Prince narrates:

November 3, 1986. Penelope rushes into the studio. "Sabrina is in labor! And the baby is early! I don't know what I'm supposed to do!,"she panics. First time auntie.

"Calm down."I say as I hug her,"Just grab a camera and go to the hospital.If you're supposed to do anything , someone will tell you." We kiss each other before she leaves.

I've decided on her birthday gift so I call Brentwood Galleries. "Hello, Brentwood Galleries. How may I help you?" asks a warm familiar voice on the other end. It's Margaret.

"Hey, Screwy Rabbit." I reply,"What are you doing?" Screwy Rabbit has been my nickname for her for almost ten years now. She thinks it's funny, but wouldn't if someone else called her that.

"Benefit being a freelance writer. Random days off. What do you want?"

"I like to order a painting for Penelope's birthday. It was red on a white or grayish background. I don't remember who painted it, but she liked it."

Margaret sees if Oscar knows the one I'm talking about. He does and I get out my credit card.

Several hours later Penelope comes home to the floral arrangement I ordered to congratulate her. Her nephew is named Samuel Robert Emerson. They've already nicknamed him Sammy. He and his mom are doing fine.

November 17,1986. Penelope's birthday. She doesn't like a big deal made about it so I made breakfast for her and am inviting her family for lunch. I have a surprise for her in the dining room. "Open your eyes, Sweetie" I insist.

She shrieks when does. I had her Warhol portrait removed from her office and placed in the dining room. No, I'm still not into it, but is a portrait of Penelope. And I figured putting out in the open would mean a lot to her.

Mr. and Mrs. Smith arrive for lunch.Sophie has also come. Brad and Sabrina show up too, with Sammy in a baby carrier. I get a look at him,he's small, with a head full of dark hair and the same blue-green eyes his Mom and aunt have. "That's Aunt Penny's boyfriend, Mr. Nelson" Sabrina says to him. Sammy looks at me with a hysterical baffled expression.

Penelope leads everyone into the dining room and happily loudly announces"Look at my Warhol! Prince had it hung up in here!"

"Shh...Penny calm down. We can see that. It's very nice. Let's not disturb Sammy." Mrs. Smith says.

"That man's work makes zero sense to me"Mr. Smith whispers to me. That makes laugh a little. He hands me a picture of Mrs. Smith sitting on a motorcycle. "I took that when we were dating" He says.

Suddenly I remember I photo I took of Penelope not long after we met that's very similar. "Look familiar?"I laugh when I come back with it.

Mr. Smith breaks into a huge smile,"I need a copy of this."

"Absolutely"

"Wow..."Sabrina gasps looking at it,"Penny just how much weight have you lost since then?"

Penelope glares at her. "Twenty pounds"

"That's crazy! I'd gained twenty five when I was full term with Sammy."

Great conversation right before lunch.

Penelope stares daggers at her sister. "Well, kudos to you!" she snaps.

"Ladies, calm down.We're going to have a nice time." says Sophie.

We sit down for lunch. I'd had a fantastic cake baked for the dessert. Penelope places a big forkful in her mouth as Sabrina declines a piece,saying,"No thank you. I'm getting ready for the Mrs. Minnesota pageant"

For crying out loud! This is a birthday celebration! You know there's going to be cake, if that's a problem for you,stay the fuck home! "Hopefully you'll do well" I say, noticing how miffed Penelope looks. She's worked out extra the past week so she could enjoy a couple pieces of cake today.

"It'll be great if Penny can take my headshots." Sabrina smiles.

"If I can fit you in between real clients." sighs Penelope.

"Have some damn cake, Sabrina-don't make this weird for the rest of us"insists Mr. Smith. Thank you, Mr. Smith!

"Fine"pouts Sabrina.

After the cake Penelope opens her gifts: a scarf from Mrs. Smith, a gift card to a bookstore from Brad and Sabrina and a nice skin cream from Sophie. Mr. Smith hands Penelope a gift:"You're way overdue for this" He says.

She opens it. HOLY SHIT! IT'S A PISTOL! I know he's an outdoorsman but I didn't think Penelope was into that.

"Uh..thanks Dad." she says.

"Why?"I ask.

"Self defense. She travels all over the place and has a right to carry permit. Don't you think it's silly not to have a pistol?" Mr. Smith says.

"I didn't know about the right to carry permit."

"I helped her get it before she moved out with Grace, fatherly concern. But we never got around to getting her a pistol. You ought to learn to use it too, if you don't know already. The three of us should go to the shooting range together"

"Maybe,"I say as I hand Penelope my gift:the painting I'd ordered. 

"Oh, Sugar! You shouldn't have!"Penelope exclaims,"But I love it!"

"What the Hell is that?" asks Mr. Smith

"It's a Basquiat, Dad."

"A what?"

"You've never heard of Jean Michel Basquiat?" asks Sophie in disbelief,"He's a young, contemporary artist"

Once everyone leaves Penelope says,"I'm sorry I didn't tell you about my permit. Since I didn't have a gun, I didn't think needed to mention it and I didn't know what you'd think."

"It's fine, baby. Don't worry. Happy Birthday." I hug and kiss her.

"Can we just throw this pistol in the drawer in the hall table?"

"Fine with me"

November 18,1986: I'm looking at some of Penelope's vintage auto photos with her. I notice a car that looks familiar to me. Amber, an ex of mine had a car like that. We had a good time together. She was everything a man could ever want:sexy, confident, spontaneous, thoughtful and wild.

"See something you like?" smiles Penelope.

"Uh...yeah...how did you know?" I ask.

"Your eyes said it all, Dear." She smiles.

I CANNOT tell her I was thinking about an ex.

" You'll have to look at the rest of these later. I've got some calls to make about work." She tells me.

I leave Penelope to her work. This week is loaded with work for her. She'll probably be too busy for me.But I'm a bit busy too. I start to wonder if Amber is still around.  On a whim I decided to look in the phone book. Wow! She's still in it! Do I call her? Just to find out how she is? We did break up mutually. My contacting her wouldn't be as strange as if we'd had some dramatic end.

 I give Penelope her space, she's busy this week. And she will be out of town in a couple days photographing a college football team.

The temptation becomes too great-I call Amber.

"Is this Amber?" I ask.

"Prince?" She sounds surprised.

"Yes. I was thinking about you. Would you like to meet me for dinner Saturday night? Catch up with each other?"

"Sure! But I know what you've been up too." She laughs.

November 20,1986. I'm getting dressed, looking for some jewelry to wear. I keep being drawn to pieces Penelope bought me on out of town assignments. She loves to spoil me. I know she misses me when she's gone. But I feel a need to see Amber tonight.

At the restaurant Amber and I settle into a booth in the back and start talking. It feels as though no time has passed. She looks really sexy in a short dress. When Penelope wears dresses like that she usually has on a long (open) coat and tall boots to hide herself. Amber and I kiss each other. Before dessert comes, I go to the restroom. As I'm washing my hands, Jasper comes in! 

"You're making a mistake, Sir" He says.

I pay no attention. He keeps talking. "I know Penn has a very forgiving nature, but cheating is where she draws the line. If you can't be loyal to her, you need to end things. I know plenty of guys who would treat her like a queen and only have eyes for her."

The odd thing is even though he's confronting me and threatening to introduce Penelope to other men, his voice is really calm. Sort of like a stereotypical meditation instructor. I've almost never seen him angry.

I leave the restroom without speaking to him and get back to Amber. I pay the bill and we go back to her place. She sells cars now and does quite well. I come up behind her, wrap my arms around her tiny waist and kiss her neck. She doesn't tense up at all when my hands are on her stomach the way Penelope does sometimes. Amber knows she's beautiful. She never has to fake confidence like Penelope. I'd forgotten what it was like to be with a truly self assured woman. I like it. A lot. My hard dick is up against Amber's thigh.

"You're having fun, aren't you?" She giggles.

We get on the sofa together. Passionate kissing begins. I'm on my back, she's on top. "Been missing me?" she whispers.

"Yeah." I tell her even though I didn't know until week ago there was still a special place in my heart for her. I hold her close and enjoy the scent of her perfume.

She starts unfastening my shirt. "I've had a great time tonight. Are we going to have more fun? " She asks.

"We could."

She gets out of her dress in record time. Amber was always eager in the bedroom. I don't think I've ever seen someone get out her of clothes so quickly. She is proud of her body. I take my shirt off but leave my pants on. I want to tease her.

Amber unhooks her bra. Jasper's annoyingly meditative voice pops into my head- repeatedly "You're making a mistake, you're making a mistake..."

Since that's killing my boner, I notice some orchids in the room. Penelope grows some in her office. Why can't I get her off my mind? "What are the flowers for?" I ask.

"Selling more cars than anyone else this month. Why are you stalling? "Amber inquires.

"Listen, I have to go. I'm glad you're doing well, Goodbye." I say as I put my shirt back on."It was nice to see you again. Next time you want to buy a car, you should stop by my dealership."

"Maybe I will"

On the drive home, I feel like shit. But why does it bother me? I've cheated on women before and was okay. Now almost having sex with someone else makes me feel bad?

First thing Sunday morning I call Jasper. I hate to. But I need to persuade him not to tell Penelope. "Hello, Sir." He says

"I hope I didn't disturb you and Krista." I start.

"No, I didn't sleep with her after dinner. I'm a born again virgin."

I didn't need to know that.

"What may I do for you?"

"Not tell Penelope I was out with my friend." I say

"I need to do the right thing. I need to pray about it and see what the Bible says about things like this. Then I'll be able to decide."

I sigh,"That seems like a long process. What is your initial thought?"

He laughs. I hate his laugh. "I never trust my gut reaction. I need a second opinion."

I want to give him one. "I have to get going to church now" he tells me. "Besides I have to pick Krista up. It's her first time at my church. Goodbye, Sir."

I slam the phone down. DAMN THAT MOTHERFUCKER! I know he's going to tell Penelope and he probably thinks I slept with Amber.

November 22, 1986: Penelope walks in the door. She gives me a big kiss, smiles and says,"Wait until you see what I bought you, Sugar!"

Now I feel really bad. She was out at a jewelry store picking out something I'd like and I was out with an old flame. "Penelope, you're too generous sometimes. "I tell her.

"Come on! I'm not sacrificing paying my bills and I'm saving for retirement, so what's the big deal?" She laughs. That Penelope. Always practical. She had a retirement account even back when we met, although it was very small-basically consisting of Christmas bonuses and income tax refunds.

"I had this engraved."She tells me, handing me a box that contains a necklace. She shows me the engraving. It reads: Devotion. Would it be possible for me to feel worse?

"Why did you choose that word?" I ask.

"Because, I'm devoted to you. Also, I'm arrogant enough to believe you're devoted to me. "

Arrogant is the last word to describe Penelope. "How come you never buy yourself any nice jewelry? You go to all these places and aren't tempted?"

"I actually did buy myself something." She shows me her wrist. On it is an old charm bracelet. Funny things is almost all the charms on it are irrelevant to Penelope. "I got it at an estate sale. I thought it was nice. Anyway, I'd fuck you, but that was the noisiest plane ride ever and I didn't get any sleep. So if you don't mind, I'll go to bed."We kiss each other again. "I'll make love to you after my nap, Sugar. Can you wait another hour or two?" She asks.

"Honey, you've had a long trip. Don't worry about sex. Take the time you need to rest up." I tell her. I don't feel worthy of sex with her. Her family invited me to Thanksgiving dinner this year but how can how dine with her family when I nearly betrayed her?

What did you think of Mr. Smith giving Penelope a pistol? 

Did you like Prince's gift?

Should Jasper tell Penelope Prince was out with Amber?