She approaches me, sadness still written on her face, but she isn’t crying.
“You’d like to share a house with me?”
“Baby, I want to share everything with you.”
It’sChristmas Eve morning and things feel tense. Mostly because Holly is avoiding both Penny and me like the plague.
My side of the family has taken everything in stride, like I knew they would. I guess I didn’t expect such a cold shoulder from Holly. My uncle is kind and accepting, but is sticking by his wife—I guess I get that now.
Even if Penny is wrong about something, I’d still take her side.
The meal is less lively than years past, but I try to make the best of it. It’s a shame that there’s still straining tension when there’s so much breakfast food on the table. Holly watches as I touch her daughter’s shoulder and comfort her.
We’re free from our secret, but we aren’t free from judgment, at least in Holly’s eyes.
“Mom,” Penny says across the table, and Holly glances up at her daughter. “I was really hoping you’d come and see the place we’re under contract for. I’d really like help decorating it.”
My wife takes the higher road, extending the olive branch, and I squeeze her shoulder in reassurance and support.
“You bought a house?” she asks. Her tone is hard to decipher.
“We did. It’s in Jessa and Aiden’s neighborhood.”
“That is a nice area,” Holly says with a nod. “Do you have a color scheme picked out?”
Penny nods, handing her mother her phone. Holly puts on her glasses and swipes through her inspiration pictures.
“I’d love to help,” she says, only looking at Penny.
It might not be the warm welcoming I was hoping I’d get as her son-in-law, but I can tell how much this means to Penny.
“We close on the fifth. Maybe you could come over, see the place and we could all do lunch?” Penny asks, looking at both of her parents.
“We’d love that,” my uncle Tim answers for both of them.
I don’t know if it’s the holidays or seeing how much her disapproval was hurting Penny, but I call it a win.
“Oh shit,” Penny says, looking down at her phone. “I’ve got to go. Thank you for having us.”
“Where are you going?” Holly asks, having been completely out of the loop from her daughter’s life. I let it slide because they’ve made peace. Plus, any chance I get to brag about my girl, I’m going to take it.
“She helped plan the Ray’s holiday party,” I say proudly, and Penny beams.
“Thank you again for introducing me and Krystal to the owner,” Penny directs at Aiden.
“It was a no brainer. Go do your thing,” Aiden says, waving her off.
Holly looks at her daughter again and I think she finally realizes how truly happy she is. I know I’m a part of it, but more than anything, it’s all Penny, she’s finally figured out who she is. I take pride in knowing I was part of that journey, but in the end it was all her.
She leans down, no embarrassment or shame as she kisses me on the lips.
“I’ll see you back at home?” She pulls out her keys and Holly tracks the motion, realizing her daughter is driving again.
“Yeah, baby, take lots of pictures,” she grins, pulling away in her tight little red dress and higher than needed black heels as she clicks her way to the front door and heads to work.
Holly stares after her daughter for a minute and takes a deep breath.
“So… tell me more about the house,” she says, looking right at me.
