Adventures with Penny Ch. 25

Chapter 25 -- Family Business

My eyes sprang open and I looked around my room frantically. I was not sure what the sound was that woke me but I desperately wanted it to stop. I saw Penny beside me, still sleeping soundly. I snapped my head left and then right until the noise revealed itself. My cell phone was ringing. I grabbed it quickly off my nightstand and looked anxiously at the caller id.

It was my mother. I turned and looked at the clock. 4:45am. That meant it was 7:45am in Pennsylvania. Why in the hell was she calling me this early? Something immediately felt wrong.

"Ma, are you alright," I answered hurriedly.

"Yes, I am fine," she confirmed quickly. Her tone of voice was eerily calm. "It's Uncle Phil. He's been in a pretty bad car accident."

"OH MY GOD," I exclaimed loudly in the dark. "What happened? How bad is he?"

"He was hit head-on as he was driving home from Murphy's," she informed me. "He suffered mostly cuts and bruises. Also, his right leg was completely shattered. They are operating now to stabilize him. They expect him to fully recover after therapy and rehab. It's going to take a while and he is going to need to learn to walk on it again when he regains his strength."

"Fuck," I snapped, causing Penny to begin to stir beside me. "I will book a flight and get home as soon as possible."

"I knew you would understand," my mother acknowledged peacefully. "I love you. Call me when you have your arrangements made."

"I love you too, mom," I said as I hung up.

Penny had crawled into a sitting position and was wiping the sleep from her eyes as she looked at me.

"What's going on," she asked with a yawn.

"Nothing," I told her gently, shifting my voice to a calm, soft tone so as not to worry her. "Go back to sleep, sunshine. There's no need for you to be up right now."

I got off my bed and headed for the door of my room.

"If you love me don't shut me out," Penny stated as I walked to the door. "Let me in."

I turned and she got off of the bed. She walked over to where I was standing and hugged me tightly as she yawned again. I held her as the tears began to flow down my face. I hadn't cried like that in quite a while. My uncle Phil was the closest thing I had known to a father in my life. He was my mother's brother and he took it upon himself to take care of me since my dad was never involved with me. Uncle Phil taught me everything from how to throw a baseball to how to balance my check book. He was a real man, something I always aspired to be and never quite felt that I was. Now, he was hurt. The thought of it was killing me as I stood there holding my Penny.

Uncle Phil owned a small hardware store and I knew that he was going to need me to help him get through this. For all the times I needed him and he was there for me, I couldn't say no, nor did I want to. When I needed money for my first car, Uncle Phil gave me a loan. When I got arrested for public intoxication, uncle Phil bailed me out. When I overslept and missed the bus to the state finals my junior year, Uncle Phil drove me the 280 miles. Now, I knew that he needed my help and there was not a single fiber of my being that was going to let him down.

I composed myself and we went downstairs. Penny made coffee while I made phone calls. I booked a flight for that afternoon. I got a rental car for when I reached home and I touched base with my mother again. Penny and I worked out a plan for me to go to the office, inform everyone of what was going on and then she was going to take me to the airport. She was more helpful and loving during this time than I deserved.

I retreated upstairs and packed my things as swiftly, yet thoroughly as possible. I loaded my bags into Penny's car as the sun came up. I took a shower and prepared to go to the office. When she was ready, we headed to the office together. We arrived before everyone else. I did some work on my computer and filled Penny in on where I was leaving each of my open items related to the office.

As soon as everyone had arrived we gathered in the conference room. Vivian had come to the office at Penny's request and Penny swiftly dialed Mindy's number on the speaker phone as all the women were staring at her. Mindy picked up on the third ring.

"Hello," she yawned loudly.

"Mindy, it's me," I stated clearly.

"Hey, you," she said softly. "What's up?"

"I am here at the office with everyone else," I announced. "You are on speaker phone."

"Hey everybody," she greeted them casually. "What is going on?"

"Yeah, what is going on," Brooke repeated eagerly.

"I have to go home," I announced clearly. "My uncle has been in a major car accident and his right leg was shattered. I need to go help out for a while as he heals. I hope you can all understand."

"Oh my god," Leslie responded. "I hope he's alright."

"I don't have many details, only that he is in surgery," I informed them all. "I am not sure how long I will be gone, but he is the closest thing I have to a dad, so I have to help him however I can. It sounds like several surgeries and a lengthy rehab are going to be necessary for him."

"Will you be coming back," Vivian asked, with tears on her cheeks. "When he is better and healthy are you planning on returning to us?"

"Yes," I half-admitted and half-questioned myself. "But I am not sure when that will be."

"Family is extremely important," Brooke said, also crying. "We will wait for you to come back. Our thoughts will certainly be with you."

"Yes," Penny agreed, standing right next to me. "We will wait for you."

"Yes," Leslie followed.

"Yes," Mindy agreed through the speaker box.

"Absolutely," Nikki added, having been silent up until that point.

"Go home," Emma said clearly. "We will be here when you get back. Waiting. Keep us informed as to what is going on and we will keep you in our thoughts. This little break might be good for everyone."

I nodded and smiled as Emma tried to put a positive spin on my leaving.

"Mindy, I wish you were here," I said to the speaker box. "Thank you all. I will call you and update you as to how things are going and when I will be back. Now Mindy, go to class."

"I'll miss you," Mindy said as she hung up the phone.

I hugged each of the women as I said my goodbyes. Small kisses on the cheeks and good thoughts came from each of them. I had thanked each of them until only Brooke was left. I stepped towards her to say goodbye and she shook her head angrily.

"I am going to the airport with you," she declared through her tears.

I nodded.

I thanked everyone again and headed out of the office. They had all made this so much easier than I anticipated. I made my way across the suite and out the front door, with Penny and Brooke hot on my heels. Penny drove and I sat in the backseat with Brooke. She held my hand and laid her head on my shoulder for the entire ride to the airport.

When we arrived, I exited Penny's car quickly and collected my bags from the trunk. I stood there with my luggage and looked at the two of them.

"This is as far as we go," I told them. "I can't bear to see your faces at that gate. So please, let's say goodbye here."

Brooke threw her arms around me and hugged me tightly. She cried into my chest until she composed herself. She looked up at me and the tears began to flow again.

"I love you, angel," I said to her. "I will keep you updated."

I kissed her on the cheek as she let me go. Penny moved to me and wrapped her arms around me softly. She rested her head on my chest but was not crying.

"I love you," she proclaimed. "I'll see you soon. I know it."

I tilted my head down and kissed her on the top of her head.

"Of course you will, sunshine," I agreed with her. "Thank you."

She pulled away and I kissed her gently on the lips. I grabbed my luggage and smiled at them both. Penny reached over and grabbed Brooke's hand in a gesture of true kindness. It moved me to see that and I was on the verge of breaking down. Saying goodbye was never easy, especially when I was this conflicted.

I turned and headed into the terminal. I checked-in at the counter and made my way to the gate. As I boarded the plane I felt more torn than I ever had before. I wished desperately that one of those two magical women was coming with me. For the life of me, I had no idea which one I wished it was. My thoughts turned to my family and Uncle Phil. It was time to take care of business at home and I felt like dwelling on my thoughts for those women was being selfish.

As the plane taxied and took to the sky, one thought repeated in my mind. That moment, only a few short moments ago, was very possibly the last time I would ever see any of the women who had made the last year of my life the greatest adventure any man has ever had.

I forced myself to accept right then that the game was over.