Chapter 09 -- Home Cookin'
The office buzzed for the remainder of the week in the wake of our visit from the Deville sisters and there now former boytoy. The thought of that made me smile. I felt we had played it perfectly and the only thing lost was a small piece of Mindy's pride, which repaired easily on a woman her age.
The mood was light and there was comfort in the air. As the week ended, I was excited to be going home and not having to go to someone else's house. I cared for these women, but I liked our home. I could not wait to go home as Friday's workday came to a close.
I stayed at the office a little late on Friday but finally shut my pc off and headed for the door. As I drove home I thought of how things had gone this week and how I had played my role. I tried to stay out the way of all of the ladies after the meeting, knowing each of them was probably involved in someway or another in the aftermath.
As I pulled into the driveway, I was content and happy. I stepped out of the car and into the house with expectations of seeing my two loves. This was a thought that had more appeal to me that I can possibly describe. I shut the door behind me and made my way up the stairs. As I entered the dining room, only one of them was waiting for me.
The sunset going on outside made the natural light in the house limited and it did not appear that any lights were on when I reached the top of the stairs. I was very surprised when I saw that the table was set with two place settings and a single lit candle was between them. I was even more surprised when Penny appeared from the kitchen with two plates, one each hand. She laid them on the table at the two settings and then looked at me with a smile.
"I made you dinner," she informed me.
I took in the sight of her beauty as she was wearing only a loose fitting, thin strapped black summer dress. Her feet were bare and her hair was pulled back into a ponytail. It was simple and understated, yet somehow breathtaking.
"Thank you," I responded politely.
As I looked down at the plates on the table, I noticed steak and potatoes filled them. It was interesting to say the least that she had surprised me like this. I smiled at her and put my briefcase down before moving behind her. I put my hands on her shoulders and softly kissed her cheek before I pulled out her chair for her and gestured for her to sit.
"To what do I owe this lovely surprise," I asked as I moved back around the table to take my seat across from her.
"You owe it to a lot of things," she remarked. "I have a lot of things I want to say to you."
"Oh, are they good things," I asked curiously.
"Some of them are," she admitted. "Some you might not like and some you will have to digest."
I looked at the solemn honesty on her face and wondered where she was going with this conversation. I was not uneasy or nervous but I was very interested in every word that she had to say. I loved this woman, that much was inescapable at this moment.
"Alright, please tell me what's on your mind," I urged.
I cut a small piece of steak and put it in my mouth as I looked through the shimmering light of the single candle onto the face of a woman with remarkable beauty. I was often surprised at how she continually took my breath away.
"Well, let me start by saying I love you," Penny began. "I do. It's become a part of who I am and all that I do. I am not saying it for any other reason than to let you know how you impact my world with every breath you take."
I took in her words and watched her sip her wine. At first I thought she looked nervous, and then I looked at her again. As she set her glass back down on the table, I reevaluated my position. She was not nervous; the confident look on her face squashed that theory. I decided that it could only be that she was so overcome with emotion about the things she was going to say that it made her tremble.
