The Babysitter Beta Part 11

I descended the stairs dressed for a casual date. My navy blue polo shirt was nice without trying too hard, and I left it unbuttoned at the top. The dark jeans beneath it were thicker than I preferred for the June weather, but they’d be comfortable in air conditioning. The dress shoes were the most formal pieces, but they were comfortable to wear around the house. From what I’d caught in the mirror, I looked good. 

I poked my head into the kitchen, and Abby ran to me with her arms outstretched. I picked her up and carried her while checking in on my mother. “Need any help?” 

“No.” My mother shook her head. “Now get out of my kitchen.” 

I rolled my eyes. “It’s my kitchen.” 

“Get out.” My Mami said. “You’re in my way.” 

“I thought you were making fajitas on the grill?” I asked, examining the ingredients and bowls on the island counter. The sweet potatoes and bowl of black beans suggested she’d changed her mind at the grocery store. 

“Ah, I decided on something else.” My Mami said. “Don’t worry. You love Arroz Con Pollo.” 

I did, but I wasn’t sure how Lana felt about it. “Okay, just go light on the seasoning, maybe?” 

“See?” My mother asked, hand on her hip. “You meddle. Now get out of my kitchen!” 

“My kitchen!” Abby repeated. 

I laughed. “Did you have fun at the grocery store?” I asked.

“She was very well-behaved.” My mother said, nodding. “She didn’t beg like you and Alejandro for all the cereals.” 

“Uh-huh.” I said, glancing toward the top of my fridge. “And how many boxes of cereal did you buy?” 

“Just the one.” My mother answered. “She likes the Froot Loops, so I bought her Froot Loops.” 

“Toucan!” Abby said and flapped her arms. 

I shook my head. Growing up, my brother and I were frequently told that we were allergic to Froot Loops, Trix, and Cinnamon Toast Crunch. The lies a mother tells her children to purchase Cheerios, which were within the budget and healthier for two growing boys who didn’t need the sugar. Abuelas had no such restrictions and spoiled their granddaughters with sugar, which they didn’t have to be there to deal with. However, if he asked her to stay the night and feed Penny breakfast, his mother would declare the guest room her new home. 

“Come on, Abby. Let’s go play with your kitchen. We’ll cook fajitas.” I said, nodding toward the playroom. 

Abby enthusiastically agreed and hopped in my arms until I set her feet on the floor. Once soles hit the tile, she was off like a shot, and I jogged to keep up with her, laughing at her enthusiasm. 

With my mother in the kitchen, I texted Penny. 

Julio: My mother’s in the kitchen. You should be able to sneak out the front door if you’re careful. 

As I hit send, the doorbell rang. Abby immediately changed direction, eager to greet the newcomers. A momentary panic seized me, but it was still too early for Lana and Anne to arrive. It was probably my father. 

I turned around to approach the door, but I was too late. My mother got there first, still wearing my ‘Kiss the Cook’ apron over her Sunday best. 

“Hello?” My mother asked. “Are you Lana?” 

“What?” A very confused Amanda Rogers stood on my front steps, confused. “No, I’m Amanda Rodgers. I live next door?” She gestured in the direction of her house. “I was just looking for my daughter, Penny? Or is Julio home?” 

“Oh, you’re Penny’s madre, come in.” My mother said, stepping aside to make room for her. 

Abby entered the room behind me just as Amanda stepped through the door. My toddler hid behind my legs at the newcomer and looked at her wide-eyed. “It’s okay.” I said, assuring her. “It’s Miss Mandy.” 

“Hi, Abby!” Amanda beamed and waved her hand at Abby, who didn’t lighten her grip on my jeans. “She’s in the shy stage, huh?” 

I nodded. “Until she gets attached.” I said. 

“Right.” Amanda said, brushing a strand of chestnut hair behind her ear as she took me in. She smiled. “Hey, Julio.” Her whole demeanor changed when she said my name and her stance took on a nervousness that seemed almost odd. 

She wore a light summer sundress today and had her hair done recently, possibly yesterday. It fell to her shoulders in waves, and the straps of her shoulderless dress showed off the tan lines of a halter-top bikini. I smiled slightly, my demeanor shifting into the awkward space. Unlike either of them, I knew Penny was upstairs and could probably hear us if she listened. Amanda and I hadn’t spoken since our evening together, and it was weird to see her again, given my situation with her daughter. 

Whatever awkward atmosphere was in the air, my mother mistook it with a clap of her hands and bright-eyed recognition. She noticed the awkward glances between Amanda and me and her lack of rings, put two and two together, and produced five. “You must be the other woman he wouldn’t tell me about. The one he likes.” My mother said, smiling. “You’ll stay for dinner, won’t you? We’re having a party.”

I couldn’t tell who my mother’s words shocked more, me or Amanda. 

“We are?” I asked. Tonight was supposed to be a date dinner, had spiraled into a small ‘meet the parents dinner,’ and was now a party? My mother always had a ‘more is merrier’ policy regarding Sunday dinners, but those were usually family events at her house. She didn’t seem to care that she offered my home and hospitality to others instead of her own.

“Of course!” My mother said. “Alejandro’s on his way, as is your Papi.” She said. “And you invited your other friends, si?” 

“Si, Mami,” I said, rolling my eyes. “But–” 

“Well, you can tell them not to come if you want to, but we’re having a party.” My mother shrugged. “You stay.” She gestured to Amanda. “He likes you better anyway. Penny is welcome, too. I’m sure we can fit her at the kid’s table.” My mother said as she walked away toward the kitchen as if this were decided. 

“Penny’s an adult, Mami.” I said, trying to protest everything she was saying but latching onto the one that struck my biggest nerve. Penny was nineteen and an adult. There could be no question about that. 

“Si, si, but she can sit at the kid’s table.” Mami said as she disappeared into the kitchen. “We’ll need someone to corral them.” 

Abby wasn’t that much of a handful, why would we need–my thoughts cut themselves off as my brain finished processing something else she said. 

“Wait–Alejandro’s coming?” I asked, picking up Abby and following my mother. Amanda, shaking her head, shut the front door behind her and followed us. If Alejandro was coming, his wife and their twin boys were coming, too. This was chaos. I never should have let my mother through the door this morning. 

“Si, si.” My mother said as she returned to her cooking. 

“But why?” I asked. 

“It’s Sunday dinner! I couldn’t not invite your brother to Sunday dinner.” My mother said, shaking her head. 

“No, Mami, it’s…” I glanced at Amanda. “I mean, it was supposed to be a date dinner.” 

“Oh, you have a girlfriend?” Amanda asked. Her tone wasn’t accusatory but curious. 

“No, not exactly.” I said. “We went on two dates, but we haven’t–” 

“It’s Sunday dinner!” My mother interrupted. “You put on an apron and help me with these empanadas.” She gestured at Amanda, volunteering her for kitchen labor. “You!” She gestured at me. “Get out of my kitchen.” 

How did I let things get this out of hand? My world was already spiraling out of control, and things were beyond saving. My mother had sprung an entire family dinner on Lana, ambushing her, and now Amanda was here? 

“What are you doing?” I asked as Amanda pulled on a blank apron.

“Helping.” Amanda said. Her mischievous smile crept across her face as she tied the strings behind her back. “Now get out of the kitchen. Let me get to know your mom.” She winked at me, and I swallowed what I was about to say out of sheer confusion. 

“Amanda…” I said, shaking my head. 

“I told you, Julio. Call me Mandy.” She put her hand on my arm and patted my forearm. “Now let me wash up and help. I don’t mind joining your party, I didn’t have dinner plans tonight anyway, honestly. Penny’s probably at Rowan’s, and my girlfriends all have their husbands to get to, so I’m a free woman tonight.” 

“Yeah, but–” 

“Don’t worry about it.” Amanda said, squeezing my forearm where she’d left her hand. “We’ll talk later.” 

I nodded and looked around for Abby to find her nose pressed against the sliding glass door, watching a pair of squirrels on the patio. I scooped her up and left Penny’s mom and mine in the kitchen together. 

“Come on, Abby, let’s clean up the dining room if we can fit everyone.” I mumbled. “Anyone else you invited I should know about, Mami?” I called after I left the kitchen. 

She didn’t answer, but she and Amanda shared a laugh. 

Abby wasn’t much help cleaning the dining room, but she did play with her toy kitchen in the attached living room long enough to let me clear the table and put in the leaf. Penny descended the stairs quietly while I worked and looked at me with two raised eyebrows. I texted her rather than risk whispering. 

Julio: Your mom and mine are in the kitchen. 

Penny almost laughed but shook her head and tiptoed to the front door. She opened and closed it while standing inside, drawing Abby’s attention. Looking up from her toy kitchen playset, she ran over to Penny with a laughing grin on her face. 

Penny squatted and plucked Abby from the ground, making the younger girl squeal. 

“Well, hello, Abby! Did you miss me?” Penny asked, laughing. 

“Yeah!” Abby said and kicked to be let down so she could pull Penny over to her kitchen playset. 

“Oh, there you are.” Amanda said, entering the room. “The house was empty, so I came here looking for you.” 

Penny smiled and waved awkwardly at her mom. “Yeah… I didn’t like being home alone, so I went for a walk. It’s so nice out.” 

The beautiful June weather was hot, but the day was low in humidity and nice otherwise. It’d be a great day for a hike or a swim. Though the dinner plans seemed ever-growing in the chaos of my house. 

“You didn’t answer your phone either.” Amanda said, frowning. “I was worried.” 

“I unplugged for a bit.” Penny said. I could tell she was lying, but I didn’t call her on it. I didn't need to know her reasons for not answering when her mother called her. Hell, they might even be my fault if it was while we were in the shower together. Or she worried about her voice drifting downstairs while on the call and hiding from my mother like we were teenagers. Well, I supposed she still was. 

“Well, next time, text me and let me know where you are.” Amanda said. She crossed her arms, playing the role of the reproving mother. 

Penny shrugged. “I’m nineteen, Mom. I don’t need to report my location to you every minute of every day. Besides, where were you last night? Once Dad left, you fucked off with your friends, and I didn’t get so much as a text from you until this afternoon.” 

“Language!” Amanda said, glaring at Penny. “Watch your language in front of Abby, young lady.” 

Penny seemed a little embarrassed about the slip-up, but Abby only looked confused about what word Penny had said might be the one she wasn’t supposed to learn. She’d been too busy ignoring the adults, flipping plastic burgers, and trying to cut them into strips for fajitas to catch it. 

“So where were you, then?” Penny asked. 

Amanda’s eyes flicked to me, and she looked more embarrassed than Penny had a moment ago. “That’s not important. I’m an adult and–” 

“So am I.” Penny said. “And what are you doing here, anyway? And why are you wearing an apron?” 

“I’m helping Valentina in the kitchen.” Amanda said, gesturing behind her. “Can you help Mister Castillo with Abby?” 

“Of course.” Penny said, rolling her eyes. 

It was weird to hear Amanda call my mother by her first name, but stranger still to realize the only way she knew it was that my mother had given it to her. Most people called her Mrs. Castillo. My father called her Val. Valentina was what my mother had told Charlie to call her when they first met. The similarity struck me dumb as Amanda returned to the kitchen, and Penny and Abby took up playing with her playset. 

“You okay?” Penny asked, looking up at me from her crouch as Abby handed her a tiny plastic teacup. 

“Yeah…” I said, coming out of my haze. “Tonight is just insane.” 

Penny smiled and sipped her imaginary tea. She and Abby played while I continued setting up the dining room. I added a square folding table for the “kid’s table” large enough to seat four. The dining room table would have to do for the adults. Myself, Mami, Papi, Alejandro, Gabriella, Lana, Anne, and Amanda made eight around the table, three on each side, one at each end. There wasn’t room for Penny. 

Twenty minutes after Penny joined us, my father arrived at the front door and let himself in. My father was wrinkled with age, but his grip was firm. He had the broad, rigid posture of an army veteran and carried himself with the air of command, even though he’d been retired for decades. At seventy-two, he spent his days golfing, relaxing, fishing, and doting on his grandchildren. 

Abby was more than happy to run up to him when he entered. He scooped her up with a huff and delivered the presents he’d brought. Abby’s love for plastic horses grew with her collection every time Papi visited. He seemed determined to spoil my daughter rotten between that and the candy he brought. 

“Sir.” I said, greeting my father. 

“Julio! Good to see you.” He set Abby down, and she opened the box to pull out her new toy on the floor. My father shook my hand and pulled me into a hug. He’d grown more affectionate and familiar in his later years, which was not a complaint. He’d been an intimidating, disciplinary presence in my life for most of my childhood, often absent on work duties that I now understood came with a job in the military. Now, he was an affable grandfather. “Your mother’s in the kitchen?”   

“Yeah, she’s getting dinner ready, I think.” And chatting with my neighbor, which didn’t make me nervous at all if anyone asked. “This is Penny.” I said, gesturing to her as she approached and placed her hand on my back. “She’s Abby’s nanny.” 

“A pleasure to meet you!” My father said, shaking Penny’s hand with both of his. They’d met before in passing, but he clearly didn’t recognize her. No reason he should, really. “No rings, I see. Has Val tried to convince you to date this one?” He nodded toward me. 

Penny laughed and shook her head. “No, I think she’s trying to convince my mother, though.” 

My dad laughed. “Oh? And how old are you?” He glanced at me as if trying to determine whether I returned Penny’s evident familiarity as she stood close beside me. 

“Nineteen.” Penny answered. 

“A year younger than your mother was when we got married.” My dad said, nodding toward the kitchen. “She couldn’t cook worth a penny then, but if she’s handling the cooking tonight we’re in for a treat. Amazing what a few decades will do to build your skills.” 

Penny smiled and gave me an amused look. Unfortunately, she had to step away as Abby ran over to show her new toy horse. The girls took the toy to Abby’s room, and I cleaned the debris the box left behind on the living room carpet. 

My father took his cue to sit in the recliner and relax.

“Would you like anything to drink, Papi?” I asked. 

“Bourbon.” My dad answered. “If you have it. Or a beer.” 

I nodded and fetched him a glass of bourbon from the bar. Then, I joined him in the living room for a few minutes as he caught me up on his latest fishing trip. 

The next time the doorbell rang, Alejandro, his wife Gabriella, and their twin ten-year-old sons Hugo and Javier arrived next. The boys seemed to grow every time I saw them, and they were happy enough to greet their grandfather, who took them out to the car to receive their new toys and whatever candy he’d bought for them. 

My older brother was a taller, slimmer version of me. He’d always been a bit of a beanpole but had filled out over the years. The gray at his temples made him look distinguished and professorial in his Sunday clothes. 

His wife, Gabriella, had always been beautiful, but she was the smarter of the two, in my opinion. Her raven black hair, slender figure, and wide hips had always made her attractive, but her eyes were sharper than blades. Not that she was mean or cutting, but intelligent without apology. My brother did okay in engineering, but he’d become more managerial than hands-on over the years. Gabriella was an electrical engineer who could give anyone a run for their money. Her bright smile shone as she saw me. 

I hugged them both with one arm and released them. 

“How are you doing?” Gabriella asked me with all the unspoken curiosity and comfort behind her question. She’d never struck me as a maternal woman; even seeing her with her boys, she was a stern and unyielding force of nature. Yet, in every conversation I had with her since Charlie died, she acted as if I were made of porcelain and softened her tone for fear of breaking me. 

“I’ve been terrific.” I said, nodding. “It’s… yeah. Things have been great, honestly.” Too great in some respects. 

“Good!” Gabriella said. “That’s good.” She put her hand on my arm and patted me. I could tell she didn’t believe me, but whatever softness she offered, my brother broke by slapping my other arm. 

“Daniella told me you never called her back, you asshole.” Alejandro said, nodding. “What’s the matter? Are you not ready to jump into the dating pool after all? Too scared?” 

Gabriella’s smack against Alejandro’s arm was strong enough for him to wince. 

“What?” Alejandro asked. “He’s my brother, I’m supposed to give him a hard time.” 

I laughed. “I just… I felt bad about rambling on for most of our dinner about Charlie and Abby, and I got the feeling Daniella wasn’t that interested.” 

“Eh.” Alejandro shrugged. “She wasn’t heartbroken or anything, but I think she was still willing to give you a second date. You had that wounded duck thing going for you.” 

“Alejandro!” Gabriella hissed and pushed her husband toward the living room. “I’m sorry about him.” 

“It’s okay.” I said, chuckling slightly. “It’s kinda our thing.” I shrugged.

Gabriella rolled her eyes as if to express how silly she thought men were as a species, but she didn’t voice it. She’d probably give my brother an earful later, but the softness toward me had more grace. 

“I was glad when he told me you’re dating again.” Gabriella said. “You’re a good guy, Julio. You deserve to be happy with someone. Though my offer still stands, if you ever need anyone to help out around here with Abby or whatever, I don’t mind stopping by.” 

“Thanks.” I said. “I’m working on it, but life’s been moving fast recently. I got Abby a nanny, who’s definitely been a huge help. You’ll meet her tonight. And I’ve started dating again, which is kinda how tonight came to happen.” I chuckled. “This was supposed to be a date, but then Abuela took over. You know how she is.” 

Gabriella nodded, having a much different relationship with my mother than I did. 

“She’s in the kitchen if you want to say hi, but you’ll probably get roped into helping.” I warned her. 

“Thanks for the warning.” Gabriella said. “I better make sure your brother doesn’t break anything in your living room.” She said, shaking her head as she walked toward the living room. She glanced back at me as I opened the door for my father and her twins, each of whom gave me a cursory greeting of ‘hey’ before joining their parents in the living room. 

When it was just Abby and me, the house felt too large and empty. Now? It was bordering on too full. I lingered at the door as I noticed Lana’s car pull up to the curb. I could see her in the driver’s seat and Anne in the passenger seat. They turned off the car but remained inside it for a moment. Lana fixed her makeup in the mirror, and she and Anne talked as I watched. 

They shared a kiss, which I didn’t know how to feel about. I wasn’t precisely jealous or turned on the way I might have been if I were in the car with them. The kiss seemed normal between them, not explicit, despite the things we’d done in our threesome. 

I closed the door, giving them some privacy as I braced myself for the chaos of this dinner. There were too many people, and I’d slept with too many of them for comfort. I hung by the door and waited until after the knock finished before opening it. 

Lana and Anne smiled at me, and I stepped aside to let them in. 

Lana wore a peach-colored cocktail dress. A frill of material covered her shoulders and upper arms, ending at the V-neck collar that showed an inch of cleavage and no more. The dress fit her well, with the asymmetrical wrapped skirt flaring out and ending below her knees with a slit that stood closed by default but that she could pull apart if she were dancing. It was an alluring outfit but respectable and modest. 

Anne wore a tight body wrap dress the color of dark red wine. It cinched at her waist, but the t-shirt style neckline and top were downright conservative. The tube-like skirt ran to her lower calves as well, widening as she walked with its wrapped fabric, keeping its straight shape anytime she stood still. Her makeup was less impressive than Lana’s, and she wore no jewelry. I was glad to see her fangs were missing when she smiled. I had no idea how my parents might have reacted to those costume pieces. Her black nail polish remained, though, still matching her pixie-cut black hair. 

Lana’s makeup and jewelry were glamorous by comparison. Unless I was mistaken, she’d done herself up and had even done her hair for this. Her curly black ringlets framed her face and her pearly white smile. She wanted to make a good impression, which made me happy in a way I couldn’t express. Even if it gave me an equal dose of guilt for the chaos she was about to enter. 

I wasn’t sure what the proper greeting was, so I went with a hug. Lana kissed me on the cheek, and I returned the cheek kiss. Anne hugged me without a kiss, so I did the same. 

“Welcome to my humble abode.” I said, gesturing to the house. “Get ready because you’re about to meet everyone in rapid-fire.” 

“Everyone?” Anne asked, raising an eyebrow. 

“You told her, didn’t you?” I asked Lana, almost panicked. 

Lana smiled. “I told her your parents would be here…” 

“Ah.” I nodded. “Yeah, my mother has added to the guest list.” I said, gesturing toward the living room. “Come on, you can meet my brother and his family first.” 

Anne and Lana shared a look but nodded and followed me into the living room. My father sat in the recliner with my brother on the sofa corner, watching ESPN. My sister-in-law was sitting on the opposite corner of the sofa, on her phone. Their two boys were nowhere to be found, meaning they’d likely gone into the kitchen, dining room, or outside. 

“Hey, everyone. This is my uh… date, Lana.” I said, not sure how else to describe her. We were more than friends, but hadn’t yet had the boyfriend/girlfriend conversation. “And her friend Anne.” I said, introducing the woman beside her. “Lana and Anne, this is my father–” 

“You can call me Felix.” My father said, springing from his chair like a much younger man. He offered Lana a handshake, and she took it. He leaned past her to shake Anne’s hand, and she returned it. 

“And my brother Alejandro.” I continued. “And my sister-in-law, Gabriella.” 

Alejandro and Gabriella stood to greet my guests but didn’t approach to shake their hands. They nodded their hellos from the other side of the furniture. Gabriella’s stature straightened when she stood, taking on that fearsome stance and bearing I’d seen her wield when bringing her sons in line. My brother seemed polite enough, though his gaze lingered on Anne’s face, and a puzzled expression flitted across his features. 

Abby came tearing into the room with a giggle as she raced toward me, but she stopped like a statue as she saw everyone standing. Her curious gaze wandered over the faces of the adults in the room, and her eyes widened in terror as she saw two new faces. 

“Hello!” Lana said with excitement in her voice as she dropped into a crouch. “You must be Abby!” 

For someone without kids, I had to give her credit for dropping onto Abby’s level to talk to her. Kids usually respected that. Unfortunately, Abby’s shy nature turned any response into a run or hide; in this instance, she chose to run. She tore from the run faster than she’d run into it, her laughter gone as she cried out in panic. “Mami!” 

Gabriella’s face opened in terror while the others looked more confused. I knew Abby meant Penny, but the others hadn’t been there for that earlier slip-up. Once was an awkward but ultimately laughable occurrence. Twice in one day was the beginning of a pattern. 

Lana looked as if she’d been slapped and wasn’t sure what to do. I offered her my hand and helped her stand. Anne comforted her with a hand on her shoulder. 

“Don’t worry. She’s just in a shy stage with strangers. She’ll warm up to you. Give her five minutes, and you won’t be able to shut her up about her new horse toy from Abuelito.” I assured her. 

Lana nodded but didn’t say anything. I looked between them. “I’ll uh… get Abby. Can you guys give Lana and Anne the tour?” 

My brother nodded, but my father was already standing close to the two women and offered Lana his arm. “Have you not been here before?” 

Lana smiled and took his arm. “No, not yet.” 

I left them to it as I chased after Abby, finding her and Penny on the stairs. Abby hid her face in Penny’s shoulder, and Penny raised an eyebrow as I approached. 

“Sorry.” Penny said. “She got away from me, and I didn’t want to rush in on the introductions.” 

“It’s okay.” I said. “You okay, Abby?” 

Abby looked at me and hugged Penny tighter. 

“You want some dinner?” 

Abby perked up at that. “Come on, let’s check on the kitchen.” I said and waved Penny on into the kitchen, letting her walk ahead while I made silly faces at Abby and had her laughing by the time we walked through the door. 

My silly faces stopped as I saw my kitchen, and my eyes widened in shock. I was afraid to ask how much my mother had spent at the grocery store. Amanda wiped her brow with her forearm as I entered, and she shifted, trying to make herself more presentable behind her now-stained apron. 

I couldn’t see the island countertop for all the food on it. The stove, too, was covered. Every pot, pan, and serving dish had something on it. 

“Mami, you know Thanksgiving is months away, right?” I asked, still shocked. 

“Si, si, but Gabriella has growing boys! They need food. So do you and Alejandro. Now wash your hands and set the table.” My mother said, wiping her hands on her apron. “And no snacking.” She smacked my hand away from one of the sweet rolls as I reached for them. 

I waved my hand to remove the sting, which caused Amanda and Penny to laugh at me. 

“I’m going to visit the powder room.” Amanda said, sliding past me after she took off her apron. “I’ll see you in there.” She smacked my butt as she walked past, and I nearly jumped, causing Penny and my mother to turn my way. They hadn’t seen Amanda’s strike, but we heard her laugh from the hallway. 

I must have been bright red because my mother only laughed and shook her head without asking what happened. “She likes you.” My mother said as if Penny weren’t there. 

Penny, for her part, didn’t say anything to that. “Come on, Abby, let’s wash up for dinner.” 

Abby and Penny left, and I washed my hands at the sink. Setting the tables took several trips with plates, silverware, and the rest, but I managed with much of the work already done. My mother washed up in the kitchen and gathered everyone into the dining room by sheer force of personality as she strode into it. 

Abuela took her customary seat at the head of the table. I moved to sit beside her, but she shooed me away, giving Amanda the seat beside her. I sat next to her, between Amanda and Lana. Across from us, my father, Alejandro, and Gabrielle sat, with Anne sitting directly across from my mother at the foot of the table.

Once everyone was seated without food, my mother extended her hands. Amanda looked confused until she saw my brother take my father’s hand, his wife take his, and the general bowing of heads. 

My father said grace, and the rest of us held hands and closed our eyes, trying to ignore the noise from the kid’s table as the twins argued over why they should have to pray when they didn’t at home. That earned Gabriella a glare from my mother that spoke louder than any hollering. 

Penny sat beside Abby at the kid’s table, across from Hugo and Javier, respectively. The boys behaved themselves under Penny’s gorgeous gaze. I could see them forming crushes as they schooled their rowdy behavior into something more manageable for her sake. She turned her eyes my way and smiled, biting her lip as she passed Abby her juice. 

“Ladies first.” My father declared after the prayer. The women and children rose from the table with their plates, forming a line into the kitchen. 

“Is Anne an old friend of yours or something?” My brother asked after they left. “Was she at Charlie’s funeral?” 

“No.” I said, shaking my head. “I just met her the other day.” 

“Hm.” Alejandro said, shrugging. 

“Your neighbor seems nice.” My father answered. “Your mother tells me she’s recently divorced?” 

“Very recently.” I answered. “Her ex-husband moved out yesterday.” 

“Yikes.” Alejandro blanched. “Good luck with that baggage.” 

“Lana seems nice, too.” My father said, chuckling. “You went from widower to bachelor quickly enough. Which one gets the rose?” 

Alejandro and I gave my father the same confused look, which made him laugh and look abashed. He coughed, covering his mouth with his napkin. “Your mother watches those kinds of dating reality shows sometimes.” 

I didn’t know that, but I could see it. I chuckled slightly. “Honestly, I don’t think it’s that kind of situation. I’m dating Lana. Amanda is lovely, but… I don’t think she’s interested in me that way.” My parents could think differently all they wanted, but I had no intention of encouraging their matchmaking in that direction. 

“Wanna trade places?” Alejandro asked. “You can deal with Gabriella, and I’ll take my time choosing between the two hotties?” 

I rolled my eyes. From what I understood, Alejandro and Gabriella didn’t have a lovey-dovey relationship, but they were in a good place. They loved each other. They’d simply slid out of their husband and wife roles into father and mother over the years. As people did. Not that I had first-hand knowledge of that. Charlie wasn’t around long enough after Abby was born for our relationship to become that way. 

“Or is Anne on your docket, too?” Alejandro asked, laughing as he asked. 

I almost told him to fuck off or knock it off, but Penny and Abby returned, and I decided to ignore him instead. The twins followed them, with Javier carrying Penny’s plate for her. She thanked him, and he was the perfect gentleman as she situated Abby in her booster seat. 

“You should be happy for your brother.” My dad said, looking at Alejandro before smacking him in the back of the head in a gentle tap. “And be glad for what you have.”  

Alejandro winced and rubbed the back of his head. “Yes, sir.” He rolled his eyes as he said it but chuckled with my father as the women returned. 

My mother, Amanda, Lana, and Anne took their seats. Gabriella let my father and brother out before she sat, scooting her chair in for their inevitable return. The three of us piled our plates with food in the kitchen and carried the precarious piles into the dining room as we returned to our seats. 

The women had a conversation in progress on the food, and we joined them in silence as my mother raked in the compliments. 

The dining room wasn’t so large as to allow for multiple conversations, so we took turns eating and speaking. The windowed wall behind my mother looked out to the back patio. The closed-curtain windows behind my father, Alejandro, and Gabriella would have shown the strip of side yard and fence between mine and Amanda’s house. 

I kept glancing at the kid’s table, making it look like I was checking in on Lana as she sat on my right. She smiled and put her hand on my leg under the table. 

“So, Lana.” My mother said. “What are your career ambitions?” 

Lana looked amused more than anything and set her fork down to answer. She swallowed and smiled. “Oh, I’m pretty new to the company, but I plan on working my way to a supervisor position within the next few years.” 

“Really?” My mother asked. “A young woman like you, you wouldn’t want to settle down to be a mother?” 

Lana and Anne shared a look between them, but Anne didn’t speak up.

“Mami.” I said, my tone biting harder than I meant it to. 

“Shush.” My mother said. “I’m getting to know the woman you’re dating.” 

“I… I’m not opposed to motherhood.” Lana said, hesitating and not looking at me as she said it. “But I wouldn’t want to depend on a man for my livelihood. I need my independence, and I enjoy my job.” 

“You’re like this one.” My mother pointed an accusatory finger at Gabriella. “Too focused on working for some company to focus on raising her family.” 

Gabriella nudged Alejandro as if he were supposed to say something. He licked his lips as if about to speak up but chickened out, turning his face to his plate and shoving another bite of chicken into it. Gabriella tilted her head as if to ask, “Really?” without saying anything aloud. 

“Don’t you run your own company?” I asked Gabriella. “You have that hydroponic something or other?” 

Gabriella looked as if I’d thrown her a life preserver. “Yes, that’s right.” She said. “Some friends and I started our own company for hydroponic urban farming.” 

“Well, I’m glad you get to spend more time with your friends.” My mother said, taking what she wanted from that explanation and ignoring the facts. 

“Mami.” I said, my tone reproving. “It’s not a small thing. It’s really impressive. You guys won that award last year, right?” I asked, turning to see Gabriella staring at me. 

“Yeah.” She said. “I didn’t think anyone remembered that.” 

I nodded. I remembered watching the boys so she and Alejandro could attend the dinner more than I remembered the award itself, but the desk trophy was a fixture in their living room when I saw it. 

“So what do you do?” My mother asked Amanda, changing the subject. 

“Oh, well, I was a stay-at-home mom and a bit of an entrepreneur while Penny was young.” Amanda said. “Working a few part-time jobs here and there. Tim was the big money earner.” 

“Oh? So what will you do now that the divorce is official?” My mother asked. 

“I’m not sure.” Amanda answered as if she hadn’t considered it before. Financial dependency plus a cheating husband meant she probably won considerable alimony in the divorce, and the house, and car. Would that be enough long-term? No, probably not, but it would help. “Maybe I’ll find something I can do from home, like Julio.” 

“Ah, the world of corporate office culture.” Alejandro said, rolling his eyes. “You don’t want to end up boring like this guy.” He pointed at me. 

I shook my head, and Lana laughed. “You know we work together, yes?” 

“I did not.” Alejandro said. “But I find that surprising. You spend all day with this guy and want to hang with him after work? Are you sure?” 

Lana laughed. “Yes, I’m sure.” 

“Alejandro, you should be nice to your brother.” My mother said, her tone the same as when we were kids, which made me smile. 

My brother rolled his eyes. “And what about you?” He asked, turning toward Anne. “Are you into my brother, too?” 

Anne shrugged, taking a sip of her wine before she answered. “He’s cute, but Lana called dibs.” The table laughed, and Anne winked at me while they were distracted. I blushed, which Gabriella noticed, but she didn’t draw attention to it. 

“Have we met somewhere before?” Alejandro asked Anne, gesturing between them with his fork. “You look familiar. I swear I’ve met you somewhere before.” 

Alarm covered Anne’s face for a moment, but it faded just as quickly. She covered her mouth with her hand as though the expression might have been from biting into something unexpectedly spicy. “Do I look familiar?” She asked, turning her gaze toward my brother. “Are you sure?” 

Alejandro stared at her. His mouth pressed in a thin, tight line. He shook his head. “I’ll think of it.” 

“What do you do for work?” My mother asked Anne, attempting to include her in the questioning. 

“Oh, I’m a cam girl.” Anne said, unashamed.

“A what?” My mother asked, surprised. 

“I’m a sex worker.” Anne said. “A stripper, but online.” 

Gabriella’s eyes widened. I expected her to turn to Anne in shock, but instead, she turned angrily toward Alejandro. “She looks familiar, huh?” 

My mother clearly didn’t know how to respond to that answer. My father kept his eyes on his plate. He was a soldier. He knew when to keep his head down. I played it safe and followed his example. 

Lana looked as though she were about to die from embarrassment. 

“What?” Anne asked, surprised at Lana’s look. “You know I’m open about it. I’m not ashamed of what I do.” 

“Maybe you should be.” My mother muttered. 

My brother’s face burned bright red, and he shrunk away from Gabriella. “That’s not why she looks familiar!” He said, arguing. 

“Give me your phone.” Gabriella said, holding out her hand. 

“What?” Alejandro asked. “No! How dare you–” 

Gabriella huffed and pushed her chair back. “Excuse me. I’ve lost my appetite.” 

The rest of us weren't sure what to say as she left the table and moved into the hallway. She didn’t leave the house, but wherever she disappeared to was out of sight and hearing. 

We all stared at Alejandro. 

“What?” He asked. “I just said I thought we’d met before!” He said. “Trust me, Gabriella’s just pissed off as usual. Give her some time, and she’ll cool off and start thinking rationally again.” 

“It’d be crazy if you were a subscriber.” Anne agreed. “It’s a small world, but not that small.” 

I shook my head, and my parents looked the most uncomfortable I’d ever seen either of them. My mother’s frown seemed etched on her face as if carved into a statue. I put my hand on Lana’s to reassure her and squeezed her. Seeing this, Amanda seemed to take it as a challenge. She slid her hand onto my other leg and pressed as her fingers slid between my legs without her arm moving to give away what she was doing. 

I coughed and focused more on the food than before. 

“Sorry.” Anne said, shrugging. “You asked. But don’t worry, I’m not dating anyone’s son, so you can disapprove of me all you like. Lana’s the angel who’s been trying to show me the error of my ways.” 

Lana looked like she was going to die, but I appreciated the effort on Anne’s part to use my parent’s disapproval to boost their esteem for Lana. Even so, this dinner was not going well, and I was only half a plate in. 

“Should someone go after Gabriella?” I asked, not wanting to volunteer. I didn’t envy my brother for the verbal lashing he was in for. It wouldn’t surprise me if he recognized Anne from her internet presence. She fit his taste in women, though I had no knowledge of whether her succubus/vampire act was his cup of tea. The Goth thing was definitely in line with his high school girlfriends.

“Let her cool off.” Alejandro said, leaving it at that. 

We ate in silence after that, letting Abby provide ambiance as she spoke and babbled at Penny, who answered her in turn. 

“So, no kids of your own?” My mother broke the silence by asking Lana. 

“No.” Lana said, shaking her head. “No ex-husband either.” 

If that was a barb in Amanda’s direction, it landed. I felt her grip tighten on my thigh as her lips pinched together. 

“Do you want children?” Amanda asked. “With your career and all… do you have any experience with them at all?” 

“I don’t.” Lana said, shaking her head. “But I love kids.” 

“My daughter probably has more experience with kids than you do.” Amanda said. “Are you even qualified to be a babysitter?” 

“Probably not.” Lana said. “Like I said, I don’t have any experience, but that’s okay. We can let you or Penny watch Abby when we go out.” Lana’s grip on my thigh tightened. 

I tensed, spreading my legs slightly to keep Amanda and Lana from brushing their knuckles as both of them shifted their grip to inside my legs. My brother glanced from one woman to the other and shook his head. 

My mother seemed to notice they were fighting over me, but counter to my expectations, she didn’t seem upset by it. I would have thought she’d tell them it was childish. Instead, her expression told me their sparring amused her, but her eyes kept on Amanda to tell me who her preferred victor was in this tet-a-tet. 

“I’m going to check on Gabriella.” I said, pushing my chair back after a few more bites. 

“Nonsense.” My mother said. “Sit, Julio. Gabriella is a big girl. Her husband should be the one to go after her.” Her eyes leveled at Alejandro in a command he couldn’t ignore. 

He wiped his face, pushed his seat back, and rose from the table. “Excuse me.” He said, leaving his napkin on the table before he left the room. 

“So…” My father broke the silence, but it was clear he did so to cut the awkwardness without any idea what to say. “You live next door, Amanda?” 

Amanda nodded. “Yeah. I’ve known Julio for years. Charlie and I were good friends.” 

A slight exaggeration, but not one worth correcting. I glanced at Penny, who seemed to have the same thought I did. She smiled and kept discussing Marvel movies with Hugo and Javier. 

The rest of the meal continued in awkward bursts of conversation, with Anne keeping quiet, Lana answering questions as my parents asked them, and Amanda interjecting to join the conversation. I was quieter than usual and worried about what to do after dinner. Fortunately, my mother had a game plan. 

Unfortunately, it involved me doing the dishes. I stood at the sink and did what I could while the adults retired to the patio. My father set the kids up with a movie in the living room, and Penny stayed with them. My mother, father, Amanda, Anne, and Lana took their drinks to the poolside patio, relaxing in the cooling June evening air. 

I was halfway through the dishes when I wondered where Alejandro and Gabriella had gotten to, but as I turned the sink off to find them, Alejandro walked into the kitchen. 

“Everything okay?” I asked, worried slightly but trying not to show it. 

“Yeah, everything’s fine.” Alejandro said. “Mami sent me in here to help with the cleanup.” 

I chuckled. “Is Gabriella out back with the others?” I glanced through the windows to see the answer to my question. Gabriella and Lana waved at me through the window. “She seems in a much better mood.” 

“Yeah…” Alejandro said. “We uh… made up. On an unrelated note, I uh… may have broken one of the picture frames on your desk.” 

“Oh god.” I closed my eyes and did my best not to think about it. “Did you two–” 

“No.” Alejandro laughed. “Heh. I wish, but no. We had a tense conversation, is all, and I may have gestured too widely and smacked one of your frames to the floor. It was a picture of Abby and Penny, though. Not one of Charlie. So I figured it’d be fine.” 

I sighed and continued rinsing the dishes and loading the dishwasher. 

“What can I do to help?” Alejandro asked. 

“Start packing up the leftover containers.” I suggested. “Portion out a bunch for Mami and Papi, and you and Gabriella can take what you want. I don’t think Abby will eat much of this stuff, but she’s not too fussy an eater.” 

“Lucky.” Alejandro muttered. 

I nodded and returned to work. 

“So what are you gonna do about those two women fighting over you?” Alejandro asked. “I suppose I can tell Daniella that you’re not interested in a second date?” 

I chuckled. “Yeah. She seemed nice, but… there was no spark, you know?” 

“And with Amanda?” Alejandro asked. 

“There’s a spark, but… that relationship can’t happen. It’s just… it doesn’t feel right.” I said, unable to tell him why exactly, even though I knew it was because of my relationship with Penny. 

“And what about Lana?” Alejandro asked. “She seems normal, which makes her the odd woman out at dinner.” 

“Yeah, that’s true.” I said, almost laughing. I loved my family, but they were a crazy bunch. Sunday dinners like this were never dull.

“She’s pretty, too.” Alejandro said. “You like her, yeah?” 

“Why? Are you thinking of asking her if I don’t?” I asked. It was a joke, but Alejandro didn’t laugh. He shook his head and patted me on the back. 

“Nah, but you didn’t seem that into her. You seemed… I dunno. Professional. Like you were sitting next to a coworker. No spark. No passion. No zing.” 

“Zing?” I asked, turning off the water after I put the last dish in the dishwasher. 

“It’s from a kid’s movie.” Alejandro said, sighing. “Just wait. You’ll tire of them soon enough when Abby’s old enough to sit through one.” 

“She’s doing pretty well with whatever they’re watching out there.” I said, assuming that the lack of noise I heard was a good sign. 

“Yeah. That Penny girl is good with her. Mami said Abby called Penny Mami earlier.” Alejandro wasn’t asking a question, so I waited to see where he was going with it. “How old is she, anyway?” 

“Nineteen.” I answered. “She’s home from college for the summer and needed a job. I needed a nanny, so it worked out.” 

“You two spend a lot of time together, yeah?” Alejandro asked. 

“What are you getting at?” I asked, trying not to play it too cautiously as if I were hiding something. I was, but I couldn’t let my brother know that. I didn’t want to imagine the names he’d called me if he thought for an instant that I had any romantic or sexual interest in Penny. 

“Nothing. Just that she’s young and hot, and you should maybe be a little careful. You know?” Alejandro said. “Gabriella said that Mami said something that made her worry that Penny was a little too into you. That she might have a schoolgirl crush or something. I just don’t want to see you blow everything up if you turn her down too harshly or, god forbid, make the mistake of actually pursuing her.” 

“She’s an adult, but…” I hesitated, shaking my head. “It would never work between us either.” 

“Yeah, duh.” Alejandro said. “Don’t worry. I’m sure she’ll be sick of you by the end of summer, and your wounded duck allure has to wear off sooner or later.” 

“My wounded duck allure?” I asked, already regretting my inquiry. 

“Yeah, man.” Alejandro nodded as if he were all-knowing. “You’re a widower. Women feel bad for you like they want to feed you soup.” He mimed spoon-feeding soup, and I pushed his hand away from my face as I shook my head. “Even Gabriella felt bad for you. That’s why we tried to set you up with Daniella, you know? Get you laid and out of your slump.” 

I took a deep breath. For all his idiocy, I could believe that my brother meant well. He just had the linguistic skills of a turnip, but he was trying to say that he wanted to help and was doing his best to look out for me. He saw me in a situation where I could get into a lot of trouble romantically and advised me to avoid the danger. Penny was that danger. 

The only problem? He was too late, and my feelings for Penny had already turned dangerous. 

“Come on.” I said as we packed the food away. “Let’s get out there before Mami scares off my prospects with lectures about the joy of homemaking.” 

Alejandro laughed. “Good luck with that. She’s still trying to convince Gabriella, and she might as well try to convert a Rabi to Catholicism. Not that she’s not a good mom, she’s great, but we split everything.” 

“Fifty-fifty?” I asked, already knowing the answer. 

“Seventy-thirty.” Alejandro said. “It’s not that I don’t try. She just has a better head for what’s going on with the twins between their schools, doctors, soccer, and all. I do more chores, though, so it’s more like sixty-forty. Honestly, I don’t know how you do the single parent thing alone, but as Abby gets older, it’s only gonna get harder.” 

“Yeah.” I said. Not that I should date to find Abby a new mother, but he had a point. Single parenthood was a rough life. There was no question about that. A partner might make it easier, but regardless, I’d be the primary caretaker when it came to Abby. There was no question in my mind about that. She was my daughter, after all. 

“Hey, Mister Castillo?” Penny’s voice floated in from the hallway. 

Alejandro and I both turned toward the door. “Yeah?” We asked at the same time. 

Smirking, Penny appeared in the doorway with Abby on her hip. “Somebody is getting a little tired from all the excitement. So we’re going to get ready for bed. Would you be around in a bit to read the stories? She specifically requested you.” 

“Or Paw-Paw.” Abby corrected. “They do the voices right.” 

“Or Paw-paw.” Penny amended. 

“I’ll be right up.” I said, nodding. “Let me just make sure the girls are set outside.” 

“I’ll check on the boys.” Alejandro volunteered. “You get out there.” 

“Be good for Penny.” I told Abby. “Or no stories before bed.” 

Abby frowned but didn’t protest as she and Penny left for the stairs. Alejandro turned the other way, heading into the living room to finish watching whatever movie they had on. I left the safety of the kitchen for the uncertain grounds of the patio and closed the sliding glass door behind me. 

All eyes turned my way, and the conversation died. 

“Where’s Papi?” I asked, confused at not seeing him out here. 

“He went to the bathroom.” My mother answered. 

I nodded. Not knowing what else to say. Amanda, Lana, and Anne sat at the patio table with my mother, drinks in hand, silencing their conversation as soon as I arrived. “How uh… how’s everything out here?” 

“Are you nervous?” Amanda asked, smiling slightly as she took another sip of her wine. 

“A little.” I answered. 

“Look at that, as wise as he is handsome.” Anne said, chuckling. She waved her hand in front of her face as if to wave away any concern. “Don’t worry about it, Julio. Your mom was just telling us about your prom night.” 

Oh no. 

“You really wrecked the car?” Lana asked, hiding her smile by taking another sip of her wine. 

“Oh, uh…” I hesitated. “Yeah. That was a long time ago. I’d just gotten my license… it was a whole thing.” 

“There was a deer in the road?” Lana asked. 

I nodded. “Yeah. I swerved to miss it, and… they’ve been making fun of me since.” 

The girls chuckled. 

“It’s a cute story.” My mom insisted. “You stepped up and showed real maturity.” 

“A lot of young men become true adults on prom night.” Anne said, sipping her drink with such an innocent expression I’d nearly missed the innuendo laden in what she said. 

My eyes nearly bugged out of my head, but to my surprise, my mother laughed with the others despite the bawdiness. I didn’t know how to handle that. 

“Well, we should get going.” Gabriella said, putting down her empty glass. “It’s been lovely seeing you again, Julio. Thanks for hosting.” 

“Oh, sure.” I said, nodding. “Alejandro’s with the boys in the living room.” 

“Good.” Gabriella said. “We’ll see you soon?” 

“Sure.” I said, nodding. We didn’t have definite plans, but we were always a feature in each other’s lives. I’d see her and Alejandro again soon. It was inevitable. Though, I supposed I shouldn’t take such things for granted. “I’ll text you. We can set something up.” 

“Good.” Gabriella said again, blinking slowly. She’d had more to drink than I thought if she was drunk from… three bottles of wine split between five women. Great. She patted my arm as she passed me for the kitchen, and I heard the sliding glass door open and close behind me. 

“We should get going, too.” My mother said, making no effort to stand. “Julio, fetch your father, will you? He needs to drive.” 

I nodded and took the excuse to return to the house. My dad was in the living room with everyone else, and the great exodus began. Alejandro, Gabriella, Hugo, and Javier piled into their minivan. My father and mother drove here separately but left my mother’s car. They’d be back for it tomorrow. Saying goodbye, waving farewell at the door, I didn’t want to leave Amanda, Anne, and Lana on the patio, but I had to head upstairs to put Abby to bed. I poked my head out the back door, and all three pairs of eyes turned toward me. 

“I just have to put Abby to bed.” I warned them. “It’ll be a few minutes. She usually falls asleep pretty fast.” 

“Do you need any help?” Amanda and Lana asked at the same time. 

“No, Penny and I have got it, Abby just prefers I do the voices.” 

All three women went “awwww” like it was the most adorable thing they’d ever heard. I chose to take it as a compliment and withdrew my head from the door. Before I could close it, I heard Lana talking to Amanda. 

“I’m so glad your daughter is such a good Nanny.” Lana said. “Don’t tell Mrs. Castillo, but I’m terrible with kids. I don’t know what I’d do if I had to care for one without Penny there to help.” 

I closed the door, frowning but not commenting. They were drinking enough to be tipsy, not watching their words as much as they should. A habit of Amanda’s that made me nervous, given our earlier encounter. And just because Lana didn’t have much experience with kids didn’t mean she wasn’t mother material or didn’t want to be a mother. She’d come here to meet my daughter, after all. 

All my heavy thoughts washed away as I read Abby her bedtime stories. The silly tales deserved silly voices, and it was impossible to be sad while talking like a fox or any of the wonderful animals in her books. Penny leaned against the door frame and watched at first. By the second story, she stood behind me, her hand on my shoulder, a comfort and a rock. 

Abby’s blinks grew longer as I read softer, and her giggles and gentle murmurs eventually gave way to snores. I closed the third children’s book and waited the five seconds I usually waited to ensure she was asleep. Her eyes remained closed, and her snores remained snores. I turned on the monitor and left the room with Penny stepping softly ahead of me to make way. 

I closed the door behind me, and Penny surprised me. She moved to her toes and kissed me as if she’d been waiting to do it all night. I kissed her back, wrapping my arms around her, holding her, and kissing her as if she were my only source of air. 

Lana, Anne, and Penny’s mother waited for us at the pool. Well, for me. They’d likely dismiss Penny as nothing more than the babysitter. The hired help. But she was so much more than that to Abby and to me. Fight it as I might, I couldn’t deny the yearning I had for her in my heart. I was a fool. I knew that. She was nineteen, and I was thirty-nine. There was no hope that anything would work between us long-term. 

“Come to the bedroom.” Penny whispered, pulling me toward the dark hallway and away from the stairs.

“There are guests downstairs waiting for us.” I said, nodding toward the staircase. 

“Well then, you better make it quick.” Penny said, pulling me, insisting I follow her to my bedroom. 

My body responded with a yes long before my mind did, but I followed her and let her pull me into the bedroom. She closed the door behind me and attacked my mouth with her own. I held her, picking her up slightly in my embrace as we made out together like teenagers. Penny smiled through the kiss and shoved her shorts to the floor with her panties still in them. My jeans joined them, still around my ankles, as Penny climbed into my embrace. I leaned against the wall, holding us both, as she rubbed me to life with gentle movements of her hips. 

The kissing turned us on, and Penny was ready for me quicker than I thought she’d be. She was warm and slick as I slid home, and I closed my eyes in ecstasy. “Fuck.” I panted.

“Shh.” Penny warned me but decided kissing me was a better silencer than any shushing noise. She kissed me hard, and I braced my hands under her thighs to hold her as we fucked in this odd standing position. The movement between us was minimal, but the penetration was deep, and she moaned into the kiss. 

“Shh.” I warned her. 

She giggled. “Shut up and fuck me.” Penny whispered. “Fuck me, Julio.” 

The heady whispered plea tickled my brain and drove me toward bliss. I couldn’t walk or step, but I didn’t have to. I set Penny on the dresser with her legs still wrapped around me. With her weight better supported, I had more movement and answered her plea with action. I drove into her and silenced her gasp of pleasure with another kiss. 

Our tongues danced together. Her movements grew rapid and desperate. I joined her, keeping pace as we raced against the imaginary ticking clock. We hadn’t even turned the bedroom lights on in our haste, but we didn’t need it. The curtains were closed, but the last of the sunset outside gave us just enough twilight to see our forms. 

Without the details of sight, our world became a matter of touch, sound, and scent. Penny’s typical shampoo and soap were different now, the same as mine. That left the smell of her sweat and arousal. The breath through her nose puffed into the air, panting. Our kisses interrupted our heavy breathing and muffled the small whimpers of pleasure Penny made every time I drove into her. The press of her body against mine was pleasure itself, but more than that, the rake of her nails across my back as she held on sent rivulets of electricity through me. 

I grunted and felt myself tighten against my release, but I couldn’t hold myself back. We were racing to the finish. Penny squeezed me tightly in her arms, and our combined efforts reached their inevitable, explosive conclusion. I fired first, bursting into Penny as I had earlier that day. Penny squeezed me as I came. If she came, it was small and not one of major convulsions, but she tightened and relaxed as I relaxed within her. 

She kissed me again, soft and slow, closing her eyes so that her eyelashes swept against my cheek in soft flutters. I stood between her legs and caught my breath, lowering my hands to the dresser on either side of her. 

“You better get downstairs, Mister Castillo.” Penny whispered. “And Julio?” 

“Yes, Penny?” I asked, also whispering. 

“Text me if they decide to stay. I’ll wait up here. You can take Lana to the guest room if you two… y’know.” Penny kissed my cheek. 

I scoffed at her suggestion. I could already feel how relaxed and tired I was at cumming again. I probably didn’t have another one in me tonight. Still, I had guests downstairs I had to make excuses to. 

“Are you spending the night again?” I asked. 

“I will if you want me to.” Penny said. “But I’ll have to run home and grab some clothes.” 

“Do that.” I said, knowing I wanted her to spend the night. “I’ll text you as soon as they leave.” 

“Okay.” Penny said, still whispering. 

Even though I couldn’t see her lips in the darkness as I stepped away, I heard the smile in her voice. I imagined it matched the smile that spread across my own lips. They held a gentle, satisfied grin that stayed with me as I descended the stairs.