Chapter 1 Coming Home

PENNY

The driveway is long and ridiculous. Trees darken the path to the house that rises like a green cloud in the evening sunlight. I prefer my little apartment with the view of the sprawling city but I make the trip to the countryside every other weekend.

My car slows to a stop next to Maria's and I step out into the warm air and make my way into the house.

"Penelope!" I hear the excited squeal of a woman in bed, pale and thin but with a bright smile that can light an entire room.

"Hey, Mom." I return her smile, drop my bag, and give her a quick forehead kiss.

"So how are you doing? Tell me everything." She pats the space beside her happily.

I laugh and sit down. "Where's Maria?"

My mother waves a dismissive hand. "She's off somewhere trying to prepare another atrocious food for me to eat. Honestly, if the cancer doesn't kill me her food will."

I laugh again. "I'm sure once you stop joking like that, not even cancer can kill you."

"Remains to be seen," she says wistfully and I search her face for any sign of distress. Apart from her fading auburn hair and watery blue eyes, she seems much better than the last time I visited.

"What did the doctors say?" my worry starts to climb regardless but she squeezes my arm and gives me a fearless smile.

"Don't worry about that, Penny. I didn't conquer half of Europe and most of the dickheads in this city to create a conglomerate just to allow a little cancer to take me down."

"Ovarian cancer is not little, Mom," I chided her softly.

"Don't worry, I'm using money to aggressively fight it and I've lost a lot of hair there's no way I'm dying now."

Somehow being closer to death has made my mom morbid and more insufferable. That doesn't mean I'll love her any less. I scoot closer and gently put her head on my shoulder.

"So any progress on getting the place for your bakery?" she asks, her gaze flying all over my face.

"No, the price is too high," I say sadly.

Her smile fades. "You don't have to keep doing this, honey. I don't care about this thing you're trying to do. Join the company, take your place and you never have to worry about stupid things like price."

I sigh already getting exasperated with the direction of the conversation. "Mom, please, not this again."

"What? I get what you're doing but it's a waste of time, Penny. You can be a baker and still lead my life's work."

"I don't want to, Mom! Baking is more than a hobby to me, it's a passion and I love you but you have to let me do this."

She sighs and throws her hands in surrender. "Why?"

"We've talked about this and-"

"It doesn't stop me from not understanding it. I built a conglomerate from nothing. I fought tooth and nail-" she gestures around the lavish room "-for all this and my daughter doesn't want any of it! Can't you see how hard it is for me to understand?" Her voice breaks and tears fill her eyes.

"Mom please..."

"I don't want to die without being sure the Castillo legacy will live on. That I fought for something."

My lower lip quivers but I bite it down to stop my tears from forming. "Well, you're not dying anytime soon. I need to try, Mom."

I hug her tight and wipe the tears from her face. "If the baking doesn't work, I'll call Lucas and take my place, I promise."

"Okay. I love you so much, Penny."

"I love you too Mom. We'll get through this and you can kick ass from here to the Seine River."

She laughs heartily and relaxes further in my arms.

"But call Lucas either way. He keeps asking for you and I'm thinking of inviting him for dinner tomorrow so you guys can catch up."

I roll my eyes.

"Don't look at me like that. He's a good boy and he still has a thing for you and I know you said you don't like him like that but how long has it been? Two? Three years?"

"I'm fine. You and Jess need to stop."

"You're twenty-five and I get more action than you. Before you reach my age, you'll have cobwebs down there."

"Mom!" I snort and dissolve into laughter.

The door opens and Maria strolls in, smiling. "Hey, beautiful Castillo women."

"Hey Maria," we sing simultaneously and giggle like little kids.

"Everything good, Estela?"

"Yes," Mom replies with a fond smile.

Maria drops the tray in her hands and heads over to the bed. After more than four months of being my mom's caregiver, she's easily family. She has a round face, a soft smile, and close-cut hair, with the sweetest attitude.

Terrible cooking though.

My mom points to the tray. "I guess that slop is for me."

Maria chuckles, not taking offense. "Yes. But your meds are up first."

I slide off the bed to give her space to insert the drugs into the IV line in my mom's arm. It takes a minute and mom only winces for a bit.

I look at her worriedly but she gives me an all-clear smile. "I'm fine," she mouths.

Maria nods. "You're all set. Now eat." She brings the tray over to the bed and turns to me. "Once she finishes everything, let her rest."

"No. I want Penny to stay with me." She takes my hand.

"I'm here for the whole weekend. You'll see me first thing in the morning." I smile reassuringly as I pat her hand.

I catch a tear slip from Maria's eye before she turns away. "I just love seeing you two," she says and hastily wipes her face. "See you in the morning."

"Bye Maria." She leaves quietly and I take my seat and stir whatever concoction Maria has made.

"She says it's healthy," my mom wears a similar disgusted expression and we both share a laugh.

It takes ten minutes to spoon-feed her and two more for her to drift into sleep with a content smile.

I kiss her head lightly and switch off the lights. As I shut the door, my phone rings.

"We got it!" Jess screams immediately I put the phone to my ear. "We got the space Pen! We can open our bakery!"