by Alex Riordan
“I have a guest room, too. She’s more than welcome,” Jessie said.
“You have a guest room? Why didn’t you mention it to me?” Stephanie said, turning to look at Jessie. For some reason, she felt like teasing the brunette just a little.
Jessie shrugged. “I don’t know. It never occurred to me.”
“Oh, so that night you asked me to stay…I could have slept in the guest room that you conveniently forgot to mention?” Stephanie huffed indignantly.
Confused by the sudden turn in this conversation, Jessie could only stammer, “Stephanie…I…I just thought…well, you know…?”
“What? I was so hot for you the night before that I wouldn’t turn you down?”
“No! I swear, I just…never thought…” Jessie was getting really scared. Where the Hell was this coming from?
Suddenly, taking pity on the brunette, Stephanie laughed. Pulling Jessie to her, she said, “Jessie…Jess…I’m just joking. Hey,” looking into Jessie’s eyes, she repeated her earlier words. “I’m just kidding you, Jessie.”
As she realized what Stephanie was saying, Jessie asked, “Kidding? You’re really just kidding?”
“Really. I had you going though, didn’t I?” the redhead asked, laughing. “I am an actress, you know.” Hugging Jessie, she said, “I didn’t want to stay in your guest room, Jess. I wanted to stay with you. And, if you had thought I wouldn’t turn you down, you’d have been right,” she said, kissing her on the temple.
Jessie heaved a huge sigh of relief, as did Theresa, who’d done a double take when Stephanie started ripping into Jessie. At first, she’d thought maybe the redhead was having a slight bout of schizophrenia. But then, catching onto the joke, she started laughing, too. Stephanie was indeed an actress! She had both of them going, all right.
Chapter 20
By five, they’d picked up Stephanie’s things from The Hilton and moved them to Theresa’s. Now, waiting for Nancy’s plane to arrive, it was obvious that Stephanie was nervous. Pacing back and forth, she couldn’t seem to just sit down. Finally, tired of watching her pacing, Jessie got up and caught her hand. “Stephanie, why don’t you come over here and sit down? You’re gonna wear yourself out.”
“I can’t help it, Jessie. Mom’s gonna be so worried when she sees me. I’m a mess. Between the bruise on my face and the split lip…and my wrists, from the rope…”
Jessie smiled at her and brushed the back of her hand over the redhead’s cheek. Pulling her down onto her lap, she said, “Hey…you look beautiful, like always.” And she was right. Even in the jeans, t-shirt, baseball hat and sunglasses to make her more anonymous, Stephanie was stunning.
She smiled back at Jessie and kissed her on the forehead. “You always know the right thing to say.”
“I just speak the truth,” Jessie answered.
Just then, the arrival of Nancy’s plane was announced, and Stephanie jumped up, nervous again. Rushing to the gate, Stephanie fidgeted next to Jessie and Theresa as they waited. Jessie held her hand, trying to calm her down, but it wasn’t working. Finally, a woman in her late fifties with auburn hair that had once been Stephanie’s color, but had streaks of gray in it now, came into view. Jessie was shocked. Stephanie’s mother looked exactly like an older version of her daughter.
“Mom!” Stephanie called, waving her arm to get the woman’s attention.
The woman turned when she heard Stephanie’s voice, and made her way over to the three women. Smiling broadly, obviously happy to see her daughter, Nancy Winters dropped her carry-on bag and pulled Stephanie into a hug. “Stephanie! I’m so glad to see you.” Pushing her daughter back to get a better look, she asked, “Are you really okay? This is the only damage?”
Stephanie nodded. “Yeah, Mom. I’m okay. He didn’t…get the chance to…”
“You don’t need to tell me anymore. At least not right now,” Nancy said kindly, smiling at Stephanie. “I’m just glad to be here and have the chance to hug you.”
Standing out of the way, smiling at the scene, Jessie bent down and picked up Nancy’s carry-on. Noticing the movement out of the corner of her eye, Stephanie turned slightly in her mothers’ arms and said, “Mom, I’d like you to meet Jessica Drake.”
Nancy’s eyes lit up. With a huge smile, she reached out and hugged Jessie to her as well. “It’s good to meet you, Jessie. I want to thank you for taking such good care of my daughter.”
Jessie, face flushed, hugged Nancy back. “It’s been my pleasure, Mrs. Winters. I only wish I could have gotten there earlier.”
“Jessie,” Stephanie said, “I told you, it’s not your fault. Please stop blaming yourself.”
“Sorry,” Jessie said sheepishly. “You’re right, Steph.”
Smiling at Jessie, she turned around and pulled Theresa to her. “And this is Theresa Halloran, Mom.”
Nancy hugged Theresa as well. “I’m so glad to meet both of you. Stephanie’s told me so much about you both.”
Looking at her watch, Jessie cleared her throat. “Um…if everyone’s ready to go? I made dinner reservations for eight.”
Stephanie looked at Jessie, surprised. “You made reservations? Why didn’t you mention it?”
Jessie blushed and shrugged. “I wanted to surprise you.”
“You did,” Stephanie said, grabbing Jessie’s free hand with her left and her mother’s arm with her right. “We’d better get going then. I’ll bet we’re going to Wild Panda, aren’t we?”
“How’d you guess?” Jessie asked, wondering when Stephanie got to know her so well.
“I got lucky,” Stephanie shrugged. “Besides, I know it’s your favorite.” She smiled as Jessie nodded. It was, indeed, her favorite restaurant.
Twenty minutes later, Jessie and Theresa had loaded Nancy’s bags into the back of the Xterra and they were headed for Wild Panda. Stephanie had piled into the back seat with her mother, and the two of them were busy catching up. Jessie, watching them in the rearview mirror, couldn’t help but smile. Stephanie seemed genuinely happy that her mother was there, and that made Jessie happy.
When they arrived at the restaurant, Jessie pulled into a parking spot and they all followed her inside. As soon as they entered, Bao Yu came over and gave each of them a hug. “Jessie! It’s so good to see you all here! Come…I have table all ready for you.”
Stephanie was somewhat surprised, when Bao Yu led them through the main dining room to another, smaller room toward the back. “Here you are,” the older Chinese woman said, ushering them inside. As they were seated, she leaned in and asked, “Would you like wine tonight, Jessie?”
Jessie nodded. “Yes, thank you, Bao Yu.”
Patting Jessie’s arm, Bao Yu said, “I’ll be right back.”
Leaning into Jessie, Stephanie asked quietly, “Jessie, a private room?”
She shrugged. “I just thought that…considering the circumstances…and the press…”
Squeezing her hand, Stephanie said, “Thank you, Jessie. I knew there was a reason I loved you.”
Smiling shyly, Jessie whispered, “You’re welcome. And…I love you, too.” Then, surprising both of them, she kissed Stephanie gently on the lips.
“All right, you two,” Theresa said, reaching over and sticking her hand between them. “That’ll be enough of that.” Turning to look at Nancy, she said, “They’ve been doing a lot of that lately. You know, the whole, ‘falling into each other’s eyes,’ thing?”
Her face now beet red, Jessie said, “Thanks a lot, Theresa.”
Stephanie laughed. “It’s all right, Jessie. Mom doesn’t mind, do you, Mom?”
Nancy shook her head, laughing at the look on Jessie’s face. “Not at all, Sweetheart. It’s just good to see you happy and smiling.” Looking between the two, she realized that Jessie still seemed kind of embarrassed and nervous. “Jessie, Bill and I have always tried to raise all four of our kids to be affectionate and loving human beings. You don’t need to be embarrassed for showing your feelings. Not around
our family, anyway.”
Relieved, Jessie blew out a breath. “Thank you, Mrs. Winters.”
“Oh, please, call me Nancy. Anyone that Stephanie cares for as much as she obviously cares for you, can call me by my first name,” she said easily.
Jessie smiled in earnest, relaxing a little. “Thank you, Nancy.”
Stephanie, watching the exchange, beamed with pleasure. Since that first Friday night that they’d slept together, Jessie really seemed to be coming out of her shell. She knew the brunette was still holding back some, but she hoped that would change as Jessie became more comfortable with their relationship.
At that precise moment, doors opening as if on cue, Bao Yu swept into the room, leading two waitresses. As the girls set out their meals, Bao Yu poured the wine. Again, Jessie had ordered the Dal Forno Romano, the 2002 vintage, and Stephanie had to admit; it was an excellent wine. “I hope everything is to your liking, Jessie? Jing and I love having our American daughter visit us. And, we love having your family and friends, as well.”
“Thank you, Bao Yu. I’m sure everything will be excellent as always. I am truly honored and humbled by your hospitality,” Jessie said formally in answer, bowing her head in respect.
“You’re a good girl, Jessie. Everyone enjoy your dinner,” Bao Yu said, addressing them all as she left the room.
“So, what was that all about?” Theresa asked, confused by the sudden formality. She had never seen Bao Yu or Jessie act that way before nor had she ever heard Bao Yu refer to Jessie as her ‘American daughter,’ either.
“I did a favor for them a long time ago.” Jessie shrugged, trying to not make a big deal out of it. “They told me I would always be considered family to them.”
“Whatever you did, it must have been important,” the blond said.
“Nothing I wouldn’t have done for you, if I’d needed to,” Jessie answered, again trying to minimize the ‘favor.’
But, unbeknownst to Jessie, Bao Yu had stepped back into the room. Hearing Jessie’s explanation, she placed her hands on Jessie’s shoulders and said, “Jessie is too humble. She saved our daughter’s life many years ago. For that, we call her our American daughter.”
“Bao Yu, please…it was nothing special,” Jessie said quietly, uncomfortable being praised for what she’d done. “You saved my life, too.”
“Jessie, Mei Lin came home every day with bruises and cuts. Without you, she would not be where she is. What I speak is true,” the older woman said kindly.
Jessie sighed and said something in Chinese to the older woman, leaving everyone, including Theresa, stunned. She’d had no idea Jessie could speak Chinese! When she was finished, she stood up and hugged Bao Yu, who kissed her on the cheek, and then left the room.
“Okaaay…what just happened here?” Theresa asked, completely at a loss. “And since when do you speak Chinese?”
Jessie rolled her eyes and sighed, knowing she wasn’t going to get out of telling this story. A stickler for precision, she explained, “It’s not Chinese, it’s Mandarin. And...Since you asked..Their daughter, Mei Lin, and I went to school together when we were kids. They’d just moved here from China, and Mei Lin’s accent was horrible. All the kids made fun of her to the point that she was getting beaten up almost every day.”
“I’ve never heard you mention her before, Jessie?” Theresa said. She was intrigued now.
“It was in private school,” Jessie explained. “And you’ve met her. She just doesn’t go by Mei Lin, now. Anyway, one day, the kids were beating her up pretty bad, and I couldn’t just stand by and watch anymore. When I told them to stop, this big kid named Billy took a swing at me. I punched back.”
“And? What happened?” Theresa asked, apparently under the belief that Jessie was going to leave them hanging.
“Billy missed and I didn’t. He ended up with a black eye, and I walked Mei Lin home,” she said, taking a bite of her dinner and sitting back in her chair.
Stephanie joined in the prodding when Theresa just sat there with her mouth hanging open. “So…what happened after that?”
Jessie shrugged. “Bao Yu and Jing were grateful to me for helping Mei Lin. They kind of adopted me after that, and Mei Lin and I became really close friends. That’s it, there’s nothing else to tell,” Jessie said, obviously finished.
“Jessie, that is not all of the story,” a man’s voice, with a thick accent said from behind them. When they all turned to look, a small, gray haired Chinese man was walking toward them
When she heard the voice, Jessie stood up immediately and turned toward him, bowing in respect as he came to stand in front of her. “Master Jing.”
“Stand up straight, Jessie. We are not in the dojo, and I am not your Master tonight. My wife told me you were here with your friends. I wanted to meet them,” he said, hugging her.
Nodding her head, she introduced each of them in turn. When she was finished with the introductions, Jing hugged her again. “This hug is from Mei Lin. She says to tell you she is happy for you.”
“Happy for me?” Jessie repeated, confused.
“Yes. Bao Yu told her you have found your ‘one.’ She is very pleased,” Jing explained.
Jessie blushed again. For some reason, she felt like that was all she’d been doing tonight. “Thank you, Jing. I’ll make sure I call her and thank her tomorrow.”
He patted her on the arm. “I know you will, Daughter. Now, all of you…eat! Tonight’s dinner is on the house.” When he saw Jessie about to protest, he shook his head and wagged a finger at her. “This is your Master talking now, Jessie. And your Master say you should never turn down a free meal.”
Sighing, because she knew she couldn’t refuse his gift, Jessie bowed to him again. “Thank you, Master Jing.” In perfect Mandarin, she said, “Your humble student is honored by your gift.”
As he walked away smiling, she heard him say in Mandarin so the others wouldn't understand, “Yes, yes. But will the humble student accept the gift of love?” She had the good grace to blush at his words. He knew her very well.
Sitting back down, she picked up her chopsticks and began eating again as if nothing out of the ordinary had just happened. When she noticed that they were all still looking at her, she sighed again and set the chopsticks down. “Okay. Jing was so grateful that I helped Mei Lin, that he offered to teach me Jeet Kune Do. I’d already had some Karate, so it wasn’t like I was a beginner. It was while my parents were getting their divorce. I was lonely, depressed…I said yes. The only thing was…he would only teach me in Mandarin. He couldn’t speak English, yet. So I had to learn…to understand him.”
“So that’s what you used on Bob last night?” Stephanie said, understanding at last how Jessie had managed to put the larger man down on the floor so fast.
Jessie nodded. “Yeah.”
“And what level are you?” Nancy asked, speaking up for the first time during this conversation.
“I’m a 2nd degree black belt in Jeet Kune Do. I also hold a 1st degree black belt in Krav Maga,” Jessie answered matter-of-factly.
Theresa had known that Jessie studied the martial arts. But she’d had no idea how advanced she actually was. “Jesus, Jessie…why didn’t you ever mention any of this before?”
“It never came up in conversation,” Jessie answered.
To Stephanie, Theresa said, “I told you she could be a freak when it came to talking about herself. Now you see what I mean?”
Feeling like she should defend herself, Jessie whined, “Hey! Just because I try to be humble doesn’t mean I’m a freak. Maybe I’m just trying to keep some of myself a mystery?”
“Well I, for one, love a good mystery,” Stephanie stated, leaning over and kissing Jessie on the cheek. “It’s never dull.”
Jessie smirked at Theresa, and said, “Okay, now that we’re all done delving into my past, why don’t we eat?”
Chapter 21
Eventually, over the course of the evening, it was decided that Nancy would st
ay in Jessie’s guest room. Now that they knew for sure that Bob couldn’t prove anything, she and Theresa felt that it would be okay if they all stayed at her place. Just to be sure though, Theresa was going to sleep on the fold out couch.
Returning to Jessie’s after dinner, she led Stephanie and Nancy downstairs. The entire basement had been finished, and was actually more like a small apartment. “After Theresa and Brian moved out, I kept their old room as the guest room. I took the other room and turned it into the recording studio. There’s also a full bath, so you won’t have to come upstairs in the middle of the night.”
“Jessie, this is wonderful,” Stephanie said, looking around at the finished rooms. Decked out with a queen size bed, dresser, and matching bedside tables, Jessie had decorated the entire guest room in rich, earth tones.