A Penny's Worth Read Online Free PDF Page B

have volunteered for Habitat for the Humanities;
I should have helped sick children that lived deep in the jungles of South Africa. But no, she thought in disgust, instead I spent almost half my life filling
out emergency forms at an elementary school.
    She took a sip of coffee and rolled her
shoulders to work the kink out of them. She heard a light cough and looked up.
Oh, great. Standing at the counter ordering a Mocha Latte to go was Cousin
Charlene’s best friend Beth Blake. Penny had the perfect nickname for Blake: Blake
the Flake . Her bleached blond hair was whiter than usual and her make-up
was heavier than ever. Her lip pencil was applied so thickly that her mouth
looked as if someone had drawn it on, and her heavy brown lipstick was bleeding
right through it onto her upper lip. Penny had a sudden longing to pick up her
napkin and vigorously wipe Beth’s face.
    “Oh hi, sweetie, how are you?” Beth’s
voice was high and tinny.
    Oh just peachy keen. She smiled up at
Beth, and realized that she despised this woman. “I’m fine, and you? What
brings you to this side of the woods? Are you slumming?”“
    “Oh, you’re just so funny. I just happen
to be meeting a friend for sushi at Asian Grill.” Beth smiled sweetly. “Dining
alone?”
    Penny sat back just as the waitress
placed her omelet in front of her. She felt a rush of humiliation. “Yes, well,
I had some work to catch up on and I become easily distracted at home because
of Bob and Winston.”
    Beth shook her head up and down with faux
understanding. “Oh, are those your children?”
    She had a sudden urge to slide under the
table and hide. “No, they would be my dog and cat.”
    Beth’s confused look cleared up. “Oh,
yeah, right, I didn’t think you had any kids.” Before Penny could reply, she
snapped her fingers and asked, “Hey, speaking of kids, don’t you baby-sit?”
    Penny bit her lower lip. She already knew
what was coming next.
    “Yes you do, for Charlene, right? I’m
just desperate for a babysitter this Saturday. For every Saturday come to think
of it. My girl moved back to Guatemala.” She stretched her painted-on mouth
into a grotesque pout. “I was so disappointed.” She took a sip of her Café
Latte, leaving a thick smear of lipstick on her cup. Beaming, she asked, “So
what do you say?”
    “You drink coffee before sushi?” was
about all Penny could manage. She didn’t have any plans this Saturday night or
any thereafter. She scrambled for some sort of an excuse.
    Checking her watch, Beth laughed easily.
“I’m killing time before dinner. The kids are both at home with my mother. I
needed to get out of the house.” She shrugged and added with a shake of her
head, “You know how that goes.”
    “No,” Penny deadpanned with a smile, “I
really don’t.”
    “Anyway,” Beth continued, unaware that
Penny was acutely uncomfortable. “So, can you watch my kids this Saturday
night?” She clasped her hands together as in prayer. “Oh please say yes, I need
you.”
    Penny blurted out, “No, I absolutely
cannot watch your kids at all, ever.”
    Beth stepped back with a surprised look.
Penny felt the blood drain from her face. An uncomfortable silence chewed at
the air between them. Finally Beth recovered her composure and asked in a meek
voice, “May I ask why?”
    “Why?” she parroted back. “I’ll tell you
why.” She calmly stabbed her fork into her omelet. “I have a life and I’m very
busy.”
    Taking two steps back Beth stammered,
“Well, uh, I guess that’s as good a reason as any.”
    “Yes, I think it’s a very good reason.”
    Beth peered down at her watch and
exclaimed, “Oh, I’m so late for my dinner date. I’m so sorry, but I must be
going. Enjoy your meal.” Blowing a kiss, she backpedalled out of the coffee
shop.
    “Hope you enjoy your sushi,” Penny called
out after her.
    She realized with a stab of longing that
she wished she was busy. She also realized she would never, ever