Work Text:
“Alright Colin, just hop on and keep pedaling, that’s your only job.”
Colin pulled on his helmet strap again as he looked at his bike seat and sighed. At seven years old, he was embarrassed to not yet be the rider that his older brothers had been at his age. He could pedal, of course, but he had a hard time staying upright as he often became distracted by his surroundings, and he wasn’t the best at stopping, either.
It was a bright summer day with just a little bit of a mild breeze - the perfect day for mastering the bicycle once and for all, his father had said.
Colin climbed onto his bike as his father held the back of the seat. He felt wobbly as his feet left the ground for the pedals and he turned back nervously.
“You’re fine, Colin. You’re going to pedal and keep up your speed and I’m going to run along behind you.”
Colin nodded and looked ahead, beginning to pedal as his father ran along behind him as promised. He started looking around as he pedaled, the front wheel tending to veer in whatever direction his attention wandered.
“Keep your head up, son, and look where you want to go.”
Colin swallowed and lifted his head in front of him.
“Now put your foot back quickly to break,” his father instructed and Colin did just that, coming to a wobbly end with his father’s tight grip on the back of the bike being the only thing that kept it from flying. The little boy nervously dropped both his feet to the pavement.
Everyone thought Colin to be quite brave, and perhaps about some things he was. But some of that bravery was pretend, so that everyone would believe he might be braver than he was. He thought maybe, if he could act brave enough, someday he could actually grow up to be brave. That if he was able to convince everyone else he was brave, maybe he would start thinking it, too.
But he wasn’t brave. Not really.
He was afraid of falling.
Afraid of crashing.
Afraid of not being good enough at this.
Afraid of never being able to ride his bike alone.
Of not being able to go on adventures.
Of being the butt of his brothers’ jokes when he wasn’t able to ride on his own.
They already lumped him in with “the littles” - their name for Colin and his younger sisters Daphne, Eloise, and Franny. At 11 and 13, Benedict and Anthony saw themselves as big kids and saw Colin as anything but. He longed to be big like them, or to have them, even just for a moment, see him as one of the brothers.
“What do you say, should we try again? Perhaps this time you’ll be ready for me to let go?”
His father’s voice was steady and calm, filling Colin with confidence as he nodded and hopped off his bike, walking it back to the starting point as he had been taught..
“Alright Colin, remember our lessons? What do you do first?”
“Helmet on and secure,” Colin said, tapping his head, and his father nodded.
“That’s right. Now what?”
“Ummm,” he chewed on his lip. He knew it had something to do with safety. Glancing around, he looked for something that might jog his memory.
“You’re sort of doing it right now,” his father offered as a clue.
“Oh! Check my surroundings!” Colin said proudly.
“That’s right. So look around, what do you see?”
“I’m on our street,” Colin said. “There are no cars since the road is closed for the block party, but I should still watch for the ones in driveways, just in case,” he parroted his father’s earlier comments.
“That’s right. What else?”
“My house is down there to the right,” Colin said.
“Good, always good to know where you’re going,” his father said. “What do your eyes need to do as you ride?”
“They need to…” Colin thought hard again. “Stay on the road ahead of me, but watch out for cars.”
“Cars and…” his father prompted.
“And people. Especially people.” Colin remembered.
“Perfect. And what do you do when you want to stop?”
“I push my foot like this to break, and then I put my feet on the ground,” Colin explained.
“I think you’re ready,” his father said as he gestured for him to get back up onto the bike.
Colin began to pedal once more as his father held onto the seat behind him. Once he had picked up a little speed, he turned his head to shout over his shoulder.
“I’m ready, Dad! Let go!”
“Are you sure, son?” Edmund asked.
“I’m sure!”
His father let go and he continued to pedal as quickly as he could, keeping himself upright. As he got closer to his house, he saw the new family across the street moving boxes into their house from their car. He knew he should keep his eyes on the road, but it was hard when there was a chance to get a peek at the new neighbors. He and his brothers and sisters had been wondering what they would be like, if they had children, whether or not they’d be here in time for this evening’s block party.
Before he could understand what was happening, a little girl in a yellow dress was shoved by an older girl out into the road in front of him.
“No! No no no no,” Colin began to panic, trying to stop his bicycle but he couldn’t remember how. He was terrified of hitting the girl, choosing instead to swerve away from her as he slammed his foot down on the pedal. The turn he took caused the bike to go one way and his body another as he flew off toward the little girl, falling onto the pavement beside her as she screamed.
Colin winced as he laid on the ground, then sat up slowly. He was grateful he had been wearing a helmet and he honestly didn’t feel too bad - it seemed like his legs had taken the worst of it, decent sized scrapes decorating his shins.
“You alright, son?” His father sat on the ground beside him and moved his legs around, seeming satisfied with whatever he found. Colin nodded. “Stay here, I’m going to grab the first aid kit and get these bandaged up.”
“Then can I try again?” Colin asked eagerly. He had almost had it before he crashed.
His father chuckled at his insistence.
“We’ll see.”
As his father left to go back to their house, Colin looked in the other direction to find the little girl in the yellow dress with tears streaming down her face.
He gave her a grin and laughed lightly.
“Well that wasn’t very well done of me, was it?” he asked, hoping the joke would stop her tears.
“I’m so sorry,” she cried out.
“No, it wasn’t your fault.” he said firmly. “I saw her shove you.”
He remembered then that she had taken a tumble first, and he was much more worried about her. She was crying quite a bit.
“Are you okay?” he asked. “Did she hurt you?”
She crinkled her little nose as she sniffled, the tears slowing down as they fell from her big blue eyes over her freckled cheeks. She had wild red ringlets, the prettiest hair he had ever seen.
“I’m okay,” she said quietly. “That was just my sister. She’s much bigger - they both are, because I’m only five.” Her eyes darted back toward two older girls who were taking more boxes into the house, her family all seemingly leaving her alone out there. Colin decided he didn’t like this little girl’s sisters, and he wasn’t too sure about her parents either.
“We’re going to be neighbours,” he said with a smile, turning to point to his home across the road. “That’s where I live. Do you know how to ride bikes?”
She shook her head.
“I don’t know how to ride. I don’t have a bike, either,” she said softly.
“Oh, well, if you want you can learn how to ride mine. We could take turns. You’ve got to wear the helmet, too, for safety.” He raised his eyebrows at her and loved how she seemed to sparkle more and more as he spoke to her.
She smiled at him and nodded.
“I think I’d like that,” she said.
It was then that he remembered his manners, stretching out his hand to her.
“I’m Colin, by the way,” he said with a crooked grin.
Tentatively, she placed her smaller hand in his so that he could give it a squeeze.
“I’m Penelope.”
Penelope watched in awe as Colin took her hand and guided her towards his dad. His hand was warm and soft in hers, and Penelope’s heart felt three sizes too big when they touched.
She hadn’t wanted to move away from their old house. It was where she was born and she loved the window seat in her room that let her look out into the garden. But Mumma had said that they had to move due to Daddy’s work, and Prue and Pip had made fun of her when she cried. Penelope had never moved houses in her five years on Earth and seeing all of her belongings being packed away had made her sad. Mumma had said that she had to get rid of her books and her toys since they had no room in the car for “such nonsense”.
Penelope had tried to help carry her stuff inside, but she was too small and her boxes were too heavy. Mumma had told her to stay out of the way and Daddy hadn’t said anything to her. So Penelope was simply watching Daddy move the boxes inside while Mumma ordered him and her sisters around.
“Get out of the way, Penelope!” Prudence shouted, bumping into Penelope and making her trip. She cried out in surprise, steadying herself on the pavement. “No wonder Mum doesn’t want your help.” Penelope sniffled, tears coming to her eyes as Prudence moved past her. Penelope wrapped her arms around herself as Prudence and Philippa moved more boxes inside. Even if Penelope told her dad what Prudence did, Daddy wouldn’t do anything. And Mumma would just blame Penelope. So instead, Penelope watched as Prudence moved back to the boxes.
“I want to help!” Penelope said and Philippa rolled her eyes.
“You can’t help; you’re weak and you have tiny arms,” Philippa said as if it was fact.
“I can! I don’t have much stuff,” Penelope argued. Her voice was soft, knowing that if she raised it, Mumma would yell at her.
“You’re just a baby,” Prudence said. When Penelope opened her mouth to counter, Prudence pushed her. This time, Penelope fell backwards into the street. She heard the sound of a bicycle and looked over to see a boy on his bike heading right for her. She screamed in fear, covering her head and rolling into a ball, preparing for impact.
But the impact never came.
Penelope looked up to see that the boy had fallen off of his bike and landed on the pavement. The bike was in the gutter, the pedals still spinning lazily. The boy’s dad—he must’ve been his dad since he looked just like the boy—knelt over him as he checked him for injuries. Penelope was surprised to see how caring and gentle the dad was with the boy; her father was not like that at all.
Penelope had begun to cry, expecting the boy to yell at her for making him fall, but he had only said, “Well that wasn’t very well done of me, was it?”
He was kind and friendly. Nobody had ever been kind or friendly to her. Penelope did not have any friends at her old house. But this boy was talking to her and offering to help her learn how to ride a bike, even though they just met five minutes ago. She couldn’t help but smile at him as he spoke. She was glad that he was her neighbour.
Penelope’s smile dropped as they got closer to his dad. She hadn’t met very many kind daddies. All of Daddy’s friends called her fat and some even pinched at her arms. Colin seemed to notice how shy she had become and he squeezed her hand in a comforting gesture.
“It’s okay, Dad’s nice. Dad, this is Penelope, she just moved in over there.” Colin pointed to Penelope’s house, where her family was finishing the unpacking. “She wants to learn how to ride a bike, and I said she can borrow mine and we can take turns.”
“Nice to meet you, Penelope. I’m Mr. Bridgerton,” Mr. Bridgerton said. He had wrinkles near his eyes and the same smile as Colin.
“Hi,” she whispered. Mr. Bridgerton kneeled down so he met her eye-to-eye.
“How old are you?” Mr. Bridgerton asked.
“Um… I’m five,” Penelope replied.
“Ah, you are the same age as my daughter, Eloise,” Mr. Bridgerton said. “Come here Colin, so I can patch you up.”
“I have five siblings!” Colin said, puffing up his chest as he sat on the curb and held out his shin. Penelope gasped in awe. Five siblings? “There’s Anthony, Benedict, me, Daphne, Eloise, and Francesca!”
“You’re named alphabetically?” Penelope wrinkled her nose. That was silly to her. Mr. Bridgerton laughed and Penelope found a smile creeping up on her face.
“It’s so Mrs. Bridgerton and I don’t lose track of them,” Mr. Bridgerton whispered conspiratorily. Penelope giggled and Colin laughed as well. Mr. Bridgeton finished patching Colin up then brushed his hands off and stood up. “So, Penelope, I heard you want to learn how to ride a bike.”
“Yes, please,” Penelope said, rocking on her heels.
“Okay. First let me go get Colin’s bike.” Penelope watched as Mr. Bridgerton crossed the street to grab Colin’s bike.
“You’ll do great, Pen!” Colin said when he saw Penelope glance nervously over at the bike and bite her fingernails. Mumma kept trying to train her out of the bad habit, but Penelope only felt worse when Mumma yelled at her over it. “I know it looks scary but it’s not. Dad’s really good at teaching you how to pedal correctly and everything.”
“I think the bike’s too big…” Penelope murmured as Mr. Bridgerton came back over with the bike. “I’m too small.”
“You’re not too small,” Colin insisted, taking the hand she was chewing on and squeezing it. “You can do it, Pen!” That was the second time he had called her Pen. Penelope had never had a nickname before. Mumma thought it was lower-class to have a nickname. “You’re not a dog, Penelope,” she would say when Penelope brought it up.
“Well, what do we do first, Colin?” Mr. Bridgerton asked.
“Put on a helmet,” Colin said. Mr. Bridgerton nodded, and Colin unclipped the helmet from his head and handed it over to Penelope. She put it on her head and clipped it together.
“Let me adjust that for you.” Mr. Bridgerton helped tighten the straps. Penelope stared at the bike, wondering how she was going to get her legs over the bar. “I’ll hold the handlebars so you don’t fall over.”
“Me too!” Colin moved to the front of the bike, holding it up, each leg on one side of the tire so he was facing the seat. Penelope stepped over the bike, jumping up and then sitting on it. She grinned as she moved her feet to the pedals.
“Good job, Penelope!” Mr. Bridgerton said. Penelope put her hands on the handlebars, staring into Colin’s encouraging eyes. They were the most remarkable shade of blue and shining brightly. He nodded at her and Penelope felt confidence soar through her.
At Mr. Bridgerton’s go, Penelope started to pedal. She started with Mr. Bridgerton still holding onto the bike, since she had never ridden one before. Penelope laughed as she pedaled, feeling the bike move underneath her. Who knew that riding a bike could be this much fun! Colin jogged alongside her, shouting encouraging sentences like “Go, Pen, go!” It made her more confident, and soon she was pedaling away, going up and down the small stretch of street still in view of her house. Penelope wasn’t yet confident enough to try and ride on her own, especially since it was her first time, but she still had fun. Mr. Bridgerton kept her upright as Colin cheered and Penelope laughed.
It was only when Penelope heard Mumma's voice that she stopped pedaling. “Penelope? Penelope, where are you?” Mumma’s voice called out loudly. Penelope stopped and Mr. Bridgerton helped steady the bike so she could hop off, unclipping the helmet and holding it to her chest as Mumma finally spotted her. She stomped over, her face pinched tight in annoyance. Penelope prepared for another lecture.
“Penelope, do not go wandering off like that!” Mumma hissed before putting on a smile when she saw Colin and Mr. Bridgerton. “Oh, hello. And who are you?”
“You must be Penelope’s mum,” Mr. Bridgerton said with a charming smile. Penelope dropped the helmet, holding her arms as her eyes dropped to the ground. She felt a hand tuck into hers and glanced up to see Colin next to her. “I’m Edmund and this is my son Colin. We live across the street. Your daughter was pushed by her older sister into the street and there was nobody watching her.” Mr. Bridgerton’s tone was harsh and Penelope instinctually tried to shrink her shoulders. Colin squeezed her hand and when she met his eyes they were warm and welcoming.
“Well, Penelope knows not to wander off,” Mumma said with her lying voice. “I am sorry that my Penelope was bothering your son. Come along now, Penelope.” Mumma took the hand that was not in Colin’s and tugged at her. Penelope slipped out of Colin’s grip, shooting a wistful look towards him.
“Wait!” Colin’s shout stopped the Featheringtons in their tracks. “Mrs. Pen’s Mum, can Pen come over tomorrow? My sister Eloise wants to play with her. She’s five too.” Mumma pretended to think about it. Penelope knew it was hopeless, but she was grateful to Colin for trying. “My mum will be there!”
“What did you say your name was?” Mumma asked.
“Edmund Bridgerton. My wife, Violet, would be happy to watch the girls for a few hours. I’m sure you must be very busy moving into a new home,” Mr. Bridgerton replied. Mumma’s eyes lit up when Mr. Bridgerton introduced himself.
“Oh, the Bridgertons, yes, well… I think we can arrange something,” Mumma said. Colin shouted in joy and came over to Penelope, taking her hands and dancing in place.
“Yay! You’ll like Eloise—she talks a lot so you don’t have to. And Daphne can play dolls if you want. Franny’s young but she likes to play too!” Colin cheered and Penelope giggled with joy.
“I’d love to play with you, Colin,” she replied. They both giggled, and for once, Penelope hoped that she had made a new friend.
“Your only job is to pedal, Janie, and keep your eyes on where you’re headed. Look out for -”
“Cars and people. I know, Dad!” His seven-year-old daughter’s chestnut curls bounced in her pigtails as she pulled her helmet on tight, latching it beneath her chin. “I’m ready for you to let go this time.”
Colin swallowed, nodding at his little girl, knowing she was right. He would never have known how much harder it was to be on this side of the bicycle - to be the one holding on tight, trying to discern what was helpful and what was holding them back. This particular child was the daredevil of the family, always up for an adventure. It was no surprise that she had gone from training wheels to wanting her Dad to let her go within an hour. If Jane said she was ready, then she probably was.
Even if he wasn’t.
“All right,” he said, misty-eyed watching his young daughter be old enough and brave enough to do this on her own.
“Do you know that I learned how to ride the day I met your mum?” He asked her, watching her eyes twinkle back at him as she nodded.
“You crashed right in front of her house,” Thomas yelled as he raced by with a laugh, the spitting image of his dad. Colin shook his head knowing his son, now eight years old, had always loved that part of the story most. Not one for rules, his most easy-going child could always be found laughing, letting things roll off his back with ease. He could use a little more caution, but Colin couldn’t honestly say he didn’t adore the kid’s spirit.
“I sure did, and that’s why you should always -” Colin began to repeat the rule to his son as he got too far away to hear.
“Wear a helmet and watch where you’re going,” little Janie finished in a sing-song voice, repeating the words she had heard many times. “Dad, isn’t that the day you and Mum fell in love?”
Colin looked over toward his wife, sitting on their front steps with their youngest child.
Soft curls he would never get tired of running his hands through.
Soft curves that felt perfect against his hard lines.
Big blue eyes that still took his breath away.
Beautiful.
He had fallen in love with her that day and every day after, even if it did take him far too long to understand it. They had grown up together, best friends who grew into their love without knowing it was happening. He had taken the long way to realizing that she was the one, friendship and romance blurring at the edges until they were indistinguishable, but once he had figured it out, he wasted no time handing her his heart, only to find out he’d had hers for years.
They had married six months later and had Agatha within a year, unable and unwilling to stop themselves from starting their life and their family. Two years later, after they had each published their first novels, Thomas joined them, followed quickly by Jane a year later. After another two years, a new house, and three more novels between them, George completed their family.
The five years between then and now had been filled with loving chaos as they raised the family they had always wanted, their love for one another easily multiplying and extending to all of their four children.
Penelope looked up and caught him staring, her eyebrows raising at him as he chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck, blush spreading across his cheeks.. Everyone should be lucky enough to marry their best friend. Time had done nothing but strengthen his feelings for his beautiful wife, the brilliant, clever, warm, stunning mother of his children.
“Yeah, that’s the day I fell in love,” he answered as Jane started pedaling with his gentle grasp on the back of the seat as he jogged behind her.
“It’s the day Mama fell in love, too,” Agatha called out, turning to give her father a big grin, her mama’s red ringlets and soft care for others pairing with his navy blue eyes and never-ending thoughts, even at just ten years old. He loved that his children were growing up knowing how much their parents loved not only them, but one another. They were just as much a part of their journey.
Their love story.
“I’ll stay with Jane,” Agatha said as she slowed next to them and Colin let go of the seat, letting Jane fly as she wanted, as she was ready for, even if he wasn’t sure he was.
“Thanks, Aggie,” he said as the girls headed away from him, quick but steady. He turned and looked to his wife and young son, his only child who hadn’t wanted to ride today, and saw Penelope walking toward him, taking his breath away. After over a decade of marriage and four children, he still couldn’t keep his eyes or hands off of her, and she couldn’t resist him either. She tugged her lip between her teeth as she approached him and he reached out his arm, pulling her into his side and leaning in to kiss her gently.
“Hey love,” he whispered, and she wrapped her arm around his waist, giving him a little squeeze. “How’s George?”
“He wants to ride, but he’s afraid of not being able to keep up with the others, and scared of falling off the bike,” she said as her brow furrowed and Colin ran his thumb along her forehead, soothing her until she gave him a half smile.
He’d prefer a whole one, but he would take what he could get.
George was their quiet and cautious child, five years old but careful and calm beneath the same red hair, freckled nose, and icy blue eyes his lovely mama had given him. Colin didn’t want to pressure him if he would rather sit out, but he didn’t want him to miss out on the experience if he truly wanted to do it.
He turned to look at his other children, Aggie and Jane safely riding loops while Thomas rode nearby.
“Georgie,” he hollered over toward the house, seeing his smallest child’s head pop up as he looked toward his father. Colin smiled at his little boy, the sweetest, snuggliest one of the bunch.
“Come on over here for a minute, honey,” Pen said as they watched him nod and run over to them, wiping his eyes with his forearm as he did. When he reached them, Colin scooped him up in his arms to hold him as they watched the other three biking.
“Mama said that you might like to learn to ride today, too?” Colin asked, giving his son the chance to tell him what he thought. The little boy sighed.
“I want to but I’m afraid,” he answered. Penelope gripped her husband’s hip with one hand, reminding him he had support in this as she rubbed their little one’s back soothingly.
“Do you think you might like to try if I hold on tight?” Colin asked. “I won’t let go until you tell me you’re ready.”
“You promise?” he said, leaning his head on his father and scrunching his nose.
Penelope giggled beside them.
“Your dad didn’t let Janie go until she told him she was ready. It was the same with Agatha and Thomas, too,” she said.
“Really?” he asked, looking at his mother now.
“You don’t believe me?” Colin asked in faux offense, earning a smile and an eye roll from his forever bride and a giggle from his young son.
“I think I could try,” George whispered.
“Go get your bike and helmet,” Colin instructed as he kissed his forehead and placed him back onto the ground, watching as the boy nodded and ran away. Penelope began to follow before Colin reached out his hand and took hers, pulling her gently back to him.
“Don’t move a muscle - you’re helping,” he whispered in her ear as she laughed, turning and going up onto her tiptoes to kiss his cheek.
Penelope rocked back on the flats of her feet, giggling at Colin’s surprised expression. He smiled warmly at her, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her into his chest. She leaned into his broad torso as she watched George walk back outside, pushing his bike, with his helmet crookedly placed on his head.
“Mum! Dad! I got my bike!” George announced, the brim of the helmet almost falling over his eyes. Colin chuckled into Penelope’s hair and she smiled.
“Here, honey, let me fix your helmet for you,” Penelope said, kneeling down and straightening George’s helmet. Colin took hold of the bike and George obediently came to stand in front of Penelope. He stood still as she adjusted the straps until it fit properly, then clipped it together. “There, all better. Now let’s get on this bike.”
“Is George gonna ride too?” Jane asked as she whizzed by. Agatha and Thomas followed after her, their bikes skidding to a stop as they watched George climb onto the seat with Colin’s help.
“Yep. And he’s gonna do great, right Georgie?” Colin grinned at their youngest, that confident smile making George smile back in return. Jane started to do circles around them as she watched her younger brother place his feet on the pedals. Penelope tried not to show her anxiety as George huffed out a breath in concentration. George was her baby; he had been born smaller than her other kids and was her quietest child. In fact, he reminded her a lot of herself at this age.
She remembered how scared she had been to ride Colin’s bike. But Colin was as kind as his father, and he’d make sure that George didn’t fall. Colin had a talent for bringing the shy wallflowers out of their shells. He knew how to coax George into trying new things—and when to slow down and let George lead the way. It was so similar to how he had helped Penelope over the years, before and during their marriage.
“It’s easy,” Jane said as she continued to pedal around them. “Once you get going, it’s like the bike does the work for you! The steering is the hardest part.” Colin sent a wink George’s way as he checked the air pressure of the front tire.
“And it’s not even that hard! You just kind of… lean ,” Thomas said, demonstrating with a dramatic lean to the side.
“Alright, let’s not overwhelm him,” Colin instructed. “Jane, maybe make some room for your brother? Pen, you wanna do the honors?” Penelope stepped up to the bike and held the underside of the seat. Penelope wasn’t as sporty as her husband and his siblings were, but it didn’t matter. Even if she tripped and fell while helping George, she knew that Colin would be there to help her back up.
“I won’t fall?” George asked, turning his big blue eyes towards Penelope. She shook her head, not pushing him, just supporting him. When Penelope and Colin had decided to start trying to have kids, Penelope had sworn to herself that she would not be like her mother. It had taken months of therapy, and some patented Colin Cuddles™️, for Penelope to work through her anxiety. Colin had been afraid in his own way—afraid of letting Penelope and his family down, afraid that he wouldn’t know what to do despite his years of experience with his nieces and nephews. But as soon as they had held little Agatha, both of them had somehow known they would be alright. Not to say that parenthood was all sunshine and rainbows. It certainly wasn’t. But having Colin at her side made everything easier.
“You won’t fall. I’ve got you, honey,” Penelope promised. George nodded and Penelope moved him forward as he pedaled. Thomas biked over, slowly pedaling near George and cheering him on. Agatha and Jane joined him, Jane being helped along by Colin. Her husband shot a grin towards her and Penelope smiled back.
“Faster, Daddy! I need to catch up to Georgie!” Jane commanded, temporarily forgetting to pedal in her haste.
“Don’t go too fast, Janie! I can only run like this for so long!” Colin puffed out. He let go of Jane’s bike as she soared ahead of him, dramatically groaning and rubbing his back. Jane giggled as she spun around Colin.
George was determinedly pedaling and doing very good for his first time. Penelope kept her grip on his seat as he tended to wobble when he got excited. Thomas spun around George, far enough away not to knock into his brother, but close enough to cheer him on. Penelope saw George’s confidence growing—his pedaling going faster, little giggles pouring out of him.
“Look, Mama! I’m doing it!” George exclaimed.
“Good job, Georgie!” Penelope cheered. “Do you want me to keep holding your bike?” She already knew the answer, but she wanted to give him the opportunity to choose.
“Yes, please,” George said. Penelope helped him bike up and down their street, guiding him over to the side of the road when a car passed by. Colin easily corralled their other children, shouting reminders to watch where they were going and keep an eye on the road. Agatha and Thomas bounced back and forth between Jane and George, whooping with joy when they went particularly fast. Every once in a while, Penelope caught Colin’s eye and he smiled widely at her.
As a teenager, Penelope had given up on this type of life. She had never thought that she would be married to the boy she’d been crushing on for ages. Helping their children learn to ride a bike was so far out of her imagination that she hadn’t even thought of it. But each day, her love for him expanded beyond what she had thought was possible.
It was moments like these, where they shared in their joy and happiness, where they were a family , that she wished she could tell that little five-year-old Penelope that she had just met the love of her life. That each day was going to be better and better. That he would be there, that they would be there for each other—through their teen years and first heartbreaks, through both of their fathers’ deaths. Through university and travel and miscommunications and love confessions. Through first times and weddings and babies and anniversaries.
“Mama, I think I’m done now,” George said, his little shoulders rising and falling with his rapid breath. Penelope slowed them to a stop, rubbing his back in comfort.
“Are you good to pedal back to the house?” Penelope asked. George nodded and they moved back to the house. Colin caught Penelope’s eye and nodded when she motioned to George.
“Hey, how about we get some lemonade and ice cream?” Colin shouted. Three excited voices squealed and all four of their kids ran back inside the house, dropping their bikes and helmets in the driveway. Penelope shook her head, chuckling at the mess they made.
She felt Colin’s arms pull her backwards up against his chest and she sighed happily as he propped his head up on hers.
“We did good, didn’t we, Pen?” Colin murmured into her hair, pressing a kiss to the crown of her head. She covered his hands with hers, watching their kids open the front door and lunge inside. Agatha was first, as usual, followed by Jane bounding at her heels. Thomas was turned around, making sure that George wasn’t left behind.
“Yeah, we did,” Penelope replied. She tilted her head back and met Colin in a loving kiss.