THE HAPPIEST GIRL | JENLISA

Chapter 88

Jennie

I wake up the next morning, with the sun spilling in from the window and warming my skin. Blinking my eyes a few times, my vision adjusts and I'm startled to find my bed empty. I sit up and rub my tired eyes with the heels of my hands, racking my brain, trying to figure out if last night and all the news about Lisa's father was an all too real dream. Scratch that, more like a nightmare. And that a fragile Lisa sleeping in my bed was just a fragment of my imagination.

I look around my room, finding no traces of her. But I realise that the door to my bedroom is closed, something that never happens when Hallie is sleeping over. I always keep it open in case she needs me during the night. Tossing back my sheets, I hop out of bed and walk out to the living room, with my feet quickly padding against the hardwood. I'm relieved to first spot Lisa's shoes still by the door, and then Hallie's giggle catches my attention.

Looking to my left, I find Hallie sitting at the kitchen island on a bar stool, shoving a piece of pancake into her mouth. Lisa leans against the island across from her, with her forearms resting against the granite countertop. The corner of her mouth is slightly turned up, with a little bit of life shining back in her eyes, but I can tell that she's still exhausted and emotionally raw from yesterday's events as Hallie babbles to her about preschool.

I slowly walk into the kitchen, catching Hallie's attention first.

"Auntie Jennie! Your friend made pancakes!" she tells me excitedly, with her face beaming.

"Did she?" I look at the small and half eaten short stack of pancakes covered in syrup in front of her. There's also a glass of milk and a small bowl of cut up grapes.

I swing my gaze to Lisa and she gives me a sheepish look. "I hope it's ok." she says.

"Yeah... yeah it's ok." I say, surprised that she got up and made breakfast for Hallie, but then I feel terrible because she probably woke Lisa up. "Um, coffee?" I ask, trying to keep things as casual as possible, for both Lisa and Hallie's sake.

"Sure. Thank you."

She stands up straight and watches me as I set up the coffee maker and turn it on, pulling two mugs out of the cabinet as the machine whirls and gurgles to brew the hot liquid.

"Do you want me to make you any?" she asks, gesturing to the pan on the stove and the ingredients still left out on the counter for pancake mix.

I shake my head and give her a small smile. "No, thanks. I'm not really hungry." I admit, still unsettled and confused, trying to digest everything. I know that she's probably feeling the same way, even more so, but nevertheless I ask, "Do you want me to make you anything?"

She shakes her head, as I figured, probably unable to stomach anything for a while. Her hair is curlier than normal from sleeping with it damp last night and not using any product, her long loose curls flopping as she shakes her head and drops her sad gaze to the floor. There are dark circles under her eyes from exhaustion.

The coffee maker beeps and I turn around to find the small pot filled, with the strong scent of coffee wafting in the air. While fixing the cups, I hear the sink turn on and I look over my shoulder to see Lisa rinsing off the dishes she used to make Hallie breakfast and setting them in the dishwasher.

"You don't have to do that." I softly insist.

She shakes her head, not meeting my gaze. "It's ok."

I bite my lip, not pushing the subject any further, letting her carry on with the dishes. It's not because I want her to or think that she should, but because I know that she feels uncomfortable and out of place being back here, hence she needs a distraction and to feel some sort of importance and purpose.