Chapter 7: River

I pleaded, “Come on Kelly, just once more! Please! Please? For me?”

Kelly grumbled, “Ok, ok, but this is the last time! Checking your suit three times in one morning is enough!”

“Thanks, you’re an angel! I want to be perfect for Penny. This is so important!”

Kelly rolled her eyes, “It’s still perfect. If she’s anything like the three of us were when we were 15, you could wear trash bags and she’d still throw you to the floor and make out with you in the middle of the restaurant.”

I smiled as I remembered, “Yep, you’re probably right. Since this is one of our hotels, if Penny’s willing, I might just do that to her today.”

Kelly laughed and shook her head, “Nope. I love you, but you’re a coward. I know you won’t.” She laughed some more. “But once we’re in private, oooh baby! We’re gonna need some fire extinguishers in here!” Kelly patted my back, “It’s time, mister Big Business Man. Go get her!”

As I turned to leave, Kelly opened one of her overabundance of suitcases and out of the corner of my eye I saw something poking out. Was that a feather? I thought, “Nevermind, this is important! It’s Penny!”

I made sure I had a copy of the silly “contract” we sent Penny in my pocket. We would share a good laugh about that. I walked over and had a seat. I had reserved a small wrought iron table on the patio, overlooking the woods and the river. Very nice. I ordered a coffee and eagerly waited for Penny.

A few minutes later, I saw a lady hobbling on a crutch, with casts on her arm and lower leg. She had her fine blonde hair tied in pretty braids. She looked at me and asked, “Karl?” I saw her face for the first time in over fifteen years and my heart melted. It was HER! It was my Penelope! After all these years, how could she be even prettier than I remembered! Her growing smile filled me with joy.

I got up and went to help. “Penny, I’m so happy to see you! Or is it Jenny now?” Penny looked happy, but also very uncertain. I was also quite flustered, “Uh ... um ... can I give you a hand?” I helped her to her seat. “I hope coffee, waffles and fruit is ok?” I knew Penny loved waffles with fruit.

I snagged a passing waiter and ordered. He said, “Very good, sir.” and headed to the kitchen.

Penny was happy to see me, but obviously very worried about something. “I ah, just had some questions about this contract thing?”

Being a serious businessman, I reverted to a serious business tone to recover from my nervousness. Instead of being playful and loving, I was formal and uptight. STUPID! I had probably interviewed a hundred employees in the past few years, and fell into my usual routine. I took the contract out of my pocket and glanced at it. I answered her, “Sure Jenny, I’ll be happy to go over all the details. I’m sure we can find a way to adjust anything you’re not happy with.” Instead of joking about how silly it was, I started going over the terms, as if it was a serious deal. STUPID!

Naturally, Penny thought I wanted the ‘contract’ to be serious. Her mood and facial expression suddenly changed from nervous to angry. “Reading this thing, you want to pay me to give nose rides and wash your sausage?”

Too late, I realized my huge mistake. I tried to interrupt, ““No! Wait!”

She vented her outrage. “What do you think I am! I loved you! Now you want to treat me like some kind of CHEAP WHORE!”

“BANG!” She hit the table with the cast on her wrist, turned to leave, and started getting up.

I frantically apologized, “Wait! I’m so sorry! We still love you! It’s not a real job, it was a joke! Please!”

She sat back down and pulled out a long white cigarette. “Just shut up and let me think a minute!” She lit the cigarette and took a puff.

Smoking was stinky, dirty, unhealthy. Penny smoked now! Gross! But I watched her full moist-looking lips with the perfect light purple shade of lip gloss on them, the sucking motion of her cheeks. Why was I getting horny? She looked out at the river, and her anger seemed to diminish slightly.

My attention was also subconsciously drawn to the way she held the cigarette with her slender fingers, and tapped it with her long red fingernail to knock the ash off into the ashtray. Such long slim fingers, and pretty, long, red fingernails. It made me think about the last time all those years ago, when those same fingers were tickling Kelly’s nipple, and her other hand was down my pants...

Penny asked me something. I was so focused I didn’t hear it. NO!!! What did she just say??? She had asked me something, but I didn’t know what! My brain couldn’t find any words! I had to say something!

She intently stared at me, offended and hurt. She was waiting for me to say something. “Well?”

“I...”

Just then, the most incredible thing happened. A tall, pretty, red-haired woman with long legs and big boobs rode in on a skateboard! She was wearing full 17th century sea garb, a sword belt, and a pirate hat with peacock feather plumage.