On Call | JENLISA

Chapter 3

Lisa rolled out her back one last time before changing into her uniform black pants and gray search and rescue t-shirt. Her back was feeling better; the few days off she'd taken and the lighter work week she'd had at the end of January had done wonders, taking away the exhaustion she was feeling and the aches she felt in her muscles.

Her hair was still wet from her shower, leaving dark spots on her t-shirt, so she grabbed a cup of coffee and sat on top of the counter, allowing herself a little bit of time to relax and her hair a little more time to dry before heading outside into the freezing cold February weather. She wasn't foolish enough to walk out there with wet hair, not after doing it as a little kid and breaking off a frozen strand.

She sipped her coffee, glancing up at her kitchen clock. It was early. She hadn't been able to sleep in this morning, waking up at 6:00 AM, even though she didn't need to be at work until 9:00 AM.

February was always a hard month. It was Max's birth month, and for the past eleven years, it marked the time that passed, the years that she didn't get to live, the months that she got and Max didn't.

Lisa had known that big moments would be hard. She'd skipped her own high school graduation, too upset to walk across the stage without her best friend. She'd stumbled through freshman orientation at college, feeling lonelier than she'd felt in her entire life. Lisa had found a friend in Rosé, but that friendship came with an overwhelming sense of guilt, a sense that she was moving on and forgetting.

The big moments were hard, but the small ones surprised her. The small ones were just as painful, just as crippling, sometimes even more so, since she didn't have time to prepare for them.

She drained her coffee mug, set it in the sink, and hurried out the door, feeling suffocated in her small house and in just her own company. By the time she got to the station, she'd cleared her mind of anything other than the workday ahead of her.

"Morning, Frank!" Lisa called, nodding her head toward where Frank was sitting in the lounge. She tossed her bag into her locker and headed straight for the coffee machine for her second cup of the day.

"Manoban," Frank greeted, eyeing her over the rim of his coffee mug. "How are you?"

"I'm all right," Lisa said honestly, pulling a mug down and pouring coffee into it. "The lighter days were nice. I think I needed a break."

Frank nodded. "Feeling good with the start of a new month?" he wondered, asking so much with that singular question.

She turned around and met Frank's eyes, knowing exactly what he was asking without using the words.

"I'm ready for spring, but I'm feeling okay," Lisa answered with a tight-lipped smile.

"Last year you said you felt like shit, so this is progress," Frank replied with a warm smile.

"It ebbs and flows," she shrugged, taking a sip of coffee and letting the liquid warm her body.

"Know what they say about the ebbs and flows?" Frank asked, his warm smile never dropping as he fixed Lisa with a look.

"What's that?" She asked, leaning back against the counter.

"Best to ebb and flow with company," he winked, slapping his knees and getting to his feet. "You're in charge. I'm headed to get some breakfast."

"Bon appetit," Lisa said, offering Frank a smile and taking her own seat in the lounge where she could listen for any incoming calls or radio alerts.

——————

"Ooooh, you brought a sexy dress to work," Jisoo cooed, looking at the black dress in Jennie's hands.

The doctor rolled her eyes and stuffed the dress and her large coat into her locker. "It's the only thing appropriate for the place my mother chose for dinner tonight."