YOU & ME | JENLISA

Chapter 122

Jennie

I stepped forward, more calmly now. "I don't want you in my life. I've done fine without you all of these years. You're only here for the money because your relationship went to shit. It's always that way. The cycle needs to end. Leave me and dad alone to get on with our lives."

"It's not going to work, Jen. I want my money so you better tell your father that I'm coming for it or I'll be taking you instead. He has three days."

"Jen!" My dad's voice shouted from behind the crowd. I abandoned my bag and went running towards him, with arms open wide, ready to jump into his.

Just like he had been doing ever since I was a small child he grabbed me, lifted me into his arms and spun me around. I giggled until he set me back down on the floor. Together we walked back to my luggage, my mom had disappeared - a well-rehearsed party trick of hers and Rosé had moved onto her own family.

Only Lisa remained, guarding my bags and drinking from a bottle of water.

"Dad, you remember Lisa?" I smiled sheepishly and my father's eyes narrowed to slits.

"How could I forget." He answered dryly. Lisa lifted the bottle away from her mouth and wiped the corners.

"Sir." She greeted with one of her head nods and then hid her face behind her water bottle again.

"I've actually been sharing a room with Lisa all week, it would seem there wasn't enough rooms and there was some sort of a mixed up."

Lisa spluttered on her water and coughed as the liquid went down the wrong way. I rubbed her back attentively and my father's scowl ran deeper.

"Fuck." She said as her breathing returned to normal. "I swear sir, nothing happened." She lied, totally scared to death.

My dad shook his head and rolled his eyes. I gave him a big smile and chewed down on my bottom lip. Honesty was our thing. I found that if I was straight forward about things, he didn't get mad, but if he found out something by mistake then the consequences were much worse.

"I'm gonna go pay for the parking, Jen." He said with a pissed off tone. "Lisa, I want to remind you that I carry a gun at all times."

"Yes sir, I don't think I can ever forget that." She answered pointedly and we watched my dad walk away. "Jesus Jennie, what the fuck!" I laughed at her reaction.

"Stop worrying about my dad, I know what he's like. He's just a big softie."

"A big softie with a gun." She mouthed. "Hey, you're half Korean?"

My smile dropped. "Actually full." I replied. "My mom and dad are Korean."

Her brows furrowed and she got thinking bumps in her forehead.

"But your dad..."

"Isn't biologically my dad."

"Oh." She said softly, it was more of a sound than a word. I could tell that she wanted to ask more but she didn't feel like she could, so I just enlightened her anyway.

"My mom went through all sorts of men, she didn't like to be alone. When I was three, she met my dad and was with him for just over a year but then a new man came along and after cheating a bunch of times on him, she decided that her new man was better. She disappeared in the middle of the night, and left me behind."

"Fuck Jennie, that's rough."

"Yeah, not really. My dad is a great man and he didn't hesitate to adopt me but through the years my mom has popped back in and out, wanting money or whatever and the threat of taking me away has always scared my dad. She would never do it though, she doesn't want to be burdened by me. She wants to live the single life. Partying, booze, sex, men, and I don't fit into her lifestyle. I never have and never will."

"So what about your biological dad?"

I laughed. "He's never been around. Every year he sends me a birthday card and a Christmas card. There is a gift voucher in the card usually, mostly for stores that I don't shop in but it's more than I ever got from my mom."

"That's shitty Jennie, I'm sorry. I had no idea."

"That's okay, don't feel sorry for me. If they weren't so shit, I wouldn't have ended up with Frank. I got the best end of the bargain and I'm okay with that." I looked up towards the door, the airport lounge was emptying out now. Nobody came to meet Lisa at the airport.

"C'mon, we'll give you a ride." I picked up my bags and gestured with my head for her to follow me.

"In your dad's cop car? No thanks I'm good, Jennie."

"C'mon little baby, get in the car. I've got rainbows and puppies and candy and mermaids swimming in the trunk."

She laughed but shook her head. I grabbed her arm, not taking no for an answer. "Lisa, we're giving you a ride home."