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“I promise we won’t do any of that. You won’t even know I’m here.”
I laugh a little at the unlikelihood of that. I’ve always been powerless to ignore Penny’s presence.
Chapter 17
PENNY
Three afternoons a week, I work as a receptionist at a veterinarian’s office after school. I love it because not only do I get to meet some of the cutest animals I’ve ever seen— like the weirdly adorable chinchilla—but because time flies by. The phone rings almost nonstop. I’m shocked daily at the things people’s pets will swallow, and yes, your pet should see a vet if they swallow a foreign object…or your roommate’s edibles.
When my mom picks me up at seven thirty, I’m excited to tell her about a forty-five-year-old parrot that came in for a checkup today who could mimic the sounds of a toy laser gun and a microwave perfectly.
But as soon as I climb into the passenger seat of her car, she says, “Mr. Fox called me today.”
Mister Fox sounds odd to me, like it’s the name of a cartoon character teaching us about forest safety.
“Really?” I say, trying to play it cool by pulling the elastic from my ponytail and shaking my hair out.
She throws me a knowing glance. “Don’t act surprised, Penny.”
“I’m not acting; I am surprised. I really didn’t think he was going to call you.” The fact that he called has my stomach all sorts of fluttery, even though I’m sure he only did it because he wants Lily to be happy.
“Well, imagine my surprise when he told me my daughter would rather live with two strangers than her own parents.”
I raise my eyebrows at her. “Strangers? Seriously, Mom? I’ve known Alex since I was six, and I’ve known Lily for a year. I’m at their house almost every day. You and Dad are more strangers to me than Alex and Lily are.”
“That’s not funny, Penny.”
“You’re right. It’s sad…but it’s also true.”
We pull up to a red light and share a moment of tense silence. My heart has begun to race, knowing the fate of the next year of my life is going to be revealed at any second.
When the light turns green, I say, “It’s not that I’d rather live with them. It’s that I don’t want to move to California. I want to stay here and graduate with my friends, keep my job, and try to figure out what I want to do next in life while I’m of sound mind, not while having an epic depressive episode on the West Coast.”
“I understand that, Penny, but I’m not sure I feel comfortable with you staying with the Foxes.”
“Why not?”
“Because I don’t think a young girl should be living with a single man who has zero parenting experience.”
“Lily is.”
“Lily’s not my problem.”
“Wow, Mom. Uncaring much?”
“That’s not what I meant. I care about Lily, but she’s not my daughter.”
“I really don’t see the issue. You used to let me go over to Alex’s house all the time when I was little, and no one else was even there.”
“That’s because you used to run over there every time I wasn’t looking and scream bloody murder if I tried to keep you home.”
“I’ll do that now if it’ll convince you to let me stay.” I’m only half kidding.
“Penny, this is a huge decision. Your father and I have talked about it, but we’re not sure it’s the right thing to do.”
“The other day, you said I was almost an adult and had to learn to deal with change and adapting, remember?”
She nods noncommittally. “Mmm…”
“Then let me change and adapt by staying in New Hampshire. I’m almost eighteen. Let this be my first adult decision. Let me keep my job and graduate with my friends and be happy before I have to go do even more adult things.”
We pull into our driveway and she sighs as she turns the engine off. “I’m torn. You’ve never been away from home before.”
Funny that she says that because inside, I’ve felt like I’ve been away from home my entire life.
“I’ll be fine,” I assure her. “Alex is a good guy. He doesn’t party or have random men or women traipsing through his house. Me and Lily will just do what we always do every night and weekend—eat dinner, watch TV, and listen to music down by the lake. Lily can pick me up from work, so I won’t be walking around town.”
I can see the internal debate all over her face as she stares at the front of our house.
“Please, Mom?” I plead, turning to face her in the dim light of the car. “Please let me do this. I don’t want to hurt you and Dad, but I’m happy. I don’t want to move and face the possibility of being all anxious, lonely, and depressed because I have to give up everything that makes me happy. And honestly, for what? You and Dad are both so wrapped up in work that you’ll hardly spend any time with me, anyway. Is it really worth it? Don’t you want me to be happy?”
