morning, darling." Helen said to her sleeping daughter. "I thought I'd bring you coffee in bed this morning, since it will be the last time you'll be herewith us."
Penny rolled over onto her back and groggily looked up at her mother. She could see that her mother was trying not to cry at the thought that her daughter was leaving home at long last. Too bad she couldn't appreciate that very few women continued to live at home until they were twenty-five, Penny thought with amusement.
She pushed herself up, propping her pillow against the headboard. "Thanks, Mom," she said, sipping the coffee, then holding the cup between her hands.
Her mother sank onto the end of the bed. "I'm being so ridiculous, acting like this, when I've known for months you were leaving."
Penny grinned. "That's true, but I understand. I suppose I feel a little weepy myself."
"However, I'm extremely happy for you, Penny. You know I was always a little concerned before. I'm so glad you decided to go ahead and follow your heart after all, no matter what," Helen said, her face radiant. "I want you to know how proud I am of you."
Penny stared at her mother in confusion. What in the world was she talking about? Follow her heart? She shook her head. It was too early in the morning to try to work out word games.
Helen stood, leaned over and kissed her. ''Breakfast will be ready in a few minutes, dear. I know you're excited, but you'll need to eat something before we leave for the church."
"I know, Mom."
Her mother smiled at her from the doorway. "It's hard to believe it. My fondest wish is finally coming true."
Penny stared blankly at the door. Her fondest wish? Had her mother secretly coveted her room for some reason? Why else would she suddenly be so pleased while at the same time lamenting that Penny was leaving home today?
She shrugged. Maybe the excitement of the wedding was getting to her mother. She usually seemed very sane and sensible.
Penny discovered that her father wasn't making much sense, either. He came bounding into the kitchen while she was struggling to eat the breakfast her mother had prepared and gave her a big hug. "My God, Penny! You are simply wonderful. I still can't believe it. I'm so proud of you. I'm not losing a daughter, I'm finally gaining the son I've always wanted."
She watched as he poured himself a cup of coffee and joined her at the table.
"I still find it hard to believe," Ralph said with a wide grin. "The two of you are actually getting married this morning. Unbelievable!"
Perhaps her dad had been in some sort of time warp during the past few months. Otherwise he wouldn't find the idea of her wedding day quite so unbelievable. Although he had always been polite and cordial to Gregory, Penny had never heard her father express such a strong sentiment toward him before. She was pleased to see him warming to the idea.
Penny and her bridesmaids planned to change into their dresses at the church, so all she had to do before leaving home was her makeup and hair. After dutifully eating her breakfast. Penny took her time returning upstairs. She had plenty of time before they had to leave.
After a few moments in the bathroom, she hurried to her bedroom door, trying not to panic. "Mom!"
"Yes, dear," Helen responded from downstairs, a lilt to her voice.
"I hate to bother you, but I can't seem to find my contacts," she said, walking out into the hallway. Her mother came up the stairs and Penny went on, consciously working to stay calm. "I know they were here last night. I soaked them overnight but they aren't where I thought I left them." She turned back into her room.
Her mother followed her and walked over to the bathroom. "I'm not surprised. You were probably so caught up in all the excitement you didn't pay any attention to where you set them down."
"I wish I weren't so blind," Penny muttered. How many times had she said that, or thought it, over the years? She followed her mother into the smaller room, feeling
Penny rolled over onto her back and groggily looked up at her mother. She could see that her mother was trying not to cry at the thought that her daughter was leaving home at long last. Too bad she couldn't appreciate that very few women continued to live at home until they were twenty-five, Penny thought with amusement.
She pushed herself up, propping her pillow against the headboard. "Thanks, Mom," she said, sipping the coffee, then holding the cup between her hands.
Her mother sank onto the end of the bed. "I'm being so ridiculous, acting like this, when I've known for months you were leaving."
Penny grinned. "That's true, but I understand. I suppose I feel a little weepy myself."
"However, I'm extremely happy for you, Penny. You know I was always a little concerned before. I'm so glad you decided to go ahead and follow your heart after all, no matter what," Helen said, her face radiant. "I want you to know how proud I am of you."
Penny stared at her mother in confusion. What in the world was she talking about? Follow her heart? She shook her head. It was too early in the morning to try to work out word games.
Helen stood, leaned over and kissed her. ''Breakfast will be ready in a few minutes, dear. I know you're excited, but you'll need to eat something before we leave for the church."
"I know, Mom."
Her mother smiled at her from the doorway. "It's hard to believe it. My fondest wish is finally coming true."
Penny stared blankly at the door. Her fondest wish? Had her mother secretly coveted her room for some reason? Why else would she suddenly be so pleased while at the same time lamenting that Penny was leaving home today?
She shrugged. Maybe the excitement of the wedding was getting to her mother. She usually seemed very sane and sensible.
Penny discovered that her father wasn't making much sense, either. He came bounding into the kitchen while she was struggling to eat the breakfast her mother had prepared and gave her a big hug. "My God, Penny! You are simply wonderful. I still can't believe it. I'm so proud of you. I'm not losing a daughter, I'm finally gaining the son I've always wanted."
She watched as he poured himself a cup of coffee and joined her at the table.
"I still find it hard to believe," Ralph said with a wide grin. "The two of you are actually getting married this morning. Unbelievable!"
Perhaps her dad had been in some sort of time warp during the past few months. Otherwise he wouldn't find the idea of her wedding day quite so unbelievable. Although he had always been polite and cordial to Gregory, Penny had never heard her father express such a strong sentiment toward him before. She was pleased to see him warming to the idea.
Penny and her bridesmaids planned to change into their dresses at the church, so all she had to do before leaving home was her makeup and hair. After dutifully eating her breakfast. Penny took her time returning upstairs. She had plenty of time before they had to leave.
After a few moments in the bathroom, she hurried to her bedroom door, trying not to panic. "Mom!"
"Yes, dear," Helen responded from downstairs, a lilt to her voice.
"I hate to bother you, but I can't seem to find my contacts," she said, walking out into the hallway. Her mother came up the stairs and Penny went on, consciously working to stay calm. "I know they were here last night. I soaked them overnight but they aren't where I thought I left them." She turned back into her room.
Her mother followed her and walked over to the bathroom. "I'm not surprised. You were probably so caught up in all the excitement you didn't pay any attention to where you set them down."
"I wish I weren't so blind," Penny muttered. How many times had she said that, or thought it, over the years? She followed her mother into the smaller room, feeling
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