up," Penny offered her hand.
"I can head up there, as long as the security guards lets me in."
Penny took her hand and gently pulled her off the chair. "I have a private elevator," she told her.
"Oh!" Beth said, too surprised to groan when her legs had to support her. Penny spun around her and pressed her hand against the small of her back again to support her, he skirt flaring out as she moved.
"I've got you," Penny breathed.
Beth turned her head and looked at her. She closed her lips and offered a smile. Penny did have her, and it looked like she didn't have a choice about except whether she liked it or not. The jury was still out on the verdict, but she couldn't help feeling drawn to the older— much older— woman. "Thank you," Beth admitted. "My legs are kind of shaky."
"I noticed," Penny said with a smile. "Come on, behind the bar and back through the office."
Beth walked with her and then stepped away after a few steps when she felt she could manage on her own. They made it to the office before Beth paused to lean against the wall and catch her breath. "Penny? You called me your partner out there."
Penny turned from the door at the back of the office and studied her. "I chose my words carefully," she said.
"But we're not, um, partners."
"Technically, you're right," Penny admitted.
Beth snorted. "Technically? Um, realistically too."
"After you die we will be. I've already drawn up the paperwork."
Beth stared at her. "You've done what?"
"Everything I have is owned by a living trust," she explained. "It's much easier than arranging inheritance every forty years or so. I just assign new people to the trust to manage it. Elizabeth Stenger is presumed dead as of last night's fire. Elizabeth Adams, on the other hand, is alive and well in the system. She has a degree in business administration from U of M and has accepted a position to manage certain aspects of the trust, including Paradise Lost."
"I— you— oh my god!"
"Don't worry, as you learn more and adapt I'll show you additional holdings I have and make sure you have access to those as well," Penny continued.
"Penny— stop!" Beth gasped. She shook her head and felt the room spinning around her. "I'm dead?"
"Presumed dead," Penny said. She shrugged. "Burned up in the fire. Your old life is gone, Beth. No matter what happens to you, you can never go back. That's why I had to stop you earlier."
"Oh my god," Beth repeated. Her stomach twisted and she took a staggering step forward. Penny caught her and held her up. "I don't feel good," Beth mumbled.
Penny swept her up in her arms as though she was lifting a pillow. She carried her through the back door and down a short hallway to a door at the end of the hall. Beth tried to pick up her head but the walls and ceiling were spinning in opposite directions of her stomach. She turned and pressed her face against Penny's chest, closing her eyes to try and help her focus.
The door slid open a moment later and Penny stepped in. "Hang in there, Pet," Penny whispered.
Beth groaned as the elevator surged upward. Her stomach dropped and she had to struggle to breathe. She fought the nausea and won as the elevator slowed to a halt so fast that she felt weightless in Penny's arms. The door slid open and Penny stepped out into the hallway that Beth had nearly blinded herself in.
"Bed? Or are you feeling ill again?"
"I don't know," Beth whimpered. The pinches in her stomach helped her decide. "Bathroom," she moaned.
Penny moved down the hallway, her heels striking the wood floor with each step. Beth dared to look around the large bedroom that Penny moved through, glimpsing an enormous four poster bed and antique decorations that seemed luxurious. The walls were smooth, any windows having long been removed.
They moved into a side room with a master bath complete with a large tile shower stall and a Jacuzzi tub that looked more like a small swimming pool. Beth felt an urge to go for a swim until a fresh twist
"I can head up there, as long as the security guards lets me in."
Penny took her hand and gently pulled her off the chair. "I have a private elevator," she told her.
"Oh!" Beth said, too surprised to groan when her legs had to support her. Penny spun around her and pressed her hand against the small of her back again to support her, he skirt flaring out as she moved.
"I've got you," Penny breathed.
Beth turned her head and looked at her. She closed her lips and offered a smile. Penny did have her, and it looked like she didn't have a choice about except whether she liked it or not. The jury was still out on the verdict, but she couldn't help feeling drawn to the older— much older— woman. "Thank you," Beth admitted. "My legs are kind of shaky."
"I noticed," Penny said with a smile. "Come on, behind the bar and back through the office."
Beth walked with her and then stepped away after a few steps when she felt she could manage on her own. They made it to the office before Beth paused to lean against the wall and catch her breath. "Penny? You called me your partner out there."
Penny turned from the door at the back of the office and studied her. "I chose my words carefully," she said.
"But we're not, um, partners."
"Technically, you're right," Penny admitted.
Beth snorted. "Technically? Um, realistically too."
"After you die we will be. I've already drawn up the paperwork."
Beth stared at her. "You've done what?"
"Everything I have is owned by a living trust," she explained. "It's much easier than arranging inheritance every forty years or so. I just assign new people to the trust to manage it. Elizabeth Stenger is presumed dead as of last night's fire. Elizabeth Adams, on the other hand, is alive and well in the system. She has a degree in business administration from U of M and has accepted a position to manage certain aspects of the trust, including Paradise Lost."
"I— you— oh my god!"
"Don't worry, as you learn more and adapt I'll show you additional holdings I have and make sure you have access to those as well," Penny continued.
"Penny— stop!" Beth gasped. She shook her head and felt the room spinning around her. "I'm dead?"
"Presumed dead," Penny said. She shrugged. "Burned up in the fire. Your old life is gone, Beth. No matter what happens to you, you can never go back. That's why I had to stop you earlier."
"Oh my god," Beth repeated. Her stomach twisted and she took a staggering step forward. Penny caught her and held her up. "I don't feel good," Beth mumbled.
Penny swept her up in her arms as though she was lifting a pillow. She carried her through the back door and down a short hallway to a door at the end of the hall. Beth tried to pick up her head but the walls and ceiling were spinning in opposite directions of her stomach. She turned and pressed her face against Penny's chest, closing her eyes to try and help her focus.
The door slid open a moment later and Penny stepped in. "Hang in there, Pet," Penny whispered.
Beth groaned as the elevator surged upward. Her stomach dropped and she had to struggle to breathe. She fought the nausea and won as the elevator slowed to a halt so fast that she felt weightless in Penny's arms. The door slid open and Penny stepped out into the hallway that Beth had nearly blinded herself in.
"Bed? Or are you feeling ill again?"
"I don't know," Beth whimpered. The pinches in her stomach helped her decide. "Bathroom," she moaned.
Penny moved down the hallway, her heels striking the wood floor with each step. Beth dared to look around the large bedroom that Penny moved through, glimpsing an enormous four poster bed and antique decorations that seemed luxurious. The walls were smooth, any windows having long been removed.
They moved into a side room with a master bath complete with a large tile shower stall and a Jacuzzi tub that looked more like a small swimming pool. Beth felt an urge to go for a swim until a fresh twist
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