Dirty Games At Work // Jenlisa

6: Love New Beginnings

"Mind if I join you?" Lisa closes the refrigerator and tentatively stare at the empty space at the table like a child on their first day of school.

The kitchen at work doubles as the break room, but Lisa rarely ventures down here if only because when she does, there's always an intern shoving a screen in her face trying to cram a pitch for financial collateral for his amazing new start-up that definitely isn't like anything Lisa has ever seen before.

It's always stuff she has seen before, barely repackaged and still as incredibly dull as the first twenty times she saw it. Lisa tells them as much too. It's hardly the most relaxing way to spend the fifteen minutes a day she grants herself for lunch and non-business related business.

Jennie smirked and put down her sandwich, "You see this, Arlene? One of the big bosses from upstairs wants to eat with us peasants today..."

"Leave Lesley alone." Arlene clears her throat with a cough and summons Lisa over. "Come on, Lesley, come and sit down." She patted the vacant chair.

"It's Lisa, actually." Lisa clears her throat but accepts the invitation nonetheless and saddle up opposite them with her salad. "Don't worry though, it's not as if you've worked here for my family for sixty years or anything." Lisa says as she throws Jennie an exasperated look.

"Oh I'm sorry Louisa. My hearing isn't what it used to be, dear." Arlene chuckled and stirred her midday coffee, which Lisa is absolutely certain is two thirds whiskey from the smell that attacks her nostrils.

"So, what are you gal pals up to today? Busy day in Hell?" Lisa smirks at Jennie and her geriatric best friend.

"Well," Arlene spoke up first and tucked her white hair behind the ear. "Jennie and I were just talking about her lovely husband, dear. Jennie, you tell Louisa what he did for you this weekend! She won't believe it!" Arlene grew excited and clapped her hands.

"No, I don't think Louisa will believe it." Lisa's jaw suddenly tenses.

Jennie finished swallowing her food and hesitated, half smiling and half aware of how much trouble she was in. She's told people she has a husband? It completely flabberfucks Lisa. A husband?! Lisa feels like ruining her fun right here and now, letting Arlene know just exactly who she is... well if Arlene could retain the information for more than five minutes, of course.

"My partner Lisa took me to Harry Winston and bought me an eternity ring for our wedding anniversary." Jennie extended her perfectly manicured hand, showing Lisa the teardrop diamond surrounded by exotic white sapphire that she purchased this weekend with Jennie. Lisa smiles at the way she says it, suddenly aware that Jennie wasn't ashamed at all. Jennie has a way of always being demure and proud in the same sentence, and though she always seemed to use the word partner instead of wife when she spoke to old people, Lisa could let that much go. It had less to do with caring about their opinions and more to do with saving Lisa the trouble of listening to them.

"Lisa. Such a funny name for a man, isn't it Louisa? He must be Russian." Arlene chuckled to herself and shook her head. "He must be a real rich asshole to afford a diamond that big, too. You won't convince me he isn't compensating for SPS." She laughed and pointed a finger at the huge ring.

"SPS?" Lisa raises a brow and chews her salad.

"Small Penis Syndrome." Arlene nodded and took a sip of her coffee. "My first and second husbands were both sufferers, but who is a girl to complain when she's got the very best of everything?"

"Certainly not me." Jennie chuckled too and wiggled her ring.

"Well I suppose you don't have to worry about that, do you Louisa..." Arlene glanced and sighed, sipping at her coffee. "You see Jennie, Louisa is one of these... what word is it you and your friend use again? There's just so many these days!" She laughed and waited for a reply.