"My sweetest girl!" Barbara was all smiles as she hurried down the steps outside of her home, using both of her hands to wave with excitement.
They had just pulled down the driveway and since the older woman had been waiting by the window, she was out the front door before Lindsey could even put the car in park.
Penelope giggled lightly as she slipped out of the backseat, just as happy to see her grandma as her grandma was to see her. "I've missed you so much." She had, even if the last week had been so busy, she had hardly found the time to call home... She always missed them- they were her safe place in the most crazy world.
"I'm glad you're back." Barbara admitted as she wrapped Penny up in her arms, giving her the warmest hug.
"What about me?" Lindsey was always teasing her- it was his second job.
Tossing her head back to laugh, Barbara let go of Penny in order to turn back around. "I missed you so much, I even made your favorite cookies." She told him, holding out her arms for him to come in for a hug as well.
He chuckled, kissing the side of her head as he patted her back. "Barb, I adore you." Lindsey was joking... to some extent, of course.
"Get to unloading your bags." She teased, shaking her head lightly and lips still turned up into a smile as her eyes met Erin's, who had been standing by the trunk of the car awkwardly. "You look lovely, honey." Barbara tilted her head to the side, eyes still soft and kind as she tried her best.
It was hard with Erin... It had been from the start, but that didn't mean that Barbara wasn't willing to try to welcome her into their family.
It just wasn't easy, not like it had been with other women that Lindsey had dated.
Erin smiled in return, pulling one of her bags out of the back. "It's really good to see you." It was, even if she had never been overly comfortable in their presence... Sometimes it felt like she was taking someone else's place, unwarrantedly.
Nodding her head, Barbara gave her a soft wink as motioned for them to led the way towards the house. "Lindsey can get your bags, girls." She smirked, giggling when he rolled his eyes. "I made dinner and the guest bedroom is all set for you." She added, patting his shoulder as she passed by to follow Penny up the sidewalk.
She knew that Lindsey and Erin would only be in town for the night, but she was always, always excited to have them... Lindsey's presence in their home still made her feel closer to Stevie in some crazy way and when he was around, it felt like her absence was a little less noticeable.
Barbara thought about her baby all the time too, but her heart was lighter when her home was fuller.
"Did you have a good time?" Barbara asked Penelope as soon as they stepped into the kitchen, where it smelled like fresh baked cherry pie mixed with chocolate chip cookies lingered... Lindsey's favorite.
Nodding softly, she sank down onto the barstool across the counter from her grandma. "I had a really great time." Penny did, even if it had ended on a super strange note...
She was going through something and she didn't think she was ready to talk about it, not even with Barbara, who she told everything to.
But it was honestly very weird, the entire trip... First it started with meeting Stevie, who she felt like she was overly connected to... She never got attached to people like that, not that fast, so it was kind of awkward. Then it was her conversation with Erin- the one that she hadn't mentioned again, nor did she even act like it had ever happened... She wished that it hadn't, but it did and she'd never been spoken to like that, so she really didn't know how to handle it. And then, of course, on top of all of that craziness, it was her health issues.
It just felt a little overwhelming- all of it and even though she was sad to come home from a wonderful time in Hawaii, she knew that she was ready for some normalcy again.
"I'm so happy." Barbara reached out, hand meeting Penny's face as she stared into those deep brown eyes that she loved so much. "But I'm even happier to have you home, safe." She admitted, patting her cheek lightly.
Penelope let a soft laugh escape her as she began to stand back up, only a moment after she'd sat down to begin with. "I'm gonna go upstairs and start unpacking a few things." She announced, eyes suddenly appearing more tired than before.
Creasing a brow, Barbara leaned back into the counter as she casually crossed her arms over her chest. "You're feeling okay, right?" She wondered, already having been feeling quite anxious about Penny not being able to get into her specialist right away...
She had to wait just a couple of days, which didn't settle well with her grandma, obviously.
"I feel good." She nodded lightly, picking up one of her bags off the floor as she began to travel up the old staircase. "Stop worrying so much." She added with a faint chuckle.
"It's my job." Barbara shrugged, watching as her girl disappeared.
Jess and Barbara had lived in the same house her entire life and the only thing that ever really seemed to change were the pictures the hung on the wall... Everything else was the exact same, or so it felt.
"Oh, my." Penny's eyes widened when she stepped through her bedroom door, another soft giggle filling the air around her when she saw the two dozen roses and teddy bear waiting for her on her desk.... A little get well from two of her favorite people.
They were always going above and beyond for her, even in minor situations... That wasn't the first time that it had happened and it probably wouldn't be the last.
With a deep sigh, she set her purse down on the floor, wincing light when it tipped over and half of her belongs came spilling out.
But in the mix of lipstick tubes, old receipts, packs of gum and loose bills, there was an unfamiliar pale pink envelope that had her name written in the finest cursive...
