The Arrangement (JenLisa)

Chapter 15

JENNIE

After about an hour of walking around the huge ballroom and mingling with as few people as possible, Jennie feels Lisa relax a little. She hasn't really leave Lisa's side and she hold the Thai's hand and touches her wrist close. Whenever Jennie feels her anxiety peaking, she rubs the bracelet on Lisa's arm and remind herself of who Lisa truly is. She isn't this made-up doll on her side, she's her Lisa. The punk princess she has fallen for, and she won't ever let her go.

"Well, well, this must be the foul-mouthed girl Jennie brought along tonight."

Jennie feels the hair on the back of her neck stand up and she grinds her teeth. She turns around to see the old man, her former business partner Theodore and her wife Stephanie sneering at Lalisa.

Theodore was her partner when she first started in business, he was an old 'friend' of her grandfather. He was a widow who was like a pseudo-father to her but then he met Stephanie and not only their partnership dissolved, but also their friendship. Jennie ended up buying him out and he went to start his own investment company. Stephanie is the reason they don't work together anymore, and she's also the one trying to make Lalisa look bad. Stephanie is the type of woman who loves gossip, stirs the pot any chance she gets, and is overall a terrible human being. If her business partner is willing to bed and marry someone like that, she can no longer trust Theodore's judgement.

She feels Lalisa stiffen beside her, realizes the taller remembers Stephanie from the coffee shop that day and how the other woman talked badly about her. Jennie knows she explained her side of the story, but she is sure the situation is uncomfortable.

"Don't I know you?" Stephanie asks and tilts her head to the side. "Although I'm sure it's impossible, judging from your language."

Jennie opens her mouth to defend Lalisa, but Lisa beats her to it. "Yeah, I banged my knee like a son of a bitch on that curb outside. You know how clumsy kids can be. Speaking of, Mommy, I need to go potty. I'll be right back." She leans up and gives Jennie a quick kiss on her open mouth and then turns to go to the bathroom.

The CEO stand there shocked, but then she starts to laugh. There's her Lisa.

"What did she just say?" Stephanie asks, outraged.

Jennie looks over and see Stephanie got a shocked look on her face and she wishes she has taken a picture. Then she sees Theodore watching Lalisa walk away and he's got a lecherous look on his face. It turns her stomach just wondering what he's thinking, and without thinking she reacts.

Jennie steps hard on the man's shoes, her heel probably stabbing his toes. Theodore whips his head around wincing in pain, she pulled down the lapel of his tux and loud whisper on his face. The older man not able to say anything in shock. Jennie gets in his lowered face so only him and his wife can hear her and she said in gritted teeth-- "Don't get any ideas about my girl, old man. And the next time your wife tries to embarrass her, I'll tell everyone in this goddamn room how much you love it when she puts on a strap-on and fucks you while you're wearing a dress. Or did you forget I walked in on that?" his face turns white, and Jennie hears a small gasp from Stephanie.

"Yeah, I didn't think you did, Theodore. I've just been kind enough not to mention it until now. You both keep away from her and from me. We don't have anything left to discuss." With that Jennie let him go and makes her way through the crowd to find her punk princess.

On the way to the bathroom Kariza stops her. "J, Lisa's in the bathroom. She was crying but I think she's okay now. I called for the Limo, but I can get a taxi for myself, and it's on the way. I suggest you get Lisa home. She needs you."

"Consider it done," Jennie says, and starts to walk away. Before she gets two steps she turns around "Oh, and thank you, Kariza."

"You kidding me, right? One day, I'll expect you to return the favor when my own special someone arrives."