"Are you certain I look all right? I want to make a good first impression on your children, and I feel like except for my makeup, I'm a total schlub." Penelope picked at her skirt, feeling like this was going to end in disaster.

Erin picked up her hand and threaded their fingers together. "You look beautiful, Penelope. My children will like you, you're vivacious and charming. And Alan has introduced them to his partner's already, so this won't be something altogether new for them." Erin smiled prettily at her before leaning in and pressing a soft kiss to her cheek. "Now, let's head into the kitchen and decided on something to make, since there's not time to head to the store to get supplies."

"And that will help take my mind off meeting them. I know, I'm being stupid."

"It is not stupid, darling. I think it's rather endearing that you're nervous about this next step. It shows just how much character you have, since some of Alan's new partners haven't been quite as thoughtful, or at least that's what Tabitha tells me. She's the most like me, out of all my children, and while her headstrong nature will do her much good later in life, she needs to learn how to put on a veneer of gentility."

Penelope laughed at that description, and Erin shrugged a little as she led her into the kitchen. "It would be easy to make spaghetti or something like that. I might even be able to whip up a tomato sauce if you had all the right ingredients," she said off-handedly. "Where's your pantry?"

"Why do you think I have a pantry?"

"The size of this house? You have to have a room just for dry ingredients and whatnot." Erin groaned a little as she finally nodded, pointing at a door that Penelope had overlooked the previous time she had been in her home. "All right, let me go digging around in there, and we'll see if what I choose comes up to snuff."

"All right. Would you like me to start some coffee?"

"Tea would be better, honestly. Lady Grey, if you have it. Otherwise any black tea would be nice." This time, Penelope pecked at Erin's cheek before disappearing into the pantry. It was well stocked, and she quickly settled on a pasta dish, hoping that Erin had chicken in the refrigerator, otherwise they would be having a vegetarian meal. That suited her just fine, she was halfway on her way to being a complete vegetarian at the moment, but she didn't know how Erin's children would feel about that. Letting out a little sigh, she carried the ingredients into the kitchen before rummaging around in the fridge until she found a package of chicken breasts. She also pulled out a large bag of mozzarella cheese, knowing that she would need to add that to the meal at the end, too. "All right, now to wait for your children to get here so that Tabitha can help us out in the kitchen."

Erin smiled as she pulled the kettle off the burner, filling their cups with the boiling water before handing one to Penelope. "Hopefully it's somewhat easy, since Tabitha enjoys the idea of cooking, but the further she gets into a dish, the less enthusiastic she becomes."

"This is something that I can easily finish on my own, if need be, don't worry."

Erin nodded as she relaxed against the counter, watching Penelope. "I wish that you had brought a proper bag, with more clothes, so that you could spend the night again tonight. Maybe not to make love again, but to cuddle and sleep."

"Well, I suppose that I could always be persuaded to wear this dress tomorrow, if…"

"If?"

"You kiss me right now." Erin rolled her eyes a little before leaning in and giving her a delicate kiss. "That's what you call a kiss?"

"For the moment, yes. My children are due in five minutes, and though I want to say that I don't mind them knowing I'm in a relationship, I don't want them to know that what we have is physical? There are some things that I would love to leave to the imagination. I'm sorry if that bothers you?"

"No, you're fine. I didn't think about that, but you're right, certain things should be kept private between us. In time, they can see us kissing a little more passionately in front of them. But they have to grow accustomed to the idea of us, first." She stroked Erin's arm softly, giving her a small smile before sighing. "So, what time will we wake up tomorrow?"

"Early. We'll both need to shower, after all."

Penelope shook her head. "I can shower tonight, before we head to sleep. I prefer showering at night, because after a long day at the bar, the smell just lingers, and I need to go to sleep clean." She leaned in and nipped Erin's earlobe as carefully as she could. "Though, I'd love to get clean with you."

A fast blush spread across Erin's face as she choked back a laugh. "I don't think that I'm young enough, honestly, for that. But I suppose that I might be up for trying. It is very nice to get squeaky clean after a time of being dirty."

Penelope gave her a small look of shock, before bursting into a gale of laughter. "And you try to say that you're straight-laced and uptight? Oh, my dear Erin, there is a minx buried beneath that cool exterior of yours, and I cannot wait to bring that side of you out to the light." She was going to say more when the doorbell rang, and they both sighed heavily. "That's your children. They're just as punctual as you, it seems."

Erin laughed as she nodded. "That would be Karen. She's the one that picked up that part of my personality. One more quick kiss before I answer the door?" Penelope nodded and their lips met in a sweet kiss before Erin left the kitchen to let her children in. While she waited to meet the children, Penelope smoothed the fabric of her skirt, trying not to allow the butterflies in her stomach take over. She knew that Erin was right, the children would follow Erin's lead and would be sympathetic towards her.

The sound of voices came towards her, and she plastered a smile on her lips as she tried to take deep breaths in order to calm her rapidly beating heart. And then, three little clones of Erin came traipsing into the kitchen, chattering animatedly between themselves. The youngest of the trio looked up at her, and the smile on her lips widened a little as she stepped towards her. "Hi, I'm Tabitha. Mom has never been happier since she met you, so I am very pleased to meet you." Before she could react to those words, Tabitha had stepped into her personal space and tugged her into a tight hug. "Mom also said that we're going to cook together while Karen and Bruce relax in the living room. Dad's picking us up at nine, since that's when his date will be over. That's the only reason he agreed to let us come over and meet you. Normally, his weeks with us mean that we spend every minute with him or alone, because he's a jerk to Mom."

Penelope met Erin's eyes, and tried not to smile at the expression on her face. "So I've gathered. But I really should introduce myself to your siblings." Tabitha nodded as she took hold of Penelope's hand and brought her over to the group, and somehow Penelope knew that this small gesture was definitely telling for how the rest of her relationship with them would be.