I am so sorry that it took me so long to update! You have every right to hate me and stop reading. But I hope you won't do that - please?

Chapter 37

Selecting the proper engagement ring for Penny became a point of pride for me. I knew that my fiancé was a woman who valued her appearance and the trappings that added to it. While I found her attractiveness in her personality and her ability to care for people, especially me, I knew that to her, the outward signs were of great importance. Therefore, the ring had to be perfect in every way.

I believed I had selected such a ring. I felt little trepidation on that part.

There was more uncertaintyat the prospect of presenting Penny as my betrothed to my family. While I felt they would be happy that I had decided to wed, I hoped that they would find Penny a worthwhile mate for me. Although, I was determined to marry her despite any objection they might make.

It did occur to me that once Penny saw me in my native habitat as it were, she might be disillusioned. I was not the sophisticated and brilliant man in my home town. I was Smelly Pooper, the outcast, the pariah. Would she decide I was no longer worthy of her?

(from the personal journal of Sheldon Cooper, PhD)

Missy picked them up at the airport in Galveston. She was extremely happy that Penny had come with Sheldon. She'd liked the girl when they'd met in Pasadena and was glad that Sheldon had gotten off his ass and finally got a girlfriend, especially one like Penny. But she was smart enough not to dwell on that to Sheldon.

Instead she told them about their mother's condition and the plans for her continued recovery.

"She'll be continuing her physical therapy until she's back to normal."

"Will you have to take her to a hospital for it?" Penny asked.

"No, Gary will come to the house to do it with her."

Penny saw the slight smile when she said the name and she couldn't help but ask, "Gary? Is that her therapist?"

"Yeah. He's also kind of, well, we've been kind of dating a little."

"Oh, is he nice?"

"Yeah, he's real nice. And he's been so good with Mom and really helping her recover."

Sheldon stared at his sister. "What happened to the rich man?"

"You were dating a rich guy?" Penny asked.

"No, no I wasn't dating anyone. I just wanted to meet a rich man. But Shelly made me realize that was a pretty foolish idea. And then I met Gary. He has a good job, but he's not rich. Only now, that really doesn't matter all that much."

Sheldon did not try to hide the self-satisfied smirk and Penny spoke quickly before he could, "That's terrific! It's a double bonus that he's your mom's physical therapist and a good guy too."

Missy saw the twitch on Sheldon's face and she gave him a break. "Yes, Shelly, I know, you were right. It was more important to meet someone who I liked instead of worrying about the money."

"Most people would be better off if they realized that I am usually right."

Both women rolled their eyes. Missy continued, speaking to Penny, "It's just that we grew up poor and I don't have a very good job myself. I wanted to be sure I'd be secure and that my future kids would be too. Is there anything wrong with that?"

"Nothing at all. And I agree with you."

"Penny!" Sheldon exclaimed.

"But sometimes," she continued, "What you think you need isn't really what you need. And the most important thing isn't the material things he brings to the relationship, but how you feel when you're with him."

She shot a small smile to her fiancé then and he relaxed.

"Yeah, you're right. And Gary makes me feel really special, you know?"

"I do."

They got to the Cooper home and as soon as they walked through the door, Penny found herself enveloped in a pair of warm arms.

"Oh," Meemaw said, "This is Sheldon's Penny! I am so happy to finally meet you!"

Penny laughed. "I'm happy to meet you too, Mrs.—" she realized she didn't know the woman's last name.

"Oh, just call me Meemaw. Everyone around here does anyway and you're practically family."

Penny exchanged a look with Sheldon, but no one seemed to be aware of anything unusual in what she said. This was reinforced when Missy said, "Once you start seeing anyone in this family, Meemaw adopts you. I've got old high school boyfriends still visiting her. Gets a bit weird at times, but what can you do."

Sheldon shrugged. Since he had no prior girlfriends, nor even friends that his grandmother knew, he really wasn't familiar with this. He was relieved that she didn't suspect anything about their engagement, as he had plans to reveal it to the family all at once.

"I want to get to know you, but first, let's get you two settled in. Sheldon, you're in your old bedroom. And Penny, you'll be staying in Missy's room."

Sheldon was about to protest, but his grandmother said, "Now, Moonpie, I know the two of you probably share a bed at home and it doesn't bother me a lick, but this is your mama's house and she won't like it. And since she's just coming home from the hospital, it probably wouldn't be a good idea to upset her."

"She's right, Sheldon," Penny said, touching his arm. "No reason to upset your mother."

He sighed and nodded, then carried their luggage upstairs and into their respective rooms. Missy walked Penny up and whispered, "Don't worry – I'm staying here for a few days, so if you two need to get away, you can use my apartment. And tell Sheldon I just changed the sheets.

They each unpacked, which for Sheldon meant carefully removing each carefully folded clothing item, shaking it out and refolding it, before carefully placing it in the drawers of his old bureau and for Penny meant hanging up one blouse that tended to wrinkle and leaving the rest in her suitcase on the floor while she fixed her makeup.

By the time they returned to the living room, George's truck was pulling up. Everyone went outside to greet Mary and help her inside.

Penny stood back, allowing Mary's mother and children to reach her first. But she observed the woman as she made her way up the walk on her son's arm.

Her gait was slow, but steady as she leaned on the cane, but her hesitation was clearly evident. She was smiling, but Penny noticed lines on the woman's face that weren't there he last time she saw her. Her children didn't seem to notice, but then again, they'd seen her just after her accident and she probably looked a lot better now than she had then.

After hugging her children and holding on to her mother's hand, she saw Penny and smiled again.

"Hello, darlin'!" Mary said, her speech a little slurred.

"Hello, Mrs. Cooper!" Penny cried, "I'm so happy to see you."

"And I'm so happy you came here with Shelly." She got close to Penny and spoke in her ear, "You finally found a worthy man."

"You're right."

"And I'm glad that my son finally used that big brain of his to pick you as a girlfriend."

"Thank you." Penny said.

"Mom, I use my brain for solving important scientific theories, not for choosing romantic partners."

"And yet you chose Penny."

"That I did with my heart."

Penny could feel her heart bursting at his words.

They settled Mary in an easy chair and everyone rushed about to get her food and something to drink and an extra pillow.

"Well, isn't this nice? Everyone fussin' over me."

After a little while, Mary dozed off on the easy chair and everyone went about doing other tasks. Meemaw and Missy went to the kitchen to start dinner. Sheldon, Penny and George sat on the front porch to talk. Penny noticed that Sheldon's brother bore a definite resemblance to him, minus Sheldon's beautiful blue eyes. But he was harder looking, as if life had punched him down a few times.

"I can't believe my baby brother got himself a girl like you." George said to Penny.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Sheldon asked him.

"Nothin' bad, Shelly. Just never thought you'd ever be interested in a woman and if you did, I figured it'd be some boring science chick. Not a real girl and a beautiful one at that."

Sheldon glared at him, jealousy in her eyes, but George shook his head.

"Don't be worryin', little bro. I'm not out to steal your girl." He said with a laugh. "But Shelly, I want to thank you for the advice you gave me. Right after you left, I started going to AA and now I've got fifty-seven days sober."

Sheldon stared at him. "I was here more than six months ago. Why do you only have fifty-seven days?"

"I fell off the wagon once, but I got back on and I keep working on it. I got a job too. It doesn't pay a lot, but it's steady work.

"And Cheryl took me back. She's learning to read, so she can get her GED. I watch Billy at night while she goes to school." He rose. "Well, I'm gonna go home, get cleaned up and bring Cheryl and Billy back for dinner."

"Oh, I get to meet Sheldon's nephew?" Penny said, "That's great."

"Oh, yeah, he's a pip. Smart as a whip. Sheldon gave him some test when he was here, then helped us find this school for him and he even paid the first six months for us. We applied for financial aid and we're gonna get it, so we'll be able to pay for it with just a little bit of work. But Cheryl started working again while Billy's in school and once she gets her GED, she can get an even better job."

As George took his leave, Penny turned to Sheldon. "You never told me you helped your brother like that."

"All I did was tell him to be a man and not one like our father."

She pulled him into her arms then and kissed him.

"What is that for?" he asked her.

"Because I love you. And because you're a real sweetheart."

"Penny."

"You are, don't deny it. You pretend you don't care about anyone, but then you take care of them. And you don't even brag about it."

He shrugged, but he pulled her closer and kissed her again.

"And what was that for?" she asked.

"Just because I love you too."

Sorry, I was going to reveal the ring in this chapter, but I decided to break it up, so you will find out about it in the next one. And you won't have to wait as long for it as you did this time, I promise!