Chapter 7
''Well?'', she heard Andy and she blinked coming back to her senses. She was sitting across from him, in front of her there was the spaghetti and in her hand, a glass of white wine. For a moment she had forgotten where she was.
''Excuse me?''
''So how come you proposed this dinner"? Penny was puzzled. She was not sure what would be the right answer but soon she realized the only right way was to be honest about her feelings.
''I like you'', she said and her answer was so straight that took him by surprise. She herself could not believe that she spoke so openly but the truth was that she felt really free. ''I've liked you from the start. At first, I had some doubts but…'', she said shrugging.
''What kind of doubts?''
''It's because… I wasn't sure if there was someone else in your life. That night we met at the bar and I saw your friend, I thought that… Well, that you are a couple''.
''Erica and me?'', he said not believing his ears.
''Why does this surprise you?''
''Because it's odd. Erica is very beautiful, there is no doubt but we've been friends for more than twenty years and there has been nothing romantic between us ever'', he explained.
''I believe you. I just thought it would be best to clear it up''.
''Yes, you are right. Well, now that we've talked a little about me, let's get to know you better. Annie has told me a couple of things but I'm sure there is a lot about you she doesn't know'', he said with a smile and then Penny told him about her life. She told him about her family, that she lived with her mother and that she had never met her father, since her parents got divorced before she was born and he now lived abroad. She told him about her childhood, that although she grew up without her father, she had so much love from her mother. Their loving relationship was more than enough to feel a happy child.
Andy spoke very little about his own family. The atmosphere was so pleasant that he did not want to spoil it with the problems he dealt with as he was growing up. Despite Penny was willing to learn more about his life, he asked her to postpone this conversation. She didn't want to press him, so for the rest of the evening they talked about anything else but this. ''It's been nice, right?'', he said later as he accompanied Penny to her house.
''Indeed''.
''So… We could repeat it tomorrow…''
''I'd love to'', Penny said with a happy smile and before she unlocked the door, she gave him a shy kiss, wished him goodnight and disappeared behind the heavy wooden door.
''You're back, honey? Did you have a good time?'', her mother asked while watching a movie.
''Absolutely'', she replied with a dreamy look on her face.
''Were you with Amanda?''
''No'', she said and sat next to her. ''I was on a date''. That was enough to draw Deirdre's attention.
''Seriously?'', she asked totally surprised. ''Why didn't you tell me anything? Who is he? How do you know him?'', she bombarded her.
''Mum, I don't know which question to answer first!'', Penny laughed.
''I'm not asking for details. It's just… Well, I'm your mother and I want to know what's going on in your life. Come on! Won't you tell me anything?''
''Fine…'', Penny said with a sigh and fell on the back of the sofa. ''His name is Andy Patton and he works as a judge. We met at school, he is a girl's uncle, you know. That's all I have to say for the time being. Don't ask for more!''
''Andy Patton?'', Deirdre repeated.
''Yes. You know who he is?''
''No… Of course not…''
''Alright'', Penny said, not giving much thought to her mother's distress, which she dismissed as mother's worries. ''I'm going to sleep. Please, try not to worry about me, right? Goodnight'', she said with a sweet kiss. When Deirdre was left alone, she turned off the TV and just sat there staring at the wall. Her mind wandered back to a time she hadn't thought about in years, a time that sometimes seemed like yesterday and others like it was centuries ago.
