For all of my readers, who have read The Malevolent Twin. Here is the deleted chapter about the renowned albino psychic detective Pennie Apples!
Table of Contents
Books by Mary Sage Nguyen
Dedication
Pennie Apples: The Deleted Chapter
About Author
“To engage with art, we have to be willing to be wrong, venture outside our psychic comfort zones, suspend disbelief, and remember that art explores and alters consciousness simultaneously.”
Jerry Saltz
Pennie Apples
The Deleted Chapter
IT WAS A WINDY DAY IN LOS ANGELES. Pennie Apples was walking down Santa Monica Boulevard. The water was dark blue. There was not a cloud in the sky. Pennie stayed on the walkway avoiding the sand. There was a decent stream of people out walking and biking. She had taken two hours to make herself presentable. She wore a short bob cut brunette wig that framed her face. She wore a pair of red jogging shorts and a white tee shirt. Her eyes were not pink but blue. She had messed around with an airbrush earlier debating whether to let her albino skin show or not but she had eventually decided to just let it show. It didn’t bother her boyfriend Dylan Plummer. Pennie shared an apartment with him somewhere in the Westwood area. All Pennie could remember was that it was close to UCLA. She was great at remembering landmarks but not road names. Dylan was quite generous—he was taking care of Pennie and paying for all her basic needs. He understood Pennie without a doubt. They would stay late at night in bed. They talked about everything and anything. Pennie’s dream was to become a psychic detective and Dylan supported her idea. He was happy to help her stay on her feet until then.
“Look, there is an albino lady!” a little Hispanic boy said. He was eating a small carton of yogurt. He looked at her with his dark eyes. His mother was going to turn to say something to Pennie but she had already walked past them. She thought it was rude of him to point out the obvious, although she forgave him because he was a little boy.
What was she going to do? Should she tell Dylan? He would notice when her stomach gets bigger. Pennie was pregnant. She had found out today of all days. She was supposed to be starting a new job at Burke’s Psychic Detective Agency the next day. Pennie increased her speed. Some people along the boardwalk would notice that she was albino. They whispered things to each other but Pennie was not bothered by this. She was albino and always would be albino. Avery had to tell Dylan. She loved him and cared for him. Maybe he would suggest they get married? Should she suggest it? No, no, no that is the man’s job. After walking to the pier, Pennie sat down on the beach next to it in the sand looking out across the water. Her cellphone rang. It was Dylan. She picked up.
“Hey what are you up to?” Dylan’s voice was sweet and nice to hear.
“I am in Santa Monica by the pier. How about you?”
“I’m at the apartment. You want to come back here? I would like to see you before your big debut tomorrow.”
“Sure.”
“See you in a little bit.”
The drive back home was short. Traffic wasn’t bad at all. Pennie drove right into the Westwood area. The apartment Dylan rented was full of UCLA students. He liked the feel and party mentality of the place. Pennie walked into the apartment and look around. She could hear the shower running. The wood floor creaked as she tiptoed into the bedroom. When you first walked in, you could see two sliding mirrors to your right. That was the new trend, a sliding mirror closet. The room was painted a light green. The bed was a normal queen size sleigh bed made of oak. There were also two ivory-colored heavy wooden dressers in the room. On each ofthe dressers Pennie had painted numerous bamboo trees. It was artfully done. Steam was coming out of the bathroom. The shower curtain also was white and had bamboo on it. Pennie pulled the shower curtain and peeked inside the bathtub. Pennie took off her wig, and contacts. There was Dylan. He was strong and muscular. His tan body matched his black hair. He turned around and saw her. His blue eyes made him more special. He was what people considered black Irish but of course tanner.
“Hey Pennie.”
“What is it you wanted to talk to me about?” Dylan asked.
“I’m almost finished with this shower. Why don’t you wait in the bedroom?”
“Alright. See you in there.” Pennie closed the shower curtain and strutted to the bed. She took off her pink puma tennis shoes and socks. She sat and waited for Dylan to come out. She thought about what she would do. Pennie’s dilemma was that she and Dylan weren’t married. She was about ten weeks pregnant at that point. With her skinny frame and long figure, Dylan might not notice for a while. She still had to tell him though. Her tummy would start to show soon enough. Dylan came out the bathroom sporting a towel wrapped around his bottom half.
“So what did you want to talk to me about?” Pennie piped up as Dylan walked to the bed. His expression changed.
“You know, we’ve been dating a long time.”
“Yes, and?” Dylan looked down at his lap.
“Well do you have anywhere to stay in LA? I hate to do this to you right before your job. As of late things haven’t been going so well.” Pennie swallowed. This isn’t going to be good. She should tell him now.
“Well, I am pregnant.” Dylan looked at her with his sharp blue eyes.
“Are you serious?”
“Yep, and it’s yours.”
“Are you sure?” Pennie sighed.
“Yes, Dylan, it’s yours.” Dylan looked back at his lap.
“I can’t believe this, why are you telling me now? How far along are you?”
“I’m ten weeks. I mean, if you don’t want anything to do with this baby then fine. I will go back to my sister’s place in Phoenix.”
“Well, is it too late to abort?”
“Yes, how dare you bring that up? That’s just rude and insensitive Dylan.”
“Then I have to marry you now?” Dylan asked her. Pennie was starting to feel her blood pressure rising.
“Back in Arizona maybe. You make the choice here in California. If you want nothing to do with me, tell me now so I can make plans.”
“I am too young to get married.” He was too young? She was only twenty-five. He was thirty-three. Pennie curled her fist into a ball.
“If that’s the way you feel, I should pack up my things. I could be in Arizona living with my sister as soon as you want me to leave.”
“Don’t be so dramatic.” Dylan hugged her hard. She squeezed him back.
“I love you Dylan.” Pennie couldn’t help it. It slipped right out of her.
“I love you too babe. Let’s just take it one step at a time.” Pennie cried in his arms for a long time. She finally let go of Dylan after a while. She was feeling overwhelmed by the hormones from pregnancy.
“I am going to shower.” Dylan playfully spanked her when she got up to shower. He gave her a wicked smile and fell back on the bed. He stared up at the ceiling thinking.
In the shower Pennie heard a faint sound. The sound of a heartbeat. It was beating slowly. She looked around for the source of the sound but it just kept beating around her. She continued to lather herself up with rich honey and champagne soap. Pennie’s mind was spinning its wheels. She had not seen her sister Lana Apples for a year
now. That is how long she had been dating Dylan. Lana was a free spirit like her sister. The last time Pennie saw her they didn’t leave it on the best of terms. If Dylan didn’t marry her, how would she support the baby? True, her job at Burke’s Psychic Detective Agency in Santa Monica would make her about fifty-five thousand a year but that wasn’t considered much in California. Would she have to suck up to her sister and raise the baby that way? She could always give it up for adoption. Pennie could still hear that faint sound of a beating heart when she stepped out of the shower. Dylan was lying in bed propped up on a pillow. He was still awake.
“Have you thought about adoption?” Dylan asked. Pennie already knew the answer to that.
“I thought about adoption but I would prefer we take care of the child ourselves.”
“I am going to sleep on it.” Dylan turned over on his side of the bed. Pennie crawled over towards him.
“Dylan, I really care about you, but if you want I can move back to Arizona.” She placed her hand on his back and spooned with him.
“Don’t say that.” Dylan turned and hugged her. She felt safe in his