She shook her head and darted her eyes away from Penn's pained expression. "I don't do that. I'm a healer, a pacifist. I don't fight."
"Look," I said. "Your son wants to fight for you. Your family wants to fight for you. You're the only one that can stop them from hurting themselves trying."
Xavier's phone rang. "It's them. What should I say?"
Alice sighed then reached over to pat Penn's hand. "Tell them I wasn't up to it today, but that we should reschedule. Apparently I'm going to have to prepare myself for battle."
Penn's mother filled the return car ride with a tirade on alternative medicines and the narrow-minded view of Western medicine. It was a relief as no one else had anything to say. Every time I looked at Penn, the whole truth of my past was on my lips. I wanted to tell him everything, but it wasn't the time.
We pulled up outside the Monterey mansion and I waited for Xavier to help Alice out of the car before I turned on Penn. "Is this actually your house?"
"Corsica?" The tone of his voice stopped me. Penn shifted across the leather seats and gathered me into his arms. "Thank you. I don't know what I would have done if she'd refused treatment. I was so scared."
"I know. I'm sorry." I hugged him tight.
"I don't care why you came along. I'm just glad you're here. You really are saving me," he whispered against my hair.
"I know what it's like." I caught myself in time and snapped my mouth shut.
Penn pulled back but kept his arms around me. "What do you know?"
"Ask your father," I muttered. "I'm sure he's looking further into it."
"Corsica, wait." Penn stopped me from grabbing the door handle. "I didn't ask my father to do a background check on you. I wish he hadn't, and I wish you hadn't told me. I wasn't kidding when I said I wanted to get to know you. I want you to be the one that tells me about your life, whatever you're willing to share."
"You deserve to know who you invited into your home," I said.
"I invited you." His brown eyes warmed. "I don't care about all the rest. I'm just glad that you're here."
Xavier made the mistake of returning to the car to get Alice's scarf just as we got out. Penn brushed past him with a hard shoulder. Then, he turned and confronted his father. Toe to toe, it was obvious they were father and son. Both stood over 6'2" tall and challenged each other with identical, hard expressions.
"You had no right to check up on Corsica," Penn snapped.
"You didn't even know her hometown," Xavier said. "How could I let you keep going on so blindly? Especially after you've been together so long. Didn't you ever ask yourself why she kept so much secret?"
"Not for the reasons you thought," I reminded him.
Penn had his opening, and I thought he was going to take it. It was the perfect time to throw our little charade in his father's face. It was Xavier, after all, that had made Penn feel like he needed a human shield.
"I'm not like you," Penn said. "I'm not in a hurry to figure everyone out. All I know is that I love having Corsica around. I love her in my life. We've been dating for a while now, but I trusted that she would tell me everything when she was ready. You've never trusted anyone in your life."
Xavier caught my shocked look. "You're right. I have trust issues. So, tell me, how did you two meet?"
Penn hooked my hand through his and escorted me up the front steps as he told his father our story. I was surprised when it last for more than two steps. "I met Corsica in a nightclub. Actually, I ran into her."
"You tried to claim I ran into you," I added. "But we both know you weren't my type."
"And now, I'm growing on you." Penn squeezed my arm.
I had no idea why it was so important for his parents to believe in our relationship, but I was glad. As complicated as it was, I liked being in Penn's life, too.
"You met at a nightclub and that's supposed to convince me?" Xavier asked.
"She stuck with me," Penn said. "I couldn't help but look for her every night after that. Then, one night, I was in this little karaoke lounge. I was about to leave when she stepped onto the stage."
Xavier hummed under his breath as we went inside. Alice had gone out on the patio facing the ocean and was doing Yoga. He watched her thoughtfully for a moment and then turned to Penn. "So, you're telling me she hooked you with a song?"
"I seem to recall she did the same thing with you," Penn snapped. "Why all this sudden mistrust?"