Lisa
I exited the freeway and we soon found ourselves in the quaint neighbourhood that Jin taught in. By the school, a large hill crawled with children rocketing down the snowy embankment on plastic sleds. One brave child took her sled up higher than any of the other children and aimed her sled for the small ramp built. She launched into the air and hit the snow with a huge laugh.
"Whoa! Look at those kids!" I said to Jennie, slowing down to watch. I laughed when another one went off a jump and soared through the air. "I wish I had a sled. Do you think they would let me borrow theirs for like one run?"
Jennie laughed. "I don't think it's appropriate for a grown woman to commandeer a child's sled."
"I'm not commandeering, I'm borrowing! I knew that I should've just left my sled in the back of my car. What was I thinking?"
"You have a sled at your apartment?"
"Of course! I have two: one for me and one for Jin." Jennie laughed again, amused by my fiery passion for sledding. "Do you like sledding?"
"I love sledding."
"Then I guess I need to buy a third sled for us and we all need to come to this exact spot this weekend. We can probably fight off most of the kids for the hill."
Jennie doubled over in laughter. "Oh yeah? You think you can take down an army of small children?"
"I bet I could take them. Easily."
"I'll start your paperwork when you inevitably go to court."
"Worth it."
Jennie shook her head, with a huge smile on her face and I couldn't help but mirror it. I decided to tell Jennie what I was thinking as we pulled into the school's parking lot.
"Earlier, I was thinking that I like spending time with you and I'm going to miss seeing you in the morning." I said. Jennie smiled at me.
"Now was that so hard?" Jennie teased and hopped out of the car. I sat there for a moment, affronted. Wouldn't that have been the perfect opportunity for Jennie to say 'I like spending time with you too'?
"Thanks for that." I said when I caught up to her. She winked at me. "You know I thought we were actually getting somewhere in our friendship."
"We're not friends." Jennie reminded me.
"How are we not friends?" I demanded. "We hang out all the time. Why don't you want to be my friend?"
With an amused smile on her face, Jennie laughed, and began to answer, but was cut off by Jin calling our names.
"Lisa, Jennie!"
Our heads snapped to Jin and he jogged up to us. "Okay, thank God you're here! I need help with some last minute decorations. Let's go!"
Jin beckoned us to the auditorium. I looked at Jennie, trying to read her, but she simply smiled at me and shrugged. I rolled my eyes.
"Maybe later." she said.
We hurried into the auditorium and scurried around while Jin directed us around. By the end of the setup, the families with their adorable six-year-olds in their costumes were arriving. Jin thanked us, then shooed us away to our seats. Jennie and I sat in the back.
"Do you know which play he's doing?" Jennie leaned over and asked.
"I think it's 'The Nutcracker'."
Jennie blinked. "With six-year-olds?"
"Jin was always one for dramatics."
Jennie looked up at the decorations and shook her head. "He's insane."
"He's your brother."
Jennie nudged me with her shoulder and smiled.
"Are you going to tell me what you were about to say before Jin interrupted me?"
Jennie considered for a moment. "No, I don't think so."
"You're so annoying."
Jennie smiled.
Jin walked out on the tiny stage to announce the start of the play and I settled into my seat. I realised when Jennie bumped me with her shoulder that she left herself pressed up against my side and didn't move during the entire play. I glanced at her, but she had her eyes trained on her brother. I smiled to myself and sat comfortably through the entirety of the adorably cute, but absolutely awful, kindergarten rendition of 'The Nutcracker'.
"That was something." I said when the play ended.
Jennie laughed. "They were cute though."
"They really were."
"Do you want kids?"
"Yeah, I do."
"How would that work?"
"I'd either adopt or ask Jin to be a donor; I always thought that we would make cute babies. You?"
"I don't know. If my partner wanted kids, sure."
"I think you'd make a good mom."
Jennie laughed in disbelief. "How could you possibly think that?"
"You make sure everything gets done and everyone is taken care of and you're organised. You've got 'mom vibes' written all over you."
"I didn't realise 'mom vibes' was a thing."
"It totally is and you've totally got it."
Jennie chuckled.
"By the way, I think that counts as a point for me: you're mom material."
"Wow. Well, if I'm mom material, so are you. You can take the kids sledding, since you love it so much."
"So what you're saying is I'm the fun mom and you're the boring mom."
"The boring mom that makes sure there's food on the table, the bills are paid, and the house is clean."
I wrapped my arm around Jennie's shoulder and pulled her in close. "We would make a good team, I think." I teased.
Jennie laughed.
"Hey guys." Jin said, beaming as he walked up to us. "What did you think? My best work yet?"
Jennie and I exchanged glances. "Yes."
"Thanks for coming and helping set up. Aren't they just adorable?"
"They really are." I admitted.
"Everyone is heading home, so I think it's time we raid the dessert table and eat everything at our apartment."
"I'm in!"
"I told you there'd be cookies for you." Jin said to his sister.
Jennie and I collected the cookies and snacks while Jin finished cleaning up the auditorium. Back at the apartment, Jennie made everyone hot chocolate and I spread all of the desserts out on a platter that we placed on the coffee table. The three of us huddled under blankets and watched 'Elf' while we gorged ourselves on sweets.
I leaned a little closer to Jennie tonight and half way through the movie, she rested her head against my shoulder. I glanced down at her and smiled. I could definitely get used to this.
