Chap.7 Out of my life

"Penelope." He said smiling apologetically.

"What are you doing here?" she asked angrily.

Derek at her hearing her tone sighed.

"Listen, I'm sorry about what happened with Susan, but…"

"Oh yes you should be sorry. First she forgot about me because of YOU; then I learn that YOU have fired her without my consent!" she said pissed.

"We need to talk."

"No, get out of here and out of my life!"

"Penelope."

"Stop calling my name! You realize that you've fired the only nurse that I could pay."

"I found you another one." He protested.

"How dared you? You should mind your own business."

"I just wanted to help you. Susan is not right for you."

"You can't judge that you hardly know her."

"Didn't you hear what she said about you? don't even deny it, I know you heard it! Don't you have dignity?" he said with an upset tone.

As soon as he has said these last words, he knew that he had made a huge mistake.

"Penelope, I didn't mean."

"Leave me alone. I do have dignity. My dignity is to be clean at night and on the mornings, to be able to sleep in a bed. I can't do that alone! And if I have to put with nasty people to be allowed these little things, then I would do it." She said opening her door.

Derek stepped towards her.

"Look Mr FBI, I don't know I had the misfortune to meet you but don't mess up with my life! Go back to Susan, I don't need your pity!" she closed the door shakily.

She released McKey and took a deep breath before letting the tears falling freely. Soon she was sobbing hard and her dog sensing her distress whined.

Derek looked at the close door some moments before walking towards the elevator. When he heard her sobs he hesitated to knock at her door, but he knew that she wouldn't open it for him.

"Mom is right, why do I care? She doesn't even want me to help her." He said before entering the elevator.

Penelope hung up the phone frustrated. She had called numerous nurses without success. She had to face the truth she couldn't afford anything. Despite her faults, Susan had been an angel of mercy. She lived near her and what she paid her was nothing, really nothing…

She sighed…maybe Susan would come to her senses and accept to take care of her again.

Normally Penelope would have erased such a person from her life, but now she was in a huge distress, she just wanted to bang her head in a wall.

She had two options: call Susan or call Derek. She just didn't know what the worse was.