Chapter 9 [Penny's Bedroom]

Blue knocked on the door. "Everything good?"

Penny moved her head in his direction. "Blue! You're here!" Her eyes twinkled at him.

"Ain't been nowhere else. Can't wait for to see our kids." His smile spread across his face. "I'm just going to stay over here. I don't want to get nothing dirty."

Trinidad nodded. "Esta bien. She needs her rest."

"Sure." He nodded. Anxiety paled his face. Still he managed to lug a chair beside her bed. "I'll just stay for a few minutes. I want you to rest."

"Just stay right there then? We don't have to talk. I feel better when you're right there with us, Blue." Penny's eyes tugged at his heart strings.

"Whatever you want. You're the boss." He grinned for her benefit.

"Hmmm….Triny, you heard that?" Penny smirked. She raised an eyebrow.

"Sí. She will remember that, Señor Blue." Triny nodded.

"I have to make sure I don't get into no fights now." He shook his head.

"You bet you won't." Penny squinted at him. She set her jaw at Contraction's next wave. "Thought you…were with Uncle Buck."

"He and Sam went back to Chaparral to fetch Pilar and Jenny. No telling how long these two will keep us waiting." He shrugged that notion off.

"They're like their Pa. Sleeping in real late." Teasing lilted in her voice. Gotcha twinkled in her eyes.

"Hey! I do not!" He rolled his eyes. "That's Manolito. You know how Mercedes has to yank him out of bed."

"Both of you get turns with cloth duty, Mr. Billy Blue Cannon." Penny shook her head.

"Hey! Our kids and cousin are real important! Course I know that!" Protest wanted to bark out further. Still he stifled it right then and there. "You know how proud I am of you. Right? I ain't goin' nowhere except with you and them."

"You'd better not." Of course, Penny knew he would live up to Promise's requirement. "I'd track your sorry butt down."

He sighed. "I can sure see you doing that. Like I said, I ain't goin' nowhere." He leaned over her. His lips whispered Affirmation's notes across her forehead. "We got us a whole lotta years together, Mrs. Penny Cannon. You better believe it!"

"I know." She took his hand in hers. "Should've known you got to me that day in the barber shop."

He nodded. "You were only half-right in there you know. You weren't no kid. Maybe the others saw you as a kid. I never did. You were runnin' the livery, cooking and cleaning for your Pa and putting up with somebody too eager to stand up to his Pa's and Uncle's name."

"You were trying to stand up for what you believe, Blue. I got that. I saw you're a good person. 'Sides I ain't never had a friend like you before." She looked him right in the eye. "And you're my only one ever. These two will know you're their Pa."

"And they'll sure know you're their Ma. We're a family now. Something else too. We gotta help Dan and Martha get themselves together. Right?" He squeezed her hand again.

"We sure do…I'm making a special dinner for 'em and Johnny. We'll do our part. Hey, Blue. Sorry but I need to rest. Like it if you could sit with me?" She closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths.

He patted her hand. "I'll be right here. Just rest." He raised it and kissed her knuckles. He watched her sleep. He glanced up at Triny. "Thanks for trusting me."

"She's better now that you are with her, Señor Blue. I get coffee. You want some?" Triny stretched her arms.

"Yeah. Muchas gracias." He nodded.

"De nada." Triny walked out toward the stairs.

He leaned back against the wall. I ain't goin' nowhere. I sure have no reason since I've got everything I want. You and them kids are the whole world, Penny.

Context was everything….