1 year.
(It’s mid-afternoon in LA, high noon as they call it. We see Jenn wearing jeans, a sweater, and a pair of sunglasses. She’s walking in a cemetery, where her father-in-law lies, once she’s to his grave of Jorge, she sits in front of it Indian style. It’s been one year since she lost someone special to her, a father figure in her life. Losing him took a toll on her but she’s too stubborn to even admit it, but she has a hole in her heart that he left. She was here a month ago when her granddaughter met him, but she couldn’t come to her senses to talk to him.)
Jenn: It’s been just about a year since you passed away, and since then a lot of things have changed. From becoming a grandma to having a family that I always wanted with the Makarios family… but when you left it hit me hard. I didn’t think it would but it did. It tore me apart emotionally but I didn’t let anybody know, because I didn’t want people to worry about me. So I went about my business, but at night when I lay in bed, it’s when it hit me the most….
(Jenn walked around for a moment)
Jenn: See, you cared about me and you protected me like I was one of your own kids. I’ll never forget that, that way you believed in everything I did, you never second guessed my decisions and you were there when I needed you for a talk or for a cup of coffee. It took me a while to get over the empty chair, and the emptiness the room felt. As the days moved on I stitched myself together, and now it’s my turn to carry on the legacy that you taught me and pass on to my granddaughter.
(Jenn smiles a bit towards the grave.)
Jenn: Some people are trying to take the Lopez name away from me, but I refuse to let it happen. You gave me the blessing to have it even though I’m not married to your son anymore. Even in your will, you have me listed as your daughter, and I’ll never forget that, EVER.
(Jenn chuckles a bit as her mood starts to change a bit away from the sappy sad stuff.)
Jenn: Now that we got the sappy stuff out of the way, you’re missing a lot man. The Makarios family finished their adoption of me after my estranged dad died 2 days after you, we went through his shithole and we found the hidden adoption papers and we FINALLY got it done, when it was supposed to be done years ago. I finally have the family that I always wanted, 2 sisters, 2 sisters that I’m so goddamn proud of. 1 of them I’m about to wrestle for a championship. Something we haven’t done in a long ass time and I’m excited about it! I know you’ll be watching that match, just like you did Eddie and Gracie faced off earlier this year, and I know you were proud of that match, Lexi and I will make you proud of us too. I know how much you adored Lexi too.
(Jenn lets out a small sigh,)
Jenn: This match will be dedicated to you, and if I win the championship, it will be as well. It’s my way of thanking you for everything you’ve done for me.
(In the corner of her eye, she sees someone walking toward her and she quickly got up on her feet thinking it was someone else. But as she stood on her feet, she saw who the person was and grew the biggest smile on her face. The people are Eddie Jr, his girlfriend, and Brooklyn. The young couple is holding hands, and his girlfriend is showing on her stomach because they’re expecting their first kid late this year or early next year, and Brooklyn, she’s in front of the couple as she was showing them around town, helping to translate things to them.)
Jenn: And these two? I’m gonna help them out just like you would have wanted me to do. I just have one question, do you have any more secrets you’re holding? Because I’m getting too old for this surprise stuff….
(The group stands around the grave for a little while talking about the memories he brought and just support for each other. For Eddie Jr, it’s the 2nd time that he’s been here in a year, so that’s why he wanted to visit and show his long-time girlfriend where his grandpa is, he’s a bit teary-eyed but grows a smile at the same time.)
Sisterhood.
24 hours later.
(After visiting her father-in-law’s gravesite 24 hours ago, we see Jenn, Eddie Jr, and his girlfriend and of course, Brooklyn is there too. All 3 newcomers are settled in their new homes and they’re still trying to figure out their new surroundings but with the help of the rest of the family, they’re gonna do well.
Brooklyn: Thanks for all the help you’ve done for Eddie Jr and Lucia, I don’t express that enough. I’m glad that PWS will give him an opportunity.
Jenn: They gave me an opportunity when I broke into the wrestling business, and almost 11 years later look where I’m at. I have a feeling that he’s gonna do well, and just like his sister, he’s going to be a top star in this company.
(Brooklyn couldn’t help but hug Jenn for all of the work she put in to bring the trio to California, it was rough for everyone that type of travel, moving and trying to move before the hurricane came. Jenn is spooked by the hug at first but she accepted it. She doesn’t like surprise hugs like that, but Brooklyn is a hugger.)
Brooklyn: Sorry about that…
Jenn: It’s fine.
Brooklyn: So…this Lexi girl?
Jenn: She’s….
Eddie Jr: Loco? (Eddie Jr starts going on a Spanish rant about Lexi and Jenn stands there looking at him for a moment, he points at his girlfriend's stomach before walking outside. Jenn raised her eyebrow at him before turning to Brooklyn)
Brooklyn: He said he doesn’t want his baby to be around crazy people when he’s born, he wants an easygoing household.
Jenn: Easy-going household? HERE!? Oh man, they’re asking for too much then…
Brooklyn: Then he said he wanted to meet Lexi then he got accused of sleeping with you…
Jenn: I admit that wasn’t the best starting point but she’s a good person, she’s just…been different since her friendship ended with Haze. That bitch sent her to the nuthouse and things haven’t been the same since. Almost like that other whore that she was friends with but I don’t want to say her name around here, we try to forget about her. Look give her another chance, she’s a good person with good intentions, she’s just… when she’s off her meds, she acts out like that.
Brooklyn: Oh I believe you, it’s just that first impressions are always key and what we saw wasn’t the first impression we were looking for.
Jenn: Trust me, I’ve known her my whole life. She’s not a bad person.
Brooklyn: Oh I trust you, she’s your sister and You won’t say anything negative about her. I get it, but just the way it came across.
Jenn: I know, and besides, EJ has the temper of his dad and sister so i know he’s a Lopez.
Brooklyn: They have a temper too!?
Jenn: Welcome to the family!
(Brookyln’s face turns flushed after hearing that, she has to deal with 3 people with the same temper now. It’s how the Lopez family operates, they either have a temper or they’re poking fun at people at their express, mostly for laughter and pranks. Brooklyn though, won’t shy away from it, she’ll do her best NOT to get on either side of them, especially the temper.)
Brooklyn: Thanks….I think?
Jenn: You’ll be ok. I was the same way when I met this family and then I fell in love with them.
(Eddie Jr walks back into the house cooling off, he sits back with the group with a smile on his face again. He loves this family time and he’s trying to catch up with all of the years he’s missed.)
Brooklyn: Speaking of family, it must be awkward to face your sister, right?
Jenn: We’ve faced before, 2 years ago. And I’ve faced Gracie, and Eddie too. So, yeah it can be weird but at the same time, we know it’s a business too. We know what we signed up for. And if it means beating the shit out of each other, so be it. I have no ill will towards my family at all, but to us, it’s just another match we don’t treat it differently. If Eddie Jr and I ever face off, I expect him to bring it, don’t treat me any different.
(Eddie Jr heard his name and he looked at Jenn for a moment as she went on talking. He nods his head towards her, he knows what he signed up for and he knows that he’ll have to face family.)
Brooklyn: I see him over there nodding his head, i think he knows what he’s about to step into and he’s ready.
(Jenn looks around for a moment)
Jenn: Since the day we met, Lexi and I have faced the world together, fought through all of the bullshit together and I’ve had her back no matter what. Because of that, I’m not going to say anything terrible about her, and I know that’s going to break some people's hearts when I say that but I couldn’t care less. Why would I turn my back on someone who helped me through everything in life? Someone who made me a better person? Honestly, without Lexi, I don’t even think I would be here today if it wasn’t for her, mom and dad….
(Brooklyn took a sit in the chair next to her, she wants to hear this. She never heard the story about the history of Lexi and Jenn and how their friendship turned into a sisterhood and ultimately family. The other 2 on the couch as well are listening to the story Jenn is telling.)
Jenn: She wants this match to be “friendly competition” but I don’t see it that way. I want that championship she holds. Now, why would I take something of hers that she’s been proudly wearing since she got that championship? It’s simple. I’m tired of being looked over, and I’m tired of being someone else’s sidekick. Yeah, the spotlight is on Gracie, she deserves it. And I’m never EVER going to take that away from her, but I’m here too you know!
(The annoyance starts to build for Jenn the more she talks and the more she finally gets it off her chest.)
Jenn: I heard whispers that they wanted to throw me in yet another tag team match, because why not right? Let's team Jenn up with Landerson or Moondust or some other idiot who isn’t even on my goddam level, I’m done. I’m DONE with tag team wrestling! I’m tired of carrying other people's weight, It’s time for me to look out for myself and ONLY myself. I only did the tag team stuff because I was born with Gracie in a different fed and I held those titles for over a year, and now? Now I don’t want it, I didn’t want to team with what’s his face here but I was forced to. I’m done with it. I refuse to do any more tag team matches UNLESS they give me a good reason why.
(Across the hall is a glass case of all the championships that Jenn won across her years as an active wrestler. Women’s titles, tag titles, and Hardcore titles are placed there. A couple of belts are missing, World, and United. She looks at the case for a moment, as she does her mood starts to change. It’s not the same mood that she was in when was talking about Lexi, it’s more…motivated.)
Jenn: 2 years ago, that’s the last time I got a shot at a REAL championship and then I got fucked over and since then I’ve been in purgatory hell in the tag division, and the hardcore division in a different place. This match is important to me for that reason, they finally gave me a chance to fight for something, and they reignited my love for this business again. It’s an opportunity and I’m not going to waste it, I’m going to show everyone who the hell I am, and that I’m the same dangerous person as I was 2 years ago. Don’t believe me? Then you haven’t been paying attention.
(In the Anti diva’s and the rebrand of it, she was a dangerous person but since then she’s lost the passion for the business, because of the BS she’s been through and losing someone close to her, that affected her….)
Jenn: Lexi, I want you to hear this. You’ve been given every opportunity in this place, even the hall of fame spot, which I’m really proud of. But this match for that championship, I’m coming for you, I know you heard that a million times from million other competitors, but I’m different. On Twitter, you told me to be ready. Naw…Honey. I think you should be the one who needs to be ready. Ready because I have a fire lit under my ass because I’m hungry for a championship. You haven’t been screwed over as many times as I have, and you haven’t had promises that weren’t kept as I have. I have had to fight through all of it to get to this spot. And you’re in the way of the championship I need.
(Jenn starts pacing around the room for a moment, as the trio of people watches her.)
Jenn: In the last match we had 2 years ago, you mouthed the words “I’m sorry, I love you”. It’s going to be different this time around when I stand there and mouth those words to you. I’m sure you don’t expect me to say those words to you either, but I’m shooting my shot. This is my Babe Ruh moment. I know you’re not into sports, but Babe Ruth is a legend in baseball and he called his shot before hitting a home run that was like back in the 1900s or 1800s or something… ANYWAY….
(Eddie Jr chuckles because Jenn had to stop to explain who Babe Ruth was. As a sports nut himself he couldn’t help but chuckle at Jenn)
Jenn: Hush you!
(Jenn smiles towards her stepson, as he nodded his head quietly.)
Jenn: See Lexi, I could have taken this knife and gutted you right in front of everyone and but I didn’t. Not because I held back, but that’s the level of respect I have for you. I could have brought up how terrible of a friendship maker you are but again, I didn’t. There’s so much I could have done, but I didn’t. But taking that title away from you will be enough damage. As always, after the match, you and I will go out and have a post-show meal, and talk about what we could have done better, or how WE thought the match turned out.
Brooklyn: After everything you said, I can’t wait to see this match in person! Two sisters fighting each other, two sisters who love each other after a belt that they both want…it’s giving me goosebumps just thinking about it!
(Eddie Jr smiles on the couch with a nod of his head, he wants to see this match as well. It’s not every day that HE gets to see a family vs family match, and he’s excited about it. As for Jenn, she’s laser-focused to get something that she’s wanted for a long time, the United title. But she still has her eyes on the world title 2 dreams that she refuses to let die! The scene ends with the trio heading out to the back porch to talk some more and take in the southern California sun.)