Realize | Jenlisa

Twenty-Seven

In the morning of Christmas Eve, Bambam, Jennie, Ella, and Lisa were having the same breakfast as yesterday.

Nobody made a noise other than the clank of the metal against the plates. You could feel the tension in the air. Only Ella remained to be oblivious.

Until finally, she spoke.

“Lisa, are you gonna play with me today?” Ella asked hopefully.

“Not today,” Lisa said, shaking her head. “Sorry, princess.”

The five-year-old frowned. “Are you gonna see the pretty girl again?” she asked irritably.

Lisa nodded once.

“Awe,” Ella groaned, pouting. “You and Jennie are gonna divorce?”

Lisa and Jennie's lips twitched.

“Ella,” Jennie snapped, “will you please stop saying that? Lisa and I are not going to have a divorce because first of all, we’re not married.” She paused before continuing a bit quietly, “And we are never going to be married.”

But then, Jennie faintly remembered that she and Lisa did marry each other – though, it was not quite real.

Strange. Even if it wasn’t real, she couldn't find the courage to throw the ring away. Lisa was probably right. She was going to have that in her memory for the rest of her life. What she didn't know was, she chose not to forget. Even if it wasn't real, she at least want to remember that they shared something like that.

“But...” Ellancontinued, “But I–I heard Mom say that Lisa and you married in the Marriage Tooth.”

“Marriage Tooth...?” Bambam repeated, turning to Lisa and Jennie. “Does she mean Marriage Booth?” He burst out laughing. “Oh, man. Did you two got married in a Marriage Booth?”

Jennie felt her cheeks heat up, while Lisa ignored Bambam and turned to her.

“Did you tell Aunt Chaerin about it?” he whispered.

“No,” she whispered indignantly. “Did you tell Aunt Chitthip?”

“I won't do something so idiotic as that,” she said quietly.

“Then, how–"

"I thought you like each other, that’s all,” Ella sighed suddenly, cutting off Jennie. “Mommy said people who get married like each other. She also said that Lisa could also be my if that happens. And — and Dad and Mom got married ‘cause they like each other. But when Dad went out with another pretty girl, they got divorced.” She scratched her curly little head. “Lisa and Jennie got married at the Marriage Tooth. And then, Lisa is going out with another pretty girl. It means you’ll get divorced too, right?”

A sudden rush of sadness tugged Jennie.

She didn't notice how the divorce of their parents affected her. She always looked so cheerful. And she didn't seem quite bothered that their father wasn't staying with them anymore. She thought that she was too young to understand.

Her little sister looked so innocent and young, yet she knew a lot... And she understood a lot.

"Ella...” she said quietly. She softly patted Ella's head, and waited until she looked up at her. When she did, she whispered, “The Marriage Booth is not real. Lisa and I are not married. She's free to go out with the pretty girl, all right?”

“And you’re already like a sister to me, Ella,” Lisa pipe in, effortlessly reaching over the table to pat the little girl's head. “Even if your sister and I are not married, you’ll still be like a sister to me. Besides, you’re too young to worry about marriages. Don’t think about it, okay?"