Glimpse of Us | Jenlisa [COMPLETED]

Chapter 28

Ella waits for her on the steps of her dance academy.

Lisa leaves her new apartment in high spirits, and she only feels better when she sees her daughter waiting for her, a smile on her face. She hasn't seen Ella in a few days, and even though it's no different than what they did before, Lisa feels the distance between them. As if her being in another city 2 hours away just exacerbated the feeling of disconnect she felt whenever it was Jennie's time with her.

But she's working on it. They both are.

She steps out of the car just in time for Ella to come barreling towards her, and jumping into her arms. Lisa will never get tired of this. She squeezes her tight, smiling against her neck.

"Hey Ells," she greets her, pressing a series of kisses against her cheek that have Ella giggling. "How was school today?"

"Okay. Dance was better."

"It was? What did you do?"

"Can we got to the park next to the new place?" Ella asks, jumping right over Lisa's question. "Grandma and I saw a puppy the last time we went. Maybe we can see it again." She presses her hands on Lisa's cheeks. "Please?" she begs, and truth be told, Lisa didn't require the puppy eyes at all. She's already going to say yes.

"Okay." she tells her, and Ella squeals, jumping down from her arms and opening the door of her car. Lisa helps her get it.

"Ready for a week with mommy?" She asks. Ella nods, her feet swinging from her car seat.

A week with her doesn't mean a week without Jennie. Yes, Ella sleeps over at Jennie's for a week and then at Lisa's for a week, but they have Tuesday dinner together, all three of them. Sometimes Ijun joins in. Sometimes they take River and Bambam's boys too, and they spend the evening at Chuck&Cheese's. She and Jennie decided not to let a week go by where Ella doesn't see one of them in person, and having dinner together -as a family- has been their way to fix that. It helps Ella cope, and deep down it helps her too.

She feels less guilty about how unencumbered she feels living in a new place when she is always just two days away from seeing her daughter in person, and always just a phone call away, and so is Jennie. She might be living in a different city, but she feels like she's doing a better job as a co-parent ever since she moved.

Or maybe since she and Jennie kissed again, back at the hospital. The jury is still out on that one.

But it works. And Ella notices the difference.

Lisa has caught her staring up at them, her eyes full of stars and dimples appearing in her cheeks as she sees them joke around the dinner table and pass each other plates of food. That same look is in her eyes as Lisa calls Jennie that afternoon, making plans for next week and telling her about the restaurant she chose for Tuesday. She's been trying to get settled into the city little by little, and she and Ella have been almost everywhere within walking distance by now.

They go to the park. They don't see the same puppy as last time when Ijun was here, but they do pet a few dogs, and Lisa lets herself imagine the day where she can walk home with a puppy -bow around its neck- in her arms, and see Ella's reaction.

They spend the weekend baking cookies and cupcakes, and though desserts were usually more Jennie's thing, she thinks she does a good enough job. They skype Jennie late on Sunday, and promise to save her some of their creations when she comes over later in the week.

Lisa already feels sorry for her having to try Ella's pink-and-blue frosted extravaganza, covered in sugar and cream cheese.

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