The excited message that was sent from Sheldon's phone went out to everyone in his recently created 'New Leonard News' group. It included twenty people, a community of Leonard's family, friends, and co-workers, anyone who Sheldon thought would like to be kept updated on any breaking 'Leonard' news. The simple sentence:
Leonard's awake and talking
was followed by seven exclamation points and an equal number of smiley faces.
Amy received the message when she was done for the day at her lab as she was leaving. Hoping that she could meet up with Sheldon while he was with Leonard, Amy got in her car and headed for the hospital.
…..
Back in her bedroom, Penny stood motionless with her hands on her hips, biting her lip, considering. The room was a wreck. It had been bad enough when she had been pulling out items from the bottom of the closet and randomly throwing them over her head and behind her during her jewelry and cowboy boot search earlier today. But ripping out items from the bottom had loosened it, making the base unstable. So while she was out, the massive mound of clothes and clutter had actually moved forward glacier-like and sent some of the items packed within flying across the room. It also pulled one of the closet doors off the wall. The door then crashed into a cheaply made chest of drawers, cleaving the pressed cardboard bureau in two, smashing the various items on top and scattering the contents around the room.
The only thing that was in its proper place was the bed.
"Wow," Penny muttered, surveying the carnage.
"Knock, knock, knock! Come on, darlin'! Open up!"
Penny smiled as she turned away from the mess in the bedroom and towards the thick Oklahoma drawl and rapping coming from her front door.
It's Kim!
Carefully stepping over the potentially ankle twisting flotsam and jetsam in the chaos of the room, Penny headed towards the door.
Good! A reprieve! Just a little more time before I have to deal with this mess!
Smiling, she opened the door only to be greeted by her work friends, Kim and Cheryl. Penny gave a little surprised squeal and did a little dance as she jumped forward and hugged her friends.
Kim, with her big bleached blonde hair and cat-eye glasses, returned Penny's fierce hug. "Oh, darlin'! Come on in here and let me give you a big squeeze! I've missed you somethin' terrible! Ever since Cheryl left us, you're the only thing that makes work bearable and when you're not there, why I'm just extra miserable! And look who I managed to drag away from her fancy-schmancy Beverly Hills salon!"
"Cheryl!" Penny squealed, holding the redhead tightly. "It's been so long! How's Beverly Hills treating you?!"
"Good! Very good," Cheryl said, returning the hug. "Kim said that you were having a rough time of it lately so I just had to come over and see my baby girl."
"Thank you! It's so good to see both of you! Come in! Come in!" Penny said happily as she waved them in.
"Now darlin', I know we came by all uninvited and we don't want to intrude, but I just wanted to stop by and give you this," Kim said as she went through her handbag, retrieved an envelope and handed it to Penny. "Being Friday and payday, I didn't want you to go without your paycheck. I know things have been a little hand to mouth lately and with you bein' out nearly all week, I couldn't bear to think that you'd be without your cash."
"Awww! Kim! That was so sweet of you! And thoughtful! Thank you!" Penny said as she took her paycheck envelope from her friend. Seeing all the effort Kim had gone through, she decided not to tell her friends of the over $12,000 check she had just deposited into her bank account. "I do need this," she said, smiling, as she waved the envelope.
"Millie was kind enough to let me bring it to you, but," here Kim waved a cautionary finger at her, "y'all gotta call her and tell her I handed it over. Not that she don't trust me, but she wants to hear from you that y'all got it and I didn't run off with it."
"Sending her a text right now," Penny said as she held up her phone, her fingers flying over the keypad, "and …. send. There. Done."
"Good. Thank you, darlin'," Kim said as she took a seat at kitchen island beside Cheryl. "So tell us about Leonard. How's he doin'?"
Smiling, Penny started to pull the wine glasses off the kitchen shelf, set them before her friends, and started to pour the alcohol. "I'm thrilled! Leonard's doing great! They removed the breathing tube today and he's breathing on his own!"
"Awww! That's wonderful, darlin'! I'm so glad to hear that! You know, he always was my favorite of the boys. I sorta got a big ol' soft spot for him."
"Yeah," Cheryl agreed. "He was the normal one of the group. Sweet and shy too. I kind of like that."
"And we just may have something else to celebrate," Penny said as she was done filling their glasses.
"Ooooh! What's that, darlin'?"
"Well, as you know, I needed money and today I sold off a few pieces of some old jewelry. And, when I was in the store, the owner came out. We talked for a bit and she asked me if I'd like to do a print ad for her jewelry line!"
Kim clapped her hands while Cheryl cheered. They both spoke simultaneously.
"Oh, darlin'! I'm so happy for you!"
"Penny! That's amazing!"
"With Christmas and the holidays coming up, all the fellas out there will be lookin' for jewelry to buy for their sweethearts!"
"I know! Right?" Penny gushed happily as she pushed the filled glasses towards her friends.
"So tell us! What's the jewelry line like? Retro stuff? Modern? Art Deco?" Cheryl asked as she lifted her glass.
"OK, well, it's a little bit different from the usual. The jeweler calls it 'Found Among the Ruins: Apocalyptic Rocks'. It's like after the apocalypse and the gems are there but there's no gold or silver," Penny explained excitedly with swirl of her hands, "so the gems are threaded with copper or brass wires to make necklaces or bracelets," it was here at this point in her explanation that Penny noticed the blank and vaguely confused looks on her friend's faces.
Silence.
"Or ….. whatever other …. jewelry things. It was very pretty in the glass case," Penny said a little too defensively.
"Oh, darlin'! I know it! I'm sure it was! I'm just afraid I'm a little lost on … the theme."
"I'm sorry, Penny. I don't get it either. Apocalyptic Rocks? It's the apocalypse. Why would anyone care about jewelry? Emeralds, rubies, sapphires, would only have the value society places on them."
"A commodity," Kim clarified.
"That's right," Cheryl said, agreeing with Kim, "a commodity. A marketable item for which there is a demand. And in an apocalypse, decorative gems would have no value because they'd be essentially useless."
"What? No, no, no. You're missing the point," Penny defended trying to save the argument. "It's just the style of the jewelry. And maybe I'll be like Brooke Shields for Calvin Klein Jeans or George Foreman for the cooking grills."
"Oh! They're good! I do love mine," Kim said smiling happily. "That's what y'all would need in an apocalypse! A George Foreman cooking grill."
"How would that be useful? You would need an electrical source," Cheryl countered.
"Well, you'd just use them copper and brass wires from around the precious stones. You could make a gasifier and the wires could conduct the electricity. The copper and brass would be pretty important. A little more valuable than emeralds," Kim added, looking guiltily at Penny.
"Huh. You're absolutely right," Cheryl nodded towards Kim in agreement. "I never thought about that."
Penny looked from one to another, incredulous. "Wait! What? May I ask how do either of you even know any of this?"
"Well, maybe, and I'm not committin' anybody to anything here or givin' away any location, but just maybe my brother Early is one of them doomsday people, ya know? Gathering' all types of whatnot and storin' them in his bunker in Oklahoma. He's got barrels of beans, rice, and packages of Jello pudding cups just all stored away on shelves. He's got four years worth of toilet paper down there too."
"Greaaaat," Penny said flatly as she stared at Kim, and then was immediately surprised as she suddenly realized that by extending the word 'great' just like she did, a 'Leonard-ism' was now a part of her vocabulary.
"As a matter of fact, in an apocalypse, I can bring four people underground with me," Kim said happily. "But they must have a skill set. That, or be a fertile woman of a child bearin' age. Gotta repopulate the Earth, you know!"
There was silence in the room as both Penny and Cheryl just stared at Kim.
"So if the apocalypse comes down, just know that both y'all have salvation in Oklahoma!"
"Greaaaat," Penny responded again with the Leonard-ism, giving ample evidence of what she thought about the Oklahoma bunker.
"I think I'll take my chances topside," Cheryl said as she gulped her wine. "Anyway, baby girl, we are getting away from the point. I think I'm speaking for Kim as well as myself when I say we're both so very proud of you. You are a very beautiful woman and it's a tremendous opportunity and who knows wherever it may lead."
"Here, here," Kim said in agreement. "And I know I'm just gonna tell my Sandy that for my Christmas present, I want some of them Apocalyptic Rocks. He can get me a bracelet or somethin'."
"Me too! I'll get two bracelets and wear them stacked on my arm," Cheryl added happily. "I cut rich people's hair all day! I'll flash them around in front of everyone, they will be appropriately dazzled and I can send business your jeweler's way."
"Awww! Thank you, guys! That's very sweet! But I don't even know if it's going to happen. The jeweler said she'll be thinking about a print ad, so, you know, it might not even happen."
"Positivity, baby girl, positivity," Cheryl said as she poured herself another glass of wine. "Hey! Let's toast! To all the wonderful things that have happened today! Leonard getting better, being able to breathe on his own and maybe the start of a new career for Penny!"
Kim and Penny both raised their glasses as Cheryl spoke.
"Out with the old, In with the new, Here's to both your futures, And all that you'll do."
The friends clinked their glasses as they said 'cheers' then drank.
Kim looked at Penny. "You know, I'm just a country girl from Oklahoma and I don't know much but I do know human nature," she said as she knowingly waved her hand, "runs in the family, it's a gift," she added, "and maybe this is just the wine talkin' but I sense that there still is a very strong cravin' goin' on between you and Leonard."
"What? Kim, you have no idea what you're talking about! Leonard has well and truly moved on. He's had several relationships, more than me, since we broke up …"
"You broke up with him," Cheryl corrected, interrupting.
"Yes … that. But, he's … moved on. There were several … much more compatible …... very smart and very accomplished other …... women in his life," Penny tried to explain, her voice thickening and tears threatening.
Kim grabbed Penny's hand and held it warmly. "Oh, darlin'! It's clear that Leonard still has very strong feelings for you! Why my goodness! He ran into a burnin' building for you!"
Cheryl swirled the wine in her glass. "I know! My God! That's so romantic!"
Penny nodded as she touched the back of her hand to her eyes to stop the burning tears. "When Leonard woke up, he screamed my name," she quietly informed both her friends.
"Jesus Christ! I am seriously going to start crying right now," Cheryl said, her voice breaking.
"I think how Leonard still feels about you is clearer than Cinderella's glass slipper! But I wasn't talkin' about Leonard! I was talkin' about you," Kim clarified.
"What? Me? You still think I 'crave' Leonard?"
"Just as much as a Redneck craves a 4x4 and a big ol' mud hole to drive it through."
Penny blinked in surprise. "Wow. That is a whole lot of craving."
Kim nodded in agreement. "Uh-huh."
"You know what? I think Leonard may be your manicorn," Cheryl said with a Cheshire Cat grin and a purring emphasis on the word 'manicorn'.
Penny's marked confusion shown on her face. "What in heaven's name is a manicorn?"
"A man-unicorn. Your elusive perfect man. He may not exist but in in your heart you want to believe he does so you keep on searching. Leonard didn't fit your long-standing profile of the empty-headed, barely literate knuckle-draggers that is your usual taste in men," Cheryl said. She then waved an accusatory finger at Penny. "Now this is a no judgment zone but far too many men of that type crowd your dating history. I'm just putting that out there," Cheryl said defensively as she noticed Penny's deepening frown, "and that caused you to reject your manicorn because he is the complete opposite: very smart and coming in a smaller, less bulked-up package."
Penny was at a loss to respond. She stared open-mouthed at Cheryl as she felt her hackles start to rise.
"Oh, darlin'! Don't say that," Kim said as she gave Cheryl a swat on her arm. "You're making Penny out to be shallow. Rejectin' someone just for their looks."
"No, there are depths to Penny's shallowness," Cheryl said as she downed her wine.
Penny cleared her throat as she found her voice. "Thank you, Kim. For the record, I didn't reject Leonard for his looks."
"I know that, darlin'! He's a cutie pie! I think it goes a little deeper," Kim said, "and I'm thinkin' it was you. I think you let Leonard go because you were feelin' a little imbalance in the relationship. Maybe a smidgen insecure, too. The words you used to describe Leonard's other girlfriends: compatible, very smart, very accomplished, my darlin', you should be using those words to describe yourself."
Cheryl nodded her head in agreement as she reached over for a box of Ritz crackers and pulled out a handful. "She's right, you know. It's funny when you hear someone speak with a southern accent, for some reason you think they're not smart. But Kim here, she's smart and incisive, cuts right through all the bullshit and straight down to the bone. Just like an Oklahoman scalpel. The wisest of us all," the redhead said, crunching the crackers as she spoke, causing tiny orange bits of Ritz to fly from her mouth.
Kim gave Cheryl a glare as she shook her head. She then returned her piercing analysis of Penny. "We all know you're used to bein' the queen bee and you were always smarter than all those dumb guys y'all dated before. You were the Alpha member of your dating groups. I always thought you let Leonard go because, for the first time ever, you were kinda afraid of bein' the weak link in the Leonard/Penny super group."
"Yeah," Cheryl nodded in agreement, "if you were television shows, Leonard's like Cosmos and in comparison, you're kinda like the entire cast of The Jersey Shore."
Kim watched as Penny's face flushed and her eyes dilated to their fullest extent, the green iris becoming a mere rim around the dark pupil.
As she watched her friend's face slowly change to fury as Cheryl spoke,Kim drew in a deep breath. Oh Lordy! There it is! I have touched upon a nerve!
Thankfully, being too busy eating, Cheryl seemed totally oblivious to the change that had overcome Penny.
"Oh now, darlin'! Don't you listen to a thing I'm sayin'! I'm just goin' on like a regular Dr. Phil, ain't I? No sense in rehashing the past. As my great-gran used to say, 'That's about as useful as a pocket on the back of a shirt'."
Kim watched as the flush started to drain from Penny's face.
"Well, darlin', I think we need to get goin'. When Cheryl starts making racist comments, I need her to stop drinkin' and get her home," Kim said as she started to get up off the chair at the kitchen island. "Do you mind if I use the little girls room?"
"No! Kim! Go right ahead. Just right through the bedroom," Penny directed.
"What? Me? Racist? What did I say?" Cheryl yelled surprised as she sprayed bits of Ritz out of her mouth.
Penny took a gulp of wine. "It was the southern accent comment."
"Really? That was racist?"
"Totally," Penny said with a small laugh.
"It was insensitive," added Kim as she made her way to Penny's bedroom. She stopped in the doorway when she saw the room in shambles. "Penny! Darlin'! What happened in here?!"
"Oh! That! I had to pull the closet apart when I was looking for the jewelry and when I was gone, the door pulled off the wall," Penny said as she and Cheryl made their way to the room at Kim's yell. The three of them crowded the doorway, just looking at the mess.
"It's all right. Just crawl across my bed to get to the bathroom."
Kim checked her watch. "Well, I got time before I need to get home to Sandy. And Cheryl's got nothin' going on tonight. You need our help, darlin'? We could help and get this all done together with you."
"Nah. That's all right. It's just my messy life. Just have to work through it, get rid of some things I don't want and get it all sorted."
Kim turned and looked at Penny with her all knowing eyes. "Life? Or closet?" The petite Oklahoman asked with an arch of her eyebrow.
Penny looked confused. "What?"
"You said y'all had to get your messy life sorted."
Cheryl nodded in agreement. "You did. I heard it. You said messy life. Total Freudian Slip."
"Closet! I meant closet!" Penny said a little too loudly as she felt a flush start to burn across her face. "Now, Kim! Get on my bed and crawl across it!"
"Oooh! Any other commands, mistress?" Cheryl said with a lusty laugh, unable to resist the innuendo.
"I heard it as soon as I said it," Penny said peevishly as she shot a glare at Cheryl.
…..
Taking the now all too familiar walk through the ICU to get to Leonard's room, Amy smiled and waved at some of the nurses she recognized. Her greetings were returned with a smile and a similar small wave or a nod. Someone even called a 'how are you doing, tonight?' to her across the station.
It was warming and reaffirming. The nursing staff were now well aware that Leonard's friends had an involved and supportive presence while Mrs. Wolowitz gifts of food continued to reinforce the rewards of mutual cooperative effort: take good care of our friend Leonard and you'll continue to get delicious food.
Amy smiled smugly. So easy to do. Conditioned. Just like lab rats or monkeys.
Although, very prudently, Amy did not say that out loud and wisely kept it to herself.
As she neared Leonard's room, somewhere in the ICU, a heart stopping screaming started. Bouncing off the glass walls, the screams reverberated through the hallways. Stopping in her tracks and putting a hand over her startled heart, she saw several nurses quickly stand up at the desk at the nursing station and start to run towards the screaming.
Which was coming from Leonard's room.
Suddenly unsure, Amy stood with her hand on her chest, frozen to the spot where she was standing. Afraid to get any closer, she just fixed her stare on the glass doorway to Leonard's room, watching as all the nurses ran.
Multiple voices filtered into the hallway. Amy could hear comforting words and reassurances coming from the nurses gathered in Leonard's room. It took a minute or two, but the screaming eventually stopped. Amy watched as some of the nurses slowly exited the room. There was no urgency to their movement, no raised voices, no running, no alarms sounding, making her feel as if whatever had happened was basically a startling but a benign, non-emergency situation.
Hand still over her chest and clutching her pocketbook in a death grip, Amy just stood looking at Leonard's room.
A nurse came out and, instantly picking up on her body language, smiled warmly and waved her closer. "It's all right. Just a bad dream. You can still visit if you'd like."
"Thank you," Amy breathed, all of a sudden desperately hoping that someone else was sitting in there quietly with Leonard. She immediately ruled out Sheldon. At the start of the screaming, he would have bolted out of the room and they both would have been standing in the hallway. Best scenario, Penny would be in there, holding Leonard's hand and talking quietly to him and she could lend her support.
Amy took halting steps to the room and peeked in.
Nope.
Oh God.
Worst scenario.
Leonard was alone.
Should she even go in? Leonard was awake and obviously distressed. What could she say? Would he even want her there? And what if there was an uncomfortable lapse in the conversation? What to say during that interminable pause?
She should leave.
It would be all right. It's not like it would be hurting anyone. Leonard wouldn't even know she was there.
Amy hated this newly found uncertainty that seemed to waft around her every decision. It all started with Michael and those damned Facebook comments that brought forth her insecurities that she thought were long calloused over. Should she buy make-up? Should she even wear her make-up? Should she put on her new clothes? Was she really that ugly and undesirable? Would anyone ever love her? Why would anyone even want to love her?
Even though she knew that ever since childhood she had been considered a bit odd, it had never stopped her once from charging confidently into any situation.
Self-doubt and this lack of confidence were very new sensations for her.
Amy just stood there watching as Leonard lay on the bed, in darkness, probably in pain, and chasing after the quite likely very horrific and confused images in his mind. She watched as he started to move feebly while distraught little sounds.
Even distressed, surely Leonard would prefer having anyone else there but her. Of all his friends, she was definitely at the bottom of totem pole. Wasn't she? Anyone would be better than her. Even Sheldon could provide more comfort.
In his own way, of course.
But …. they had bonded when Leonard was her escort to the wedding. They did end up having a very good time and he did fall in love with her – even if it was just for a little bit.
Bottom line, a friend was in distress.
Maybe she could help.
A little bit.
Maybe.
Leonard, I'm all that you're going to get right now. I will do my best.
Throwing back her shoulders, Amy tried to smother her new found insecurity and walked into the room.
She slowly approached the bed. It was evident that the restless movements and moans were signs that Leonard was awake and aware: his furrowed brow along with the accompanying frown, the weak movement, the small groans that were coming from behind his oxygen mask. Quite likely, Leonard wasn't getting the healthy, restorative sleep that he needed. He was probably sleeping like a cat: deep sleep for brief intervals only to be suddenly roughly pulled to the surface by pain or dreams.
Just as she had seen Penny do previously, she pulled a chair over and sat down. Placing her hand on Leonard's forearm, Amy leaned in close, and softly spoke his name.
"Leonard."
Startled by the touch, Leonard jumped but recognized her voice right away.
"Amy …..," he breathed quietly.
Even with just saying that one syllable, Amy had to wince in sympathy at the raspy hoarseness of Leonard's voice.
"Leonard! It's so good to see you awake! We've been so worried! I want you to know that I am here to provide you with comfort as an intermediate bridge between your psychic and external realities."
"Thank …. you. Is ….. Penny here?"
"No. She's not. You're stuck with just me. Unfortunately."
"No! I just ….. thought …. she was here."
"Earlier perhaps, but not now."
"Sheldon ….. was here."
"Yes! It's a good sign that you can remember that. He sent out the message that you were awake and talking."
"They said that ….. there was ….. no fire."
"That's right. There was days ago at the university. But not here, not now."
"Trying to ….. make sense of ….. everything. Too … confusing."
"I imagine everything must be rather bewildering for you."
Leonard nodded as he patted the soft blue blanket Amy had gotten him. "I can't tell ….. what's real. Is there any ….. money? My Uncle Floyd … and Mitzi were here. He was talking ….. to me. I know that's not possible ….. they're both dead. But it was ….. so real. He was giving me … five dollar bills ….. and kept saying 'he's coming.'"
"That was just a dream, Leonard. There's no money here."
"No ….. of course not. There wouldn't be ….."
Amy chastised herself. She had been engaging Leonard in conversation and the timbre of his voice had rapidly worsened. Blistery was the only adjective she could think of to describe the raw soreness that she was hearing.
"Leonard, would you like me to ask the nurses if you can have any ice chips? Maybe it can soothe your sore throat a bit. Would you like that?"
Leonard nodded. "Oh yes."
"Good. Give me a sec. I'll just step out into the hallway," Amy said as she stood and started to exit the room.
It only took a few seconds as Amy flagged down the first nurse she saw and asked about the ice chips. After a quick check, the nurse returned with a cup of ice and a spoon in hand.
Back in the room, Amy carefully lifted the oxygen mask and spoon fed Leonard some ice chips.
"Ah ….. so delicious," Leonard said, rolling the cubes across his tongue. As he spoke, it was then that Amy noticed that Leonard's lips were deeply cracked and split.
"Leonard, I've got a brand new tube of ChapStick in my bag. Would you like me to put some on your lips? They're a little cracked and dry."
Leonard nodded. "Thank you ….. they hurt. Like everything else."
After retrieving the tube, Amy slid the balm across the deep fissures in Leonard's lips. "Now don't worry. It's not a tinted variety. You won't look like you're wearing lipstick. But it does have a nice cherry flavor."
"Good. Wouldn't want ….. to look foolish. Trying to ….. look my best here," Leonard said with a smile in his voice. "Feels ….. much better. Thank you … Amy."
"I'll just leave it here and the nurses can help you apply more if you need it."
Leonard nodded. "Amy? Can you tell me ….. what happened?"
"Do you remember anything," Amy asked as she replaced her hand on Leonard's forearm.
Leonard shook his head. "No …. "
"Well, then I'll start at the beginning and you can stop me at any time if you have any questions," she said gently.
"OK ….."
Leonard did his best to be attentive and follow what Amy was saying. The bits and pieces she was telling him combined with the vague fragments Penny and the guys had told him earlier and it began to come together. And although it was still very tenuous and fragile, the scattered puzzle pieces started to click together to make a whole.
But lulled by the sound of Amy's voice, it didn't take long before Leonard fell asleep.
Amy knew he had fallen asleep when Leonard's hand unclenched and relaxed on his lap, his head lolled to the side, and his breathing became even and regular.
Amy looked up at the clock. Her half hour was nearly at the end. Leonard may be sleeping but there was no way she was going to leave. She was going to use every second of her allotted time.
Releasing Leonard's forearm, Amy slid her fingertips down towards Leonard's hand. Grasping it, she held it closely.
As it currently was, their level of friendship dictated that physical contact was limited to the patting of an arm or shoulder.
But now Amy was holding Leonard's hand.
It was an intimate gesture and for some reason, she didn't feel comfortable enough to do it while Leonard was awake. But now, as bravery and vulnerability combined, Amy felt that the expression was entirely acceptable and necessary.
But not for Leonard.
For her.
"But you didn't hear the best part, Leonard. You ran back in for her. You ran back into a burning building to save Penny."
Amy caressed the back of Leonard's hand with her thumb.
"My God. To still feel that passion for someone … after everything that happened between you and Penny. I can tell you without a doubt, no one will ever love me that much. But you're lucky, Leonard, that you felt it once, even though it wasn't returned. Sometimes, I think I may be a little jealous. Just wishing somebody loved me like that, you know?"
The confession was painful and Amy just fell silent. She fixed her gaze on Bernadette's shrine and the sparkling cut glass candle votives in the window.
"You know what, Leonard? I've been thinking about this for a long time but now I've come to believe that you and I are companion pieces in the history of little our group. It seems we're both doomed to love people who can't or won't love us back. Neither one of our great loves wants us. And so now we're still both lost, alone, or feeling alone in my case, wandering, and searching."
Amy shook her head sadly.
"You and I, Leonard, we're not the lucky ones. Fate always seems to work against us and not with us."
Amy sighed as she looked at Leonard's sleeping face. Then she spotted it. Just under the gauze around his eyes, resting on his cheek, was an eyelash.
"Leonard! Oh my goodness! Look at this! You got a wish!" Amy said happily as she carefully lifted the lash, removing it from Leonard's cheek and held it on her fingertip. "I hope it's OK, but I'll make it for you. All right? And I hope you don't mind but as this is a cooperative effort, I'm just going to add in a little wish for me too."
Amy closed her eyes and on a tiny, soft whisper, she made two wishes: one for Leonard (a wish that she guessed that he might want) and one for her. She then blew a small puff of air out, directing it across her fingertip.
To build the suspense, Amy slowly opened one eye and then the other.
The eyelash was gone from her fingertip.
"Well, it's good news, Leonard! But as always with us, there are some provisos: one, if we choose to believe the forklore; two, if by some miracle the universe permits it; and three, we abandon all our reasoning and intellect and embrace the power of wishful thinking, then our wishes will come true. Not too many conditions, are there? So given all that, I'm going to give us a very conditional 'yea'. So yea!"
Amy watched as Leonard just shifted slightly in his sleep as a small smile stretched across his split lips. She hoped that, maybe this time, he was finding some comfort in his dreams.
And she also hoped, that by some miracle, eyelash wishes do come true.
…..
People continually underrated her. Maybe it was her height, or her thick Oklahoma accent, or her fondness for her 1980s style of big bleached blonde hair. She never really knew. But underneath all of that, Kim was an exceptionally intuitive and savvy woman.
And she knew exactly what to do and how to deliver an awakening realization and a life shaking revival to one pretty Penny. 'Hallelujah! And let the ever lovin' light come shinin' down on me! Thank you, Jesus! Can I have another Amen!' as her evangelical Uncle Lejunior would always say.
First, she had to overcome Penny's reluctance with accepting her and Cheryl's help for the straightening of the closet.
Closet. Yeah, right.
Easily done.
"Oh my, darlin'! What is this stunning piece of fabric deliciousness?!" Kim squealed, holding up the red Indian print tunic that was thrown on the mattress as she made her way on her hands and knees across Penny's bed trying to get to the bathroom.
Penny hissed, narrowing her eyes. "Oh God! I thought I burned that. That is the shirt I was wearing the night I hooked-up with Raj. I never wanted to see that again. Such a painful embarrassment," she said with a shudder.
Cheryl's ears perked up. "Raj? The same guy I hooked-up with at your Halloween party?"
"Yeah. The same," Penny said with a wince.
Cheryl shrugged. "I call him Quick Draw."
"Well Quick Draw didn't improve any in the four years between your romp and mine."
"Lovely," Cheryl said with a grimace.
"Well, this tunic is adorable," Kim gushed happily. "I think I'm kinda in love with it!"
"Well just go in the bathroom and try it on if you like! If you want it, it's all yours. God knows, I don't want anything to do with it."
"Why, thank you darlin'! I'll be right back," Kim said as she completed her crawl across the bed.
Once in the bathroom, Kim quickly slipped out her Cheesecake Factory uniform and pulled the tunic over her head. While she was doing this, she readied the song list in her head. For this situation, she felt that Betcha By Golly Wow, Cherish, and Unchained Melody, some of her favorites to use, would nicely fit the bill. Pulling out her phone, she queued up the songs.
Plan made, Kim stepped out of the bathroom while doing a little twirl to show off Penny's shirt that fit her smaller frame like a very cool dress.
"Well? What do you think?" Kim asked as she did a little dancing whirligig, showing off the tunic from all sides.
Penny squealed. "Oh my God! Kim! You look adorable!"
"That looks amazing on you, baby girl! All you need to do is put on a pair of boots and big hoop earrings and you'll look like you stepped right out of London's Swinging Sixties Mod Scene," Cheryl agreed.
"I know! Right!" Kim continued her twirl. Hook, line, and sinker. Now I just have to reel her in. "Darlin', you said you were intendin' to go through your closet and get rid of some stuff. Not to be a beggar here, but do you think have any other cast offs in that closet you don't want? It's gettin' a little too much working at The Cheesecake Factory, what with the arthritis in my neck, and I'm trying to get a secretarial job. I could use a few things that would help to fill out my working wardrobe."
Kim was always surprised by her faultless ability to lie.
Penny looked stunned. "Kim! Oh my God! I had no idea! Of course! We're not that same size but I'm sure there are some things in here that you could use! Like that tunic which looks totally cute on you."
"Are you sure, darlin'?"
"Please! It will be absolutely no problem!"
"Now if I make a play for something you still want, you'll be sure to tell me, all right?" Kim said smoothly, already knowing that she wouldn't be taking any more clothes.
"Of course! There's a lot in here," Penny said excitedly. "I'm sure we can find some skirts and tops that you can use."
"Well, if we are going through the closet, I'm going to get more to drink," Cheryl said as she turned from the doorway. "Anybody want some?"
"Sure! Bring it in," Penny called after her. "We can make a party of this."
"OK, my darlin', this is how we'll do this. You start pulling things from the top and I'll start organizing things, folding clothes, putting things in order and whatnot. And then we can sort everything into piles."
"A plan! I like it! Sounds good," Penny said as she lifted the crashed door from where it fell between the bed and the door and propped it against the wall.
Just then, Cheryl returned with the wine bottle and their glasses. After refilling them, she passed the glasses around. "Penny. Fair warning. If there's anything I see in there that I want, I'm taking it."
Kim smiled as Penny and Cheryl drank and jokingly bantered back and forth about all the designer shoes Penny had packed away and Cheryl's argument that if Kim could get a tunic, then she could get a pair of Penny's Christian Louboutin pumps.
But Kim knew what Penny and Cheryl didn't.
That this was not about cleaning the closet. That was a ploy. It was about Penny's life. The clutter was Penny's way ofhiding, burying deep the things she didn't want to face: a distraction from the nine year dream that may be dying, the solid relationship that she had carelessly thrown away, or the fear of what might happen when if she were to let go and explore a life with different options.
For the past two years, Kim had been watching Penny suffering ever since she broke up with Leonard. She had changed physically. She had stopped dying her hair and now sported a half brown, half blonde hair-do. And although she still looked smoking hot, she had gained a little weight. And her drinking was getting a little out of control too. Kim felt guilty about adding to this by having the wine today, but she wanted Penny serene and open to some reflection. If she wasn't relaxed by drinking, she could be a bit hostile and acerbic. That was yet another change in Penny that had taken place over the past two years.
Kim rubbed her hands together. "OK! Let's get this show on the road!"
It was like an anthropological dig. The top layer of stuff was Penny's current life. Clothes that were a conservative change from her usual attire: a long sleeved cranberry v-neck shirt, a gray blazer, several pairs of black pants. Gone were the bright Easter egg pastels, the corals, blues, pinks, and yellows that she seemed to favor. These were more grown up looking clothes, as if she were trying to look more adult, more polished in this post-Priya year.
Penny and Cheryl dug into the closet, laughing and drinking, while Kim, waiting and while keeping a hawk-like watch on what was being removed, rapidly folded and sorted the clothes that were handed to her.
They dug a little deeper.
The closet and its contents became more erratic. Scattered bits of trash and crumpled papers were mixed in this level of clothes. There were even several empty wine bottles. And at this point in the dig, the bright saturated colors returned along with dresses that met Penny's only fashion requirement: short and tight. Penny's fashion trend that year: hot pink dresses and with matching shoes, brightly colored floral skirts, skin tight tops, stiletto heels were all balled up and thrown haphazardly into the heap.
Kim was glad that Penny was laughing and distracted by Cheryl. Because she knew they were at the level where Leonard was with Priya. This year was not a good time emotionally for Penny. She was not at her best and had taken to drinking quite a bit more.
And the evidence in the closet proved it: multiple empty wine bottles, trash, balled up tissues, and plenty of scrunched up receipts for alcohol as if, wasted and in fury, she had just flung everything and anything into the closet.
Cheryl had just returned from getting another bottle of wine in the kitchen when she spotted 'them'.
"Oh my God! Penny! These are soooo beautiful! Can I have them?! Can I have them?! Can I have them?! Oh please! Oh please! Pleeeeeease," Cheryl begged as she held the ridiculous Pepto-Bismol pink platform heels with the patent leather flowers at the toe.
Penny laughed. "Oh my God! I forgot all about those," she said as she held one of the shoes. "Look how pink they are!"
"Pretty, pretty pink," the slightly drunk Cheryl echoed. "With pretty flowers."
"Sure! Take them," Penny said with a dismissive wave of her hand. "Why not? I never wore them and I forgot I even had them."
"Oh, Penny! I love you! I love you," Cheryl yelled happily as she sat on the bed and kicked off her shoes. "I'm getting drunk. Help me put these on," she said as she fell back on the bed and waved her feet in the air.
"Stop moving! I can't get them on your feet," Penny yelled laughingly as she struggled to slide the shoes on Cheryl's feet. "Kim! You're the least wasted! Help us here!"
It took both of them but eventually Penny and Kim managed to get the shoes on Cheryl's wiggling feet. They helped her to stand.
"I am never taking these beautiful shoes off," Cheryl announced as she tottered unsteadily around the room.
While Cheryl practiced walking drunk in heels, Kim spotted a decent sized empty cardboard box in closet. Using the box for a makeshift trashcan, she gathered all the trash, crumpled papers, and wine bottles and started to pile everything in it.
The top two layers were now cleared from the closet, the clothes folded and sorted on the bed.
While Cheryl wobbled off into the living room, Penny and Kim dug a little deeper and were now at the third level of the closet. And here, little items: knick-knacks, cards and letters, mementos, and dried flowers started to surface and began to dot the pile.
It was here that Leonard, and his time with Penny, began.
Kim crossed her fingers and sent a little prayer heavenward. Lord Jesus, it's show time. I know I'm gonna lay it on a little thick but our Penny here is a stubborn one. I know I'm not all knowin' and all seein' like yourself, but a friend is in distress and needs a push. And deep inside, I'm feelin' as if this is the right direction. If I'm wrong, Lord, please give me a sign as I do not ever want to work against your will. I made it kinda easy for you too. I've got a drunk woman wobbling around here in six inch heels. If in your wisdom she should fall, I'll know that's my sign from you to stop.
With a bottle of tequila and three shot glasses in hand, Cheryl stepped into Penny's bedroom, moving with all the surefootedness and steadiness of a gazelle with the grace of a ballerina.
Thank you, Jesus!
"Why, darlin'! This is just the cutest! What is this," Kim gushed as she held up a little ceramic skunk figurine that was wearing glasses the same style as Leonard.
Penny laughed. "Oh wow! I had forgotten about that," Penny said as she took the figurine from Kim. "It's from Leonard. He had given it to me after we had a fight about my friend Justin staying with me. He said I didn't tell him but I know I did. Leonard apologized to me, saying that he had acted 'stinky' and that this little skunk that kind of looks like him was the perfect metaphor for his behavior."
"Awww! That's so sweet," Cheryl said from the spot she took on the bed as she struggled to open the tequila bottle.
"Oh look! A little seashell," Kim said as she removed a scallop shell from atop a gauzy white skirt. "Is there a story behind this?"
"Oh my God," Penny laughed, taking the shell from Kim and inspecting it. "That is from when Leonard and I sex on the beach! This scallop shell left a perfect imprint on his butt cheek! It was very cool. The outline of it bruised a bit and it looked like he had a tattoo! It was very cute too! It lasted for about a week before it faded and … just disappeared."
"Butt cheek scallop shell," Cheryl laughed and repeated woozily from her spot on the bed.
"And is this …," Kim went quiet as she opened a slip of paper and inspected it, "a boarding pass?"
Penny smiled. "Oh yeah! That was a gift from Leonard. I wanted to make it home for the holidays. I hadn't been home in about six years and didn't have enough money. He surprised me with a ticket home."
"I remember that! He is a gem! That was so sweet of him!"
Penny reached over and took the papers from Kim's hand. "It was."
"Awww! He is such a doll baby," Cheryl said after swallowing a mouthful of tequila. "My God! That is so sweet! Any girl would be so lucky to have him!"
Penny smiled sadly as she looked at Cheryl and nodded. "They would. Be very lucky."
"Ooooh! Look at this … a dried rose," Kim said as she removed it from the closet and handed it to Penny.
Penny smiled. "Leonard left that on my car window for no reason. Just because."
"Oh my God! That is soooo romantic," Cheryl called from the bed. "I am seriously dying over here!"
"You know what those dried roses remind me of? When my cousin Mae got married and her wedding bouquet was dried pink tea roses. It was unexpected and beautiful," Kim recalled with a fond sigh.
"Unexpected and beautiful," Penny repeated absently as she carefully held the figurine, shell, boarding pass and rose. Her fingers gently caressed the outline of each item.
"And you know what song they danced to as their first dance as man and wife?"
"I Want my Mullet Back by Billy Ray Cyrus," Cheryl guessed.
"No, smartass," Kim shot back. "It was Betcha By Golly Wow by the Stylistics."
Cheryl immediately turned her head and pursed her lips, looking confused. "I don't think I know that one."
"Sure you do, darlin'," Kim said as she turned towards Penny who was still lost in thought as she continued to gaze at the items in her hands. Quickly pulling out her phone, Kim found the music list and hit play. For maximum subliminal suggestion, Kim turned and intentionally held the phone close to Penny.
The beautiful soulful harmony of The Stylisticsfilled the room.
Cheryl clapped her hands excitedly as she bounced up and down on the bed. "You're right, Kim! I do know this one! Betcha By Golly Wow! You're the one that I've been waiting for … forever," Cheryl warbled drunkenly. "Write you name across the sky … Anything you ask I'll try, cause Betcha By Golly Wow …"
"That's right, darlin'! See! I knew that you know it! An oldie but a goodie," Kim said as she glanced at Penny and saw her touch a fingertip to her eye as if she was trying to stop her tears. "Ah, you know what's another real good one and makes my heart squeeze anytime I hear it? Cherish by The Association." Kim found the song and hit play.
"I love that one! I love that one," Cheryl squealed from the bed. Tequila spilling from her shot glass, Cheryl belted out at an earsplitting level, "Cherish is the word I use to describe … All the feeling that I have hiding here for you inside … You don't know how many times I wish that I had told you … You don't know how many times I wish that I could hold you …"
"Darlin', I truly wish you would let the boys from The Association sing it for Penny instead. Speaking of which," Kim turned to see Penny holding the items against her chest, crying softly.
Kim was beyond pleased. The memories, mementos, and songs had elicited a lovely, deep emotional response. She was going in for the kill. Raising her phone, she was about to touch Unchained Melody by The Righteous Brothers with her fingertip when she heard the yell.
"Oh my God! I'm in love with Leonard!"
From Cheryl.
Beyond stunned, Kim turned with her phone in her hand as Cherish continued to play and watched as Cheryl, crying and teetering on her pink heels, proclaimed her love for Leonard.
"I'm in love with Leonard! He's so sweet, Penny! He ran into a burning building for you and called out your name when he woke up! That's it! If you don't love him, then I will," Cheryl said defiantly as she tried to stand but fell back down on the bed.
Kim watched the scene open-mouthed. The subliminal magic she tried to subtly weave had worked beautifully.
On Cheryl.
Oh, Lord! You do work in mysterious ways!
"OK, darlin'," Kim said to Cheryl as she pocketed her phone. "We're gonna get you home. I think you've had a little too much."
"No! We have to go to the hospital! I want to tell Leonard that I love him," Cheryl said obstinately.
Penny stepped forward and put her hand on Cheryl's shoulder. "Sure, sweetie, sure! We'll take you! But we'll go tomorrow? OK? So you can fix your face and look your best. Going to see Leonard a little toasted won't make the best impression on him now, will it? He'll be waiting for you tomorrow. We'll see him then, OK? And you can wear your pink shoes."
It was an effort but between the two of them, they eventually got Cheryl, who was singing Cherish off-key and deafening level, into Kim's car.
Kim hugged Penny. "Darlin', I'm so sorry to leave you with all that mess. I guess I didn't really help at all. Just made things worse."
"Ah, sweetie! It's OK! I can get that closet all straightened out! You'll see!"
"I know you will."
Penny hugged Kim. "Love you, sweetie!"
"Love you too, darlin'!"
Penny watched as the car pulled away from the curb. Taking the stairs to her apartment, she was shaking her head, perplexed, having no idea what had come over Cheryl.
…..
A/N: Peace, love, Lenny, and Lenny FanFic.