Head Over Boots For You // Jenlisa

14: New Experiences

Lisa

It was an extraordinarily hot day. Summer was in full-swing, bringing with it long days, easy travel across the plains, and a constant stream of sweat down Lisa's back that only worsened as the sun's rays intensified. Lisa had taken to wearing her cowboy hat to keep the worst of the heat off of her face and neck. One morning, after she had filled up her water bottles and packed her lunch for the day, she flipped the hat onto her head only to find Jennie staring at her.

"I still think it's unfair that you get an awesome hat and I don't." Jennie had said with hands on her hips.

Lisa ran a hand along the rim of it, tilting the end slightly toward Jennie. "What you're saying is, you think my hat is awesome?"

"So not the point, Lisa." She plucked the hat from Lisa's head and placed it on her own. It perched on the top of her head. "You have to admit, I can pull this look off pretty well."

At the sight of Jennie wearing her hat—the hat that she had worn ever since early high school—Lisa gulped and reached forward, straightening the hat on Jennie's head. "You can pull off any look, Jen."

"You big flirt," Jennie said, grinning. She pulled Lisa forward by her lightweight flannel with both hands. She switched to her absolute worst accent, some conglomeration of cowboy and southern belle. "I reckon this rancher is 'bout to get herself kissed."

Lisa went willingly, Jennie's lips flowing against hers like waves on a lake. At some point, the hat fell off of Jennie's head, and Lisa somehow had the attention to catch it. She replaced it on Jennie's head and took a step back, assessing. "It's a little small on you. Come on."

She took Jennie's hand and led her into their bedroom. She went into the back of the closet, and it didn't take long for her to find what she was looking for. She held out the hat with its well-worn felt and leather band. "Try this on."

Jennie turned the hat in her hands, frowning. "This hat has really been around."

Lisa, suddenly self-conscious, held her hands in front of herself. "It was my mother's."

Jennie stopped stroking the felt and held the hat like it was something sacred. "Are you serious? I can't wear your mom's hat. What if it blows off my head, or gets trampled by cattle, or—"

But Lisa just took the hat out of her hands and placed it gently atop her head. It fit her perfectly. "This hat has survived far worse than that. She told me once that it fell off while she was riding, and one of the bulls attacked it with his horns. If this hat can survive that, I'm sure it can survive whatever you throw at it."

Jennie still looked unsure. "But it was your mom's."

Lisa smiled at her, pulling the hat's cords snug around Jennie's chin. "And I want you to wear it."

Jennie gave her the oddest smile then, her lips tight and brow furrowed. Her voice was quiet. "How are you so good to me?"

It almost physically hurt Lisa to hear that kind of uncertainty in Jennie, to know that she didn't feel worthy. She gently rested the hat onto Jennie's back, secured around her throat by the cord. Leaning forward, Lisa kissed the top of her head and drew her into her arms. "It's because you deserve it. You deserve more, but this is all that I have to give you. And I loved my mom. It only makes sense to give you something that she wore."

Jennie let herself be held. But after a few moments, she beat lightly against Lisa's chest. "Leave it to you to take me whining about not having a hat and turn it into something sappy and beautiful."

Lisa laughed against her, kissing the top of her head again. "I'll take that as a compliment, Jennie."

Every day after that, rain or shine, Jennie wore that hat. And each time, it only reminded Lisa of how proud her mother would be if she could meet Jennie.