Leonard looked at Sheldon as if he were crazy. "You keep them; I can still come over, you know."
"Perhaps. Just do me a favor."
"Name it."
"Call first."
Leonard's brows rose. "Okay..."
Zack walked out carrying a box. "This one's heavy! What's in it?"
Leonard and Sheldon both looked at the sides, where the word BOOKS was scrawled. "Frying pans," Leonard lied.
"Feels like it, that's for sure. You musta gotten the metal ones." Zack carried the box out of 4A.
Sheldon and Leonard stared after him, and Sheldon said, "If Jurassic Park ever happens - "
"His blood line would go extinct first," Leonard finished. Bending, he picked up a box marked CLOTHES. "What's the situation with your uncle?"
"He'll be home from Vienna in two days," Sheldon answered. "It takes four hours to travel by air from there to Pasadena, and I assume he wanted to fill up the entire week with girls, girls, girls. Apparently I was wrong to respect him; he's like Howard. Except, I presume he hasn't made much progress in the artificial girlfriend area, since he favors making things explode."
"What about Amy?"
"She's currently video-chatting with her mother. When the apartment is back in moving-in condition, I'll text her. From there we have the rest of our mortal lives to discuss our problems."
"Have you ever met Amy's mom?"
"No. That's what Amy is talking to her about; she wants her to come down for a few days. So," Sheldon added, "On that note, if you hold off on the moving and just leave boxes everywhere, Amy will have to bring her mother to her apartment."
"How did you get off on the wrong foot with her if you haven't met her for yourself?"
"We video-chatted," Sheldon said mysteriously.
"Alright. Well, I guess that's the last of my stuff," Leonard said, looking around.
"It is indeed. Try to hold off on the romance with Penny until I conclude the validity of your old Roommate Agreement."
"Sure." Leonard began to walk toward the hall, but stopped when Sheldon was suddenly hugging him from behind. Then, just as quickly, he was free.
"Goodbye, Leonard."
" 'Bye, buddy."
Sheldon watched Leonard disappear into Penny's apartment, then slowly closed the door. He turned the lock and there, in a quiet apartment, he stood alone.
-0-0-0-0-
"Just put that near the bookcase, Zack," Penny said.
"Bookcase?" Zack set the box down, looked at the label and began to rummage through the contents. "Whoa, this is so idyllic! I was carrying frying pans before! Who ever said magic isn't real, huh?" He playfully punched Leonard on the shoulder.
"Not a scientist, that's for sure," Leonard answered, trying not to smile. "Listen, thanks for helping me."
"Hey, we married the same girl! That makes us brothers."
Penny closed her eyes, sighing softly.
"Or...does it make us cousins?"
Leonard's smile was strained. "No, you had it right the first time."
"Whoa, that's never happened! I gotta go," he added, "I promised this lady named Logan that I'd take her out tonight."
"A lady named Logan," Leonard repeated.
"Yeah. Sounds kind of masculine, but I don't judge a book by its title. See ya," he added, and let himself out.
"What about the cross-dressing cover?" Leonard mused in his absence.
"You would judge?" Penny asked.
"I don't want to be rude about it, but yeah, it's weird."
"Huh," Penny snorted. "Big talk for a little man who dressed up as Supergirl."