pie in the sky // JENLISA

Chapter 4

Jennie stands against the door in the dark, empty waiting room, feeling Lisa's drying kisses all over her face. She would be alarmed by the strangeness of the situation if she weren't so happily dazed, if she didn't have the sound of Lisa's breathy voice echoing in her ear.

Lisa emerges with her purse and a fresh coat of lipstick on her lips. It's an understated rosy blush color Jennie feels like she should have noticed before. It makes her lips look perfect. Jennie can hardly take her eyes off them.

Lisa locks the door behind them and points to the shiny SUV parked up the block. She unlocks the doors with the clicker and holds Jennie's door for her as she gets in.

It's so chivalrous, Jennie almost feels embarrassed. She can't remember the last time Josh did that for her. Hell, she can't remember the last time Josh stopped the car long enough for her to fasten her seatbelt before gunning the accelerator, throwing her back into her seat. When Lisa climbs into the driver's seat and turns the ignition, pulling away from the curb slowly while signaling, Jennie feels like she's in a different form of transportation.

"You can change the radio if you want," Lisa says, nodding toward the console. Jennie hears mellow voices and thinks it might be NPR.

"That's okay." Jennie's not really paying attention to anything besides the smooth faux-leather seats and Lisa.

Lisa keeps her eyes on the road. "How long have you been working at Dara's?"

"Since I was eighteen. The plan was to do it for a year or two until I figured out what I wanted to do, but then my mom died and things got off course."

Lisa glances over at her. "I'm sorry to hear that."

Jennie brushes it off, shrugging. "I don't know what else I'd do."

"I'm sure you could do a lot of things," Lisa says.

It's meant to be a compliment, but Jennie doesn't feel it that way. It's awkwardly quiet as Lisa turns the corner.

"I am glad you chose to grace the town with your baking skills," Lisa adds.

Jennie is glad she didn't grab the bag of tarts off the desk in her hurry to leave Lisa's office.

It's oddly quiet for a minute as Lisa pulls onto the short stretch of highway between her office and Dara's. Jennie fiddles with the radio for a moment, not knowing what else to do.

When Lisa pulls into the parking lot of Dara's, it's empty and the restaurant is still dark. She turns off the ignition and stares straight ahead, almost shy. Jennie doesn't move to get out yet.

"I want to ask you something, but I don't want you to feel strange about it," Lisa says.

"That isn't a great start."

Lisa winces and rests her hands on the steering wheel nervously. "Have you been with a woman before?"

Jennie feels something like pride swell in her chest. She hasn't done much in her life. She didn't go to college or travel anywhere exotic or marry an interesting man. But she's been with a woman. Even if no one else knows. "Yes."

Lisa looks relieved. "Okay."

"It's been a few years, but I remember how everything works."

Lisa purses her lips, looking around the parking lot before leaning across the center console. She hovers, waiting for Jennie to close the gap.

Jennie grabs her head and presses their faces together. They kiss like water: soft and sympathetic, yet forceful enough to erode hillsides and carry men out to sea.