JENNIE
"Eggs sunny-side up, bacon, wheat toast with raspberry jelly."
"Oatmeal with raisins, currants, cinnamon, and brown sugar, side of sausage links."
"Belgian waffles, fruit cup, bacon and sausage," Rosé said, completing our order and earning a raised eyebrow from both Jisoo and me.
"What? I'm hungry."
"Nice to see you getting a real breakfast for a change. Must have been working up an appetite with Mr. Jung last night, hmmm?" I teased, winking at Jisoo over my orange juice.
The three of us were together for breakfast on a Sunday, something we hadn't done since Tahoe. They'd been busily settling into the life of new coupledom with their recently switched boyfriends, which left me out most of the time. When they were dating the wrong guys they were always more than happy to have me along—the more the merrier they'd say. It helped when there was no real chemistry. But now? Jisoo and Rosé were definitely with the right guys and enjoying every second of it.
Initially I'd been a little worried that the Parent Trap shenanigans would make things uncomfortable, but the ladies had made me proud. They took it in stride, and since each wound up with her new better half, all my worries went by the wayside.
We giggled as we got caught up on friendly gossip, waiting until the food arrived for any big news, as was protocol.
"Okay, who's going first? Who has news?" Jisoo began, and we settled into our ritual. Rosé paused from shoveling in the waffles, indicating that she would serve the first voll ey.
"Haein has to go to LA for a sportswriters in television conference, and he asked me to go with him," she offered. Jisoo and I nodded.
"Jaehyun is thinking of letting me reorganize his home office. You should see it—his filing system alone made me break out in hives," Jisoo reported, shuddering.
"Natalie Nicholson referred two new clients to me—Nob Hill, very posh, thank you very much," I added, pouring myself more coffee from the carafe as they congratulated me.
We chewed.
"Haein talks in his sleep. It's the cutest thing. He calls out football scores."
"Jaehyun let me paint his toenails last night."
"I told Lisa I'd go to Spain with her."
Here's the thing about a spit take. In the movies, they're hysterical. In real life, they're just messy.
"Wait a minute, wait a goddamn minute…what?" Rosé sputtered, juice still dribbling down her chin.
"Jennie, you told her what?" Jisoo managed, still choking as she waved the waiter over for more napkins.
"I told her I'd go to Spain with her. No big deal." I grinned. It was a big deal indeed.
"I can't believe you had the nerve to sit here and talk about random shit all morning and not tell us this. When did this happen?" Rosé asked, leaning forward on her elbows.
"The night I went on a date with James." I smiled.
"Okay, that's it. No more dicking around—spill it." Jisoo rounded on me with a butter knife and a frown.
"What the hell, Jennie? I can't believe you kept all this from us. When did you go on a date with James? And don't you dare leave anything out. Tell us everything now, or I'll let Jisoo loose on you!" Rosé warned. Jisoo gestured again in a menacing way with her knife—in a very West Side Story menacing way, mind you. I imagined an actual fight with Jisoo would involve hitch kicks and barrel turns…
Nevertheless, I took a deep breath and spilled. All of it. Why I went out with James, the feelings that had been percolating with Lisa, how James called me a decorator, how I kicked him out. They listened intently, only interjecting occasionally when they needed clarification.
"I'm so proud of you," Rosé said when I'd finished. Jisoo nodded in agreement.
"For what?"
"Jennie, there was a time when if James told you to jump, you'd fucking jump. I guess we worried him showing back up in your life would take you back to being that girl again," Rosé explained.
"I know you were worried. You're both sweet, and no one will ever take care of me as well as you, even though you worry like old chickens in a henhouse." I smiled at my fierce ladies.
"So you sent James Brown packing, and then what happened?" Rosé asked, and I finished the last of the story: Lisa's entry, her apology, the disappearing Purina, her invitation…
"So you just, had this epiphany in the bathroom, just like that? Go to Spain with Lisa?" Jisoo finally asked.
"Yep. I didn't really overthink it. I just, I can't explain it…I just know I should go on this trip. I mean, I've always wanted to go to Spain, and I know she'll be a good tour guide, and come on, how much fun will it be? We'll have a blast together!"
"bullshit," Rosé stated simply.
"Come again?"
"I call bullshit, Jennie. You're going because you want something to happen there with her. Don't deny it." She eyed me severely.
"I deny nothing," I quipped, signaling the waiter for our check.
"No more harem, huh?" Jisoo asked.
"So it would seem. I'm not a fool. I know a person like her doesn't change overnight, but if the Giggler is out of the way before Spain? Well, then, that's a Lisa of a different color, now isn't it?" I grinned cheekily, wiggling my eyebrows at my girls.
"Why, Jennie Kim, I do believe you plan on seducing this one," Rosé said, and Jisoo clapped her hands with glee.
"Lisa's going to bring back the O!" Jisoo cheered, attracting more than a little attention.
"Oh, hush. We'll see. If, and this is a big fat if, ladies. If I ever allow anything to happen between Lisa and me, it's gonna be on my terms. Which would include no harem, no drinking, and no hot tubbing."
"I don't know, Jennie. No drinking? I think it'd be criminal to be in Spain and not be indulging in a little sangria," Jisoo piped up.
"Well, I do enjoy me some sangria," I mused. Visions of Lisa and me, sipping sangria while watching the Spanish sunset. Hmmm…
--
Text between Lisa and Jennie:
So are you the type of girl who wears a big floppy hat on the beach?
Pardon me?
You know, those crazy giant beach hats? Do you have one?
As it happens, yes. Is this a concern of yours?
Concern, no. Just trying to get a visual of you on the beach in Spain…
How's that working out for you?
Pretty spiffy.
Spiffy? Did you just say spiffy?
I typed it actually. You got something against spiffy?
This explains the old records…
HEY!
I enjoy the old records. You know this…
I do know this…
Are we really going to Spain together?
Yep.
Are you home? I didn't see the Rover this morning.
Checking up on me?
Perhaps… where are you, Lisa?
Have a shoot in LA, driving back in a few days.
Can I see you when I get back?
We'll see…
I'll play records for you.
Spiffy.
--
"So, since things are all completed on the Nicholson project, I was thinking…since I have a jump on the commercial project I'm starting next, and you mentioned before that I could take some time off before we get busy for the holiday season, that, well, maybe I could…"
"Spit it out, Jennie. You trying to ask me if you can go to Spain with Lisa?" Jillian demanded, not trying very hard to hide her smile.
"Maybe." I winced, dropping my forehead to the desk.
"You're a grown woman, capable of making her own decisions. You know I think it's a good time to take vacation, so why should I tell you whether you should go away with Lisa or not?"
"Jillian, to clarify, I'm not going away with Lisa. You make it sound like some illicit affair."
"Right, right, it's just two young people off to enjoy a little Spanish culture. How could I forget?" Jillian drawled, insinuation all over her face, as well as a little satisfaction. She was enjoying my squirming.
"Okay, okay, so can I go?" I asked, knowing I would never hear the end of it, but past caring.
"Of course you can. But can I just say one thing?" she asked, eyebrows raised.
"Like I could stop you," I grumbled.
"You couldn't, actually. All I ask is that you have a good time, play hard, but take care of her while you're there, okay?" she asked, her face taking on a seriousness I rarely saw.
"Take care of her? What is she, seven?" I laughed, stifling it immediately when I saw she was not kidding.
"Jennie, this trip will change things. You must know that. And I love you both. I don't want either of you to get hurt, no matter what transpires while you're there," she said softly. I started to make a joke, but I stopped. I knew what she was asking.
"Jillian, I don't know quite what's going on between Lisa and me, and I've no idea what's going to happen in Spain. But I can tell you, I'm excited about this trip. And I get the sense she is too," I added.
"Oh, my dear, she's definitely excited. Just…Oh, never mind. You're both adults. Go crazy on each other in Spain."
"First you tell me to be gentle, and now you tell me to go crazy?" I grumbled.
She reached across the desk to pat my hand affectionately. Then she took a deep breath and changed the mood in the room entirely. "Now then, fill me in on where we stand with James Brown. What's left to be done?" I smiled and flipped my planner open to the end of the week, when I would be finished with All Things James Brown.
--
A few nights later I was settling into my couch comfortably with Mr. Luca and Barefoot Contessa when I heard something in the hallway. Luca and I looked at each other, and he jumped off my lap to investigate. I knew Lisa wasn't due home for another day or so based on her texts—and the fact that I might have been counting the days—so I followed Luca to my old post: The Peephole.
As I peered out into the hallway, there was a flash of strawberry-blond hair at Lisa's door. Who was visiting Lisa? Was I wrong to stare?
What was that package she had? The woman the hair belonged to knocked once, then twice, and then before I knew it, she whirled about and looked directly at my door, curiously staring at my peephole. Not accustomed to anyone staring at my peephole, I froze, eyes unblinking as she appraised my door. She crossed the tiny landing, and rapped soundly on my door. Surprised, I jumped back a little, bumping into my umbrel a stand and letting her know there was, in fact, someone home. I turned my face to the side and shouted, "Coming!" Then I proceeded to walk in place as though I was headed for the door. Luca looked on with interest, tossing her head and assuring me I was not nearly as clever as I thought I was.
I made a great noise of clicking the locks, and then opened the door.
We appraised each other instantly, in the way that women do. She was tall and beautiful in a cold, patrician way. She wore a black suit, severely cut and buttoned up to the collar. Her strawberry blond hair was twisted and pinned back, although one solitary piece had marched away from her sisters and now hung in her face. She pushed it back behind her ear. Her cherry red lips pursed as she finished looking me over and offered a thin smile.
"Jennie, yes?" she asked, a solidly British accent piercing the air as clearly as her attitude. I already knew I didn't care for this woman.
"Yes, can I help you?" I suddenly felt underdressed in my Garfield boxers and tank top. I shifted my weight from one leg to the other, feet clad in giant socks. I shifted my weight again, realizing I probably looked like I had to pee. I also realized at the same time that this woman made me nervous, and I had no idea why. I straightened up immediately, putting my game face on. This all took place in less than five seconds, a lifetime in the world of Woman Figuring Out The Other Woman.
"I need to drop this off for Lisa, and she mentioned that if she wasn't at home to leave it at the flat across from her, that Jennie would take care of it for her. You're Jennie, so here you go, I suppose," she finished, thrusting a cardboard box at me. I took it, taking my eyes off of hers for a moment.
"What does she think I am, a mailbox?" I muttered, setting it on the table just inside the door and turning back to the woman.
"May I tell her who dropped this off, or will she know?" I asked. She was still looking me over as though I were a great puzzle.
"Oh, she'll know," she answered, her cool tone sounding musical but clipped at the same time. As an Korean, I'll admit I am always fascinated by a British accent, but could do without this particular side of superiority.
"Okay, well …I'll make sure she gets it." I nodded, leaning my hand on the door. I closed it ever so slightly, but she didn't move.
"Is there anything else?" I asked. I could hear Ina working on her shortbread in the other room, and I didn't want to miss any KitchenAid porn.
"No, nothing else," she replied, still making no move.
"Okay, then, have a good night," I said, almost making it a question as I started to close the door. Just as I did, she stepped forward enough so I was forced to catch the door before it hit her.
"Yes?" I asked, my irritation beginning to show through. This Limey was stopping me from seeing the completion of the pecan squares I'd been waiting for all episode.
"I just, well, I'm really glad to have met you," she answered, her eyes finally softening and a hint of a smile breaking through her façade. "And you really are quite lovely," she added. I stared back at her. Her voice sounded oddly familiar, but I couldn't quite place it.
"Um, okay, thank you?" I answered as she started for the stairwell. Her heel caught just slightly, and she stumbled a little. As I closed the door, she began to giggle as she worked her shoe loose. That's when I realized who'd just visited.
My eyes widened, I'm sure to the size of dahlias, and I hurled the door back open. I gaped at her, and her face broke open into the widest cheeky grin. She winked as I blushed. I'd been present for some of this lady's greatest moments.
She wiggled her fingers at me and disappeared down the stairs. Luca brought me back from my stupor by nipping me on the calf, and I closed the door.
I sat on my couch, pecan squares all but forgotten as my brain processed everything.
The Giggler had said I was lovely.
She basically told me Lisa had told her I was lovely.
Lisa thought I was lovely.
Was the Giggler out of the harem?
Was there even a harem left?
What did this mean?
Would I only think in questions now?
And if so, who is Eric Cartman's father?
--
Text between Lisa and Jennie:
What are you doing?
What are YOU doing?
I asked you first.
You sure did.
Waiting…
Me too…
Jesus you're stubborn. I'm driving back from LA. Happy now?
Yes, thank you. I'm baking pumpkin bread.
It's a good thing I'm at a gas station right now and not driving or I would have a hard time keeping the car on the road…
Right, the baking gets you worked up, doesn't it?
You have no idea.
So I probably shouldn't tell you I smell like cinnamon and ginger right now?
Jennie.
My raisins are soaking in brandy this very minute.
That's it…
--
I peered out the window again, scanning the street below, and still no sign of the Rover. The fog was quite thick, and although I didn't want to be a nag, I was becoming a little concerned that she wasn't home yet. Here I sat, with cooling loaves, and no Lisa had shown up to inhale them. I picked up my phone to text her, but then called instead. I didn't want her texting while she was on the road. It rang a few times, and then she picked up.
"Hi there, my favorite baker," she purred, and my knees clanked together. She was like the best Kegel exercise ever—instant clench.
"Are you close?"
"Pardon me?" she laughed.
"Close to home. Are you close to home?" I asked, rolling my eyes and unclenching.
"Yes, why?"
"There seems to be a lot of fog tonight. I mean, more than usual…Be careful, okay?"
"That's very sweet of you to be looking out for me."
"Shut up, missy. I always look out for my friends," I scolded, beginning to get ready for bed. I was a multi-tasker from way back. I could do my taxes while getting waxed and not bat an eye. I could certainly get undressed while talking to Lisa. Ahem.
"Friends? Is that what we are?" she asked.
"What the hell else would we be?" I shot back, pulling off my shorts and grabbing a pair of thick woolen socks. The floor was chilly tonight.
"Hmmm," she muttered as I took off my T-shirt and slipped into a button-down to sleep in.
"Well, while you're hmmming, I have to tell you about a visit I had earlier this week from a friend of yours."
"A friend of mine? This sounds intriguing."
"Yep, Julie Andrews accent, buttoned-up Brit? Ring any bells? She dropped off a box for you." Her laughter rang out immediately.
"Julie Andrews accent—that's brilliant! That must have been Lizzie. You met Lizzie!" she laughed like this was the funniest thing ever.
"Lizzie Schmizzie. She'll always be the Giggler to me." I smirked, sitting on the edge of my bed and applying some lotion.
"Why do you call her the Giggler?" she asked, playing innocent, and I could tell she was on the verge of absolute hysterics.
"You really need me to tell you? Come on, even you can't be that thick—never mind, walked right into that one." I cut her off before she could regale me with how thick she was, indeed. I'd been pressed up against that very thick in a hot tub, so I was familiar. Kegel. And, thank you, another Kegel.
"I like messing with you, Nightie Girl. It gives me a chuckle."
"First spiffy, now a chuckle? I worry about you, Lisa." I returned to the living room to turn off lights and get the place ready for bed. This included freshening Luca's water bowl and hiding a few Pounce treats around the apartment. He enjoyed playing Big Game Hunter while I slept sometimes, with the Pounce, of course, playing the part of the Big Game. Some nights the pillows were unfortunately involved, as well as any hair ties, loose shoelaces, and pretty much anything else that seemed appealing around two a.m. Some mornings my place looked like Wild Kingdom had been filmed overnight.
"Well, no worries. I'll pick it up when I get back. So, did you two have a nice chat?"
"We chatted briefly, yes. But no dirty secrets were shared. Although with the thin walls, I'm already a bit familiar. How is the lonely haremette Missing her sisters?" I flipped off the lights and padded through the kitchen to fetch the Big Game. I was dying to ask her if she'd actually broken up with the Giggler. Did she, did she not?
"She may be a bit lonely, yes," she said, in what I thought sounded like a careful way. Hmm…
"Lonely because…" I led, pausing in my Pounce-scattering.
"Lonely because, well, let's just say, for the first time in a very long time, I am…well …I am…you see…" she stuttered and stalled, dancing around the issue.
"Go on, out with it," I instructed, barely breathing.
"Without…female companionship. Or as you would say, harem free." Her words came out in a quiet whoosh, and my legs began a little shimmy shake. This made the Pounce shimmy-shake in their container, alerting Luca that his hunt had begun early.
"Harem free, huh?" I breathed back, visions of Sugar Lisas dancing in my head. Single Sugar Lisas, Single Sugar Lisas in Spain…
"Yeah," she whispered, and we were both silent for what seemed like months, although in actuality it was only enough time for Luca to claim his first victim: the Pounce hidden in my tennis shoe by the front door. I walked over to congratulate him on his catch.
"She said something curious," I mentioned, breaking the spell.
"Oh yeah? What's that?" she asked.
"She told me that I was, and I quote, 'quite lovely.'"
"Did she now?" she laughed, easing back into comfortable.
"Yes, and the thing of it is, she said it like she was agreeing with something someone else had already said. Now, I'm not a girl who fishes for compliments, but it would seem, Lisa, that you were talking sweet about me." I smiled, knowing my face was breaking into a pink glow. I'd started for the bedroom when I heard a soft knocking at the door. I walked back to unlock and open the door without looking through the peephole. I had a strong feeling I knew who was on the other side.
There she stood, phone cradled to her ear, holding her duffel bag and smiling a big, toothy grin.
"I told her you were lovely, but the truth is, you're more than lovely," she said, bowing her head toward mine and bringing her face to within inches of my own.
"More?" I asked, barely drawing breath. I know my grin matched her.
"You're exquisite," she said.
And with that, I invited her in. While wearing only my button-down. From far away, the O cheered…
An hour later, we sat together at the kitchen table, a decimated loaf in front of us. In between her frantic pawing, I'd managed a bite or two. The rest now lived in Lisa's tummy, which she proudly thumped like a melon. We'd talked and eaten, gotten caught up, watched Luca as she finished her hunt, and now relaxed as the coffee brewed. Lisa's bag rested by the front door still —she hadn't even gone to her apartment yet. I was still in my button-down, feet curled beneath the chair as I stared at her. We were so comfortable, and yet that low-level hum, that electricity always sparking and snarking between us, continued.
"Fantastic touch by the way—the raisins? Loved them." She smirked at me, poking one more in her mouth.
"You're terrible." I shook my head, stretching up out of my chair and collecting the plates and the few crumbs that hadn't been inhaled. I could sense her watching me as I moved about the kitchen. I grabbed the pot of coffee and raised my eyebrows at her. she nodded. I stood next to her chair to fill her mug, and I caught her peeking at my legs below my shirt.
"See something you like?" I leaned across her to the sugar bowl.
"Yep," she answered, leaning toward me to take it.
"Sugar?"
"Yep."
"Cream?"
"Yep."
"That all you can say?"
"Nope."
"Gimme something, then. Anything." I giggled, walking back around to my side of the table. Once again she watched me as I arranged myself in the chair.
"How about this?" she finally said, resting on her elbows, face intense. "As I mentioned earlier, I broke it off with Lizzie." I stared back, barely breathing. I tried to play it cool, so cool, but I couldn't stop the grin sneaking across my face.
"I see you are not at all broken up by this," she scoffed, sitting back in her chair.
"Not so much, no. Want the truth?" I asked, the grin ushering in a sudden surge of confidence.
"Truth would be good."
"I mean truth truth, back-and-forth truth. No witty comebacks, no snappy banter—although we do give great banter."
"We do, but I could go for some truth," she said, her voice quiet as her sapphire eyes blazed away at me.
"Okay, truth. I'm glad you broke things off with Lizzie."
"You are, are you?"
"Yes. Why did you? Truth now," I reminded her. She regarded me for a moment, sipped her coffee, ran her hands through her hair in a maniacal way, and took a deep breath.
"Okay, truth. I broke it off with Lizzie because I didn't want to be with her any more. With any other women, in fact," she finished, setting her cup down. "I'm sure we'll always be friends, but the truth is, I've been finding lately that three women? It's a lot for me to handle. I'm thinking of paring things down a bit, maybe trying just one for a while." she smiled, the brown getting dangerous.
Knowing I was a grin and a clench away from total embarrassment, I stood quickly and went to dump my coffee in the sink. I paused there for a second, only a second, thoughts whirling. She was single. She was…single. Sweet mother of pearl, Wall banger was single.
I felt her move across the kitchen and come to stand behind me. I froze, feeling her hands gently brush my hair away from my shoulders and slip down to my hips. Her mouth—her ever-loving mouth—barely touched the shell of my ear, and she whispered.
"Truth? I can't stop thinking about you." still facing away from her, my mouth dropped open and my eyes went wide, torn between fist pumping and actual kitchen sex. Before I could decide, her mouth moved more purposefully, pressing into the skin just below my ear and making my brain burn and parts below dance a jig.
Her hands gripped my hips, and she turned me toward her—to face that body and grin—I quickly composed my face, trying desperately to keep it together.
"Truth? I've been thinking about you since the night you banged on my door," she whispered, bending down to kiss the hollow of my neck with breathtaking precision. Her hair tickled my nose, and I fought to keep my hands to myself. She pushed me to the side a little and surprised me by lifting me onto the counter. My legs automatically opened to allow her between them, the Universal Law of Wall banger superseding any actual thought I had in my head. Not to worry, my thighs knew what to do.
One of her hands snuck around to the small of my back, while the other gripped the back of my neck. "Truth?" she asked one more time, pulling my hips to the edge of the counter, which forced me to lean back as my legs once more went on auto-pilot and wrapped themselves around her waist. "I want you in Spain," she breathed, then brought her mouth to mine.
Somewhere, a kitty began to call …and an O finally began her journey home.
--
"More wine, Ms. Manoban?"
"No more for me. Jennie?"
"I'm fine, thank you." I stretched out luxuriously in my seat. First class to LaGuardia, then first class all the way to Malaga, Spain. We'd be taking a car from there to Nerja, the small coastal town where Lisa had rented a house. Scuba diving, spelunking, hiking, beautiful beaches, and mountains, all set in a quaint village.
Lisa squirmed in her seat and shot an angry look over her shoulder.
"What? What's the problem?" I asked, looking behind and seeing nothing out of the ordinary.
"That kid keeps banging my seat," she grumbled through clenched teeth.
I laughed for a solid twenty minutes.