Everything Has Changed Now

Chapter 9 - Back to being friends

Chapter Summary:

Penelope decides to give Colin a second chance and as a result, they both rediscover one another, initially via friendship.

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Notes:

As much as they need to get over their arguments when Colin discovered she is Lady Whistledown and the entrapment comment and then his angst etc., they need to find themselves comfortable back again with each other.

Understanding that she no longer wants him near, Colin still keeps his boundary with her and with that they will need to become friends over again and rekindle their years of friendship and find solace in each other before moving to the next step and thereon unleash their anger so they can resume to being lovers again.

If they unleash their anger while being at their awkward stranger selves, the distance between them may never fade because Pen is still upset at Colin and Colin still feels Pen does not want him near her.

Of course it is a Polin HEA, but before that they will need to deepen their own relationship and come to terms with each other before moving on to the next phase; their marriage and Pen being with child.

It's not far, we're almost there. ;)

Meanwhile enjoy the new chapter :D

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As Penelope enters her bedchamber, she gets angry and frustrated at herself for accepting his rendezvous. 'How on earth could she have approved this?' she wonders. Even if she was missing him, she had run away from him to come to this place and now she was extending an invitation to him to reclaim his place in her life.

'Was that right?' Penelope wondered apprehensively.

She is anxious at Colin for having granted his request. One chance, though, might not be all that horrible. It would benefit her if he passed the trial since it would indicate that he had truly changed and perhaps she could win him back as her husband and her best friend again?

Nevertheless, she would be in peril if he hadn't changed. She might have to relocate or perhaps just tell him to go away and leave her alone.

Penelope is afraid he may turn out like last time; gentle and kind in the beginning but vexed and fuming afterwards. She prayed that it wouldn't turn out that way. Her resettlement attempts thus far cannot be in vain.

She had wished to discuss this with Mary, but her friend had been very busy at work and John was also sick hence she had been unable to meet her. Perhaps after meeting Colin this time she might then talk about it with Mary.

However, she does inform her maid of Colin's return and the fact that he was unaware of her being with child. The maid knew him since she was with them in their marital home.

Pen misses Rae, with whom she felt more comfortable and was like her friend. She had left Rae for Colin and here he was, along with her. Colin had just taken off, leaving everything behind in her quest. She was conscious that he would perhaps find her but not twice and not so soon. Could that be a sign?

Penelope no longer believed in destiny as she had already suffered so much. Suffering in her own family to then suffer in her marriage with her husband and now she was enduring all this as a mother. So many dilemmas in her life but she had no regrets of any, she was appreciative to have experienced love, to have obtained the same in return even if only momentarily and now she was eagerly waiting to be a mother.

The idea of a new life that she would get to nurture inside of her made her grin. At the notion, she gave herself a soft stroke on her belly.

That's when Penelope pondered on the father. The father was an issue; they had made plans to meet the following day but she wasn't absolutely positive if she should go or not.