Penelope Chapter 6

Edward grumbled as he tugged his tie this way and that in irritation. He was finally standing in front of the right door. That wrong address Lemon had given him was only another delay in his way to the top. Luckily, he ran into that delivery girl.

After waiting in front of some upscale luxury apartment for a while, Edward had wandered off to check if there was some mistake in the address. He was about to ask another tenant if this was the address of Penelope Wilhern when he collided into a girl delivering an armful of packages. The accident had landed him on the ground amidst all of the square boxes wrapped in brown paper and one of them had caught his eye. It bore the name "Penelope Wilhern" on it, but listed a different address. Huh, Edward thought slowly. Lemon must not have known that Penelope had moved.

The delivery girl had gotten up then and started up with "Hey, why don't you watch where you're--" but Edward interrupted her as he shoved the package back into the girl's hands and hurried on his way.

Now he was standing in front of an apartment that bore a worn yet cozy look to it.

Little did he know that Lemon himself had knocked on the same door just half an hour before. Not finding Johnny there, Lemon had left to look elsewhere.

Edward looked around at the walls painted with warm, earth colors and crinkled his nose in distaste. Why would Penelope be living in this dump? Oh well…every pig needs their sty, he thought as he knocked.

***

Johnny had entered the apartment not two minutes ago and was about to continue working on his song for Penelope. He had barely laid his fingers on the keys, however, before knocking interrupted him. The musician gave a sigh, reluctant to get up from the piano bench. Finally, closing the piano lid, he got up and walked to the door, mentally listing all of the people who might be visiting right now. Couldn't be his landlord, he had paid rent on time this month (Penelope had seen to that) and Annie was busy today, right? Maybe Lemon…By then, Johnny had reached the door and as it swung open, a truly unexpected face came into view. The two men faced each other and gaped as they thought in unison: What is he doing here?!

Johnny's brow wrinkled in confusion while Edward continued to stare blankly. It was a few moments before either were able to say anything. Finally, Johnny muttered, "Of all people to interrupt me…"

"Max???" Edward said, his voice sounding strange as it emitted from the little "O" that his mouth had become.

"My real name's Johnny."

"But you're…Max Campion," Edward said blankly, his shock making him forget why he was here in the first place.

"I told you that you had the wrong guy and then--" Johnny stopped. Edward's continuing blank stare made Johnny think that no amount of explanation was going to get through to him. The former gambler decided that it was just easier to pretend he was Max Campion again. Besides, he didn't really feel like conversing with Edward any more than was necessary.

"What do you want anyway?"

"I…what I want?" Edward's brow furrowed as he tried to collect his thoughts. He was sure he was here for something important.

"Why are you here, in other words?" Johnny prompted. "Need another blue blood stand-in?"

"No…" said Edward slowly. Suddenly, it came back to him. "I want to marry Penelope!" he said proudly, like he was a six-year-old who had managed to remember something difficult.

Johnny immediately grew rigid and anger involuntarily jumped into his throat. "WHAT?" he said in a harsh, low voice. No one was going to take HIS Penelope, least of all, the idiot Vanderman heir.

"I've come to propose to her, see, and when she marries me, I'll have…hey--" he thought abruptly. "Why are you here? I thought this was Penelope's address."

"Penelope lives with me."

"Then where is she? Wait, did I just hear that Penelope lives with you?"

"Yes," said Johnny, his voice getting even dangerously lower. "She's been away on a field trip with her students."

That last fact barely registered in Edward's mind. He sputtered, "She lives with you? Why should she be living with you? In this…this dump, no less."

"Penelope seems to like it just fine."

"Are you mental? This whole place reeks of dilapidation. And you—" Edward suddenly had a gleam in his eyes. "Ah, I see the situation now. I know you've always had a soft spot for Penelope, what with your defending her and all. Well, I see that she's forgotten about the finer tastes in life. Probably ended up with you because you're the only one who would stoop low enough to take a pig-faced girl."

Johnny trembled in silent fury, his wrath barely contained. It was all he could do to not lunge at Edward.

Edward, however, only leaned in closer, almost mocking Johnny's vehemence. "But you see, mate, here is the difference between you and me. You can only give her this…this wreck of a humble home, I suppose you would call it. I can give her a house. A mansion even. She's probably settled for you for now, but who's to say that she won't leave you when someone better comes along? Someone like…me perhaps? Penelope is a blue-blood, after all, and they belong with their own kind."

The musician's face suddenly went white. Edward knew that he was close to victory. Even though he wasn't always the brightest bulb, he had a sixth sense of when he was close to getting what he wanted.

"And you really think you deserved her?" he said, moving in for kill. "Penelope, one of the Wilherns? You really think that she will like living with this lifestyle forever?" Edward gave a mirthless laugh. "I think not." He pulled a thoughtful face. "Penelope was close to marrying me before, you know. Twice. She only refused because she didn't want me to live with a cursed girl. But, don't worry, she's acceptable-looking now. And I can take her off your hands easily."

Johnny struggled for words as his insides turned to turmoil. His heart suddenly raced as his mind made up a million possibilities. Could this be true? Was Penelope only happy with him for…for right now? What if she secretly wanted more? Johnny almost shook his head. She shouldn't just want more, she deserved more. More than he was providing for her, anyway. More than he could ever provide for her.

"Get. Out," he finally said, wrenching the words from a throat that was now numb with horror instead of raging with anger.

"But what about Penelope? I still need to propose to her. If you would just—"

"She's not coming back until tomorrow," Johnny said mechanically. "Now...GET OUT."

Johnny's mind had turned senseless, unthinking. It was reminiscent of former times when he was still caught in the ensnaring addiction of the gamblers' table. He felt like he was back there, his mind numb, unable to do anything but move forward, gamble more. Then, like now, there was a voice inside him, a tiny voice, that said that he was wrong. In the old days, it had told him that he was wrong to bet more and keep gambling. Now, it said that he was wrong to doubt Penelope's love for him. But, old habits resurfacing, Johnny ignored the voice. Edward's words had done their damage. And now there was no direction to go but spiraling downward.

Not knowing what he was doing, Johnny stumbled forward.

Edward stepped back, triumphant. He grinned as he watched as Johnny mechanically grabbed his hat and keys and then stumble out of apartment, barely remembering to lock it behind him. Then the blue blood smiled, half in pity and half in success, as he watched the poor musician stumble off and away.

Now Penelope would be all his.