Chapter 21

Penny woke up around eight in the morning and saw that Leonard and Sarah were already awake. She sat up and tried to orient herself. Penny stood up and went straight to the bathroom to relieve herself and wash up. She went to the kitchen and saw Leonard and Sarah was almost done making breakfast. Leonard saw her and poured a cup of coffee for her.

"Ugh thank you honey." Penny said as she took the cup from Leonard.

"I cooked our fish from yesterday and some eggs." he smiled at her.

"Looks really good." she said as she sat down beside Sarah. "good morning sweetie!" she put her hand on the child's back.

"Hi Penny...are you hungry?" Sarah asked her.

"I'm starving sweetie." she said back.

Leonard prepared the table and put the food on the table. They began to eat.

"Ugh..this fish is delicious." Penny said.

"Thank you….Sarah honey slow down...I don't want you choking on your food." Leonard said.

Leonard cleaned up in the kitchen while Penny started to pack their things so they can go back home. They were done in about thirty minutes. Leonard then proceeded to load their stuff in the car while Penny helped Sarah get dressed.

"Okay!….are we all set?" Leonard asked the two girls.

"All set daddy!" Sarah said. "I'm ready too." Penny said. They went to the car and Leonard secured his daughter's seat belt while Penny sat up front. They drove towards the gate of the ranch where Amanda was waiting for them. Leonard opened the car windows to say goodbye to her.

"Hey Amanda….thank you for having us...we really had a good time!" Leonard said to her.

"You're welcome!" she looked at the backseat and saw Sarah. "Bye Sarah...you be a good girl okay?"

"Bye Amanda….say good bye to Bunny Rabbit for me please!" the child said.

"I will!" she said. "Travel safe alright?….bye Leonard...bye Penny!" she waved at them.

"Bye!" the three of them said back. Leonard rolled up the car windows and drove out of the ranch.

It was a quiet ride back home for the three of them. Sarah and Penny slept all the way which was fine with Leonard. They arrived at their building after an hour and fifteen minutes. Sarah and Penny was awake by then and began to unload their stuff before going into the building. They went up the elevator to the fourth floor quietly. Leonard opened their door while Penny did the same with her apartment.

"Daddy can I play with my X-Box?" Sarah asked Leonard.

"Sure honey!" he said as Sarah ran into the apartment. He turned to Penny. "Hey...are you alright?" he asked her. "You seem distracted since last night." he looked at her.

"I'm fine Leonard. I just want to rest okay?" Penny said blankly. She kissed him on the cheek, turned around and went into her apartment.

Leonard was puzzled at Penny's sudden change in demeanor. He knew something was clearly bothering her. He decided to bring their stuff inside the apartment and wash up in the bathroom while Sarah was busy playing her video game. He can't shake the feeling that he may have done something to upset Penny. He decided to go to Penny's place and check up on her. "Sarah honey...I'll go over to Penny's place for a while….I'll be back soon okay?" he said to his daughter. "Okay daddy." Sarah said without taking her eyes off the game.

He knocked on Penny's door and turned the knob which was unlocked. He saw Penny by her dining table drinking some wine. She looked at him without saying a word.

"Penny is everything okay?...I kinda feel you're upset about something." he said while walking towards her.

Penny eyed him. "I told you I'm fine Leonard….why won't you just let it go!?" she snapped back.

"Was it something I did?" he asked.

"No!" she answered back.

"Then what is it?" he replied.

"You really want to know!?" she asked slightly raising her voice.

"Tell me...what is it?" Leonard was beginning to worry.

Penny stood up. "I'm scared Leonard….I'm scared of this...us….Sarah" her hands began to shake. "This is going a little too fast for me and I don't know what to do about it!" she almost yelled at him and continued. "We never should have gone to that ranch…." she said.

Leonard put his hands on the top of his head and sighed. "You're the one who suggested to go there in the first place. I was trying to change the topic but you had to show that ranch and that horse riding thing to Sarah…." he said back.

Penny glared at him. "So it's my fault now!?" she raised her voice at him.

"I'm not saying that!" he answered her. "What I'm saying is maybe it would be better if we discuss something first before involving my daughter." he explained to her. "I don't want to spoil her by making her feel that she can get anything she wants." he added.

"So you want 'WE'to decide what's best for her!?" she almost shouted. "I'm not her mother Leonard!" she yelled at him.

Leonard was stunned and just stared at her. He hung his head low and sighed.

Penny realized she somehow overstepped. She walked towards him. "Leonard honey….I'm so sorry….I didn't mean to say that…." she reached for him.

Leonard slightly flinched and looked at her. "You're right Penny….you're not her mother….it was wrong of me to say that." he sighed.

"Leonard I'm so sorry….I didn't mean it please….I'm just scared…." she gave her a pleading look.

"Penny I understand why you're scared….I'm scared of this too….this is new for both of us…." he said.

Penny put her hands in her face and began to cry. "What are we going to do Leonard?" she asked.

Leonard came closer and hugged her to calm her down. "Don't worry Penny….we'll figure this out…." he said to her. Penny buried her face on his neck.

They broke off their hug after Penny calmed down. "Leonard….I think I need some space….please…." she looked at him.

Leonard was surprised and was speechless. "What!?…..are we breaking up?" he looked at her.

Penny put her hands on his cheeks. "No!...No! No! No!...I just need some time for myself….I need to figure this out on my own….please honey!" she said.

Leonard looked down and sighed. He nodded. "Okay….I don't like it but it looks like the only solution for now…" he looked back at her.

"Honey I care for you…." she said. "You believe me right?" she looked into his eyes.

"I believe you….I care a lot for you too…" he said.

"Honey I know that….don't worry….I'm still you're girl….and you're still my man...okay?" she told him.

"Okay." Leonard nodded. "I guess I better go back now….Sarah's alone in there." he smiled at her.

"Okay." Penny said and kissed him on the lips. "and don't you dare flirt with other girls mister!" she said sternly to him.

Leonard raised his hand. "Promise." he smiled at her and turned around towards the door.

He opened it and was shocked when they saw Sarah standing by the door crying. She must have heard the entire exchange between them.

"Daddy why are you fighting?" Sarah asked her father.

Leonard's heart sank as he ran to his daughter to hug and calm her down. "Oh my god honey no!….we're not fighting." he said as he kissed her on the cheek. "Don't cry."

Penny went over and knelt down. "Sarah sweetie we're not fighting….please don't cry." she rubbed the child's back.

"But I heard you yelling and arguing." Sarah said to Penny.

Leonard decided to carry Sarah inside the apartment and put her down on the couch. He knelt down on the floor. Penny followed and did the same. Leonard looked at his daughter and wiped the tears from her cheeks with some tissue.

"Honey listen to me….Penny and I are not fighting….we are new in this relationship and sometimes….we will have some misunderstandings and disagreements…" Leonard tried to explain to her.

Penny added. "You're father is right sweetie….we're not fighting….don't be sad okay?" she said as she held her hand.

"Were you fighting about me?" she asked Penny.

"What?….no! No! No!….don't say that….we're not fighting about you….your father and I had a little argument but it's not about you sweetie…" Penny assured the child.

"Penny's right honey….we're not fighting about you….Penny and I will have some problems from time to time but don't think it's about you okay?….you will never be a problem for us...do you understand?" he said to his daughter.

Sarah nodded. "Yes daddy." she said as she hugged her father. "I love you daddy."

Leonard hugged her tight. "Ugh...I love you too honey….daddy will never hurt you….I promise." he kissed her on the cheek.

Penny gave Sarah a hug as well. "Sweetie you don't have to worry….it's gonna be alright….now give me a kiss."

Sarah kissed Penny and gave her hug. "I love you Penny!" the child said.

Penny sighed and looked at Leonard. Leonard sighed as well.

"I love you too sweetie!" Penny said as Sarah began to calm down.

Leonard decided to step in. "Okay...I think it's time for you to rest and take a nap little princess." Leonard lifted her up and carried Sarah to her bedroom. "Penny has something else to do so say goodbye to her now…" Leonard looked at Penny.

"Bye Penny." Sarah said.

"Bye sweetie!" Penny said as she looked at Leonard carrying his daughter to her bedroom.

Leonard put his daughter on her bed and it didn't take long for her to fall asleep. He came back to the living room and saw that Penny already left. He went over to her apartment and knocked on her door. Penny opened it and gave him a sad look. Leonard entered her apartment.

Penny jumped on him and gave him a tight hug. Leonard hugged her back.

"I'm sorry we fought." Penny said as she buried her face in his neck.

"It's alright honey…..so are we good?" Leonard asked her.

"Yes honey….we're good." she said. "I'm sorry." she added.

"You still need space?" he asked.

"Yes." she looked into his eyes.

"You're still my girl." he told her.

She sighed. "Yes...I'm still yours…" she smiled at him.

"Good!...now give me a kiss." he asked her.

Penny smiled and placed her lips onto his. It was deep and passionate.

They broke off their kiss after a while. "I guess I better go back now before this leads to something else." he winked at her.

Penny lightly punched him. "Jackass!"

"I am your cute jackass!" he laughed.

Penny rolled her eyes. "Yeah you are….now go while I can still keep my hands to myself…" she kissed him again and started to playfully push him away. "Remember mister...no flirting with other girls or you're dead to me!" she gave him a serious look.

He smiled at her. "I know, I know….this is yours" he said waving his hand from his head to toe.

She held her door. "Bye honey!" she waved at him.

"Bye Penny." he waved back and went back to his apartment.