Becoming Mrs. Manoban

10. Point of No Return

With the help of Dahyun and Momo, Jennie spends the following morning finishing off what remains of the feast that is to welcome Moonbyul and her children. It was going to be a really long day according to what Lisa had told her before rushing off to an early morning meeting.

They were to host Moonbyul for lunch and later on in the evening the whole family would arrive for dinner--everyone, including Chitthip Manoban.

The whole idea worried Jennie at the back of her mind. Even though Lisa had not made it evident, it was clear that tonight was also about her. Tonight, her family would be introduced to her wife, Lisa's wife who is with a child. A person who is nonexistent in their world, unable to measure up to their standards yet somehow caught the eye of the most eligible bachelor in all of New York.

Would they buy this fairy tale romance?

Would they be accepting of her?

Her mind was most certainly her enemy today but the deed was already done. She was already pregnant. There was no turning back now, whether or not her family welcomed Jennie in, she was already Jennie Manoban.

All that mattered to her was Nayeon, and the money. She tells herself this over and over again.

"Hey." A voice calls from behind her and she turns to see a smiling Jisoo standing by the kitchen door.

"Hey Jisoo, what an unexpected surprise. I thought you'd arrive later on in the day."

Jennie returns the smile.

Jisoo walks toward the kitchen island and draws out a stool.

"Lisa sent you here, didn't she?"

Jisoo lets out a small laugh. "She didn't send me here, Jennie. She merely voiced her worry concerning your well-being and I decided to come here out of my own volition and be of help to you in any way I can." She leans forward and extends her hand to touch Jennie's.

"Believe it or not, I care for you. Lisa is my best friend, and for that alone, I owe it to her to make sure that you are okay."

Jennie relaxes her posture. Thankful that she was wrong about Lisa's intentions, she was not trying to micromanage her. She also appreciated Jisoo's words, especially because Jisoo knew who she was and yet treated her no less or different. To her, she was Jennie Kim, not Manoban and she desperately needed someone who remembered the old her in order to still have a chance at clinging on to her identity.

"Thank you, Jisoo." She lets out a sigh. "You have no idea how much hearing you say that means to me."

"Don't mention." She beams a wide smile.

Once all the meals are prepared, Jisoo helps Jennie to set them on the table while Dahyun and Momo focus on the clean-up duties.

"You know, Chitthip is one of the sweetest women you will know." Jisoo says to her as they put the last of the crockery in place.

"All she wants is for Lisa to be happy, and I can tell you right here and right now that you make her happy."

"But surely she must care about the optics, she would prefer for the world to see her daughter with a suitable wife of a certain calibre and not a waitress from downtown Manhattan."

Jennie whispers out in evident exasperation.

"True. It will take some getting used to but I assure you that she and the entire family will eventually become accepting of your union." Jisoo assures her.

"Just take things one step at a time, and remember that your priority is Lisa and the baby. No one else should matter as much, leave the rest to me."