shake the dust // JENLISA

Chapter 21

Jennie was in her home office all day taking care of calls and emails, so when she finally got up and took a walk through the house, she paused in the hallway to stare at Lisa in confusion. Lisa was just sitting on the couch, eating chips and watching TV as the dogs slept at her sides and feet.

"Lisa?"

Lisa stuck her hand into the bag again. "Mm?" She turned down the volume.

Jennie tentatively stepped into the room. "Are you... aren't your parents coming over? What time is it?"

Lisa, not concerned, pulled her phone out and checked the time. "About ten to eight. They'll be here in a few minutes."

Jennie went rigid. She hadn't realized what time it was, with all the work her father had left for her despite her being at home. She swallowed hard and furrowed her brows. "But... nothing was prepared."

Lisa gave her a look. "What, you want me to hire caterers just to have my moms over? You know what they're like." She laughed in genuine amusement. "Come here."

Jennie did so. The memory of yesterday was still fresh in her mind, of the disaster that was their evening dinner and how horrible her parents were. Looking back on it, her father was really... stuck up. Jennie had always known he wasn't really an outstanding man, but had he always really been so nasty? She felt so ashamed and disgusted with him, and especially with her mother after throwing all that wine all over Lisa. Just remembering the burning look in Lisa's eyes as she had stood up to them made Jennie warm all over, even as her heart threatened to shatter under the hurt and anger at her parents.

"Sorry, I know. It's been a while since I saw them last."

Lisa wrapped an arm around her and tugged Jennie against her side. "They love you more than they love me," Lisa told her with a grin. "And they won't care that you're in a t-shirt and shorts, or that we're having pizza for dinner. Really. Relax."

Jennie forced herself to relax. Despite the previous evening, Lisa seemed to be in an oddly good mood. Her mothers always did that for her, though. They didn't panic her, not like Jennie's parents did for her. Jennie felt a small pierce of jealousy, but that melted away quickly when the doorbell rang and Lisa's eyes sparkled.

"The parentals have arrived," Lisa said, standing. She held her hand out, waiting, and Jennie took it hesitantly. She felt dirty for taking it, like she had no right. Lisa's parents were so wonderful. If they found out about the marriage counselling or their problems, surely they would come to finally hate Jennie for the useless person she was.

"They love you," Lisa told her, breaking her out of her depressed thoughts. "Remember that."

Jennie gave a tiny nod and forced herself to smile when Lisa opened the door. The moment Lisa's parents spotted them, they broke out into broad, happy grins.

"My baby!" Lisa's mother exclaimed, launching herself forward and into Lisa's waiting arms.

"Mom," Lisa laughed, almost toppling over. "You're going to kill me one day."

"Nonsense, I'm too small for that."

Lisa's mum stepped inside, smirking. "You keep telling yourself that, love."

Lisa's mom stepped out of her daughter's arms to glare at her wife, but that only earned a chuckle and a lifted brow. Jennie watched them, fascinated. Lisa got most of her features from her mum, who was tall and attractive and freckled, but who was severely white and had black hair. Lisa's tiny mother, who had carried and given birth to her, had given her the slightly tanned skin and big doe brown eyes. No matter their differences though, Lisa still managed to look like the perfect combination of her parents, and knowing that they had conceived Lisa purely because they'd wanted to made Jennie envious.