Chapter 158
There are dishes in the sink and a stack of pancakes on the counter. Penny piles some onto a plate and pushes it to me with a smile. “Orange juice? Tea? Coffee?”
My stomach grumbles, and I don’t have it in me to reject free food, seeing that I didn’t eat breakfast yet.
“Coffee, please.” I didn’t sleep either.
“June, hon,” Penny says, smiling at my sister. “Why don’t you go check your things, make sure you’re not forgetting anything?”
June nods and darts out of the kitchen.
“Sit.” Penny says, gesturing to the stool at the island.
She sits too, and I stab a pancake with a fork.
“Penny,” I start. “I can’t even begin to thank you-”
She waves my gratitude away. “It was my absolute pleasure. Your sister is a delight.”
She leans over and squeezes my hand. “You did an amazing job raising her, April.”
I shrug. “She raised herself.”
Penny snorts. “Yeah, all you did was care for her and work your ass off to feed her, clothe her, and give her health care.”
1 take a sip of coffee to dislodge the emotion in my throat.
“Mom!” Jackie skids into the kitchen. “Can I give June my grey hoodie? It matches her eyes.”
My eyes widen. “No, you don’t have to-”
“Of course, hon.”
She grins and disappears.
1 turn to Penny, appalled. “She doesn’t have to.”
She shrugs. “She has a hundred, and gift–giving is her love language.”
I sigh. “Right”
“So listen,” Penny says. “I want to talk to you before you take June.”
I tense, my fingers curling around the coffee mug. “About…what?”
“Well…” She inhales, and I brace myself. “I want to sponsor June.”
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Chapter 158
I blink. “Huh?”
…
:
She interlocks her fingers on the counter and leans toward me. “I want to sponsor June,” she repeats.
“1–huh?”
She chuckles. “Am I saying it wrong?”
(49)
“No…1–why?”
Her smile is soft, tender. “I have a savior complex, remember?”
I shake my head in disbelief. “Briefly housing her is one thing, but-”
“April,” she cuts me off gently. “June is a bright child. She’s smart and sweet and so kind. If you didn’t love her so much, I would be fighting you in court to take her for myself.
My eyes widen, and Penny rushes to clarify. “I’m not, though! I would never take her from you. I just…” She sighs and takes my hand.
“Do you know who else is smart and sweet and kind?”
I shrug.
“You,” she says, squeezing my hand.
“And I look at both of you–how hard you work to take care of her, how understanding she is about not having much, and I want to help.”
My mouth opens and closes, and moisture gathers in my eyes. I don’t understand what is happening. I don’t understand why it’s happening.
Penny continues to talk. “If you give me an account, I’ll send monthly stipends that will cover everything from schooling, feeding, rent, medication, clothes. And I’d love it if I could still see you and June occasionally. The twins love her and want to stay friends.”
A soft sob tears out of me. In a flash, Penny rounds the counter and pulls me into her arms. The dam breaks, and I’m suddenly crying into
Nathan’s doctor’s night shirt.
She strokes my hair soothingly. “It’s okay, sweetie,” she croons, like I’m her child. “You’ve been through so much. You’ve had to be strong for so long. Please let me help you.”
God, I miss my mom.
Sometimes, it’s hard to remember her–what she smelled like, how it felt to hug her, what her voice sounded like. I’m sure it’s even worse for June.
But here is Penny Carter–so unlikely, so unexpected. And she wants to help, she wants to take the weight off my shoulders.
I don’t have it in me to resist; I don’t have it in me to be strong anymore. So I lean against her and let her take the weight.
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Winning the Heir Who Bullied Me
Chapter 159
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
