Something's Gotta Give

Chapter 8

Penny had been unable to sleep and when her tears finally stopped she slipped back downstairs, no longer afraid of the mice. She would probably be fired in the morning and that would mean having to find another job. Sam probably wouldn't give her a good reference either. 

She dressed in her usual outfit of a tweed skirt and loose sweater set making sure every hair was in place. Then, prepared for her day, she started by rooting around in the cabinet under the kitchen sink and finding the mouse traps that she knew where there. She set them up in her room before deciding to make herself some peppermint tea.

She moved onto the back porch and cried a little more as she watched the sunrise, she was sad for all that she was about to lose, sad that she wouldn't be able to see Sam again, sad that he could think such things about her.  She should be mad but she couldn't find any anger, all she could be was sad.

Penny was still too nervous to go into her room so she went to look at herself in the half-bath under the stairs. She closed her eyes when she saw her tear stained and puffy face. Realizing that there was nothing she could do about it and her pallor, she washed it with cold water and it helped some.

An hour later she was in the process of plating up a quiche when Sam walked into the kitchen not saying a word. She could still feel his displeasure and she did her best not to look at him as she kept her face turned away from his. She had hoped he would feel different in the new light of day but she knew he didn't.

She fixed herself a plate and stood at the counter eating in silence. She wasn't really hungry but it gave her something to do. She had just taken her third bite when she heard a loud snap and a high pitched squeak. It made her jump and brought more tears to her eyes.  They were evil little mice but she didn't want them to die. She set her fork down and left the kitchen, moving to the half-bath under the stairs again, where she closed the bathroom door and cried some more.

She waited until it was well past the time that Sam usually left the house before she washed her face again, exited the bathroom, and walked right into a solid wall of male chest.

He stopped her by placing his hands on her shoulders. "I'm sorry Penny."

She was upset that he was still standing there, he should have left for work. "You mean you actually believe me, how do you know that I didn't plant the mouse and the mouse trap?" She pulled away from him and stomped into the kitchen cleaning up the dishes.

"I deserve that." He followed her.

"Aren't you going to be late for work?" she asked, her movements jerky as she pulled out a Tupperware container for the leftovers. 

"I cancelled my first two appointments." He leaned against the counter watching her.

"It's fine Dr. Evers, there was no need to do that. I'll have my notice to you by the end of the day." Her voice broke by the end of the sentence. She really didn't want to leave.

"I don't want you to leave," Sam said, his voice a little gruff.

"How can you want me to stay after what you accused me of?" She turned to load the dishwasher and he stopped her again, placing his hands on her shoulders and turning her towards him. When she refused to look at him he placed his finger under her chin forcing her to look up and meet his eyes

"I'm sorry Penny, I don't want you to leave." He took a deep breath, "Maybe this house is haunted, haunted by my past. What happened yesterday, what your friends said, it brought back some painfully memories. At first I did believe you, but when there was no evidence of mice I automatically went back to the past and what would have, or could have, happened then."