From the corner of my eye, I can see Becky give us a curious look.
“She is, but so was Julie.”
Penny takes a few steps toward me. She reaches for my hand but misses it, so I wrap mine around hers instead. “Not everybody is Julie.”
“They aren’t,” I sigh. “Still, I worry, Pen.”
Penny shakes her head. “No, it’s okay, really. It’s not like it’s a big deal. I go to St. Lucy’s.”
Becky blinks. “But that’s…”
“School for the blind and visually impaired, yes,” Penny finishes.
I wrap my arms around Penelope, pulling her into my side. It’s almost an instinctual reaction. I don’t believe Becky is mean or that she’d do anything to hurt Penelope—or anybody else for that matter, okay except maybe Miguel—but I’m insanely protective of my sister.
“Penny’s blind,” I supply. “St. Lucy’s was a part of the reason we moved here.”
“Oh.” Becky looks at Penny like she sees her for the first time. “So you don’t see anything?”
Penny chuckles a little. “Nope, not a thing.”
“And you were born like this?” Becky blushes. “Sorry if that’s inappropriate. I don’t think I’ve ever met a…”
“Blind person.” The words fall off Penelope’s lips easily. There is no judgment in her voice. It’s actually funny. People always ask similar questions when they first find out about Penny’s eyesight. Sometimes we’d bet which one they’d ask first. It was a game of ours. Then again, we’ve lived like this our whole lives. “It’s okay to say it. I’m blind. It’s just the way I am. The way I’ve been my whole life.”
“Wow, okay.” Becky looks around, seeming lost for a moment. Her eyes fall down to Henry and then come back to me. “So when you said the dog’s not yours…”
“Henry, yes.” At the sound of his name, Henry’s ears perk up. “He’s Penny’s guide dog. As you could see he’s pretty social, but he shouldn’t be distracted while he’s working.”
“No distractions while he’s working.” Becky nods. “Gotcha.”
I take a deep breath.
This went… well.
Maybe Penny is right after all. I do always expect the worst from people, but after everything that has happened, it’s not surprising I’m wary.
“About swimming, I don’t think that’s the best idea, Becs. Besides, I just told Penny we’d go and do something together.”
Becky looks between the two of us. “She should come too.”
“What?” I pull back, stunned. Is she for real?
“No, I’m serious.” She turns to Penny. “You should come. It will be so much fun.”
Penny’s eyes widen. “But I don’t know how to swim.”
“It’s not a problem.” Becky waves her off. “Half the people come to be seen anyway. Or drink beer. That too.”
Does she think that’s encouraging?
“I’m not sure that’s the best idea.” Penny turns to me. “But you should go, Kate. We can always do something together later.”
“No.” I shake my head. “I promised. If you’re not going, I’m not going.”
“Kate…” Penny groans.
“Don’t Kate me, Pen. We’re in this together, remember?”
It was a promise I made her, and I planned my damnedest to keep it. I failed her once, and I’m not about to do it again.
“God, can you both get a grip?” Becky crosses her arms over her chest and glares at us. “You’re both coming.”
“But…”
“But nothing, you’re coming.” Becky snaps her fingers. “C’mon, put on some swimsuits, day’s a-wastin’.”
“Is this…” I ask, looking at the dirt road in front of us some twenty minutes later. Once Becky started snapping fingers; there wasn’t anything that could be done to change her mind. You don’t mess with Becky once she sets her mind on something, there is no way you’ll come out a winner, so you might as well give in and not waste your breath.
Becky gives me a quick glance before returning her attention to the bumpy road. “Emmett’s place, yeah.”
My heart skips a beat just at the mention of his name.
Seriously, this is crazy.
Penny’s head peeks between the seats. “We’re going to Emmett’s?”
Of course, that’d get her attention.
Becky lifts her head and looks at Penny’s reflection in the rearview mirror, clearly surprised. “You know Emmett?”
“Yeah, we met recently. He gave us a ride home the other day when our aunt had to stay late at work and couldn’t pick us up.”
“Oh, really?” Becky gives me a curious glance, but I look away, not really in the mood to explain that one. And knowing Becky, she’ll want details.
Chuckling knowingly, she shakes her head at me but thankfully doesn’t probe further, for now. “Yeah, this is Emmett’s. His family owns a ranch.”
Penny’s face lights up. “Like a horse ranch?”
“Cattle, but they have a few horses too.”
Penny nods like that makes sense. “That sounds like fun.”
“It’s a lot of work, that’s what it is, but it’s our way of life.” Becky shrugs. “You like horses, Penny?”
“I like animals in general.”
“I’m sure if you asked him, he would show you.”
Penny thinks about it for a moment. “You think he wouldn’t mind doing that?”
“Penny,” I warn. I hate being the one to tell her no, but want it or not, we’re both aware of her limitations. Riding horses definitely being one of them. Just the idea of her sitting on a horse makes a shiver run down my spine.
“It’s not like I want to ride, Kate. Just meet the horses, that’s it.”
“I know, I just…”
“Worry,” she finishes on a sigh. “I know, but you can’t baby me for the rest of my life. I know what I can and can’t do better than anyone.”
Her little stab stings more than I’d like to admit, but she’s right. More often than not, I feel like I act more like a mother than her sister, but it’s been like that since we were little. You can never rely on our mother, so somebody had to take the role of an adult, and that somebody turned out to be me. I know I’m too protective, but I can’t help myself.
“Okay, sorry. I’ll try to chill.”
“Thank you.”
Penelope extends her hand between the seats. I take her hand in mine and give her a little squeeze. While some sisters could communicate with their eyes, we do so by touch. “I just want you to be happy.”
“I’m happy.”
I turn around so I can see her better, trying to figure out if there is truth in her words, but she genuinely seems okay. She’s been smiling more often, laughing even, and she seems like she’s excited about things again. All the things that were lacking there for a while.