I do not own Dirty Dancing.
Chapter Seven
POV Baby
Penny
Billy chased around Johnny and his dance partner, desperately trying to get Johnny's attention. Finally, Johnny pulled away from the woman, and leaned over to hear what his Cousin had to say. Billy whispered something unintelligible in his ear. All I knew was that he was telling him Penny was crying in the kitchens.
Suddenly Johnny's face paled, shifting into a panic. He looked back to his dance partner. "I'm sorry, ma'am, you'll have to excuse me," Without another word, they darted out of the gazebo, heading towards the kitchens. I tailed closely behind, feeling very invisible at the moment, since no one had visibly noticed me since I told Billy about Penny.
Suddenly acknowledging my presence, Johnny spoke in that deep voice of his, "Why's she here?" It was such a cold voice, all business and almost hostile. But why would he act that way towards me? What had I done to him? I want to answer Johnny, but given the use of the word 'she' and the tone in which it was said, I choose not to. 'She' implied that he was talking to Billy, not me. And the tone just said, 'Don't mess with me.'
"I brought her in case Neil comes back," Billy told him, though it was a lie. I was here because I wanted to be, and Billy was just covering for me, explaining my presence in places I shouldn't be, exactly like he had done last night.
"Penny just doesn't think," Johnny spat as he continued to walk briskly across the lawn. I try to walk faster, my legs burning from the effort to keep up with him. I really should've put more thought into chasing after a desperate Dancer with long legs. I hate being short, I think vehemently. I'd stopped growing at 5'3, and Johnny must've been anywhere from 7 to 8 inches taller than me. It wasn't even fair.
"She wouldn't do anything stupid, would she?"
Johnny didn't answer.
For the first time, I wondered why Penny was crying. One does not just sit down in the kitchen to have a good cry. "What's wrong?" I inquire, "What's the matter with her?" Carefully, I step over the chain link border on the pavement. There had hardly been any mention of her since we left the gazebo at all. Until now, that was.
A man of few words, Johnny remained silent at my question, too. But Billy didn't, "She's knocked up, Baby,"
A million questions racee through my head. Did she want it? How long had she known? Who was the Father? Had she told him? All of them were interrupted when Johnny scolded his Cousin, "Billy!" The Dancer frowned down at Billy, and then looked back in front of him, moving with purpose.
I stared at Johnny. Was he the Father? It would make sense, given his reaction just now. It certainly looked like they were sleeping together, even though Billy had assured me last night that that wasn't the case. I turn to Johnny's, "What's he gonna do about it?"
In a flash, Johnny turned to me, anger on his face, "What's he gonna do about it?" Then, his anger faded into something different. Not rage, but something decidedly unpleasant. Something bitter. "Oh, it's mine, right? Right away, you think it's mine," Johnny spat. I guess that was a no.
"But I thought that-"
Johnny glared at me, a look that plainly stated that I thought wrong, then turned away from me and continued towards the kitchens. I want to know how it was possible for him to make me feel like such scum after only a few questions. I want the answer to why words just fell out of my mouth around him, with little to no forethought. I want to know more, but I won't ask now. Not with Johnny in such a bad mood, not when he can hear me. I'd have to talk to Billy later.
Great, Baby, I thought. Just great. You really screwed things up this time,
As we walked into the kitchen, I could hear Penny's sobs. Johnny purposefully walked down the aisles, searching for the source of the noise. Finally, I saw her, lying on the floor in a fetal position, crying her eyes out. Johnny knelt down next to her as she sat up. She was not a pretty picture. Her mascara had run, and her eyes were red. The tears combined with her blonde hair and red cocktail dress made this look like a Cinderella story gone wrong.
"It's okay. It's okay," Johnny told her, enveloping Penny in his arms. Her face disappeared into the folds of his jacket. "Johnny's here. Johnny's here. It's okay, it's okay. I'm never gonna let anything happen to you," Penny sobbed. "We've gotta go," He said, as Penny slid her arms around his neck. With quite a bit of longing, my fingers brush over my neck as I watch the scene, wondering what it would feel like to have him be so gentle with me. To feel his hands on my skin. Johnny easily picked her up, "Just hold on. Just hold on. Good girl. Good girl,"
"I thought they were a couple," I told Billy.
"No," He groaned, "They dated once, and that was back in Freshman year, you know, when dating is still a little bit of a joke." Billy and I ran up the steps on the bridge. We'd been sent to get a blanket, and some alcohol. Billy had the alcohol, since he was older than me, and worked here. I got the blanket.
"It looks like-"
"Like they're sleeping together," Billy finished for me, "I know. But trust me, they're not. It always looks like that. They're like Brother and Sister. Penny is Johnny's best friend. That's all there is to it."
I nod, trying to understand further, "That's why Johnny looked like he wanted to kill someone when I asked about the Father," Billy nodded, and pulled the door to the dance hall, which I had more recently realized was a storage facility, open.
The first thing I heard was Johnny's voice. "What do you think you're doing?" He asked in a very patronising voice, "You're in trouble, you talk to me, I'll take care of it," Penny sat huddled on the couch, Johnny's white jacket around her shoulders. She hasn't even tried to fix her makeup, but I didn't blame her. Lord knows how bad I would be in her situation.
Billy walked over to the pair and handed Johnny the blanket, and sat down, busying himself with the drinks. Johnny wrapped the blanket around Penny's shoulders. "You should've come to me in the first place," He remarked. I noticed that his shirt was open again, bowtie no doubt lying discarded somewhere.
"Forget it, Johnny, I'm not taking what's left of your salary," She insisted.
"Penny, that's my business,"
"And besides, it wouldn't be enough," She continued, as Billy handed her the alcohol. A sob shook Penny's body, "Oh, God, it's hopeless," The blonde woman wailed over her glass of booze. Fat tears slid down her pristine face, marring it with makeup.
"Don't say that," I tell her, "There's got to be a way to work it out," Every problem had a solution, I believed. And I knew that there must be a way for me to help Penny. No one was beyond help, least of all a scared, young, pregnant girl.
The blonde looked up from her alcohol to me, and a sick feeling grew in my stomach, a piece of me sensing that the words she had to say weren't anything pleasant. "Baby? Is that your name? Well, you know what, Baby? You don't know shit about my problems," Penny spat venomously. Johnny downed the rest of his drink.
Sheepishly, Billy admitted, "I told her,"
Penny glared at the Porter, a mix of shock and anger that didn't belong on her face. "Jesus, Billy! Now she's going to run and tell her little management boyfriend, and we all get fired! Why not sky write it?" The Rockette asked in a bitter tone. "'Penny got knocked up by Robbie the creep!'"
"Robbie?!" I exclaimed.
Johnny and Billy immediately stood up, as if they thought I was going to run and tell Max. Johnny started to speak, "Look-"
Billy cut him off a moment later, "No, Baby! Baby," Billy walked over, and explained the situation, quietly, like the whole thing was forbidden. "One of the Counselors knows a Doctor. A real MD, just traveling to Newpulse for one day next week. We can get her an appointment, but it costs $250," In the background, I see Johnny standing, gaze averted from Billy and I, blue eyes studying the floorboards. His knuckles were white from stress around his empty liquor glass, and the Dancer released a heavy sigh of concern for his friend. Johnny had such a look of rage in his eyes, I thought he would break the glass just from the grip of his hands on it. He looked like a man struggling to keep his fury bottled up.
I look over to the Dancers. Their answer certainly explained it, the way Penny had stared at Robbie while he flirted with Lisa. It would explain why Johnny hated Robbie, why they had appeared to dislike each other when Max was lecturing them. "But if it's Robbie, there's no problem. I know he has the money. I'm sure, if you tell him-"
"He knows," Penny informed me, voice empty. I remained silent, dumbfounded at how anyone could just leave someone they found out was expecting their child. Especially when they knew it. Penny laughed sadly. It was a laugh I hated, a laugh people have to naive little girls. And that's all they thought I was. A naive little girl. "Go back to your playpen, Baby,"