Disclaimer: I still own nothing!

Penelope and her parent are sitting outside on Royal Street, enjoying a sweet tea.

"Do you want to see my kids," she asked as she pulled out her phone.

"We've seen them baby,"

"Show us," her father said at the same time- squeezing her mother's hand. Be patient he whispered.

She shows them pictures of her family Chris, Izzy, and Derek. As they finish looking at the last photo album, a jazz band appeared from nowhere playing a gospel song called Church on Time. Women and men were wearing black and dancing in the street. "What is going on?" she asked her parents.

One of the trumpet players comes over to her and says, "it a funeral." He looks down at the pictures and asked "are those your kids?"

"Yes," she said proudly.

"They're quite handsome – I'm William."

"I'm Penelope, this is my mother Isabelle and My father Steven."

"You should join the 2nd line and dance with us – it a New Orleans tradition," he gave them parasols and said, "come on—you can't visit New Orleans without second lining."

She and her parents joined the 2nd line and danced in the air until they reached the cemetery. It was as if they were Mary Poppins or something and they were sailing through the air with the band.

William and her parents crossed the threshold of the cemetery and when she was about to – William said, "baby girl, I think you should head back now."

"Only if they come with me," she said defiantly eating an ice cream cone that appeared from nowhere

"Baby girl, you know they can't" he said patting he shoulder in a way that seemed so familiar, "But you should ask them."

"Ask them what?"

He touched her cone and turned it to a hurricane in one of those tall cups, and he said, "You know baby girl? We don't have much time."

She could hear a woman's voice above her say "I have faith in you, but Derek is scared it's been 12 days and no change. Come back to us, Missy."

"Who is that?"

"We know who that is," William said, as tears streamed down his face. When Penelope saw his tears, his face became so familiar. "Hey, Hey," she said searching her purse for a tissue, "there isn't any crying here."

"Oh, baby girl but there is," William said wiping his tears. He touched her arm and it was weird she saw herself looking at her parent's car. The guilt washed over her and she had tears in her eyes like William's—she remembered her question—it was a question she asked almost everyday of her life. It weighed her down and no matter how happy or bright she tried to be she could never shake the darkness that followed her.

"Am I the reason?" She asked them, "Are you dead because of me?"

"Oh no Penny," he mother said reaching for her but unable to cross the threshold.

"But if kept curfew you wouldn't have been on the street and the drunk driver…"

Her father interrupted her, "it was our time Penny. It's just that simple. It wasn't your fault. If it wasn't a car, it would have been a bus or a freak accident. It was your mother and I's time."

"But it isn't your time yet honey," her mom said sending her warmth, "and you need to get back to your family—they love you and have been praying for you."

"Dad, happy birthday. If you see my Penelope up there please send her back to me. She can be hard headed but I love her. God can't take you both from me," he said crying.

She looked up to see who was crying when William said, "Baby girl, my son is waiting on you."

She went to hug them goodbye and she could only touch their hands as she started floating up—William saying take good care of my boy was the last thing she heard before the pain became overwhelming.

Shit she thought—my head hurts so bad, I must be dying, she thought as she floated towards the sky – then she heard a voice mumbling about lying and 14%... Wait is that Spencer, "14% of what Spencer?" She tried to say, but her head … Christ she said as her eyes tried to focus on the person in front of her.

Finally, right!

Thank you so much for reading and following -special shot outs to my homies- evergrrl09, foxy11814, jenny crum, ceecee333, doralupin86, mh96, kimd33, kirarakitty08, went, MooninLove07, and Maxxbaby! Thank you guys for your speedy reviews that always make me feel warm and fuzzy inside!