The Biological Daughter

Last day of work, holiday break again. What Althea and Lanie saw yesterday was still a big question mark for them. Why did Penelope go to the residence of Hossler? What did she do there? And who is Penelope Santos?

"Are you sure you did not know Penelope? Any suspicious background of her?" Lanie asked Althea for the tenth time. Althean just breathed deeply and shook her head. Althea lied. She ran a background check on Penelope. But her boss wanted Lanie to discover it on her own. That's why Althea remained silent and kept telling Lanie that she did not know the real Penelope.

They both looked at each other when they saw Penelope arrive with a big smile on her face. "Good morning, pretty ladies!" She greeted them merrily. They smiled at her and greeted her back. They just looked at Penelope who happily went to the locker room to change.

While they were working, Lanie noticed that Penelope's skin was quite red, like it was hardly rubbed. She approached Panelope and held her arms. "What happened to this?" she asked worriedly. Penelope flinched at her touch. She gulped before looking at Lanie.

"N-nothing, I just scrubbed my skin too hard when I was bathing." Penelope answered. Lanie just nodded at her and let go of her arms.

"I forgot to ask yesterday, can we spend New Year at your house? Since Althea spent her Christmas with us, why don't you spend your New Year with us as well? Well, this is kinda like girls hang out, too." Lanie asked. She noticed that Penelope was taken aback at what she said.

"Sure, I have a condo- '' Lanie cutted off Penelope quickly. "No, I mean, why don't we celebrate at your house and not in your condo? I want to meet your mom, too." Lanie smiled. Penelope seemed uncomfortable and she suddenly became tense when Lanie mentioned her Mom.

"U-uhm, can we talk about that later? We still have work to do." Penelope answered instead and left Lanie to attend her work. Lanie just looked at Penelope and sighed.

Penelope was really bothered by Lanie's plan for this holiday. She wanted to spend the holiday with them too but part of her is not sure about that idea. She doesn't want them to meet her mother, never. But there's no secret that can hide forever, sooner or later, she has to tell them her background before someone else tells that to them. And maybe, when she tells them they will help her… to leave that suffocating house.

"You two are going home?" Penelope asked Lanie and Althea. They were in the locker room fixing their things before going home. Lanie and Althea looked at each other.

"Why? You want to go somewhere? It's our last day, by the way." Althea answered. Penelope smiles at them before nodding.

They went to a private bar. When they entered the bar, a light music welcomed them. This bar was definitely far from the bar Lanie and Althea knew. There were some people who were drinking, they all looked rich and expensive. They also noticed that the employees greeted Penelope when they entered.

"Your table is already prepared, Miss Penelope." The manager said and assisted them to their seats. As soon as they sat, waiters went to their place and put different kinds of drinks on their table.

"Oh. I'm sorry. I asked them to prepare these drinks. Just tell them if you want other drinks." Penelope said to them before getting a cocktail.

Few minutes, when they finally adjusted to the place, they started drinking. Althea and Penelope used to drink and have a high tolerance in alcohol while Lanie has a very low alcohol tolerance. She just drank half of her cocktail and she was already quite dizzy.

"Shall we celebrate New Year together?" Penelope said.

"If you want to. I'm always in since I am alone at my house." Althea answered. They both look at Lanie who didn't respond.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Yes, if you want to. I already told my grandmother that I will be spending the New Year here." Lanie said and finished her cocktail.

"But before we do that, I just want to say something to the both of you." Althea became attentive to Penelope as well as Lanie who was now half drunk.

"After this, I'll let you two decide if you still want to spend our holiday at my house." She inhaled deeply. She took one shot of hard liquor before facing her friends.

"I am Penelope Santos Hossler. The biological daughter of Mr. Bryce Hossler and Mrs. Grace Hossler." She said bravery. Her two friends just stared at her, and did not utter any words.

"P-please, get me out of that house." She spoke again but this time, all her bravery was already gone. That bravery was replaced by pleading and sadness.