Loved You First (Jenlisa) COMPLETED

5

The next day didn't turn out as planned for Lisa. She woke up early, but the pitter-patter of raindrops on the window was only a sneak preview of the great big storms that would roll in and stay for most of the morning.

She knew early on that she wouldn't be able to finish the shutter job over at Jennie's so instead she headed for the clinic to make herself useful. They were down a receptionist and she'd volunteered to help out whenever she could. That seemed to make her parents happy, which was kind of her goal as of late.

She spent the morning organizing patient charts and scheduling, skills she'd picked up in high school and slid easily back into.

Her dad joined her midday in the break room for lunch, cutting his sub sandwich in half for them to split. He still wore his very official white coat she'd admired as a child, the pocket outfitted with a few token lollipops for the younger patients and a few demanding older ones. His hair was entirely gray now, and he'd shaved off the moustache he'd had for much of her childhood.

"It's nice having you around again, Lalisa. I could get used to this."

She smiled. She and her father didn't always see eye to eye, but she enjoyed spending time with him one-on-one. He was a good guy.

"You say that to all your kids."

But then that sounded strange because really there was just her and Jin now.

He must have seen the realization flicker in her eyes. "Don't look that way. I still have three kids, you know. Five, counting Minnie and Jennie."

Lisa nodded solemnly, knowing it was true. She played absently with the corner of her sandwich.

Her father slid her an inquisitive look. "So how are things with Jennie these days? You two do much talking since you've been back?"

"A little. She seems okay. Why do you ask?"

He grabbed for a chip. "Your mother and I worry for her sometimes. She has a lot on her plate with her father's declining health and managing the bakery all by herself. She's there at five a.m. each morning and doesn't leave sometimes until well past dinnertime. She doesn't let us help enough, and for Seulgi's sake, we should. We should all be watching out for Jennie."

Lisa nodded and contemplated telling her father about the financial trouble at Flour Child, but decided that Jennie had confided in her alone. She should respect that.

"I guess I didn't realize she pulled so many hours. But I think she's managing."

However, as soon as the words left her mouth, she knew she wasn't at all convinced.

"And what about you? When does the studio need you back in the saddle? Or have you decided to listen to reason and leave that world behind?"

It was no secret that her father found the entertainment industry frivolous in comparison to the rest of the family's noble work. She was the black sheep of the family, and she was used to her part. But for whatever reason, she needed to be honest with him in this moment. And she needed for him to understand.

She bit the bullet and recounted the details of her less than dignified dismissal from the set the week prior. When she finished, she met her father's eyes, and any hope of understanding or compassion on his part left her immediately. Instead, she only saw disappointment.

And, as always, it was crushing.

"That's no way to conduct yourself, Lalisa." He shook his head in disapproval. "That's not how you were brought up."

"Yes, sir. I know. I lost my temper and had a momentary lapse."

"And look what it cost you. If I have a momentary lapse when working on an important case, someone could lose his or her life. There's no room for that kind of behavior if you want to succeed in life. Time for you to grow up, Lalisa. I don't want to have to worry about you so much."