Chap.14 Not a date
« Lex, can you please stop throwing clothes on my bed! » Penelope said with exasperation.
"Honey, you are wearing the wrong thing!"
"Why? It's not a ball…"
"You should be wearing this." He said showing her a skirt.
"No way!" she said leaving the bedroom.
"Come on Pen, this skirt is nicer than these jeans."
"Lex you're annoying me now! What's wrong with my jeans? It's just a simple dinner! No big deal."
"It's not a simple dinner, it's a date."
"It's not a date and I won't wear that skirt."
Alex was going to reply when there was a knock at the door.
"You date is here, dear." Alex said looking through the peephole.
"It's not my d…" she almost yelled but stopped when Derek entered the room.
"Hi." She said blushing.
"Hello Penelope." Derek said softly.
"You're ready?" he asked.
"She…" Alex almost protested.
"I'm ready." She said cutting him.
"Don't come back after midnight, baby." Alex joked.
"You're such a joke Dad!" she said sarcastically.
"Enjoy your night children." He said waving at them.
Derek chuckled when he finally closed the door.
"Alex is funny."
"Yeah…" Penelope said smiling.
"Will he stay at your ^place?"
"I don't know. I think he will go out with McKey then leave."
Derek nodded and helped her to sit on the passenger side. Then he put the wheelchair in the back.
"Thanks Derek."
"You don't have to thank me."
"So what do you plan for tonight?"
"It's a surprise."
Penelope nodded and stared outside the window.
"I hope you love Mexican restaurant."
"Yeah, it's been ages since I ate one of their meals..;" she said smiling broadly.
When he parked in front of a little restaurant, she knew that the dinner will go well.
Derek looked at Penelope's eyes lit up when he talked about the restaurant.
He decided that he liked Penelope very much. Some girl would have been disappointed and hoped for a fancy restaurant. Penelope was different; some simple things could enjoy her.
He noticed the stare they earned when they entered the place.
The restaurant was not big bout was cosy.
When the waitress indicated their table, he walked beside Penelope and waited for her to be well placed before sitting.
He sensed that Penelope was nervous and put his hand above hers.
"Penelope are you always that nervous on the first date?" he asked jokingly.
"First date?" she asked puzzled.
"Hem, we're just having dinner right?"
"Penelope, I'm joking; I know that you don't consider this as a date."
"You heard us, didn't you?"
"Yeah. You don't have to worry. We're just having a good time together… it's the beginning of a new friendship."
"definitely." She said smiling.
***************************************************************************"thanks for the dinner Derek. It was nice."
"Thanks to you."
He put her back in the wheelchair and walked her inside the building.
"Have a good night Penelope. Can I call you tomorrow?"
"Well, yes but in the evening. I'm working you know."
"Yeah, I almost forgot."
"I wished you hadn't forgotten to advise me children." Fran said opening the door suddenly.