Part fourteen:

"Is that better?" Christina asked softly, sitting back down beside Penelope's hospital bed. "You've got a little more line on the IV – it shouldn't pull now."

Penelope nodded and closed her eyes. "I knew it would hurt – but not like this," she mumbled. "So… you were saying Jack just randomly showed up on your doorstep and –"

"And tried to make nice," Christina said. "He pretty much made me feel just like he used to and – so… he wants to give us another try."

"Please tell me you're not that gullible," Penelope whispered.

"Mama, I still love him –"

"And he loves your money," Penelope said. "Money does strange things to people."

"Yeah, well, look at you and Dad –"

Penelope sighed. "Your father and I didn't care about the money. It was just there. It bought nice things for the family – and for other families who have nothing. Money wasn't what held us together. I just think that he's trying to play you for a fool because you still love him."

"Yeah, well, what about you? You gonna just sit there up in your ivory tower and –"

"Honey," Penelope sighed, "I'm not up to fighting. I know I'm being blunt and to the point, but think about what I'm saying. If you and Jack get together again and I die, what's the first thing that's going to happen?"

Christina bit her lip and sighed. "Yeah, I know. But remember – prenups exist in this version of reality."

"Yes, but anything with the courts is annoying, expensive, and stressful," Penelope sighed. "Baby girl… I just want you to think about it."

"I'm already way ahead of you," Christina replied. "So don't worry so much." She was already way ahead and soooo far behind. He'd surprised her, swept her off her feet, knocked the wind out of her sails, and the moment they had sex, all the bad shit hit her again in full force. He didn't ever really care how she felt or how much she got out of things – it was all about him. And her wallet? If they were ever even remotely short, he'd always put in a call to her father – which she hadn't found out till after she'd gotten him served.

Some people never changed. But she still loved him like a sick puppy. Maybe it was time to just go lesbian and get over it – boys suck.

"I just want you to be happy," Penelope mumbled as the painkillers started to kick in.

"Hey," Christina murmured, "Mama? Stop worrying and get some sleep – your body needs it right now, okay? I'll call Luca and tell him you're doing better today."

Penelope blinked wearily up at her. "I should call…"

"You should call nobody. You need to sleep, silly," Christina murmured, leaning down and kissing her forehead. "Just get some rest. It'll be better in the morning."

"He'll be worried," Penelope whispered.

"I said I'd call Luca," Christina said. "Just close your eyes and go to sleep."

"Not Luca," Penelope breathed as she nodded off.

She shouldn't have been surprised that Jack had chosen to take her to Noir for a late dinner after his gallery opening. It was, after all, her mother's favorite restaurant in Chicago, which meant that Christina was unbearably hooked on their chocolate custard and the macaroni and cheese. It also helped that it was owned and run by a celebrity chef who had a cooking show on Food Network and was pretty easy on the eyes. He liked to come out and flirt with Penelope and give her an amuse bouche whenever they came in – so whenever they had something to celebrate or commiserate, Noir was where they ended up.

What did surprise her was that Jack ordered a $500 bottle of wine.

Which was a tiny bit presumptuous, considering the fact that she was going to be telling him to shove off and keep the oar.

"How's your Mom doing?" Jack asked, looking up from the menu.

Christina sighed and set her menu away – she knew what she was going to have. "She's not good," she said bluntly. "She's better than she was three days ago, but they still need to start the actual treatments and that's not happening till she shows some signs of healing from the surgery. They're talking about a skin graft and –"

"Okay," Jack said, cutting her off. How she'd ever been able to love someone with a squeamish stomach, she didn't know.

"So… what are you going to have?" she inquired. "Besides a bottle of wine that you'll never make back on commission –"

"Don't start," Jack said. "I thought we needed something nice tonight and –"

"And you'd stick me with the tab?" she said with a sigh. "Like always?"

"That's not fair."

"Isn't it?" she asked.

"Fine, whatever – let's not fight about the wine," Jack sighed. "And I'm going to have the short ribs."

She nodded. "Those are pretty good – Mama's favorite is the butter-poached salmon. But Dad always got the short ribs." She sighed.

"What about you?" Jack asked.

"Mac and cheese," Christina replied. "Best on earth."

"Only you would go to a five star restaurant and order macaroni and cheese," he scolded.

She paused and regarded him with a passive glare. "Why do you always find fault with me?" she asked. "Always, Jack – don't even deny it. You think I'm beautiful and talented and yet, you can't stand the sight of blood, and there's always something wrong with how I act or look. I'm surprised you didn't say anything about my hair."

"Well, since you brought it up – it's too short." He paused. "But relationships are about give and take –"

Her lips pursed together. "Maybe I should stop giving and you should take your man purse and go," she snapped. "Because the wine? And the comment about my hair? That's not going to go away. It's going to get worse and worse like before and I don't want to be in love with a man who only wants me because I can keep him comfortable and he doesn't have to work too hard – oh, and that swirly thing I do with my tongue. Yeah. Real good reasons to stay together. We're done, Jack. We're really done. I just didn't realize it till now."

"You're overreacting –"

"No, I'm not," she said, pointing at his messenger bag. "You have paperwork on houses in there – I can see it. And I bet you that they're way out of your price range. And you want to know something else, Jack? You're a lousy lover. So that girl you were dating? She probably only stayed with you because she was lazy and didn't want to give up regular sex, no matter how bad it is."

He stood up, grabbed his bag and left in a huff.

The waiter brought the bottle of wine and two glasses… then stopped.

"Oh, I'll definitely be needing that," Christina said, smiling for the first time all day long. "I have to toast getting rid of my ex once and for all, right?"

"I… should agree, but I'm not sure I should," the waiter said.

She beamed at him. "Oh, it's a very good thing," she said cheerfully. He poured her wine and she took a sip. "Mmm, thank you," she said.

"Have you decided what you'd like?"

"Macaroni and cheese," she said with a happy sigh. "With extra truffle oil. And the watercress salad." She paused then said, "And can I get the little plate of potato toppers to go? My mother's in the hospital and she'll be devastated if I don't bring her something."

"You know, most people wouldn't be this happy about breaking up with someone," he commented.

She laughed and took another drink. "Ah, well, the advantage in my case is that this is the second time we've broken things – and my ex-husband is a bit of a tool." She looked down into her wine goblet, then smiled again. "But… now I know that and it made it easier."

The waiter was cute and she suddenly realized that she'd never really taken notice of anyone but Jack. There was a whole world now that she was done hurting that she could get lost in. She watched him head to another table, then went back to reading.

She ate and read for her classes, suddenly surprised when she glanced up to see Mr. Celebrity Chef Owner standing at her table. "Hi," Christina said. "What's –"

Sam Halder smiled and held out a saucer. "Your mother always gets an amuse bouche, but since you decided not to bring her tonight, you'll have to do," he teased with a wink.

"Oh, believe me, you didn't have to," Christina laughed. "Not when I'm keeping you in business with that bottle of wine –"

Sam chuckled. "You'll be glad to know that I stopped Rafael before he brought you the $500 bottle – you've got a $25 bottle," he said. "The… gentleman… that you arrived with rubbed me the wrong way."

She smiled and nodded. "My ex-husband," she explained.

"You're too young to have an ex-husband," he said, setting the saucer down in front of her. "You should have this instead – it's a perfect bite: cucumber, honey-pickled radish, watermelon, and a slice of chili-oil-poached pork cheek."

She chuckled and rolled her eyes. "Everyone tells me I'm too young to be married and divorced."

"Technically, you're too young to be drinking wine," he pointed out.

"Oh, you only know that because Mama told you how old I was at my birthday party," she protested with a pout. "Don't take it away – it's good."

"I could get my liquor license revoked," he said firmly.

She sighed. "Okay, okay – I'll be good. If you bring me some chocolate custard… the kind with salted caramel crunch."

"Now," he said, grabbing her wine glass and the rest of the bottle, "that I can do. Give me ten minutes."

Christina's smile grew. "Thank you, Sam –"

"How are your parents?" he asked.

She paused, feeling her happiness drain away. "Dad died a couple of weeks ago," she sighed. "And Mama is in the hospital to begin cancer treatment. She's not doing so well. Hence why I'm bringing her the potato toppers. It'll make her smile at least."

Sam sighed, and she looked at him with new eyes as he said, "I'm sorry about your Dad – you know he helped me fund Luna Noir out in Vegas? Because your mom loves this place so much. He was a good man, Mr. Rossi."

She nodded and sighed. "Yeah, I just – "

"Why don't you stay till we close?" Sam suggested. "And we can have a cup of coffee or something."

"I have an exam tomorrow," she said. "But – that would be wonderful." She smiled up at him and reached for the little stack of perfectly-formed food in front of her. "So, this is the perfect bite, then?" she asked, amused.

"Try it," he urged.

She popped it into her mouth and chewed, almost melting in delight. "Oh hell," she moaned around her mouthful of food. "That's better than sex."

He leaned in close and smiled. "Clearly, your ex-husband left something to be desired," he teased on a whisper. "Just hang out here – I'll get your custard."

Penelope awoke in abject pain – her chest wall felt like it was burning and the agony was radiating down her right arm into her fingers. She couldn't hold back the wail of pain or fight to reach the nurse's call button to beg for more drugs. It took very little time before they were giving her more painkillers, but she couldn't wait for them to kick in.

She fumbled with her phone and waited impatiently for him to pick up – four rings, five, six… And then she heard Derek's voice and she broke down. "I need you," she sobbed. "I can't do this alone – I can't – I'm hurting so much and – "

"I'm getting clothes on," he said, and she could hear him moving around. "And I'll be there as soon as I can, I promise – I promise, Baby Girl. Have they given you anything?"

"Yes, but it's not working yet," she whimpered.

"Okay – just close your eyes and rest – don't try to think about it," he said.

"Tell me a story," she whispered. "Please?"

He paused, then said, "Once upon a time, there was a handsome prince… a beautiful princess… and a knight who loved the princess more than life itself."

By the time he got to the hospital and into Penelope's room, she was sound asleep, the phone still against her ear. He tucked the blankets in snugly around her and kissed her gently on the lips. "I love you, Penelope," he whispered. "You'll never know how much."