Chapter 586: Healing is a continuous journey

The family chatted over the late dinner, sharing laughter and talking about random stories. Although some of the stories were something Penny had no idea about, she still laughed and enjoyed her time with them. Slater, on the other hand, eventually gave up. He lived by the phrase: if you can’t beat them, join them. Thus, he easily blended in with the atmosphere.

"Aha! Penny, are you staying over?" Slater clapped as the servants cleaned up the table. "How about we watch movies tonight? Just like the old times?"

’Old times?’ Penny furrowed her brows, looking at them with slight surprise and puzzlement.

Allison let out a shallow sigh. "Slater, you’re on vacation, but I’m sure your sister has work tomorrow."

"Your mother is right, Slater," Charles nodded. "Don’t be too greedy. It’s already nice that she came by tonight because she misses us."

"It’s okay!" Penny blurted out, making everyone look in her direction. She smiled awkwardly, biting her tongue as she realized how abrupt she sounded. "Ahem! I mean, it’s okay. I don’t mind... watching a movie... with everyone...?"

"Why do you sound so uncertain?" Slater snorted but didn’t dwell on it. He beamed after a second, casting his parents a look. "She said yes! Let’s watch a movie together—I know one that’s good and has me in it."

"I’m sorry, but I can’t join you tonight," Atlas remarked, watching as the family turned to him. He particularly focused on Penny’s expression, smiling subtly. "I’ll just finish some work, but if I can, I’ll come down."

"Haines, are you joining us?" Charles asked, not really interested in Atlas’s participation. His eldest had a company to run and an entire family to handle.

"Well..." Haines smiled and shrugged. "Sure."

"Nice!" Slater intoned happily before Butler Jen was heard.

"We’ll prepare the theater room," Butler Jen said, looking at the family. "Like the old days?"

Butler Jen noticed everyone looking in his direction, smiling at him. He smiled in satisfaction, nodding before excusing himself.

With that, the family idled until Butler Jen returned to tell them the theater room was ready. When they all gathered in the theater room—except for Atlas—Slater fought with his father about the movie choice. Slater wanted to watch a movie in which he had a cameo, but Charles was not having it.

They argued for a while before Penny suggested, "Should I choose?"

The family slowly turned to her, and this time, Charles relented. In the end, Penny was the one to choose the movie. She didn’t know which movie to pick until she spotted a familiar one she used to watch in prison.

Staring at the movie cover, Penny blinked. ’No, not this one,’she told herself, about to scroll to find something else when Allison spoke beside her.

"Should we watch this one again?"

Penny slowly faced her mother, only to see Allison smiling at her. "It’s been a long time since we watched this. I liked this one."

"What’s that?" Slater jumped to his mother’s side, scrunching up his nose. "This again?"

’Again?’ Penny glanced up at her third brother, only to see Charles reaching out to smack Slater’s head.

"Stop complaining, will you?" Charles grumbled. "If you don’t want to watch it, then do so on your phone with earplugs."

"Dad! I’m your son! Penny isn’t your only child!"

"I know you’re my son, but so are Atlas and Hugo. Penny is my only daughter."

"Ugh!"

"Shut it, you two." Allison maintained her composure as she gazed at Penny. "Do you want this one?"

Penny pursed her lips and nodded. "Yes."

With that, they all settled into their spots. The family had always spent countless movie nights together—a part of their bonding time—so Charles had renovated the theater room. Back then, they had to move the seats together to lie down, but with such a wide and long couch that could be made into a bed, they had no problem anymore.

Penny sat between her parents, her hands resting on the footrest. Slater was on Allison’s other side, while Haines chose to stay in the corner near Charles.

’A movie night...’

The movie was just starting, but everyone was already focused on the huge screen. She pressed her lips together before smacking them, smiling as she set her eyes on the screen.

Was it safe to say Penny had eaten her words about forgiveness and vengeance? Well, Penny wasn’t really sure about that. The experience she had tonight was nice—it was funny, to be exact. Although "funny" didn’t seem like the right term, it made her laugh.

She came here just to confirm if the letter’s claim was true, but she ended up getting swept along the waves. Waves... that might drown her if she didn’t ride them well.

Slowly, Penny rested her head on Charles’s shoulder. He smiled as he glanced at his daughter, tilting his head to rest it on top of hers. Allison, on the other hand, held Penny’s hand while tapping it gently.

Allison smiled when Slater sweetly leaned against her side. She glanced at him and smiled, resting her head on her son’s head as well.

Nothing was said throughout the movie, but the atmosphere was very peaceful. The ambiance transported the family back to the time they first had their movie night together. Although Hugo and Atlas weren’t present, it was still as heartwarming as they remembered it.

For Penny, however, this was the first. Even so, she felt an incredible warmth in her heart that she had never felt before.

***

With age, Charles and Allison easily fell asleep during the second movie. It was already late, and they nodded off. Even Haines fell asleep in the corner.

Penny sat up and glanced at them, smiling because everyone was already asleep except her.

’What a nice evening,’she thought, reaching for the remote to turn off the television. When her eyes landed on Allison, she bent over and planted a kiss on her. She also kissed Charles, smiling as she stared at them for a while.

Penny hadn’t planned to stay over, so now that everyone was asleep, she slipped out of her spot. She made sure not to wake her parents. Standing at the foot of the bed-like couch, she smiled and gazed at them.

’I’m off now, Mom, Dad.’ Penny lowered her head and quietly walked away. As she took a few steps, she heard Slater’s voice.

"You asked me..." Slater slowly opened his eyes, as if he hadn’t really been sleeping, before he sat up. Setting his eyes on her, his expression was solemn and sincere. "Earlier, you asked me if I love you. You didn’t even hear my answer."

"Yes," he added. "More than you know, and more than I have shown you."