Amnesia

Chapter 20

Avi blinks down at her as she sits in one of the lobby chairs, her legs crossed and bouncing as she waits for him. Penny gives him a smile and standing, walks over to him, stopping just short of where he stands. Clearing his throat, he tugs on his jacket before saying. "I thought you just left early." His voice is soft, holding none of the resentment she thought she'd hear there.

"Well, technically I did," she answers with a smirk. "And before you tell me to go back upstairs and rest or whatever, just don't. You've been taking care of me for almost two months; let me be there for you without complaint, okay?"

Avi shoves his hands in his pockets and nods. "Okay then."

Penny blinks at him and gives him a curious glance. "That's it? 'Okay then'? No, 'Penny, I'm fine, go back to sleep' or 'No, Penny, I'm a manly man with a manly beard and can take care of my own manly business'?"

"Manly beard with manly business?" Avi repeats with a laugh.

Penny glares at him. "I'm being serious!" she whines, but she's unable to keep the smile off her face. "You usually refuse my offer of help and you didn't even bat an eyelash today. I'm just...a little stunned, I guess."

Avi's silent for a moment as if debating her statement in his head and then, "I shouldn't let you come, you know," he says with a smirk.

"Oh?" Penny quirks her eyebrow. "And exactly why not?"

Avi shrugs and gives her a knowing smile as he walks out of the hotel front door. "You know what you did," he calls as he walks ahead of her. "Teaming up with Kevin?" Avi tuts and walks to the car, opening the driver's side door. "C'mon, Penny, you think I wouldn't notice you're helping him with the sleep wars?"

Penny huffs. "I plead the fifth," she answers.  

Avi laughs and shakes his head. "Let's go, traitor, I've still got rehearsing to get to today."

+++

Penny sits in the waiting office chair, nervously bouncing her knee and picking idly at the skin around her nails. The taupe walls, which she knows are supposed to be soothing, are starting to grate on her nerves and the high-pitched nasally tone of the front desk receptionist is starting to slowly drive her crazy. She sighs and switches positions, the armrest of the plastic covered chair digging into her back.

Another ten minutes tick off the clock before Penny needs to move again and she's already standing without knowing exactly where she wants to go. Standing in the middle of the waiting room, she frowns before moving to the opposite side and sitting down. Nice move, Penny. Now you have to listen to her and watch her talk.

She scowls as she sinks further into the couch, grabbing a three month old copy of People and flipping through the pages. Barely six pages in, Avi ambles into the waiting room, a sleepy, dream-like expression on his face. He politely thanks the woman that escorted him out before glancing around the waiting room, stopping when he spots Penny.

Penny sits up and tosses the magazine away, standing just as he makes it over towards her. "I have never seen you so relieved to see me," he comments, his voice thick as he shrugs on his jacket.

She narrows her eyes at him and says, "You fell asleep in there, didn't you?"

Avi hums and nods in response. "Yeah, I got these noise cancelling head phones and—"

"Oh, my God," Penny mutters, "I thought maybe they found something horrible, like a tumor or a third kidney or that all your organs were backwards or—" Penny stops as Avi starts laughing and walks out the front door, giving a small wave to the receptionist. "I fail to see how this is funny, Avi," she says, following him.