Chapter 6

JENNIE

Irony. That would be me and the girl from the bakery shop, that now I know her name and her name is Jisoo. Jisoo that hit me with her car while I was finishing my sift and then I found myself at the hospital with a broken leg and a concussion. Irony people. Big irony.

When we exited the hospital Mr. Yanni was holding Ella and Jisoo was helping me walk. She didn’t try to say anything but neither did I. I couldn’t help but notice the difference in her face. She seemed kind of different from when she was coming at the bakery. I don’t know what it was but I didn’t care. I would stay there for three days and then I was out. Jisoo would continue her life hoping that she won’t kill another person, not that she killed me, but anyway.. Hoping that she won’t kill another person and I will continue mine with Ella. Simple as that.

“Jennie let me help you get inside the car.”

“I got it. I am okay.”

“But your leg. How are you going to get inside? Let me help you.”

“I said no. I am okay.”

“But..” I didn’t let her continue. I got inside and I was screaming from pain because I hit my leg on her car. Just fuck my life. I have to stop being so stubborn. But don’t tell anyone that I said that.

“Are you okay?”

“Just awesome. Amazing. I never have been better my whole life. Superb. Just. Fucking. Awesome.”

“I think we got the message Jennie. Ms. Kim was trying to help you but you didn’t want to.” I only notice now that she’s calling her Ms. Kim, so that means we have the same surname?

“Can we please go? I am not feeling well.”

“Thank you Ms. Kim for taking care of her while we are going to be away. Once we are back we will take care of her. Have a goodnight.”

“You too Mr. Yanni. Goodnight.”

Ella was sleeping in the back sit. She was a heavy sleeper like Dahee. She didn’t even hear anything of what we were saying. Thank God for that. All the way to Jisoo’s house I haven’t said anything. I was just looking outside the window watching the buildings disappear into the night. But sometimes I was catching Jisoo looking my way. I know I was being a bitch to her. She hit me but she paid for everything and now she was willing to take care of me.

“Thank you for.. you know.. paying for the hospital and willing to take care of me” I said while still looking outside the window. She didn’t answer me back right away but I heard her taking a big breath and answering me back after a minute or so..

“It’s okay. I hit you with my car so it was the least I could do. And it’s not like I don’t know you. You are not completely a stranger.”

“Yeah. I guess.”

When we arrived where I suppose she was living I stayed right there with my mouth open. The area was perfect. No drug dealers, no whores selling their bodies. I think it was the best area in the whole Philadelphia. But she was a lawyer.. Where she would stay? Where I am staying?

She opened her door and came right next to mine. I saw her debating if she should offer her help or not. I was a total bitch before. I looked at her and asked her if she could help me with my crunches. If I am not mistaken I saw a smile. But maybe I was wrong.

She took Ella in her arms and told me that she would come back once she took Ella upstairs. Indeed after 10 minutes she was downstairs helping me to get inside. Not that I needed so much help since I had my crunches but I wasn’t used to them.

Once we got inside I saw the elevator. An elevator. Where we are staying there is none and I have to use the stairs to the third floor twice a day. Mr. Yanni was right. I wouldn’t be able to take care of myself and Ella being like this.

When we got inside the elevator she hit the button and when the door opened I saw immediately her house. The elevator was her door. She had an elevator in her house. Why I am surprised I don’t know. I used to have an elevator. Years before..

Her apartment was very big. She had window walls and the decoration was simple but somehow cold. Her home didn’t have color. And I don’t mean only the paint. It didn’t have a character. It was just.. cold.

“I put Ella at the guest room. It is right next to the bathroom door. I am going to make the bed to the other guest room so you can sleep there.”

“Can’t I sleep with her? I don’t have a problem.”

“Since you have the problem with your leg I thought that it would be better for you if you stayed alone.”

“I didn’t even bring clothes with me. What Ella is going to wear tomorrow at her school? She is going to say a poem infront of the other kids and their parents and teachers.”

“We can buy her something.”

“We don’t have time. She has to be there tomorrow at 9am.”

“We can wake up early and ..”

“Jisoo.. You are working tomorrow. Aren’t you? Tomorrow I had my day off. I would go and see her. But now.. I guess we won’t.” I said and I was ready to start crying. I think it had to do with the drugs they gave me. Last time I cried.. I don’t even remember..

“Actually I don’t. I am going to take the day off. It’s Christmas after all and I have guests. So tomorrow we are going to wake up early and go at Macys and find something for her to wear. Okay?”

Jisoo I knew from the bakery and Jisoo I was looking at right now were two different people. She was kind, she wasn’t uptight and every now and then I could see a smile on her face. Cold blooded Jisoo made me an impression but this Jisoo was beautiful inside out.

“Don’t you lawyers work all the time? I didn’t know you can take days off.”

“Well I was going to work tomorrow but you gave me a reason not too. And since it’s already 11pm let me give you something to wear and let you go to sleep. Okay?”

I just nodded. I tried to sit somewhere but the cast was up to my thigh, so it was kind of difficult for me. I stood up and waited for her. In five minutes she was back in the living room with a long tshirt that said I love NY. Funny.. I always loved tshirts like that.

“So.. here you are.. I know it’s nothing much but I couldn’t find anything else.”

“It’s okay. Thank you. Sooo.. wake me up tomorrow. Goodnight Jisoo.”

“Goodnight Jennie.”

I stopped first at Ella’s room and saw her sleeping. She looked like a little angel. She was my girl. When I got inside my room I tried to sit on the bed. I was wearing the long shorts they gave me from the hospital. Obviously my skinny jeans it was out of the picture. I took off my shirt and when I was ready to take off my bra Jisoo got inside the room. I forgot to close the door. She stood right there looking at me for some seconds and I was looking at her without even trying to hide myself from her. After all she was a girl. We had the same body parts.

“Ehm.. Ahm.. I.. I.. am sorry.. Ehmm.. I forgot to give you your medicine. You.. ehm.. suppose to take it every 10 hours. So.. here you are. And I am sorry again. Goodnight Jennie.”

“Goodnight.”

That was as Jisoo would say ‘ehm.. strange’. I had to smile with her reaction though. She couldn’t make a whole phrase without using ehm or ahm.. I think it was cute. I took off my bra and put the long thirst on. I kept the shorts on, took my medicine because my leg was hurting like a bitch and I tried to sleep.

Next morning I woke up by a little hand playing with my hair. I opened my eyes and saw my little one.

“Goodmorning mommy.”

“Morning sweetie. Did you sleep well?”

“Yeap, I did. How are you?”

“I am ok.”

“Ms. Kim told me to wake you up. Here. Take your crunches.”

“What I would do without you?”

“Hmm.. nothing.” I gave her a kiss and tried to get up. It wasn’t easy. Not easy at all.

I found Jisoo in her kitchen. It was a beautiful kitchen but I could see that she hasn’t used it that much.

“Goodmorning Jennie.”

“Goodmorning.”

“How are you feeling?”

“Like I was hit by a car.” I saw her losing the smile she had once she saw me.

“I am sorry for that.”

“It’s okay.”

“Well.. since I am living alone I don’t have food or milk. I drink only coffee. So.. since we are going at Macys what do you think of having breakfast there?” she took her eyes from me and looked at Ella. “What do you think Ella?”

“Will we eat pancakes?”

“Of course we will.”

“I like pancakes. Mommy did you hear? We will eat pancakes.”

“Yes baby girl. I did.”

“So ladies are you ready?”

“We are.” Ella and I said with one voice.

This time I wasn’t waiting for Jisoo to come and get me. Ella was with us, walking right next to her. Once we were by her car, Jisoo helped me get inside. I needed to find something to wear. The awful hospital shorts weren’t my thing.

“Ms. Kim do you work like mommy?”

“Call me Jisoo sweetie.”

“So.. Ms. Jisoo do you work like mommy?” Jisoo turned my way and she whispered to me that Ella was cute.

“Call me Jisoo. No Ms. Jisoo.”

“But you are older than me and mommy taught me to be polite to people that are older than me.”

“How old is she?” Jisoo asked me. But before I answer her Ella answered by herself.

“I am three and a half. In two months I will be four.”

“You are a big girl and very clever too.”

“I am. Like my mommy. Mommy is clever too”

“I bet she is,” Jisoo looked at me one more time. Today she was very simple dressed. Not how I am used to see her. She was wearing her skinny jeans, a sweater and a jacket. She had her blond hair down and she was wearing no make up. She was beautiful either way.

“Here we are. And it’s 7.30. We have one hour to find something for the little lady and something for her mommy and to eat pancakes. Do you think we are going to make it?”

“Of course we will. I don’t know about mommy though. She can’t walk fast.”

“So what about if we were leaving her here and we could find something by ourselves?”

“I am still here you know. But you are right I guess. Here.” I opened my bag and gave Jisoo 100 dollars. I was planning to buy something for Ella with that money.

“No. This is my treat.”

“No. I can’t accept it. You either let me pay or we are leaving right now.”

“And where exactly you are going go? It’s Christmas and Ella is my guest. Please. Let me buy her something.”

“No. I don’t want you to buy anything for Ella or me. I am working and I have my own money. We don’t need your alms.”

At that moment I realized what I said. I don’t think that Jisoo was thinking that we were her community project. I didn’t know if I should take it back or not when she spoke and brought me out of my thoughts.

“Not for a moment I thought you were. I just wanted to do something nice for her. I didn’t know that you would take it like that. It’s just a present.”

“Mommy, come on. We won’t eat our pancakes if you too continue arguing.”

“Okay then Go. But nothing too expensive. Okay?”

“Okay.”

I stayed there and waited for them to finish their shopping. All the time I was thinking of how harsh I was with Jisoo when the only think she tried was to buy Ella a present. I am very proud and I don’t want people to think that we need help. After half an hour I saw Ella running to where I was sitting with two bags on her hands and a big smile.

“Mommy, mommy. Look what Ms. Jisoo bought for me.”

“Ella, call me Jisoo. Ok?”

“I will try but I don’t make any promises.”

“So what did you buy?”

“I am not telling you. You are going to see when we will be at home.”

“This is for you.” Jisoo said and gave me the bag.

“What is this?”

“Your Christmas present.”

“I told you that..”

“It’s a present Jennie. Just accept it. Now what about those pancakes?”

It will be interesting living with Jisoo Kim..