"Penny, darling, dinner is ready!"
Silence.
Like no one was occupying Penelope's room. Just silence. She was there, just not answering.
"Penny, come down!"
Still nothing.
"Penny, I swear, do you want me to come up there?"
No answer from the second floor.
"Penny, this isn't funny."
Completely quiet.
"Penny, I'm not playing games. Come down here now."
Absolutely silent.
"Penelope Delaney Carter, get down here this instant!"
And within seconds, Penelope was bounding down the staircase, skipping every other step.
"Penelope, please explain to me why it took that long to get it through your head that you had to come down."
"What do you mean, Mom? You only called me once." Penelope's face was smug, but her eyes were laughing, and no matter how much she tried to hide it, her voice reflected both.
Her mother wasn't at all amused. "Penelope, you know very well that I called you plenty of times. You're just being ridiculous."
"But, Mom, you called me Penny. That's not my name. I'm Nellie." She looked up at her mother, expecting her to lash out, but instead received a dangerously calm answer.
"Not anymore, Penelope. Not according to the government, anyway."
