35. My Girl

MY GIRL

I grabPenny's hip as she stands up to her mother for me.

The woman who was so scared about the damage our relationship would cause is choosing me, and I'm not sure how to handle it.

I've never been someone's first choice before.

"Penny, you've been through a lot lately. I'm sure this can get annulled. What will people think?" her mother asks.

I know my aunt Holly isn't meaning to be as hurtful as she is right now, but it just goes to show that she doesn't really know Penny. She loves Penny, would kill for her, but she doesn't know her, not like I do. I'm not sure anyone in the world knows who the real Penny is besides me. She gives people pieces of who she truly is, but I get the whole package.

My wife is strong and beautiful. Every time I think I couldn't love her more, she just proves me wrong.

"I don't want to get it annulled. You're not listening. We're married. It's the happiest I've ever been. I've felt more like me in these last few months than I have in the last ten years. I don't expect you all to get on board right away, honestly. I know it will be an adjustment. I love Lincoln. He's my husband, and I really hope you can learn to accept it."

Holly sits there for a moment, taking in Penny's words as my mother glances over at her other sons, who are all very obviously not shocked.

"You all knew?"

Ben shrugs, Aiden rubs his jaw, looking away, and Jessa mouths a sorry in Penny's direction.

"Since Labor Day," Gavin says with a shrug.

"Jesus Christ," Penny's dad mumbles under his breath.

"And you're just okay with this?" my mom asks.

"When is the last time you remember Lincoln being happy? When he wasn't moping around sitting by himself in the backyard. He fucking smiles now. It's terrifying, but it's because of Penny," Gavin says, and I make a note to get him an additional Christmas gift.

My mom nods her head and takes a heavy sigh.

"Have you two thought about what people might think?" she asks, not judging, just asking. My aunt still looks like she's wrapping her head around everything that just happened and I know Penny is worried she might falter in her recovery.

I've been patient and the only reason I was content in waiting so long is because Penny and I have been so happy in our private little newlywed bliss. I'm not going to let them ruin it for us.

"It will probably be strange for family friends we've known for a while, but like I give a fuck what they think? We're not blood related, everything is legal. Her last name is Carlson already," I say, grabbing Penny a little tighter.

My mother glances between the two of us and rubs her forehead.

"I already love you, Penny. It's going to take a minute to get used to this, but I know Lincoln wouldn't be impulsive about something so serious." Penny stills next to me and I pray she doesn't think too hard about my mother's backhanded compliment, that Penny is the impulsive one, when that's the complete opposite.

"I think I'm just going to lie down for a while," Holly says getting up.

"Mom," Penny says, taking a step forward towards her mother.

"I just can't right now, Penelope. I need some space," Holly says, walking back into the house.

Her father stands up next and squeezes his daughter's shoulder.

"We'll figure it out, kiddo. We love you no matter what," he tells her, kissing her hair and following his wife.

Penny turns to me. She looks beautiful in her dark blue sundress and her hair is down in messy waves, but right now her big blue-eyes are welling up with tears.

"Hey," I tell her, cupping her face, and she blinks up at me. "They'll come around. They love you. It was a shock. It will be okay," I tell her, kissing her forehead. She leans into me and when I look up, I see my mom's shocked face.

She gives me a small smile and nod. "Not that you need it, but you have our blessing. Congratulations," she says softly. She grabs my dad's hand and starts heading toward the house.

My dad just slaps my back as he follows his wife.

"Thank fucking God. I didn't know how much longer I could hold it in," Aiden says, wrapping his arm around Jessa, whose cheeks are bright pink.

"I'm really sorry, Penny. He just dragged it out of me," Jessa apologizes.

Penny wipes under her eyes and nods at her friend. "It's okay, I get it more than ever now, trust me."

"Maybe now is the time to tell them I never actually graduated college," Ben says suddenly.

"Wait, you never graduated?" I say, tilting my head at him.

"Neither of us did," Gavin says with a shrug.

"Maybe take that one to your grave. I think our news was enough for today," Penny says, wrapping her arms around herself.

"Awe, it will all work out, Penny. Your mom has always been the high-strung one. She'll come around. Worst-case scenario, just get pregnant. How is she going to refuse a grandchild?" Gavin asks.

I'm retracting his additional Christmas gift.

"I think I want to go home," Penny says softly, not sitting next to my brothers or Jessa.

Jessa stands, wrapping her arms around Penny.

"You have our support no matter what," she says, squeezing her tightly.

Aiden stands up and gives her a hug, too. "Congratulations."

"You mean it?" she asks.

"I was shocked and had other feelings when Jessa first told me, but you two make sense. You're happy and that's all I'd want for the both of you," Aiden says, giving me a hug.

We hug my twin brothers and go through the side gate to avoid walking through the house and dealing with our parents.

Penny stares out the window the whole ride home. She's driven my car a few times, but right now she's too lost in her thoughts as I take us home.

"Well, I can officially move all my stuff downstairs now," she says as I hit the elevator for our floor.

"Or better yet, we can move all of our shit into a house."

"I thought you liked the building?" she says, leaning against the wall.

"I never wanted a house because I didn't like the idea of living alone. When I'd visit Aiden before he was with Jessa, it felt depressing. Also, you have a lot of shit."

She gasps. "I do not."

"Remember that closet you stuffed me in? It was basically spilling out into your bedroom."

She approaches me, sadness still written on her face, but she isn't crying.

"You'd like to share a house with me?"

"Baby, I want to share everything with you."

It'sChristmas Eve morning and things feel tense. Mostly because Holly is avoiding both Penny and me like the plague.

My side of the family has taken everything in stride, like I knew they would. I guess I didn't expect such a cold shoulder from Holly. My uncle is kind and accepting, but is sticking by his wife—I guess I get that now.

Even if Penny is wrong about something, I'd still take her side.

The meal is less lively than years past, but I try to make the best of it. It's a shame that there's still straining tension when there's so much breakfast food on the table. Holly watches as I touch her daughter's shoulder and comfort her.

We're free from our secret, but we aren't free from judgment, at least in Holly's eyes.

"Mom," Penny says across the table, and Holly glances up at her daughter. "I was really hoping you'd come and see the place we're under contract for. I'd really like help decorating it."

My wife takes the higher road, extending the olive branch, and I squeeze her shoulder in reassurance and support.

"You bought a house?" she asks. Her tone is hard to decipher.

"We did. It's in Jessa and Aiden's neighborhood."

"That is a nice area," Holly says with a nod. "Do you have a color scheme picked out?"

Penny nods, handing her mother her phone. Holly puts on her glasses and swipes through her inspiration pictures.

"I'd love to help," she says, only looking at Penny.

It might not be the warm welcoming I was hoping I'd get as her son-in-law, but I can tell how much this means to Penny.

"We close on the fifth. Maybe you could come over, see the place and we could all do lunch?" Penny asks, looking at both of her parents.

"We'd love that," my uncle Tim answers for both of them.

I don't know if it's the holidays or seeing how much her disapproval was hurting Penny, but I call it a win.

"Oh shit," Penny says, looking down at her phone. "I've got to go. Thank you for having us."

"Where are you going?" Holly asks, having been completely out of the loop from her daughter's life. I let it slide because they've made peace. Plus, any chance I get to brag about my girl, I'm going to take it.

"She helped plan the Ray's holiday party," I say proudly, and Penny beams.

"Thank you again for introducing me and Krystal to the owner," Penny directs at Aiden.

"It was a no brainer. Go do your thing," Aiden says, waving her off.

Holly looks at her daughter again and I think she finally realizes how truly happy she is. I know I'm a part of it, but more than anything, it's all Penny, she's finally figured out who she is. I take pride in knowing I was part of that journey, but in the end it was all her.

She leans down, no embarrassment or shame as she kisses me on the lips.

"I'll see you back at home?" She pulls out her keys and Holly tracks the motion, realizing her daughter is driving again.

"Yeah, baby, take lots of pictures," she grins, pulling away in her tight little red dress and higher than needed black heels as she clicks her way to the front door and heads to work.

Holly stares after her daughter for a minute and takes a deep breath.

"So… tell me more about the house," she says, looking right at me.

It feels like the weight of the world falls off my shoulders and it's no longer Penny and me against the world.