The next day, they dropped Chris off at the childcare center. At first, he was confused by the new place, but soon, he got along with the daycare workers and the other kids. Meanwhile, Warren and Penelope had some bike races along the seaside.
They pedaled a kilometer away and arrived one after the other.
Warren won the race by a large margin.
“I’m so exhausted. I can’t ride anymore,” Penelope said, dropping her bike and sitting on the grass.
He tossed a water bottle to her, and she caught it with one hand. She opened the lid and took a drink, spilling some on her chest. “It’s so chilly and refreshing.”
She closed her eyes, savoring the cool sensation down her throat. Her thin white t-shirt was damp with sweat. Warren sat across from her to shield her from the sun, and Penelope lay down on the grass.
She squinted at him and reached out her arms, saying, “Come here, baby.”
With no one around, she playfully flirted with him.
He tossed the bottle aside and lay down beside her, placing his arms under his head and gazing up at the large tree overhead. Penelope moved closer, like a worm, and then wrapped her arms around his waist, smiling. He closed his eyes with a smile and reached for her shoulder.
In these days, there were no work duties, no studying, no students, no friends, and no classmates. They were fully immersed in each other’s company. He had handled things while she took care of Chris. Life was simple, with little drama. Just like this moment, lying in the shade and holding each other. Warren hoped this feeling would last forever.
As the sun gradually set, Penelope grew so tired that she fell asleep in Warren’s arms. He quietly gazed at her with a heart full of joy. In the first half of his life, he’d liked many women, had interests in some, and been intimate with many. But only Penelope made him feel like the luckiest and proudest man on Earth. She was the love of his life.
Three days after returning from New Zealand, Penelope caught a cold. Perhaps the drastic temperature change between the two places and a lack of time to adjust had caused her body to protest.
Chris went to stay with his grandmother, who missed him dearly. When she learned that Penelope had a cold, she quickly took Chris to her home to prevent infection. Penelope had a fever, and the doctor advised her to drink more water and use a sauna to recover faster.
Despite usually being physically strong, the cold left her feeling weak. One night, she accidentally bumped into the bedside table while going to the bathroom, waking up Warren.
The next day, her forehead was seriously swollen, making it seem like she’d been a victim of domestic violence. Warren gently kissed her forehead, expressing concern but also scolding her for being clumsy and careless.
Penelope didn’t take it too seriously and said, “I’ve bumped into the bed many times. I’m used to it.”
“What do you mean?” he asked, looking puzzled. Penelope realized her words might have sounded inappropriate. Bumping into the bed? Really? In what context would that happen?
She coughed and explained, “I meant I’m going to have a sauna and then a shower.”
He pulled her back and held her down on the bed, saying, “I understand.”
Penelope blinked and replied, “It doesn’t matter if you understand. I’m the one with the cold, and you’re the healthy one.”
He chuckled and reached out to touch her.
“What are you doing?” she asked, noticing her mouth felt a bit dry.
“Before you had your sauna, I suddenly realized that I could help you…” He pulled the quilt over them. They couldn’t see each other, but they became more aware of each other’s touch.
“Oh…” She moaned, clearly pleased. They worked to please each other under the quilt, and Penelope sweated a lot. Miraculously, she fully recovered, thanks to his “help.”
She looked at the man sleeping beside her in amazement. Their wedding date had been set for July 15th, also Chris’s birthday, chosen by Grandma Duncan. In her heart, the luckiest day was probably the day her baby grandson was born.
Penelope rolled her eyes and affectionately patted Chris’s butt. He unconsciously twisted his body and sported a big, wide smile. Penelope was filled with love for her child, and her previous unhappiness disappeared.
The wedding day approached, along with Penelope’s bridal shower. One day, she was busy selecting wedding dresses. When she glanced back over her shoulder, she saw someone she recognized standing in front of the glass door, wearing a deep V-neck dress and curly hair.
“Hi,” Daisy greeted her enthusiastically.
Penelope walked over and asked, “Why are you here?”
“To give you something. Let’s go back to your house,” Daisy replied with a smile, appearing less annoying than before.
Penelope rolled her eyes and brought Daisy back home.
The surprise Daisy had prepared was displayed in the living room, having arrived a little ahead of them. Grace was also there and stared at the wedding dress for a long time, struggling to find words to express herself. The dress was exceptionally beautiful, with a stunning cut and style, especially the diamond chain around the waist, adorned with real diamonds.
“It’s incredibly luxurious. Why did you buy me this?” Penelope asked Daisy.
“This can be considered ‘something new’ for your wedding,” Daisy replied, flipping her hair. “At a wedding, the bride traditionally needs four things: something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue.”
Daisy stepped forward and opened a white box. “This is the veil I used, and it can be seen as something old.”
The soft white veil lay in the box, seemingly radiating the sacred light of marriage.
Penelope blinked back tears and asked, “Why are you giving me these things?”
Daisy chuckled, “Even though we have different personalities and grew up in different environments, it’s undeniable that we share the same blood. We’re sisters, you and I. We’ve both had the same disappointing mother and an irresponsible father. In this world, only the two of us share this exact same history.”
While they didn’t want to dwell on the past, their broken, faint, tumultuous experiences shaped who they were. The strong and independent older sister and the clever and capable younger sister had once been part of a family.