"Jennie?" Lisa gasped, staring at the figure in disbelief.
Jennie smiled, but that smile vanished as quickly as it had arrived on her face. Lisa could see that Jennie didn't look at all comfortable and, looking down, Lisa could see that she was wringing her hands. Jennie took a single hesitant step closer to the door, which seemed to be completely at odds to the way she had been hanging on the buzzer. It was almost as if, now that the door had been opened, Jennie didn't know what to do.
"Lisa, hi. Um... would it be okay if I came in?" Jennie asked, and she looked so small standing on Lisa's stoop, that despite her residual hurt, Lisa couldn't leave her standing there. She pulled the door fully open and stood aside, and Jennie brushed past her gently as she entered, her perfume hanging in the air between them.
"You can go upstairs," Lisa said quietly. "Watch out for the bike."
Jennie pulled off her sunglasses and glanced at the bike, perhaps remembering how she'd tripped over it the last time she'd been here, before nodding and heading up the way Lisa had indicated.
Lisa closed the door, turned the locks, and stood with her forehead resting on the painted wood for a few seconds, before following Jennie up.
Jennie was standing in the middle of the room, close to the door of the lounge, an expensive-looking backpack Lisa hadn't noticed before at her feet. As Lisa watched her, she pushed the hood off her head and ran her hands through her hair roughly, as if it was in the way of something. Lisa leaned back against the kitchen worktop and waited Jennie out.
Jennie twisted her fingers together, looking nothing like the elegant woman she'd last seen in a hotel lobby over a month ago. She looked softer, but the longer Lisa watched her, the more distressed Jennie seemed to become, and Lisa eventually pushed herself off the counter and directed Jennie towards the sofa.
Jennie toed off the trainers she had on, revealing pink running socks, and tucked her legs underneath her. "You must be wondering why I'm here," Jennie began, her voice wavering and apologetic.
"Little bit," Lisa replied, trying to remain as though she was unmoved, she failed. She was worried. "Are you alright? You seem... not yourself?"
"I'm sorry for- for just showing up here unannounced," Jennie burst out, looking down at her hands. Lisa looked down too, and saw that Jennie's fingernails were short and looked as if Jennie had bitten them. "I really didn't know where else to go."
"Hey, it's okay. You're always welcome here," Lisa said in what she hoped was a soothing voice.
Jennie shot her a grateful glance before looking down at her hands again, as if whatever it was that she had to say, she couldn't say while she was looking at Lisa.
"Someone found some... some photos of me," Jennie said in a harsh voice, and she shot up off the sofa and started pacing, dashing angry tears from her face with quick, sharp movements. "Some photos of me back when I was floundering after what my father did. It was such a stupid decision," she burst out angrily. "I don't know why I- no, I do. They're topless photos, essentially. I just did them because I wanted to... fuck, I just wanted to feel good about myself just for one thing back then. Just one fucking thing. I had all the negatives, the photographer signed an NDA, I don't know how they got out. My team is trying to find the source."
"Shit, Jennie, I'm so sorry," Lisa started.
"But that's not all," Jennie continued in a cracked voice. "One of my exes, not Jeongyeon, must've taped... must've... they made a video of us when we- when... fuck," and Lisa could see the moment Jennie seemed to break in half. Lisa leaped up and caught her in her arms, and pulled her back to the sofa, pulled her down beside her, and Jennie just... let her. Jennie let herself be pulled into Lisa's embrace, and curled up against her while she cried big, heaving, jerky sobs into her shoulder. Jennie clutched at Lisa's shirt with her fists, the fabric pulling, and Lisa swore she could feel Jennie's tears soaking down onto her skin.
There was nothing Lisa could do but hold on tight as Jennie fell apart in her arms, looking so much younger than 26, feeling sympathetic tears brimming in her own eyes. She stroked Jennie's hair gently, ran her hand up and down Jennie's arm, whispered reassuring words into Jennie's hair. Mostly, she just held her and passed her tissues. Jennie cried solidly for half an hour, sometimes slowing down before bursting into fresh tears. The outpouring of emotions was so strong that Lisa was sure Jennie hadn't yet had a chance to deal with them, and Lisa was simultaneously heartbroken and horrified that Jennie had not had a single person to go to.
As Jennie's sobs died down, she looked up at Lisa, a strained look on her blotchy face, her eyes bloodshot. Lisa wiped away the residual tears and moved slightly to pass her a fresh tissue.
"I feel s-so betrayed," Jennie choked out. "So... violated." She remained leaning against Lisa, and twisted the tissue between her fingers. "The photos were my own decision to make, and that's bad enough, but the- the video... I was only 20 years old. I- I didn't know they were making it. I can't believe they would do that to me," Jennie said in a near-whisper, sniffing as another tear ran down her cheek.
Lisa felt anger contort her face as she hugged Jennie closer to her and stared resolutely at the wall. How anyone could've taken advantage of Jennie, of anyone, in that way for their own gain was unimaginably cruel. She was furious, and she could only imagine how Jennie must feel. The tears were their own evidence, but betrayal like than ran deep.
Lisa ran her hand down Jennie's hair, twirling her fingers around it and pulling it gently before letting it go, repeating the action over and over again while Jennie sniffled against her shoulder.
"I'm sorry for just... showing up here at your door," Jennie said, shifting back a little so she could look at Lisa, and taking her hand. "I honestly actually... this is going to sound stupid, but I didn't feel like I had anywhere else to go. My apartment is so... there's nobody there. My work colleagues are just... well, and I didn't want to go to my family. You've heard about them, I'm sure," she said with a ghost of a smile. "My mother- my father is still her husband, her greatest achievement. We haven't agreed on anything in years. She could probably bury this video in a heartbeat, but I... the last thing I want to do is go to her for help. Fulfill her idea of me being my father's antithesis."
Lisa had seen Jennie's mother in the news. A cold, impassive face, always striding forward as if she owned the world, and, Lisa thought, she probably actually did line the pockets of many a policymaker. At her father's trial, and in her own investigations, she had infamously defended her husband and his violently xenophobic ideas. She was suspected as an accomplice in various plots from the very start of the very public investigations, but nobody had ever been able to implicate her in anything.
"Everyone I've ever trusted has let me down," Jennie continued, the tissue in her fingers now tiny pieces in a pile on her leg. "I know we didn't know each other long, but... when I was here before, I felt safe, and I guess I- it was the first place I thought of. Lisa," she blurted, a pained look passing over her face. "I know we need to talk about what happened with Jeongyeon- I want to explain about-"
Lisa sighed, stopping Jennie mid-sentence and rubbing her thumb over the soft part of Jennie's hand. "I know, but Jennie... not right now. I think this isn't the right time." Jennie looked like she was about to protest, so Lisa reached over and put her hand on her cheek. Jennie pressed her face gently into Lisa's palm, but kept her cat eyes on Lisa's. "You're already sad enough."
The gratitude that spread across Jennie's face then was proof enough that Lisa was doing the right thing by putting off that particular conversation. In fact... Lisa slapped her hands suddenly on her thighs, startling Jennie slightly. "I know what you need. Wait here. Give me a few minutes, okay?" Jennie nodded, looking curious. "Great. Just stay there."
Lisa jogged upstairs. Lisa's method of running off her frustration on a treadmill didn't seem to be what Jennie needed right now. But comfort? Comfort Lisa knew like the back of her hand.
She headed into her bathroom, turned the taps on in the bath, and poured a very generous amount of her most expensive bubblebath into the hot water. She fetched a huge fluffy towel from the linen closet and put it on the rack, then lit candles. Wandering back into her bedroom, she fished through her drawers until she found some jogging bottoms and an ancient, worn-to-perfect-softness NSYNC hoody. Lisa had no idea what Jennie had in her backpack, but better safe than sorry. She placed them in the bathroom as well, before going back downstairs.
Jennie was exactly where she'd left her, tapping away at something on her phone. Her eyes were a lot less red when she looked up at Lisa, but she still seemed pretty tense. Lisa gave her a soft smile.
"I'm running you a bath," she said, pulling Jennie to her feet. "It'll help you relax. I've put a towel in the bathroom for you, and found you the coziest clothes I own. There's a radio in there if you want some music, and if you want some books to read in there, I'll fetch you something."
Jennie's face broke into a wide, grateful smile, and she made a move towards Lisa as if to hug her, but stopped halfway there, clearly not sure whether that would be appreciated. Lisa made the decision for her, and wrapped her arms around Jennie's shoulders. She felt arms gently encircle her waist, and Jennie rested her head against Lisa's collarbone.
"Thank you," she murmured, "for doing this for me. "It means more than I can say." She pulled back slightly, but kept her arms around Lisa's waist. "Actually... do you have something from your bookstore that I could read? Something happy?"
Lisa grinned. "Definitely!"
A comfortable silence fell around them; their arms around each other, Lisa looked at Jennie, taking the opportunity to really see her for the first time in what felt like ages. Jennie's eyes moved over Lisa's face, crinkling slightly as she smiled under Lisa's soft gaze, her pale skin blushing a pretty pink.
"Come on," Lisa whispered to her. "The bath should be just about ready by now." She slipped her hand into Jennie's, and lead her up towards the bathroom. Jennie let out a huge sigh when she saw the bathroom Lisa had prepared for her, and Lisa was glad she'd made the effort.
"I'll just... go and fetch the book for you. I'll be back in just a second," Lisa said, before pushing open the door to her bedroom and slipping through it quickly. Once the door was closed, she thumped back against it in horror at the mess she saw. It was clearly the room someone with a heavy hangover had spent the day in; she took in the clutter, the Chinese takeout boxes, the dirty tissues, and the duvet in a ball at the end of the bed, tossed aside as the nauseated hot flushes had washed over her earlier. She rushed over to the bookcase, grabbed the book she wanted for Jennie, and left her room, making sure to crack the door as little as possible on her way out, lest Jennie see what a slob she'd been.
Jennie was sitting on the little seat in the bathroom, pulling the pink running socks off, and revealing dark red polished toenails. For some reason, the sight made Lisa feel hot under the proverbial collar. Jennie looked up as she approached, and she fumbled with the book for a second before she handed it over.
"A Little Bit of Spice, by Georgia Beers," Jennie read, turning the book over and glancing at the blurb. She glanced at Lisa. "And this is one of your favorites?" she said, waving the book in Lisa's direction.
"Yeah. It made me want to start trying to drink craft beer," she admitted.
That got a laugh out of Jennie. "And did you? Try it, I mean."
"Not yet," Lisa replied. "The problem with beer is that I'm not a great fan of hops."
Jennie was silent for a moment. "I wonder if you'd like Guinness?" she mused. "If you ever visit m- if you're ever in Dublin," the blush from a few minutes ago making itself known again, "you should try it."
Lisa had definitely noticed the slip, and couldn't decide if she should curse the hope she felt or revel in it. For the moment, she let it slide. "Maybe I will." The smile Jennie gave her was soft, and she clutched the book to her chest. "Oh! Sorry! I'm just going to let you enjoy your bath," Lisa said, taking a step back towards the door, sharing a smile with Jennie, and shutting it behind her. Staring at her bedroom door and remembering the disaster zone behind it, she called out, "take your time! Really!"
Lisa took the stairs down as fast as she could without tripping over her clumsy feet, grabbed a garbage bag, and raced back upstairs. Opening it in her room, she crammed it full of every piece of detritus she could see; all the rubbish from her day, everything else that she'd left all over her floor from the past week, and the ratty old workout top that was more hole than top. She pulled the sheets off the bed, replaced them with fresh ones that had sunflowers on them, stuffed all her dirty clothes in the basket to take downstairs to wash, and put her clean clothes from her chair away in her closet. Once she was finished, she opened the windows for some air, and surveyed her room, squinting at it and trying to look at it as if she were a stranger.
The room was warmly decorated, with exposed rough brown brick on the one wall her bed was pushed up against, and around the windows. The other two walls were a pale yellow that reminded her of a sunrise seen through morning mist, especially when the sun hit it. The only furniture she had in her room was an old writing desk that had belonged to Heegun, a large dark blue and red checkered armchair that didn't match the décor at all but was supremely comfortable, and a stool in front of the easel she kept near the windows, which reached the ceiling. She had only one picture on the wall, a framed print of her favorite Degas painting. Bookshelves lined the walls at different levels throughout the room, even in the corners, filled with art books, romance novels, and knick-knacks that Rosé had brought her from her trips. If there happened to be the odd geeky statuette as well, then so be it. Under her bed she had several boxes of belongings she'd collected throughout her life, including some of her parents' belongings that only took out on certain occasions.
Lisa liked to think that her room reflected herself in some ways. It was inviting, and uncomplicated. She hoped Jennie liked it. They hadn't discussed it, and she didn't want to assume... but assume she did that Jennie was staying the night. She grabbed some extra sheets to put on the sofa downstairs, just in case her assumption was correct. Just as she thought that, she heard the front door slam shut. Crap. Rosé!
She rushed down the stairs again just as Rosé came into the kitchen, skidding into the room and waving at her. Rosé waved bemusedly back at her before dumping her keys in the bowl on the counter. "Hey," she said, shrugging her jacket off.
"Hey," Lisa replied, drawing the word out before hugging Rosé quickly.
"What's wrong with your face?" Rosé asked bluntly, but with a smile. "You look like you're... panicking, but really happy about it. Weird."
"Jennie's here," Lisa blurted out.
Rosé's mouth fell open. "What do you mean she's here? Where here?" she asked, peering around Lisa as if she expected Jennie to be sitting on the sofa.
"In the bath. She showed up on the doorstep about an hour and a half ago in tears because-" Lisa ground to a halt. She didn't know to what extent Jennie's photos or that video had been leaked, and if Rosé hadn't heard about them, she wasn't going to be the one to tell her. "Something happened to her and she didn't know where else to go. So, she's here. In the bath."
Rosé ran her hand through her hair. "Well. There's not much I can say to that," she replied, lifting her shoulders in surrender. "As long as you're okay with her being here, then I am as well. Does she have everything she needs?"
"You're an angel," Lisa said. "Yes, I left her up there with some pajamas and stuff to wear when she comes out. I don't know whether she's staying the night. Um," she stuttered as Rosé raised an eyebrow at her. "I guess she is, so I brought sheets down to put on the sofa."
"You can't make her sleep on the sofa, Lisa," Rosé hissed at her. "Jisoo might come over later!"
"The sofa is for me, Rosé! Wow," Lisa laughed.
"Have you talked about... y'know, the Jeongyeon thing?" Rosé asked, crossing her arms over her chest.
Lisa thought it was a valid question. "No, but she was pretty agitated when she arrived today, and quite upset. I didn't want to bring that up straight away. I thought bath and a good rest might be a better idea and we can... we can talk about it some other time," she said, rubbing a hand up and down her arm.
Rosé held her hands up in mock-surrender. "That's fine, Lisa. Just as long as you both get the air cleared sometime soon in a way that resolves things. Or, you know, makes you both happy. Either way. Do you want me to head over to Jisoo's tonight instead of her coming here?"
"That would be amazing," Lisa gushed, hugging Rosé once more, who laughed in her ear. "She was really quite upset earlier, and I kind of want her to relax. Are you sure it's okay for you to go out?"
"Yeah, sure, no problem. I'll be here tomorrow night though, because I've got an early shift the day after," Rosé said, pulling her jacket back on.
"Can you apologize to Jisoo for me for foisting my sister on her tonight?"
"You know she won't see it that way," Rosé replied, a shy grin touching her face, "but sure. I'll tell her you owe her the first two rounds next time we're at the bar. And since when do you say foisting?"
Once Rosé had gathered some overnight stuff and left, Lisa googled nearby pizza takeout places, and to her delight found one that also had a large variety of Ben & Jerry's on their menu. She ordered three large pizzas, and several tubs of different varieties of ice cream that contained chocolate in some way, remembering that Jennie liked it, and a few bottles of Coke after discovering that she had nothing to drink in the fridge other than two bottles of cider and half a pint of milk.
The pizza and ice cream had arrived five minutes ago, and she was settled on the sofa with the Fellowship of the Ring open in her hands when she heard Jennie coming down the stairs, obviously having been spurred into action by the doorbell. Lisa looked up as she entered the lounge, as Jennie was putting her cell into the pouch pocket. She hadn't bothered to put on any socks or anything on her feet, and Jennie looked... as adorable as she had when she had been standing at the bottom of Lisa's stairs the first time.
Jennie smiled shyly. She'd put her hair up in a messy bun and her eyes didn't look at bloodshot. The jogging bottoms and sleeves of the hoody were too long for her, Lisa being slightly taller, and Jennie pulled self-consciously at one of the sleeves as Lisa appraised her. "Your bath is wonderful," she said quietly, and then louder once she spotted the pizza boxes, "please tell me at least one of those is covered in beef?"
"Yup," Lisa replied, smiling at Jennie's hopefulness. "There's a plate there, just take as much of any of them as you want. I've got ice cream as well."
"You're an angel," Jennie said happily, picking up the plate and filling it before settling on the sofa. Lisa piled pizza on her own plate and sat back down opposite Jennie. They ate contentedly for a few minutes, the music from the kitchen radio the only background noise. When they were finished with that, Jennie followed her out into the kitchen and was choosing a tub of Ben & Jerry's out of the freezer while Lisa put the leftover pizza in the fridge.
Jennie was like an excited child when she pulled out a tub of Phish Food and held it up with a grin. "Can I eat this one?" she asked Lisa, as though she expected Lisa to say no.
"Sure," Lisa said, picking the chocolate fudge brownie tub for herself. When they got back to the lounge, Lisa turned the TV on and settled on the channel showing reruns of Friends. While she acknowledged that the show hadn't aged well, it still made her laugh. She and Jennie dug their spoons into their ice cream and watched the show. Well; Jennie watched the show, dragging the blanket from the back of the sofa and tucking it around her legs. Lisa mostly watched Jennie.
Her usually pale face had tanned only very slightly while she'd been in Romania, giving the impression that she'd tried to avoid the sun as best as she could while she'd been there. Her smiles, while seemingly genuine while looking at Lisa, still looked slightly strained, as if the reason she'd come here was weighing on her mind even when she wasn't consciously thinking about it. She was looking at her phone very often, no doubt waiting for updates from her team. But what made Lisa feel the saddest was that her beautiful cat eyes looked almost dull. Lisa didn't have any idea how long this situation had been going on for; judging from Jennie's reaction this evening, she didn't think it had been very long, but it appeared to have knocked all the confidence out of her.
Lisa was so lost in her thoughts that she hadn't realized Jennie was looking at her too. "Lisa?" Jennie asked gently. Lisa's eyes found Jennie's. "It's been... very lovely to have this... relaxing evening that I didn't expect given the chaos my life has become in the last day. And you've been very kind when you really didn't have to be considering what happened when we- well... I want to explain about Jeongyeon."
"Jennie, we don't have to talk about this now-"
"I know. But I want to clear the air. I don't like the way we left things and I don't want it to hang over us, and I know it was all my fault. That night, and the phone call. The service was terrible, but that wasn't all. I didn't explain things well at all, and that must've been terribly confusing for you, not to mention hurtful. I promise that I wasn't leading you on-"
Lisa leaned over and put her hand over Jennie's, stopping her monologue. "I never thought that. I don't know anything about Jeongyeon, but the way you- the way we kissed... that didn't feel like you were leading me on. It felt real," Lisa finished, smiling, knowing that she was blushing. And any doubts that she may have harbored at the back of her mind vanished at the answering blush on Jennie's cheeks.
"It was real," Jennie confirmed, her voice soft. "It is real," she continued, and Lisa's heart skipped a beat. "But I- I hope if we're to- I should explain- you deserve an explanation. There are a few things to mention. I promise it's nothing too horrible, but..." Jennie suddenly drew back her hand and set them both in her lap, twisting her fingers. Lisa still wasn't sure talking about this now was the best idea, and was about to say something when Jennie continued.
"I think the biggest problem is that I'm not truly out of the closet professionally. Personally, yes, but I've tried really hard, and put a lot of effort into keeping that part of my life private. It's... like an open secret. There are always rumors, but... to be honest I- I haven't really dated that much," she admitted, looking at Lisa intently. "My mother wasn't exactly supportive when I was younger. She still isn't, although she's less vocal about it now. I didn't date anyone until I was 19 years old. I had a girlfriend, but when my father did what he did, she split, and broke my heart. She couldn't deal with the drama of being with a Kim and," Jennie sighed sadly, "she wasn't the only one. She was the one who- the video... well. As I changed careers, there were a few women who were clearly only in it because of who my family was. Not who I was," she finished.
"Jennie, I'm so sorry. I had no idea-"
"It's fine," Jennie cut in, placing her hands in front of her and touching the blanket with her index finger, and looking up at Lisa with sad eyes. "Then, when my acting career took off, there were women who just wanted to be with me because I was famous, because of the money, because they wanted the lifestyle of being with someone famous, the future red carpets if I was to ever... allow myself to expose my partner that way. I don't want to be with someone who only wants me for the exposure that it brings them; it feels dishonest. It's a little hard to... to- well, it's... I was lonely for a very long time. My last relationship fell apart six months ago. It's hard to be normal when nobody sees you as your own person. Or even as a person at all."
Lisa felt awful for Jennie. It was one thing to be the daughter of a terrorist; Lisa remembered the fallout from that. The Kim name had been dragged through the mud, every member of their family put under surveillance and thoroughly investigated by the FBI, including Jennie due to her work in the labs. Lisa couldn't believe she had let that detail slip her mind. And her subsequent career, coupled with her last name, had made her almost untouchable. She was almost elusive when it came to the press, which meant that everywhere she was spotted, there was intense media scrutiny. Lisa couldn't imagine anyone trying to date under those circumstances.
"I've been called all sorts of things in the press. Cold, aloof, distant, frosty, a bitch. Hard to get to know, because I give so little away these days. And It's been so long since someone has seen past my name and my day job and just seen a person who wants to... who wants to be treated like a human being," Jennie continued, picking at the blanket, clearly having decided to be extremely open. "Don't get me wrong, I was very grateful you were so without pretense around me, but that's not all it was, not at all. That afternoon with you, when I was last here, even if we didn't know each other, was one of the best I've had in years. You didn't really care who I was, you just wanted to make sure I was comfortable and it felt like... like you cared if I was alright. Like you wanted to talk to me. You were kind. And beautiful, Lisa. And I was happy."
Jennie's eyes were glittering. "You treated me like a normal person, and honestly? At the time I didn't know you and I wasn't sure whether you had any ulterior motive, but then I saw you at the hotel and you were just the same. And... I saw you looking at me at Hanbin's place on the game night. Like you were still checking up on me. But also like you wanted something more. You had a look in your eyes, sometimes. Then you held my hand in the car, and my heart... I was nervous about that night," Jennie admitted quietly, "and I've been wearing so many masks for so long that I'd almost forgotten who Jennie was. But being around you made me remember."
Lisa was touched by Jennie's words, and reached her hand across the blanket towards Jennie, who took her hand and stroked her fingers along Lisa's palm.
"And then there was Jeongyeon," Jennie said suddenly, glancing up at Lisa, cat eyes roaming over her face before looking back down. "She was my last partner, and we broke up seven months ago. We were together for a year. She was a little dicey at times, and prone to making bad decisions for questionable reasons, but she was very open about things. She was bold. Her family was almost as shitty as mine was, and I think in some way I responded to that. I felt like I was around someone who understood. She and I shared a very deep friendship, and perhaps I mistook that for love, looking back. But she wasn't the most faithful person. I know she cheated on me many times, but at the same time, she wanted me to belong to her, but not in a way that was of my choosing. Eventually, I left. But she always finds me, somehow. I'm sorry she was so rude to you, Lisa," Jennie implored, squeezing Lisa's hand with both of hers. "She always lashed out at everyone she thought I was interested in, even if they were just a friend, and- it's no excuse, not at all," Jennie said, correctly reading the look on Lisa's face, "but she saw us holding hands, and I guess she... didn't like it. I was absolutely furious at her. She tried to pretend that I'd never ended the relationship. But I've shown her the door again... and this time I hope she truly got the message."
Lisa couldn't pretend that she wasn't still pissed at Jeongyeon. In fact, she'd probably never like her even if she apologized if she ever saw her again.
"And then I... my own behavior was inexcusable really. You and I hardly talked while I was away. I suppose I- I mean, I thought you'd be much angrier with me, if I'm being completely honest. I know we don't know each other that well, and so you had no real reason to... open the door to me tonight. But I'm glad you did. You should know that I've felt like a coward for the last month. I worked really hard on my role for the month, and we were filming in the middle of nowhere and signal was patchy at best. But I spent my spare moments with only you on my mind."
"It's okay," Lisa started, and then paused. "Well, it's not really totally okay but I get it. I'm glad you told me all that. It all explained a lot."
"Oh?" Jennie asked, a hopeful look crossing her face as it dawned on her that Lisa wasn't still angry. And she wasn't.
"Yeah. I didn't have to grow up with a homophobic mother, or be constantly judged against my nefarious father, or then choose to spend my life in the public eye. You're not the things that the press says you are." Jennie looked down at the blanket. "You wanted to make a name for yourself away from what people expected you to be. And maybe one day you won't want to hide your personal life as much, once people realize what a great person you actually are underneath all those designer dresses."
Jennie let out a wet laugh and a sniffle. "And underneath the coffee, too?"
Lisa laughed and tugged at Jennie's hand, until she got the hint and curled herself up against Lisa's side. "Yeah, underneath the coffee. Look, Jennie... I felt like we had something, when you were here before." Lisa jumped slightly as she felt Jennie's arm encircle her waist, fingers touching skin. "But I think you've had a long day... and I've made my bed up for you upstairs. I'm sorry if I'm assuming but... um, I'm assuming anyway. You're staying the night, right?"
Jennie looked up at her in surprise, as if she hadn't expected Lisa to offer her a place to stay as well, before she attempted to cover her surprise with humor. "That's very forward of you, Miss Manoban, offering me your bed like that!" Jennie laughed into Lisa's shoulder.
"Oh ha ha," Lisa said, running her hand down Jennie's arm.
"But... yes, I- if it's okay with you, I'd like to stay. If- will Rosé be okay with that?"
"I've already told her, and yeah, she's fine," Lisa replied, stifling a yawn, and very glad indeed that she'd spent some time tidying it up earlier. "Let me just show you the bedroom. Stop it," she said, slapping Jennie's arm gently when she started giggling. She got up and pulled Jennie to her feet, and showed her to the bedroom.
Jennie stepped inside it and wandered around with a small smile on her face, and ran her finger across the top of the easel. "You paint?" she asked, looking back at Lisa, who was hovering in the doorway.
"I do, but not very often at the moment."
"I'd like to see your work sometime," Jennie said. "Your room is very like you. Warm."
Lisa smiled gently. "I'm glad you like it."
"Oh!" Jennie exclaimed suddenly, rushing over to the painting above the nightstand, a large print of Degas' Dancer In Front of A Window. "I can't believe you have this painting on your wall!"
"You like Degas?" Lisa asked, walking over to stand next to Jennie while she looked at it reverently.
"Very much so. And this one is my favorite. I- she's posed, but she doesn't care who's looking at her, either in front of her in the studio, or from the windows in the background," Jennie said in a quiet voice, as she examined it, before glancing over at Lisa. "Blue should denote coldness, but this painting isn't cold. It... seems to me to burst with warmth and movement. She's carefree, and she's happy. It feels like how love should be. Living her life regardless of the audience. She's free."
Lisa had never thought of the painting in that way before, but as she looked at Jennie admiring the painting so earnestly, she thought she knew what Jennie meant.
"Well, I'll leave you and Degas alone," she said, snapping Jennie out of her trance. Jennie smiled at her. "I'm going to sleep on the sofa. If you need anything, just help yourself. There are spare toothbrushes under the sink."
"I don't want to kick you out of your own bed, Lisa," Jennie said, looking a bit startled at the thought of that. "We can-"
Lisa held her hands up, but smiled along with it so as to not give Jennie the wrong impression. "Trust me, there is no bed more comfortable than that one, but I'm going to take one for the team and sleep on the sofa tonight. You should get as good a rest as you can. You've had a long day, and I've been told I shift around a lot sometimes."
"Well, if you're sure..." Jennie replied uncertainly.
"I am, really. I'll be right downstairs if you need something." Lisa backed towards the door. "Goodnight, Jennie."
"Goodnight, Lisa," Jennie murmured, her face lit only by the small lamp on the nightstand. The angle of the light should've been terrible, but it highlighted Jennie's sharp jaw and her high cheekbones, and Lisa didn't think she'd ever seen Jennie look as beautiful as she did right then.