AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chapter 6
Kennedy Takahashi
Penny runs ahead of us along a well-worn path that leads down to the guesthouse. I have to admit, the cottage looks like something out of a storybook. There’s a little white picket fence out front, along with a well-tended flower garden overflowing with colorful perennials. The window boxes are filled with brightly-colored annuals.
I’m supposed to share this cottage with Connor for an entire weekend?
What in the world was Skye thinking? She knows how much it hurt me to leave him. This is going to be disastrous. I jog ahead to catch up with Penny. She beats me to the front door, opens it, and steps inside. I follow her in.
Even though it’s small, the cottage is picture perfect inside and out, like something out of a home design magazine. Skye’s done an amazing job decorating, making it feel larger and more spacious than it is. The white cabinetry, soft white walls, and pale wood floors give the illusion of spaciousness. The vaulted ceiling is high, and there are numerous windows letting in tons of light, making the main living space feel bright and airy.
“This is the kitchen,” Penny says, waving her little arms as she turns in a dramatic circle.
The kitchen is compact, yet well-equipped with all the conveniences. Instead of a dining table, there are two barstools set in front of a high-top breakfast bar.
Penny points to a colorful sign drawn with crayon and stuck to the fridge door with a smiley face magnet. “And here’s the picture I made for you. It says ‘welcome.’ Mommy helped me write the letters.”
Quite the little hostess, Penny points out the pieces of furniture that take up the other half of the open space. “Here’s the sofa and the chair. And that’s the fireplace and the TV.”
Continuing her tour, Penny points to the three doors along the rear wall. “Those are the bedrooms,” she says, pointing to the two doors on the far ends. “And that door in the middle goes to the bathroom. There’s only one bathroom, so you have to share.”
All I can think is, I hope there’s a lock on the bathroom door. The last thing I need is for Connor to walk in on me when I’m in the shower.
Penny races into the bedroom to the right of the bathroom. “Come see your bedroom, Aunt Kennedy. I helped Mommy pick out the quilt.”
I follow her into a cozy little bedroom. There’s a full-size bed in a white bedframe against the back wall, with a nightstand on each side. There’s a small dresser with a mirror, and a door that leads to what I presume is a closet. Two good-sized windows let in plenty of light.
“Do you like it?” Penny asks me, her expression hopeful.
“Yes, it’s beautiful.”
The little girl smiles. “Good. I like it. Pink’s my favorite color.”
The color scheme is white with accents of pale pink and yellow—very soothing and restful. My suitcase is sitting on a luggage rack in the corner of the room, along with my carry-on bag.
Penny climbs up onto the bed and pats the pale floral quilt. “Uncle Connor gets the other room,” she says, pointing in the general direction. “It’s blue. It’s for boys. This room is for girls.”
Her simplistic view of gender identity makes me smile.
“If you want me to, I could sleep here with you,” Penny suggests. “We could have a sleepover. We could watch movies and eat popcorn.”
I smile because she’s a girl after my own heart. Connor and I used to—I catch myself.Stop it.“I would love that, Penny. Let’s ask your parents.” Hopefully they’ll say yes. Having Penny here as a buffer between me and Connor sounds like a fantastic idea.
“I’ll ask my daddy.” Penny hops down off the bed and races out the door, yelling, “Daddy!”
Taking advantage of a few precious moments alone in this lovely bedroom, I close the door and sit at the foot of the bed. This trip isn’t turning out at all how I expected. I can’t believe they invited us to come at the same time and expect us to share the same space. I’ll be a nervous wreck all weekend. The cottage is beautiful, but I can’t enjoy it if I have to worry about where Connor is every second of the day.
Maybe we could come up with a schedule. We could split our time between the cottage and the main house so that we don’t have to see each other. That sounds like a perfect solution. It’s only for a few days. Surely we can make that work.
My heart jumps when I hear a quiet knock at the door, but I quickly relax when I realize it can’t be Connor. He doesn’t do anything quietly.
“Come in,” I say hesitantly. I don’t think it’s Penny, either. I don’t think she’d bother to knock.
The door opens, and Will pops his head inside and peers around the room. “Is everything in order? Do you need anything?”
I wave him into the room, whispering, “Come in and close the door.”
He does as I ask and watches me with a great deal of curiosity. “Why are we whispering?”
