Tricky Ice

Secret

Two days passed since Penny was back in Pontypandy.
Two calm days at work for Sam, because Norman was on a few free days with his aunt along with his cousin Derek, so it hasn't been much to do. But even in this state of things, time wasn't easy for Sam. And the reason didn't made it any lighter. Because it was about Penny. Surely she was back in place she loved, but Sam has been getting strange impressions since she and him left the hospital. By the last two days Sam along with Ellie have been keeping an eye on her if she needed something. He could only tell for himself, but, as he checked her three times per one day, everytime she was behaving a little like not her. She was quiet and answered shortly if it was neccessarily. Even when Sam tried to cheer her up in friendly way, she only smiled, but Sam didn't recognized those smiles as one of hers. That was a reason why he didn't felt too good to just work with clear head. His thoughts were still running around Penny.

"Sam, have you ended this?" Ellie's complaining voice woke him from his thoughts. He looked up at her as she pointed on the hose which Sam has already ended rolling up. He nodded his head and he put the hose back on his place in Jupiter.

"How is she?" Sam asked when he reached Ellie on the stairs.

"Nothing has changed since you were there at the morning" she sighed in resignation. "I guess she hides something from us, only it can explain her strangeness."

"Surely it is bothering her as well. But what can we do as long as she wouldn't open up?" Sam thought out loud. He and Ellie were now Penny's closest friends and it also hurt them she was like she was.

"To be honest, I was quite close, but I was afraid..."

"You afraid?" Sam burst out into laughter.

"Penny is also my best friend, alright" Ellie commented in responce. "Going back to the topic, I worried" she changed a word and underlined it to underline seriousness. "if I had pressured Penny too much, she would have only closed more. But I pressure the line enough to make it easier for you, so as soon as the clock shows full hour, it'll be your turn to talk with Penny."

"Good idea. Thank you, Ellie" Sam thanked as they went their diffrent ways.

"You're welcome. But honour it and don't mess it up this time" Ellie teased him one more time. Sam shook his head only as he took out of his locker his bagback. It was already time for his shift to end and the clock rang for whole hour, so Sam walked down the street to give Penny a friend talk.

When he stopped right in front of Penny's door and was about to knock, he hesitated. Maybe the reason Penny was so alone-standing by last two days has also something to do with him. And, in this way, his appearance could only make thing worse. 'But maybe she need him' he thought to encourage himself. He took a deep breath and was about to knock again when his phone made a noise of getting message. Sam sighed annoyed, but he took his phone and read a message. To his surprise it was from Penny.
Sam, I know you want to see me. I am busy now, but I will make time for you. But do me a favor and could you get me my second pair of keys. They are laying under a moving stone next to door. From before big thanks. Penny
Now it was totally like not her. But Sam was her friend and she showed she trust him by asking Sam for help. So he decided to let what meant to be happen. He kneelted and really found pair of keys under the moving stone and he opened a door by it. Then he knocked to let Penny know he is already inside.

"Hi, Sam. Come in" Penny looked from the railing and walked downstairs to meet her friend. "You got the message, didn't you?" she added in meanwhile.

"Yeah, I got indeed. However I've never thought you are one of this kind of people who hide keys under moving stones or carpets" he joked.

"Not exactly. I just want to be prepared" she explained, leading Sam to another room. Penny's living room has got wooden walls with two windows on the eastern side. But after few brown chairs and a little table it was almost empty.
But something caught Sam's attention as soon as he along with Penny reached the table. They sat on the chairs oposite each other, but this time Sam's view again laid on the table on which a few photo albums were laying open.

"How much times have you already walked through this photos, Penny?" Sam asked worriedly. He was sure it didn't change from Ellie's former visit, not to mention the visits by the last two days.

"I'm okay, Sam" Penny answered the question she suspected Sam hid after this one about photo albums. But this time also she lied, she felt like something was missing inside her now as nothing, she knew before from times she was only growing to the person she was now, really has existed.
But Sam hasn't stopped looking her in the eye, like he was trying to figure the truth out. And so he did, but he showed it in the way Penny least expected it. Sam slowly lead over to her and laid his hand gently on Penny's left shoulder and pull her a little closer to him. Then he stroked her back encouragily as he whispered:
"I know you are not."

After this Penny thought it was already enough, it was too far. She broke away to meet Sam's gaze, but even if she was ashamed of her behaviour, she had to smile when she recognized two familiar sparkles inside them. But it was too late for her to keep herself from rolling single tear. It was always coming anew when she was able to get so pure true friendship gesture.

"Hey, why does a crystal tear show in your eyes?" He asked softly, trying what he was able to make it easier for Penny, as he followed her hand and he stopped it when she was about to wipe the tear.

"Just you, Sam, it has always been you" she answered, when their lips surprisingly met first time in their lives. But what she said was true, since she met him, Sam was always the one who was nice to her about their job and later also as a friend. He treated her in the nicest way and as her friend she always has a calm mind, because she can unconditionaly rely on him, he never let her down in the truth.

"It was..." he was partly speechless when they broke away.

"It is a paid of your favor as being my best friend" Penny explained when Sam stroked her left hand slowly painting circles on it.

"And I will never end making this favor become reality" he replied theatrically. "So what's up, little fish?" After this Penny's mood again became strange, she turned around her head to avoid his gaze, but hers went to the photo albums on the table. She became sadder by a longer moment until Sam took a deep breath as he slowly continued, focusing on every word. "I won't force you, but I am seeing something is bothering you and even as you're trying to hide it behind false smile, I recognized the frown."

"You two won't stop putting pressure on me, will you?" She asked, sighing in tiredness as she stood up and walked to the table, in meanwhile giving Sam a sign to follow. When she felt his presence behind her, she continued sadly. "Do you recognized?" She asked, showing a woman with brown hair and brown eyes who was holding a bagpack along with a blonde-haired teenager with chocolate eyes.

"Does it is your...?" Sam started.

"My mother, yes" Penny answered briefly.

"Your... haven't you told me your mother..." Sam tried to understand what was going in this story on.

"Died, I know what I said. But the past was diffrent" Penny sighed, taking a seat on the chair, then she looked up at Sam's anxious face.

"Is it rather good or bad?" He asked as anxious as he looked.

"You wanted to know a reason why I'm behaving quite strange and here it is. I can't decide" she explained shortly. But then Sam pleased her enough that she told him whole story and he tried to do everything to make her laugh at the end.

Hello everyone! Here we go again. I know a lot of time has passed since I upload last chapter of this and it is already spring, but I will try to work really hard to make impossible possible and end it nearby. I promise right here and right now;)

But now a question for you, how do you think what will happen next?