Lisa
"Good morning." she says, even though her eyes don't meet mine.
"Morning."
We have all the awkwardness of a newly minted middle school couple.
Out of the corner of my eye, I notice Jennie shifting in her seat. "Can't get comfortable?" I ask.
"No." she says, and then adds under her breath: "I think I got a splinter from the fence."
I try not to grin at that. "I could take a look at it, if you'd like."
Her eyes widen at that as she turns to me. "You're not helping."
"Coffee, anyone?" Roxanne comes around with a freshly brewed pot, and Jennie and Mina both extend their mugs.
"I'm going to need it for today." Mina sighs, though I highly doubt that she needs any more energy.
"Get your spirits up, dear." Roxanne says. "There's more than one way to cook a goose."
"What's today?" I ask, only half-interested in the answer.
"Bridal party day!" Mina squeaks. "Tzuyu and Momo are flying in, and we're all doing a cake tasting. Plus, Bambam's sister is coming... it'll be great."
Mina names off her bridal party, and my back molars grit. I grimace and sip from my refreshed cup of coffee. It's bitter and strong. God bless Roxanne.
"So the bridal party..." Jennie says, while jotting notes in her legal pad. "Tzuyu and Momo are..."
"They're my sorority sisters." Mina beams.
"Right..." I add, "The sorority known for being crazy, clueless and..."
Mina kicks me under the table hard enough to bruise my shin. I stop.
"Are you coming?" Jennie glances over at me. Is that a glimmer of hope in her eyes?
"Wouldn't want to interrupt any girl time. Besides, I'm not big on sweets." Or sorority sisters. "Have fun, though."
"They've landed!" Mina shouts suddenly and leaps to her feet, waving her phone around. She tugs on Bambam's big arm. "Come on! We have to pick them up, get the cakes set up, do you think they have gluten-free batter? Tzuyu has a gluten thing..."
"All right, all right." Bambam laughs and gets up, looking slightly bewildered. "Lady gets what the lady wants."
Mina is almost rabid with excitement, and I glance down at her plate. It's practically untouched. The hair at the back of my neck rises as warning bells go off in my head. "Mina..." I tell her firmly. "Eat something before you go."
"We're about to eat cake." She waves me off. "I'll be fine. Jennie!"
"Right, I'm ready." Jennie scoops the last bit of eggs into her mouth before she stands at Mina's beck and call. Mina is already dragging Bambam out of the door, and like that, there's a vacuum of silence where Mina once was. Jennie fumbles to take her plate into the kitchen, but I take her wrist.
"I'll help Roxanne clean up." I say. Then, softly, "Keep an eye on them."
Jennie's eyebrows pinch together, and she sighs. "Give Bambam some credit, Lisa. Really, he's not as bad as you think." She frowns and says, "Take that black cloud somewhere else. Let us know when you're ready to join the party."
With that, she leaves. I don't even get the chance to tell her it's not Bambam that I'm worried about.
Something is up with the bride-to-be.
