2. Ivy at the Shore
Leonard and Penny sat down at a corner table, the ivy of the restaurant's name wrapping itself around the trellis that surrounded them. It felt cozy, almost secluded.
"Who'd you have to pay to get this table, Leonard?" Penny asked.
"Just luck, I guess," he shrugged.
They looked over the menu and ordered. A bottle of white wine arrived first and Leonard proposed a toast: "To our family. Soon may it grow."
As they settled in after ordering, Leonard looked at Penny a little more seriously. "You said there were two things you wanted to talk about. I take it a baby was one. What was the other?"
Penny swallowed hard, then told Leonard about the chance meeting in the doctor's office. Somewhat to her surprise, he was enthusiastic.
"That's fantastic! Congratulations! So now we have two things to celebrate! I should order a bottle of champagne," he said, picking up the wine list again. After an intent look, he put it back down. "I think we can probably do without the champagne at $150 a bottle. Jeez, I forgot how expensive this place was. After all, we have to start saving for college. Or maybe kindergarten."
Penny laughed, then became thoughtful. "Is that going to be an issue? I'll have to stop working, at least for a while. I've saved up a bunch, but do you think it will be enough? There's something else," and she told him about her idea of moving out, maybe to a house.
"A house makes sense," Leonard agreed. "It does raise the question of how we're going to work things out with Sheldon. It will be touchy. And this time I don't expect you to back down. But I don't think money is a big problem. My job is secure these days, and I have a couple of patents on the laser work that are starting to pay off. But that's in the future, and I'm sure we'll figure it out. Plus if your acting career takes off, we'll be rich!"
"Don't count your chickens, Leonard. A part is still a long shot, and even if I got it, I doubt it would pay that much. I think it's probably a relatively small part." Suddenly Penny bit her lip. "Oh, no."
"What's the matter? Is it the pregnancy? I'll be there with you every step of the way," Leonard said, concerned.
Penny shook her head. "I just realized something. Even if I did get the part I couldn't take it. With any luck, I'll be pregnant soon."
Leonard smiled. "Who's counting chickens now? Or rather, eggs. We don't know how long it might take for us to get pregnant – it could be months or more. And you don't know when the shooting will be, or even what the role is. I doubt it will be a problem. And if it is, you can talk it over with Ms. Stone. You met her at an Ob-Gyn, after all, and from what you said she's very pregnant, so I'm sure she'll be sympathetic."
Penny looked dubious. "This is a business, Leonard. There's lots of money at stake. No production company can afford to risk a whole picture just because one girl gets pregnant."
Leonard nodded slowly. "Well, you know the industry better. I still think you can cross that bridge when you come to it. But I guess you're right - if they do offer you the role, I suppose you need to warn them about the possibility."
Penny nodded.
Leonard looked down at his plate and cleared his throat. "And, you know, we could always wait until after you're done with the film – I mean, if it comes through. We've waited a while, we can wait another year or whatever it is."
Penny shook her head vigorously. "Absolutely not. The family is more important to me than the film. I won't postpone anything. But I do think I have to tell them."
"Only if you get the part, Penny. Don't put yourself at a disadvantage from the start," Leonard cautioned.
They finished their dinner quietly, mulling over the decisions they had made, and would have to make. As dinner wound down, Leonard excused himself for a few minutes. Penny looked after him, then stared at the ivy and the trellis, thinking about the road ahead of them. It was exciting and frightening, all at the same time. But she knew that Leonard would, as he said, be with her every step of the way. He had always been her rock, and he always would be.
"Why the big smile?" Leonard asked, walking back toward the table.
"Nothing, just happy," Penny answered.
As they left the restaurant, Penny groaned.
"What is it?"
"After that beautiful sunset on the beach, and that wonderful romantic dinner, the last thing I want to do is get into my car and drive an hour back to Pasadena alone. Can we leave the car here and come back for it tomorrow? I really want to be with you."
Leonard smiled. "This is your lucky night! I just booked us a room at a little hotel down the road, right by the beach. I figured we could stay the night here. Maybe get started on our next project."
"What proj – oh, that one!" Penny said, her eyes widening. She hugged Leonard tight, yet again, and kissed him passionately. "My romance ninja strikes again. Let's go to an inn by the sea and make a baby."
They got their cars and Penny followed Leonard less than a mile down Ocean Avenue. They stopped at a modest hotel called the Tides Inn, right on the beach. They checked in, got some travel toiletries from the front desk, and walked up to their room. It was a comfortable king on the second floor with a balcony facing the water.
Leonard settled in and texted Sheldon to tell him they wouldn't be home – just so his roommate wouldn't worry that they'd been kidnapped. He explained that they were going to have a spur-of-the-moment romantic night alone. To his surprise, Sheldon texted back immediately wishing them a wonderful night. Perhaps, Leonard thought with a smile, their man-child had amorous plans of his own.
As Leonard texted, Penny walked out onto the balcony. She saw her husband put his phone away, and called to him to join her. The couple stood holding hands, looking out on the beach.
"You can hear the waves break," Penny noted. "It's so peaceful. It's hard to believe we're in the city."
"I know. We should come to the beach more often."
Penny looked at Leonard sharply. "I thought you had all those bad memories of the beach?"
Leonard raised his head and looked up at the moon. "They've all been erased by some new memories. Of walking on the beach with the woman I love. Of hearing her tell me she wants to have my children. Of the happiest moment of my life."
"Oh, Leonard," Penny sighed, "you always know what to say."
They stood on the balcony for a while longer, the moonlight shimmering on the sea, the palm trees waving slightly in the breeze.
"How about we get started on that project?" Leonard suggested. And they headed inside.
