That Night | JenLisa FF

Part 13

"Yo, Chikitakoyaki!" Rosé yelled. "Get a move on."

Jennie cringed, looking to make sure that her daughter was indeed heeding Rosé's instructions and following. "I wish you wouldn't call her that," she bemoaned.

"I take it things didn't go well at the gallery," Rosé noted.

"We got Lisa the show," Jennie said tightly. "But in personal terms, no. It was a flaming failure."

Rosé shook her head. "I thought you two were good."

Jennie sighed. "It's my fault," she admitted crossly. "I maybe, possibly, suggested to Lisa that I didn't want her and Canny getting too close."

"Ooh, that's suave," Rosé goaded. "I bet she took it well too. Gee, Lisa, I really like you, I just don't trust you around my kid."

"It's not like that," Jennie snapped. "You know. You know why I did it."

Rosé snorted and rolled her eyes. "I think you're being an idiot," she informed her friend. "And try and look at it from Lisa's perspective. She doesn't have the full disclosure on Canny. She has no idea what you're trying to do. Though, honestly, even if she had the full story, I'm not too sure she would appreciate it."

Jennie shrugged. "I know what it's like to have your dad take off on you," she said. "I don't want Canny to have to go through that. And I don't want to lay all this stuff on Lisa only to find out that she's not up to the burden."

"You know," Rosé said firmly, "maybe you should leave that decision up to Lisa and Canny. This isn't about you. This is about them."

Jennie frowned, but didn't say anything. She stopped walking and turned around to glare at her daughter, who was still dawdling.

"Besides," Rosé said, "you may know what it's like to have your dad split, but I know what it's like to never have one at all. If you're determined to keep this a secret, then you better be sure that you can keep it a secret for the rest of your life because if either of them ever finds out, they might not forgive you."

*****

"Who is it?" Lisa yelled through the door, in absolutely no mood for company. Sure, she got her first show in a major gallery, but Jennie's words had put her in a vile temper. The half a bottle of scotch she downed hadn't helped either. Once again, she wasn't good enough.

"It's me."

Lisa scowled. she'd know that voice anywhere. With much irritation, she slid the door open, glaring at Jennie. "What?"

Jennie looked up at her, her lips pursed together in a frown. She could smell the alcohol on her breath, but it wasn't enough to make her fear her. "Can I come in, please?" she asked calmly.

Lisa nearly snarled at her, dropping into a deep, mocking bow as she stepped aside for her to enter.

Jennie frowned, but walked inside, waiting as she slid the door shut again. "Is your roommate here?" she asked.

"No," Lisa snapped. "Why?"

"Because I want to talk to you about something important and I really don't want an audience."

"That's a first."

Jennie stared at her incredulously, rather unprepared for the amount of vitriol she exuded. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing apparently," Lisa replied bitterly, "I guess my public humiliation was completely forgettable too."

Jennie shook her head. "What?"