The Marriage Deal [Jenlisa FF]

Part 10

"Are you positive you don't want to come to the preliminary hearing today?" Jennie asked Ella Tuesday morning while the teenager was getting ready for school. "Jisoo could really use all the support she can get."

"I already told you; I don't want to go. Spending the day in a boring courtroom isn't my idea of fun. Sorry."

The older sister frowned. "Okay. But Jisoo is going to be very disappointed."

"She'll get over it, I'm sure," Ella replied sarcastically. "Besides, she's going to have you and Lisa there rooting her on."

"Ella, what is your problem? You've been acting like a spoiled brat lately, and I'd like to know why. Frankly, I'm sick of it."

She threw on her jacket. "You have to ask why? My life has turned completely upside down in the past six months. First, Mom and Dad die, then Jisoo gets sent to jail. Now I'm living in this new house with my sister and the wife she's only known for a week. Does that explain my attitude?"

Jennie sighed; Ella did have a point... "I really wish I could get into this with you now, but I don't have the time. I have to be at the courthouse in half an hour. But when I get home tonight, I think we're going to have to sit down and talk about some things."

Ella exhaled heavily. 'Lucky me,' she thought. 'A lecture.' "Fine, whatever. Can I go? I'm gonna be late for school."

"Sure."

"Tell Jisoo I said good luck," she said before leaving her bedroom.

Sagging her shoulders, Jennie slumped down on Ella's bed. Trying to be her mother was harder than she thought, and she doubted she could handle having children of her own when the time came. 'Unnie, I could *so* use your help right now.'

A knock at the door broke her out of her thoughts; she looked up and found Lisa standing in the doorway with an expectant look on her handsome face. "Hey," Jennie greeted.

Lisa took a step inside. "After Ella walked off in a huff, I thought I'd find you in here. What happened between you two?"

"Nothing you want to know about. I tried to convince her to come to the hearing with me, but she adamantly refused. Needless to say, a family meeting is in order for tonight."

"Oh," was all she could think to say.

"Will you be there? I'm going to need moral support. And probably a lawyer."

Lisa smiled at her wife. "Sure, I'll be there. I doubt I will be much help, but I can show support. I can play the loving, supportive wife."

"That's all I need. What time are you leaving for the courthouse?" Jennie wanted to know.

"In a couple minutes. Are you ready to go?"

Jennie nodded. "I think so. And in case I don't say it later, thank you for everything."

"Don't thank me yet."

******

When Jisoo was led into the courtroom five minutes before her trial was to begin, she knew the coming half-hour would determine the course of the rest of her life. 'This is it, I guess,' she thought. 'I either go home or spend what will probably be the better part of my life in jail.' Though she tried to hide it, Jisoo was a bundle of nerves.

She saw Jennie sitting in the first row behind Lisa, a sympathetic smile playing upon her pretty face. Jisoo smiled back, knowing just how much her adopted sister had sacrificed for her. As she sat down, she felt Jennie's hand on her shoulder, and she placed hers over it. "Everything is going to work out today, unnie. I can feel it."