Chapter 64
As the days went by, Penny's food cravings kept getting weirder and weirder. One day, she was walking home after running some errands when she happen to pass by the local Asian grocery store. She decided to go inside and check it out, not really bent on buying anything. She passed by the fresh produce section and saw different types of fruits and vegetables than the usual stuff she sees at the supermarket. She was picking up stuff, smelling them along the way when an old Asian woman who she guessed was working there came near her.
"Hi! How do you do?"said the old lady, giving Penny a sweet smile.
"Oh hi! I'm fine. Thanks." Penny said, smiling back at her.
"Are you looking for something in particular?" asked the old woman.
"Oh I'm just looking around really. It's my first time here." said Penny.
"Well if you need anything, just call me alright?" the old woman said.
"Thanks a lot. I appreciate it." Penny said.
"I hope you won't mind me asking, but how far along are you?" said the old woman, referring to her baby bump.
"Oh, I'm around four months now." Said Penny.
"That is so nice. My daughter-in-law is also expecting. She's about six months now." said the woman. "Are you still having some strange food cravings?"
Penny smiled. "Uh yeah actually. My husband came from abroad recently and he brought home some dried fish with him. It was quite nice really." she said as another pregnant woman walked up to them, eating some sliced fruits from a plate.
"Mama, what are you doing?" said the other pregnant woman.
"Nothing, I was just talking to this nice lady. By the way, this is my daughter-in-law I was telling you about, Carla." said the old woman.
"Hi, I'm Penny." she said.
"Nice to meet you Penny. This is my mama Josie." said Carla.
"Hi Josie. It's nice to meet you." Penny said.
"It's nice to meet you too Penny." said Josie.
Carla went near Penny and offered her some of her food. "Hey, do you want to try some?" Carla said.
Penny looked at the plate, unsure of what to say. "Uh, what are those?" Penny asked.
"These are green mango slices and some shrimp paste, commonly called 'bagoong' in the Philippines. You just dip the mangoes in them." said Carla, taking a slice and dipping it on the shrimp paste. "You want to try some?" she added.
Penny hesitated but found the smell a little inviting. "Okay...uh thanks." she said as she took a small slice and dipped it in the sauce, taking a small bite and hoping she doesn't throw up or get sick. "Mmmm...this tastes weird but good." said Penny, dipping the mango again before taking another bite.
"Have some more." said Carla, offering her the plate.
Penny took another slice, slightly bigger than the last and dipped it in the sauce. "Thanks. I just hope it won't make me sick or something." she said.
"Trust me it won't. I even tried dipping these in some vanilla ice cream. My husband said it's weird but what does he know, right?" Carla said, making Penny laugh.
"You can say that again. Sometimes when I say something to my husband, I have to repeat it so he would understand what I'm trying to say." Penny said, taking another slice. "Hmmm...oh I'm sorry if I'm eating all your snack."
"Hey don't worry about it. My mom told me not to deprive myself of anything that I want to eat, she says it'll be bad for the baby." said Carla.
"Really?" said Penny while taking another slice.
"Yeah, she said it would affect my baby's emotion if I deprive myself. That's why my husband just does what I tell him to do, scared that I might rip his face off if he made me angry." Carla said, making Penny laugh.
"That is so funny!" Penny said. "Hey, are you having a boy or a girl?"
"Girl. How about you?" said Carla.
"Awww, that is so nice. You're gonna have a little angel." said Penny. "We don't know yet if we're having a girl or a boy. I guess we'll find out next month." she added. "Hey uh, do you sell this stuff here?"
"Yeah, come on let me show you." said Carla, putting the plate behind the counter before leading Penny to one of the aisles. "Here they are...we have different types here but this is the one that we're having." said Carla, handing a small jar to Penny.
"What about the mangoes? Do you have them too?" Penny asked.
"They're right there in the fresh produce. I'll help you pick out the best ones." said Carla.
"Thanks a lot. I hope my stepdaughter likes this stuff." Penny said.
"You have a stepdaughter?" Carla asked, a little surprised by Penny's revelation.
"Yeah, why?" Penny asked.
"Nothing. I'm sorry, I just thought that this is your first child." said Carla, hoping not to offend Penny.
"It's fine...and it is my first baby with my husband." Penny said. "He already had a five-year old daughter when I met him." she added.
"Really? I hope you won't mind me asking but is he divorced or something?" Carla asked.
"He's not divorced. Her mother died of cancer when she was a year old." said Penny while picking out the mangoes from the crate.
Carla gasped. "Oh my god I'm so sorry...now I feel terrible for being so nosy." she said.
Penny smiled at her. "Hey, don't worry about it." she said as they took the stuff towards the cashier.
"Thanks for coming over Penny. I hope you come visit us again." said Carla as Penny took the bag of stuff she bought.
"Thank you Carla." said Penny as she left the store while Carla and Josie waved goodbye to her.
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Later that afternoon, Leonard came in the apartment followed closely by Sarah, finding Penny on the couch dipping her mangoes in bagoong.
"Hey guys! How was school sweetheart?" said Penny.
Sarah put her bag on the coffee table before hugging her stepmother. "What are you eating mom?"
"Oh this? These are green mangoes and shrimp paste, the lady in the asian grocery story called it bagoong. You wanna try some?" she said offering the plate to the young lady.
Sarah smelled it and frowned, not used to the strong smell of the dip. "That smells gross." said Sarah.
"Suit yourself, but I'm telling you, it tastes so good!" Penny said as she took another bite. "Honey, come here and eat with me, please!" she said, calling her husband.
"Dad can I play on the X-Box?" Sarah said.
"Do your homework first honey." said Leonard.
"I already did it at the library while I was waiting for you." said Sarah.
"Oh...okay...but wash up and change your clothes first, alright?" Leonard said as Sarah turned around going to the bathroom to freshen up as he sat beside his wife. "What were you doing in the asian grocery store?"
"I don't know. I was walking home and I decided to check it out. And then I met Carla who's helping run the store with her mother-in-law Josie." Penny said before continuing. "Carla was pregnant too and was eating this stuff when I came in so she offered me some. Long story short, I bought the same stuff from the store and went home." she said, bringing the plate close to Leonard.
Leonard hesitated, slightly taken aback by the strong smell of the mangoes and bagoong. "What is this stuff anyway?" asked Leonard, lightly dipping his finger on the sauce and tasting them. "That is...that is really something..." he said.
"Oh come on honey, eat it with me please!" said Penny, snuggling up to her husband while giving him a sad face. "Please do this for me...and the baby..." she said.
Leonard sighed, not wanting to make his wife sad, or worse...angry if he doesn't give in to her request. He took a mango slice and dipped it on the sauce, making sure not to have too much of it. "Okay, I'm doing it...see?" he said as he took a bite, chewing it slowly.
Penny giggled and grabbed her husband's arm, laughing and smiling at getting her way. "Aww...thank you so much honey! You're so amazing!" she said while pushing her face on his neck, making him feel her affection. She then rested her head on his shoulder before joining Leonard in eating the mangoes.
Sarah then came in to the living room already dressed. "What's going on?" she asked as she looked at her parents. "Dad, are you eating that?" asked the little girl as she went to the TV to turn on her X-Box.
"I have no choice honey. It's either this or upset your mom and make her angry." Leonard said as Penny glared at him.
"Keep talking and I'm gonna punch you in the face mister." Penny jokingly said.
"Alright I'll stop now." he said as he took another mango slice and ate it. "Happy now?"
Penny smiled and cuddled by his side, putting her arm around him. "So happy!" she said while smiling at her husband. "You are so adorable." she added while pinching his cheek.
"You guys are so weird." Sarah said as she turned to the TV and started her game, making her parents laugh.
The couple stayed on the couch while sharing the plate of mangoes, with Penny feeding Leonard and being extra sweet with him. "Thanks for sharing this with me honey." Penny said.
Leonard smiled at his wife. "It's alright honey...it actually tastes good once you get the hang of it." he said.
Penny bit her lip and smiled. "Really? You like it?" she asked, becoming a little excited.
"Yeah sure...why not?" said Leonard.
"Good...so you won't mind if I buy more of this stuff, right?" Penny asked, hoping her husband agrees.
"Sure honey...you can do whatever you want." said Leonard.
"Okay...I'm gonna buy more of this." said Penny as she draped her arms around his neck. "You are so amazing." she added, kissing his cheek without letting him go.
Sarah heard her parents as she continued playing on the X-Box. "I can hear you!" she said, surprising the couple.
"Just play your X-Box." Penny said as Sarah turned around to look at her parents.
"Just stay there and be all lovey-dovey with each other." she said, countering her stepmother's remark and making the couple laugh.
"Where have you been learning all this stuff huh?" Leonard asked, surprised at how their daughter teases them.
Sarah returned to her game. "Where else but from you guys." she said like it was an afterthought.
"Let it go honey...our daughter is smart so it's only natural for her to pick up these things." Penny said while touching Leonard's face to look at her. "You'll get lucky later, I promise." she added, whispering in his ear before kissing his lips.
Sarah teased her parents a bit more. "So gross." she said as she saw her parent's affection for each other before returning to her game.
"One more comment from you young lady and I'm turning that game off." Penny said, glaring at her stepdaughter.
"Okay I'll stop now!" Sarah said laughing, amused at how she got her parents riled up.
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Later that night, the couple laid naked on the bed, tired and breathing heavily after having sex, which is getting a little awkward as Leonard had to make sure not to hurt Penny and the baby bump.
"I think I just got more pregnant." Penny said, laughing a little.
"Uh huh." Leonard said, laughing with his wife. "Honey?"
"Yeah?" said Penny.
"We haven't talked baby names yet." he said.
"That's easy, we'll let Sarah name the baby. I'm sure she'll be more that thrilled to do that." said Penny.
"Am I allowed to suggest some names?" Leonard asked.
Penny gave him a suspicious look. "Okay if you're gonna spit out names from your stupid comic books and TV shows then you can forget about it." she said.
Leonard frowned, saddened that his wife anticipated his plan. "Aww come on honey! What's wrong with naming our baby Luke...or Leia...or Mary Jane...?"
"Tell me, who are those?" Penny said.
Leonard sighed. "Fine...they're from Star Wars...and Spiderman..."
"Forget it Leonard, I'm not naming our baby with your sci-fi names." said Penny. "I don't want our child to be bullied for having a silly name when they grow up." she added.
"Okay I get it...no more cool names. I suppose we're gonna name our baby Josephine...or Walter...or even Prudence..." Leonard said, teasing his wife.
"You just lost round two mister!" said Penny, lightly hitting him on the chest.
"Come one honey, I'm only joking!" he said, laughing a little. "Come here." he said, puling her close.
"Let's get some sleep. We'll have round two in the morning." Penny said before kissing her husband goodnight.
"Goodnight honey." Leonard said as they got under the covers to sleep, feeling each other's warm embrace.