Penny's From Heaven - @Short Story

Penny's From Heaven - Part #2

Penny's From Heaven           

by sloanranger

Part  # 2

Frank still got around fairly well.  He cooked for himself and a girl came in two  days a week to take care of the cleaning and laundry, but since he'd turned eighty his son, Wade was like a dog worrying a bone.

"You eating right Dad, getting out of the house? You shouldn't have to be alone. You ought to think about a retirement place,  be around people your own age."

"Wade, I have a home," he'd say.

"Liz and I would love to have you but we just don't have the space. When Brittany goes off to college you can have her room."

"I don't need to be taken in like some poor relation!" He'd snap. "I'm perfectly all right where I am."

The arguments had continued for four years. Wade had gotten him one of those medical alert buttons to wear around his neck; it worked too, when he remembered to put it on.

He took a deep breath and opened the car door. 

Beautiful day. It was warm, but he didn't mind the heat like he used to. 

He was standing beside the open car door and a sudden breeze brought the scent of jasmine. While he was trying to decide which direction to walk in, a Prius pulled up and parked beside the Taurus. A woman got out of the car and the scent in the air changed from jasmine to Chanel. Frank turned abruptly to look at her.

It was Penny.

She was a little heavier than he remembered but her hair was still brown, only it was short now. He couldn't see her eyes; but there was no mistake. Wearing an expensive pair of brown slacks and a beige twill jacket, the woman turned and saw him staring.

She smiled at him. It was Penny's smile.

Continuing her advance toward the administration building, she disappeared into the entrance just as Wade was coming out. He held the door open for her.

The old man was shaken as his son approached the car.

"What's wrong, Dad?"

"That woman that just went inside - you held the door for her. " Frank pointed towards the door.

"What about her?" Wade said.

"It's someone I went to school with; we dated."

"That can't be right, Dad. That woman is no where near your age."

"I'm telling you I know her, Wade. Her name's Penny, dammit."

"All right, Dad. Come on, you haven't got your hat on - let's get you out of the sun."

(To be continued).