Chapter 72

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"Jennie, you've been very quiet today. Is there anything you'd like to discuss?" Megan asked, pulling Jennie out of her silence. She was busy worrying at one of her nails, which were all already bitten down until they'd started bleeding. Her and Lisa had had a rough week, and Jennie wasn't really in the mood for therapy.

"I don't know," Jennie mumbled as she shrugged. Chaerin let out a small sigh, turning to look at her daughter, giving her a disapproving look.

"She's spending far too much time worrying about everyone else, and not looking after herself," Chaerin told Megan, and Jennie shot her a dark look.

"I've gone back to work. I've moved in with my fiancée. I'm going to therapy twice a week. Things are getting better. What else do you want from me?" Jennie snapped, and Chaerin sighed again.

"Well, Jennie, how would you say things are better?" Megan asked.

Letting out a sigh, Jennie shrugged again. "I don't know. Like I said, I've taken back my position as CEO over the past week. Lisa's getting the help she needs, so I feel ... less worried about her getting better. We're both getting a bit more sleep, so I feel like I'm in a better mood."

Chaerin scoffed at the last part and Jennie scowled at her. "Well, I'm sensing some anger off you today. Would you like to tell me where that might be coming from?" Megan asked.

"I-, well, I guess I'm in a better mood sometimes," Jennie admitted. "The last week has been... difficult, but it's getting better. I just feel a bit... I don't know, frustrated maybe, whenever things seem to be going backwards again. They are getting better though, but Lisa still has her bad days."

"So this is mostly to do with your romantic relationship, rather than with your mother?" Megan asked, shifting in her seat as she looked at Jennie and Chaerin.

Jennie shrugged, looking at Chaerin. "I guess so. Things are the same between us. I'm very grateful towards my mom for running the business for me, and she's been very helpful throughout the whole ... thing with Lisa."

"And Chaerin, are you happy with the way your relationship has changed over the past few months?"

Chaerin smiled slightly at Jennie. "I am. I think that we grew a lot closer, but I wish that it hadn't been under the circumstances that it was. I feel like ... well, Jennie was dependent on me, and it was nice to feel needed – to be a real mother to her – but at the same time, it was difficult. I think that since Lisa's come back she's bottled too much of that grief up, and I'm concerned about that. Otherwise, I think that our relationship has never been stronger. Coming here every week for therapy has also let me get to know Lisa better, which I think has made things easier too."

"Jennie, is there anything you'd like to say to that?" Megan prompted.

"I-I don't want to talk about my grief," Jennie murmured, crossing her arms over her chest as she frowned down at the floor. That was one thing that still bothered her, because while Lisa seemed to be making small progress, they hadn't talked about those two weeks. They hadn't talked about what they'd both been through, and Jennie could understand why Lisa wouldn't want to, so she kept her own pain hidden away too, because she didn't want to burden Lisa with it if she didn't want to talk about it.


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After therapy, Jennie and Chaerin made their way to the restaurant that Chaerin had booked for lunch. Sometimes Lisa would join them, but today she was spending time with Rosé while Jennie had some alone time with her mother. They were shown to a small table at the back, away from most of the other diners, and Jennie wearily flopped down into her seat.

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