Thank you for your kind reviews, sorry it has taken so long to update.
Disclaimer: Do not own anyone or anything.
The following morning she woke, feeling sleepy as she had tossed and turned most of the night, then hearing the boys get back safely from their rescue at about 4am. She had thought about that moment she shared with John, what was it; love? Lust? Friendship? Or just the fact that the poor man very rarely had other human contact let alone from a woman? Sighing loudly to herself she thought about John and what his Grandmother would have had him doing to work off a 'crime' he didn't commit. Did he not tell on her because he had some sort of hidden feelings for her that were starting to blossom? All these questions with no answers was starting to bother her. Sitting up she swung her legs over the side of the bed, deciding to have a quick shower. Once she had finished getting ready she came to the conclusion that this was not like her to be thinking like this and was down to lack of sleep. She shook off all of the questions immediately and exited her bedroom then found herself walking to the kitchen. Half way down the corridor she heard voices talking, plates and cutlery clanking. The strong scent of toast and coffee took over and her tummy started to rumble.
Arriving in the door way she stood for a moment stretching her arms up in the air, trying to suppress a yawn. She was surprised to see, due to the late hour they had arrived home, Scott at the table with Gordon and Virgil. Their Father and Grandmother were also present. Apparently Tracy's don't get tired just very hungry.
Unfortunately for her she didn't hear someone creeping up behind her who gave her an electric shock with his fingers down her sides. She whipped her arms down quickly and let out a small yelp.
"Morning, Penny!" John said cheerfully as he walked past her almost dashing to the coffee pot. She thought he would be in not such a good mood this morning after last night…however he seemed perfectly okay with joking around - just as well if not sometimes better than his brothers.
Scott started to chuckle, showing off his almost perfect teeth.
"Classic!" Scott said still chuckling, "Just classic, John! I needed that,"
"No problem," John said raising his now filled coffee cup to Scott, glancing over to Penelope who was still breathing deeply from the shock "I'm here to please," he said looking into her blue eyes.
Jeff took the last gulp of his coffee, leant back in his chair and undid the button on his trousers to let his belly hang over the top slightly. His mother saw this, nearly spitting out a mouthful of tea and a look of complete horror spread across her face at how much weight he had put on.
"Jefferson Grant Tracy!" exclaimed his mother "You are going to have to go on a diet, no more puddings for you!"
"Oh Mother," he sighed "the women love a man with a bit of fat on them!"
"No they do not!" she exclaimed, "Is this why you haven't found yourself a nice lady to settle down with yet? Because your idea of chatting someone up is to hang your belly over your trousers? I have heard of many mating rituals but that's ridiculous!"
This earned a few sniggers from around the room.
"Oh, I don't know, Grandma," Penny said walking over to Jeff, putting one arm around his shoulders and the other patting his belly gently, "although it is more hairier than I remember!" she said still running her fingers through his tummy rug.
"You see," Jeff sighed forcing his attention away from Penny, "And besides, I have the boys to think of…" he began.
"Oh Dad, you don't have to worry about us. We all loved Mum very much but I am sure none of us would mind if you felt the need to…." Gordon started.
"Need to find a companion," Scott cut in, unsure of what Gordon was going to say.
John felt a pang of jealousy shoot through him, yes he knew that up until about a year ago Penny was his Dads main squeeze, but he thought that it was completely over between them. Seeing them together; Penny touching his Dad and his Dad in turn looking at her with a look John couldn't quite place. 'Even though Dad doesn't want a woman, he has a funny way of showing it' John thought to himself. He put down his cup of coffee down on the counter, his cheery mood quickly disappearing, he turned and walked out of the kitchen brushing past Penny on his way out.
"Penelope dear, why don't you sit down and have some breakfast?" the frail looking old lady asked.
"Thank you, Grandma ma, I think I will have some toast this morning," she said taking a piece from the toast rack that had already been made on the table, "I cannot remember how long it's been since I had some non-burnt toast!" she said almost lustfully as she took the first bite.
"I thought you had a cook?" Virgil asked puzzled.
"Well, I do but…" sighing softly she looked at from one Tracy to the next a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth as she saw each one had a puzzled look on their face.
"But…?" Scott interrogated eagerly.
"But," she repeated, "I never mastered the art of making toast," her comment was met by a stunned silence closely followed by laughter.
"Mastered the art?" Scott asked, "You do realise that you just put it in the toaster?" he said grinning.
"Yes, I do but the settings are all wrong. I will put toast in and put it on level 4 which is barely enough to make it brown so I just repeat the cooking time and before I know it its black!"
This made the whole room erupt with laughter. Somehow she always felt at home with this family, even though she knew that she would never live this down she started to laugh with them.
Please R&R