"Ma, we're here!"
"Ugh! Finally! You are the last one to arrive," She yells out, walking towards the front door to greet them. Quentin shrugs off his jacket, and the two guest follow his lead. They gave there jackets to Quentin, who hung it to his left on an open spot.
Amelia Romano stood there waiting, wearing a floral print apron over a short red dress. Her foot tap and her arms swung beside her hips. She blew the free strands of hair away from her face. Once the attention was on her, her eyes and whole face brightened up. Finally, she will have a chance to hug each and every one of them. Quentin walks towards her mother first, expecting her to hug her son first. However, he was wrong. Amelia pushed past her son and latched herself to Penny, her daughter-in-law.
"Aw, I am so, so, so happy that you could came," Amelia raves. Penny started to calm down a little bit. The tight squeeze of her mother-in-law halted her from shaking out of control. She also smelled divine. It was a classic perfume, something that Penny likes to imagine her mother wore.
She let go and brought her attention to the other's in the doorway. Penny got a chance to examine the interior design. The walls were clean white and a dark hardwood flooring. There were also three hallways leading away from the front door. It seems like they lead a living room and the kitchen. To her left was a little table topped with random books, decorative items, and two sconces beside it. So far, it was very different from her old home. This house feels like every open space was filled with life and love. Her house was fairly plain. She felt safe here.
Once the greetings were done, Penny had to ask, "So, who is at this dinner?"
"Oh, Quentin didn't tell you? Shame on him," Amelia scolds. "Well, Penny, dear, it's just the kids. Thanksgiving has always been an intimate Romano thing. We don't really have a big family, but they are so far and spread out, they just come for Christmas."
The paperweight on Penny's heart lifts and frees her from anxiety. No one new, just the same old siblings, with the addition of Ben's family.
Together, they walk forward, past the staircase upstairs to the open kitchen and dining room. The dark hardwood continues, along with the white walls. They past beautiful paintings and family photos.
Yes, very different from my old home.
The kitchen was also a similar white with white and gray swirled marble. The surprise was the dark, forest green cabinets. It was surely an accent piece that looked very nice in the supersized kitchen. The dining room table was huge. It can fit all of the Romano children, plus a lot of extra guest.
The guest have formed groups around the kitchen. Amelia was correct, they were the last one's to join. There was one unfamiliar face, a woman who was having around Benjamin near the kitchen counter. On top of the counter was another unfamiliar face, however, this one was a young child about three-years-old. The woman had tanned skin and dark brown hair and flowed down her back. It had to be his wife, Sofia, and the child must be theirs. The little girl sat happily on the counter, trying to get the attention of there parents.
Amelia made there presents known, and everyone put there attention on the couple walking in. She hears some "hi", some whispers of "Is that her?" (clearly from Sofia, who was curious at the girl), and then she feels the embrace of Addison.
The only one missing from the group was Danny, so she had to ask where he was.
"Oh, he is playing with Lukas," Addison answers. She was confused at who that was until she hears some yelling and a little boy runs past her. Danny is not to far behind, trying to catch the little boy, well Lukas.
"And there is Lukas, Ben's son. And on the counter is Tessa, she is three," she informs Penny. She got a good look at the youngest Romanos. They looked very similar and very much like there parents. They both had dark brown hair, that curled into ringlets, as well as vivid green eyes and slightly lighter skin of there mother. They looked like they just stepped off the beach from Greece, expect for the clothing.
Once Lukas sees his uncle, he jumps on and starts climbing upward. He grabs his nephew to pull him off and starts playing with him, while he shouts, "Uncle Quinn, Uncle Quinn!"
Sofia and Ben walk towards Penny and Addison with the young girl in there hands. "Hey, Penny, this is my wife Sofia. Sofia, this is Quentin new wife, Penelope Marshall," Ben introduces the two.
Penny would normally hold out her hand to shake, however, her hands were full with a child.
"It's so good to finally met you! Ben has spoken so highly of you. This is our youngest, Tessa, and she is three," Sofia finishes in a sweet, slight baby voice. Tessa shoves her head into her mother shoulder, with a small smile. "Tessa, this is Penny. She is your new aunty."
Penny waves to the little girl, "Hi, Tessa!"
She was never particular good with children. She never knew what to say or how to treat them.
Tessa lets out a little hello.
It was pretty adorable.
"Penny, Quentin, let me lead you to your room," Dante Romano says, taking his attention away from the kitchen. The Romano parents loved cooking together for every family meal.
Quentin and his father started some light small talk about the drive and how his week off has been. They walk up the grand staircase in the middle of the house to the second floor and into one of the rooms.
"I'm sorry, but is it okay if you and Penny share a room tonight? The only room left will be housed by Birdie," Dante apologizes, however, a slight up-turn of the lips tells Quinn that his father was anything but sorry.
"I guess it will be okay," Quentin replies. Penny was pretty quiet. She was shocked after hearing the news of them sharing a room.
The room was fairly plain: a bed with navy blue bedding, a light tan desk that was free, a door that is suppose to lead to an empty closet, and a few dressers. It didn't even have a couch for her to sleep on. Penny didn't feel comfortable enough with him to share the bed.
Quentin saw the uneasy look on Penny's face, so he asks, "What about Dylan's room? He's not here and hasn't been. I can stay in his room."
Now his father actually looked sorry, "You know your mother wouldn't like that."
He sighs, knowing his mother's hope of her son returning home.
Dante left the room, leading Birdie to the only guest room available in the gigantic Long Island house.
"I'm sorry about all of this," Quentin apologizes, throwing his bag onto the bed.
"It's okay, we will figure it out when the time comes," she finishes speaking with a yawn and her eyelids close to falling.
"Hey, why don't you take a nap before dinner, which is like in two hours. You seem like you could use it," he says, looking at his watch to confirm the time.
She was exhausted. After her early morning walk, working hard in the kitchen, and the building anxiety and close to having a panic attack, she was about to fall asleep. Everything was just too much for her and she just needed a moment to herself.
"Thank you," she says as she crawls onto one side of the bed and immediately closes her eyes. Quentin takes a moment to watch her breathing slow. Once he is sure she feel asleep, he softly walks across the carpet and closes the door behind him. He happened to run into his father.
"Where is Penny?" He ask his son. They walk away from the door together while Quentin tells how she is taking a nap before dinner.
"How are you two doing?" His father asked. Quentin knew this was going to happen sooner or later.
"We are on good terms. Earlier on, I was awful to her, but she forgave me and now we are getting closer." He decides to leave out the fact that he was dating a different woman.
"Hm" his father says, looking at his son in curiosity. "Well, that girl doesn't deserve any shit from anyone." He speeds away ahead of his son, grabbing two alcoholic drinks from the kitchen. He hands one to his son and they both mingle with there family on Thanksgiving.
***
Penny slept for about an hour, taking her time to wake up. She felt a little better, refreshed. It gave her heart, mind, and soul a break from her previous, close-to crippling anxiety and her lurking depression.
As if on cue, Aubrey slowly opens the door. She knew the young woman was sleeping, but she still wanted to check on her. It wasn't like she could get drunk with the rest of her family and the developing smells made her a little nauseous.
Penny turns towards the door and lets out a little "Hey".
"Hey," Aubrey whispers back. She goes to sit on the bed next to her. "So, how have you been?"
"I'm okay," Penny gives the generic questions.
"Please, don't give me that answer. Remember who you are talking to," she saws, points to herself. Penny turns onto her stomach and face in the pillow. She lets out a low groan, showing Aubrey that she wasn't really okay.
Aubrey waits for Penny to start talking. "It has been rough. I, ugh, I just feel like I don't know who I am. I know my likes and dislikes, but I feel like I don't know who I am. I am just a stranger in my body."
"Well, I am just saying this, but many people that have gone through repeated trauma in childhood can feel that way," Aubrey reassures her. "I am not saying implying that you have childhood trauma or forcing you to tell me."
Penny can understand it. It all makes sense. Since the age of fourteen, her father would demean her, call her vile names, and actively suppress her. She has spent the last ten years doing everything to please her father, making her she was up to his impossibly high standards. She wasn't herself, she was what her father wanted her to be.
"No, I do have some past trauma," she confesses. "I am just not ready to talk about okay."
"And that is perfectly okay," Aubrey reassures. "Hey, before you go back downstairs, why don't you take the Myer-Brigges personality test?" She whips her phone from her pant pocket. "Now, personality is so much more complicated and can't be placed in sixteen boxes, but it can help you realize what you would do in certain situations."
"Okay," she says with a slight shake in her voice. Aubrey hands the phone over and Penny starts taking the test. After about twelve minutes, she got her answer.
"I am a ISFP-T, the adventure."
"Okay, what does that mean?" Aubrey rushes over to look at the information on the phone.
"I am introverted, but really close to extroverted. Also I am observant, feeling, prospective, and turbulent. It says that I am a true artist."
"Hey, that is true for you," Aubrey compliments. "You are a beautiful actor, singer, and dancer. A true artist."
"Yeah," Penny smiles a little, "It also says that I am happy with who I am. I don't know if that is true."
"Well, let's keep reading," Aubrey tries to keep the mood light.
"Okay....oh my weakness are," Aubrey groans. That was not keeping it light, "easily stressed-that is true- and and fluctuating self-esteem- another one spot on."
"Is sarcastic on it too," she teases her friend. "Look at the strengths."
"Fine. My strengths include charming, sensitive to others, passionate, and artistic."
"I can see how those are true for you. You totally have won my family over, you are passionate and artistic over theater. Oh, how is that going? How was your audition?"
"It was okay, very similar to other ones. I performed like a usually did," Penny tried to keep it low-key, because it was just that. It wasn't anything special, meaning that nothing special will come from it. She preferred to stay hopeless.
"I know it seems easier to have a pessimistic view of the world, but you should always look for the positives of things," Aubrey informs.
"Yeah," she said, not really interested. "You know what I think it is time to rejoin the party."
Aubrey sighs, but ultimately agrees. They can take more next week.
***
Penelope mingles with around the family. Some were tipsy, some were full-blown sober. Penny had a drink in her hand, but didn't want to get tipsy that night. It was a family gathering, and it would be embarrassing if something happened when she was drunk.
Danny came up to her and pulled her aside to an empty sitting room.
"What is this about?" Penny asks, a little frustrated at him taking her away.
"The casting director called me first," Danny cryptically said. She felt her stomach drop. Oh no, another rejection. She screw her eyes shut, pinching the bridge of her nose, preparing for the worst. "You got it...you got the main lead."
She opened her eyes and moved her hands away from her face. She didn't really reacted her face was drawing a blank. The same thing happened to her mind.
"Penny, are you okay," Danny asked. "This is great news, aren't you excited?"
"I-I think" She questioned herself. She knew she should be jumping up and down, screaming at the top of her lungs. This wasn't just a simple swing role, or background dancer. This was the main lead in a new Off-Broadway production.
However, all she could think was I don't deserve this.
She walked away, straight to the kitchen and poured herself a heavier drink. Daniel decided to leave it alone for now. She wasn't reacting how all clients react. She is just in shock he told himself.
I guess I am getting drunk tonight, Penny told herself.
The girl, along with most of the family, continued there drinking. It was finally five o'clock and dinner was ready. Penny and Addison help Dante and Amelia bring all the food over to the table. However, as they were cutting into the large turkey, the doorbell rang.
"That's odd," Amelia said, getting up to answer the door. A shriek is let out. Everyone's heart beat increases and almost everyone rushes to the door, including Penny.
Amelia wasn't in harm. She was crying, but from joy. She moved out of the way and almost all the Romano's gasp. Penny was confused.
At the door was a man with dirty blond hair, cut very short, and the classic Romano green eyes. It looked familiar to Penny, but she just put it aside to him being related to the Romano family
Quentin dropped, "Dylan, you're here."