Wait for me to come Home

Chapter 35

It was three weeks later and autumn had well and truly come. Chaerin had left the day after Jennie's stitches were removed, and had called her twice a week since leaving to make sure Jennie was okay. This was how Jennie found herself sat on her rooftop with a cup of coffee and her phone pressed to her ear. She sat huddled up in a blanket as she watched the bustling city below her and waited for Chaerin to pick up the call.

"Hello," Chaerin said expectantly.

"Hi mom," Jennie said, running a finger around the rim of her cup.

"Is everything okay? What do you need?"

"I'm fine," Jennie told her. "I don't need anything."

"Oh, well what are you calling for?" Chaerin asked, sounding confused.

Jennie blinked in surprise, realizing that this was the first time they had spoken without an intention. "Oh... well, I, uh, I guess I was just calling to... talk."

"Oh!" Chaerin said, also surprised at the turn of events. "Right, okay. Um... what about?"

"I don't know. I just... I don't know, wanted to talk," Jennie said.

"Okay, um, well it's your birthday soon. Is there anything you want in particular?"

Jennie frowned slightly, realizing that Chaerin was right; it was only a few weeks away. "Um, no. You don't have to buy me anything, really."

"Of course I'm going to buy you something. I always do, even if you send it straight back to me," Chaerin said. "Come on, what do you want? A new car? Another bee farm? A piece of art?"

"Mom, no!" Jennie told her firmly. "That's too much. I don't want anything off you."

"There has to be something you want," Chaerin said, sighing into the phone.

"Yeah, I want my girlfriend home safely," Jennie told her with a small laugh. "Can you make that happen?"

"No," Chaerin sighed. "Fine. I'll find you something I like then."

"Oh great. This'll be good. What's it going to be? A helicopter? A boat?"

"I mean, if you want one," Chaerin laughed quietly.

"Now I'm curious about what you've sent me over the past six years," Jennie said, smiling as she picked up her cup.

"I'm sure you would have loved them," Chaerin assured her. "Although that kitten's probably not doing so well in that box. I can't remember if I poked holes in it."

"Is that a joke? Off you? You actually have a sense of humour?" Jennie asked with a smile. "That's good to know."

"It does exist, it's just not dark and twisted like yours," Chaerin said exasperatedly, and Jennie could picture her rolling her eyes.

"I happen to be very sarcastic and witty," Jennie told her. "I wonder who I got that from."

"It certainly wasn't your father," Chaerin told her. "I think we're more alike than you'd like to admit."

"Don't I know it," Jennie said. "I always hated being compared to you."

"I think that applies to most children. No one wants to hear about how alike they are to their bitchy mother," Chaerin said.