Something's Gotta Give

Chapter 11

Penny spent the next week running errands and cooking in between her classes. She had to cancel the study sessions because there were too many people in the house and she didn't want to inconvenience anyone.

Sam had not been around that much, and the few times she had seen him he had looked stressed so Penny had been focused on making things as easy as possible for him. She didn't know what had been said between him and Celeste but she looked pleased about something, and they had gone out to dinner, just the two of them, a few times that week.

She would remind herself that it was none of her business and continue on like she had for the last two years. It was harder now than it had been, since she knew what a kiss from Sam was like she wanted more, but he acted as if the whole thing had never happened. He hadn't even bothered to ask after Sentry the few times she had seen him.

Penny looked out at the rain as it came down in sheets, there was an awesome lightning storm happening and Sentry was cuddled close in her bathrobe pocket. The house was quiet since everyone had gone out to dinner, and it was the first time that Penny had truly been alone that week.

She watched the storm for a few more minutes and then decided to call it a night, taking her cup of tea into the house she rinsed it, then turned out the lights, and moved into her room to study for an hour. Her night gown was simple cotton and covered her from her neck to her toes and her bathrobe was a thick terry cloth. She had buried her silk robe deep in her underwear drawer not wanting to risk getting caught in it again.

She had been studying for only half an hour when she heard a loud bang and glass breaking in the kitchen. In her rush to see what had happened she had neglected to grab her robe and slippers as she threw open the door to see Billy leaning against the counter swaying and bleeding.

"What on earth happened?" she asked as she moved towards him only to step on a piece of glass, whimpering she looked down at her foot then turned around and went to put on some slippers to protect her feet.

As she hobbled over to him she realized that the bleeding wasn't as bad as it had appeared, and she moved him to the chair by the desk where she sat him down before getting the first aid kit. Glancing around she noticed the cabinet with the glassware was open and four or five glasses lay broken on the floor.

"I tried to clean it up," Billy said, looking over at the mess, then he looked down at his hand and saw the blood. "I'm going to be sick, I can't handle the sight of blood," he said as he reached for the trash can. Penny waited as he threw up his dinner, which seemed to smell mostly of alcohol, and then she approached him, kneeling down in front of him to look at his hand.

She grimaced at the shard of glass that was in his palm, pulling it out since it wasn't very deep, she then cleaned the cut and wrapped the hand as best as she could. By the time she had cleaned up the mess Billy had rallied and was watching her with a gleam in his eye.

"So what's between you and my cousin? A cute little thing like you has to be more than just his housekeeper. Don't get me wrong, you play the starched up little maiden very well, but I can't imagine you and Sam living here all alone and not getting up to something."

Penny just ignored him and finished putting away the broom before walking over to her bedroom door. "You seem to be feeling better so I'll say goodnight."

He was over to her like a shot, keeping her from closing the bedroom door. "Come on Penny, you have to be a little mad at him for cozying up to Celeste. I know I am. She was supposed to be my date, but as soon as we got here she changed her tune, 'Hands off Billy, not here, not with Sam so close.'" Billy mimicked Celeste's voice. "It's not like she cared when they were married, so I don't know why she would care now?"