MMH(Jenlisa Adaptation)

Part 17

They hadn't spoken in over a week. Numerous times Lisa had picked up the phone or had hovered over Jennie's name in her contact list, but what was the point? She had made it very clear that they were never serious, nothing more than a tryst, so why should Lisa look like a fool chasing a loss cause? Maybe it was because of that unsettling feeling deep in her stomach that told her this, them not being together, wasn't right. Or maybe her heart had ached too much from being abandoned, from being not good enough. Whatever it was Lisa hated to dwell on it, but there were little places she could hide that didn't remind her of a certain brunette.

Wo Jin had pestered her to call Jennie again in the following days after Christmas, and it broke Lisa to sit him down and explain as best as she could that they weren't together, that he had to stop asking about her and that was that. Her eyes were wide and imploring, begging him to understand before he begrudgingly muttered a 'fine' and hid himself away in his room.

She had gone back to work on Boxing Day, back to the bar, and back on the counter. It wasn't the first time she had to work during the holidays, hell she had had to work on Christmas Day a few years prior, but it was the first time she saw Wo Jin shake his head, disappointment etched into his eyes before nodding and bidding her goodbye from his spot on the couch. Lisa had asked Ashley to come down to their place that day, hoping some familiarity would help alleviate his mood, but it wasn't until she ended the call did she realize that Wo Jin probably spent just as much time at Ashley's if not more than their own place. Familiarity was shot out the window.

She broke six glasses that night and dropped four bottles of beer.

August had approached her by the end of her shift, asking if she was okay, but all Lisa offered was a half-hearted smile and a nod before cleaning up her latest mess and driving home as fast as she could to spend time with her kid.

It was the fourth day of his holidays where Wo Jin had insisted he didn't need a babysitter that Lisa had decided to find August in his office during her break and slump haphazardly across his beaten down couch and cover her eyes with her forearm.

"Bad day?" He asked cautiously.

"Wo Jin hates me," she mumbled to herself.

"No he doesn't."

She removed her arm from her face and tilted her head to face him. "Am I a bad mom?"

"No," he said firmly, moving from his desk to pull up a chair beside her. "What's all this about?"

Lisa stared up at the ceiling then shook her head profusely while trying to sit up. "Nothing."

August pushed her back down on the couch and gave her a look that told her she wasn't going anywhere. "Come on, do you want me to send you home early?"

"Maybe," she said to the ceiling.

"Maybe?" He repeated with a curious gaze.

"Wo Jin's growing up," she mused to herself.

"That's generally what kids do."

Lisa levelled a glare at him before taking a deep breath. "Did you know I was almost late to his Christmas pageant?" When August remained quiet she continued. "Jennie ended up taking him and saving me a spot. I made it just before his class went on stage."

"You're not a bad mom, Em," August comforted. "Wo Jin knows-"

"I always promised myself I'd never let my kid grow up the way I did," she interrupted. "When he was born, I swore I'd take care of him and make sure he was never alone."

"You're doing that."

She sat up then, running a hand through her hair. "He grew up just as fast as I did. Yeah, he's kept his nose clean, and I'm grateful for that, and it could have been so much worse, but-"