Page 4 of Regrets
He doesn’t seem too worried about that now. His shoulders shrug. “I like her.”
Penelope smiles as we all climb into the back seat of the town car. Our driver, Tim, looks into the back. “Who’s this?”
“This is Penelope. Take us home,” I answer, not offering an explanation, knowing I don’t owe him one.
“I’m not taking a kid I don’t know.”
“She’s a friend. We just had to pick her up for dinner. Right, Colt?” I turn to look at my brother with Penelope between us. Tim won’t believe me, but Colt?
Colt doesn’t lie, and everyone knows it. He looks slightly unsure but then gives a nod. “Yes. That’s right.”
Tim looks at him, unsure but then starts the car, driving out of the crummy neighborhood.
Colt must really like her. This is the only time I know of in his nine years that he’s ever lied.
“Penelope is a weird name.”
Colt glares at me after my observation, and the girl shyly brushes her brown hair out of her eyes. “My parents are weird.”
“What are they like?” I pry.
Her tiny shoulders shrug. “I don’t know. I haven’t seen them for a long time.”
Colt’s blue eyes meet mine in mutual confusion. “You haven’t?” I’m the only one rude enough to ask.
She shakes her head. “No. I live in a group home with other foster kids. I haven’t seen my mom in years and never met my dad.”
I’d never heard of that before.Not living with your parents?At least some of the time? This girl is different for sure.
“I don’t think it fits you. You don’t look old enough to be a Penelope.”
Colt’s eyes glare in my direction. “Don’t be mean.”
I shrug my shoulders. “I’m not.” I meet Penelope’s eyes. “I’m going to call you ‘P.’ Just the first letter. That works better.”
Colt rolls his eyes, but the girl actually smiles. “I like that.”
“I think it’s more like ‘Pea.’ Like sweet pea,” Colt says as he gives her a goofy smile.
Gross.
She smiles at that, playing with her hair. “I like that too.”
I’m annoyed as we pull up to our house, both of us opening our doors and offering for P to climb out. She looks at us both and then climbs out on Colt’s side, following him up the walk to the front door.
I jog to catch up and then pass them, pushing the front door open. “Mom! We’re home.”
My mom walks to meet us at the foyer, her normal, pleasant smile on her face. She hugs me to her body, her perfume smelling nice, mixed with the smell of cookies she probably baked this afternoon. “I can hear that. Always making so much noise, Lincoln.”
She’s not mad. Not like my dad is when I rush inside like that. Colt and Penelope walk in, and my mom’s eyes lock on her before she hugs Colt. “And who is this?”
Colt is beaming with pride. “This is Penelope, Mom. We asked her to dinner.”
My mom looks confused, but she’s still wearing her warm smile. “I see. And where are you from, Penelope?”
She turns to P, who I notice pulls back slightly, looking way more nervous than she was at the park. She shrugs. “Nowhere.”
My mom leans down at the waist, looking into her eyes. “Well, you’re a beauty. My goodness, those eyes.” She brushes a hand over her hair. “Welcome to our home, Ms. Penelope. We’re happy to have you for dinner.”