Wit-Pro (Jenlisa)

22. The Lies They Told

J~R

There's a light smattering of snow outside my window, it's beautiful yet I don't want to get out of bed. But I have to, it's Christmas.

"Morning Jen. Happy Crimbo!"

A smile spreads across my face at the sound of Wendy's greeting. She shouted at me though my closed door but I can smell coffee and hear Mariah Carey playing, so she's definitely been awake a while. I decided now is as good a time as any to grace her with my presence.

"Merry Christmas Wends." We shared a quick air kiss on each cheek before sitting down for a light breakfast at the kitchen island. In here's way too spacious and empty and clinical. I hate it. Part of me wishes I could move somewhere smaller with Lisa but that's just a fantasy in my head, it would never come into fruition. Besides, she still never responded to the messages I left her, it was for the best to switch off my phone.

"You sure you're ready Jendeuk? We don't have to go through with this you know? We can just chill with my family or you can go back to your girl, I know you can't stop thinking about her."

"I have to follow through, and I am not thinking about her. I just need to get this done with my parents, and then I can go back to Lili."

"Aha, I knew you were thinking about her!"

"Yes. I lied. She's always on my mind, I love her for god's sake, but this is goes deeper than she understands. I just hope she can forgive me."

Wendy looked at me with sympathetic eyes before taking a huge bite of toast and quickly switching back to business mode. "Right then, go get dressed, meet me downstairs at the car for half 11. Don't be late, it is so much hassle booking transport on Christmas day so please, be on time."

"Wouldn't miss it for the world."

---------

My parents house was just as I remembered it being like last year, if not worse.

Every inch was polished to perfection and the air smelt like bleach and trauma.

Home sweet home.

"Jennie, welcome back. Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas Lucille."

I must admit, if there was one thing I missed about living here, it was having Lucille around. She's been my parents housemaid for 29 years and she was my childhood nanny for 15. I would confide in her about my dreams of running away from here, about my apprehension towards joining the family company. She would tell me how she was always there to lend a helping hand and listen, and even that she preferred me over Tae.

No one had ever liked me more than Tae before.

She made me feel seen. Unfortunately, when I turned 16, my parents realised we didn't need Lucille's aid as frequently, so she moved back to Denmark for a few years to spend time with her own children. When she returned to work for my parents again, I was long gone, already 21, living in the city all alone, coping with losing Tae and my freedom.

I believe my parents purposely made Lucille take time off to punish me because we were close and she was kinder to me than my mother ever was. They thought all that love and compassion was making me weak, so they took away the one person that understood me. It's just one of the many things to add to the list of fucked up things my parents put me through during childhood. At least now Lucille is back part-time, though I only get to see her once a year.

I savored this moment by pulling her into a quick hug before my Mother saw us. She felt smaller, more frail, and she'd definitely grown older. I was almost certain she had grandchildren now.