The No Kiss Contract (Jensoo)

29

When their taxi pulled up at 14 Darling Drive, Jisoo saw Pam's car in the driveway. "Did you know your mom was going to be here?"

Jennie looked up. "No. I texted her from the plane but just to say we landed. She doesn't have a key. What's she doing here?"

"She should have a key." Jisoo heard shrieks coming from the backyard. "And I think I can guess."

They left their bags by the side door and strolled hand-in-hand over the lawn to the trampoline. Pam sat in a patio chair she had dragged over while Cherry and Louis romped on the trampoline.

"Ma! Davy!" Louis cried. He boinged to the edge and did a little flipping move that had him on the ground in a moment. How did he learn to do that, Jisoo wondered. To her surprise, he crashed into her legs and hugged her first, then did the same to Jennie. "I missed you. You were gone so long."

"I missed you too, Lou. I really did." Jennie dropped to her knees and held him for so long he began to squirm.

"I'm going to see Cherry's play tonight," he announced.

"I think you're going to like it," Jisoo said.

He pulled away and ran back to the trampoline. "Ma! Come jump!" Jennie gave her a look and then went to jump. Soon her shrieks were the
loudest.

Jisoo sat on the ground next to Pam's chair. "Busy weekend for you, I'm sure. With Louis to take care of and ferrying Cherry back and forth."

"It was fine. Keeps me young. I'm guessing things went well from all the height Jennie's getting. Look at that smile on her. You'll have to remind
her of that someday when she's not as happy."

Jisoo watched her, couldn't take her eyes from her.

"And look at the smile on you. It's a little bit goofy if you'll allow me to say so."

"I can admit to a goofy smile." It didn't dim one bit when she tore it away from Jennie to look at her mom. "And yeah, things went well. Jennie can proceed with the adoption. Should be six months max before it's official."

Pam let her hand drop over the side of her chair and reached out. "You are a blessing, Jisoo. Jennie would never have been able to do this without you. You're a credit to your people."

She took Pam's hand. Her people? She had no people. Certainly not her father.

"He's still your people," Pam said, as if she could hear Jisoo's thoughts. "And the fact that you have become the generous, compassionate, honorable woman you have with that kind of example—it's extraordinary. You're extraordinary."

Pam gave her hand a little shake, and Jisoo looked over and saw tears in Pam's eyes.

Jisoo said, "You're my people. You and Cherry and Louis and Jennie. And you always will be."

"Aren't we lucky for that?" Pam withdrew her hand, signaling the end of their moment of high emotion. "Now, something you should probably know is that Jennie kicks. In her sleep. She has since she was a child. I hope you have a big bed because you'll need a lot of space."

She felt her cheeks get hot. "How the hell did you know...?"

Pam grinned at her. "I'm happy for you both. Someday you and Jennie are going to have to tell me the real reason you decided to move in together, but that's a story for another time, isn't it. Why don't you go jump around with them up there? Work out the kinks from sitting on the plane."

Jisoo joined them on the trampoline and couldn't remember ever feeling so light and free. It didn't take long until all four of them were a giggling dog pile in the middle of the mat.