The Beginning of the End - Jenlisa

Chapter Eight

"Look." Lisa started, heaving a sigh. "I know what your mom must have told you about me – "

"Nah~." Riley interrupted Lisa, shaking his head. "Actually, NINI didn't tell me anything about you."

Lisa frowned.

"I mean, I did come across that picture of you two weeks ago, and NINI said she could find you for me if I wanted – I know she already told you this, she kind of screamed it at you back at the apartment – but I said no."

"Why?" Lisa asked.

Riley shrugged, licking his spoon with milk ice cream clean. "Cause NINI seemed really... I don't know – guarded, I guess. And I didn't know you, and I kind of felt like I didn't need you, so I thought I shouldn't put her in a situation where she could get hurt when there's always the possibility of me even liking you at all, you know?"

It took Lisa a moment to follow the course of her thoughts. "That's nice." Lisa eventually noted.

Riley looked up at Lisa suspiciously. "Sarcasm?" Riley tried.

Lisa grinned. "No. I meant – that you think of your NINI first."

"I have to." Riley said, swinging his little legs back and forth on his seat. "No one else does. And NINI does the same for me."

That, in itself, was what Lisa had been unconsciously most afraid of ever since the blonde found out the truth. That the relationship between Jennie as a mother and Riley as a son would be too perfect, too well-balanced to let the blonde in. That Lisa would never gain any place in their life without ruining something. Because Lisa had seen the way Jennie talked about their son, the twinkle on the brunette's eyes, and the lightness on Jennie's posture. Lisa had seen the protective way Jennie spoke of Riley. Lisa had seen them interact. And truly, there was nothing missing from their life.

But looking at the blonde's child now, Lisa knew she would try. She would try to become close to him, no matter the outcome. And if Riley ended up accepting Lisa as his other mother, then the blonde would behave as such. If not, then she would leave. Lisa had already watched everything that had mattered to her leave her life once, so she would be alright. Lisa knew what needed to be done in order for them to be happy.

But Lisa would try. Because this – Riley – was worth it.

∞

Riley made a dash to his NINI as soon as they exited the ice cream parlor.

Jennie pushed off the car to receive Riley's embrace, and the brunette smiled down at the boy as he wrapped his little arms around her waist, brushing his hair away from his forehead in a gentle gesture.

Jennie was beautiful. It was the first thought that crossed the blonde's mind when Lisa caught sight of the catlike eye woman. Jennie was dressed casually, far from the businesswoman the blonde had seen the day before. Jennie was wearing black skinny jeans, a fitted, grey off shoulder top, and a simple, black fanny pack hung on her shoulder's side. The brunette's feet were clad in Adidas Stan Smith shoes, and her long khaki hair was pulled back in a neat ponytail.

And Jennie was looking down at Riley with such tenderness in her eyes. That it made Lisa's heart beat faster.

Jennie spared a single glance at the blonde. Their eyes locked, for a mere second, and it was as though every shield in the world rose to protect the brunette once more.

Riley tugged on Jennie's shirt to gain her attention, and the moment the brunette gazed down again, her lips stretched into a gummy smile.

Stuffing her hands into her back pockets, Lisa hung her head and left without ever looking back.

∞

Jennie watched with mild amusement and fondness as Riley ran towards her, almost knocking her off-balance when the handsome boy wrapped his little arms around her waist.

Running her hands through his frizzed, khaki hair, she smiled down at him.

"How was it?" Jennie asked softly.

"She's cool." Riley answered simply, his eyes serious and sincere.

"Yeah?" Jennie prodded.

"Mhmm."

Jennie took a moment to gather her courage before she looked up and there the blonde was, watching them, an odd mixture of longing, tenderness, and pain mixing in Lisa's dark shaded eyes.

Jennie had to look away immediately, not because her son demanded her attention, but because her heart felt as though it was about to burst.

"LILI said she wants to see me... on Saturday, I think." Riley announced. "And she said to call her to tell her if I can."

Jennie nodded, steering the handsome boy towards the car. "If you want to." The brunette answered as she opened the door for him and ushered him inside.

"I want to."

Jennie almost froze in the action of slipping inside the vehicle, but she managed to catch herself in time. This was making Riley happy, the brunette reminded herself. And Jennie would do anything for Riley to be happy.

"Good." Jennie whispered, and turned the key to the ignition.