I went to the bathroom last and splashed ice-cold water on my face.

When Penny had just come back into the room in a T-shirt and shorts and asked me which side of the bed was hers, I had to swallow. With every minute the moment came closer that I had to lie down next to her. She was probably already over in my bed and a mixture of anticipation and fear was spreading through me.

Since the previous evening there were moments when I thought I had a chance with her - a look, something she said or a gesture gave me hope. And then she would be reserved again or blush when I touched her. I did too, how could I not? My mother got us into the most impossible situations by just talking. I knew that if she had known what we were really doing, she wouldn't have done this. But she didn't know any better and she had welcomed Penny so warmly that my chest swelled with pride. Things weren't so easy for Bronwyn back then and my first and last girlfriend at school also had a difficult time. None had ever been good enough for her sons, or needed to be properly examined, like Bronwyn. Penny, on the other hand, was perfect and my parents recognized that immediately.

If only they would hold back a little. I was so afraid that Penny would distance herself from me because of all the embarrassing situations they put us in.

I was so lost in thought that I brushed my teeth as if in a trance and only came to when I opened the bedroom door and saw Penny sitting in my bed reading.

It was such a wonderful sight that I paused for a moment and it caught her attention.

"Is everything okay, Sam?"

"Oh, yeah, sure. It's just kind of unusual to have someone waiting for me in bed," I replied, trying to cover up my nervousness with a smile.

I reached for the blanket with trembling fingers and slipped under it. Was I mistaken, or had Penny just looked me over? Did she like what she saw or was it uncomfortable that I was only wearing boxers and a shirt? Maybe I should put on the ski suit if that made her feel more comfortable?

"Sam?" I looked up at her questioningly. I hadn't realized that I was already lying there staring at the ceiling. "Your thoughts are spinning so loudly that I'm afraid your head might explode. What's going on?" The perfect Penny. Always caring and calm.

"It's okay. It's just been a long day," I replied without taking my eyes off the ceiling and I saw her lying down facing me out of the corner of my eye.

"Tell me, what's bothering you so much?"

"Somehow it's all getting on my nerves too much. My mother's direct manner, the baby photos, Charlie's taunts. I put you in a situation that I didn't foresee. But I should have seen it." I put my arm over my eyes and groaned in annoyance.

"Stop torturing yourself, Sam. We'll manage."

"How many times would you have liked to run away? Be honest!"

"I think that was just the case this morning. I would have liked to hide somewhere and shake myself laughing at your Tarzan outfit." I turned my face to her and saw that she was resting her head on her bent arm and smiling broadly at me. "What are my chances of you wearing this at next halloween?"

"At minus 100 percent," I replied grumpily. That's where it started. My mother had exposed me to the bone. What should a down-to-earth woman like Penny do with someone like me?

"Oh come on, Sam. I'm just teasing you. You should be enjoying time with your parents instead of always being afraid, which might embarrass me. If I have a problem with something, I'll say it and I can handle everything else. I won't think differently of you because of that, no matter what I find out here. On the contrary."

"What does that mean, on the contrary?"

"Well, it's nice to see that you too have to struggle with something and don't always have control over every situation."

"But only because we are playing this theater."

"But there are also moments that are worth doing."

"Really? And which ones would that be?" New hope awakened in me. What would she say now? When we were close? If I would gave her a kiss?

"The baby photos were sweet."

"That wasn't what I wanted to hear at all!" I growled disgruntled and looked at the ceiling again.

"What did you want to hear?" she asked me surprised, but I just shrugged my shoulders. I was tired of her teasing more and more.

"You should sleep. You must be dead tired," I said when she was still looking at me a few minutes later.

"And what about you?"

"I'm not used to someone lying next to me. I'll try it when you're asleep."

"Are you afraid I'm getting too close to you, if you fall asleep before me?" Oh, how I wish that were the case, I thought wistfully.

"Of course not. I just want to be a gentleman."

"Relax, Sam. I won't bite you."

"I'm sure you wouldn't like that Taste of me anyway." I looked at her, but she just poked me in the side admonishingly, which made me flinch and now a cheeky grin appeared on her face - one that I loved very much, but which also showed me that she was planning something. Thought and done, she poked me again and again and I could barely contain myself from laughing. "Come on Sam, laugh again," she asked me as she came closer to me and with both of her Hands tried to tickle me, but she did the math without me. I was stronger than her and what she could do, I was especially been able to do that.

I turned to her and started tickling her sides as well. She squirmed and struggled, but I didn't give her a chance to escape as I crossed her legs with mine. We were both laughing wildly as one tried to get the other to give up and I could already feel the muscles in my belly starting to ache as I grabbed her arms and pushed them into the pillow above her.

"I give up," I gasped, laughing and trying to calm my breathing as I looked into her face. If she had been smiling just a moment ago, it disappeared in an instant, as did mine, as we realized how close we were. I was lying on top of her, my legs still entwined with hers, and by holding her arms above her head, our faces were so close that the tips of our noses were touching. I wasn't able to move even an inch away from her - on the contrary, she magically attracted me and at that moment I wanted nothing more than to kiss her. Should I take my chances? She didn't seem reluctant and didn't try to break away from me.

I slowly tilted my face toward hers, an inch, another, keeping my focus on her eyes that would tell me if she didn't want me to continue. But they didn't show the expected fear or disgust, but something like...excited anticipation?

"Sam? Is everything okay with you?" The door flew open and we jumped. I lost my balance and fell backwards and off the bed, landing on my back with a small gasp, and just lay there with my eyes closed as I struggled with all the emotions that were bubbling up inside me: anger at the interruption, disappointment at the botched one opportunity, embarrassment from my own mother to have been caught in such a situation and above all I felt sorry for Penny for having to experience this.

To my amazement, she laughed, just like my mother.

"Mom, have you never heard of knocking?" I asked as I sat up.

"I just wanted to quickly go to the bathroom. How was I supposed to know that you were having a tryst here?"

"Mom, it wasn't what you thought," I replied in shock, glancing at Penny who smiled embarrassed but amused.

"Stay cool, Sami. Your father was also such a bundle of energy at your age. Sleep well later," she purred with a wink and closed the door behind her, while I groaned in annoyance and hid my face in my hands in shame.

"Come to bed, Sam. We'll definitely have to get out early tomorrow."

"I think I'll sleep on the floor to avoid putting you in that situation again. I'm sorry."

"Don't talk nonsense. It was funny. Come on now, you bundle of energy. I also promise to keep my hands to myself." I looked at her in surprise as I sat up.

"Why are you taking this so lightly?"

"Should I cry and complain all night about how embarrassing that was?" she replied with a critical look that I couldn't take seriously because of her smile and crawled under the covers on my side. "We can't change it anymore so why be upset about it? Goodnight, Sam," she said when I turned to her, with a decent distance between us of course, and she closed her eyes.

"Good night, Penny," I replied with a smile and turned off the light. For the first time I really had the feeling that this whole misery might have a happy ending. If I didn't have to worry about my mother disturbing us again, I would have convinced myself of it straight away. So I decided it would be better to wait for a more suitable opportunity.

To be continued...