Journey

Chapter 9

Mid November 2015

Twenty-six-year-old Lisa sits cross-legged on the creaky Manobanen floor with partially read overflowing folders scattered all around her. She gazes down at her lap, her brow scrunched, while attentively reading the book resting atop her calves. The only thing that temporarily manages to break her deep concentration is the scorching heat burning the bare skin of her thighs. Without removing her eyes from the book, Lisa reaches over and nudges the small space heater, the one keeping her from freezing in the November frigidity, a few feet further away.

Lisa should be going over the case files for the new murder case she is supposed to be assisting on. She had every intention to until she wandered into a bookstore on the way home. Lisa has browsed the parenting section of every store, be it virtual or physical, in the past eight and something months, yet she somehow still found fresh material to read. Jennie regularly jokes that they're running out of space to put the actual baby because Lisa's baby books have slowly but steadily overrun their apartment. This particular trip is the reason why Lisa is currently obstructing the open evidence folder lying atop her legs with a fresh copy of "The Expectant Father: Facts, Tips, and Advice for Dads-to-Be" . Sure, Lisa wasn't about to be a "dad", but she wasn't the pregnant mom either. That technically made her the equivalent of "the father" in the equation. To Lisa's surprise, the book is proving to be wildly insightful thus far. Jennie can make fun of her all she wants, but Lisa is set on finishing this before the baby comes... which is any minute now.

Lisa is engrossed in the tenth chapter when she hears the bedroom door swing open rather dramatically. That can only mean Jennie is up from her nap, and if the treatment the door is getting is any indication, she probably didn't wake up in a good mood.

"Lisa."

The seriousness in the twenty-three-year-old's voice is another clue that Lisa might want to tread carefully for the next few minutes.

Lisa looks over her shoulder to find Jennie in all her "just-woken-up" glory standing at the threshold of the living room entrance. Her face is emotionless, almost too serious. Jennie's hands are on her stomach and her eyes fly back and forth between her ample midriff and her wife. Lisa's pulse promptly skyrockets and she fumbles with the papers and book on her lap.

"What? What?!"

Lisa is incapable of keeping track of the thousands of thoughts firing through her neurons right now.

"I have to tell you something, but you CAN NOT freak out."

Lisa does her best to gather the papers resting on her lap as efficiently as possible, but the sound of Jennie's words does precisely the opposite, and she panics. Dozens of sheets spill out of folders and fall onto the floor while Lisa struggles to get on her feet and make her way to Jennie.

Sensitive documents are flying in every direction, but Lisa honestly could not care any less. Something big is happening and she has to get to her wife. Once she's on her feet, it takes Lisa all but three giant steps to close the entire distance of the living room and make it to Jennie.

"What?"

"Lili."

Jennie glances at Lisa, then back at her full term belly.

"WHAT?!"

Lisa shakes her hands expectantly as she clamors with alarm in her voice. Jennie is well aware that Lisa is on the verge of a conniption, but that doesn't derail her from attempting to stretch the current situation out as much as possible.

"I..." Jennie's cobalt eyes lock on Lisa's emerald ones and she hesitates. "I don't know how to say this..."

"WHAT???!!!"