Scene 24

Later, back at North Los Robles

Penny nervously went back to her apartment. After her discussion with Sheldon she knew it was time. Peter was sitting on her teal couch watching TV. For a moment she just watched and looked at him as if for the first time. She suddenly saw how much he looked like her, his hair, his eyes, his nose…she looked hard but really couldn't see any evidence of his father at all or at least the dim memory she had of him. She started to tear up a little.

"Aunt Pen, is something wrong? Why are you crying?

"Peter, we need to talk."

"Have I done something wrong?"

"No. Not at all."

"Then what's going on?"

"I need to tell you something. Something really important."

"Is it Mom? Is something wrong?"

"No. That's not it. Nothing's changed. But it is kind of about her."

"Now I'm getting confused."

"I don't know how to tell you…"

"Maybe just tell me."

"Okay. Okay. Wow, this is tough."

"Would you like a hot beverage?"

"You've been spending too much time with Sheldon."

"Well…"

"Maybe after.

"Aunt Pen, you're scaring me."

"Okay. Just putting it out there is probably best. Peter, I'm not really you're aunt."

"You're not?"

"I'm your mother. You're really my son but my sister and her husband raised you."

"I already know that."

"You know?"

"I've known for a while."

"Who told you?"

"Nobody told me. I was looking through some stuff last year and I found my birth certificate. It said that you're my mother."

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"I figured that someone would say something eventually. And when you guys decided I'd be staying here for a while I thought it would probably come up."

"Peter, how do you feel about me being your mother?"

"I don't know. I guess you had your reasons. I guess I'm okay with it."

"Most kids would be confused or angry. I'd understand if you were angry with me or resent me."

"It's not like you left me in a horrible place. My parents are nice people who love me, a little dumb maybe, but it's not like they beat me or anything. And Gramps and Grams are pretty cool. I love our family."

"I'd understand if you'd rather be there."

"I'm not sure that I have to make that decision for a while, do I?"

"No, you don't."

"I like it here, Aunt Pen. Wait a second, do I have to call you Mom now?"

"I'm not sure that'll work. I sure don't mind hearing you say it but I have a feeling my sister might have a problem with it."

"Yeah, she might. Dad too."

"So maybe we keep that to when we're home and outside you can stick with Aunt Pen unless you can deal with calling me Penny. And if I can deal with that too."

"Let's see what works…Mom."

"I think that this is one of those moments that calls for a big mother and son hug."

"I guess it does."

And Penny gathered her son into her arms and gave him a big hug and started to cry.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong. I just didn't think this would ever happen and…I've missed you so much for so very long."

Scene 25

Penny got an email from the CalTech program director on Sunday. Peter was being officially admitted to the program provisionally and the finances had been taken care of. He would have a month to catch up with the other students.

"Peter, can you do that? It's going to be a lot of work."

"I think so. I'm not sure."

Knock. Knock. Knock. Peter and Penny.

Knock. Knock. Knock. Peter and Penny.

Knock. Knock. Knock. Peter and Penny.

Penny thought, "Well, that's not unexpected. Sheldon was copied on the email."

Penny opened her door.

"Hello, sweetie."

"I decided to come over and congratulate Peter on his admission…"

"Provisional admission…"

"Indeed. That is the other reason I've come over."

"Um, how about having a seat with us."

"Alright."

"Penny, have you considered how you are going to manage Peter's schooling alongside your own employment demands. I recall that you can be challenged by new organizational paradigms."

"Honestly, I haven't given it a lot of thought."

"Typical."

"Sheldon!"

"In any case I have some thoughts on the matter."

"Shoot."

"While I believe you will be able to drop Peter off most mornings on your way to work and would prefer to rather than leave it to Leonard, I suspect that you will be unable to be present most afternoons when classes are dismissed."

"Yeah, that's probably gonna be a bit of problem."

"May I propose a solution?"

"Sure."

"I propose that Peter spend time in either my office or the campus library until 5:00pm when he can ride home with myself and Raj."

"Peter, how do you feel about that?"

"Sounds like a decent idea, M…Penny."

"Sweetie, Sheldon knows."

"Whew, 'cause I'm not so great at lying."

"Really? You've known that I'm your mother for a year and I didn't have a clue."

"It's not like you were around that much, Mom."

"Penny, we are veering away from the subject at hand."

"You're right, Sheldon. So why exactly are you guys going to be riding home with Raj and not Leonard."

"I think you know why, Penny. Leonard has been somewhat distracted and undependable of late."

"Yeah, he's been dealing with some stuff."

"Excuse me, but the people dealing with real upheaval are yourself and Peter. Your lives are now completely different with new priorities. Leonard is simply mourning the loss of convenient coitus."

"Sheldon!"

"Am I incorrect?"

"Not exactly, but I'd rather that you didn't say things like that in front of Peter."

"Mom, my parents are always talking about all of the guys you've been with and I guess Leonard is one of them. I don't mind if you and him get together. I may not like the guy very much but you love him so if you guys want to have sex just do it. It shouldn't be a big production."

"I can't believe I'm having this discussion with a 12-year-old. Peter, what's going on between me and Leonard is not about sex. Well, it is a little but it's more about what our family is going to look like."

"And he doesn't like what it looks like with me as part of it. I get it. It's not like I don't have somewhere else to be. I can always go back home to Omaha."

"Listen, maybe I haven't been clear enough. You and me belong together. We are family. We are a package deal. If Leonard wants to be with me he needs to want to be with you. It's that simple. I have no intention of packing you off to Omaha just to make Leonard happy."

"But it would do that, wouldn't it?"

"To be honest I don't particularly care what would make Leonard happy right now. I'm much more concerned with you."

"Okay, well if Sheldon doesn't mind I'd like to go to his office after I finish classes and do my homework there."

"And I will provide you assistance if it is needed. We will also need to set up some tutorial time to help you get caught up with the other students. Having seen your capabilities and heard about your progress from Raj and Howard I believe that will not take very much time. However, I would not make plans for the next few Sundays if I were you."

"Sounds like a deal to me. And I'll make us a big Sunday dinner for when you guys finish your work."

"Penny, I see no reason to punish us."

"Sheldon."

"I'm sorry but you are a terrible cook."

"I thought you liked my spaghetti with hot dogs."

"I do and I appreciate you preparing my favorite meal on occasion, but all of your other forays into the kitchen have been borderline inedible."

"I wish I could say you were wrong. Peter's been doing most of the cooking since he got here."

"I have a counter-proposal. When Peter and I have completed our Sunday studies, I will then teach both of you how to prepare a meal, a different one each week."

"Sheldon, you cook?"

"You're surprised? You've partaken of my baked goods on numerous occasions."

"But you almost never cook at home."

"Virtually all of our friends have dietary limitations or self-imposed restrictions. Leonard can't process dairy, corn or melon. Raj won't eat Indian food and is occasionally and unpredictably vegetarian. Howard vacillates between kosher and non-kosher cuisine and can't have nuts. Bernadette doesn't like vegetables. And Amy won't consume food that is white. Believe me, ordering takeout nightly is a very sensible and timesaving solution. You two Cornhuskers with your ability to consume virtually anything are the only ones I would even consider cooking for."

"Thank you, I think."

"I will shop for the necessary groceries on Saturday and drop them off. If you require anything else please inform me."

"Sheldon, just give me a list of what you need and I'll pick everything up."

"Um, how about all three of us go shopping Saturday mornings?"

"A wise solution, Peter."

"Mom, we're out of milk. I'm gonna run out to the store and get some, okay?"

"Um, sure. Sorry, sweetie, I just usually go across the hall when I need milk. Be careful. Make sure you have your key. And take the phone I got you. Are you sure we're out of milk?"

"Mom…"

"Penny, I suspect this is a sensible response to your lack of milk. And you'd prefer not dealing with Leonard's ambivalence first thing in the morning."

"Ya got that right. Speaking of ambivalence, what does Amy have to say about your involvement with me and Peter?"

"It's not really her concern, is it?"

"So she hasn't said anything to you?"

"I did not say that. She seems to feel that I am spending an inordinate amount of time with someone she refers to as "the visitor." Additionally I suspect she has greater comfort level with her monkeys than with preadolescent humans."

"I guess she'll need to adjust that when you guys have kids."

"Excuse me, but why would you assume that Amy Farrah Fowler and I would have progeny?"

"Sweetie, you guys have been together a long time and you did tell her that you love her. And she has said some stuff about her plans."

"That may be true, but she and I have never had coitus and the prospect of it upsets me. I feel very little physical attraction for Amy. What little I have shown is only at her insistence."

"Sheldon, why are you and Amy together at all?"

"Primarily because my friends, including you, seemed to require it in order for you all to happily continue with your lives."

"That's not a good reason."

"No, it is not. But I would also prefer not being alone and I've been given to understand that if I were to sever my relationship with Amy I would lose everyone's friendship."

"Who told you that?"

"Leonard. And Amy."

"Sheldon, please understand something. You are my friend. You have been my friend for a very long time. If you and Amy were to split up you would still be my friend."

"But Amy is your best friend…"

"Hold on just a minute. That's Amy's thing. She decided that I was her best friend and I went along with it. I have never said that she is my best friend and, to be quite honest, she isn't."

"Then Leonard…"

"Guess again, Moonpie."

"I cannot."

"You are my best friend, ya big goof. Time and time again you have taken yourself out of your comfort zone to help me, not because I demanded it, but because you wanted to. You took care of me when I dislocated my shoulder. You helped me make Penny Blossoms. You've supported my career choices. You've dreamed with me. You've been my best friend for a long time. I know it's been hard with Leonard and Amy claiming so much of our time…"

"I've often suspected that they are complicit in keeping us apart."

"I've thought the same thing. But look, we're here together and they couldn't stop us. And I don't think I could handle all of Peter's needs without your help."

"I have much more faith in you than you have in yourself, Penelope. You have turned your world upside down to make a place for your son. How could I not support such an effort?"

"You're just shocked that I have such a smart kid."

"No, I'm not. You are not stupid, Penny. You just lack the advantages of a formal education. You also have an annoying habit of meeting exactly the expectations of those you encounter. The men you dated, including my roommate, wanted a convenient partner for coitus and you were that for them. Leonard also wanted a beautiful, sexy mate he could show off and you became that, too. Bernadette and Amy wanted a friend that could improve their social standing but whom they could look down on intellectually and, with the assistance of the alcohol they plied you with, you became that friend."

"What do you want me to be, Sheldon?"

"I want you to be my friend, Penny, and I will accept that friendship in whatever form it presents itself."

"You know you are incredibly sweet sometimes."

"I suspect that may be why Meemaw says I'm nummy, nummy."