It's Only Temporary

Epilogue (Part Two)

Epilogue - Part Two

"Penelope, I love you. I never want to be without you. Will you marry me?"

Penny closed her eyes and pulled in a deep lungful of gravy-scented air, basking in the memory of his proposal - the look on his face in that moment when he said those words. Not his scared little boy face that night. He looked strong and certain, with his eyes burning into hers. She'd already forgotten some of the words he said to her, but that look on his face would stay with her forever. Some images could never be forgotten. They might get a little cloudy, faded around the edges. But not forgotten. Never forgotten. Written on her memory with indelible ink.

Penny touched the ring with her thumb, spinning it around her finger with a sigh. She'd been wearing it for two weeks now, but she still hadn't gotten used to the weight of the diamond on her hand. Sometimes she forgot that it was there for a moment, and then the light would hit it, and she'd catch the glint out of the corner of her eye - and it would send another little jolt of secret happiness piercing through her.

It still boggled her mind to think how much had changed in one short year. She remembered that night last spring, riding around on the New York City subway all night long in a borrowed sweatshirt and a tropical print bikini, because didn't have any other place to sleep. That night had been the low point, when she thought for sure that she'd screwed up her whole life beyond redemption.

And now here she was a year later, with the future all mapped out.

David acted like this party tonight was to celebrate her med school acceptance, but they both knew that was only half of the agenda. Tonight was their unofficial engagement party. All their friends were gathering to toast the headline that had run a few days ago on Page 6 of the New York Post:

David Powers, Wall Street's Most Eligible Bachelor, Permanently Off the Market

Penny heard the scrape of David's key in the lock now, and she ran a hand down the length of her hair to smooth it. A moment later, he stood beside her in the cramped kitchen, sniffing the air.

"Smells amazing in here, Penny."

"It's my mom's recipe," she replied. "Nothing fancy. Rosemary roasted chicken."

"That's chicken?" He pointed at the thick brown liquid simmering in the sauce pan before her, his forehead furrowing with concern. "I don't know how to tell you this, my love, but I think you may have melted it."

Penny let out a little snort. "Chicken's in the oven, boss. This is gravy." She held up a spoonful for him to taste. "It's almost done."

"Damn," he replied. "How come you never mentioned you could cook?"

She shrugged mysteriously. "I've got all sorts of skills-" and he finished her sentence along with her "-you know nothing about."

With that, she turned off the burner and covered the pan, turning to face him. He ran his eyes from her face on downward.

"What are you wearing?" he asked. "Is that my shirt?"

Penny glanced down, following his gaze. She realized that she had some gravy spots spattered on her, and she dabbed with a paper towel. "I just showered," she explained. "I didn't want to get myself all messy again."

He nodded. "So you covered up with my $400 Hugo Boss dress shirt. That makes perfect sense."

"I never liked this one," Penny replied, unable to control the corners of her mouth. "You shouldn't wear green. It makes you look sallow."

David inched toward her, and she took a half-step back, feeling the edge of the kitchen counter just behind her. "You know Penny, there's this thing people wear sometimes to protect their clothes when they're cooking. It's called an apron."