Burden of Proof

Chapter 19

"Okay okay! Stop! I give up! We'll go see the movie! Stop! I give up!!!" Jennie squirmed and squealed under the endless tickle attacks. "Oof!" She tried to catch her breath as the two culprits fell on her. Her arms went around both of them and she pulled them close, closing her eyes and trying to lock away this feeling and memory forever. The small warm bodies against her, the smell of powdery shampoo and fruity soap, the soft hair strands tickling her face. She held on for as long as she could, silently hoping that she could freeze time.

The boy got up first. "So we're going to the mall, right?"

"Yes. We're going to see that movie at the mall."

"Yay! Let's go!" He pulled Jennie's hand.

"Take it easy, Inho‐yah." Jennie suddenly realized how quiet the house was. Where's Lisa? Has Mom gone home?

"Ryung‐ah..." Jennie nudged the girl who was calmly resting against her.

"Yes?"

"Can you help me with something?"

The girl turned around and looked up at Jennie.

"Can you ask Aunt Aesook to help Inho get ready?"

The girl shook her head. "I don't wanna."

"Please? I need to talk to your Umma for a bit. Just knock on her door and ask her to help Inho get ready. Politely."

The girl looked away.

Jennie sighed and tightened her hold around the girl's body. She kissed the top of her head. "Please?"

"Fine." Heeryung pushed Jennie's arm off her and stomped out of the room.

Jennie sat up and took a deep breath. "Inho..." She called the boy who was now jumping up and down on the bed. "Hey, don't do that. You might hurt yourself." She caught him. "Follow your noona. Your umma will help you get ready, okay?" She gulped, still not used to referring to the young woman as the 'umma'. It was a term she had only used to refer to Lisa.

"Why?"

"Because we need to go soon. See the movie, remember?" She got off the bed and put the boy down. "Go on."

The boy ran out of the room. "Noona! Where are you?" He bellowed through the hall.

Jennie chuckled. She stepped out of the room and went downstairs. She saw Aesook following Heeryung into the living room where the latter threw herself on the couch and turned on the TV.

Jennie let Heeryung do as she pleased for now. She saw Inho in the kitchen and looked at Aesook. "Can you help him get ready? I need to talk to Lisa."

"Yes, Unnie." The young woman quickly went to the kitchen.

"Have you seen your umma?" Jennie asked the girl sulking on the couch. She only got a shake of the head as a reply.

Jennie sighed and went upstairs again, hoping to find Lisa in Inho's or Heeryung's room. When she couldn't find her, she went back downstairs and into the kitchen.

"Have you seen Lisa?" She asked the young woman who was trying to coax Inho into going to his room to change.

"No but I think I heard the front door closing after your mother left."

Jennie sighed. "So you heard?"

The woman nodded slowly, guiltily. "Sorry, Unnie."

"Stop saying sorry. This is already hard enough as it is." Jennie stopped herself before she became even harsher. She turned to leave the kitchen and went outside.