pie in the sky // JENLISA

Chapter 1

Jennie stares at the pie case, its rotating tiers spinning in endless circles. She feels like that pie case; twirling in place, arms laden with pies, never getting anywhere. The pies are the only reason she's here; she's been baking and waiting tables at Dara's Diner for eight years, but she's been stuck in this town her whole life. Getting out now is about as likely as the pie case sprouting legs and walking down the highway, hitching a ride, and disappearing into the sunset.

"It's time, Jen," Rosie says, sidling up beside her and bumping her hip with her own as she tucks her billfold into her apron pocket. "You've put it off long enough."

Jennie would make a face if she weren't so exhausted.

"Could be a false alarm," Rosie offers with a little shrug.

This time Jennie casts her a dubious look. She hasn't taken the test yet, but she knows. The symptoms are all there: fatigue, bodyaches, nausea. That and the fact that her period is four weeks late.

"Want me to come in?" Rosie offers.

Jennie swallows and nods, walking toward the bathroom Jisoo is cleaning.

Jisoo looks up with a bright smile as Jennie and Rosie enter. She's young and perky and reminds Jennie of herself when she was younger.

"What'chu two up to?" she asks.

Rosie gives her a pointed look and Jisoo quiets her expression. "Oh," she says, subdued.

Rosie hands Jennie the box and Jennie opens it, unwrapping the test stick.

She feels blank. She knows she ought to feel panicked or at least a little anxious, but she can't find it inside her to feel anything. After being on her feet for nine hours - including the lunch break she spent making a pistachio cream pie - she doesn't have any energy to put into anything. She'll be lucky if she can even undress before she climbs into bed tonight.

She pees on the white stick, tapping it on the bowl as Jisoo and Rosie prattle on about something they overheard a customer say earlier. She knows they're talking for her benefit, to pretend this isn't as bad a situation as it is.

Of everything in her life, Jisoo and Rosie are the least awful. They're not really her friends; Jennie hasn't had friends in years. They're friendly though, and if anyone has to be with her when she gets confirmation of what she already knows, she's glad it's them.

Once she sets the test on a paper towel on the sink, it's unavoidable. They can't pretend the next two minutes aren't tense.

"C'mon now," Jisoo drawls, looking down at the stick. "Just the one little line. We don't want a baby."

Jennie fixes her hair in the mirror, pulling her ponytail tighter, smoothing her powder-blue uniform over her stomach. She wonders how much longer her uniform will fit.

"We don't need a baby," Rosie echoes, tapping her acrylic nails on the counter as though challenging the test to defy her.

Jennie sighs, looking around the bathroom with its faded floral wallpaper, smelling the overwhelming cinnamon of the air freshener.

Cinnamon.

She closes her eyes.

Bittersweet chocolate pudding with cinnamon and just a hint of chili pepper, served with banana slices on top and a dollop of whipped cream.

She pictures the ingredients folding together in the bowl, melted to perfection as she pours it into the pie crust, then sliding into the oven, filling Dara's diner with the scent of chocolate and real cinnamon. Nothing like the synthetic crap itching her nose right now.