A/N. It's been nice to have a quiet month for a change. I was able to get this chapter done without any real-life drama. That said, with all the money I had to put out this year, so far, due to things breaking, my wife and I decide to refinance our house, and pull some equity out of it to cover all those expenses. So, there was quite a bit of paperwork to do, but that is done and everything is paid off. However, we still have some things to get fixed and a shed to get, and there are a couple of cymbals for my drum kit I have my eye on…

Also, I've been cast in a play. The same play and role I did fourteen years ago. At that time, I had to add some whitening (mostly powder) to my hair and beard, to make me look old enough. This time, however, I have enough gray in my hair and beard (not to mention the thinning of my hair) to make me look old enough, without having to resort to trickery to me look older. But, so many lines (about 5 per page, on all 60 pages).

Finally, I am working on another one of my one-shots to put up at A03. This time it will be The Ring Revisitation, which I'm currently editing. Look for that one to be up in the next week or two. As for this one, enjoy.

Chapter 8

8 August 9:00 AM

Leonard looked at Wyatt and Susan and then turned to look at Penny. Wyatt and Susan still looked shocked, Penny looked defiant. He didn't know quite what to say and felt anything he did say wouldn't be helpful. Penny was going to have to solve this one on her own.

Susan finally spoke, "Do you think we didn't love you and your brother and sister? Do you think we raised the three thinking something like this would happen?"

"No, I don't think either of those things," said Penny, in a quieter tone. "But, they happened and you were home with the three of us, so how exactly do you staying home with us help your case? I can't speak for the others, but I can talk about what happened with me."

"And what happened with you slugger?" said Wyatt.

"That, right there, is part of it," said Penny sounding angry again. "I always thought that you wanted a boy and were disappointed when I was a girl. When I was younger, you played sports with me and treated me like a boy, which I didn't mind as I was with you, you were my hero. Then I started developing, and then you ignored me. You couldn't ignore my development and still think of me as a boy. And, because you had Randall by then, you didn't need me."

"Do you know what that is like?" asked Penny. "To have the person you adore and look up to, ignore you and look like they prefer someone else? And you," she said, pointing to her mother. "You were so worried about what anyone else thought of the family like we couldn't do anything wrong. You were always on our backs, trying to keep us in line. Of course, we were going to rebel."

Again, the three of them looked uneasily at each other. Finally, Wyatt spoke, "Penny, it's no excuse, but do you realize how unprepared we were, with your sister and you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, your mother got pregnant so young," said Wyatt. "I mean we had just turned 20 and all of a sudden we had a kid. We couldn't even control our own lives and we were supposed to raise a kid ourselves? Then we had another when you came along soon after and, yes, I wanted a boy, but that doesn't mean I didn't love you."

"I mean, we tried our best. But, trying to work twelve-hour days on the farm and then trying to raise kids wasn't something I was prepared for at 20. And your mother was just trying to raise kids like she was raised. In many families, at that time, you didn't tell others of your problems, family problems were handled within the family. Think of it this way, you and Kurt were 20 when you broke up, how would you two have handled having a kid?"

Penny thought about that, Hell, we were both idiots at that time, Kurt's probably still an idiot. Yeah, they probably tried their best but weren't able to handle it.

"None of that is any excuse," said Wyatt. "I'm just stating the facts. We tried, we were always trying to raise the three of you to become the best you could, but we never could get it right. We are aware of the problems you three have had, we've talked about it, and we blame ourselves. All I can say is I'm sorry slugger."

Penny looked over at her mother and she had tears in her eyes and was nodding. Now Penny felt bad. She hadn't thought that they had problems and didn't know what they were doing. They were my parents, and they had to know how to raise kids. But, Penny, by now, understood how helpless she sometimes felt with the twins and also how little she felt she knew about raising them.

"It's okay mom and dad," said Penny. "I kinda understand now, I mean, I feel like I don't know what I'm doing now. I can't imagine how you felt at 20."

"Well, you've come a long way," said Wyatt. "From working as a waitress to working as a district manager for a major pharmaceutical company, you've done a tremendous job. Now, if we could only get Randall and Lisa to straighten out."

Leonard could see Penny getting angry again, but she spoke softly, "You haven't been paying attention have you?"

"What do you mean?" said Susan. "We understood what you were saying."

Penny looked right at her, "I mean you haven't been paying attention to what Randall and Lisa have been doing, have you?"

"I don't get what you mean, slugger," said Wyatt.

Penny looked at both of them and said, "I appreciate that you think I've turned my life around. But, it's shitty of you to ignore what Lisa and Randall have done."

"I talk to Randall every week. Do you know how hard it is for him to keep sober? Every day is a challenge and yet he's doing it and been doing it for quite a while now. Let me point out he got clean and sober before our wedding, which has been four years ago now. And do you say anything to him?"

Susan started, "Well, I…"

Penny continued, "Not to mention how much he works on the farm. You said he hasn't got the watering down yet, didn't you?" Penny looked right at Wyatt.

"Well, yeah, because he's always asking questions about it," said Wyatt. "If he had it down, he wouldn't be asking those questions, he would just water according to the schedule."

"Have you paid attention to why he asks those questions?" Asked Penny.

"Well, no, not really," said Wyatt.

"He's asking because he's working on changing the watering schedule," said Penny. "He's been working on that for a year, trying to use less water, so he could sell the extra to bring in a bit more income and he's almost got it. But, he doesn't want to say anything until he's sure, because you've jumped on him for doing things before. But, let's let that sit for a bit, hasn't he taken over the livestock breeding and selling?"

"Yes, yes he has," said Wyatt.

"And how's that going?"

Wyatt thought for a few seconds, "Quite good, now that I think about it. The number of cows and pigs are up and so is the gross on the livestock."

"And, hasn't he taken over the scheduling for the repair and maintenance of the equipment?" Asked Penny. "The load scheduling? The feed scheduling?"

Wyatt just nodded.

"Do you discuss what to plant with him?" asked Penny.

"Well, yeah," said Wyatt. "I've been letting him decide for the last few years now. Say, how do you know all this?"

Penny ignored him and continued, "So, basically, he's taken over the running of the farm, hasn't he? And yet, you don't seem to trust him and haven't had anything good to say about him. Why?" Penny looked back and forth between Wyatt and Susan, but they just looked down.

"Okay, you don't want to talk about Randall, how about we talk about Lisa?" Said Penny.

"What about her?" said Susan.

"Lisa's been with her current boyfriend for four years now," said Penny. "Why not give her some credit?"

"Well, she hasn't married him," said Susan.

"And I didn't marry Leonard for over four years," said Penny. "And, if you go back to when we first started dating, we didn't get married for six years after we started dating. Dad was happy when he thought I was with Leonard, without being married, so why complain about Lisa? Also, what about her work? She just doesn't lay around the house. She's one of the co-managers of the Wal-Mart she works at, puts in 50 to 60 hours a week, takes care of her kids and yet you don't say anything good about her, why?"

Again, Wyatt and Susan didn't say anything.

"What exactly is the difference between the three of us," said Penny. "You say good things about me, but not about your other two children, who are doing quite well, thank you. It's not fair to them and there isn't anything I feel I can do about it, except rant to you."

Wyatt sighed, "I don't know, slugger."

"I don't believe that," said Penny. "I remember when you praised me and said Randall and Lisa were okay. Why?"

"Sweetheart, why are you so worked up over this?" Asked Susan.

"I guess when you attacked Louise it just got me mad," said Penny. "I guess it carried over to Lisa and Randall, because I talk to both of them, know they are both working their tails off, and yet they get nothing from you. Do you know how much that hurts them? Then you say that I should stay home because it's better than leaving them with some nanny. Yet, our family had all sorts of problems, with you at home," said Penny. "I know about the first family Louise worked for as a nanny. They had twins, and Louise helped raise them. Now they are both in high school, and both are in Honor Society. Louise helped give those kids a good grounding, helping them become what they are now. So, I started out defending Louise for helping raise our girls, but now I'm also asking about Randall and Lisa and why are you treating them so bad?"

Wyatt and Susan looked at each other, then back to Penny, both of them looking embarrassed. Finally, Wyatt spoke, "I guess we didn't realize we were doing it. I know that's not an excuse. Neither is saying it's something we've been doing since they were in their late teens because you had problems then too."

"Well, you need to start saying good things about them," said Penny. "You want to keep them moving in the right direction, don't you?"

Susan and Wyatt both nodded. "I guess I can start talking more with Lisa and your father can have Randall do more about running the farm."

"You both need to be involved with both of them," said Penny. "I mean it, mom, I'll be talking with them and if you don't start treating them like the mature adults they've become, you're going to lose them and then you will hear it from me."

"Don't worry slugger," said Wyatt. "Believe it or not, we are aware of the progress your sister and brother have made, we do talk about it. But, you're right, we need to let them know how well we think they are doing."

"Okay, then," said Penny. "And, no bad things about Louise, I will not allow it, do you hear me? I don't think me and Leonard would have made it this far without her. So, I think me going back to work, with Louise raising our daughters should be a closed subject"

"That's a deal," said Wyatt. "Nothing about you going back to work, no comments about what we think of Louise, which by the way, we think she is great, and, finally, more positive comments about your siblings."

"Glad we got that sorted out," said Penny. "Now, do you want me to cook, or do you want to go out for dinner?"

"Out," was the response of the other three.

9 August 9:00 AM

Penny was sitting on the edge of her parents' bed and although it had sounded morbid at times, her parents were talking to her about how they were planning their estate. They had already prepaid their funeral and burial expenses and had now brought up discussing how to split the farm into thirds.

"I'm glad you spoke up yesterday," said Wyatt. "Your comments about and confidence in Randall make me think he'll be able to handle the farm when the time comes because you and Lisa don't seem interested. Now, I want to split it into thirds…"

"Can you hold on for a second, daddy?" asked Penny. Whey Wyatt nodded, Penny walked to the door and spoke louder, "Sweety, can you come up here for a minute?" She heard a, "Sure," from Leonard and she walked back in and sat down on the bed. Her father looked puzzled and started to say something but she held up her finger and he stopped.

Leonard came in a few seconds later and Penny nodded to her father. "Leonard, I was telling Penny about our estate planning," said Wyatt. "I'm now thinking of selling parts of the farm, so it comes out to thirds. Then giving Lisa and Penny their shares and let Randall run what's left of the farm."

Leonard and Penny looked at each other and Leonard nodded. Penny looked at her father and said, "You don't have to do that daddy, Leonard and I are doing fine. Except for a few trinkets from my childhood, we really don't need anything."

"But, that farm belongs to all three of you," said Wyatt. "We wouldn't think of cutting you out."

Leonard and Penny exchanged glances again, with Penny nodding, "Sir, we don't look at it as you cutting us out," said Leonard. "We look at it as Lisa and Randall need it much more than we do. Penny has a great job and I have tenure. We are in fine shape."

"But…" started Wyatt.

"No sir," said Leonard. "I think the best thing you can do is to leave it to Randall to run and either let him and Lisa come to some deal with his buying her share or her giving some of her share to him, and let them split the profits or losses on the part she keeps, while he runs the farm. We neither need nor would take anything."

"But…"

"We wouldn't want it and it would just be a bother to us," said Leonard. "Trying to sell part of it to Randall and the other part to Lisa while they are trying to get things figured out between them. Get together with them when you go back, get it settled then take it to a lawyer and have that done. Then, put a clause in there about us not wanting anything and have your lawyer send it to us and we'll sign it. That way, we don't have to go through the hassle of selling it back to them for a dollar."

Wyatt looked thoughtful, then looked toward Susan. She nodded and shrugged. He looked back at Leonard and Penny and said, "It sounds as if the two of you have talked about this."

"We have daddy," said Penny. "After talking with Lisa and Randall and seeing how they were doing, we talked about it and realized that they need the farm a lot more than Leonard and I do. And selling parts off, just to give me money would make it harder to run a profitable farm. It's not like either of us are going to be farmers. So, it's best to give it to the two of them."

Wyatt scratched his chin and said, "You may be right about that, thanks slugger, and you too, Leonard."

"Okay, we'll let you finish packing," said Penny. "We have to go I think I hear one of the twins." Leonard and Penny turned and left.

9 August 7:00 PM

The four of them were at the same steakhouse Wyatt had taken Penny and Leonard, back when they were trying to fool him into thinking they were still together. Penny had laughed because although Leonard had told her what her father had said, it was the first time she had heard the story from her father.

They had finished their salads and were waiting for their steaks when the subject of Penny's job came up again. Penny was telling the story of how she had been worried that they were going to yell at her, for yelling at the head of the office in Dallas, but instead told her they wanted her for the district manager position.

Wyatt looked at her and said, "Slugger, I don't want you to think I'm pushing you to not go back to work. I think you both have a good plan with childcare and Louise, but don't you think taking a few more months off would be better?"

Penny looked at her father, then back to Leonard, and said, "Well, to tell the truth, as much as I yelled at you and mom, to be honest, I'm not sure I'll be going back to work."

The bread in Leonard's hand stopped halfway to the open mouth on his shocked face.