Jennie
Jennie took a seat on one of the lounge chairs at the far end of the pool. It was obvious that the girls had something serious that they wanted to talk to her about, but she couldn't figure out what. They gathered by the diving board out of earshot from the boys, taking seats on the patio chairs that they had pulled together. There were no lights on that end of the pool and Jennie could barely see the girls faces, but she knew there had to be a reason that Mina and the rest of the girls wanted to be so isolated.
Are they mad at me?
Jennie's analytical mind raced through anything and everything she had said or done trying to figure out why the girls were all of a sudden so serious around her. She sorted through every conversation, but came up with nothing. "We wanted to talk to you away from the guys for a second Jennie." Mina started as she scooted her chair close. "They told us what you said... what you were willing to do when our lives and the team's lives were threatened at the safe house..."
Oh gosh I don't know if I'm ready for this conversation. Please don't be mad at me. I know it seems reckless from the outside looking in, but I had to... and I'd do it again given the opportunity.
Jennie pushed out a hard breath, preparing for their reaction to be similar to Lisa's.
"We want to thank you Jennie." Ji-eun said, placing her hand on Jennie's knee.
"You were prepared to pay the ultimate price for the men we love... for us and we can't even begin to tell you how grateful we are to have you as a part of this family." Mina said, grabbing hold of Jennie's hand.
"Eric played the audio recording for me Jennie... do you even know how brave you are? How much we admire you for what you did?" Claire said, rubbing her hand up and down Jennie's back. Jennie was overwhelmed with love and felt tears sting her eyes as the women covered her in kind words and comforting touches.
"I love you guys and I love the team... you're my family." Jennie said with a smile, knowing that despite Lisa's opinion she would do it again in a heartbeat if given the opportunity.
"Yes we are, Sis. You're stuck with us." Mina said with a smile.
"You have no idea how happy that makes me." Jennie gushed.
"We love you Jennie." Ji-eun said brightly.
My heart... I've never known love like this from any woman other than my mother. It's like she picked these women out just for me knowing they were the support I needed.
All of the serious energy melted away as the girls started gossiping about the guys and laughing about Lisa in that damn hat. Jennie knew Lisa wore it in as a joke but she looked absolutely delicious in it. The tall bushes behind them rustled slightly pulling their gaze toward them, but the movement put a big smile on Claire's face. "There's a stray cat that has decided to make our back deck its new home. Eric's pissed that I fed it because now it won't leave. I've been calling him 'Socks' because it is grey with little white spots on each foot."
"Stop it, that's adorable." Ji-eun gushed, looking side to side for Socks to appear.
"Aw, tell Eric to have a damn heart, you guys should keep him." Mina sassed.
"Right? Help me out with that argument will you? Because that's a battle I'm definitely losing with that man." Claire laughed as she stood to go get some cat food. Mina rose to her feet and took a few steps toward the bushes. "Here kitty kitty, come on out Socks." Mina said in a high pitched baby voice. The bushes rustled again, but the motion was too high up and shook too many branches to be a cat.
Something's not right.
"Mina get away from the bushes." Jennie said immediately, grabbing for Mina's arm, but it was too late. All the blood drained from Jennie's face as she watched a dark figure emerge from the bushes. A tall man dressed in all black appeared from his crouched position behind the bushes with the barrel of his gun practically touching Mina's forehead.
Oh my God, no... please no!
"Eric!" Claire wailed, prompting the armed assailant to point the gun in Claire's direction.
"Shut the fuck up!" The man screamed.
Ji-eun took a hard stance in front of Claire while Claire screamed Eric's name again.
"Don't make me hurt your friends Jennie... tell them to shut their fucking mouths." The man growled, speaking directly to Jennie.
"Do what he says." Jennie said, trying desperately to analyse the situation and formulate a plan against the pounding in her ears as adrenaline flooded her body.
I've just got to keep the bullets inside that gun long enough for the guys to take him out. Stall Jennie. Get him to talk and pull his attention away from everyone else.
