Chapter 79: The Penny Text
Saturday night. 11 PM.
I'm on my penthouse balcony. Beer in hand. LA spread below.
My phone buzzes.
Penny: You awake?
I stare at the message. We've texted sporadically. Once a week, maybe. Surface level stuff.
This feels different.
Me: Yeah. What's up?
Penny: I have news.
Me: Good news?
Penny: Really good news.
Me: Tell me.
Three dots. She's typing. Stops. Types again.
Penny: The play's extending six months. And I got cast in an off-off-Broadway thing that runs after. They want me for a year total. Through next January.
My stomach drops.
She's not coming back.
Not in August like planned. Not for another ten months.
Me: Penny, that's incredible. Congratulations.
Penny: You mean it?
Me: Completely. This is your dream.
Penny: I'm terrified.
Me: Why?
Penny: Because it's real now. Like actually real. I'm a working actress in New York. This is the thing I moved to LA hoping would eventually happen.
Me: You earned it.
Penny: Stuart—
Me: What?
Penny: Thank you. For not being weird about this. About me staying longer.
Me: Why would I be weird?
Penny: Because we—you know. And now I'm not coming back for another year. And that's—I don't know. It feels like I'm choosing New York over everything.
Me: You're choosing your career. That's exactly what you should do.
Penny: But what about—
Me: What about nothing. Leonard asked you out when you visited, right?
Penny: Yeah. Coffee. It was nice.
Me: And?
Penny: And we're taking it slow. Long distance. Seeing if it works.
Me: Good.
Penny: You're really okay with this? Me dating Leonard?
Me: Penny. I told Leonard to ask you out. Remember?
Penny: I know. But saying it and being okay with it are different things.
Me: I'm okay with it. Actually okay.
Penny: How?
Me: Because I care about both of you. And your happiness matters more than my ego.
Long pause. No dots. Just silence.
Then: Penny: You've grown up.
Me: I'm 27. I was already grown up.
Penny: No. You've grown UP. Like evolved. Leveled up. Whatever.
Me: Thanks?
Penny: It's a compliment. When we started dating, you were—god, how do I say this without being mean.
Me: Just say it.
Penny: You were still figuring yourself out. Your business. Your place in the world. Your confidence. And now you're just—Stuart. Completely Stuart. No questions.
Me: Seven months with you helped.
Penny: I helped?
Me: You showed me healthy relationships exist. That I deserved good things. That success wasn't just about money or business.
Penny: I did all that?
Me: You did all that.
Penny: Damn. I'm pretty great.
Me: You really are.
Another pause.
Penny: I miss you sometimes. The us version. Not the current us. The dating us.
Me: I miss that too. But I like current us better.
Penny: Really?
Me: Really. Because current us is sustainable. Dating us had an expiration date.
Penny: That's—yeah. That's exactly right.
Me: So tell me about New York. What's the new show?
We text for another hour.
She tells me about rehearsals. The cast. Her shoebox apartment. The bagels (legitimately incredible, she admits).
I tell her about the shops. Wil's investment. San Diego plans. The gang's Mario Kart tournament.
It's easy.
Natural.
Like texting a friend who happens to be an ex.
At midnight, she signs off.
Penny: Thanks for this. For being you. For being okay with everything.
Me: Thanks for seven good months and one good friendship.
Penny: We did okay, didn't we?
Me: We did great.
Penny: Goodnight, Stuart.
Me: Goodnight, Penny.
I set my phone down.
Look out at LA.
And smile.
Because she's happy. I'm happy.
We're both exactly where we're supposed to be.
Different cities. Different lives. Different relationships.
But still connected.
Still friends.
That's the win.
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