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Colin frantically sorts the house out. She has been gone a very long month and he has missed her. They hadn't said goodbye on the best of terms. They had been married four years, but something was clearly wrong. When they'd started dating it had been long distance. Penelope in New York where she worked as journalist and him based in London but frequently travelling to film vlogs. They'd agreed to settle in London eventually as Penelope had gotten a new job there and it worked well for Colin.
They had married and it was all going well until several things had happened at once. Penelope's father had been murdered and because Penelope had married a Bridgerton the tabloids turned a tragedy into a media circus. Then Colin's ex had siezed her moment and written a piece for a tabloid claiming Penelope and Colin had had an affair while she was still dating Colin. It wasn't true, but that didn't matter. The Bridgerton family were a socialites and used to media attention, but it had gotten very out of control very quickly. Penelope had known Colin since she and his sister Eloise became friends when they were kids, but until now she hadn't had a media storm like this.
The final straw was an article about Penelope's weight. Something which her mother had already berated her for at the funeral. It had been incredibly harsh and called her all sorts of names and Colin had come downstairs one morning to find her sobbing on the sofa. "I need to get away." She had told him. She'd booked flights an hour later and insisted she needed some time in the city she had called home for five years without him. He hadn't wanted her to go, but he wasn't going to stop her either.
Now keys sound in the lock and he rushes to meet her. He knew she was coming back, that was the plan when she left, but he still worried that she might not. She had been so upset when she left.
She walks in, wearing black sweatpants and one of his hoodies that he hadn't realised she'd taken. Her case in her hand, a tote bag on her shoulder. She puts them down and shuts the door and then she spots him and runs at him. "I'm sorry." She says. "I shouldn't have just left."
Colin smiles. "I spent years travelling, I know what it's like to need to get away for a while. I'm just so glad you came back."
She rests her head on his shoulder and then leads him into the living room. "Actually I wasn't sure I could come back."
Colin gulps. "Oh?" He prompts his voice shaking.
Penelope nods. "I was so ill. I thought it was a bug, but it went on so an old friend took me to see a doctor."
Colin blinks. "A doctor?" He knows he must sound stupid, but he had no idea. "You should have told me."
Penelope smiles. "I didn't want to go, but they found something Colin and I'm so glad I went, because it turns out I'm pregnant."
Colin stares at her for a moment, digesting her words, and then he bursts out laughing. "Pregnant?" He asks, laughing more. It's not a humour filled laugh it's more of a laugh of delight. She nods and he immediately envelopes her in his arms. "That's amazing news..." He cuts himself off so he can assess her face, but as soon as he sees she is beaming he laughs more.
"I'm so happy." Penelope tells him. "I didn't know if I would be, but I really am."
Colin grins. "Me too Pen, me too." And then suddenly he pouts like a child, actually like his nieces and nephews do, Penelope hopes their child will have that pout.
"What is it?" She asks.
"You took the baby to NYC without me." He frowns. Penelope just laughs.