The Girl He Had To Marry- An Arranged Marriage Story

Chapter Sixteen: Trying Self Care

Penelope tried hard to listen to Aubrey advice. Between the Saturday she saw her and her first session, she failed and succeeded.

For the rest of her Saturday, she spent it out of her room. Her body still dragged around the living room, but she didn't spend the majority of the day in bed. Instead, it was on the couch. Sometimes she would look through her phone, other times she would just stare out the window. She exactly enjoyed looking out the window and seeing people. In her room, her shades and curtains would be closed.

Penny ate a more than what she normally would. That day she ate some Mac and cheese that Ms. Birdie cooked for her. Eating her favorite food mending the whole in her body a little. She still didn't eat much. She has spent weeks barely eating everything, Ms. Birdie hoped that at the moment she just had a "small stomach" and couldn't take all of the food.

Penny still had a difficult time falling asleep. It was around three in the morning she finally fell asleep. Most nights, she listened to Quentin coming home. It was just heavy steps going up the stairs around midnight and quietly opening the bedroom door.

She hasn't seen Quentin in forever; it had been more than a month. She has a sneaking suspicion that he is seeing someone since he was meeting a woman around their age at the cafe. She didn't care because she didn't have any sort of feeling towards him. She still hoped that they could be amicable friends, but that didn't work out. He was just one of the people she really didn't care if she saw or not.

She woke up pretty late on Sunday, around eleven am. She stayed in bed for the rest of the morning and early afternoon. Eventually, Ms. Birdie helped her get out of bed and downstairs to eat lunch. She ate a little bit more that day. Instead of going back to her room, she went to the theater room. She made her way to the third floor and saw that the gym door was open. She peaked in and saw her "husband" working out. She was standing by the mirror with a heavy dumbbell in each hand, doing some sort of arm exercise. He didn't have a chance to see her.

For the rest of her Sunday, Penny spent time watching her favorite movies, including Sound of Music and the Wizard of Oz.

She ended up falling asleep across the soft chairs. Ms. Birdie didn't want the girl to be sleeping there, but she was not strong enough to move her.

So, she pulled a daring move.

Outside of Mr. Romano's office, she took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

She heard some papers shuffling and a pen drop, as if he was surprised by the knock. He said "Come in."

Ms. Birdie gingerly opened the door and addressed the man, "Good evening Mr. Romano."

He looked up from his work and saw the maid at the door. He muttered, looking back at his work, "What do you need?"

"Well," Ms. Birdie seemed nervous to Quentin, and he was right. "Penny fell asleep in the theater room and I want to move her to the bedroom. I am not strong enough to do so. I was wondering if you please can?"

There was a pregnant pause after Ms. Birdie's question. Why wouldn't there be? Quentin has not shown to like this girl one bit. Also, why would he? He is barely home or getting to know the girl. They truly have no relationship.

What Quentin did next took the maid by surprise. He nodded his head, got up from his seat and walked out of the room. He didn't saw a word. She just watched his walk back up the stairs to the third floor.

Quentin didn't think much of the action. She wasn't awake to be scared of him. In the time that he hasn't seen her, he tried not to think of her too much. There were some days he wanted to see her, just ask her how her day was. Other days, he cursed her name just to squash the growing feelings of friendship.

He pushed the door, which was already ajar, to see the redheaded girl spread across the couch. She was laying on her side with one hand hanging off the couch and a blanket barely on her feet. The TV was still on playing a movie. He couldn't tell which movie since the credits rushed across the screen.

Quinn pulled the blanket off her feet so he could place on hand under her knees and one hand across her back. He carefully lifted her up as to not wake her. She was surprisingly very skinny. Penny was never fat by any means, but he didn't think she would be this light.

What he didn't know is that she was basically be starving herself for many days, unintentionally.

He carried his bride across the house to her own room. Ms. Birdie was sitting at the desk, nervously looking at her hands. She whispered to the man once he walked in, "Thank you so much."

He looked down at the young woman in his hands, a smile a little. She looked rather peaceful when asleep. Strands of red hair framed her face. Quentin was so up close to her that he discovered small tan freckles across her cheekbones and nose.

Cute, he thought to himself.

He looked up at the maid and told her that it was no problem. He placed her on the bed, where the covers were already drawn.

Quentin then just walked away, going back to his work. For once, his mind was clear.

***

The next two days (Monday and Tuesday) were harder for Penny. She didn't get out of bed those days. She only left to go to the bathroom. Ms. Birdie constantly brought her food and water. Her appetite was better. She was still under-eating, but it was more than what she had been eating in the last two days.

Wednesday Penny actually woke up in a better mood. She had been sleeping a lot for the past two days and was tired to sitting in bed. She didn't know what do to. She still lacked the motivation to read a book, do her laundry, or call for an audition. She had enough motivation to get out of bed.

She took a nice, hot shower and used her favorite products that smell the best. Once dried off, she put on some nice blue jeans and a black sweater. That was the most color she has worn in the longest time.

Penny was proud of herself for doing such a small thing.

She walked downstairs and gave Ms. Birdie a smile. The maid thought that she was dying inside from happiness. She couldn't believe her eyes. Her Penny came downstairs in jeans and gave her a smile.

Ms. Birdie returned it with full force and started to make the young woman a coffee.

But Penny said something to stop her, "Actually, I don't want coffee here."

"You want to go out?" Ms. Birdie asked.

"Why not? I have been couped up all day and it seems like a nice day," Penny gestured to the outdoors. It really wasn't a nice day at all. The weather had to be forty degrees Fahrenheit and there was a cloudy overcast.

If Penny saw it as a good day, then Ms. Birdie will too. "Whatever you want to do honey."

She gave a small, but fairly happy smile to Ms. Birdie and said, "Let's go to this cafe two blocks away."

Ms. Birdie took off her apron and Penny put on her shoes. They, arm in arm, walked out of the penthouse to the cafe Penny went to before her life took a downward spiral.

They each grabbed a morning coffee and fun pastry and just sat in silence. Penny sat facing the window, actually sitting pretty close to her previous spot. Penny just people watched. She saw young woman walk by with strollers. Old businessmen talking on the phone. Teenagers messing around with friends.

It was really nice for her.

She had creeping thoughts of doubt and self-hatred. A little part of her told her that she doesn't even deserve to leave her house with Ms. Birdie. She wanted herself to believe that Ms. Birdie doesn't love her and doesn't deserve her.

She stayed quiet, not looking at the woman who cared so much about her.

She tried to calm the thoughts in her mind.

What really worked was the fact that it started to snow. Snow!

Penny has never seen snow for really. A smile stretched across her face.

The negative thoughts temporary forgot her negative feelings and emotions due to the thick blankets that starts to fall over the city.

She and Ms. Birdie spent the majority of the day in the cafe, watching the soft, fluffy snow slowly sift down.