Penny Takes the Stage

Chapter 6: The Worst Possible Scenario

Penny finally arrived at her building, and waved to Roberto, the 24 hour doorman, who was behind the desk, as he buzzed her in through the automatic doors, which were kept locked after nine PM. Her gratitude immediately turned to stomach churning despair, however, when she saw her matching luggage, which had been a gift from her grandma Plotnick when she'd gone away to school, sitting next to his desk, along with a couple of boxes next to them.

Fuck. Fuck fuck.

So Frederick was really angry, then.

Roberto smiled apologetically at her and gestured to the luggage and boxes, at her life stacked neatly next to him. "I guess you and Mr. Berenson had a little argument, Ms. Penny?" he asked sympathy in his eyes.

"I guess so," Penny responded with a nod. "I'm sorry to trouble you, Roberto, but could you buzz him for me, please?"

But Roberto shook his head. "I can't do that, Ms. Penny, he's put the 'do not disturb' on his phone until tomorrow morning," he explained, the apology in his eyes growing. Penny knew Roberto liked her, and that he didn't particularly care for Frederick. She also knew that his hands were tied as an employee of the building.

Fuck and double fuck.

"I understand, it's okay," she answered. "I guess I'll just have to go up there and talk to him myself." Penny sighed and shook her head with a rueful smile, to show how much she wasn't looking forward to this.

Now Roberto actually looked like he was in physical pain. "I'm so sorry, Ms. Penny, but I can't let you up. Your name isn't on the lease, so technically you're a guest, and Mr. Berenson took you off the list of approved people this afternoon. I also have to ask for your keys immediately. I'm really, really sorry." Roberto hung his head as he held his hand out.

Oh. My. God.

Penny supposed she should be grateful it was fairly late and there were no other people in the lobby as she took her house keys off her keychain and handed them over, face burning with humiliation.

Then something occurred to her.

"But Roberto, my cat, Carol Channing, is still up there!" she told him. "What do I do about my cat?"

Roberto shrugged, eyes limpid with sympathy. "I guess you'll have to talk to him and arrange to get her back some other time," was all he could come up with.

WTAF? He didn't even like C-chan. Penny pulled out her phone and called Frederick, but of course it went straight to voice mail. She then sent him a text, but got no response.

Through all this Roberto stood politely, giving her his undivided attention.

"I'm sorry, Roberto, I know this is when you get your paperwork done," Penny apologized. "Is it, um, is it okay if I sit over there for a bit and make some calls, figure out what I'm going to do?" She gestured to the chairs in the lobby.

"Of course, please, take your time, I'm so sorry about all of this," Roberto commiserated.

So Penny took a seat and sat, trying to figure out who would take her in on fifteen minutes' notice on a Wednesday night with all her stuff for an open ended stay.

Not many people, she was sad to admit.

Yoko would've done it, even with her tiny studio apartment and day bed situation, but unfortunately, Yoko was on a cruise ship in the Bahamas at the moment, working the snowbird circuit, and had sublet her apartment. She wouldn't be back for three more weeks.

Penny scrolled through her phone, slowly coming to the realization that, over the past two years, she'd lost touch with her friends because either they didn't like Frederick, or, more likely, Frederick didn't like them. Most of the people in her life now were Frederick's friends, which probably didn't predispose them to giving her a place to stay because he'd thrown her out on her ass.