You Had Me at Goodbye

The Second Wish

The day ends earlier for Lisa; Irene did not seem to have any intention of discussing what Lisa just told her further when she entered her office, instead, she asked Lisa to go home early, take a day off or two, and asked her to hand over some of her on-going cases during the time she would be leaving, including Alex's, her patient who would undergo surgery the next day. Irene also asked Lisa to let her be the one who talked to Mary about Jacob who did not make it because it seemed to her, that Lisa had done enough.

So there Lisa is now heading towards her house—somewhere across the street where St. Vincent is—not quite sure what to do. She is sure Jennie will be at her house though, as she always is whenever she visits Manchester because Lisa did ask her to stay there with her for every visit after her second one. She is, however, not sure about what to answer should Jennie ask why she is already home in the middle of the day. She is not ready to talk about it.

Lisa walks towards the tiny house she bought during her fellowship year, expecting to take on the rest of that day lightly with Jennie. At least being with Jennie, her burdened heart will definitely be eased up and she can just not think about the verdict about her career that she is about to face some days later. But it takes her by surprise when she is getting closer to her house and instead of Jennie, she sees two familiar figures standing by her door.

"Father? Mother?" Lisa pauses the moment her brain finally registers the two figures as her parents, who look as surprised themselves despite knowing that their presence is the one thing that is supposed to be the surprise.

"How long have you guys been here?" Lisa wonders replying to her parents' small smiles; tight and reserved. Something awkward and distant.

Lisa can deal with awkwardness and distance because it was not like her parents were always available for her growing up. What she cannot deal with is the possible reason behind the distant smile, because regardless of whatever has happened between them, her parents never once gave her that kind of smile and she cannot help feeling ugly about it.

"Not too long."

"Were you planning on waiting for me outside until I get here?" Lisa prolongs her interview as she inserts her key to open the door while her parents provide her with no words as an answer.

It is odd.

Jennie is not inside as she thought she would be. Then again, her parents would have not been outside in the cold if Jennie were inside. So, 'where Jennie is' is the next question on her list. Lisa throws her keys on the top of the small box residing on the little cabinet next to the hanger where she hangs her coat as she offers her hand to her parents asking for their coats as well.

Lisa's house is neat and clean; everything is placed accordingly—as expected from a control freak. The hue of Lisa's interior is cold, yet her parents can feel the comfort it offers silently. It is not even a quarter as massive as their house back in Bangkok and not even half as colourful but somehow, Lisa's four walls are way more welcoming than theirs, because that is just how Lisa is, despite her cold and distant approach towards people in general, she can draw people into her orbit with an unexplainable comfort you cannot refuse to dive into once you get to know her.

People just decide to be intimidated by the coldness she offers in the first place too soon and choose to ignore the whole wonderful complexity of Lisa as a person. People tend to do that though since it does not only happen to Lisa. People just tend to judge too soon before they know the story behind a person and choose to be on the side of ignorants.

"I'll make us some tea," Lisa moves to her little kitchen, urgently needing to cast the chilly air that is still lingering on her skin. She does not know what her parents were thinking to stand outside on that exceptionally chilly day. She can even feel shivers crawling at the back of her spine from what she feels almost like frosty air at the end of the year.