HEALING THE SCARS

CHAPTER 9

PENELOPE

The silence in the car is stifling, thick with tension that neither of us dares to breach. Dylan's eyes remain fixed on the road ahead, his jaw clenched in an expression that could cut steel. I steal a glance at him, hesitating for a moment before gathering the courage to speak.

"Why did you kiss me earlier?" I ask quietly, my voice barely above a whisper. The question hangs heavy in the air, and I brace myself for his response.

Dylan's grip tightens on the steering wheel. He doesn't look at me, but his voice is sharp and cold when he finally answers, "You're not special, Penelope. I kiss whoever I want."

His words sting like a slap to the face, and I feel a surge of anger mixed with hurt. "Well, I won't let you kiss me again," I retort, my tone sharper than I intended. "I wonder who messed you up to be this rude."

Dylan remains silent for a moment, his jaw visibly tensing. Then, without warning, he changes the subject abruptly. "You'll see your brother for a few minutes before we take off," he says tersely, his voice devoid of any warmth. I'm taken aback by the sudden shift, unsure how to respond. His unpredictability leaves me feeling off-balance, oscillating between resentment and confusion. I turn away, staring out the window as the passing scenery blurs into a haze of greens and grays. As the car approaches the airstrip, my heart races with anticipation. When Dylan finally pulls over, I practically leap out and run towards Andrew, who's being held by a stern-looking man in black—the same one who followed Mabel and me to the mall.

"She can have him," Dylan states and the man releases Andrew into my eager arms. I hug him tightly, overwhelmed with emotion. Andrew looks up at me, his eyes lighting up in recognition.

"Penelope! I missed you so much," he exclaims, wrapping his small arms around my neck. "I waited for you to visit, but you never came. Liar!" he says playfully, pinching my cheek.

"I'm sorry, Drew. I've been busy," I say, brushing away tears that threaten to spill over. "But look, I'm here now. Are you okay? Are you hurt?" I ask him, searching him for anything.

"I am okay. Why would I be hurt? Although, I did fall off my new bike. Your boyfriend bought me a bike. He is so cool." He says and smiles looking back at Dylan.

"He did?" I ask, confusion clear on my face.

Andrew nods eagerly. "Yeah! It's so cool. Come back home with me, Penelope. Nana will make us the best snacks ever. She is so nice. Her home is better than Aunty's place in Paris," he pleads, his eyes brimming with tears.

"Drew, I told you, Nana went to heaven a long time ago," I say, touching his cheek.

"Yeah, but Dylan's mom says I should call her Nana." He says innocently. So, that's where Andrew has been staying. I wonder what kind of lies he told his mother.

Before I can respond, Dylan approaches us. "Andrew, your sister and I have to leave now. We're going on our honeymoon," he says matter-of-factly.

I look up at Dylan, hoping he'll let us stay a bit longer, but his expression remains cold and impassive. "Michael, take Andrew. Penelope and I need to go," he orders, his tone final.

Reluctantly, I let Andrew go with Michael, feeling a pang of sadness as they disappear from view. Boarding the plane, I can't stop the tears from streaming down my face. Why couldn't Dylan let me have more time with Andrew? I wonder silently.

Taking my seat beside Dylan, I stare out the window as the plane taxis down the runway. We sit in silence, and soon a flight attendant brings us a menu. I order a drink while Dylan orders food for both of us.

"You're going to eat! I will not have you dying of starvation before our contract is up," Dylan says sternly when the food arrives. "And I'll allow you to see your brother occasionally if you behave, understood?" he adds firmly.

"Yes," I reply quietly, staring down at my hands. "I won't cause any trouble."

He hands me my phone, warning me not to be stubborn or he'll take it away. I thank him and immediately turn it on, greeted by a flood of notifications. Most are missed calls and texts from Mabel. I make a mental note to call her once we land.

"Thank you for taking care of Andrew. I thought something bad had happened to him, but he seems okay," I say, trying to make conversation with Dylan. He remains silent, focused on his food. Disappointed, I return to my phone, scrolling through messages to distract myself.

When the flight attendant returns with our meals, I realize how hungry I am. I devour my food ravenously, hardly pausing to breathe. I feel Dylan's gaze on me and look up, surprised to see him watching me.

I look back tentatively, and he reaches over to wipe some food from the corner of my mouth. His touch sends a shiver down my spine, and I suddenly feel flustered and nervous. Unable to finish my meal, I'm overcome with exhaustion. It has been such a long day or a couple of days. Just as sleep starts to claim me, Dylan wakes me abruptly.

"Go to the back. There's a bed. Sleep there," he commands, his tone impatient.

I hesitate, torn between fear of the plane and his orders. "I can't," I say, my voice trembling. "I'm scared."

Dylan stands up, and I flinch, expecting him to lash out. Instead, he takes my arm gently and pulls me to my feet. "Look at me," he says softly. "Let me take you to the bed." Relieved, I follow him to a small room with a comfortable-looking bed. I marvel at the luxury of the private space. Dylan catches me staring and I quickly look away, pretending to fix my hair.

"Now you can rest. We still have a few hours before we land," he says quietly, releasing my arm and heading for the door.

"Please, don't go," I whisper softly, unsure if he hears me. But he turns back and sits on the bed, patting the space beside him.

Surprised by his gesture, I join him on the bed. "I didn't know you were afraid of heights," he remarks casually, lying down beside me.

"Yeah, last time I flew, I must have blacked out from the shock of everything," I reply, lying down as well. He moves closer, wrapping his arms around me, and I feel safe and strangely comforted in his embrace as sleep finally overtakes me.