The scene of the play was completely written by me (well, the idea for the play was mine, too) so I hope they are not too corny. Otherwise I hope you all enjoy this chapter. I really liked writing it!
Chapter Thirty-Six
It was opening night and Penny was a bundle of nerves. All morning, she went over her lines and prayed that she didn't mess up. This was her big chance and she couldn't allow anything to go wrong. Especially with Sheldon's mom and Meemaw in the audience. Penny needed to prove to them that she was perfect for their son.
"Penny, are you ready?" Leonard stood in her open doorway. He had offered to drop her off at the theatre on his way to take Sheldon to the airport to pick up his mom and grandmother.
"Uh, yeah. As ready as I'll ever be, I guess."
She looked around her small apartment, hoping she didn't forget anything and followed Leonard out of her apartment. Sheldon was just leaving his, apartment messenger bag over his shoulder and locked the door. When he turned and saw Penny, he smiled.
"Good afternoon, Penny," he greeted and kissed her on the cheek. Leonard, still not wholly accustomed to seeing his best friend give out affection like that. widened his eyes. But didn't say anything.
"Afternoon, Sheldon. Are you excited to see your Meemaw again?"
If anything his smile grew wider. "Of course. I have not seen her in a few years and I've missed her dearly. I can't wait until she meets you, Penny." Penny felt her face grow red and tried not to let her nerves show to her happy boyfriend.
"I can't wait to meet her, either. Especially since I've heard so much about her."
"Uh, I hate to break this up. But we have a plane to wait for and Penny, you have last minute rehearsals to get to." Leonard, the voice of reason at that moment, spoke up.
"Oh, yeah. Let's go."
The trio walked down the four flights of stairs and out to Leonard's car. Sheldon offered Penny the front seat, which she declined, knowing how much he liked sitting in it. Plus, he had given up the front seat when they had gotten back from Europe.
Penny didn't even pay attention on the ride to the theatre, instead she went over her lines some more. Thankfully, the boys were engrossed in a talk about some Star Trek movie or whatever. When the theatre came into view, her heart beat faster. In only a few short hours, it would be lit up and people would be coming to see her.
"Oh, God," she whispered.
However, Sheldon's Vulcan hearing heard and he turned in his seat. "You'll be fine, Penny. Hookum or night, I believe in you."
"Thanks, sweetie." She placed a hand on his shoulder.
Climbing out of the car, she gave Leonard a quick kiss on the cheek and then went to Sheldon to get a proper kiss, which he happily gave. "I'll see you all in a bit. If I can, I'll try to find you before the show. If not, I'll be looking for when I'm on the stage."
"I cannot wait to see you up there, Penny."
"Yeah, break a leg!" Leonard called from inside the car.
"Thank you!" Penny stepped on the curb and waved as they drove off. Taking a deep breath, she walked inside the theatre.
"Ten minutes to curtain call!" Was echoed throughout backstage and Penny jumped from her reverie. Moments before, she had snuck up to the stage to sneak through the curtains. She spotted the guys, Meemaw, Mrs. Cooper and Sheldon sitting in the middle of the audience. Sheldon had been sitting between his mother and grandmother. When he saw her, he gave her a shy wave, which drew the attention of Meemaw, who positively beamed when she saw Penny.
Penny smiled widely back and ducked behind the curtain. That had to be a good sign, right? No longer was her stomach in so many knots and she took a deep breath.
Now, ten minutes later, Penny was ready to perform and this was going to be her best performance, yet!
Two Hours Later
"Carlton, wait! Please, wait!" A distraught looking Penny- Jenny- was pushing past people on a set made to look like the busy sidewalks of New York.
A young man, tall and slim dressed in a pair of khaki pants and a blue shirt stopped. He looked weary as he looked at the woman who stopped in front of him. "What do you want, Jenny?" His voice sounded tired and sad. "You made your choice."
"I know I did!" Jenny was on the verge of tears. "But I need help. Serious help."
"Where have I heard that before?" Carlton moved to walk away, but Jenny grabbed his arm. Desperation written all over her face.
"Please," she begged. "I'm serious this time. Take me there, now. I won't go another day without it."
For a moment, Carlton looked down at the woman in disbelief, wondering if what she was saying was true. "Are you sure this time?"
"Yes."
"Then, come on."
Carlton grabbed Jenny's hand. They walked down the 'sidewalk' a ways before opening a door and walking through. The set changed to one that almost looked like a doctor's office. Another woman was sitting behind a desk and when she saw the pair, she smiled. "May I help you?"
Carlton stepped forward. "Yes, I wou-"
Jenny stepped in front of him. "I would like to check myself into rehabilitation. My addiction has cost me the man I love and I need to quit."
Carlton stepped beside her and grabbed her hand. "It almost cost you the man you loved." Jenny looked up at him and smiled through her tears.
The curtain fell and there was a rush to change scenes. A man walked in front of the audience and held up a sign that said 'Six Months Later.' The curtain opened, revealing a stage where Jenny was playing a role in a Broadway play. Not a large role. But it was a role.
As she bowed to her fake audience, she ran off 'stage' and into Carlton's arms, who then got down on one knee and opened a black box. "Jenny Hixon, you have overcome so much these past six months and I have found myself falling even more in love with you by the day. Will you be my wife?"
"Yes!" She cried and threw herself into his arms once more.
This time when the curtain fell, it was to signal the end of the play. Everyone in the audience stood to their feet to clap and cheer for the performance. All the actors and actresses walked out on the stage, hands clasped as they bowed to their audience. The whistles and screams didn't stop until several minutes after they left the stage.
"You were amazing, Penny!" Leonard exclaimed when she came out to meet the group. Behind him, Raj nodded his head frantically in agreement. With Meemaw and Mrs. Cooper in attendance, he couldn't speak.
"Oh, honey!" A small, white haired lady threw her arms around Penny, shocking her. "Your performance tonight brought me to tears. Several times."
"Thank you." Penny beamed.
Sheldon stepped forward, smiling. "Penny, this is Meemaw and Meemaw this is Penny, my girlfriend."
Meemaw grabbed Penny in another hug. "I am so glad to finally meet you, child. Moonpie has said told me so many good things about you." She pulled away from Penny and looked up. "You are going to be an amazing actress someday. I just know it."
"And when she knows something, honey, it usually happens," Mrs. Cooper stepped forward to give him a hug. "When Shelly was a baby, my mother told me he was going to be a rocket scientist."
"Physicist," both Meemaw and Sheldon said at the same time.
Mary rolled her eyes. "Whatever. What I'm telling you, Penny, is that you better listen to Meemaw. Sometimes, I really do think she can tell the future." Penny looked at the smaller woman at Sheldon's side and smiled when she winked.
An hour later, the three Coopers and Penny sat around a table at a nice restaurant close to the apartment. Leonard had dropped them off and promised to get them when Sheldon texted him.
Penny didn't know if it was because opening night had gone so well, but she no longer felt nervous in front of Mrs. Cooper and Meemaw. In fact, she talked to easily with the later that it almost felt as if Meemaw was her grandmother.
When it was time to leave and Penny smashed herself in the backseat with Sheldon and Mrs. Cooper, tears sprang to her eyes at how perfect the night had been. Everything was made even better when Sheldon leaned close and whispered in her ear.
"I didn't get the chance to tell you, Penny, but you were spectacular on stage and I'm so proud of you."
Penny nearly burst into tears right then.
"Sheldon!" The next morning, Penny burst into 4A without knocking and saw her boyfriend sitting, still in his pajamas, eating cereal. He looked up in alarm at her sudden presence.
"I'm sorry for disrupting your Saturday morning ritual, but I need you to do something for me."
Instead of protesting, Sheldon turned off the TV, placed his now empty bowl on the table in front of him and gave Penny his full attention. "What is it, Penny?"
She shoved a newspaper in her eyes and screwed her eyes shut. "Read me the reviews for my play. Please! I didn't want to do it alone and then, I didn't want to read them, so I came here."
"Of course I'll read them for you." Sheldon took the paper from her hands. She took the seat next to him and nearly plastered herself to his side. He didn't seem to mind and she stayed put.
"Start with this one." Penny pointed to the largest paragraph. She knew it had to be full of good things...or bad ones.
"All right." Sheldon cleared his throat. "'One has certain expectations of a performance while sitting in a little known theatre watching an original piece by an almost unknown writer. However, those expectations were blown out of the water within the first scenes. The performances by the actors were what made this play, while the writing and sets helped quite a bit. The two leads, Penny Dixon as Jenny Hixon (Coincidence or was this part made for this young woman?) and Timothy Lassiter as Carlton shined. The chemistry was sizzling between the two and Penny endured you to the plight of young Jenny, who just wants a chance on Broadway and a man to love her for herself. The ending could have very well gone down a dark and depressing path, but the writers give both these characters a happy ending. Letting those that watched able to leave the theatre happy and hopeful. If you have nothing to do, even if you do have something to do, go and see this play. You will not be disappointed. I surely wasn't.'"
"Oh my God!" Penny launched herself from the couch with tears in her eyes. "That was said about me! I can't believe it, Sheldon, and it's by a well-known critic, too!" Things seemed to finally be looking up for her.
Sheldon quickly scanned the other reviews on the page and they were just as glowing in their praise. He held out the paper to her. "I think it's safe to read the rest, Penny." She took the paper with shaky hands and burst into tears when she finished reading the reviews.
Sheldon stood and pulled her into a hug. "You were amazing, Penny. You deserved those reviews."
"That means a lot, Sheldon." Her voice was slightly muffled in his chest. "Especially coming from you."
That was the scene Meemaw and Mrs. Cooper walked in on. They had been staying at a hotel and hailed a cab to Sheldon's apartment. They saw Penny's tears and immediately surrounded her, asking what was wrong. When Penny showed them the reviews, they all squealed like little girls.
"We have to go out and celebrate, dear," Meemaw said and grabbed Penny's hand to start pulling her towards the door. "Just think, my future granddaughter-in-law is going to be a famous actress!" They disappeared into the hallway.
Mrs. Cooper looked at her son and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Do I need to remind you of another thing Meemaw is never wrong about?"
Sheldon, who was in a slight daze, answered, "No."
It has come to my attention that I forgot about Dr. Mueller *gasp*. I was to focused on Meemaw and the play. Next chapter, I will clear some things up! :)
Thanks for reading!