Journey

Chapter 38

This chapter is all about what the family dynamic looks like now that Lisa is back home. It couldn't exactly all be puppies and rainbows, now could it? Some people are happy about it, some are less than thrilled, and some lines maybe drawn in the sand with this return.

___

March 12, 2031

5:22 AM. It's a Wednesday, one of the last few left of this frigid New York winter. Jennie and Lisa's bodies are tangled in each other. The forty one year old and the thirty eight year old lay in such close proximity with their limbs intertwined to such a degree that it would be difficult to differentiate where one ended and the other began.

Jennie's hands run up and down Lisa's naked and sweaty chest. Lisa's eyes are closed but a content, drowsy smile paints her features. Her open palm wraps around Jennie's hip while her fingers absentmindedly drum against Jennie's damp skin. Lisa inhales deeply before exhaling with a huff.

"What are you thinking about?" Jennie whispers.

"That I wouldn't mind being woken up like this every day."

"No?" Jennie smiles and kisses the bit of skin closest to her mouth. Lisa shakes her head no.

"You can blame the dreams I was having for the early wake up call."

"So basically, what you're saying is that I just made your dreams come true?" Lisa's languid grin grows.

"Always."

Jennie retorts cheekily. In one swift motion Jennie swings her knee over Lisa's waist and straddles her. Lisa finally lets her lids flutter open. They both chuckle when their eyes meet and they take note of the messy hair and the half-lidded, post-sex hazy look the other one sports.

"I probably need another five minutes. I still can't feel my legs." Jennie sniggers at Lisa's honesty.

"Are you complaining?"

"Not even slightly. I just can't keep up with you. Not that I ever could, but I'm getting old. You have to be gentle with me."

Jennie caresses Lisa's collarbone and cups her face.

"You're not old."

Lisa cocks her eyebrow silently refuting that statement.

"My back cracks when I move. I'm old." Jennie laughs.

"You've never looked more beautiful to me."

"Are you trying to get in my pants, Kim? Because I know that's a solid lie."

"I don't need to work to get in your pants, Manoban. You're not wearing any."

"Got me there."

They both laugh and stare at each other in silence taking in every inch of exposed skin.

"What are you thinking?" Jennie repeats her original question. Lisa scrunches her bottom lip and shrugs while shaking her head. Jennie leans down and kisses her tenderly. "What are you thinking?"

Lisa has been home for close to three weeks. Those twenty something days have been plenty of time for her and Jennie to begin falling back into a routine and back in tune with each other.

Because of this, Lisa knew exactly what Jennie was asking from her. One of the things Doctor Tsing was attempting to get Lisa to do was open up to Jennie. In both her individual therapy sessions and in her joint sessions with Jennie it was made explicitly clear to Lisa that one of the main goals they needed to achieve was for her to learn the importance of candidly sharing her thoughts and feelings with her wife. Communication between them was going to be key moving forward. Jennie made a point of stating that much quite firmly. It didn't feel like something that was negotiable.