Heart & Sincerity

9/ Penny Peabody

FP woke up coughing.

He wandered out to the kitchen for a glass of water. He grabbed a cup from the cupboard and poured himself a drink.

His phone began to ring. He grabbed it from the table and unlocked it.

"Mornin', Jones."

FP groaned. He put down the glass. "What do you want?" He irritatedly asked.

"Now that's not how we greet people," Penny tsked. "Show a little respect, would ya?"

"I don't live to wait on your every command."

"But you did so well yesterday. Come on, how about another jab at it?"

"One last job. That was it."

"Now hold on there, who calls the shots here?" She annoyingly reminded him. "As far as I'm concerned, you listen to me. If I want you on a run, then you're on a run."

"I'm not a mule, Penny."

"You broke a promise, dumbass. If you can't put up with your end of the bargain, then you shouldn't have nitpicked on these jobs in the first place." FP regretted it, but he didn't have many other options to choose from. He needed money quick to support a family. Gladys had talked him into it, seeming as it wasn't odd to her. However, the woman had upped and left him behind when things worsened. For that he felt betrayed. "I own you, Jones. I expect you in my office, two hours tops." She hung up. FP put the phone down and carried his water over to the couch.

Joaquin knocked on FP's trailer door three hours later. His knocking got harsher with the more he had to knock.

"Do we even know he's home?" Sweet Pea asked. He tried peeking in through the window.

"He has to be," Joaquin continued banging on the door.

Fangs turned the knob and pushed the door open. It was unlocked. The other two stared at him, but he shrugged it off.

"See, he's right there." Joaquin gestured to the couch. FP was deep in his slumber. He felt too sick to have heard them come in. The three boys stood over him. "Wake him up."

"You do it," Sweet Pea shook his head.

"Well somebody has to, Peabody won't leave the bar until he's there." Fangs said.

Sweet Pea picked up the glass of water on the coffee table. Fangs caught the mischievous look in his eyes.

"Are you crazy? He'll rip your head off." He yanked the glass away from him, but it accidentally spilled on FP.

FP woke up and wiped the water off his face. Fangs panicked and shoved it back into Sweet Pea's hands. Joaquin held back a laugh.

"What are you three doing here?" FP sat up, clearly annoyed with their choice of waking him up. "Shouldn't you be at school?"

"You have to go to the Wyrm," Joaquin informed him.

"Why?" FP stood up. He grabbed the glass back from Sweet Pea. He walked to the kitchen to dump it in the sink.

"Penny is angry and doesn't intend on leaving until you two talk."

"Shit," FP mumbled. He completely forgot when he fell asleep. He walked to the bedroom to put on some pants. "Okay, I'll handle it." He came back out and grabbed his leather jacket from the rack, slipping it on. "You, three, go to damn school." He opened the door for them to leave. Fangs stopped and placed his hand over FP's forehead. "What are you doing?"

"You look sick," Fangs took his hand back.

"Well I am," FP shooed him out. Sweet Pea yanked his best friend out. "So run off to Southside High before you catch something."

"Maybe we want to catch something," Sweet Pea remarked. "Then we wouldn't have to play hookie."

"School," FP scolded them.

***

FP trudged into the Whyte Wyrm. Penny was sitting at the bar with a drink in her hand. She spun around when he heard him walk in. "I thought we had an agreement."

"I'm here now," FP put her snark aside. He gestured for the Serpents to get out. They picked up their drinks without a single question and scrammed.

"I heard what happened here yesterday. Your little heartbreaker paid a visit, didn't she?" She taunted. FP drew his hands into fists, but then instantly released. She was just trying to get into his head, he thought. "Did she come for a booty call? Does she know your wife left you? You told her, right? You must have."

"Shut up," FP tried his best to not lash out on her. "Just tell me what you want."

"Why don't we start with you?" Penny stood up. "You want to tell me all about how you wanted to knock the chatter out of Mustang? You didn't like how he spoke about your precious high school sweetheart, did you?" She mockingly pouted. FP clenched his jaw. "Why do you care anyway? She's just going to throw acid at your name all she wants. Like in all those marvelous writing assignments."

"I don't care what she does."

"Don't be delirious," Penny saw right through him. "All snakes have a soft underbelly. She's yours, am I right?" She walked up to him. "Eight o'clock tonight. You're off to Centerville. Or we can find out the truth, your choice." She tapped on his face. He wanted to wipe that smirk off her face. "Tick tock, Jonesy. It'll be dropped off at your trailer and better be moved."