Black, Blue, and Gold (Book 2)

One Step at a Time (Part 33)

The team had just walked out of the conference room after a quick briefing when Lisa's phone vibrated in her pocket.

She took it out and smiled when she read the message.

"Hey, how about a picnic at the park for lunch?"

There was a picture of Jiyoon making a sandwich attached to the message.

"Sure thing. Want me to pick you up?" replied Lisa.

"We can just meet there. It'll be faster and you won't have to drive me back to Irene's afterwards."

"Okay. See you later then."

Lisa added a kiss emoticon and happily put the phone on her desk, wishing that lunchtime would come faster today.

By the time the clock struck noon, Lisa was already driving away from the station towards the park.

It was a very nice and warm spring day - the perfect weather for a picnic.

The past fifteen months had been quite eventful with adjustments to their living arrangements and to a life of juggling work and raising a child.

Jiyoon had become a lot more cheerful as she entered first year of grade school, and also wittier. Her abandonment issues had decreased considerably and she was now less afraid or suspicious of people she had just met for the first time.

Lisa and Jennie realized soon enough that Jiyoon was very smart and perceptive. She was able to absorb and pick things up quickly so Jennie would speak English with her every chance she had, in the hopes that the girl would be able to master the language.

Jiyoon's teacher was well aware of her living conditions although she didn't know that Lisa and Jennie were a couple. The teacher only assumed that Lisa was a single parent and that Jennie was a close family friend or a relative.

Although Jiyoon had started calling Lisa 'umma' after they explained to her about the adoption, she was still using 'Nini' to address Jennie.

Jennie didn't mind. In a way, it helped simplify things when she happened to meet Jiyoon's friends or other parents at school. She could pass off as just another friend of the family who happened to come pick Jiyoon up, especially since Jisoo's mother and Irene had done that too when neither Lisa nor Jennie was available due to work.

They knew the risk should people find out and also the bullying that might follow. They tried talking to Jiyoon about it in a subtle way and, luckily, the girl seemed to understand that they were different and that it didn't mean that they were bad. She literally shrugged it off and asked whether she could have a happy meal for dinner instead.

Lisa chuckled to herself at the memory of the message that Jennie had sent her before she left the station.

It had a picture of Jiyoon wearing a straw hat and pink sunglasses, posing near a picnic basket.

"I'm ready! Umma, hurry up!" the message read.

"I swear. You're turning her into another pink monster," Lisa had replied.

After she had parked the car, she stepped out and sent another message. "I'm here. Where are you guys?"

"Meet you at the small lake, by the bridge," came Jennie's answer.

Lisa raised her eyebrows when she thought of the lake. They would pass it during their walks but she would have expected Jennie to be at the bench where they usually sat on, or at that secluded area where they usually had their picnics or talks.

"What are you doing at the lake?" she mumbled to herself on her way there.

Lisa walked quickly, searching the area.