Something's Gotta Give

Chapter 16

When Penny arrived home she put her book bag away and changed into her cleaning clothes.  She had to clean the top floor bedrooms and this would be the last chance that she had to do them.  She was on a stepladder wiping down the window frames when Celeste came strolling into the room running her fingers across some of the furniture in the process.

"I'm going to go have my hair done and when I return we'll go over everything for the party one last time since I'll be out for most of tomorrow." She didn't wait for an answer as she turned and left the room.

Penny's hands hurt, her back ached, and she was tired.  She sat down wearily on the stepladder and wondered when her life had gone from good to bad. One thing she was certain of was that there was no way that she could work for Celeste and she would have to tell Dr. Evers.

Sam, she thought his name on a sigh.  She had been so angry at Jason when he had kissed her and she was sure she would have done much more than just slap him if Sam hadn't of stopped her.  She felt the tears start as she rubbed her aching hands. It had felt so good to be held in his arms, even if he had been only holding her back.

But, even long after Jason had left, he had continued to hold her and had even tightened his grip. She hadn't fought him and she knew she should have, but it had felt so good to feel him pressed against her. When he had let her go she had felt like howling.

What had he meant when he had asked her to be patient and forgiving for just a little bit longer? She was convinced that he had washed his hands of her, that he no longer had an interest in her, but his words implied that he did still have an interest.

She was so confused and lonely.

"Why are you crying?"

Penny's head jerked up at the sound of Sam's voice. He had removed his jacket and he leaned against the wall by the door with his arms folded across his chest.

"My hands hurt." She cleared her throat as she told the lie.  Her hands did hurt but so did her heart.

Sam walked over to her and took her hands in his looking at them. "What have you been doing?" He rubbed them as he looked up where she was still perched on the stepladder.

"I've been cleaning?" She motioned to the bucket of water and the cleaning caddy on the top of the ladder.

He nodded. "I'm sorry about that. I thought it best to let Celeste take over and I know it hasn't been easy on you." He picked up her hand and placed a soft kiss on the palm.

Penny quickly pulled it away making a fist to hold the kiss in place. "Why did you do that?" she asked as a little spark of anger flared at his sudden change in attitude.

"Because I wanted to, I also want to kiss you but I'm afraid to, especially after what you did to Jason."

"I didn't want Jason to kiss me," she said, realizing that it was the wrong thing to say, she probably should have said that it was a good idea that he didn't try.

"So you want me to kiss you?" She watched his eyes darken as they fell to her lips.

"No." She pushed past him as she jumped off the ladder, "I have a lot to do so if you don't mind..."

"I do mind." He walked to the window on the other side of the small room and looked down at the street below. "I have something to say and when I'm done, if you want, you can go back to your cleaning." The warmth left his voice as he said the words.

"You're confusing me Sam, first you like me then you don't, then you kiss me, then you want to marry me and you kiss me again, then you tell me it was a mistake and you treat me as if I'm barely even around for three weeks. Now you're here, and you're warm one minute and cold the next." Penny dropped heavily onto the bed bouncing as she hit it. "I really don't think I can take much more of you or Celeste." She bit back a sob.