Is this destiny?

"Biddy, I want you to meet my parents.", Steve told Bridgette.

"Parents?", she repeated. They are dating for ten months and this is the first time he mentioned meeting his parents.

"Yes.", Steve confirmed. "I've met yours and you should meet mine before we… make the next step." 

Bridgette started coughing. Did he say: 'the next step? ... THE next step?' What is the next step? Is he going to propose? Well, they are old enough, both with jobs and living together… but a marriage? She told herself to calm down. Maybe it's not a marriage. Maybe he has something else on his mind and she should NOT rush to any conclusions.

Steve rubbed her back and looked at her pretty face while trying to understand what is going on in her mind. "Why are you reacting like this? Don't you want to meet my parents? Don't you want us to move forward?"

"What are you thinking?", she asked in a small voice. "How can I not want us to move forward? I was just surprised, that's all."

Steve smiled and planted a light kiss on her lips. "I will check with them and find a date, soon. We will go and stay there over the weekend."

Bridgette nodded and leaned into his embrace.

…

In the forest nearby…

Sarah is still pinned between the trunk of a large tree and Aiden's body. Both of her legs are up, connected at the ankles behind him and her hands are around his neck. His arms are supporting her under her thighs and his head is resting on her shoulder.

"We need to go back…", she said breathlessly.

He groaned in protest.

"They will notice that we are missing. And everyone came to see you.", Sarah reminded him.

"They saw me. And now I want to be with you.", he responded stubbornly.

He lifted his head and observed her flushed face.

His smile widened when her eyes flashed at the realization that he is growing inside her. Again.

"We should go back…", she said in a weak voice.

"We will… eventually…", he responded between kisses while his hips moved slowly, at first.

Sarah was gasping and her mind was a mess. She remembered that Aiden said how he does not want to waste a single moment, and now she knows what he meant. This handsome demon will not let her go until he had his fill… and he is hungry. Well, it's not that she is complaining, but this is the third time and they have guests and… her mind was a mess again.

…

JoAnna and Penny joined Jeff, Felix and Sophia.

"Did you tell them about latest finds?", JoAnna asked Jeff.

"Not yet." Jeff got his phone and forwarded an email to Sophia and Felix. "Thank you for reminding me.", he kissed JoAnna's cheek.

Sophia leaned closer to Felix to see on his phone what Jeff sent. Three houses.

"These are not on the market yet.", Jeff explained. "They match your criteria… mostly."

"They all look promising, but my personal recommendation is for the house number two.", JoAnna added. "It's not on the ocean, but it's on the hill so you get your ocean view. Between that house and the ocean is the golf course. It's less than five minutes' drive from here so you can come and visit Sarah easily." JoAnna told this last part to Felix because she knows that he spends a lot of time in Sarah's workshop.

They looked at the photos and read the description. It's a Tuscan style villa with five bedrooms, six bathrooms, open floor concept… but the part that Sophia liked the most is the covered outdoor patio with a huge fireplace and a crystal chandelier. The patio is massive, and it opens up to a swimming pool and a hot tub with more seating available within an amazing landscape. Felix noticed a smaller house in the back which has two bedrooms and a large bonus room. He can see it as a perfect spot for his workshop which he will use when he does not feel like going to Sarah's.

"Looks nice, but I'm concerned that my due date is so close.", Sophia said while rubbing her belly.

"If you buy with cash, everything can be settled within few days.", JoAnna responded. "If you are lacking any, we can help."

"There is also the thing about hiring the staff. Besides our security we don't have anyone else.", Sophia pursed her lips.

"I can get you people lined up for interviewing in a day or two.", Jeff said.

"If you don't find staff in time, I can lend you few of mine.", Ellie added. Jasper and she are sitting nearby and she overheard the discussion. "We are rarely here, and I can get them to help you out until you hire your people."

Sophia and Felix exchanged glances. "OK. We will go and check it out tomorrow."

Both Sophia and Felix like it here, but they would like it better if they can find their own home. Especially if it can be done before baby arrives.

They looked at the house listing again.

"It is convenient that it comes furnished.", Sophia told Felix. "If we decide to get it, we can move in right away, and then gradually replace what we don't like."

Felix agreed with this. He remembers that they got the house in Seattle rather quickly, but then it took weeks for the furniture and everything else to be in place before they moved in.

Penny asked Sophia if they can talk in private.

Sophia was surprised when Penny told her that she is pregnant. Ten weeks? "Of course, I will give you the contact information of my obgyn here. She is great, you will see."

"Are you OK?", Sophia asked when she noticed lack of enthusiasm from Penny.

"I don't know.", Penny admitted.

Sophia patted Penny's hands gently. She has an idea what Penny is going through. Sophia remembers her insecurities which surged forth and overwhelmed her when she found out that she is pregnant, and she still has them even with Felix being super-supportive and always by her side. Sophia's heart ached at the thought that Penny can't be with Benjamin.

Penny looked at Sophia's huge belly for some time before asking. "How does it feel?"

Sophia rubbed her stomach and smiled gently. "It's the most terrifying and wonderful feeling. At the same time... It is absolutely amazing to know that there is a life growing inside me. When I started feeling kicks and movements it told me that it's real and I can explain it only by calling it a miracle. When I heard all the things that can go wrong, I was petrified. And when I tried imagining myself as a parent… it was disastrous. But I take it one day at a time and what is most important, I'm not alone."

Sophia saw that Penny lowered her head.

"Hey… look around you.", Sophia urged Penny. "Do you see all these people? You are not alone."

Sophia's words made Penny smile.

Penny was reminded that she is not alone. Since she escaped from her parents and that wretched dinner with Lukas White and saw Benjamin in his pajama bottoms and a white tank top and a messy bed-hair opening the door to his apartment grumpily while thinking that there is a persistent salesperson at his door… she is not alone. Here she met many people that she can call friends, and she has a job and she is not that weak Harriet who can be bullied easily. She is Penelope.

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