Convincing

Realization

Something Penelope had a hard time hearing but agreed with after two more calls ended the same way.

No longer reaching her hand out to get bitten, Penelope let her friend deal with her own relationship as she’d been advised. And took her advice on getting her own.

Finding Romeo instantly across the way, she blushed as he noticed her and waved. Waving back, she looked away as she continued making lunch for her and Mateo only for him to come to the patio, “Hey ...ugh I was thinking of doing something cool for Mateo and wanted to run it past you?”

Surprised and listening to the actually sweet and thoughtful offer he seemed genuinely excited about, he confessed he and his mother did it when he was a kid. “My dad stayed gone all the time so it was me and her doing stuff like this together. I don’t know it just seems nice to do it with...yeah.” Confused on where he was going with that sentence but finding her heart melting at how warm it was.

“Yeah, I mean if he’s interested-.” Romeo met her eyes with a grin, “It’s not a boy’s only club. I want you there of course. I’m sure you like a good smore yes?” Agreeing and grinning as he suddenly brushed her hair out of her face so he could see her clearly, Penelope could admit she was charmed as he complimented, “You’re beautiful.”

Thanking him, he gently moved closer and when she thought he’d kiss her? He coughed and looked up seeing the man coming in hot. “I think your bodyguard has had enough of me.”

Knowing who he meant and Benjamin charging in making her angry, Penelope looked at him as he started to bark at Romeo to leave. “I didn’t call you in.” Benjamin stopped in his tracks and then winced, “Right ma’am, my apologies but-.” Penelope hit the button discreetly hidden so fast Romeo didn’t even see where it was.

But in three seconds other agents were inside.

“You see I can hit the button if I’m in danger. I’m in no danger. So...” Why the f**k are you barging into my house? Implied loud as hell made Benjamin feel hot and angry. But he masked it well saying he was just looking out for her as the man before them was a stranger.

Only over the course of the past almost three weeks? Penelope and Romeo had gotten closer, so it was more Romeo was a stranger to him and too close to Penelope, that Benjamin didn’t like.

A thing that made Romeo promise to look into the asshole more.

Watching as he walked out with another security guard who asked why he’d rushed in like he had. Only for him to refuse to respond as he seethed internally.

Something Penelope could smell as she told Romeo casually, “Me and Mateo will walk over later.” Nodding he waved bye but when it was gone she dropped her smile, “I want him gone.” Smithers at first thought she meant Romeo but then realized she meant Benjamin.

“I know he’s gotten a little personal, but we all get there. You’re like a daughter to me.” He patted her head affectionately making her grin at him, “And you like a father to me. You protected me and my sister for years and we adore you and will even when you retire. You’ll still be like family.”

Honored to be since it was rare to meet good people this far at the top, Smithers was surprised by Penelope’s tough stance though. “Benjamin...he’s not needed. Release.”

Nodding not questioning her further about it, Smithers instead did as she said and released the guy from working the job. But as the same problem that got him sacked at his last job boiled over?

Benjamin was not gone when she and Mateo crossed the space and was met by Romeo and Pedro.

Confused, the kid asked, “What are we doing?” Romeo shrugged as he asked amused, “Ever been camping?”

The campsite his back yard, the huge manor he owned was a beautiful brick with arch ways and balconies of black wire.

Back yard done up with a huge tent and another one to the side, he explained later it was because he didn’t want to be weird. The huge projection screen set up and Monsters Inc playing, Mateo cheered, “Sully!”

Only to frown when Randall appeared, “Boo you stink!”

Laughing Romeo agreed, “I swear, he gives R names, a bad rep.” His words jumping out at her, Penelope remembered the influx of things she’d been getting before she left, with R on the notes.

Looking at Romeo and started to get freaked, she couldn’t because her brain tried to say it didn’t make sense. They’d just met...

But that’s how stalkers worked.

Watching the man with a narrowed eye and ready to bolt, Penelope was tense and refusing to have a good time as he and her son bonded and talked. Something off and her mother instincts on alarm, she was about to make an excuse to take her son and run.

When Romeo seeing her expression sighed.

Coming to sit beside her, it was as he looked her in the face prepared to tell her, she saw it. And felt like a f*****g moron.

“Please...” he whispered desperately, “Let me explain before you get angry and call me a freak and run with him. Please. I don’t want to lose him.”

Scared, because she didn’t either, she was surprised when her son suddenly gasped, “Mama look!”

Looking and seeing the fireflies, her son’s eager excitement made her smile as the little boy ran around with Pedro at his side. Enjoying the fireflies, smores, and campfire story Romeo told, they were in the huge tent on all the comfortable blankets when Mateo conked out.

Watching his son sleep for the first time, and the expression of a father tied to it, Penelope’s heart raced, “How did you find him?” He gently pushed Mateo’s hair out of his face, “His birth mother’s brother recently died. He confessed on his death bed what he knew about Mateo’s birth. I took what I could and put my people on it. I found out six months ago about his existence and was looking for him since.”

Looking into Penelope’s eyes he whispered, “I was going to tell you. I just...wanted you to get to know me and him get to know me first.” Penelope breathed out shakily, “I still want a paternity test.” He figured, “It’ll have to be done quietly. I can’t...I don’t want a media spectacle around him.”

Agreeing, Penelope stared into Romeo’s eyes and asked the important questions, “Do you plan on taking him from me?” Romeo chuckled a little bit, “I don’t think I’m ready to meet the grim reaper yet, bella.” Refusing to blush at the Italian flirt, Penelope turned away, “Tell me why you were sending me stuff? I came here because I thought I had a stalker.”

Romeo winced, “Yeah, I realized that which is why I didn’t keep that up. Sorry I thought flowers and notes made girls happy.” She looked at him fighting a laugh, “Yeah from someone we know. Not a stranger.”

Point made he apologized again but she let it go and wondered what the end game was. For him to get her to let her guard down so he could take her son? Seduce her into signing over custody?

Bribery.

Seeing her mind there, Romeo looked at Penelope and realized what she feared. Hand hesitant but strong and loving, he put it on top of the one on their son’s back, “I-I was scared hearing I had a son.”

Penelope looked at him shocked as he confessed nervously, “He was conceived at a time of my life I was less than ready to be a dad, but I can’t imagine me ever turning my back on him. But decisions were made that I wasn’t consulted about and the only reason why I was told was to clean a dying man’s conscious.”

And now he was left looking at a beautiful boy he wanted to see grow into a handsome young man. Into his own man.

Not sure how his own father had disregarded him when he was this young, Romeo had just started bonding with Mateo. And he couldn’t imagine not wanting to soak up more of his time after missing five years already.

“I don’t want to take him from you Penelope. Not because I don’t think you would let me, but because...I see how much you love him.” He smiled a little at her face glowing in the fire light crackling by their heads.

“I’ve watched you adore and gush about him for almost three weeks and I’ve been...so happy that my son had you. Our son.”

Our.

Penelope didn’t know how to feel about that either. She’d never had to share Mateo before. Never had to tug-a-war with someone about her child. Not wanting to either, she looked Romeo in the eye, “He’s not...he’s not a doll. I won’t fight with you about him. We need...if you are his father truly, I want you to understand that we won’t raise him in this toxic sphere. He’s loved, he’s always been loved. By me, my parents, his aunt, his uncle, and his cousins. He doesn’t need anyone that’ll make that feeling go away.”

Agreeing, Romeo cradled her cheek, “I’m not here to fight with you Penelope. I need you because...I don’t know how to be a dad. I know it’ll take time for Mateo to see me as such and taking you from him isn’t going to make that happen. Us fighting will upset him, make him think me coming into his life is a bad thing. I won’t let my presence in his life be a negative one.”

He gently stroked her cheek, “I want him to see us both as his parents. I just...wanted time. Time to get you use to me, him use to me.”

Nodding not sure if she fully trusted that, Romeo grinned promising, “We’ll...work things out after the test is done. We’ll talk more about the future.”

Anxiety wanting to flare up at those words, her son suddenly turned into her neck and hugged her as he slept making her sigh into his head.

Warm and tired and instantly falling into his smell and comfort, Penelope was surprised when she woke up the next morning.

Her son in her chest, her back in Romeo’s, she felt his arms around her waist and felt comfort like never before.

Not wanting to wake up as the warm smell of him made her smile, she sighed deciding to lay there like he did. Enjoying five more minutes of being curled up like lions with their cub.