JENNIE

My parents loved Lisa. Mom was beaming from the moment we entered their apartment. Their English wasn't flawless, but they tried. Lisa was so nervous meeting them that her hands were shaking all the way. She had spent half an hour choosing flowers for them.

Within five minutes, she relaxed and talked about LA, slowly, trying to use simple words. I translated a bit.

Dad brought his special chocolate liquor he made, and we all laughed more, our cheeks rosy.

One thing I didn't know how to do was tell Alex that I was leaving.

"Speak to Christina first," my dad suggested. "He's a bit old-fashioned, but he'll be alright."

I groaned, "I don't have time. We're leaving the day after tomorrow."

"Let me call him and ask them to visit tomorrow. You will introduce Lisa to them here," Mom told me.

Every time I mentioned Alex, Lisa stiffened. She was afraid he would react like her parents had. I laughed it off, but deep down I knew such a possibility existed.

The next day, we went to my parents' apartment. Mom opened the door and hugged us both. The baby was in the bedroom, and the adults gathered in the living room.

When we entered the room, Alex froze, Christina sized up Lisa from head to toe.

"Hey," I said hesitantly with a nervous smile. "This is Lisa. She's my girlfriend."

I had never brought friends to our family gathering, and there was a question in Alex's eyes.

"I mean like my lover, not a friend. We are together," I clarified.

Christina's eyes widened, and a smile spread on her lips. Alex's face was blank, his eyes darting between Lisa and me.

"Are you a lesbian?" he asked eventually.

"She's bisexual," my dad stated calmly. "She had a boyfriend, don't you remember?"

Chrisitna waved at Alex, like don't mind him.

"That's so cool!" She was beaming. "I've never had a queer friend before, and now I have a family member! Tell me everything, how did you two meet? How did it all start?"

And we told them everything. Lisa was blushing profoundly as I was telling our story, darting nervous glances to quiet Alex.

"This is so romantic," Christina exclaimed giddily. "When are you two leaving? I want to spend time with you. This is so exciting."

When we said tomorrow, her face fell.

"But you are welcome to visit my house in LA. Everyone is welcome." Lisa looked around the room. "I would love to have you all." My heart melted, and I took Lisa's hand in mine. Alex followed this gesture with his eyes. Everyone fell quiet upon seeing Alex stiffen.

"What about Kai?" he asked.

"You know we always wanted different things," I said.

"But couldn't you have just given him what he had asked?" Alex demanded. Christina looked incredulously at her husband and shook her head.

"No, Alex, I couldn't," I said slowly. "Not to him, not to anyone else. You know about my decision on being childfree, but you kept ignoring it."

"But he is a great guy!"

"He is, and feel free to stay friends with him. But I love Lisa, and you could at least be polite," I said. "You haven't said one word to her."

"It's okay," Lisa murmured, looking down.

"No, it's not," Alex said, running a hand through his shortly cut hair and taking a deep breath. "I am sorry." He was looking at Lisa. "My sister seems to really love you since she ran to another part of the world to be with you. And I must say, Jennie, you have an excellent taste in women."

My mom snorted, and Lisa's cheeks grew red.

"Now that we are all on the same page, tell me about your plans for your life in LA. How are you going to work?" Christina asked.

I said that for now I would continue working remotely with my Ukrainian team, and later we'd see how it goes.

"This is so liberating, the ability to work from anywhere," my dad chimed in. "I wish it had been so widespread back in my day."

"You are not that old." My mom punched him lightly in the ribs, rolling her eyes.

The rest of the day went by fast, but the atmosphere in the room was so warm that I never wanted to leave it. Alex melted to Lisa and asked a million questions about surfing. He had always wanted to try it.

"I can teach you if you want. Jennie is natural, and it might be in your blood too," Lisa said. "Or we can hire an instructor."

"No, I'd prefer it to be you," he said. Alex winked at me when he saw me beaming.

The next day, my parents went with us to the airport. It was a sunny day, with not a cloud in the sky. The heat hadn't yet hit Kyiv, and the city was drowned in lush greenery, my favorite time of the year.

I checked my emotional state; it didn't hurt that I was leaving. I could visit or come back anytime. I didn't think Lisa would mind moving here. These previous couple of days Kyiv had gotten under her skin, and she called it a magic city.

I looked at Lisa. The whole morning she had watched me as if she was afraid I'd vanish or change my mind. Her warm presence beside me told me that we were up to something new and beautiful.

The new project at work would start in six days, giving me time to settle in.

I looked at the city from the taxi window. Would I miss it? I would. I looked at my dad sitting in the front passenger seat of the taxi. He noticed me watching and smiled reassuringly.

My mom was talking to Lisa, asking about her travels. I studied them both, so at ease with each other.

Mom never really grew close to Kai. It seemed she didn't want to open up to him, that she had a feeling it would all end eventually. But with Lisa, they clicked instantly, and it wouldn't have surprised me if they visited us soon. Not so much to see me, but to get to know Lisa.

During the taxi ride, Lisa was holding my hand, and she never dropped it. I looked at the tall pine trees that started after the city ended. It was still ten minutes to the airport, and I marveled about how my life had changed, how it had taken a one-hundred-eighty-degree turn.

Kai's hurt still haunted me; it was never easy to break up. I wished with all my heart that he'd meet somebody soon.

At the airport, my parents stayed till we left for a security check.

"We'll see you soon," my mom said, tears in her eyes. "Be happy." She touched my cheek.

I pressed her close to me in a hug, my light and support.

"I will miss you so much," I said. She just nodded, her chin quivering. The next moment, my dad embraced me.

"I know you'll be happy there. This country was always too small for you. And Lisa, she'll take care of you," he assured me.

I nodded. "I love you, Dad."

"I love you too."

I felt my cheeks getting wet, tears sliding down. I started to sniffle lightly.

"Don't cry, honey. We'll visit you soon."

I loved them both so much. They hugged Lisa, and we disappeared into the crowd as we made our way to the security check.

Lisa put her hand on my shoulder. "I am so sorry," she said.

"Ah, they'll be alright."

"And you?"

"I am happy." I looked into her brown eyes. "I am with the person I love."

And we stepped closer to a new life.

Lisa's huge truck revved under me as I looked out the window. It was my city now, my LA. I leaned in and kissed Lisa's cheek. I'd now live in the city of sunshine, palms, and ocean. I took a deep breath, anticipation taking over.

"Welcome home," Lisa said when we entered the house. It was exactly how I remembered it, warm and full of light. Lisa's place, our place now.

I took a shower and put on my lace negligee that I remembered Lisa loved. We were tired after the road, so we decided to go straight to sleep and start tomorrow. We would unpack, and I would settle my life here.

When I entered the bedroom, the view stopped me in my tracks. Lisa was lying on her belly, flipping through her book, completely naked.

Water was glistening on her back, on the pale skin of her tights. She saw me looking and raised a brow.

"You are ethereal," I breathed.

She scanned my negligee, pausing on places that it didn't hide.

"Come here," she murmured.

I stepped closer and sat on the edge of the bed. Lisa's eyes feasted on me, her hand on my neck pulling me to her. Our lips connected, and I leaned into her. Her naked body grazed mine. I was hers, and she was mine. Our tongues met, and my finger slowly traced her collarbone, wet from the shower. I moved between her breasts and felt her heart hammer under my palm.

"I love you," I whispered.

"Always," she replied, and we melted into each other.