Convincing

Family Concern

Those five years went by in a blink for Penelope.

“Mama! Can I please spend the night with Jacobe? I have the new game he wants to play. Please, it’s a weekend.” Pout adorable as he held her tight around the waist, Penelope giggled as she rubbed his hair, “Has this been discussed with Harper?” Harper Joss coming in with her son Jacobe holding her hand smiled tiredly, “Yes and it is fine.” She rubbed her face as her son bounced excitedly, but then she shushed him as people looked up from their reading.

Owning her coffee/book shop for five years now, Penelope was proud as it was everything she’d wanted. An explosion of books and small items like bookmarks, pens, and journals, she also had a coffee and pastry bar.

The chef and staff were all great, Timothee Matias and his wife Hannah had the customers coming in for something hot and warm to eat or a refreshing lemonade with a light snack as they browsed for something to read.

“He’s fine.” Penelope said waving her off when she shushed her buddy and as she shot him a wink, Jacobe grinned before looking at Harper who looked dead on her feet. “Are you sure love? If you’re tired the boys can come over to mine instead.” Jacobe instantly liked that idea better. More space and more options on stuff to do, the boys agreeing made Harper feel bad. But Penelope wouldn’t let her dwell.

A single mother who worked for her mother at the boutique, Simone had been quick to introduce the two when Penelope got home.

“You go home, take a hot bath and put your feet up. I will call you later?” Hating to agree but loving the permission to go home and scream into a pillow alone? Harper did and after falling asleep with a headache, Penelope ran around after the boys for a few hours. Energetic five-year-olds putting her once believed stamina to question, Penelope swore palates and biking kept her fit.

Only for Jacobe and Mateo to have her whipped and huffing while they bounced around like Taki Tasmanian crackheads. Still high energy and ready to go, she made them dinner and ate after putting them in showers.

Both playing Mario Cart and another game that had them yelling and fighting and then laughing again in minutes? She called it at eight thirty. Knowing it was the weekend and being lenient with the extra thirty minutes.

But needing a minute of peace, she checked on them and in Mateo’s bunk beds? The two slept comfortably.

Able to pour up some wine and get her house cleaned up, Penelope was checking her emails when she got the yearly one from Vivian. Checking in every year on the day they left New York, Penelope and her had become pen pals in a sense. Checking in and catching up, Vivian had welcomed her second baby and congratulated Penelope on every milestone.

From her café to Alenjandro becoming ages one through five, the woman could admit? She’d been proud and happy to eat her words. Seeing the twenty nine year old become a mother by choice and accept it’s trails with a grace to be envied, it was now. Now as said baby still grew and the trails became different that Penelope started to click on the email.

Only for her phone to ring and her finger to click and unclick it. Thinking it read and replied later, Penelope was distracted due to her older sister calling. Two years apart, Jezebel was instant when her sister answered, “Don’t hate me, I thought he was a good match. I’m sorry, please don’t murder me. I let your best friend kick my bladder for nine months to remind you.”

Laughing a little, Penelope found it hard to be mad at her sister. Always the cool and awesome older sister that most women dreamed of having, Penelope had been lucky to have her. Always having her back and on her side even when wrong, it was in private Jezebel got her together and taught her right.

Loving her even more since she married her sexy artist husband Vincent St Germain, they now had two kids together. And were sickeningly not shy about saying how hard they were trying for more.

Loving her niece and nephew, both Hazel and Antoni were both beautiful and loved. But her and Hazel were best friends indeed.

Her niece and the angel that could do no wrong in her eyes, Penelope tried to stop being that way and wasn’t when Mateo was around. But as the cool auntie when it was just her and her six-year-old partner in crime? It was just girls and they ruled.

Still. Even Hazel’s adorableness couldn’t save her sister from her wraith.

“I love you and you know this so I will not be loud and curse at you.” Jezebel relaxed only for her sister to say, “You’re a sneaky b***h and how dare you f*****g set me up? When I see you next time, I’m going to hit you so hard you accidentally piss yourself. Bitch.”

Laughing a little since only her younger sister would keep partial her word and not be loud when cursing at her, Jezebel meekly said, “I thought it was the doctor friend. If I knew it was Dean, I’d have never set it up.”

The date disguised as a lunch with her sister, Penelope had tried to be polite. But Dean Winthrop made her regret that decision as he looked her over and said, “You know I’ve been meaning to say, despite popping out a kid? You look right. I like that. Hate when a woman let’s herself go after they have kids. It’s not attractive.”

Words unneeded and unprompted, Penelope didn’t tell the moron across from her she didn’t give birth to her son. Not wanting him to know a damn thing about her, the few things he did know? Irritated her.

“Is it true you’re Stefan Marks ex?”

Scoffing she responded, “I’m sorry. I have to go.” Not saying a thing as he asked what was wrong, she walked off as he scoffed dismissing her as a b***h and calling her that in his friend’s group chat.

Painting her as the snobby rich b***h socialite, it was her brother-in-law and friend Vincent that came to her defense. Telling him flatly, “Listen older brother we accept you despite your mustache,” fighting a laugh at her silent roast Vincent understood her when she said, “but I’m raising a young man. Not a boy, not a child, a young man. I want Mateo to pick up good manners and respect from someone great. Not frat boy logic with podcast breath.”

Trying not to laugh, Vincent nodded as she said kindly, “You’re the best of your friend group which let’s be real you don’t ever need to speak to again, and if we’re putting it out there? None of them are my type, so no more blind hook ups. Okay?” Agreeing and saying sorry, his sister-in-law let him off the hook knowing it hadn’t been him.

Which is what brought her to her now on the phone with her sister who knew what was really upsetting her. “Sis don’t be mad at mama. She’s just worried.”

Knowing she was and knowing it was fair, Penelope sighed out before saying, “I know me not dating seems to incite the fire that I’m lonely, miserable, and still missing him. But I’m not.”

Her sister’s silence letting her know she didn’t believe her, Penelope sighed, “Was I in love? Yes. Did I think he’d stay? Yes. Was I crushed I got an ultimatum instead and now everyone only knows me as his ex? Yeah. Thing is? I can’t miss him anymore because...it’s over. And I feel better about it and the little stuff has added up and made me realize we weren’t right for each other. He’s happy, he’s moved on. I’m happy, I’ll eventually get there. But right now, I just want to take my time and enjoy it still being me and Mateo.”