Chapter 18

Penelope was rushing around the house cleaning like crazy. She was determined the house needed to be spotless. Derek had tried convincing her to take it easy for a little bit and get some rest. She had gotten sick half way through cleaning the house, when she got a whiff of the food Derek brought in for lunch.

"Morning sickness, my ass. It happens throughout the day for no reason most of the time." Penelope grumbled coming out of the bathroom.

Derek chuckled earning a glare and a punch in the arm as she went back to cleaning and making things look, 'perfect' and 'just so'. At one point Derek had walked into the living room to find Penelope running some of her things and hiding them away.

"Little Missy, what do you think you are doing?" Derek had asked.

"This place needs to be more tame and normal. Your mother's not use to my flare. I don't want her thinking I'm eccentric." Penelope admitted nervously.

"You ARE eccentric, Baby Girl. That is one of the billion things I love about you. You stand out from the crowd and are so special. My mother will see that." Derek tried to comfort her.

"Your mother is the most important person in your life. I don't want her to think I am not right for you, that I am to outlandish to be the mother of her grandchildren." Penelope was obviously on the verge of tears.

"Wow, Baby Girl that is crazy. She will love you, and she'll be so happy to be getting her first grandchild, that alone will win you over to her." He said kissing her head as he pulled her into a hug. "And just to set you straight, my mom is important to me, but you are my world."

"Derek, you are her Baby Boy! I doubt anyone will be good enough for you in her eyes. I would have to agree with her on that, no one is good enough for your my chocolate god. So, things have to be perfect, I need to make a good impression. Specially after last night. She is already probably wondering why you chose me when you can have anyone. I mean I know we are the perfect pair and this child is going to be the closest genetic match to perfection as ever seen." Penelope rubbed her stomach talking about their child did something to her that she couldn't explain.

"I want my mother to really get to know the woman I have loved so long. That includes getting use to your flares, and seeing the colorful, fun loving, caring woman you are. I need you to please let her know you. The REAL you." Derek took the pictures, scarfs that had been over the lamp shades, and other odd and ends from around the room to be placed back where they are. "She needs to see how our two styles come together perfectly."

Penelope conceded to what Derek wanted, knowing that there was little chance of her winning this. He just made to much sense. Instead she just went back to making the house clean and make sure their styles mixed with perfection.

When two o'clock came around Derek got showered and dressed. He was hoping to be able to shower with his baby girl but that did not happen she was to busy trying to neaten out the guest room and the office, just in case it got late and they needed to stay. Derek left to go pick up his mother and sister, then run to the store for whatever it was his mother wanted to buy to cook for dinner. When he left the house he gave Penelope a kiss pulling her close, "Baby Girl please rest a little before I get back. With them wanting to get to know you and us telling them about the baby I have a feeling this is going to be a long night."

Penelope wriggled her nose. "I know we have to tell them, but part of me wants to keep this just between us for a little while longer." She sighed and smiled. "I know, I am being silly, and selfish."

"Not at all, mama. But I do want to tell them in person. If not now, I don't know when we'll have our next chance." Derek soothed. "I'll make you a deal. We tell my mom and sisters tonight, but we won't tell anyone else till the time of your choosing."

"Sounds like a good deal." Penelope looked at the clock on the wall. "Derek you are running late it's already quarter till three. You were suppose to be there fifteen minutes ago." Penelope started pushing him out the door. "I promise to relax a little. I am almost done with cleaning. In fact I just want to run the dishwasher, and make some ice tea then I am done."

"Good get some rest. I will be back by five, so that gives you at least two hours for you to shower and rest." Derek said heading out the door.

Penelope had not realized she had so little time to get ready. Taking a quick warm shower and getting dressed, doing hair and make-up, she took up more then an hour. She made some ice tea and started the dishwasher. She was about to go relax when she remember she needed to change the sheets on the guest bed just in case. Things still weren't as she wanted them but she promised to rest. So Penelope sat at her computer to relax as she Rped. Forty-five minutes had past, 'hmmm what was going on? Derek is normally always on time. Why isn't he home.' Penelope kept thinking to herself, trying to not start to worry to much. As if on cue Penelope's phone rang, and as always The ring tone told her it was her one and only.

"Hey there Hot Stuff, what can this sweet Mama do for you?" Penelope cooed into the phone.

"We are running late Sweetie. My sisters had to take their damn sweet time getting ready. Desiree was still in the shower when I got there. We are just leaving the hotel now, going to the store and will be home shortly." Penelope could hear chatting in the background. "Would you two shut up, Ok I will ask her." Derek said not to his sisters but not taking the phone from his mouth. "Baby do we have any ice cream at the house? My sisters are set on having something for dessert and Mom doesn't think we will have time to make anything. Dinner wont be till about eight as it is."

"I think we have do in fact." Penelope laughed.

"Ok good, see you in about an hour or hour and a half at the latest." Derek hung up the phone.

Going into the Kitchen she looked in the freezer, to check the ice cream stash. There was a container of cookie dough ice cream and one of vanilla. Looking into the containers Pen gasped. The Cookie dough had to have been in there for over a month it was so freezer burnt she didn't want to serve that. Looking into the vanilla ice cream she realized, her and Derek must have used most of the vanilla on the last hot night when they had gotten a little kinky. Man that turned into one even hotter night, who knew vanilla ice cream could be such an aphrodisiac. That night had gotten so steamy, using the ice cream to cool down their bodies. Penelope's hormones started to flare up. She had to snap out of it or when Derek got home things were going to get more excited then his mother was in for.

Remembering why she had looked at the ice cream in the first place she picked up the phone to call Derek. It rang a few times then went to voicemail. Penelope hung up the phone without leaving a message. She would just run to the closest store, buy the ice cream and be back way before Derek. Derek would never know. Grabbing her car keys she was out the door.

Thirty minutes later she was back at the house putting away groceries. Putting three kinds of ice cream in the freezer and a bunch of toppings that she had picked up for sundaes on the counter, sprinkles, chocolate sauce, Cherries, whipped topping. Penelope went over board on the toppings but she wanted the night to end on a good note. She even bought what she needed to make chocolate chip cookies. Derek's mom might not have time to do a dessert but she could make some cookies and brownies to go with the ice cream with no problem, plus her mother always told her, to make a good impression have something baking when people you want to impress come over.

The baking idea worked. As Derek and his family walked into the house and right away his sister commented on the smell. After greeting Penelope, Fran got set to work in the kitchen preparing Egg Plant Parmesan.

As Derek reintroduced his mother and Sisters to Penelope he leaned in to whisper in Penelope's ear, "You know you look just as good as this house smells. I can't wait till later when I get my own personal dessert." He chuckled as she blushed and hoped his family didn't hear what he had said to her, but she did smile thinking about what he was suggesting.

Everyone sat around the kitchen table talking as Fran cooked. Derek's sister grilled Penelope on her past. Penelope had been open to the questions and told Derek's family about her four brothers and how they were so much older then her, how she was raised pretty much an only child. That she really didn't know much about her father since he had died before she was born and how her step father was as good as her real father. The topic of conversation then switched to her job, and how she got to be working for the FBI. Penelope hesitated wondering how much she should tell them. She hinted towards a rough patch in her life, and doing somethings that could have had a worse out come, without going into details. She wasn't sure what kind of impression she was leaving on his sisters. Desiree was all smiles towards her, but Sarah she was not sure of. There was something about Sarah she couldn't figure out.

Fran brought dinner to the table, Penelope prepared a salad to go with dinner. Sarah got the bread, Desiree the pasta, Derek his mother's special sauce, as Fran brought the perfectly prepared Egg Plant Parmesan to the table. As they started to eat it became silent as they all enjoyed the food. Finally the conversation started up again.

"So Penelope, have you told your mother that you are getting married yet?" Fran asked sweetly.

"Ummm," Penelope looked at Derek. Derek grabbed her hand and squeezed it gently giving her the strength to continue. "You know that rough patch of time I told you gals about? Well, that was caused by the death of my parents. They died in a car accident." Tears started to build in her eyes.

"Oh, I am sorry sweetie." Fran patted Penelope's back in a motherly way.

"No need to say sorry, I have learn to deal with it." Penelope tried to force a smile as the tears continued to build.

"I am sure she be proud to see where you are today, and getting ready to start a new chapter of your life." Fran added.

That was just enough to break Penelope, and the tears started to spill out. "I'm sorry if you would excuse me." Penelope got up from the table and headed to another room.

Shutting the door to the bedroom Penelope started to cry, there was something about what Fran had said that got to Penelope. Maybe it was she was marrying her prince charming and she had no one to give her away. Or maybe it was she was about to become a mother, which Fran did not know about yet, and she wanted her mother there to talk to at the times she knew she would be scared and nervous, but she had no one.

She tried to get herself to calm down. She wanted to make a good impression, and this was not the way to do it. After crying for a few moments, she went to the sink in the en suite bathroom to clean up her face.

"Come on Penelope this is not you! You're strong then this. Pull yourself together." Penelope told herself.

"You know you are right, Princess. You can handle this" Derek appeared in the door behind her.

"I am sorry Hot Stuff, I don't know what is wrong with me." Penelope continued to clean up her face.

"Baby Girl you're allowed to be upset. We have some life changing events happening. It is only natural you miss your parents all the more." Derek said coming up behind her and giving her a hug.

"I do miss them. I am worried though." Penelope said looking at Derek in the mirror.

"About what? You are the love of my life, you have so much support around you, and you will be a great Mother."

"Awww Derek, you are to sweet. Right now though I am worried about what kind of impression I am making on your family." Penelope admitted.

"Don't worry about that. My mother gets it. So do my sisters, remember I lost my father, so we understand missing a parent and wanting them with you." Derek kissed her temple.

"I know." Penelope took a deep breath, runner a finger under her eye making sure her make-up still looked alright. "Lets get back out there."

"You still look absolutely beautiful, Mama." Derek kissed Penelope's neck tenderly, "You sure you are ready?"

"Yes I am. Let's go" Penelope grabbed Derek's hand and walked out of the bathroom. "With you by my side I will be able to get through everything. You ready to tell your mother about our last surprise?"

Derek smiled ear to ear, "More then ever. Lets do it over Dessert."

"OK Hot Stuff."

They joined the women in the kitchen, already cleaning up the dishes. Penelope gave her anthropologies for leaving and started talking with Fran about what she wanted for their wedding. Penelope placed the Brownies in the over and pulled out the plate of cookies. As the kitchen was cleaned up Penelope brought out everything for dessert.

By the time Dessert was being served, everyone taking a bowl of ice cream with a brownie on the bottom and the toppings that they wanted including cookies. They went to sit in the living room to talk some more. Desiree and Fran started talking about Derek's past telling Stories that made them all laugh.

"There was this one girlfriend he had when he was in college. Derek didn't want to introduce her to us, but we surprised him one weekend and she was there. She was this little cute girl but how she got into college is beyond me." Desiree started to laugh.

"She wasn't that bad." Derek defended himself laughing.

"Yes, Derek she was. She started talking about her swim class and how she didn't want to take it, but her advisor didn't care if she drowned like a fish, since she didn't know how to swim."

"Drown like a fish?" Penelope started to laugh

"So she wasn't the brightest girl."

"Derek she went on to talk about how she was worried about getting pneumonia in her feet as she had to walk back to her dorm." Fran added.

"I didn't know you could get pneumonia in your feet? Who knew they had their own lungs." Sarah actually joined in finally and laughed.

"Well at least you found someone smarted then her, to settle down with." Desiree said smiling at Penelope.

"You know that is right, little sister. My baby girl here is a total genius." Derek hugged Penelope closer to him.

Sarah rolled her eyes and huffed but was nudged by her mother.

As dessert was finishing up it was clear to Derek his mother was getting tired and ready to go back to the hotel. Fran gave a wide yawn, "Derek, sweetie I think it is time for us to be getting back to the Hotel. The shuttle will be picking us up to take us to the airport around 8. I would like to get some sleep."

"OK, Mom no problem, but before we get ready to go, there is something else I wanted to, well we wanted to tell you." Derek paused for dramatic affect. "I just found out this morning, and I wanted you to be the first people to know. Penelope, informed me that there is another big event coming up in our life besides a wedding. You know how you've been on me to give you some grandbabies, well mom, you wont have to wait much longer. Penelope is Pregnant! I am going to be a father, and you are going to be a Grandmother."

Fran squealed getting to her feet and hugging Penelope. "Is it true, really? I am going to be a grandmother?"

"Yes, Fran. I am pregnant. I just found out before we had dinner last night. That is why I was late. I think that is part of the reason I have been a little emotional. I am sorry about that." Penelope said returning Fran's hug.

"Oh don't be silly, you have no reason to be sorry. I totally understand." Fran hugged Derek, then Penelope again. "Oh you just made my night. My son is getting the woman he loves, that is such a wonderful girl. And I am going to be a grandmother."

Desiree was the next to exchange hugs and congratulations. It was clear she was excited to be becoming an aunt. Sarah however, while she gave hugs and said congratulations there was no excitement in her. After about fifteen minutes of talking again this time all about babies, and Derek telling his mother to calm down and give them a chance to get used to things. He made it clear that they were not telling anyone just yet.

It was time to get his sister's and Mother back to the Hotel and come back and pamper his wife like he has wanted to all night. His sisters went to wait by the door as Derek went to get his keys. Penelope went to say goodbye to her soon to be sister-in-laws. As she walked up she was stunned when she over heard Sarah talking to Desiree.

"Now, I get it. She's knocked up, that is why Derek, is marring her. It didn't make sense before." Sarah said to Desiree with a smile.

"Sarah, stop that. It is clear that he loves her. Come on he always talks about his baby girl when he comes to visit."

"Desiree, come on yourself. She is not Derek's type at all. Look at her, You know how he likes his women, slender and tall with elegance. That is not Penelope. Don't get me wrong she seems like a sweet girl, but she is not good enough for our brother."

"She seems just fine to me, Sarah. I approve, I like her style. She is fun loving, and has a free spirit a perfect compliment to Derek."

"She's not good enough for Derek. You heard her talk about a rough patch in her life. How much do you want to bet she had trouble with the law."

"So did Derek."

"That was minor and you know that ass hole cop had it in for Derek from the start. Now Derek is going to be trapped by this freak, for the rest of his life. How do we know it is even Derek's child."

"Sarah now, you are just being mean." Desiree started to say.

Penelope couldn't listen anymore, she needed to say something. "You know I came in here to say goodbye and have a safe flight, but I see that instead I see that I need to make something perfectly clear." Penelope's voice started to get loud as she walked right up to Sarah. "First off I truly love, your brother and he loves me. I might not be the Model like women he has had in the past, but believe me he does not have a problem with how I look, or my style. But more important, how dare you question this child. I AM pregnant with DEREK'S child. There is no question about that. I have tried to be a good host and I answered all the questions you guys asked me. So I am sorry Sarah but I need to ask, what is it that you don't like about me?"

Sarah was shocked that she had been over heard, but Penelope coming up to like that just pissed her off, "How dare you listen in to my conversation with my sister. You are not part of this family, you need to keep your nose out of our conversation." Sarah snapped.

"Then you need to have those conversations out of my house."

"This isn't your house, it is my brother's house!"

By this point the two women were standing as if they were about to come to blows, and yelling at each other. Fran and Derek came to the door to find out what was going on.

"Ladies, What is going on here?" Derek asked

"Your sister, doesn't think I am good enough for you, and thinks you're only marring me because of the baby. Though why I don't know, considering she doesn't even think this child is yours." Penelope spat out her anger going even higher.

Fran looked at Sarah shocked. "I know you didn't say all of that, Sarah. I raised you better." Fran was embarrassed of her daughter.

Derek just stood there waiting for Sarah to speak, his anger boiling, as he pulled Penelope away from Sarah.

"I was talking to my sister. She had no right..." She didn't get to finish her sentence.

"She is going to be my wife and the mother of MY child, she has ever right." Derek started to yell. "Sarah, you need to shut the hell up and listen closely cause I am only saying this to you once. Penelope is the best woman I have ever known. She means everything to me, and if you don't take back everything you just said, I swear girl, you will be sorry. You may be my sister, but that doesn't mean you can talk to her anyway you want."

"She is not right for you Derek. I am only trying to protect you." Sarah Defended herself.

"She is to good for me. Is more like it. And I am sorry but I have seen your choice in guys, so I hope you don't expect me to take your opinion for who will make a good partner. Where is this coming from anyway. God damn it Sarah, you helped me plan how I was going to ask her to marry me."

"I know, that was for you. But come on she walked away from you right after you asked her to marry you."

Penelope started to shout again, "That was because I about to get sick, and I was over whelmed. I think that is understandable. If your brother forgives me, who are you to hold it against me."

"I am his sister, I have his best interest at heart, unlike you who is trying to trap him with a child and a shot gun wedding."

Penelope didn't know what came over her, she walked up to Sarah and slapped her across the face. "How dare you talk like that. You...You.." Derek pulled her away from Sarah before Sarah could slap her back as Derek finished her sentence over his shoulder. "You BITCH"

Sarah went to charge at Penelope but Derek knew what was coming and was able turn around and catch her sister as Sarah launched herself at them. Derek was able to catch her a foot an inch away from Penelope. "Oh no you don't Sarah." Derek had Sarah over his should in a fireman carry and out the door before anyone could say another word.

Everyone looked after them as Derek and Sarah continued the fight out by the car Derek blocking Sarah from entering the house again. After five minutes they weren't fighting any longer and walked back into the house.

"Penelope , I am sorry. I shouldn't have said that stuff." Sarah said giving Derek a sideway glance. Derek just glared at her. "Listen I am not going to say that everything is all good, but I will say I shouldn't have said that stuff about you. I am just protective of my brother here."

"I get it Sarah, Your brother is lucky to have someone to watch his back. I just hope you realize that I am not going to hurt him. I really do love him." Penelope said taking a deep breath.

"I hope you are telling the truth." Sarah smiled. "Can we start over?"

"You are Derek's sister, of course we can. We will be in each other's life for a long time. He need to be able to get along, hopefully be friends." Penelope was talking calmly though she was still annoyed.

Sarah went to give Penelope a hug which Penelope returned. Everyone gave a sigh of relief at the exchange. Fran and Desiree both hugged Penelope saying goodbye, and how sorry they were for what had just happened, before leaving the house and going to the car.

Derek was the last to leave the house. He waited for his mother and sisters to leave before going over to Penelope pulling her in a tight hug. "You know she was completely out of line, and none of what she said was true. You know that right Baby Girl."

"I know, Derek." Penelope said hugging Derek tight, "Doesn't stop it from hurting though."

"I know it doesn't. I will be back soon, and I will make sure you know how much I really do love you and that little princess you are carrying." Derek placed his hand on her stomach.

"Princess? So I guess you want a little girl." Penelope chuckled.

Derek smiled, "I don't know what I want, a boy or a girl? I guess we will find out in time. What I can tell you is, I want you." Derek gave her a sweet passionate kiss that made her forget about everything that just happened and go week at the knees. "I'll be back to finish what I just started." Derek smiled and left.

Author's note: Sorry for the delay guys, I do appreciate the reviews that I have gotten I hope to get more. I know this chapter is a little all over the place and not as good as others. I am sorry for that. But I hope you all enjoyed it. More up soon I promise.