Penelope in near panic mode scolded herself to calm down. Think Penelope! she told herself. Think, think, think! "Here's an idea: how about I give you my address, and you can meet up with us there in, say…an hour? That will give me time to get ready, and then I can answer all your questions." She plastered what she was hoping was an honest and trustworthy smile on her face.
Derek threw his head back and roared with laughter. "Baby Girl, if you think I am falling for that, you overestimate how wrapped around your little finger I am. I know you well enough to know that an hour from now I will be standing outside the laundry mat for the address you gave me, while you are back to hiding away God only knows where. So nuh uh. No way, Baby Girl" He smirked at her. "So here is a better idea: since I left the SUV at the hotel for Momma to use while I went out for my run, how about I just join you now, and you can drive us back to your place."
Penelope groaned inwardly. Damn him for knowing her so well! How the hell was she going to get out of this? There was no way she was taking him home once he knew the truth. If he knew where she lived, she would have no where to hide to keep Natalie safe and with her. The squirming baby brought her back to reality and to the realization that she was going to have to do something and fast. So she went for the truth "Derek, I'm begging you please just let this go. Once you open this can of worms, you can't reclose it; you can't go back." Her eyes filled with tears."Please, Derek. Just turn around and walk away go home!"
Derek softened, seeing the tears in her eyes and knowing how unhappy she was to be in this position, and briefly he felt bad for her but then he thought about the position that she had put him in for the last ten months and he felt himself grow angry. He deserved answers, and he was going to get them. He wasn't backing down or stepping away from this. "Sorry Penelope. Not going to happen, so stop trying to sway me on this. You don't get out of this until I get what I need."
Penelope sighed. "Where are you staying Derek?"
"We are staying at the Hotel Beacon," Derek replied.
"Well the hotel is closer than my place so let's grab the car and head there. Natalie will need to be fed soon, so I can feed her there and we can talk." Penelope hoped this worked she really didn't want to explain to him why she didn't want to take her back to her place.
"Natalie?" Derek asked. Penelope pointed to the head of dark curls. "Derek, meet Natalie. Natalie, meet Derek," she said, waving her hand between the two between the two of them. Penelope still held Natalie close to her body, placing a hand on the baby's head in an effort to conceal her from Derek's prying eyes.
"Natalie is a beautiful name, Penelope," Derek said as he tried to sneak a peek at the babe that Penelope had shielded from his eyes.
"Thank you, it was my mother's name. I like to think that she is tickled pink up there knowing that her granddaughter has her name." Penelope said with a small smile.
He hoped that by getting her to open up a little bit about her daughter, maybe she would become more comfortable with him. "What's her middle name?" As soon as the words left his mouth he knew he was wrong by the look of panic and fear washed over Penelope's face.
Penelope tried to think of some way to avoid answering the question after all how could she tell him Natalie's middle name was Franchesca after her other grandmother without putting all her cards on the table and that was a hand she wasn't ready to play just yet.
Deciding to avoid answering the question at all, she suggested they leave. "We should probably get going. She is going to wake soon, and she is going to be hungry. If you want to avoid a sampling of her impressive vocal range, we need to get a move on."
"Ok sure do we need to stop by your place first and pick up some supplies?" He knew she was trying to keep him from her place, he didn't understand why, and he was desperate to know how to find her, know where she was, and know that she was safe but she wasn't giving it up not yet anyway. "No no, we're ok. The diaper bag is stocked, I have a Moses basket in the car that she can nap in after she eats, and since I'm still breastfeeding…well no need to pick up bottles and such so we're ready to go."
"Penelope?" Derek asked not sure how to brooch this question so he decided to just on and ask. "Do you need to call your husband?" He stole a quick look at her left hand and breathed out a sigh of relief noticing that her finger has bare.
"What?" Penelope asked, clearly confused.
"Your husband?" Derek asked raising an eyebrow. "Boyfriend?" Still seeing the confused look on Penelope's face. "Penelope, Natalie's dad? Do you need to call him and let him know where you are going will he not be expecting you back?"
"Oh, him?" Penelope replied laughing nervously "No, no one to call. It's all good."
Derek had been trying to keep calm and collected, but this was too much. Now his thoughts were clouded with worry. "Penelope, are you doing this on your own? Is he not helping you? Are you not together? Does he not want Natalie?"
Penelope sighed and looked into Derek's eyes she saw the worry and concern there. She reached her hand out and took a hold of his, allowing herself a moment to enjoy the feel of her hand in his. For these few stolen moments, they were just a normal family enjoying a walk in the park she had her family together. She knew in her heart what she had to do, ready or not. She had to tell him everything. "Handsome, let's just get to the hotel, okay? And I promise you, I will tell you everything."
Hearing her use his nickname brought such joy to his heart he swore it skipped a beat. He flashed her his thousand-watt Morgan smile. "Ok Baby Girl. Let's get this show on the road."
As they neared the parking lot Derek shook his head in disbelief. "Penelope, Esther is still on the road?"
"Hell yah !" Penelope said. "You can't keep a good girl down." She unlocked Derek's door. "Go ahead and get in while I get Natalie settled in the back."
"I don't mind sitting in the back with her," Derek offered. "That way if she wakes, she won't be alone." Truth be told, curiosity had gotten the better of Derek and other than a head full of dark curly hair he hadn't managed even a peak at Natalie. He couldn't help but wonder what she looked like. Was Lynch her father? Is that where her dark hair came from? Did she have Penelope's nose, had she been blessed with Penelope's lips and smile?
He hated to admit it but he was almost desperate to get a peak at the little girl that Penelope was raising on her own. As his thoughts went back to his Baby Girl being a single mom, his heart couldn't help but ache for her he remembered all to well what his own momma had gone threw raising three kids on her own. Granted Fran had three kids when she found herself in the role of single mom, but her kids had been older, and she had her sister to pitch in and help when it was really needed. He couldn't help but wonder who was helping Penelope? Was she really truly on her own? He couldn't help but wonder how long it had been since she had had a full night sleep, eaten a hot meal, or been able to soak in a tub of bubbles that he knew she loved so much.
Penelope broke his train of thought when she assured him that Natalie would be fine riding in the back on her own. All Penelope wanted to do was get Natalie from her carrier in to her car seat and covered up before Derek could see the secret that she had been keeping form him. Penelope got Natalie out of the carrier and quickly slid her into her car seat. Derek was busy watching Penelope in the rearview mirror he could see the dark circles under her eyes the sleepless nights beginning to take their toll but as she looked at her daughter while strapping her into the car seat, whispering soothing words of love to Natalie. She gave her daughter a smile that absolutely made her glow with love, and she was so beautiful that she stole his breath away.
Penelope got up into the driver's seat. As she reached over to buckle her belt, Derek took it from her. "I got ya," he said as he clipped it in and gave her a small smile. With that one simple act, he showed that he still cared; he was still looking to protect her. She looked over into his eyes and swallowed past the lump in her throat. "Derek, I know that things tonight are going to get ugly, that things are going to get said, and that feelings are going to get hurt. But I need you to hear me now while we are still level headed. Please hear me when I say to you that I never ever meant to hurt you. I know that I did, but I really did do what I thought was best for us. Just please please know that." Not being able to resist, she reached out and caressed his cheek. She knew that with the storm that was brewing, she may never again get the chance to touch him again, and she would never forgive herself if she didn't take this opportunity now to do so.
Derek placed his hand over hers, and leaned into her caress "I hear you, Baby Girl." He felt uneasy knowing that with the way Penelope was acting, something big was going to happen. The tears that had been threatening to fall from Penelope's eyes now fell. It had felt like forever since he had called her a nickname, touched her, loved her. Her heart had been wanting for this for so long, and even though it would be short lived, she was going to savor every moment .
Penelope gave Derek a small smile, wiped away her tears and started up Esther "And we are off,"she said.