The party continues.

Victor might have walked out on them without a word, but Penelope straps on her combat boots and leads them through the destruction that remains. Why did he leave? Where did he go? They crowd around her, she has half a mind to tell them that he's a comemierda but instead, she fields off all the questions and tells the DJ to crank the volume up higher. Eventually, babies start crying, feet start hurting, and people start heading home. She gives Josh an extra tight hug when he says goodbye, thanking him once again for being Elena's quinces escort. Tiredly, she takes Dr. Berkowitz up on his offer to drive home some of the family that's staying with her.

When she's finally satisfied with the cleanup, she heads outside to the parking lot. It's empty save Schneider and his humongous Land Rover running semi quietly in the background, which Penelope is 99% sure is overcompensating for something. Schneider pushes himself off the lamp post near the entrance of the hall, sans suit jacket with his sleeves rolled up and tie hanging loose around his neck. Without a word, he wraps his arm around her shoulder and escorts her across the lot.

He'd been a great help today. Passing out food, directing people to the bathrooms, even conversing with people in broken Spanish. Essentially doing more than almost anyone who wasn't immediate family was doing. Victor hadn't bothered to lift a finger.

He opens the door to the idling car and steps back, letting her climb in on her own. She knows that any other day she would have made a crack about his car and he would have had no qualms about bringing up her height. But today has been anything but normal, so she settles into a surprisingly warm seat, conceding that maybe Alex did have a point about warm butts. Half asleep, she lets Schneider tuck her dress in from where it's still hanging out of his car, only reacting slightly when he leans across her to buckle her in. He presses against her heavily, struggling to click the belt into its receiver, and she tries to ignore how warm he feels and how good he smells. She hates that she has a thing for guys that smell good.

There's a small click and Schneider steps away. Clean shaven, no glasses wearing, weirdly sexy with a capital S, Schneider. He closes the door and disappears.

Penelope looks back at the rest of her family.

Carmen and Elena have climbed into the back and sit, arms intertwined, talking softly. The two best friends are still wired from the day, no doubt soaking up every moment they have left before Carmen must go back to Texas.

Her mom, on the other hand, is awake. Watching everything with sharp eyes while gently stroking Alex, who is in a deep sleep. She looks smaller than usual, but no less intimidating, Schneider's suit jacket engulfing her. Schneider had tucked the purple jacket around Lydia's shoulders with a wink after noticing her shiver sometime after dinner but before dessert.

She raises a brow before asking, "Y eso?"

The car door opens and shuts. Penelope looks over at Schneider, who smiles brightly before putting on his seat belt. His smile shouldn't be this freakin' bright, especially not when it's so fucking dark.

Rolling her eyes, Penelope goes to put on her own belt only to remember Schneider already did it for her. It's unsettling, having someone do things for you. Especially when that person is Schneider.

"I don't know, mami."

She doesn't know what it is, and she's too nervous to even consider ever finding out.

"Schneider, drive."