Our Child

Chapter sixteen

During the night, Jennie had remained almost conscious, the kind of sleep one gets the first night in a new place. This was new. Jisoo so close, with no real reason, just because she wanted her there. There had been no wistful reminiscence, or desperate prayers before rest. The cause for her turmoil now only lied a couple inches away. For a few hours, she had felt her body against the back of another, allowing her arm to drop over before growing too warm and moving.

When Jennie woke up, smell was the first sense to truly activate. Wafting from what she presume was the kitchen, was the unmistakable smell of pancakes. Looking next to her, she saw an empty bed.

Of course.

Jisoo may have been more serious than Jennie gave her credit for. Slowly, Jennie slid out of the bed, putting on her fluffy dressing gown and slippers, making sure not to upset her stomach. Tying her hair up, Jennie made her way out into the hallway, noting Annie's open door. The purple flowers in their white frames had grown on Jennie, now able to picture them in fields or medows whilst Annie played. Today, she could even feel another presence there along with the two of them every time she did.

Making her way to the kitchen, Jennie saw Jisoo with her daughter placing fluffy pancakes onto three plates. Smiling ear to ear, Annie was covered in flour and pancake batter. Jisoo's grey T-shirt was much the same. All of a sudden, Jennie felt unbelievably awkward.

When Jisoo noticed her, her eyes only grew brighter, "Good morning."

"Hi mummy!" Annie chorused.

"Morning, darling," Jennie only nodded slightly, managing a smile for her daughter, "You're both covered in mess."

Caught up in her mischief, Annie giggled, sticking out her tongue. As always, Jisoo saw right through her, dimming slightly. Instantly, Jennie felt bad. She knew the two must have worked hard to make this, both having an equal amount of skill. As Jennie sat down to eat, she could not help but think about how strange this all was.

One second she was a single mother struggling to make ends meet, scarfing down rotten food because she had nothing else to eat. The next, Jennie was in the beloved care of her ex wife, eating breakfast together, sharing the same bed. It felt quicker than the flicker between dreams, or the time it takes one to blink. Jennie found herself craving for a moment of consolidation between the decedent pancakes. Still, Jennie, knew she must be more grateful. It was not every day a lady was made breakfast.

"These are delicious," The mother praised, "I should have you make breakfast every morning, Annie."

The little girl puffed her chest out with pride, "I mixed it all up, mum just weighed it."

"And cooked it," Jisoo muttered, never one to be undersold, "And placed them."

"And neither of you bothered to clean up," Jennie teased, pointing a fork at her daughter, "You need to shower before school now."

Groaning, Annie slipped out, thankfully still her pyjamas and not her uniform, and made her way towards her room. With warm eyes, Jennie watched as she left, praising every little step as if they were her first all over again. Her tiny absence was noted, her mother's heart growing slightly heavy.

No words were spoken between the remaining two, both merely sitting in silence and finishing their meal. Once they were done, Jisoo took it upon herself to collect the plates and dishes. As Jisoo loaded them into the dishwasher, Jennie grew nervous. This was all so simple, mundane. For the sake of herself, she could not trust it. Not again.

Once she was done, Jisoo turned to face her, eyes guarded, "It was too much, wasn't it?"

"A- a little," Jennie admitted, bashful.