The Agreement

Family First

Christen and Kelley arrive for recovery the next morning at the same time as Penny and they all walk in together.

"How did you sleep?" Kelley asks their keeper. Penny looks slightly down and her body posture drops, "Not very well, I'm nervous about the surgery." Kelley wraps her arm around Penney's waist. "I can't say everything will be ok, but just know that I plan to be here for you all the way." "Thanks, Kel, I really liked the picture you posted of us last night." "So did a lot of others, my phone has been blowing up with notifications, most saying we are a cute couple." "Yeah, Emma saw that she isn't happy with it." "Honestly, her opinion doesn't mean anything to me. She is over there playing when she should be here with you right now. Family is the most important thing in the world, more important than kicking a ball around. Now c' mon lets get through our recovery session, we can grab lunch and then head to the airport."

"What's going on with and Penny, KO? If you are using her Mother's illness as a way to get close to her, you need to stop right now."

"I promise you I'm not Broon, I really like her and I could see us becoming good friends. Yes, I find her attractive and her voice when she says certain things make me melt, but I'm not about that right now. I just want to be there to support her, no strings attached."

"No strings attached? Who are you and what have you done with the old KO?"

"To paraphrase T Swift, "the old KO is dead," the new KO is focused on being a better person, making better choices and maintaining my sobriety. I used to be on top of the world, personally and professionally and I plan to get back there. I have a lot of work ahead of me, but I have everything in place to help me get there again."

"I have faith in you Kel and I can't wait to have you back on the field with me."

"I can't wait to get back out there."

Later that afternoon, Kelley and Penny arrive in California and decide to take a cab straight to the hospital.

Kelley holds Penny's hand the entire ride and then carries their bags when they arrive at the hospital. "I am capable of carrying my own bag, you know." "I do, but I like showing off my muscles to you." "There are two days, worth clothes and accessories in there, it weighs next to nothing so your point is mute." "Ok, it makes me feel, like I'm helping if only a little bit." "You are helping, just by being with me." "That's what friends are for." Penny smiles at her, before asking at the nurse's station for the room number and directions to her Mom's room.

They stop outside the room, "Do you want me to come in with you? I can just wait in the chairs over there if not." "Mom knows you are coming you don't need to stay out here, actually she was pretty interested in meeting you." "A Mom who actually wants to meet me, that's definitely a new one."

They enter the sterile room and see and hear machines beeping around them. Kelley follows behind Penny as she makes her way over to the second bed by the window.

"Hello, Mom." Penny bends over and hugs her.

"It's about time you got here Penelope, and where's your friend?" Penny turns back towards Kelley motioning for her to come forward. Kelley moves closer to the bed and reaches her hand out, "It's nice to meet you, Mrs Brown, I'm Kelley." The woman shake, "It's nice to meet you dear, but please call me Jane, I haven't been called Mrs Brown since I stopped teaching." "You were a teacher?" "Yes, for 15 years." "Wow, that's a long time, did you teach young kids or like in a high school?" "Elementary school."

"Penny, you didn't tell me you Mom was a teacher, it was one of my high school teachers who first told me that he thought I had a future in soccer."