Awake

---

Samuel

I went and checked on Penelope when I returned. I saw the nurse leave her room and I slowly opened the door to her room. She was awake watching tv.

“Hi,” I said as I entered the room. She turned towards me, trying to focus with her one eye as the other was still swollen shut.

“Hi,”

“How are you feeling?” I stopped in the middle of the floor.

“Like shit,” she said looking around. “Where am I?”

“You’re at the mansion, well my house. My mother had you brought here after your incident,”

She looked around at all the medical equipment and then at herself. She slowly touched her face, cringing as went over her injuries.

“I must look awful,” she said, looking away and pulling up her bed sheets.

“No, never. You are still as pretty as the day I met you,” I said. Penelope looked at me and I smiled.

“No I’m not,” she said, tearing up.

“No, you are. This is just temporary,” I said walking over to the side of the bed. She smiled and looked away.

“You’re sweet. Thank you,” her face softened.

“So do you need anything?” I pulled over a chair next to the bed to take a seat and have a conversation with her.

“Not that I know of,” Penelope’s stomach growled loudly. She looked at me to see if I had heard it.

“You sure about that?” I asked, chuckling.

She smiled and covered her mouth, “Okay. I may be a little bit hungry,” Penelope smirked looking at me.

She was beautiful. I saw her as she was when I met her. Red hair flowing down her shoulders, freckles spotted across her nose, soulful eyes and a smile as wide as the sea, even though it pained her to smile.

“No problem, I’ll grab you something to eat. Is there anything you can’t eat or don’t like?” I got up and pushed the chair back so I could go to the kitchen to find food for Penelope.

“Um, no I don’t think so,” she said closing her eye as she tried to think.

“Okay, I’ll be back,” I left to grab her something to eat.

I met Mr. Peabody in the kitchen while I grabbed a variety of things for Penelope to eat. I wasn’t sure of what she could eat but I wanted her to have options just in case there was something that she couldn’t eat or didn’t like. I grabbed random foods like cheeses and fruits, yogurt, crackers, meats and some broccoli and cheese soup leftover from yesterday’s dinner.

“I see you are a bit hungry, you doing a mukbang?” Mr. Peabody asked as I gathered everything on a tray.

I chuckled as I looked over the tray, ” Ah, naw. This is for Penelope, she’s awake.”

“Is she? How is she feeling?”

" In her words -like shit,” I said steadily placing items on the tray.

“I can imagine, she’s been through a lot in one fucking night,” Peabody took a deep breath and shook his head. He doesn’t like violence of any kind but this one hits home for him.

“Yeah, so I wasn’t sure of what she wanted or what she could eat, ya know due to...,”

“Yeah, I know,” he looked at me and then at the tray. “Well it looks like you have a good selection. Probably add something to drink?” Peabody said, walking over to the fridge and grabbing two bottles of water and two bottles of Naked Blue Boost.

“Yeah, thanks,”

“I’ll help you,” he said as he motioned me to pick up the tray.

We walked back to Penelope’s room, Peabody opened the door for me to enter. I walked in and placed the tray on the side table next to the bed.

“Wow, that’s a lot of stuff,”

“I wanted you to have a bit of everything,” I said as I took the beverages from Peabody.

“How are you feeling?” Peabody said, walking over to the side of the bed. She reached out and grabbed his hands, cupping them within hers.

“I’m okay I guess. I feel like shit but I’m here,” she said.

“That you are.” He smiled.

“I want to thank you Mr. Peabody....for helping...me..,” she started getting choked up as spoke.

“It’s okay,” he interrupted. “I’m glad you called me and you’re safe now,” he said, sitting on the side of the bed and comforting her.

“Thank you though, I really appreciate it,”

“No problem,” he replied.

“But why am I here and not in a hospital?”

“Well, Vanessa is very picky and private. She wanted to get you medical attention without having to answer questions about your injuries. She has the best doctors who have a residence with the local hospital however they are also on our payroll,” he said.

Mother had a lot of fucking hookups, I thought.

“Oh, well I can see why,” she said.

“I’ll let you two back at it and I will let Vanessa know that you are awake. She would want to know,” he said, getting off the bed and walking towards the door. “I’m glad you are on the mend,”

“Me too,” I said. Penelope and Peabody looked at me. I just stared back at her. She blushed and looked away.

“Good night,” Peabody said as he left the room.

“So, I got you a bit of everything. Nothing needs to be kept cold so it can stay in here with you. But I suggest you eat the soup as that won’t stay hot,”

“That sounds like a plan,” she smiled at me.

I helped her with propping up the pillows behind her so she could sit up with minimal pain. She winced as she moved slowly and carefully into position while holding her stomach. She was in pain and there was nothing I could do to take it immediately away. Once she was situated, I gave her the soup.

“This is amazing, you bought this?” She said tasting a spoonful.

“No, Peabody made it?” Penelope’s eyes widened as she looked at me. “He cooks too?”

“Yeah, he does a lot. He is a man of many skills,” I said.

I had a great time talking to Penelope. She got a bit of food in her and she seemed in good spirits. I didn’t want to keep her too long as I had other things to tend to and I wanted her to get some rest. She was happy that I came by to see her and asked me to come back tomorrow. I most definitely will. Mom came in to visit her right before I left.

---

Vanessa

“Penelope is awake,” Brian stated as he entered the living room.

“Really? She must be hungry,” I raised up off the couch to head for the kitchen.

“No need, Sam has brought food in for her,” I looked at him, raising my eyebrows.

“Really?”

“Yes, he’s been asking about her,” Brian mentioned.

“Yes, I am aware. And he took her food?” I said smiling. My son was caring for someone; someone who I had chosen for him.

“Yes. He took a variety of things to eat,” he raised his eyebrows and gave a half smile.

“Interesting,” I said as I grabbed my robe and headed towards the south wing.

As I approached her room, I could hear Sam and Penelope talking softly. They were just making small talk, but I enjoyed that he took it upon herself to check on her. I softly tapped on the door to announce my presence.

“Hello?”

“Come in Mom,” Samuel said, pulling open the door. I walked in and Penelope tried to adjust herself in the bed.

“Hi Poppie, how are you feeling?” I asked. She smiled as I knew she liked when I called her by her nickname.

“I’m good, thank you for everything,” I walked to the side of the bed and held her hands.

“You are most welcome. I’m sorry this happened to you. I feel responsible for all of this shit that has happened to you,” Mom felt so guilty about something she had no control over.

“Don’t be, you didn’t know he was going to do this, besides how could you know?”

“I should have canceled his contract long before,” I uttered.

“It’s okay, really. I’ll bounce back from this, trust me,” she smiled.

“Such a brave girl,” I said, smoothing her hair back. I looked at her and she grinned.

Poppie smiled even after all of the shit she just went through, she still held her head high. I was so proud of her.

“I’ll say,” Samuel chimed in.

“I am concerned a little though,” she started.

“About what?”

“I stabbed him,” she said as she looked down at her hands. “I needed him to stop.” Tears fell slowly down her cheeks.

“I know. You did exactly what you needed to do.” I confirmed.

“But I don’t want to get you in trouble,” she looked at me for reassurance. I smiled.

“No worries Poppie, everything is being taken care of. His contract has been canceled due to breach of contract and we are dealing with it legally,”

“Are you sure?”

“Positive.” Poppie looked at me and seemed satisfied.

“Well, I see that you are good hands with Sam, so I’ll leave you two,”

“Oh you don’t have to go,”

“It’s okay, I wanted to come and check on you, but my son has been the perfect gentleman, therefore I know you are in great hands.”

“Yes she is,” he quipped.

“He has been very helpful and has been keeping me company. He brought me all of this food,” she said pointing to the tray with a smorgasbord of food.

“I see. Did you leave anything in the kitchen?” I joked. Samuel rolled his eyes while she giggled. It was nice to hear her laugh. It made me feel as though she will actually be on the mend.

“Well, I will leave you two now. Please call Mr. Peabody should you need anything. I’ll come around to check on you periodically but I will get updates from Sam,” I said looking at him.

“Thank you again Ms. McBride,” Poppie said as I headed towards the door.

“No worries. You just get better,” I said walking out the door.