Chapter 7 #2
“She’s your soulmate. I see it in your face every time you say her name.”
Baron breathed deep, eyes wet, chest tight.
And just like that—he knew what he had to do.
He stood, leaned over, and kissed his mother’s forehead gently. “Thank you.”
She patted his hand, a mischievous glint flashing in her eyes despite the tears. “Now go get your girl.”
He turned toward the door, something steel-hard and unstoppable settling into his chest.
No more waiting.
No more hesitation.
He was done standing still.
He was going to fight for her.
Because Penny wasn’t just worth it.
She was everything.
* * *
Penny sat on the edge of the couch, twisting the hem of her T-shirt around her fingers, a cup of lukewarm tea untouched on the table in front of her.
Esther sat in her favorite chair, legs tucked under her, watching her daughter with one brow arched.
“You keep twisting that shirt any tighter and it’s gonna unravel into string,” Esther said dryly.
Penny let out a nervous laugh and dropped her hands into her lap. “Okay, okay. I’m just… thinking.”
Esther took a sip of her sweet tea. “You’re always thinking. That brain of yours never rests unless it’s got a crossword puzzle or a broken man to fix.”
“Not trying to fix anybody,” Penny said, more to herself than to her mother. “Just trying to do the right thing.”
Esther raised an eyebrow. “And what exactly does ‘the right thing’ look like this time?”
Penny exhaled slowly, steadying herself. “I’m going to meet with Antonio.”
Esther didn’t respond right away. Just set her tea down and looked at her daughter fully, like she was seeing her not just as her child—but as a woman.
“Are you sure?” she asked, calm but firm.
Penny nodded. “I am. I’m not scared of him anymore, Ma. Not angry, either. I don’t feel anything toward him now but… curiosity. And maybe closure.”
Esther leaned back, arms folded. “You want to know if he’s worth letting back in.”
“Not for me,” Penny said. “For Matilda.”
Her voice cracked slightly at the end of the sentence, and she swallowed hard before continuing.
“I’ve been thinking a lot about her future. About what kind of mother I want to be. And I realized—I never want her to feel like I kept her from something that might’ve helped her grow. Even if I hate the idea of him being near her… if he’s truly changed, and if she wants to know him…”
Esther’s face softened. “Then it’s her choice too.”
“Exactly.”
There was a pause.
Then Esther said, “You’ve come a long way, baby.”
Penny gave her a small smile. “Still got miles to go.”
“You all do,” Esther said, waving her hand. “But I’m proud of you. And no matter what happens next, you listen to your gut. Antonio doesn’t get to define your daughter’s life. You do. You and her. Together.”
Penny nodded, then stood slowly.
“I’m gonna talk to her. Right now.”
Esther didn’t stop her. “I’ll keep your tea warm.”
Penny climbed the stairs quietly, the thud of her heart louder than her footsteps. She knocked once on Matilda’s bedroom door, then peeked in.
Matilda was sprawled across the floor, building a glittery cardboard castle for her stuffed animals.
“Hey, sweet pea,” Penny said gently. “Got a second?”
Matilda looked up, face lit by fairy lights, eyes wide with curiosity. “Yeah!”
Penny sat down beside her on the floor. “I want to talk to you about something. Someone, actually.”
Matilda blinked. “Is it about Dr. Jones? ‘Cause if it is, I already told you I think he’s cool.”
Penny laughed. “Not this time. This is about your dad.”
Matilda tilted her head. “I thought you were my mom and my dad.”
Penny smiled sadly. “I’ve been both, yeah. But your biological dad—his name is Antonio—he’s… here. In town. And he wants to meet you.”
Matilda stared at her for a moment, processing.
“Do you want me to?” she asked finally, her voice small but clear.
Penny’s throat tightened. “Only if you want to. You don’t have to decide right now. And you’ll never have to do anything that doesn’t feel right to you, okay?”
Matilda twisted a curl around her finger. “Is he a bad guy?”
Penny paused. “He used to be… not so good to me. But people change. And he says he wants to try.”
Matilda nodded slowly. “Can I still have Dr. Jones if I meet him?”
Penny blinked. “What?”
“I mean…” Matilda shrugged. “I already decided Dr. Jones is kind of like my bonus dad. He brings me books. And those lemon pastries. I don’t want to trade.”
Penny laughed through a tear. “You don’t have to trade. There’s enough love for both, if that’s what you want.”
Matilda thought for a second longer, then beamed. “I wouldn’t mind having two dads. That’s kind of cool, right?”
Penny swallowed the lump in her throat and reached out to pull her daughter into her arms.
“It’s very cool,” she whispered. “And very brave.”
Matilda leaned into her, voice muffled against her shirt. “I’m just like you.”
Penny held her tighter. “Yeah, baby. You are.”
* * *
The bell above the café door jingled softly as Penny walked in, tugging her coat tighter around her. The scent of cinnamon rolls and espresso hit her instantly—warm, familiar, comforting in a way she desperately needed right now.
She spotted the table in the back corner, already occupied.
Antonio Bruno.
He stood when he saw her, like he still remembered old rules of chivalry, even if he’d broken every emotional one that ever mattered.
He looked… different.
Not just older. Quieter. Like time had sanded him down and regret had taken up residence in the lines around his eyes.
“Penny,” he said, his voice a little softer than she remembered.
She offered a brief nod. “Antonio.”
He gestured to the empty seat across from him. “Thanks for coming.”
She sat, smoothed her skirt, and folded her hands on the table. “You said you wanted to talk. So let’s talk.”
He hesitated, then sat again, wrapping both hands around his coffee cup like he needed the warmth.
“It’s been a long time,” he said.
“It has.”
“You look… strong.”
Penny raised an eyebrow. “I am.”
He smiled, but there was pain in it. “Yeah. I can see that now.”
She said nothing, letting the silence sit between them like a third person—ancient, observant, and patient.
Antonio cleared his throat. “I’ve been looking for you. Not to drag up the past, I swear. I didn’t come here to guilt you or make demands.”
“Then why are you here?”
His fingers tapped nervously against the ceramic. “Because I haven’t stopped thinking about you. Or her.”
Penny blinked once. “Matilda?”
He nodded. “I know I have no right to her. Or to you. But I’ve spent the last few years trying to become someone who might deserve the chance to say I’m sorry.”
Penny stayed quiet.
“I went to therapy,” he said quickly, like he was afraid she’d get up and leave before he finished.
“Not the kind you post about on Instagram. The hard kind. The kind that dragged out everything I didn’t want to admit.
I stopped drinking. Sold the apartment. I changed everything that reminded me of who I was when I lost you. ”
Penny exhaled slowly. “That’s good.”
He leaned forward slightly, voice low. “It wasn’t just guilt. It was… you. You were always the best part of my life, and I was too blind and selfish to see it then. I thought I had more time. I thought you’d always be there.”
She looked him in the eye. “But I’m not.”
His shoulders dropped.
She straightened in her seat, her voice calm but resolute.
“I came here today because I wanted to hear you. Really hear you. Because whether I like it or not, you’re part of my story. And more importantly, you’re part of hers.”
Antonio’s eyes glistened. “She has no idea who I am.”
“That was a choice you made,” Penny said. Not cruel. Just truth. “You had the opportunity to be there. To support me. You chose distance. Silence. Absence.”
He winced. “I was ashamed.”
“And I was alone,” she said. “Pregnant. Hurt. Trying to rebuild something that you helped break.”
Antonio dropped his gaze.
She softened, just a fraction.
“But I’m not that woman anymore. I’m not asking for anything from you. Not approval, not regret, not love. I’m here because Matilda is growing up, and one day she’s going to ask questions.”
He looked up.
“I won’t lie to her,” Penny continued. “And I won’t hide you. But if you want a relationship with her, you have to understand this—it will not include me.”
A pause.
“I’m not coming back to you, Antonio. Not now. Not ever.”
His breath caught. “You don’t even want to try?”
She shook her head. “No. Because I’ve already found everything I ever wanted. And it’s not you.”
His voice broke. “Is it someone else?”
“Yes,” she said, soft but certain. “It’s Baron.”
Antonio stilled.
“I love him,” Penny said. “I trust him. He didn’t just show up—he stayed. He met me where I was. Never asked me to shrink. Never treated me like I was a problem to solve or a burden to endure. He looks at me like I’m the whole damn sky.”
Tears welled in Antonio’s eyes. “I used to look at you like that.”
“No,” she said, gently. “You looked at me like I was yours. Baron looks at me and sees the real me.”
Silence stretched between them.
She let it.
He nodded, voice hoarse. “What about Matilda?”
Penny took a deep breath. “She wants to meet you. She said she wouldn’t mind having two dads.”
Antonio let out a ragged laugh, one part awe, one part heartbreak. “She said that?”
“She did.”
“I don’t deserve her.”
“No,” Penny agreed. “But she deserves a chance to know where she came from. If—and only if—you show up the way she deserves. That means being consistent. Honest. Present. No drama. No half-hearted apologies. Just time. And patience.”
He nodded. “I’ll do whatever it takes.”
“I believe you,” she said. “But remember—you’re not earning me. You’re earning her. And she’s not a prize. She’s a person.”
Antonio wiped at his eyes, then slowly stood. “Thank you… for this.”
Penny nodded. “Take care of yourself, Antonio.”
He hesitated, then gave her a sad smile. “I’ll never stop loving you, you know.”
“I’m sure with time you’ll get over it, just like I did,” she said, standing too.