Man Like Me

Penelope laughed softly with her friend Claudia as they walked side by side towards their yoga class. Penelope had started the classes a few weeks ago and they were actually performing miracles on her back and she was able to sit and lay more comfortably. Their class passed with by the instructor always paying a close eye to Penelope, helping her during the exercises and giving her tips of things to do at home in case she had pain. Penelope stretched her arms over her head and the instructor helped her up with a smile, ending the class and as Claudia rambled to Penelope about wanting the instructor’s attention. The two friends laughed as Penelope teased her friend while they went towards the small bar on the upper level of the building. After ordering something to eat, Claudia’s eyes widened. Penelope furrowed her eyebrows as she glanced behind her to see Kyle and Cat enter the same bar holding hands.

She took a deep breath as she turned towards Claudia who was looking at them still astonished.

“Claudia, stop staring at them.” Penelope said quickly as she zipped on her orange choice.

“Sorry but I can’t help it…” Claudia said as she narrowed her eyes and then returned to eating her sandwich.

“Why not? It’s Kyle with his girlfriend, nothing special.” Penelope said as she observed her friend closely.

“It’s just strange to see him there when we used to be inseparable. I wish that things could be like they used to and he’d be here, completely thrilled over your pregnancy.” Claudia said sadly looking into Penelope’s eyes.

“I miss those times too.” Penelope acknowledged as she continue to ramble to Claudia about the fact that she was still friends with Kyle but not like before.

“Shit.” Claudia whispered as her eyes grew wide.

“Hey girls.”

Penelope’s breath got stuck in her throat as she looked up to see only Kyle standing there. Cat was sitting a few tables away, observing as her boyfriend went to say hello to his older friends, she disagreed but no one could convince Kyle do not do things his way.

“Hey Kyle.” Claudia said smiling brightly as she stood up to embrace him.

Penelope took a deep breath. Kyle didn’t know that she was pregnant and he hadn’t glanced at her properly yet so she was a bit anxious about telling him the news now and in public.

“Penelope? Aren’t you going to greet me?” Penelope could feel the grin in his voice, Kyle was still himself and that brought her some comfort.

She stood up carefully and she saw his eyes widen as he realized that she was different in many aspects.

“Hey Kyle.” She greeted as his eyes were focused on her stomach and he didn’t say a word.

His silence made her nervous and Claudia quickly nudged him with her elbow.

“Come on K, say something!” She said cheerfully as Kyle’s eyes locked with Penelope’s.

“When I spoke to you for the last time, on your birthday, were you already? Or planning?” He asked directly and avoiding to use the word pregnant.

“No, none of that. It just happened.” Penelope said with a soft smile as Kyle glared at her.

“It just happened?!” He hissed quietly “Nobody gets pregnant just because it happened, Penelope. I suppose that Robert is the father.”

“Of course he is, Kyle.” Penelope snapped trying to control her temper. The last thing she needed was someone else giving her a sermon or getting her nerves all messed up when the baby needed as much calm as possible.

“Why would you get pregnant so early Penelope? You haven’t even finished college.” Kyle said with a paternalist but disappointed tone as Penelope shook her head.

“Here I was thinking that you would you understand, that you would be my friend but you’re the same. Once again, I forgave you and you showed me that I cannot trust you.” Penelope replied sadly as her eyes filled with angry tears.

She tried to hold them in, not become mad all for the sake for the baby so the best was to leave before the discussion got more heated.

“What do you m-“

“Claudia, I’m going to go. I’m exhausted and this conversation is over, Kyle. I wish you the best with Cat.” Penelope said coldly as she took her bad and started going out of the bar.

Claudia gave Kyle a furious look as he saw both of his former friends leave the bar.



When Penelope got home, Robert was in the living room watching television with a happy smile on his lips. She sat beside him and inhaled his clean-shaved scent. She smiled immediately as he embraced her against him and kissed her forehead.

“How was yoga?” He asked.

She replied that it had gotten well but that she was exhausted. She didn’t tell him about the fight with Kyle because it had not been important, it didn’t matter anymore. The fight with her mother had been enough for them to stand and now she wanted to focus on them and on their child.

“Are you too tired to go upstairs for a minute? I have something to show you.” Robert said, a sparkle growing in his eyes as Penelope furrowed her eyebrows but nodded her head.

He helped her up and went besides her up the stairs always being extra careful. When they reached the door of the guest room, he covered her eyes with his hands as he took her in slowly towards the comfortable chair because she was visibly tired.

“What in the world is going on?” Penelope laughed as Robert stepped on a squichy toy and groaned.

“Nothing, nothing.” He replied innocently as he helped her sit down on the rocking chair and then he unblocked her vision “Surprise!”

Penelope’s jaw dropped as she realized that the guest room had been changed into a nursery. She looked around in astonishment, smiling widely. Robert stood a bit shyly next to her, wondering if she’d like it while his hand played with the box in his pocket. He had bought the ring and he planned to propose right now but he was so nervous that she’d be too tired and that she’d become distressed that he didn’t know which situation would be the best.

“Robert…” She called as she grabbed his hand and he kneeled so that they were at the same eye level. “How?”

He leaned closer to her and kissed her temple “This is what I’ve been doing for the past few days with Jude and Zack’s help.” He told her as she nodded her head kissing his forehead, pulling him for a short hug.

“I love it. It’s perfect, it’s simply but comfy and cute with all these toys around.” She chuckled as he laughed softly.

“Uncles Jude and Zack have been competing for the best toys.” He said as they burst out laughing.

“This child is going to be so loved, it’s incredible.” Penelope said smiling warmly at her belly as Robert placed his hand on her belly and smiled.

“We should start thinking about names.” He said as he looked up at her.

“I like Melanie for girl and Philippe for boy.” Penelope said as Robert smiled and then thought for a moment.

“I like Eva and Scott.” Robert said as Penelope smiled and kissed his temple.

“Eva Melanie and Philippe Scott are the options then?” She grinned as he nodded his head liking the sound of both names.

Then he turned his face to her. His courage was starting to dissipate and what better moment than this to propose? He wanted to do it now, he couldn’t wait any longer.

“Robert? What’s up sweetie?” Penelope asked taking him from his thoughts as he locked his eyes with hers and hesitated, licking his lips.

“I have something to ask you, Penelope.” He started as she nodded her head, running her thumb across his palm seeing that the matter was serious.

“Anything.” She said as he smiled softly and caressed her face.

“You make me the happiest man on Earth, did you know?” He asked making her blush as she leaned more against his touch “I love you with all my heart and I want you to be a part of me as much as possible in body and soul.” He added looking deeply into her eyes. “Because of all these feelings inside of me, because of your child, because of you and me together as a couple, I have been thinking about something for the past month…”

He took the box from his pocket and saw her eyes widen and her jaw drop again as she gasped audibly.

“Will you, Penelope, be my wife?” Robert asked as he opened the little box with hopeful eyes.

Penelope placed a hand in her belly, breathing heavily while realizing something and her eyes widened. Robert swallowed the lump in his throat and frowned sadly.

“I’m sorry I shouldn’t have…” He drifted as she stopped him from moving and quickly placed his hand on her belly.

“Can you feel that?” She asked with hopeful eyes that were slowly filling with tears.

Robert furrowed his eyebrows when he felt it: their baby’s first kick.

“Is he-?” He asked breathing faster as Penelope nodded her head “OH MY GOD!” Robert yelled ecstatically, smiling from ear to ear “Hello baby.” He said softly towards Penelope’s belly.

After a bit of smiling and melting towards Penelope’s belly, Robert looked up to meet her gaze.

“About the proposal… I was too rushed, I’m sorry.” He said sadly as he saw her smile softly.

“Can you, at least, give me space to reply?” She asked as he widened his eyes “Yes, Robert, it would be my honor to have you as my husband.” Penelope replied as butterflies filled her stomach as her heart started pounding faster.

She had always wanted to get married but she assumed that Robert wasn’t interested because he had been married and that was why she never talked about it. She understood and being with him was more important to her than marrying him, so having him propose only showed her how much he cared and how brave he was for asking of the dark when they had never spoken about it. It was the best surprise she could ask for, the only thing left in her life except for the birth of their child.

Robert smiled widely as he placed the ring in her finger and then kissed her passionately. Both of them had teary eyes and just remained there exchanging loving words and caressing each other’s faces.

Suddenly the door bell rang. They exchanged a glance as Robert kissed Penelope’s forehead and processed to go get the door while she walked around the room seeing all the toys and little clothes displayed around. The peaceful sound of the house was filled with shouting and Penelope raised her eyebrow as she recognized a voice.

“I demand to see my daughter this instant.”

That was clearly her mother having an argument with Robert as he said that Penelope was resting. The woman kept insisting and that was when a third voice joined the conversation.

“Listen here, Robert, Ms. Hannah is Penelope’s mother and she deserves to see her daughter. She has something important to discuss with her and you can’t stop her.”

Penelope froze when she recognized Kyle’s voice, then it came Robert’s irony as he asked why her mother had brought a bodyguard and Penelope knew that if her mother and Kyle came together, it meant trouble. She walked cautiously towards the stairs and started climbing down.

“Robert.” She called and Robert immediately looked up and went to meet her.

“Penelope, no.” He whispered to her but she glanced at him softly.

“Don’t worry, it’s going to be alright.” She reassured him as she took his arm while he helped her down the stairs.

“Penelope…” Kyle called softly as she reached the door and ignored him, focusing on her mother.

“What do you want mother?” She asked staring at the woman as she took in her daughter’s appearance and bit down her thoughts.

“Well, first to speak with you alone.” The woman replied as her daughter stared coldly at her.

“No. Robert and I have no secrets so he can hear whatever you wish to tell me.” Penelope replied calmly.

“Aren’t you even going to ask us in?” Her mother asked feeling displeased at how cold her daughter was being.

“After the way you continue to speak to Robert and to me? Why would I?” Penelope asked getting a bit tense as Robert rubbed her belly gently, reminding her to keep calm “I am sure that whatever you brought you here is nothing but a fight and fights don’t a have a space inside our home.”

“Pen, what has happened to you? Why are you talking to your mother like that?” Kyle asked as Penelope continued to refuse to look at him.

“Why is he with you?” Penelope asked still staring intently at her mother as the woman inhaled deeply.

“We are here because Kyle came to talk to me and he told me something incredible that might change everything.” The woman said as Penelope raised her eyebrow. “Don’t you want to tell her yourself, Kyle?”

Penelope’s eyes glanced straight into Kyle’s eyes and he had never seen such a look in her face. She was obviously irritated and she wanted them to leave but he couldn’t leave without saying one thing to her.

“Penelope, I have always… I have always loved you.” Kyle admitted as Penelope’s grew wide while Robert snapped his head to look straight at Kyle “I still do. I was Cat out of spite, I have never loved her, she doesn’t compare to you. We never dated but I have always, always loved you. You gave yourself to me and that was when I knew that we belong together.”

“Are you delusional?” Penelope asked abruptly as she felt a small pain in her back, nothing abnormal.

“Penelope! He is confessing his feelings! Be more sensitive.” Her mother reprimanded.

“Mother, please. This is a pathetic scheme. You both know that I do not love Kyle.” Penelope countered as her mom turned to her.

“No, it’s not a scheme. It’s simply placing together what should always have been together from the beginning: you and Kyle.” She said as she focused her eyes on Robert coldly “Penelope, Kyle is willing to marry you and raise the baby as his own.”

“What?!” Penelope yelled, hiding the fact that the pain wasn’t really in her back, it was on her belly and it was scaring her.

“It’s true Penelope.” Kyle said as he stepped closer but Robert stood his ground menacingly and Kyle stepped back “I promise that the child will be happy, I will be a good father and a good husband.”

Penelope narrowed her eyes and let out a small groan as her mother glanced properly at her and saw the ring in her hand. Before the woman could comment, Robert saw Penelope’s discomfort as she grabbed tighter onto him so he decided to step it.

“Listen, both of you,” He started with a harsh tone “I have allowed for you to pester Penelope for too long with all this nonsense. You are her mother and you should be ashamed of what you say to her. You should support her, not judge and come barging in trying to take her away from the place where she wants to be, the place where she belongs and your daughter belongs with me. Fine you may not like me but you never gave me a fair chance.” Robert said a bit hurt towards Penelope’s mother, who for the first time looked embarrassed.

“And you, what kind of a man are you?!” Robert shouted towards Kyle as he straightened up “How could you let the woman you love fly away from your hands? This better serve you as a lesson. Trying to take a man’s love is not a wise quest, so don’t you dare come close to us again. Do you hear me?”

Kyle nodded his head silently and when Penelope’s mom was about to open her mouth but the Penelope’s visible discomfort made her reconsider her words and not mutter a thing.

“We won’t disturb you any longer.” Kyle said as Penelope’s mom looked at Robert.

He saw the pain in the woman’s eyes and he had a feeling that she’d be back to try and make peace soon. Regarding Kyle, he hoped to never see the guy again. Penelope watched them leave as she clutched onto her belly, breathing heavily.

“Robert.” She called silently once they were gone.

“Are you alright honey?” He asked worriedly as he felt her grow weak and grabbed her before she fell to the floor.

“N-no.” She breathed out, groaning again.

"You should lay down." Robert said softly.

“No." Penelope said shaking her head as she clutched onto her belly tighter "My belly... R-Robert, the... the baby.” She muttered as Robert looked down to see Penelope’s clothes stained with blood.

“Oh no. Penelope, Penelope!” He called desperately widening his eyes as he looked back up to see that Penelope had fainted.