Jennie

I walk into the kitchen early in the morning and lean back against the doorway to watch Lisa. She's making breakfast, and she keeps rearranging the tray on the counter, over and over again. I have no doubt that she intended to bring that to me in bed.

I agreed to move back here after I found that stack of cancelled tickets in her office. It reminded me of how much time we've already lost. I can't do this to her. To us. I can't stay away when my heart reaches for her with every beat.

Part of me feels betrayed, but part of me also understands. This was never about me. I wasn't even here for years, and Lisa and my dad have clearly developed a close bond. I know what Lisa is like, and it shouldn't have surprised me that she wouldn't betray my father, that she'd do what she could to keep his secrets.

My eyes roam over her and I sigh. She's wearing nothing but her pajama trousers, probably because I stole the matching top.

I walk into the kitchen, and Lisa freezes, her eyes widening. I smile tightly and grab the coffee from the tray she prepared, the edges of my lips turning up. "This looks nice," I murmur. Lisa seems nervous and tense as I stand next to her, and I take a sip of my coffee, my eyes on her.

"I'm not mad at you anymore," I murmur, rising to my tiptoes to kiss her. She looks at me, her gaze searching. If I had any remaining doubts about Lisa's feelings for me, then they're all gone now. I might have been hurting over my dad and Lisa's actions, but she's been hurting right along with me. I can tell that she's scared to lose me again, that she's sorry for hurting me. I don't want her to feel this way. We've spent too long hurting.

I wrap my arms around her neck and kiss her, losing myself in her. She groans against my lips and pulls me closer, until my body is flush against her. I giggle and run my hands over her body, feeling perfectly content. Even when life hands me blow after blow, I can deal with it, so long as she's here to hold me through it.

"I missed you," she says, and I wrap my arms around her neck. Lisa lifts me onto the kitchen counter and I spread my legs, closing them around her.

"I missed you too," I murmur. She threads her hand through my hair and kisses me roughly. I feel her harden against my thighs and a low moan escapes my lips.

"Let's go back to bed," I whisper. We fell asleep together last night, but I need more of her.

Lisa smiles at me and lifts me into her arms, a smirk on her face.

She freezes and puts me down when we hear footsteps approach us. I take a step away from Lisa just as Dad walks into the kitchen, his eyes moving from me to Lisa. "You two still fighting?" he asks, and we both shake our heads. "Good," he says, nodding.

Dad sits down and Lisa makes him some herbal tea as I sit down next to Dad. I wrap my arm around Dad and he drops his head to my shoulder. He's constantly tired these days. He keeps battling headaches and muscle cramps, and it kills me. His entire life revolves around his dialysis, and I know how much he hates that. I need to find a way to give my father back his life.

"Dad," I whisper. "I want to look into paired donation. If we can find someone else that needs a kidney donation, I can donate my kidney to them, while someone in their life donates one to you."

Dad freezes and grits his teeth. He turns to look at me, and for just a few seconds, he's the man I grew up with, instead of the old man he's become. When he looks at me, I see the fearless prosecutor, the stern father, the man I've always idolized. He shakes his head and pins me down with a stare. "No. I've said no before, and I still mean it. I'd rather die than have you donate a kidney. I will not have you cutting your body open. I won't have you lying on an operating table for me. It isn't happening, Jennie. If I find out that you so much as try to go through with this, I'll refuse the paired donation. I won't have it."

I inhale shakily, my eyes filling with tears. "But Daddy, I don't want to lose you. Please, can't you do this for me? Please."

I burst into tears and Lisa runs up to me. She wraps her arms around me, and I hide my face in her chest. "Tell him, Lisa," I beg. "Tell him to accept it. Please."

Lisa buries her hand in my hair and grips me tightly. "John," she says, her voice pleading. "What if I do it? You won't have to worry about Jennie. Paired donation is a great idea, and I should have thought of it myself. I'll do it."

Dad rises from his seat with so much force that his chair clatters to the floor. "No. I said no, Lisa. My dignity is all I have left. I'll take my own life before I let either of you take it from me."

He walks away and slams the door closed behind him, and I start sobbing, my heart shattering. I've never felt this helpless before. I don't know what to do. I don't know how to save him if he won't let me.