Back To Normal

Penelope didn't mean it like that! She didn't even know this man, there was no way she could love him!

But they had been teasing each other earlier and that was the exact response she would have given Missy or Percy if they had brought her food she hadn't had in a while. It slipped out completely by accident.

Roman took it the wrong way too. He smiled and said, "You better after the line I had to wait in to pick these up. Apparently all of L.A. wanted takeout today."

She supposed it strengthened her cover but she was seriously about to die from mortification. This was what she got for getting too deep into a role. She knew she wasn't cut out for this!

She had been in the other Penelope's head for too long the past couple of days. The natural rapport she had as the alternate version of his wife was messing with her head so she acted the way she would have if they were actually married.

It was fine; it wasn't like she kissed him or anything. As long as she kept a somewhat respectable distance without making him suspicious, this would all be okay.

"A bunch of people came by asking about you today," Roman informed her as she joined him in the dining room.

Penelope raised an eyebrow before popping the lid off her noodles. "Really? Who?"

"Everyone involved in your surgery. And the nurse who was there when you were confused from the anesthesia. She's glad you're back to normal."

Back to normal…things would never be back to normal for real unless this world's Penelope managed to make a comeback. She really hoped that happened before she got too comfortable here.

"See, Percy told you there was nothing to worry about," she said evasively.

Roman's smile was self-deprecating. "Yeah, I lost my head a little thinking you forgot me. You really scared me, Penny! I can't imagine my life without you in it."

Guilt twisted her insides like a pretzel. Percy had been absolutely right that the truth would crush him. She was lying in an attempt to be kind but, in reality, this wouldn't be kind at all if his wife wasn't ever able to return to his side.

"I'm sorry. I had no idea what I was talking about," Penelope lied. "I feel the same way."

"You need to make it up to me," Roman insisted with a twinkle in his eye.

She didn't like that look at all. She was pretty sure she knew exactly how he wanted her to make it up to him.

"Later," she said firmly. "I'm still a patient, remember?"

He sighed dramatically before letting it go. "I'm going to hold you to that. Don't you dare forget."

"I won't."

How could she forget a looming threat like that?! Penelope needed to get out of here ASAP before she made this devoted husband an unwitting adulterer. Technically he already was by the little kisses he had done so far and sleeping in the same bed but that wasn't his fault.

She really needed to talk to Percy before things got even more out of hand. In person. She needed advice that wouldn't necessarily come through properly over text.

She continued shoveling in noodles and egg rolls until it was all gone. Her stomach hurt slightly but she hadn't eaten anything so delicious in a good while. It had been impossible to resist the temptation.

Penelope was reminded of something from a British sci fi show Percy liked when she was in high school. There was an underlying theme of parallel worlds for a few seasons.

She had been in the room when one of the characters compared the parallel world to a gingerbread house, like the one in the Hansel and Gretel fairy tale, because of all the temptations. Two of the other characters went running off because their deceased father and grandmother were alive in that world.

She couldn't allow herself to get comfortable here. She had to think of it as nothing more than a vacation from reality knowing that she couldn't stay.

All of these nice clothes, good food, and attention from a loving husband didn't belong to her. They were the other Penelope's. She wasn't allowed to get greedy. In the meantime the most she could do was enjoy the food.

When dinner was over, Roman wanted to play a game. He padded over to the hall closet, which had huge stacks of them on a shelf above the coats.

He had a lot of good ones. All of Penelope's favorites were here. Of course. They were meant for the other her and Roman was nothing if not doting.

They ended up settling on Battleship. She was normally pretty good at this game but she wasn't sure what kind of strategist he was. The stakes were high because he said that the winner got to make a request of the loser.

Penelope didn't like the sound of that at all. She had to position her ships perfectly or she might have to do something completely against her morals.

She could always refuse…but that would look bad in a different way. And hurt his feelings. She didn't want to do that. Roman deserved better than rejection from who he thought was the woman he loved.

After a few minutes to position things, Penelope went first. "B5," she guessed at random.

"Miss," he replied. "A10."

"Miss. E7."

They continued with a series of misses for the next two minutes before Roman landed a hit. He sunk her first ship before she even got a single hit in! This wasn't looking good.

"H5," Penelope said through gritted teeth.

"Hit," Roman said with great regret. "J2."

"Miss. H6."

"Miss. C9."

Hmm. If H6 was a miss then, based on the rest of the board, I5 was the most likely choice to get another hit. Penelope guessed that and after a few more turns was rewarded with sinking his battleship. She wasn't out of the running yet!