Penny tucked the covers more snuggly around Lucia, who'd fallen asleep shortly after the conclusion of the story. The nine-year-old had been an avid audience, forcing herself to stay awake to the end. But now, sleep had finally overcome the little girl, and she was fast asleep, hugging Mr. Twiggers tightly.
Smiling, Penny tucked a stray lock of her strawberry blonde hair behind her ear before leaving the bedroom to make her way downstairs. Once she'd come into the living room area of the Condo, Penny immediately crossed the room to a particular wall-mounted shelf. This was the shelf that had been dedicated to Roger and Mimi. It was always adorned with pictures of them, as well as a partially melted candle, the same candle that had played a role in their first meeting.
With mixed feelings brought about by a multitude of pleasant memories, Penny removed the photograph that had been taken at the wedding and took a moment to study the images of Roger and Mimi, their tangible joy captured perfectly in the framed picture. The picture still in her hand, Penny crossed the room to the window and opened it, looking up at the night sky. While the city lights blocked out the gleam of the stars, the bright moon could still be seen, shining down on the world.
As Penny gazed up at the moon, her hold on Roger and Mimi's wedding picture tightened as the tiniest of smiles appeared on her face. There had been a reason why she'd chosen the story of Roger and Mimi's wedding as Lucia's bedtime story. It wasn't just to satisfy Lucia's wish for a story, but also to prepare herself for tomorrow, and what it should have been to the Bohemian family, to Roger and Mimi.
For one final time, Penny looked down at Roger and Mimi's wedding picture, before turning her eyes back to the heavens.
"Happy fourteenth anniversary, Uncle Roger and Aunt Mimi," Penny whispered into the night wind.