I built this Home for me, for you

Chapter 31

A gentle breeze rustled the leaves of the trees surrounding the meadow on one side, and Jennie breathed in the smell of the wild flowers blooming in the early spring. The sound of laughter came from behind her, and she whirled around, the wind snatching at stray strands of her hair coming loose from its braid, a wide smile stretching across her face as she watched her wife cross the threshold of the forest, followed by their two girls. Between the four of them, they carried a large picnic basket, a few blankets and two backpacks, and Lisa moved into the middle of the meadow, spinning in a circle as she closed her eyes, basking in the weak sunlight and the familiar hiding spot she used to frequent.

"We hiked all this way for this?" Seolhyun grumbled, shading her eyes as she looked around the meadow and the sprawling view over the side of the cliff.

"Hey, don't be too quick to judge," Jennie warned her, smiling as she took a blanket off her and shook it out, watching the red plaid pattern unfurl, before setting it down on the long grass and making sure it was all spread out properly. "You were named because of this place."

Collapsing onto the blanket, Seolhyun looked up at her mom, who was effectively blocking out the sun as she loomed over her, shaking out another blanket. "Really?"

Lisa laughed, sitting down on a blanket and pulling out bottles of flavoured water, handing a peach one off to Jennie, and letting the girls pick from the remaining ones. "Mhm. The first time I brought your mom here I made her a crown of Daisies and I dropped my old polaroid camera in the river. She went in and got it for me and fixed it herself. The weather was shining and it was just when we'd actually realised we both liked each other. It's special."

"But 'Seol' means snow and 'Hyun' means to shine?" Seolhyun asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Exactly," Jennie said, opening the bottle and taking a sip, before hesitating, "but there was also another meaning to this place. I came here after we thought your mama died because I thought that I'd feel closer to her. It was one of our special places - one of the first ones - and you were so special to us. You still are."

"What about my name?" Ryujin asked, handing the wicker picnic basket to Lisa, who quickly unbuckled it and started pulling out the sandwiches and fruit salad and dozen other snacks they'd brought.

Jennie let out a quick laugh, "Your grandma's wants that name."

"And it's just as special, because both of our moms have been very important people in our lives," Lisa said, wrinkling her nose slightly as she smiled at her daughter.

"So, did you bring us here to tell us the rest of the story?" Seolhyun asked, popping a grape in her mouth and raising her eyebrows expectantly.

"Um, well, we just-" Jennie hesitantly started, looking at Lisa for help, to see where she wanted to start.

Gently clearing her throat, Lisa sat up straight, her bottle tightly clutched in her hands and her lips pressed in a hard line. Taking a deep breath, she smiled at them both, "well, it's a long story, your mom and mine's. I know you want to hear... the other part, but I'd like to tell you all of it. We told you how we met, and I'll just- I guess we can carry on from there."

Nodding slowly, Seolhyun stretched her long legs out in front of her, leaning back on her elbows as she stared at Lisa. At the uncertain look on Lisa's face, Jennie leapt in to save her. "Right, well, yes so your mama brought me here and I went swimming to fetch her camera, and then on the way home I tried a PB and J sandwich she'd made for me," Jennie said, laughing at the memory, "she didn't know I was allergic, and she didn't realise until we got back to my place and I was covered in hives."