Chapter 20 Our Family
When Lisa said they were going away for the weekend, Jennie did not expect to travel approximately 672 miles by air and find herself in Jeju walking through the foyer of the stately Manoban home, greeted by her relatives who were temporarily rendered speechless upon seeing them.
The same worried feelings she felt when Patrick Manoban came to the mansion are interplaying inside her, only this time it's not for the same reasons. She's part of this family now. No longer temporary. But it was like meeting for the first time ... because in a way she is. In New Zealand, the faces in attendance, whether family or friends, were all a blur to her.
That's why she feels like an ice cream melting under the heat of the sun due to the assessing stares directed her way.
And her husband, who's responsible for this surprise vacation, for some reason, is mentally unable to help with her predicament.
Jennie glanced anxiously at Lisa, who looked completely unaware of her panic and disorientation. In fact, she seems to have her mind wandering to another matter outside of the huge living room they were currently seated in along with eight other people who are looking at Jennie with obvious scrutiny.
Amused scrutiny but scrutiny nonetheless. Like a panel of judges—and she's the talentless contestant desperate for a positive remark.
Even the little girl, hovering in front of her, with doe-like eyes, curly locks tucked neatly under a red headband with an intricate ribbon design on one side and a colorful dress to match—she looks like a doll in her opinion—was subjecting Jennie with curious observation.
Under the guise of a tremulous smile, she carefully expelled a nervous breath and imperceptibly squeezed Lisa's hand that was laced with her own to snap the Thai out of her reverie. She did come out of it, but it was because her phone vibrated in her pants pocket. Lisa apologized for the call, excused herself and let go of Jennie's hand as she stood up to leave the room.
Don't leave! Jennie's mind screamed at Lisa's retreating back. I'm only good with families when they want a photo taken!
Think happy thoughts . . .
All things nice . . .
Conspicuously alone, Jennie was very much tempted to follow Lisa outside but instead she drew on courage she didn't know she had and lifted her eyes—which she's trying hard not to show the uneasiness in them—to the other occupants in the room.
Jennie let her eyes stray to the people staring at her, landing first on Marco Manoban with his serious face and unwavering gaze looked like he was weighing down the merits of throwing her for the guillotine. Jennie quickly shook off the gory idea and gazed at Lisa's uncle, Ted, who is Marco's brother. He had a less somber face but like his wife Anne who sat next to him, he looked expressionless that she didn't know what to make of him.
The two teenagers in the room, Ted's children, Chloe and Nate, were looking at Jennie with curious eyes. They seemed to be noting everything about her from head to toe, trying to spot any flaw they could find. She was suddenly worried about her clothes— tight jeans and an off-white vintage blouse—not at all presentable for meeting with families but again it was Lisa's fault.
She didn't tell her.
Damn that woman! What's taking her so long?!
Then there was Adam, Lisa's cousin from his father's side of the family, who looked about a few years younger than Lisa and was regarding her passively like he was bored out of his skull, wanting to be anywhere but here.
Trying not to squirm as much, Jennie opted to meet Alicia's gaze since her smiling face, that's unbelievably stunning for someone her age, looked more welcoming than the rest of the group even if her eyes watched her with veiled puzzlement.
While the little girl, Stella, padded away to sit next to Adam, Jennie fervently wished for Patrick to appear from the door and dispel the uncomfortable silence that has been looming over them with his outrageous remarks. But that wish is as impossible as her husband finishing the call soon. She has to fend for herself.
And she has to say something—that much she knew—they were expecting her to talk first that's why they are keeping silent and amusing themselves by staring at her.
What will she say? The introductions were made by Lisa when they arrived a few minutes ago. She's a bundle of nerves and if this keeps up, she's certain she will swoon or worse, throw up in front of them.
Definitely not a pretty sight and not one to gain a good impression from the people considered family by Lisa . . . which technically is her family too.
As if the older woman sensed her uncertainty, Alicia softly cleared her throat and spoke pleasantly, "You look even more beautiful than the last I saw you, Jennie."
Jennie blushed instantly at the compliment but a grateful smile showed on her face for the thoughtful gesture of her mother-in-law. "T-thank you, Mrs. Manoban." She stammered after swallowing past the lump in her throat. Then she realized that if she just ended it at that, the uneasy silence beforehand will settle on them again. Keeping a smile plastered to her face, Jennie thought of something witty to say and in her mental frenzy she said the only thought that popped to mind. "There are eight of you."
The blond girl, Chloe, seated on the armrest of the couch gawked at the comment before she erupted in giggles which earned her a censorious glance from his parents.
Inwardly groaning and mentally strangling her herself for the stupid comment, Jennie bit her lip and lowered her gaze. Great! Now they know I can count. The ground should open and swallow her whole! That would be easier for all, her especially.
But Chloe stood from the armrest, strode over to one of the single couch chairs closest to Jennie and amended, "Sorry."
"No. I'm sorry. That was a pretty lame of me," Jennie said, dismissing the young girl's apology with a shy smile. "I—this is my first time—" She nervously played with her hands trying to think of an appropriate word to explain her quailing emotions. "To meet, uhh—I think I should just have said something about the weather."
Chloe grinned. "Oh yeah, definitely. According to the guide book, the weather is always a good topic to start with."
"What guide book?" It was Marco who spoke next, asking the question Jennie was about to say. He threw a skeptical glance at the girl who was his niece.
She gave him a disbelieving look as if such guidebook is a matter of common knowledge and those who aren't familiar with it are considered dim-witted. "Guide Book for In-laws First Time to Meet the Parents and Other Relatives—that guidebook."
The room burst in unexpected laughter. And one way or another, it cleared the awkward air in the room including most of Jennie's edginess. Lisa also came back into the room when the laughs were already subsiding, sitting herself next to Jennie and lacing their fingers again. "What's so funny?" She asked.
"Nothing you'd be interested in," Nate answered with a chuckle. "But I think we scared Jennie by coming here in numbers."
"Oh god, yes!" Jennie admitted on a nervous breath, her hands flying over her beating heart to which all of them found as another good source for laughter. Unbeknownst to Jennie, her unaffected candor just won over the family's appreciation for her.
"Wait till you see the entire cavalry! It will be hard for you to remember names."
"Don't worry, Jennie, they're harmless." Marco rejoined with assurance, leaning against the soft cushions and draping an arm over Alicia Manoban's shoulders, affectionately squeezing on it. "Patrick is the scary one."
"Dad, that's not exactly true," Lisa objected, his eyes smiling into Jennie's now less panicky ones. "Nini will disagree with you on that."
"Really?"
"But he's scary!" Chloe insisted which was agreed on by her father. "He scares everyone here in Jeju."
"He's like a totem pole," Nate added.
"What?!" Chloe retorted, extracting a round pillow behind her and throwing it at her brother who easily caught it. "You're overflowing with stupidity."
"Totem poles recount clan lineages and notable events in history—Grandpa's wrinkles tells quite a story just like a totem pole."
Adam cast her a weird look then addressed Jennie. "Believe me when I say, she's not the genius in the family."
Chloe rolled her eyes, reminding Jennie of Irene. "Nate, did you fry your brain and serve it for breakfast? Your analogy is killing me—just zip it will you?"
"Guys. Not now," Anne scolded mildly.
"Whatever. Grandpa is scary."
Jennie was giggling at their repartee, forgetting all about her anxiety over meeting them but her loyalty to Patrick made her speak out. "But—I think Grandpa is adorable." No doubt shocking everyone in the room, except Lisa, but especially Alicia who knows how mulish and intimidating his father-in-law can be, more so now at his age than before.
"Told you," Lisa snorted, grinning at her family and feeling inexplicably proud of her wife who, as her parents are slowly realizing, effortlessly got the stamp of approval from Patrick Manoban that others only wished they could have.
"First time I heard that," Ted murmured, shooting an amused look at Marco.
From her position in the couch, Alicia noted the warmth in her daughter's smile as she looked at Jennie. She still couldn't believe what she's seeing but she will admit...she likes it very much.
Her father-in-law has been tight lipped about his stay with the newly married pair, saying nothing more than "It was okay." Or "I might visit them again." Leading to her assume, along with Marco, that Lisa really did not exert any effort to make the marriage work—she couldn't blame her though.
But when they arrived earlier, hand in hand, faces glowing with happiness and she even caught the brief yet affectionate kiss Lisa pressed on Jennie's temple, she was so surprised by the romantic air surrounding the two that she almost forgot how delighted she is to be visited by her elusive daughter and how pleased that she will finally get a chance to be better acquainted with her new daughter-in-law.
"As you can see, we're all surprised Jennie," Anne said.
"Shocked is more like it," Marco revised if only to reinforce their claim about Patrick being scary—since he also agrees his father scared him years back and still does on occasion—but she was actually observing the same things about the pair that his wife was seeing.
While Chloe and Nate seem to have found something else to argue about both excusing themselves to wander off to another part of the house, Anne nodded at Marco but before she could say another word the familiar click of the cane echoed inside the living room quickly followed by Patrick's impatient voice, talking to a servant, " Where are they? Why didn't anybody tell me sooner? Stop pulling my arm! I can walk!"
Except for Adam and Stella who was busy combing her doll, everyone stood when Patrick entered the room. It was like welcoming the arrival of a king and giving respect to his position in the family. But while most where a bit tense, namely Marco, Ted and Anne, Jennie, in a leap of joy at seeing the old man again, moved away from Lisa's side to meet Patrick halfway through the living room.
"Grandpa!" She greeted exuberantly, carefully throwing her arms around Patrick in a hug to which he returned without hesitation. "I missed you!"
"This is real right?" Anne whispered to Alicia, unable to believe the pleasant change in Patrick's demeanor at the sight of Jennie and the affectionate way the two were exchanging greetings.
Alicia slowly nodded, stunned as the rest, then her face split into a delighted smile. "We're not dreaming . . . but I can always pinch you if you like."
Patrick laughed which seems to have a rusty quality to it probably from disuse and allowed Jennie to lead him toward the couches where the rest were waiting for their chance to greet him.
"I'm sure you didn't," the old man said with underlying humor. "You were busy. I can tell."
As Jennie's cheeks flushed, Lisa also strode over to her grandfather to join her wife in greeting him. "Yes, Grandpa, we were busy but we really did miss you."
Patrick pulled back slightly and noted Jennie's face with a thoughtful frown. "She's treating you right?" He tipped his head in Lisa's direction causing the younger woman to shake her head.
Giggling, Jennie leaned forward and whispered to Patrick while the rest of the people in the room watched in fascination. When she straightened, a smile slowly crept its way on the old guy's face that grew wider and more pleasant as the seconds ticked past, making him look several years younger.
He looked at Jennie then at Lisa who already had an arm slung over her shoulder before saying, "I have to say—I saw this coming."
"I'm sure," Lisa mumbled, patting her grandfather's shoulder with fondness.
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"Where are you going with that, Allie?" Rick, another one of Lisa's cousins who arrived later that day, called out to his five-year-old daughter carrying a trolley full of sparkly clothes when she passed by the living room the men of the Manoban clan were gathered in.
Allie barely acknowledged her curious father as she rushed past with a short reply, "Upstairs." She cannot be bothered to say more.
Rick was about to inquire further but Allie's older cousin Gil was following in her wake with two armloads of umbrellas and he was ordering Allie to hurry up.
"Gil? What's with the umbrellas?" Brad, his eldest brother, was the next that got curious.
"We need it."
"For what?"
The third kid that passed, Stella's sister Skye, answered in behalf of Gil who completely ignored the question to concentrate on the umbrellas he was carrying. "Stuff." And for her part, Skye was dragging a large bag of colorful balls.
Adam looked up from the game he was playing to glance at the three younglings climbing up the stairs with all their stuff in tow. Then his vision swung over at Stella and Luke who helped carry drapes of fabric in yellow, red and pink.
"Something weird is going on in the room upstairs," Greg, yet another cousin of Lisa, said which conveyed what the rest were thinking. "All the girls are up there."
"It must be quite a project," Brad said, craning his neck over the backrest of the settee he was seated on to see how the kids were progressing up the stairs.
"Must be," Rick agreed. "I heard Lily and Jennie talking earlier about using the room to set up a backdrop."
"Backdrop?"
"Jennie is a photographer, isn't she?" Greg asked as the kids disappeared from their sight.
They nodded then looked at Lisa for confirmation, but she merely sat there seemingly unaware of their curiosity with the children. "Hey Lisa . . . Lisa?"
"She spaced out again."
She stared straight at her with her glacial eyes and asked, "What do I get in return?"
"In return for what?" Lisa did not move from her position—arms extended on both sides of the door frame blocking the small girl—by the exit of the dining area that led to her office.
"For not murdering your dear Nini," she derided using her well polished nails for air quotes on dear. "From the looks of it, you are determined to keep me away from your damsel who still doesn't know she's in distress."
"Whatever is on her head must be damn engrossing," Brad said amusedly.
"Come on Irene," Lisa said in a diplomatic way, hoping to dissuade the girl of whatever she's conjuring inside her pretty ebony head. "Can't you just let this pass? For Nini? As a best friend?"
Irene made a show of trying to consider her suggestion then after a minute, gazed into the tall woman's eyes again and declared firmly, "No. But I can be persuaded to play nice . . ."
"How much?"
She snorted a laugh. "I'm sure money isn't an issue for you, Manoban. And you know I'm not short of it either."
"So what will it take then?"
"I don't think engrossing is the term," Rick countered observing Lisa's not too pleased expression and the faraway look in her eyes.
A sly smile appeared on Irene's face that had Lisa feeling a sense of foreboding. But she stayed quiet, letting Irene speak. "Tell me you'll agree then, I'll tell you what I want."
"What guarantee do I have that you won't blackmail me if I agree to your demand?"
"None."
"That's not good enough."
"It's all you're getting. You can keep me away now but there are other days," Irene stated but it sounded like a warning. "You're a busy woman, Manoban. Can't always be the gallant knight for Jennie."
Lisa's face tightened in annoyance but after giving it some thought, she yielded anyway. "Fine," she grumbled. "What do you want?"
"Yeah." Greg agreed waving a hand to get Lisa's attention. "She looks . . ."
Irene's slim shoulders shook with mirth. It was the kind of laugh you'd expect to hear from someone who won and is having an enjoyable time flaunting that victory at the unfortunate loser—much to Lisa's irritation.
"Just say what you want!"
She composed herself and said, "There's a mini fashion show four weeks from now. The people who organize it are friends of ours from high school and college. And this is done yearly . . . it's tradition." There was obvious emphasis on the word 'tradition'. "We all participate since it's the highlight of our yearly reunion and it's always a spectacular event plus the fact that it's for charity."
The small woman managed to confuse her again. "That's it?" Lisa asked then assumed she wanted a venue for the fashion show which she can provide easily. "You want a venue! I can offer—"
She raised a hand to stop her then continued on. "Not a venue. It's the participation."
"What?"
"She looks pissed," Adam finished, resuming his game again.
"Do you think it's Jennie?"
"I doubt it," Adam negated. "She's different with Jennie. You should have seen them when they arrived. It was weird to see her being—I shudder to say this word but there's nothing else appropriate—tender."
"I don't blame her. She's hotness personified." That sort of remark earned Brad a good smack on the head from Greg and Rick. "Hey! I'm only stating a fact here."
"Jackass. He's not talking about that kind of tender you have in mind."
"Jennie will be modeling in the fashion show . . . she always does."
Lisa sighed. If she could just do away with the dramatics and get to the point, time will not be wasted as much. "That's great to know Irene. I will watch any show Nini is in. She'll be gorgeous on stage. But I still don't know what you want."
"So that means you consent to Jennie modeling?"
"Yes . . . is that it? You're asking permission on Nini's behalf?
Irene nodded with a knowing smile. "Yeah. Just so we're clear . . . you said yes already, didn't you?"
"Yeah. Nini can model."
"Great!"
But something about her smile prompted Lisa to ask, "What kind of fashion show will it be anyway?"
"Swim wears." Irene answered in a suddenly chipper mood and her face broke out into a huge grin when Lisa realized what she just agreed to. The Thai woman's scowl was a definite delight for the small woman. "She'll be modeling the skimpiest one—I'm sure you know what skimpy means. You used to live for skimpiness." She whirled around to walk back to the booth but midway through paused to add, "Oh and don't worry, Manoban, you have front row seat . . . along with the rest of the guys in attendance."
"What the fuck Irene! No way!" Lisa followed her to the booth. "I won't let Nini parade herself nearly naked!"
Irene wagged a finger to her face. "It's too late for that. A one piece suit won't do her body any justice. More skin is in. Besides, Jennie is great at strutting her stuff on the catwalk and she likes doing it. You'll crush her heart if you won't allow her to model."
"Don't give me that drama bullshit, Bae!"
Seulgi looked up from the dish she was already eating when they sat down. "New quarrel," she mused noting Lisa's irate expression. "Thanks man. I need a break from her."
Lisa ignored her best friend to reason with Irene. But the latter interrupted before she could launch into an argument. "She's modeling and that's it. Don't be such a freak of nature. The proceeds of the show will also go to charity. And Jennie is not the only married female who's modeling a skimpy swim wear."
"I'd rather you rant on Nini. I won't stop you." Lisa waved an arm in the direction of her office. "And if it's for charity I will donate a sizable amount."
Irene smirked. "You know, I never took you for the possessive type but here you are acting like it."
"She isn't," Seulgi reinforced. "Jennie seems to have sparked her sudden possessiveness."
Irene afforded Seulgi a brief glance and raised a dubious brow at Lisa but her lips remained with a joyous smirk at the Thai's apparent annoyance for her. "Do you really think I would resort to murderous means on Jennie over such a petty matter?"
"Knowing you? Yes!"
"For your information, I was only going to congratulate her. That's what best friends do when the other friend is happy. You overreacted," Irene pointed a finger at her. "So, Manoban, tell me . . . who's dramatic now?"
"Lisa looks like she wants to rearrange someone's face. Whoever that person is, has my pity."
Their little discussion was interrupted again when three of the women who are supposed to be in the room upstairs with the kids walked past them while carrying several clothes, hats and various accessories and were excitedly chattering with each other.
When they were ascending the stairs, Jennie appeared next and she had with her a professional camera and a tripod confirming the men's assumption that a photo shoot will be happening upstairs. But unlike the other girls, she greeted all the guys with a pleasant smile and a quick wave of the hand before her vision swung over at Lisa.
All the guys, except for Adam who was so much into the game he's playing, followed Jennie's line of vision to see Lisa had her mind back to the present and was looking back at her wife with an endearing grin on her lips—no traces of the annoyed expression earlier.
From where she stood, Jennie looked smilingly at Lisa as if to convey how she's enjoying her time with Lisa's family after the initial trepidation for this unexpected visit vanished and she was welcomed with open arms by every member of the Manoban clan.
Jennie couldn't say much at the moment with all her husband's cousins there swinging their amused gazes back and forth between her and Lisa so instead, she slowly mouthed to her, Thank you.
Lisa grinned even more, instantly forgetting about Irene's blackmailing four days ago then she mouthed back her response. Thank me later.
Jennie rolled her eyes but the smile shining on her face never diminished one bit. Horny!
Lisa chuckled softly, her full attention and vision focused solely on the brunette, regardless of the none too discreet snickers from her cousins. I am, she affirmed without a second thought. Then she winked at her.
Later. Jennie promised with a teasing glint in her eyes which had the Thai grinning impishly. Then she ran toward the stairs to catch up with the other ladies.
The silent exchange was well viewed by her cousins and it didn't take long for them to start mocking the unusual display of affection by Lisa. "Lily and I don't do that," Rick commented in an offhand manner.
"I don't talk to my girlfriend that way either," Brad added, plopping down next to Lisa on the couch. "I'm not a sap."
"Shut up," Lisa said, lightly punching Brad's arm. "Maybe you should try talking like that to your girlfriend so she won't throw things at you when you fight."
Brad gasped exaggeratedly. "I'm actually hearing relationship advice from you! When did you become an expert?"
"Can you blame Lisa for being a sap?" Adam interjected, his attention still on the game. "Jennie is one hot tamale."
"Adam, find your own girl."
"I have plenty—variety rocks."
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She really is a sap.
Lisa can't help it. Not when the brunette is standing two paces from her, hair damp from her recent shower, her amazing body draped with a silk negligee that left little for the imagination, and she was talking animatedly about what she did with her family earlier. She was gorgeous like always and also glowing with enthusiasm, detailing to her what was done, said and played out that made her laugh.
It was a long account of how Jennie spent her day, mentioning the names of her cousins, nieces and nephews like she knew them by heart already. She had enjoyed doing the improvised shoot with the girls and the kids. She joined in the turtle race Gil held in the mucky part of the playground—cheering her very own turtle she named Slowly and was a little disappointed that he was so slow he lost to Stella's turtle.
She also spent some time with her mother in the garden, getting better acquainted and taking pictures of her precious flowers. After that she went shopping with her other female cousins for several hours only coming back in time for family dinner.
"You have a wonderful family, Lisa." Jennie said as she finished her story, her arms finally dropping to her sides.
Lisa pushed off from the huge couch she was sitting on, stepped close to her and wrapped an arm around her waist. "So this is a good surprise trip?"
Jennie chuckled, leaned up slightly and pressed a kiss to her jaw. "When we arrived I wanted to strangle you but after everything that happened today, I'm glad you thought of this," she admitted running her fingers through the Thai's soft chestnut locks as her body molded against hers. "I've never experienced being in a family this big."
"My family is your family too." Lisa kissed her temple then slid down to nip her ear.
"It does work that way, doesn't it?"
Jennie looked so surprised and yet so pleased by the thought that Lisa could not stop the laugh from escaping her lips. "Yes, it does."
Jennie giggled at her own reaction, leaning away from Lisa and cupping a hand over her mouth to keep her from laughing further. "Don't laugh! You know what I mean."
Lisa gently gripped her wrist to remove the hand that was covering her mouth. "Thankfully I do." Then she kissed the pretty pout off her wife's lips.
Jennie easily responded, snaking her arms around the Thai's neck to draw her close while she did the same pulling her by the waist. Lifting her up a little, Lisa stepped backwards to the couch and then without breaking the kiss swiftly pushed her down on the sofa so that she lay under her weight.
When Lisa lifted her mouth for air, Jennie bracketed her jaw and whispered, "Thank you for giving me a new family."
The sincerity and joy in her tone made it seem like she just received the most wonderful gift in the world and in turn, Lisa feels pleased with herself because she's the one who gave her that gift. "You're welcome."
Jennie smiled that wonderful gummy smile of hers and drew Lisa's face closer, pressing their foreheads against each other. She closed her eyes, sighing happily and gently nuzzled the tip of her nose on hers.
"They're wonderful, Lisa." Jennie said, referring to her huge family.
Lisa tightened her embrace on her and quickly claimed her lips for a deep kiss that made her gasp with its intensity.
"You . . . are . . . wonderful," Lisa declared, punctuating every word with her searing brand of kiss and Jennie welcomed her sensuous mouth and tongue like always, responding to it with a passion that equaled her own.
A/N:
Btw guys, if there are some minimal errors in some chapters that's because I haven't proof read it yet. So just kindly understand :) Thank you!