Chapter 594: Love, Self

It would be a lie if Penny said waking up as a baby did not surprise her. She initially believed she had just lost her mind and that it wasn’t real. It took her years to accept that this was her reality.

If not for the letter from drunken Penny, she would’ve forgotten how it was.

Drunken Penny made a lot of sense. From her perspective, if she woke up at this age, she would’ve carried the habits she picked up while serving time. Back in prison, she was called crazy. So, having a few years as a child gave her plenty of time to rearrange her thoughts instead of doing every little crazy thing she could think of.

However, that didn’t mean she was able to help herself. Penny knew she couldn’t help herself; at least, she couldn’t help the drunken Penny. After all, if she could help herself, then this alter ego wouldn’t have existed in the first place.

"Wow... I guess I didn’t become dumb, after all," Penny mused, rocking her head as she read the letter from her sober self. "I sound dignified, though. I guess I have become someone with dignity."

Penny shrugged as she flung the letter away from her face, her under-eye twitching upon seeing the breakfast on the table.

"Seriously? She didn’t even leave me breakfast?" she frowned, not pleased at all as she still felt a little hungry. Noticing the letter near the tray, she picked it up and read it. Her lips curved down a little more as she tore her husband’s message to his other woman.

"I hate me," she said to herself. "I know I shouldn’t be jealous, but I am."

Penny ran her fingers through her hair and pushed herself up. She looked around and smirked, her eyes glinting.

"What a good day!" she exclaimed, stretching her arms as this was the first time she had actually woken up during the day.

Grinning, Penny skipped to the bathroom to experience taking a proper bath for the first time. As soon as she opened the bathroom door, she froze.

"Wow..." Her eyes twinkled as she looked around the bathroom. "I didn’t notice it last night, but heck! This bathroom is big! How many people shower here at the same time?"

Penny scrunched up her nose, wondering about the need for such a large bathroom. But after a moment, she shrugged and giggled.

"Doesn’t matter! Not that I should complain, considering the tiny bathrooms in prison." She rolled her eyes, enjoying the luxury of life that they called bathing.

Although she knew she was certainly living a life of freedom, enjoying the little things that one could easily take for granted, this still felt like a first for her. Just a warm bath and some privacy felt like a luxury.

"Ah... golden," she whispered, dipping into the bathtub that was full of warm water and bubbles. "I guess waking up like this isn’t bad at all. I’m sure I can’t appreciate this if my mind is too busy concocting schemes."

Penny pressed her lips together and rocked her head, acknowledging the things her sober self had done to get to this point. Thinking of last night, she smiled subtly.

"Did I actually turn my life around?" she wondered to herself, patting herself on the back. "I’m good. Good job, self. Now you get a pat on the back."

After enjoying a well-deserved bath, Penny took her time doing her skincare. Again, it was another thing that one easily takes for granted. After all, in prison, there was no such thing as skincare. Inmates who wanted to look pretty had to improvise.

All morning, Penny idled and enjoyed the little things in life. She appreciated everything, starting from the fact that she didn’t need to rush, to bathing, doing some self-care, and even spending an hour choosing what clothes she would wear for the day.

If only the sober Penny could see herself; she would probably take a step back. After all, the drunken Penny and the sober Penny might have shared the same past. However, they had different beginnings. The drunken Penny was so hung up on her past life that she appreciated every little thing. The sober Penny, on the other hand, might’ve appreciated this second life in a bigger picture but had no time to stop for the little things.

Even so, unknowingly, they were teaching each other things that were more important and valuable in this thing called life.

Once Penny finished dolling up, she walked out of the walk-in closet to experience life. But before she could leave, her eyes landed on the letter, and she smiled.

"Man... until now, I can’t take a joke, can I?"

---

[To the legal wife,

You can’t call me the other woman if you are me and I am you, right? Also, are you out of your mind? No, right? I’m out of my mind. I know the rebirth is ridiculous, but writing a letter to myself is far more ridiculous.

Goodness. I’m so frustrated, and I don’t even know what to write anymore.

At one point, I forgot I was like this. I was like you. That is why I try my best not to become someone like you. Yes, self. That is the ultimate goal: not to be you, not to end up like you. I’m just putting it out there in case you haven’t figured that out — though I doubt it because I’m NOT that dumb.

Well, anyway, I get your point. This is all so ridiculous and unnecessary, but it’s happening. I can’t just let it go or let it be like that. So, go and see how I changed, how I turned my life around, and how it’s going to be for the rest of my life.

It’s not going to be a life in prison, and it will never end with a death sentence.

See for yourself, and once you do, pat me on the back.

Love, Self.]