Chapter 10

A/N. I really don't have an Author's Note here, and I haven't done a disclaimer in two chapters, so, go back and read the disclaimer from chapters 3, 5, or 7.

Leonard rolled over, reaching for Penny, and not finding her, opened his eyes. She wasn't in the bed, so he rolled back over, to look at the clock. It was just before 8 AM, Damn, she has no problem getting up early here, what's up with that?

Leonard rolled out of the bed, heading to the bathroom and after his morning rituals, he got dressed and headed downstairs. Half-way down, he could smell the bacon and thought I could get used to this.

He got to the kitchen and just like the previous morning, there were Penny and her parents at the table.

"Boy," said Penny with a grin, raising her coffee cup at him, "looks like living on a farm makes you lazy. Sleeping later than I do."

"Yeah, Yeah," he said, waving his hand at her dismissively.

"So, you want breakfast?"

"Sure."

"OK, sit down," said Penny, "and I'll get it for you. Oh, before you sit, can you get your own juice and coffee?"

"Sure"

"How do you want your eggs?"

"Scrambled," said Leonard

"Got it, all we have is bacon this morning" said Penny putting the bread in the toaster. Leonard started pouring this coffee and juice, while Penny worked on his eggs and bacon. Soon they were both back at the table, Penny drinking another cup of coffee, Leonard eating his breakfast.

"So," said Leonard, "what are we doing today?"

"I had planned on taking you around to my schools," said Penny, "you know, like you did when visited your father a couple of years ago. But, my mom asked me to do a couple of errands for her, and she thought you could come with me."

"Hey, wait a minute," said Wyatt. "I was going to take him around and show him more of how the farm operates."

"Why would you do that?" asked Penny.

"I don't know," said Wyatt evasively, "I thought I'd give him a bit more insight into what it takes to run a farm."

"Why would he need to do that? It's not like he's going to be a farmer" said Penny. "He can come with me."

"Why don't we ask him?" said Wyatt.

"Let him go with Penny," said Susan. "Gives him a chance to see the area."

Wyatt, looked disappointed, but said, "OK. Well, even if Leonard isn't coming, I have to get some things done. You two have a good time." Wyatt took his cup to the sink, and then waked out the back door.

"So, what errands do we have to do?"

"I'm going to get a few things for dinner the next couple of nights. My mom needs some things from the fabric store, and a couple of other things at the discount store." said Penny. "And, she also has some things that need to be taken to the church, for a yard sale, and something to take to one of her friends."

"Let me get another cup of coffee and we can head out." Said Leonard.

"While you get that, I'll go get ready," said Penny.

A half hour later, Penny was giving Leonard directions on how to get to Bennington. Penny explained it was a small town about two miles from the house. Most of the time, that is where they went when they needed something. While small, it had several of the major stores, because of the farms all around it, making it usually easy for them to get something. It's also where Penny had gone to school.

"So, are we going to see the schools tomorrow?" said Leonard.

"Yeah, I didn't know we would be doing all this today" said Penny. "Mom asked me to run all these errands this morning, and it does give you a chance to see more of the area. What I really think, is she just wants to show you off."

"Me?" Said Leonard.

"Yeah, you," said Penny. "I told you about my sister, and you know about Randall. You are someone my mom can point to as something good for the family. You've seen how worried she is about the families reputation. All these places we need to stop at are places she knows people, and she pointedly ask that I take you along."

Leonard was a bit surprised.

"I'm sorry Leonard," said Penny. "Her one friend is quite a gossip and by taking things to the church, it will let you be seen by some of mom's other friends. I'm sure you'll get questioned or I'll get questioned about you. Please just laugh it off, OK?"

Leonard chuckled, "Of course, it will make you happy, and your mother happy, I can handle it for a few hours, I think."

"Thank you," said Penny.

"So, where is this church located."

Leonard was bemused after stopping at the church. He was asked various questions about his work. All the ladies were impressed by where he worked, and that he had a PhD. Penny also seemed to go up in their estimation after meeting Leonard. Especially after Penny told all of them that Leonard's title is Doctor. Overall, it was pretty gentle, and he seem to have won their approval.

It was different with Susan's friend. She was critical about his work not being in the Bible, about how they were sleeping together in sin, his disbelief in a supreme being, and about how short he was. She was also critical of Penny for moving out to the sinful city of LA and about how she now lived in that sinful state, and was living in sin. They learned all this less than two minutes after introducing Leonard. Penny had no wish to stay there at all, and she was getting angry, so she basically empty the trunk quickly, so they could go.

They were just out of the driveway and were headed to the fabric store when Penny said, "Well, that was unpleasant."

"Yeah," said Leonard, "that was a bit awkward. Was she always so mean?"

"I don't know if it's meanness," said Penny. "I think it's more that she's an old gossip, where no one else is worth anything, except for her."

"Yeah, well, she's a mean old bitch."

Penny started laughing, "She must have made a bad impression, that's not like you at all, but I can't disagree with you there. However, she's my mom's friend, and I have to be nice to her."

"Heheheheheh," chuckled Leonard. "At least were done with her."

Their stop at the fabric store went well. Penny didn't run into anyone she knew and she was hoping they could do the same at their next two stops. There were some cleaning supplies at a discount store Susan had wanted, and their final stop was to be the grocery store, to pick up some things for dinner for the next two nights.

They almost avoided a problem at the discount store, but as they were coming out, a tall guy, with curly dark hair yelled out, "Hey, Penny."

Penny looked around and when she saw him, she immediately got a worried look on her face.

Leonard noticed it, and said, "Something wrong?"

Penny sighed, "Yes, but just play along."

Leonard looked over the guy as he walked up. He was tall, why were all of Penny's ex's so damn tall? He was wearing a baseball hat backwards, and had several tattoos on his neck. Ignoring Leonard, he said to Penny, "How's Los Angeles? Or did you move back."

"LA is fine, I'm just here for a visit. Larry, this is…"

"How's your acting career going? Must be good, I saw you in a commercial, riding a horse.

"I'm doing OK, see…"

Must be doing more than OK to get a commercial like that. Hey, have you met anyone in the music industry?"

"No, I haven't," said Penny. "Larry, this is…"

"Where's Kurt."

"Larry, Kurt and I broke up years ago. I started dat…" said Penny.

"Reeeeeaaalllllyyyyy, that's interesting," said Larry.

"Whaaaa…?" Asked Penny.

"Well, since you're free, how about going out with me while you're here? After all, we almost had a kid."

Leonard turned to look at Penny,

"WE DID NOT almost have a baby," said Penny, anger in her voice. " I had a negative pregnancy test. You were sitting there on my bed with me when I took the test. A negative test is not almost having a kid. And, I am not free," Penny reached out and grabbed Leonard's arm, pulling him close. "this is my boyfriend, Leonard."

Larry looked over Leonard, a look of disdain on his face. "Him?" "Come on Penny, look at him. I've got a job at the parts store, hell, I'm almost a manager. And I'm getting closer to getting a gig for my rapping."

Leonard, could hear the anger in Penny's voice, "Yes, him. Part's store? Almost a manager? Close to getting a gig? Pffft. Leonard is an experimental physicist at Cal Tech. The proper way to address is not 'him', it is Doctor, he has his PhD."

"Oooooooohhhh, when did you get so smart?" said Larry. "Only hanging out with smart people now, huh? How does someone who got such bad grades in school, get with someone smart like him? Did he take pity on you?"

"NO," said Penny, almost yelling. "I see good people now. I have friends who treat me good. People who do things for me without expecting anything. I date guys who don't demand sex from me, date me without pressuring me. This man did things for me, without pressuring me for sex, until I offered it. Things none of my other boyfriends ever did for me. He's a good man, and I only see good men now."

"Good men?" Said Larry derisively. "Does this 'good man' know that you almost had a kid with me?"

"I told you…"

"Actually, he does," interjected Leonard. Penny turned to Leonard, looking surprised.

"Actually, he does," said Larry, making a face and his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Awwwwwwww, forget it. Be with your small man." He looked down at Leonard. "He's probably small everywhere." With that, Larry flexed his arms, spun around and walked off.

"Come on, Leonard," said Penny. Pulling him by the arm toward the car, It was quiet, until they got in the car. Penny put her hand on Leonards arm and said, "I sorry Leonard. And thank you for backing me up. How did you know?"

Leonard got a slight smile, "I didn't, but you told me to play along. I figured if I said I knew, he would leave it alone. What was that all about?"

"It was in high school," said Penny, "and I was late. You know I've taken all those pregnancy tests because of my irregular periods. In high school, with my activity, I would have a late period, and think I was pregnant. Well, I was late, and I thought I'd better take the test to find out. It was negative, but he keeps saying we almost had a kid together."

"What was that about rapping, and all those tattoos?"

"It's ridiculous," said Penny. "He was a pretty regular guy in high school. I saw him a couple of times after, mostly during those times Kurt and I would fight and be apart for a week or so. He started to get tattoos, thinking it would give him tougher look, to make him a rapper." She chuckled, "Can you imagine a white guy, from Omaha, thinking he's going to be some kind of rap star? That tattoos would make him tougher? What would happen if he came to LA, got lost and walked into Compton?"

Leonard chuckled thinking about that.

"Leonard, I'm sorry about his comments."

"It stung me a little bit," admitted Leonard. "I've gotten all sorts of crappy comment since I was young, you try to get used to it, but sometimes…"

"I'm so sorry Leonard," said Penny. "By the way, you are not a small man, compared to him."

"Sure I am Penny," said Leonard, "He's over six foot, and I'm only…."

"Leonard," said Penny more insistently, "you are not a small man compared to him."

"I don't understand Penny, how can you say …."

"Leonard," said Penny, reaching over to rub his crotch, "YOU are almost twice the man he is."

Leonard finally got it, "Ooooooohhhhhhhhhhh,"

"I doesn't really matter, but guys are so sensitive about their size. So let's put it this way, you were so much better, even that first awkward time, than he ever was," Penny said.

Ever was? Leonard started to think about that for a second. How many times….Awwww, who cares, I am the one she's with now. So, he nodded his head.

"Can we just go home?" said Penny plaintively. "I don't want to run into anyone else. I don't want to talk about my past."

"What about the rest of the stuff your mom wants?" asked Leonard.

"I'll call my dad and have him pick the stuff up," said Penny. "Just take me home for now. I don't want to see anyone else or want some dumb idiot from my past, insulting my boyfriend."

"OK, heading home."

While Leonard drove home, Penny had called and talked to her dad, telling him what he needed to get, but she didn't tell him why. Arriving at the farm, Penny asked Leonard to bring in all the things they did get and Penny hurried off. Leonard collected everything and walked toward the house. As he entered, he could hear Penny, talking to her mother, and she didn't sound happy.