Chap. 15 Mother advice
"I wished you hadn't forgotten to advise me children." Fran said opening the door suddenly.
"I'm sorry Fran I thought I had told you I wouldn't be here tonight." Penelope said.
"Oh you told me Penelope; but Derek didn't tell me he was going out with you."
Derek threw his mother a strange look.
"You're not used to asking me where I'm going mom." He said with a calm voice.
"Anyway Penelope, I will help you, if you're ok." Fran said with a rather annoyed voice.
"Yeah. Thanks Derek for the dinner."
"You're welcome. I enjoyed it too. I'll call you later."
Penelope nodded.
"Mom, do I wait for you?'
"No that's ok; I'll see you at home."
"Good." He left and Fran closed the door behind him.
"Fran are you ok?" Penelope asked when she noticed Fran frown.
"No… I mean Yes. It's just you and Derek…"
"Yes?"
"Are you two… you know?"
"What? Involved? Fran!" Penelope said indignantly.
"Well, it's just a question." She said with a casualness Penelope sensed she didn't feel.
"No offense Fran but have you seen your son… he's handsome smart and kind… and me…"
"You are a lovely and vulnerable person."
"And so wrong for your son, I know." Penelope sighed.
"I didn't mean that, Penelope."
"Do you think that this thought crossed my mind? Not once!" Penelope said on the verge of tears.
"Penelope it's not about you… not entirely. You're still hurt and vulnerable; I love my son very much but he's not stable and he lives far away."
"Fran, I don't understand why you're talking about this. Derek and I are just friends nothing more. After what happened to me I can't possibly think…" Penelope said leaving the bathroom.
"I didn't want to hurt you Penelope."
"I know… don't worry; your son is safe with me." She said bitterly.
"Penelope…"
"Can you help me to bed now?" Penelope asked looking away.
"Yes." Fran said.
She knew that Penelope had understood her wrong; she just meant to protest her and Derek as well.
Derek was absentmindly watching at the TV when hi smother came back.
"Hey honey." She said softly.
"Hey." He said with a deep voice.
"I didn't want to embarrass you earlier."
"But you did. What's wrong with me going out with Penelope?" he asked upset.
"Derek, you can't hurt her!"
"Why would I hurt her? We're just beginning to be friends."
"That's what I mean. What do you plan for later?"
"What do you mean?"
"First the friendship and secondly…"
"You think that I want to go to bed with her?" he asked with disbelief.
"She not a girl for you… not now."
"Why? Because she's disabled or not good enough for you…"
"You know that I don't mean that."
"So why? Why can't I spend some time with a woman I appreciate? You're just imagining things between us."
"Please Derek, follow my advice…"
"Why? I want to know why? You're acting as if I was a bad man… and what if I wanted to be involved with her?"
"you can't, Penelope is too raw at the moment… I don't understand how she had let you in…"
"What do you mean?"
"Forget about that. I'm tired, I'll go to bed."
"No mom. You've said too much…" he insisted.
Fran was angry and tired, before she could stop herself she cried.
"Penelope's has been raped ok! That is why you can't get too close to her."
Fran put a hand on her mouth and stared at her son face with shock.