Anna and Penelope were walking down the street, side by side.
"Hey, thanks Penny." Anna said while she looked at Penny's unreadable expression.
"Hmm." Penny replied, as she only gave a glance at Anna.
"No, I mean I really appreciate it. I can't begin to imagine what kind of condition Laura would have been in if you had not saved her."
"I didn't save her, I simply warned you both. She's only saved cause she chose to listen to the warnings."
Anna smiled warmly, as she was seeing another side of Penny.
"How come I never knew you had this lovely side?"
"That's what happens when you try to act as if you do not care about anything since you have it all."
"But why act that way?"
"Cause you really do not have it all."
Anna felt that sadness in Penny's voice, she could even say she heard it. Penny was one to address an issue as it was, but she seemed to be beating around the bush. Just what was it that she didn't have, that she tried to treat as though she had.
"What do you mean?"
She was curious. Penny looked tough, didn't look like she needed one thing or the other. Penny was one to not care about such, probably cause she had it all. But now it no longer seemed that way.
Penny looked at Anna with a scrutinizing gaze.
"You seem curious?"
"Oh no, I mean if you want to share."
Penny chuckled as she placed her palms at the back of her head.
"In that case, I don't feel like sharing. But if you ask, who knows, I just might share with you."
Anna decided to play the shameless part.
"Fine. I'm asking, would you tell me what you mean?"
Penny laughed softly, but that was soon replaced with a sad smile on her face.
"Remember how I got angry at you when you brought up my mother?"
"That's something I can never forget."
Penny laughs softly at her reply, but that sad smile was still on her face.
"According to my mother, I lost my father when she was still pregnant of me. He died in a car accident on his way back home. When I was delivered, Cathy also was delivered by her mother, on the same day, same hour, same minute, same second, and in the same delivery room. Out mothers got excited about that and befriended themselves. I and Cathy naturally became sisters, when our mothers agreed to run a joint business and live together as one big family. We were loved by our mother, and we also loved our mothers, well, that was until my mother passed away when I was just nine years of age, and it happened to be on I and Cathy's birthday. She was going to go pick up our dresses which she ordered some days ago, but she never came back, at least alive, her dead body was what was returned to us. We the kids were broken, and our second mother found solace in drinking. The day that brought us all together ended up being a day we all tried not to celebrate.
So, there you have it. My mother means everything to me. I do not have her, so I do not have what I really want, so I act like I don't care, whereas, I do care, I care a lot about it. Although, Cathy's mom really does treat me as her child, it just doesn't feel the same."
Anna did not know what to say, but she knew she had to maybe at least console her.
"Ah, Penny, I..."
"No, thanks, but I don't what to hear whatever it is you're gonna say."
Anna nodded her head. They walked along, side by side, in silence.
"So, what do you plan to do now?" Anna asked, putting an end to the silence.
"Live in the school just like you. Take the exam for the scholarship. It seems I will be needing it." she replied in a cheerful manner, as though she didn't just go through a sad memory.
"Well then, I will be more than happy to have you as my roommate."
*****
Riley stepped into the house, looking around in search of just one person. Natasha and Adrian came in after him, and they both seemed amused, seeing how ectastic he was.
"What about your Uncle?"
Riley asked Natasha, when he realized that Donovan was not waiting in the living room as he had imagined.
Natasha covered her mouth with her left palm, in order to stop herself from laughing out loud.
Riley looked at her and Adrian, who had this mock smile on his face. It took him a few seconds to realize he was being made fun of. But why? He had no idea.
"Come on Nat, I have more pressing matters to attend to than standing here trying to figure out whatever it is that you find funny."
Natasha smiled as she approached him, and placed her hand on his shoulder.
"Bear with us." she said.
"What do you mean?"
No, no, Riley was not liking this. Why were they making fun of him, all because he asked of her Uncle? Or was this all a ploy to get him to come over?
"Donovan had some urgent business to attend to. We don't know when he will be back. But he did ask me to train you in his absence."
Riley's shoulders dropped when he heard what Adrian said. Why, just why? Why did something urgent had to come up at this point?