Let's Do Lunch
Well, howdy. Let's go and visit Lisa's dad. I know we seem to be stringing this out a bit, but please don't wish it over just yet - this is a romance, so once they get together, we're done.
Many thanks for your comments. I love comments :)
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"Lisa. What a lovely surprise."
"You invited us, Dad."
"And Jennie, too. How nice to see you."
Jennie leaned out from behind Lisa and gave a little wave of acknowledgement. "Hi."
"Why don't you both come in?"
Lisa was about to list all the reasons she could think of, but Jennie wasn't going to wait. "Thanks!" She said, flashing the blonde's dad a dazzling smile and striding past him into the house.
Lisa followed with an air of resignation. Her dad ushered them through to the living room, and for a moment the three of them stood there awkwardly.
"Well," Jennie said, waving a hand around, and cranking up the smile another thousand watts. "This is nice."
"It is, isn't it?" Lisa's dad agreed, looking around the room as though seeing it for the first time. "Not my doing, of course. Lisa's mother was the one with the eye for detail. I have no aesthetic abilities, I'm afraid."
"Oh, I'm sure that's not true," the brunette argued. "You look very fit."
Lisa snorted, but her dad ignored it. "Well, that's very kind of you to say so, young lady."
"Not at all."
In Lisa's opinion the house was a garish mess, but Jennie was determined to be charming, and her dad was determined to be charmed. Much more of this mutual appreciation and she might be waking up one day to Jennie Kim as her new stepmom.
"You said something about lunch?" She asked.
"Yes I did."
"Only, I don't see lunch."
"That's because we're standing in the middle of the living room."
"So where... Oh God, please don't say we're eating in the Great Hall."
"You have a Great Hall?" The Korean girl said, impressed.
"She means the dining room," the Thai girl's dad said. "Lisa has something of an issue with the chandelier."
"I don't have an issue with it, Dad," she retorted. "I just don't see why we need it."
"Your mother paid a lot of money for that."
"Yeah, a lot of your money."
"That's not the point."
"Of course it's the point! You paid for it, so you can do what you want with it, now she's gone. It's totally up to you."
"And what if I want to leave it where it is?"
"Then you're wrong."
"I'm sure it's lovely," Jennie interrupted. They both turned to her. "I mean, each to his own, and everything," she added. "Some people like chandeliers, some people like... um... catamarans."
"Quite right, Jennie," Mr Manoban said. "Well put, if slightly confusing. Shall we go through?"
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"Wow, that is a big chandelier."
"Isn't it."
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The table was laden with a generous variety of food. Lisa eyed it suspiciously. Her dad wasn't a bad cook, but subscribed to the 'stick with what you know' school of cuisine. Whenever he strayed from the path, he tended to forget little things, like switching the oven on, or buying any of the ingredients. "Did you cook this, Dad?"
"All of it?"
"Any of it."
"When you say 'cook'..."
"Did you have any hand, whatsoever, in the preparation of this food?"
"No," her dad said. "I had the restaurant send it over."
"Right. And how come we never have restaurant food when I come over?"
"Because you're family. Jennie's a guest. Jennie, why don't you sit down?"
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"So Jennie. Tell me a little about yourself. What do you like to do?"
"Well, I'm doing film studies, but I guess what I really like is music."
"Ah," Lisa's dad said. "My daughter likes music and dancing, don't you?"
Lisa sighed. "She knows that, Dad."
"And acting..."
"She loves acting."
"She knows that too, Dad."
"And in my spare time I like to go for long walks down by the river."
"Lisa's always going for long walks, aren't you?"
"No I'm not, Dad."
"And I'd love to learn to ride."
"Well, she's not really an animal person, but I'm sure she could-"
"Dad!"
"What?"
"Could you help me in the kitchen for a minute?"
"Why, what's in the kitchen?"
"I need you to help me... open a jar, or something."
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"What are you doing?"
"I don't know what you mean."
"What's with all the 'Lisa loves this, and Lisa likes that, and I'm sure Lisa would stick a broom up her ass and sweep the floor if that's what you want, Jennie'?"
"I'm just pointing out the things you have in common."
"We already know what we have in common, Dad," the younger girl said, patiently. "We're friends."
"I know. I'm just trying to help."
"Help what?"
Her dad said nothing. Lisa narrowed her eyes.
"Are you trying to matchmake me?"
"Who, me?" Her dad said, innocently.
"You are! You're trying to set me up."
"I'm just helping you make a good impression."
"This isn't a date, Dad! If I were on a date, I'd hardly take her to our relatives. Come for the food, stay for the humiliation."
"Well if you'd learn a few table manners..."
"Not me!" She said, exasperated. "You."
"Ah, Lisa." Her dad put his arm around her, in a kindly fashion. "When you get older, one day you'll understand. When you have kids..."
"Don't start that again."
"...things change."
"Oh, God. Please don't get philosophical."
"One day, you're a happy, young, carefree individual, the future crammed with opportunity..."
"Did you start drinking before we got here?"
"...the next you're a bitter, middle-aged divorcee with a mortgage the size of Thailand and nothing to show for it but the ingratitude of your family."
"Well, thanks for that, Dad. I love these little father-daughter moments."
"But it has its compensations," he said. "And one of those compensations, one of the few things you have to look forward to, one of the few crumbs of solace available in your dotage..."
Lisa rolled her eyes.
"...is the chance to embarrass your offspring in front of their new girlfriend."
"She is not my girlfriend!"
"Well, give it time," her dad said. "Maybe she'll warm to you."
"She already... she doesn't..." Lisa spluttered. "Look, Dad, she is not my girlfriend, this is not a date, and you're-"
"Your dad. Who's looking out for you."
"Well, yes, but..."
"And who's also bankrolling the whole 'not-your-girlfriend' thing."
"I... urgh."
"Good girl." He reached out and tousled her hair. "Now, get back in there, and finish your lunch."
The blonde stood, simmering gently, hair strewn across her face. She blew a strand out of the way.
"Never," she said, "ever, tousle me again."
"You loved it when you were five."
"I loved a lot of things when I was five, Dad."
"That reminds me, I should get the baby pictures out. I'm sure Jennie would love them."
"You know, I'm looking into nursing homes for you. Bad ones. The kind you see on 60 Minutes."
"As long as you both come visit."
"Don't hold your breath."
"And bring the grandkids."
"Dad!"
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"Everything all right?" Jennie said, as they returned.
"Yeah." Lisa took her plate and moved it around the table until she was opposite of the older girl.
"Was it a pickle jar? I've got a tip for opening pickle jars, if you take a damp cloth and-"
"It wasn't a pickle jar," Lisa cutted, "And everything's fine."
"Oh. Okay." Jennie waited until they were sat down. "Mr. Manoban," she called. "Could I say something?"
Lisa tensed. 'Saying something' hadn't been part of the plan. Nodding and smiling had been part of the plan. All of the plan, really, followed by getting the heck out of there. Her dad nodded. "Of course."
"Well," the brunette started, "Lisa told me that you'd helped her out with coming to see me, and I just wanted to say thank you. It's meant a lot to me to have her there. I really appreciate it."
She smiled and Lisa blushed, much to her own annoyance.
"That's very nice of you to say so, Jennie," Mr. Manoban said, modestly. "But after all, who am I to stand in the way of-"
Lisa froze. Please don't say true love please don't say true love please don't-
"-friendship," he finished. "And she is my daughter, after all. Her happiness is the most important thing in the world to me."
"Aww."
"Apart from fishing. I quite like fishing."
"That's... nice, too."
"But mainly the happiness thing."
"Well, I know she loves you for it."
"Kim!"
"What? You said you loved your dad."
"Yeah, well, I'm having a rethink."
"Don't mind her," her dad said. "She's always been a little touchy about feelings."
"I have not."
"I blame her real parents."
"Dad!"
"You're adopted?"
"No!"
"Well, it wasn't really official," her dad went on. "We just found her under a bush in the woods one day. She'd been abandoned and raised by wolves."
Jennie turned and stared at the frustrated girl in front of her, wide-eyed. "Really?"
"No, of course not 'really', Kim."
"That's what the vet said when we took her for her shots, anyway. You can still see a little pointiness around the ears."
"Dad!"
Her dad grinned. She turned to see Jennie tilting her head to take a better look. "Stop that!"
"Sorry."
Lisa pulled her hair rather self-consciously around her face. "I am not adopted," she muttered.
"And there is nothing wrong with my ears."
"Quite right," commented Jennie. "I think they're cute."
"Thank you."
"Like a little wolf cub."
"You know, for someone who has nowhere to live, you're sailing pretty close to the wind."
Jennie went quiet. A few moments later Lisa was shocked to feel something brushing against her leg, and it took her a second to realize that it was the Korean girl's foot.
She looked up in surprise to see an expression of contrition on the other girl's face, a little pout that said 'forgive me', and it was so unbearably adorable that she didn't quite know what to say. She covered her confusion by fumbling with her napkin.
"So, Jennie," her dad said. "How long are you staying?"
"Hmm?" Jennie shifted her attention back to Mr. Manoban. "Oh, I don't know. I need to find a new place before next semester. Lisa's going to help me look, aren't you?"
"Uh, yeah."
"You lost your apartment?"
"Not exactly, but..."
"The roof fell in," Lisa cut her off.
"Really?" her dad said. "That sounds serious. I hope no one was hurt."
"No, it's fine."
"What did your parents say?"
"They want to sue everyone."
"I see. And the other girl?"
"What other girl?"
"Nana, wasn't it? I thought Lisasaid you had a... roommate."
Jennie looked at the blonde girl. Lisa looked at her napkin, face reddening. "Yes, she's fine."
"Good. Well, these things happen, I'm sure you and my daughter can work it out. If I can help in any way, just let me know."
"Thanks."
"Maybe I should invite your parents over for dinner one night, if you two are going to be-"
"What?" Lisa looked up sharply. "No!"
"-friends then... Sorry? Why?"
"It's just... they can't," Lisa said. "They're really busy, and they hate going out, and they don't speak any English-"
"Lisa..."
"-and their car's in the shop, and they're allergic to doorknobs, and they have a Seolhyun, and they have a pet Kuma, and-"
"Lisa."
"What?"
"Why can't I invite them to dinner?"
"I just told you."
"They're 'allergic to doorknobs'?"
The Thai girl folded her arms, sulkily. "My real dad would have believed me."
"It's my fault, Mr. Manoban," Jennie said. "It's just, we were round there yesterday, and I might have told them... well, I definitely told them, I guess, I mean they were right there at the table when I said it, although I don't think my dad was really listening, he likes to check the football results, it drives my mom mad, and Seolhyun didn't really believe me, but I think she's just secretly jealous because she gets a lot of guys, you know, but they never stick around, I think she comes on too strong, you have to play a little hard to get, not that I'd really know anything about that, obviously, but I read a lot of magazines, and that's what they say. Anyway," she took a deep breath, "I'm pretty sure that I actually told them..."
"Yes?"
"...that Lisa was my girlfriend."
Mr. Manoban blinked twice. "You..."
"Told them she was my girlfriend. Not that she is, obviously," she added, hastily. "I don't want you to think that we're... I mean, not that there's anything... Well, anyway, it was kind of a difficult situation, and she helped me out by pretending it was true."
"Did she indeed?" Mr. Manoban turned to look at his daughter, his eyes wide with amusement. "Well, well, well," he said. "That was very kind of her, wasn't it?"
Lisa was slowly turning a shade of angry pink.
"Oh, yes," said Jennie, cheerfully. "And she was very good at it, too." She blushed slightly. "Very good."
"Well, I can't imagine she found it too difficult," he said. From somewhere behind the blonde's tightly pursed lips there came a noise somewhere between a squeak of panic and a growl of warning.
"What do you mean?" Jennie said.
"You're both actresses." He smiled as he heard Lisa exhale in relief. "I'm sure you managed to pull it off with... what's the word? Aplomb."
"Oh, yes," said the Korean girl, confidently, not entire clear what a 'plomb' was, and how you went about pulling anything off with it. "We were great."
"I'm sure you were," he said. "So, who's for dessert?"
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The afternoon wore on in a haze of good food and conversation, Lisa's dad keeping up a stream of good-natured ribbing, Jennie giggling along, occasionally rising to Lisa's defence when she sensed she was suffering too much. By the time they left, Jennie was in high spirits.
"Thank you so much for having us, Mr. Manoban," she said, leaning over and giving him an unexpected hug. "It's been lovely."
"Yeah. Just peachy," Lisa muttered.
"My pleasure," her dad said. "Come back any time."
"We will."
"No we won't."
"Oh, hush. Well, we'll see you soon. And thanks again. Come on, you." The brunette began to make her way down the driveway, weaving a little after the wine. Lisa went to follow, but her dad called her back.
"Lisa?"
She huffed, and turned. "What?"
"Are you mad with me?"
Lisa hesitated, her jaw working wordlessly for a moment as she thought. "No," she said, finally.
"Really?"
"Really," she sighed. "Kim had a good time, and that's what's important."
"Yes it is," he said. "You know why?"
"Why?"
He beckoned her closer, and whispered something in her ear.
Lisa stared at him for a moment. "You are one crazy old man, Dad."
"Hey! Less of the 'old'. Now off you go," he ushered. "And remember what I said."
Lisa walked away, still shaking her head in disbelief. She caught up to Jennie, who flung an arm around her enthusiastically if unsteadily, and the two of them disappeared down the driveway and around the corner.
Lisa's dad sipped his drink thoughtfully as he watched them go, and sighed. There are none so blind as will not see... His daughter's pig-headedness came from his own, he knew.
He hadn't wanted to needle her so hard, but if he knew anything about his daughter, she'd go to her grave bluffing it out as the tough girl, never wanting to give anything away, and that was going to get her nowhere.
So he'd given Jennie the chance to see a little vulnerability, to let her feel a little protective for a change. Maybe that was enough. Jennie was a smart girl, she'd figure it out. Eventually.
He closed the door and went back inside.
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