She shook her head and darted her eyes away from Penn's pained expression. "I don't do that. I'm a healer, a pacifist. I don't fight."
"Look," I said. "Your son wants to fight for you. Your family wants to fight for you. You're the only one that can stop them from hurting themselves trying."
Xavier's phone rang. "It's them. What should I say?"
Alice sighed then reached over to pat Penn's hand. "Tell them I wasn't up to it today, but that we should reschedule. Apparently I'm going to have to prepare myself for battle."
Penn's mother filled the return car ride with a tirade on alternative medicines and the narrow-minded view of Western medicine. It was a relief as no one else had anything to say. Every time I looked at Penn, the whole truth of my past was on my lips. I wanted to tell him everything, but it wasn't the time.
We pulled up outside the Monterey mansion and I waited for Xavier to help Alice out of the car before I turned on Penn. "Is this actually your house?"
"Corsica?" The tone of his voice stopped me. Penn shifted across the leather seats and gathered me into his arms. "Thank you. I don't know what I would have done if she'd refused treatment. I was so scared."
"I know. I'm sorry." I hugged him tight.
"I don't care why you came along. I'm just glad you're here. You really are saving me," he whispered against my hair.
"I know what it's like." I caught myself in time and snapped my mouth shut.
Penn pulled back but kept his arms around me. "What do you know?"
"Ask your father," I muttered. "I'm sure he's looking further into it."
"Corsica, wait." Penn stopped me from grabbing the door handle. "I didn't ask my father to do a background check on you. I wish he hadn't, and I wish you hadn't told me. I wasn't kidding when I said I wanted to get to know you. I want you to be the one that tells me about your life, whatever you're willing to share."
"You deserve to know who you invited into your home," I said.
"I invited you." His brown eyes warmed. "I don't care about all the rest. I'm just glad that you're here."
Xavier made the mistake of returning to the car to get Alice's scarf just as we got out. Penn brushed past him with a hard shoulder. Then, he turned and confronted his father. Toe to toe, it was obvious they were father and son. Both stood over 6'2" tall and challenged each other with identical, hard expressions.
"You had no right to check up on Corsica," Penn snapped.
"You didn't even know her hometown," Xavier said. "How could I let you keep going on so blindly? Especially after you've been together so long. Didn't you ever ask yourself why she kept so much secret?"
"Not for the reasons you thought," I reminded him.
Penn had his opening, and I thought he was going to take it. It was the perfect time to throw our little charade in his father's face. It was Xavier, after all, that had made Penn feel like he needed a human shield.
"I'm not like you," Penn said. "I'm not in a hurry to figure everyone out. All I know is that I love having Corsica around. I love her in my life. We've been dating for a while now, but I trusted that she would tell me everything when she was ready. You've never trusted anyone in your life."
Xavier caught my shocked look. "You're right. I have trust issues. So, tell me, how did you two meet?"
Penn hooked my hand through his and escorted me up the front steps as he told his father our story. I was surprised when it last for more than two steps. "I met Corsica in a nightclub. Actually, I ran into her."
"You tried to claim I ran into you," I added. "But we both know you weren't my type."
"And now, I'm growing on you." Penn squeezed my arm.
I had no idea why it was so important for his parents to believe in our relationship, but I was glad. As complicated as it was, I liked being in Penn's life, too.
"You met at a nightclub and that's supposed to convince me?" Xavier asked.
"She stuck with me," Penn said. "I couldn't help but look for her every night after that. Then, one night, I was in this little karaoke lounge. I was about to leave when she stepped onto the stage."
Xavier hummed under his breath as we went inside. Alice had gone out on the patio facing the ocean and was doing Yoga. He watched her thoughtfully for a moment and then turned to Penn. "So, you're telling me she hooked you with a song?"
"I seem to recall she did the same thing with you," Penn snapped. "Why all this sudden mistrust?"
Xavier sighed heavily. "I've had to face some heavy truths in the past two years, and though it was painful, it opened up the way to a life I thought I would never have again. I just wanted the same for you."
Penn gave a pained laugh. "You let Alice get in your head. I can't believe the two of you are teaming up behind my back to control my life. And all you've done is proven that Corsica and I are more alike than we thought. She ran away when she was young, and so did I."
"You turned your back on your family," Xavier said. "You refused to acknowledge me. Even when I joined A.A. Even when I got sober and wanted to make amends. I thought maybe it was her influence over you."
Penn caught my hand. "Influence. Corsica was a better influence on me just a few days after we met then you've ever been my entire life."
Alice slid the patio door open. "You all look so serious in here. What is going on?"
Xavier opened his mouth to explain, but Penn surprised us all. He dropped down to one knee and kissed the back of my hand. "Corsica Allen. I know these last few days have been a mess and you deserve more romance than this, but I want to prove to you and to my family that it's not your past I care about. I only want your future. Will you marry me?"
I wanted to scream. How could he put me through such a scene? What would this possibly prove to his family? And, what would they do when they found out the truth?
Then, I wanted to cry. Penn had said the one thing I had always wanted to hear. He didn't care about my past, he just wanted my future. With Joshua, it had always been a case of correcting me, retraining me, and making sure I kept my more-than-humble beginnings quiet. Penn didn't care about that.
What he cared about was his mother. Alice had brought both hands to her face to hide a huge, delighted smile. It was clear in the bright glow of her eyes that she had always dreamed of seeing her son happily in love. Now, when Penn was scared he might lose her, it was suddenly very important for him to give her what she wanted most.
And our fake engagement would give his mother a reason to fight her cancer with everything she could get.
"Yes. Yes, of course I'll marry you," I whispered.
It was only because I understood. How many days had I scoured the fields around our home to find the daisies my mother wished she could see again? I had driven four hours away and back just to bring her a piece of pie she craved. I would have done anything to make her happy when she was sick, and I couldn't blame Penn for doing the same thing.
"Penn, what are you doing?" Alice shrieked and we both froze. We thought our dreamy little scene was too transparent until Alice rushed over to us. "You don't even have a ring to give her. Here, darling, use this."