Penny escaped to her room and sat heavily on the bed as Sentry came up to her and cried for attention. She picked up the warm little body and cuddled her close, listening to her purr of approval.
She supposed it had to happen, she would have had to see her father again at some point, but she would have rather it had been a place and time of her choosing and not Celeste's. Still, for all the fear that had coursed through her, it had been alright in the end. Sam had been there, and she was finally starting to believe that he would always be there. At least her father now knew of her marriage, so she wouldn't have to tell him.
She couldn't suppress her own smile as she remembered the stunned look on Celeste's face when Sam had announced their marriage. Maybe it would work, maybe she would give up her share of the house. As quickly as she had the hope it was dashed as she thought about how conniving the woman was.
Where had Celeste managed to find her father? The only person she could think of that could have been a source of information was Robin, the nurse at the hospital. It was possible, she had seemed not to remember her, but if she had, and if Celeste had been there with her sincere act then she could have gotten the information for her.
Penny gave a deep sigh, it didn't matter, her plan hadn't worked to her favor. Sam had been there to protect her and for her that was a first. Her heart swelled at the idea that he would always be there to protect her in the future.
Realizing that she still had a party to finish setting-up she gave Sentry a kiss on the head and set her back on the floor where she scampered under the bed which was her newest hiding place.
The next few hours were a rush of activity as Penny dealt with the caterers and the musicians. She was able to sneak away and put on her blue dress, the one she had worn on her evening out with Sam, at the last minute.
She would stay in the background and keep an eye on everything as she was directed to do, she would do it for Sam.
The party was well underway, the music was all jazzy renditions of Savannah's native son, Johnny Mercer, the night was warm but the breeze and candles were keeping the worst of the bugs away, and the food was good. Penny had done her job and now she could relax.
She mixed in with the crowd listening to the gossip as she got a plate of food.
"There's no way he's taking her back," one woman with a tall head of grey hair insisted, "She's just playing house, the word on the street is that he has a girlfriend."
"If that's the case why is Celeste determined to make everyone believe they're together again?" a petite brunette asked as she grabbed glass of champagne from a passing waiter.
"I hear her debts are piling up, and that she's hoping to marry Sam so that he will pay them off for her."
Penny was so caught up in listening to the women's conversation that she jumped when she felt a hand on her waist. "I really do like that dress," Sam whispered in her ear as he reached past her for a plate and started to pile food on it.
"Those women, Sam," she motioned with her head over her shoulder.
"I know, I heard." He looked unconcerned.
"Don't you care? Did you know Celeste told me that she had planned this party to let everyone know that you and she were together again?"
"Is that what she told you?" Sam stopped and looked at her.
"Yes, she told me the same day you left me at the hospital." Penny whispered back unable to disguise her hurt.
"Well there's only one thing to do." Sam sat his plate down on the table and took Penny's from her, setting it down as well, before pulling her through the house and towards the dance floor.
"Sam, what are you doing?" Penny tried to break away but he wouldn't release her.
He pulled her into his arms, he felt wonderful and he smelled wonderful, as he wrapped his arms around her. The song that was playing was a Johnny Mercer song, 'Something's Gotta Give'.
"This song reminds me of us Penny. An irresistible force meeting an old immovable object. That's us, to me you're irresistible and, up until I met you, I was immovable."
Penny listened to the song as he held her close and danced her around the floor. She could feel everyone's eyes on the two of them as they danced, but Sam only had eyes for her. He was looking at her the way she had always dreamed a man would.
The other party goers all fell away as they danced around the dining room, when the song ended Sam pulled her even closer, if that was possible, and kissed her long and hard. Penny was so wrapped up in Sam that she didn't hear the voices around her hush even through the music still played.
When Sam pulled away from her he rested her forehead against hers. "There that should leave little doubt as to the status of things between me and Celeste," he said softly.
"Sam?" They heard the sharp question from across the room. Sam and Penny turned to see Celeste standing in the middle of the living room watching them. Everyone around her had parted as if she was a volcano about to erupt.
"Yes Celeste?" Sam asked calmly, placing a gentle kiss on Penny's forehead before putting his arm around her waist and pulling her close.
"What are you doing?" she hissed, "In front of all of our friends too."
"I'm kissing my fiancé Celeste. Why? What does it look like I'm doing?"
Penny watched as Celeste turned an unbecoming shade of red and then purple before all color drained from her face. The music finally stopped making their conversation very easy for all to overhear.
"I told you they-,"
"Yes Celeste, you gave Penny and I adequate warning about how no one will accept her, but my friends will, I don't doubt that. I'm not overly concerned about your friends." Sam had put it in such a way that no one could be insulted.
"Ohhhh!" Celeste stomped her foot before she started crying.
Penny had to admit that it was a smart move, it left people with the impression that she was the one that had been wronged. Sam left Penny's side and walked towards her, just as Regan entered to see what was going on and why the music had stopped.
"Perhaps this isn't the time or place for this conversation Celeste?"
"Why Sam? Are you afraid of our friends finding out about how you chased after our housekeeper, while I was here, under our roof? I love you Sam, how could you?"
Sam watched her silently for a moment. "You really want to play this game Celeste?"
"It's not a game Sam," she whispered, the tears falling down her face in a dramatic fashion.
Sam nodded towards the doorway behind him. "This is Maury, do you remember him?"
Penny looked at a short little man with a head full of silver hair and pale blue eyes that were behind a pair of thick eye glasses. He walked into the room and stood next to Penny, his eyes never leaving Celeste.
Penny followed his gaze and saw that Celeste had gone pale again. She was just as clueless as everyone else at the party was, and just as fascinated by the scene that was unfolding in front of her.
"You want to continue here or should we take this elsewhere? I was going to wait until after the party but since you decided that this was the time and the place..." He shrugged.
"I hate you Sam, I hate you, I hate her," she looked at Penny with such malice that it was clear to everyone how much she hated her, "and I hate this house!" she stomped her foot again and, as if on cue, the fireplace started to rumble and shake again.
Penny rushed forward and grabbed Sam pulling him into the dining room just before the fireplace released another ton of ash and soot, only this time it didn't stop there, a skull popped out and rolled across the room landing by Celeste's feet.
There was a moment of total silence as everyone waited for the dust to settle, as soon as they realized that there was a skull lying at Celeste's feet everyone had a sudden reason to leave, quickly.
Penny looked up at Sam shocked, and Celeste screamed before trying to run past them, but Sam was too quick for her as he reached out and grabbed her arm. "No, we finish this now!" He handed her to Maury, who held on to her arm while Sam walked towards the skull, he knelt down and looked at it before rising, without saying a word.
"Let's take this somewhere else." He said as he led the way down the hallway. "I'm sure the police will be here soon so let's be quick." Regan, Penny, Celeste, and Maury all followed Sam into the kitchen, and he asked everyone working there to leave.
"Maury here can hand you over to the police when they get here or I can quietly pay off all of your debt," Sam said simply as he leaned against the table surprisingly relaxed.
Celeste, covered in dust again, looked panicked. "I don't know-,"
"Yes you do, you had an affair with Maury's boss, a much older, very well-known, and influential man in Las Vegas. You embezzled money from him and Maury here has the proof. I will pay the debt and in return you will sign over the house to me." Sam reached into his pocket and pulled out the necessary documents along with a pen.
"If you don't sign them then Maury will take you to jail and then to court, where you will stand trial and most likely serve jail time."
Celeste looked at him silently debating her options and Sam waited, his eyes never leaving hers, while Regan reached out and grabbed Penny's hand. They were both hoping that Sam had found the answer on how to keep the house.
"After tonight, I doubt that anyone will be willing to pay you a fair asking price for a haunted house."
That must have sealed the deal as Celeste, very ungraciously, reached for the pen and the papers and signed them. He nodded to Maury who left without ever having to utter a word. Celeste, head held high, turned and walked past them.
"You can leave tonight!" Regan yelled as she got halfway down the hall.
Penny turned to look at Sam who was grinning. "That went better than I thought it would, the skull was a stroke of genius. Which one of you thought that up?"
Penny and Reagan looked at each other with questioning looks then back as Sam.
"One of you had to?"
They both shook their heads and Sam started to laugh as he held his arm out for Penny. "I guess the house really is haunted."
"Was the skull real?" Regan asked in a hushed whisper.
"No, it was from the Halloween decorations, but it looked real didn't it?"
He pulled Penny into his arms and looked down at her. "Now about this marriage thing, as soon as possible?"
"Yes, please." Penny said as she wound his arms around his neck. "Can we get married in front of the judge in a few days?"
"No! I'll call mother, if we can plan Aunt Maureen's marriage in a week we can plan yours." Regan said as she left the room to call Mrs. Evers.
"She does have a point, besides it will give me a chance to arrange some time off from work, so that I can take you on a proper honeymoon."
"Where will we go?" she asked excited the prospect.
"Anywhere where I can have you all to myself for a week."
"Let's come here, home. We can turn off the phones and lock the doors. I like the thought of us being here, alone and in love."
Sam grinned. "I like it too," he said as he pulled her into a kiss that Penny hoped would never end.