“Oh,” Penny stepped back, startled. She had no clue about the layout of the city. She hadn’t expected the large river that ran through it, separating one built-up area from another. They had left the houses behind. The quiet little street they were on had been replaced by a landscape dominated by businesses and official-looking buildings, some old and weathered but others looking relatively modern and new.
“Dublin has the Liffey. Cork has the Lee, which actually surrounds the city center. Of course, ours is better,” Bonnie said with a wink.
“It’s beautiful. I didn’t even know….”
“Why would you? Come on. Let’s find a good place to eat. You look like you need it.”
They crossed the bridge, and Bonnie, unable to help herself, stretched her legs to a longer stride, comfortably maneuvering them through the twists and turns of the city streets.
Brain on overload and fogged from tiredness, Penny struggled along a step behind, her stomach rumbling an embarrassingly loud complaint. She’d been unable to eat more than a few bites of what they referred to as dinner on the plane. Done with trying to process her surroundings, she chose to concentrate on just keeping up.
Finally, she found herself seated in a restaurant, looking at menus and preparing to order lunch. Yes, lunch, Penelope reiterated to herself. The last meal that genuinely seemed like an appropriate meal at the appropriate time was the dinner they had with her parents on Sunday evening. Now, it was Tuesday afternoon.
She couldn’t help thinking that if life had gone the way it was supposed to, she would be leisurely waking up right now in her bed back home in Michigan. She would probably have finished all her school-related work on Monday and have her first unhurried, unstructured day ahead—a day of reading and sitting by her parents’ pool.
“Earth to Penny,” she heard from across the table.
The waitress was hovering next to them, looking uncomfortable, her lips pressed together in a downward slant.
Penny frowned as well, disappointed in herself for being awkward and wondering just how long the poor girl had been standing there.
She felt the tug of her menu as it slipped from her fingers. “I’ll have a ham and cheese toasty with chips, and she’ll have the seafood chowder,” Bonnie ordered for both of them.
“Thanks,” Penny said as the waitress departed. “Wait, what did you order me?”
“Don’t worry. I promise you’ll love it.”
“Right,” she nodded, accepting her friend’s word for it.
“How’re you doing?” Bonnie’s words were sincere, even as she squirmed in her seat with a persistent restlessness. “Any better since almost getting hit?”
Penny managed a weak smile. “Still overwhelmed. I’m not going to lie,” Penny bit at her lower lip even as she said the words, knowing Bonnie would see through her anyway if she wasn’t honest. “Part of me really wants to be back in my own bed at home, waking up to a completely normal day. But most of me is just in awe of where we are and what we’re doing.”
“I get it. But, Pen, I really think you’re going to like it here,” Bonnie said earnestly. “I swear. Or I wouldn’t have forced you along.”
Seeing the shadow of worry pass over Bonnie’s face, she knew it was her turn to comfort.
“I know. And I’m sure, once I adjust, I might even be grateful,” she teased. “But I also feel like I’m not doing enough for you. You lost your…." Her words trailed off at the tightened expression across from her. Penny waved her hands remorsefully and started again. “There’s a reason we’re here. And I don’t feel like I’m helping with that.”
Bonnie tucked her hair behind one ear and lifted the saltshaker as if to examine it. “There’s plenty of time for that.” Then, placing it down determinedly, she continued. “Look, I went into survival mode. You know me. Walls up.”
“I do.”
“I had to get away. To clear my head. I couldn’t be around anything that reminded me of him. I can’t make him….” Bonnie lost her focus for only a moment before shaking her head and plodding on, “The only person I can control is me. I needed toget here. To make this work. And I needed you with me. For the moment, I’m happy just to soak this in. There will be time for digging into things later. And you’ll be more help when you’re less jet-lagged.”
“True.”
The aroma of something so much more than just edible drifted towards them. Penny’s nose twitched as Bonnie announced, “Food’s here.”
First, a toasted sandwich with thick slices of white bread, melted cheese, and ham poking out the sides, served with big chunky fries, was set down. Then came a hearty bowl of creamy soup with large portions of fish and shrimp visible. It was worth drooling over.
“Enjoy,” the waitress said, disappearing without another word.
“This looks divine,” Penny gushed. “What is it?”
“Seafood chowder. But try the bread first.”
Looking doubtfully at the brown slice, Penny poked at it. For the first time in a long time, this wasn’t a carb issue. The smell of the food reminded her how ravenous she was and how little she’d eaten recently. Still, she wasn’t much of a wheat bread person, and this bread was very dark in color.
