Page 60 of Persuading Penny
“Hi, Georgina,” I said, my gaze darting all over the place looking for any sign of Cliff.
“I’ve been swinging on the swing for over an hour,” she announced. “I want to practice so that I can break a world record.”
I smiled. “Are your parents at home?”
“Of course they are. They wouldn’t leave me alone...not alone with Tommy. We’re having a picnic in the back yard. Daddy made his famous chickpea salad.” She grimaced. “But I don’t really like it.”
Reagan came around the corner from the backyard. “Penny,” she said, genuinely surprised. “How nice to see you. I wasn’t expecting you.”
“I’m sorry to just drop in unannounced. I... I...”
“We’re all out back having a light lunch. Why don’t you join us.”
“Oh. Oh, no,” I said, rather flustered. This was going all wrong, so desperately wrong. “I...” I looked toward my car. I had to find Cliff before he left for London. Should I tell her I was looking for him. Perhaps she knew where he was.
Reagan hooked her arm in mine. “Come. Please. You’re pale. Have you eaten this morning?”
No. I guess I haven’t.
I followed her for sheer lack of strength to fight her. Before turning the corner of the house, Tommy came running to us.
“Hawo!”he shouted on seeing me. “Are you coming to play on the swing?”
“Maybe after we finish eating, Tommy,” Reagan said.
On the patio, at the back of the house, Richard sat at the table where big bowls of salad, a platter of sandwiches and an assortment of marinades were spread across a white linen tablecloth.
But as we approached, as we got closer, I saw that Richard wasn’t alone at the table. Seated beside him was Cliff.
My knees buckled and I’m certain the blood drained from my face.
He looked up and saw me, instantly setting his fork down. He stood and came around the table. “Penny,” he whispered.
Reagan looked at us, an unspoken question in her eyes.
“I got...”I said. “My father gave me that letter...”
Cliff glanced at Reagan and looked back to Richard. “If you’ll excuse us. There’s something we need to discuss.”
He gently set his hand on the small of my back and guided me away from the table.
“Uncle Cliffy. Uncle Cliffy,” Tommy shouted, holding up a toy truck. “Are you coming to play?”
“In a minute, Tommy. I just need to tell Penny something.”
“What?”The little boy looked up at us with open curiosity.
Cliff ruffled the boy’s hair. “I’ll tell you after I’ve told Penny, okay.”
“Then you’ll play with me?”
“Sure.”
Satisfied with that answer, Tommy ran to the swings to play with his sister.
“I didn’t know where to find you,” I said as we resumed walking.
“And yet your instincts brought you here.”
