaba scoffed at the sheer amount of food Jessie had bought. She had called the manager of the neighborhood grocery store, and made the order to be picked up today. Elphaba was told by the manager that Jessie did this every single year, and assured her that the order would be ready for pick up on schedule. Elphaba stood next to Jessie as the waited for Mike to get back with the truck. Jessie had a wide smile on her face as she watched the refrigerated U-haul pull up.
"Jessie, the grand total was twenty nine thousand two hundred and seventy two dollars and sixty five cents." Elphaba said.
"Good!" Jessie said excitedly.
Mike hopped out of the truck, "Rick and I bought fifty boxes, too." He said, with a wink.
"Awesome! You guys are going to stick around to help this time, right?" Jessie asked.
"Of course!" Mike said with a grin.
"Good, because I'm going to have to deliever all these. Don't forget to go by Christine's Bakery to get the pies." Jessie said, as Elphaba climbed into the passanger seat of the truck. Jessie slid in behind the wheel.
"I won't. You want me to round it off to twenty thousand?" Mike asked.
"Yeah, that's fine. Leave them a two thousand dollar tip, too. Christine said it takes ten of them to fill that order." Jessie said.
"Will do." Mike said, as Jessie started up the truck and drove off.
"You do this every year?" Elphaba asked.
Jessie nodded, "Every single year."
Jessie's gring widened as they pulled to the delivery dock of the store. Six pallets of raw turkeys and six pallets of thanksgiving supplies were loaded onto the truck. An hour and a half later, they were ready to head back to the dojo. Once they pulled up, they saw Mike and Rick waiting with a smaller U-haul filled with pecan pies. Jessie got out, meeting them on the sidewalk.
"OK, guys, how many boxes do you need?" Jessie asked, curiously.
"I need twenty for my building." Rick answered.
"Twenty five for mine." Mike said.
"OK, and we need fifty for the building next door." Jessie said, going inside.
"Can I help?" Elphaba asked.
"Yeah, start setting up boxes." Jessie said.
"I love doing this!" Mike said, excitedly.
"Me, too. These guys support us all year, it's nice to be able to give back." Jessie said, smiling as Marcus and K came in.
"Ah, the thanksgiving bail out." Marcus said, smiling.
"Yeap yeap." Jessie said, grinning, as they set up the last of the boxes.
Forming an assembly line, they had all the boxes filled with supplies for a thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings in a matter of hours. K and Jessie began delivering to the two surrounding buildings. Mike and Rick took their boxes to their buildings leaving Marcus and Elphaba at the dojo.
"Jessie loves this, doesn't she?" Elphaba said, smiling.
"Yeah, she does. I do, too. It's a great way to say thank you to the neighborhood." Marcus said, smiling brightly.
"Her generosity never ceases to amaze me." Elphaba said.
"Oh, this is nothing. Wait until you see what she does for Christmas." Marcus said.
Elphaba raised an eyebrow at that. "Really?"
"Let me put it this way, her savings is normally depleted when she's done with the holidays." Marcus said.
Elphaba inhaled sharply. "That's a lot of money."
"It's what she loves to do. I think she honestly doesn't care about the money. She lives for the smiles on people's faces." Marcus said, honestly.
Truth was, that generosity and heart were two things Elphaba loved about Jessie. Jessie came back an hour later, grinning from ear to ear. She found Marcus and Elphie in the office.
"I'm going to take the supplies to the boys and girls clubs and the shelters." Jessie stated.
"Mind if I come?" Elphaba asked.
"You know you're always welcome." Jessie said, getting a bright smile from Elphaba. They dropped off the supplies at the shelter and recieved a barrage of thank yous. Jessie did her best to deflect as many of them as possible.
"We can expect you to help cook and serve as usual, right, Jess?" The manager of the shelter asked.
"Of course. First thing Thursday morning." Jessie said.
The manager handed her a key. "Let yourself in. The alarm code is twenty twenty two. I know you will be here first thing in the morning."
"Thanks for the trust." Jessie said, before getting back into the truck with Elphaba.
Elphaba watched Jessie drive with a wide smile. The truck, completely filled hours before was now empty. Jessie truly looked like she was the happiest person in the world right now. Elphaba couldn't help but feel even closer to her.
()
Elphaba wasn't surprised to not see Jessie thanksgiving morning when she woke up. Elphaba knew exactly where she was, at the shelter cooking Thanksgiving dinner. Elphaba got up, and made herself a pot of coffee. She saw their turkey sitting on the counter thawing. Sipping her first cup, an idea dawned on her. Elphaba's smile widened, as she went to the internet.
()
Jessie had everything ready, with the help of Tyrone's mom and her crew from the restaurant, when they were ready to serve at noon. Jessie helped them serve over two thousand meals before they were done. Thomas, the manager of the shelter, was estatic.
"We didn't have to turn anyone away this year." He said, excitedly.
"That's awesome! There's enough here that you can probably serve dinner too." Jessie said.
The manager pulled her into a tight bear hug, "Your donation was incredible, Jess. Thank you so much."
"That was Raimes Martial Arts Studio, I just delivered it." Jessie said.
He chuckled softly, "Yeah, sure. Well, thank Marcus profusely for me."
"Will do. " Jessie said, getting her jacket from the back. She hated taking credit for anything, that was why she always put the credit to the dojo. This also really promoted the dojo in the neighborhood, a win win in her eyes.
()
When Jessie walked into the dojo, she could smell the wonderful aromas of food from downstairs. She quirked an eyebrow as she headed up the stairs. When she walked in, Marcus, Rick, and Mike were watching football on her couch.
"Welcome home." Elphaba called out from the kitchen.
"JESS! Come on, the Saints are playing!" Marcus said.
"I'll be there in a minute. I need to get out of these clothes and into a shower. I smell like turkey and trimmings." Jessie said, chuckling. She went to the bathroom, getting undressed. Jessie took a quick shower. She put on a fresh pair of sweats and a t-shirt before came back out. She found Elphaba in the living room, and Mike trying to teach her about football.
"So, they have to score one more time to win?" Elphaba asked.
"Yeap." Mike said, as Jessie slipped in behind Elphaba.
"Did you do this?" Jessie asked.
"I thought I would surprise you. It's OK, right?" Elphaba asked, softly.
"It's more than OK. It's perfect, my angel." Jessie said, kissing her on the head. Mike smiled, but didn't dare say a word. He knew bliss when he saw it, the last thing he wanted to do was say something that would get him punched.
The Thanksgiving dinner turned out perfectly, not that Jessie hadn't expected exactly that. In fact, it was decided among the boys that Elphaba had the best thanksgiving turkey they had ever eaten, and she got drafted for Turkey duty from then on.
()
Jessie woke up bright and early Christmas Eve. This was, by far, the busiest day of the year for her, and her overall favorite. There was no schedule, and no one knew where she went or what she did. At least, no one at the dojo. Jessie quickly got dressed, and made her way to her bike. She rode it to the local bus rental place. Her regular driver took over from there.
The first stop was the battered women's shelter, where fifteen woman and twenty kids got on. The second stop was the homeless shelter, where another twenty kids got on. Jessie volunteered there so much, no one minded their kids going on an excursion for the day. Her last stop was to pick up the thirty kids from her martial arts class in front of the dojo. After taking a head count, she grabbed the microphone.
"OK, guys! Here's the game plan! We're doing Pizza first, and then we're going to the Toy Store, and then we're going for ice cream!" Jessie said, getting cheers and woots from the kids and moms.
Jessie smiled genuinely, before turning the music up on the bus, and watched the kids dance and sing along with it. She truly looked like she was in heaven, because it was pretty damn close to it for her. The kids did whatever they wanted to do, got whatever they wanted, and she picked up the bill the day after Christmas. It just didn't get better than that for her.
All the kids unloaded at the first stop, the owner shutting down his pizzaria and indoor playground just for them. Jessie played with the kids for a while until the pizzas were ready. She helped the employees bring it out.
"Hey, Jess." Elphaba said.
Jessie turned around, shocked to see Elphaba. She smiled, hugging her tightly. "Hey, baby. How did you find me?"
"I have my ways." Elphie said, winking.
"I'm glad you're here!" Jessie said excitedly.
"Hey, Jess, can we eat now?" One of the kids asked.
"Absolutly!" Jessie said, excitedly. Everyone helped themselves to pizza, as Jessie made Elphie a plate with Pizza and salad, and got her a drink, "Seriously, Elphie. How did you find me?" Jessie asked.
Elphaba chuckled softly, "Marcus told me you do this every year."
"Really? He pays that much attention." Jessie was blown away. He'd never said anything, and niether did the guys.
"Oh, yeah. Him, Mike, and Rick know exactly what you're doing." Elphie said, getting a head shake.
"Why didn't they ever say anything?" Jessie asked.
"It makes you happy, Jess. They didn't want to take it away from you." Elphie said as she finished off her salad.
"Remind me to thank them later." Jessie said, sliding her arm around Elphie.
"Come on, Jess!" One of the kids said, dragging Jessie away.
Elphaba felt privileged to see a sight she rarely saw. Her girlfriend be completely uninhibited. Jessie played with the kids for a little better than two hours, happier than Elphaba had ever seen her. When she finally took a break, it was to boos from the kids, but they kept playing. Winded, Jessie sat down with a piece of pizza and a soda.
"Damn, that's fun." Jessie said, breathless.
"Looks like it." Elphaba said, smiling at her, "You love this, don't you?" Elphaba asked, curiously.
"This is my favorite thing I do all year." Jessie said, grinning from ear to ear.
"That I can believe." Elphaba said, happily. Jessie cell phone rang. Looking at the caller ID, she sent it to voicemail. "Who is it?"
"My sister, Jan. Look, I really don't want my day fucked up by these people." Jessie said, as her phone rang again.
"Here, let me." Elphaba said, smirking. Jessie passed the phone over to her, "Hello, Jessie Reynolds phone, how may I help you?"
"Is two ton there?" Jan asked.
"No, Jessie's a little busy at the moment. How can I help you?" Elphaba asked, nicely.
"You can tell her mom said to call. Apparently she wants to know the real story between you and Jessie. Is this a publicity stunt, or something?" She said a bit irritated.
"Not at all. Your sister and I are dating." Elphaba said, seeing the reaction on Jessie's face.
"I see. You know, it's none of my business, Elphaba. Can I call you Elphaba?" Jan asked.
"I would prefer you did." Elphaba wondered what angle the sister would try.
"Elphaba, two ton is an odd case. One minute she's fine, the next minute she's flying off the handle. Has she hit you yet?" Jan almost sounded genuinely concerned.
"No, and I don't believe that will be an issue." Elphaba said.
Jan sighed into the phone, "That's what her ex girlfriend said, too. Until old two ton beat her nearly to death."
"Who is this two ton you keep speaking of?" Elphaba asked, getting an eye roll from Jessie.
"Jessie, you know who I mean." Jan's tone began to sound irritated again.
"I see. So if she beat this woman half to death, like you say, where's the arrest record." Elphaba asked.
There is a long pause before Jan responds. "What?"
"Most people who do that go to jail. Where's her arrest record?" Elphaba said, as Jessie stared at her wide eyed.
"Well, mom and dad talked to some people. We managed to keep it hush hush." Jan sounded a bit confused by the turn the conversation took.
"You don't say." Elphaba said, resisting the urge to laugh out loud. She could tell that Jan was trying to find a foothold on something to say to upset her.
"Yeah. Just like that sex change operation she had when she was twenty." Jan said.
"A sex change operation? How did she afford that? She was homeless, wasn't she?" Elphaba asked. Jessie's expression grew even more confused. Elphaba waved her off with a smirk.
"Probobly prostituted for the money, but she definatly had it. Luckily Jessie was a unisex name." Jan said with a sneer.
"Yes, quite lucky. You're her sister, right?" Elphaba asked.
"Yeah, that's me." Jan said.
"I understand you're a schoolteacher?" Elphaba held up her hand when Jessie tried to ask a question.
"I'm principal, actually." The pride of that title was evident in Jan's voice.
"You missed your calling. You should have been a fiction author." Elphaba said, she was honestly surprised at how petty Jessie's family was if they thought these pathetic scare tactics would push her away from Jessie.
"I'm just trying to warn you before you get hurt." Jan said, irritated with Elphaba's statements.
"You mean you're trying to get me out of the picture before I hurt you and Lukie's little plans to siphon all of your sisters hard earned money out of her accounts and into yours." There was a slight edge to Elphaba's voice.
Jan doesn't say anything for a few moments. Her tone is very harsh when she finally is able to speak again. "Be careful, Elphaba. That's all I'm saying."
"I see. Well, if story time is over, please excuse me. I keep getting these weird prank calls. I may have to change to Jessie's number." Elphaba said, hanging up before Jan could say anything else.
"What did that woman say?" Jessie asked.
"Nothing important. In fact, I believe she dialed a wrong number." Elphaba said.
"Shit." Jessie said, shaking her head.
"Oh no you don't Jessie. You're having fun, and these people are NOT going to ruin it. I'll take care of this from now on." Elphaba said firmly.
"Elphie…." Jessie pleaded.
"Trust me, Jess." Elphaba said, squeezing her hand.
Jessie nodded, as one of the kids came over. "Miss Reynolds, can we go to the toy store now?"
"Of course! Hey, guys! You ready?" Jessie asked, getting a nearly unanimous yes, "OK, everybody grab some pizza for the road to take home, and thank Mr. Pascolli on your way out!" Jessie said, watching the kids do just that. All the kids said thank you to the crew and Mr. Pascolli. Before Jessie left, she pulled him over to the side, "Thanks again."
"Don't worry about it, Jess. It's nice to see the kids so happy." He said.
"Just total up my bill and I'll pay it off the day after Christmas." Jessie said.
He looked at her confused. "Your assistant took care of it yesterday. Left a six thousand dollar deposit. In fact, I'm sure I'll have change left for you."
"If you do, divide it amongst the crew. You guys take such good care of us every year. Thank you." Jessie said, hugging him.
"Thank you. Those kids bring their parents." Pascalli said, letting her go.
"See you next week." Jessie said, walking out on Elphaba's arm. Once they were outside, Jessie pulled Elphaba off to the side of the bus. "Have I told you recently how amazing you are?"
Elphaba blushed lightly before nodding her head, "Yes."
One of the older kids from the dojo group sticks his head out the window and calls out, "Kiss her already so we can go to the toy store." He has a wide grin on his face before ducking back into the bus.
()
Elphaba wasn't all that surprised when Jessie slept in. After dropping off fifty or so very happy kids she had gone to volunteer at the children's hospital. Jessie had gotted dressed as Santa, and delivered gifts to every single kid in the hospital. Elphie joining her as Mrs. Claus after some persuasion. Then Elphaba went to bed, leaving Jessie up watching TV. It was what she saw in the living room that absolutely floored her. Under their tree was twenty or thirty gifts that weren't there last night. Elphaba smiled when she saw that most of them had To Elphie from Santa on the tags. She laughed, wondering where Jessie had hid all of them and how long they had been hidden.
()
Jessie, for once, didn't move a muscle. Even the smell of breakfast and the arrival of Mike, Rick, and Marcus didn't wake her up. It took a soft kiss from Elphaba to finally get her to stir and open her eyes.
"What time is it, baby?" Jessie said as she stretched slowly.
"Ten thirty." Elphaba said.
"Wow, why didn't you wake me?" Jessie asked, confused.
"You rarely sleep in. By the way, are all of those gifts for me?" Elphaba asked.
Jessie shrugged, "I don't know. Santa doesn't really give me his delivery schedule." Jessie said, getting up. She got dressed quickly before smiling in the mirror and heading back out to the living room.
"OK, guys! Gift exchange time!" Mike said, handing Elphie a brightly wrapped package, "I drew your name." He explained. She opened it, and laughed. The package contained DVDs of the Wizard of Oz, The Grinch that Stole Christmas, and Oscar the grouch grouchest moments.
"The green triple feature." Rick said, chuckling.
"See, I told you I shouldn't feel bad about getting him this." Jessie said, handing Mike his gift. It was a wig, cracking the group up.
"Are you trying to say something?" Mike said.
"Yeah, I was trying to activate all that chick magnet hair." Jessie said, laughing harder.
"Fuck you, Jess." Mike said, laughing.
"Here's yours, Jess." Rick said, handing it to her. Jessie's face turned bright red, finding a box of Trojans, "Better to be safe than sorry."
"Unbelievable." Jessie said, laughing.
"Rick, I drew your name." Marcus said, snickering, as he pointed behind the couch. There was a toy plane and a toy car wrapped in a bow, "I wanted to get you the real ones, but money was short this year." Marcus said, laughing.
"Hahaha." Rick said, rolling his eyes. When Elphie stopped laughing, she stood up, and tapped her glass with a fork.
"OK, OK! Marcus, you know you're the leader of our little group. We look to you for guidance and support. In that vein of thinking, we got this for you." Elphaba said, getting up. She and Jessie carried over a large box, dropping it in front of him.
"Guys. You shouldn't have." Marcus said, choked up. He opened it, chuckling, as it revealed a walker, a cane, and a tube of BenGay.
"The Old Geezer Travel Pack!" Mike said, getting flipped off by Marcus.
"I'm not that fucking old, you know." Marcus said.
"Of course not, Marcus. But tell us, what did they use for lotion on Baby Jesus. I mean, you were there and all." Rick said, getting a laugh out of the family.
The ribbing and teasing was all good natured, and they enjoyed the day with one another. When Jessie's cell phone went off, she was tempted not to answer it, but Elphaba grabbed it before she had a chance to send it to voicemail.
"Hello? Yes, she is. Yeah, Marcus is here, too. Sure, we'll be right down." Elphaba said, hanging up.
"Who was that?" Jessie asked, curiously.
"That was Josey. She said meet her downstairs." Elphaba said, with a shrug. Jessie led the charge down the stairs, absolutely blown away at what she saw. All the kids and parents she had helped were in the dojo. Before Jessie could say anything, Josey stepped forward, and led the kids in Hark the Harold Angels Sing. Marcus and Elphie took either side of her, as Mike and Rick stepped out to join the parents. They sang four more Christmas Carols, to Jessie's delight.
"One, Two, Three!" Josey counted off.
"THANK YOU MISS REYNOLDS!" All of the kids shouted, bringing Jessie to tears.
"I love you guys." Jessie said, stepping into all of them, and finding herself in the middle of a group hug.
Marcus looked at Elphaba who was in tears from the beautiful scene in front of her.