OUR PLAYLIST | JENLISA

EIGHTEEN

Jennie

Playlist: The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald | Gordon Lightfoot
***

Lisa picked me up right at 4:45 to drive us to Jisoo’s to attend her trial by fire. I was hoping she’d get stuck doing some Lisa Manoban thing and have to cancel, but no luck. I argued we should take separate cars so she could escape if she needed to, but she wouldn’t hear of it.

My eyelid was in a full-scale panic attack. The finger wasn’t enough to hold it in place. I needed my whole palm.

Lisa looked over at me from behind the wheel of her truck and laughed. “Come on, she cannot be that bad.”

“Lisa, there’s probably a clone of her guarding the gates of hell.”

The creasing at the corners of her eyes made me smile despite myself.

“I just never know what she’s going to do. She’s always scheming. And the baby’s at his grandmother’s house tonight, so who knows what she’s got planned.”

“Schemes, huh?” She chuckled.

“Yes, she loves messing with me. I can’t explain her, Lisa. She’s too weird.”

When we knocked on the door to Jisoo’s tan stucco house, I gave Lisa one more I’m-so-sorry glance, and she winked at me.

Jisoo threw the door open, grinning right past me at Lisa like a lunatic. “You must be Lisa!” She bumped into me theatrically and dove right in for a hug with my date.

I shook my head at her over her shoulder, and she gave me crazy eyes.

When she was released from her clutches, Lisa handed her the flowers she’d brought, and she gushed, ushering us inside, where Haein waited like an accomplice, holding two beers.

Stuntman Mike bounced off Lisa’s shins, and he crouched and petted him.

Jisoo leaned over and whispered in my ear. “She does smell like flannel.”

“You promised me you’d behave,” I hissed.

“What? What did I do?” she said, blinking at me with feigned innocence.

Lisa stood and took the beer she was offered, shaking Haein’s hand, introducing herself. Lisa didn’t look the least bit uncomfortable. Maybe she was used to overzealous, grabby, slightly inappropriate fans?

“Hey,” Jisoo whispered, nudging me in the ribs. “I told Haein to ask her if she can spell ‘chlamydia.’ If she can, he’s gonna throw her out.”

I blanched and she practically skipped across the room and hooked her arm in Lisa’s. “Let me give you the tour.”

“I’m coming on the tour,” I announced.

“Nope. It’s a one-person tour. We’re all booked up.” She slapped the flowers to my chest. “Put these in water, will you? And, Haein, can you show Jennie to the kitchen, where there’s a potato salad that needs putting together? Thanks.”

Lisa looked thoroughly amused at my distress and allowed herself to be led away.

Huffing, I turned to Haein, who was smiling after his insane wife.

“You know there’s no stopping her when she gets an idea,” he said.

“And what idea are we talking about, Haein?”

He took a swig of his beer. “I’m not telling you shit. I have to live with her.”

I stomped to the kitchen to make the damn potato salad. Ten minutes later, as I was moodily squeezing mayo into a bowl and chopping celery, Lisa and Jisoo reappeared, laughing and chatting like old friends.