Jennie

I wake up exhausted on Sunday morning. I've been overthinking things all weekend, and I haven't slept a wink. The longer I'm here, the more I think I want to stay. I'll need to talk to Mino, but I don't even know if I want to ask him to move here with me. I walk into the kitchen, irritated.

"You look cute."

I freeze and look up to find Lisa leaning back against the kitchen counter in nothing but her swim wear, her hair still wet. She's got a coffee cup in her hands and raises it to her lips. I hate that she looks so good. I hate that I still find her so damn attractive. Freaking Lisa.

"More stolen goods, huh?" she murmurs, her eyes roaming over my body. I was so tired this morning that I stormed out in nothing but Lisa's tee. I glance down at my outfit, my cheeks heating.

Lisa holds up her coffee cup for me and I take it from her gratefully. I take a huge gulp and sigh in delight. Lisa chuckles and brushes my hair behind my ear. "You're still fucking terrifying before you've had your coffee in the morning," she murmurs, and I look up at her in surprise, my lips tipping up in a smile. "I feared for my life in New York, you know?"

"Shut up," I murmur, making her laugh.

Lisa takes a step closer and steals her coffee back from me, earning her a glare. "Just one sip, Minx," she whispers. My heart still skips a beat when she calls me Minx. I didn't think I'd ever get to hear that again.

I pull on her hand, wanting her coffee back, and she chuckles. I take the coffee from her, and Lisa cages me in, her arms on either side of me. I look up at her cheekily as I take another sip of her coffee, and Lisa laughs.

That's how Dad finds us, standing in the kitchen, being petty over a cup of coffee. He grins at us, and Lisa takes a step away. Dad's eyes drop to my coffee cup, and he frowns before looking at Lisa.

"I thought you said that was your cup? Every time I try to use it you throw a fit."

I look at it — truly look at it — and my face drains of color. This… this is the same cup Lisa asked me to be her girlfriend with, isn't it? I look up at her in question, and she looks away, a slight blush tainting her cheeks. "Why do you still have this?" I whisper.

She smiles tightly and looks away, robbing me of an answer. She joins Dad on the chairs by the kitchen counter and I sigh. "You're gonna get the chairs all wet," I murmur, shaking my head. "Why don't you change into something else? Something warm, maybe? You'll catch a cold like that."

Lisa looks at me, her eyes twinkling with amusement, and shakes her head. Dad glances from me to her and smiles to himself before turning to Lisa. "You're going home for Sunday lunch?" he asks, and my heart twists painfully. Sunday lunches at the Manobans feature in some of my best memories.

Lisa nods, and Dad sighs. "Come with me," she tells Dad. "Mom has been asking about you. I think she's worried, and I know you miss playing cards with Dad. Why don't you come with me?"

Dad glances at me and my heart sinks.

"Lisa is right, I have missed Sunday lunch at the Manobans. I'd really like to go, Jennie, and I'd really like it if you joined me."

Dad looks so hopeful, so pleading. It's been so easy to forget that he's sick, because he never acts like it. But he is, and it's my turn to take care of him. I nod very subtly, as though I'm scared to even commit to it. Since coming here I haven't done anything for Dad, not anything meaningful anyway. The staff robs me of every opportunity. But this, this is something I can do for him.

I glance at Lisa, my smile so tight that it feels unnatural. "If my father wishes for it, I'll join you. I'm not certain if your mother would be happy to host me, though. If not, then I'd be very grateful if you could take him, instead."

Lisa looks worried and shakes her head. "No, Mom would love to have you. She's been wanting to come over and speak to you, but I… I thought it might not be a good idea. Please, come."

I nod, and that's that. I try my best to delay as much as I can, but a couple of hours later, we're standing in front of the Manobans house. I consider coming up with an excuse and bailing, but I can't. I can't, because Dad is holding onto my hand tightly, looking more excited than I've seen him look in weeks.

I had no idea I'd been keeping him away from his usual routine. I didn't come here to disrupt his life. I can manage to smile and nod for one afternoon. For Dad, I can do that.

The door opens and Helen appears, her eyes bright and excited. She greets Lisa, and then Dad, before finally smiling at me. I try my best to return her smile, but I fail.

"Thank you for having me," I tell her through gritted teeth, and she nods at me, flustered. I follow the them in and glance around in surprise. Almost everything has changed. The entire house looks renovated. A lot of it has a similar feel to it as Lisa's house. I guess her parents probably didn't want to move, so she did the house up instead.

Lisa's dad, William, rises from his seat when I walk in. He walks up to me and ruffles my hair, and my heart warms. He's always been as good to me as he could be. Even towards the end he tried his best to remain impartial. I take a seat at the dining table, and I don't even realize I've sat down in what used to be my usual spot here until Lisa and Helen both look at me, their eyes filled with what can only be described as nostalgia. I regret it immediately. I'm not here to reminisce. I try to eat in silence, but Helen and William don't make it easy. Both of them keep trying to involve me in the conversation, and it hurts. It hurts that they all moved on with their lives, that they all seem to be so happy after they asked me to rip my heart out for their daughter's happiness.

I breathe a sigh of relief when my phone rings, and I excuse myself. Even a small reprieve will give me the breathing room I crave.