Chapter 10
"Do you want me to come with you to the mall to help you find a new suit?" Penny asked William as they ate dinner in the kitchen.
"I got it mom. I'm already eighteen, I think I can buy my own clothes now." William.
"Come on sweetheart! Why don't we all go to the mall?" she said. "It's not everyday that my son will graduate Summa Cum Laude from college right?" she added.
William sighed and looked at his father. "Dad?" he said, asking for help from Leonard.
"Can't you give this one to your mother?" Leonard said, earning a smile from his wife.
"Fine." William said making Penny excited.
"Thank you sweetie! It's just gonna be for one day. I promise." she said.
"Well look at that, your mommy is gonna bring you to the mall to buy you clothes!" Sarah mocking her brother.
"Shut up!" William snapped back.
Sarah smiled at her brother then turned to Penny. "Mom, can I bring Jason with me?" she asked.
"Sure honey! That way, your father and I can keep an eye on you!" Penny said smiling at Sarah.
"No way! We're just gonna go see that new Avengers movie." Sarah said protesting to her mother.
"Why don't we all go and see the movie!?" Leonard excitedly said, smiling at Sarah and Penny.
Penny smiled. "That's a great idea honey! We haven't done that in ages!" she said. "You really are the best husband ever!" she added, kissing Leonard on the cheek to the disgust of William and Sarah.
"Ugh, you guys are gross!" Sarah said.
"Amen to that!" William chimed in, giving his sister a high five.
"Ignore them honey, they're just steamed because our family is going to the mall to have some quality time together." Penny said.
"Amen to that!" Leonard said giving Penny a high five, trumping their kids.
"Can I go to my room now?" asked Sarah.
"Sure honey." Leonard said as Sarah quickly stood up and ran upstairs to her room.
"I'm going too." William said, following his sister.
Penny laughed and smiled at Leonard. "Good job honey!" she kissing him on the lips.
"They may be smart and sassy, but we're not born yesterday!" he said, feeling good about his and Penny's 'triumph' over their kids.
Penny kissed him again. "My husband is so amazing." she said. "Make sure you have enough inhalers because you're gonna get some tonight." she whispered, making him shudder with excitement.
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"That was fun right!?" Penny said as she rested on Leonard's chest.
"Yeah." he said as he stroked Penny's hair.
"Do you think the kids heard us?" asked Penny.
"I don't think so." he said. "Why do you think I chose to buy this house when we came back from the Bahamas?" he asked.
"Penny looked up to him, puzzled by what he said. "What are you trying to say honey?" asked Penny.
Leonard laughed a bit and kissed her on the cheek. "I chose this house because the upstairs bathroom is between our bedroom and William's. it's a natural sound barrier for when we get busy in here." he said smiling at her.
Penny moved up and kissed his lips. "You really are a genius. Now what do you say we test out your hypothesis about acoustics and sound barriers huh?" she said teasing him.
Leonard quickly moved on top of his wife and pinned her down on the bed, kissing her neck. "You really know how to get me going with your 'nerd talk' huh?" he said not letting Penny go.
"Shut up and kiss me you asthmatic nerd!" she said, wrapping her arms around him as Leonard pulled the covers, making love to his wife under it.
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The next day, William was driving the car with Sarah in the passenger seat while the couple sat on the backseat as they drove down the road going to the mall. Sarah took a sip from her water bottle and put it on the door bottle holder when she saw something on the bottom.
"Hey, what do we have here?" she said as she picked it up for everyone to see. "Whose lipstick is this huh!?" she asked teasing her brother. Penny quickly jumped off her seat and grabbed the lipstick to check it out.
"Whose lipstick is this sweetie?" asked Penny, smiling at Sarah and Leonard.
William didn't give them the satisfaction and just continued driving the car. "Just leave it alone." he said.
"Oh come on sweetie, you're graduating from college and you still haven't introduced this girl that you're dating to us!" Penny said as she took the lipstick to examine it. "This is a nice lipstick huh?" she said.
"Mom please?" William said.
"No, no, no! I'm not gonna let it go this time!" she said then turned to Leonard. "Are you gonna back me up or what!?" she asked her husband.
"Why didn't you want to introduce this girl to us? We're not gonna judge her or something?" asked Leonard. "We just want to meet her." he added.
William sighed as he turned the vehicle, going into the mall's parking lot. "Because it doesn't matter if you meet her or not." William said.
"Why not?" asked Penny, sensing how serious her son was.
"Because, I'm going to break up with her." he said, surprising the three.
Penny almost yelled. "What!?" she said. "We haven't even met her and now you're going to break up with her?" she asked.
"Did she cheat on you?" Sarah asked.
"No!" William said.
"Then why are you breaking up with her?" asked Leonard.
William took a deep breath as he parked the car. "I was gonna tell you guys at dinner tonight but I guess there is no point dragging this out anymore." he said as he turned to face his parents. "I'm going to move to New Jersey." he said, surprising his parents.
"What are you gonna do in New Jersey?" Penny asked trying hard not to freak out.
"Princeton University offered to give me a research position over there and I accepted." he said. Leonard smiled and gave his son a tap on the shoulder while Penny wiped the tears off her cheeks.
"And you thought you would just decide for yourself without even telling me or your father about this?" Penny said, becoming emotional at the thought of her son being far away from them.
"I'm sorry mom, but this is a big deal for my career." he said as Sarah sat quietly, looking at her brother. "Please don't be mad?" he added.
"He's right honey. He hasn't even graduated yet and he's already receiving research offers. This is important." Leonard said.
Penny glared at her husband. "How could you encourage him? He's only eighteen!" she said to Leonard.
"Exactly. He's eighteen now and can decide on his own." he explained.
"How can you leave me!? I'm your mother!" Penny said, crying as Leonard tried to calm her down.
"Mom please!" William said.
"Honey, please don't cry." Leonard said, hugging his wife.
"Why aren't you sad about this? Your son is gonna leave us!" Penny asked.
"What do you want him to do, stay with us until he's thirty?" asked Leonard.
"Yes!" Penny said as she continued to cry on her husband's shoulder.
"Come on honey, what's the use of the kids being geniuses if they can't advance on their careers?" he said to Penny.
"Don't you talk your way out of this mister! They're my children! I carried them, I gave life to them, I raised them and they would stay with me!" she said as William took a deep breath, not knowing what to say next.
"So does this mean that we're not allowed to get married until we're thirty?" asked Sarah making Penny more emotional.
Leonard glared at his daughter. "Is that really a good question to ask now!?" he yelled at his daughter as he tried to console his wife. "Honey please calm down. It's gonna be alright." he said to Penny.
"That's easy for you to say. You didn't get sick, you didn't get fat and bloated, you didn't wreck your body just to bring them into this world and now they're gonna leave me!" she said, crying on Leonard's shoulder.
Leonard looked at William. "I think we better go home. Let's get you some new clothes when your mother is calm and not emotional." he said making Sarah frown at her ruined 'date' with her boyfriend.
Penny sat up and wiped her tears. "No! I can do this. My son is graduating and he needs to look smart and sharp when he takes the stage." she said as she cleared her nose with a tissue.
Leonard put his hand on her shoulder. "Are you sure honey?" he asked.
Penny nodded. "Yes I'm sure." she said. Sarah lightly pumped her fist and said 'yes', glad that she would be spending time with Jason at the mall.
The family were entering the mall when Sarah saw Jason waiting for her by one of the entrance doors. Sarah immediately became excited and waved at Jason who waved back at her.
Sarah turned to her parents. "Mom, dad, can I go now? Please?" she asked.
"Fine, you're not my only child who wants to leave me." Penny said making Sarah frown.
Leonard looked at his wife. "Honey!?" he then turned to Sarah. "You can go honey. Just don't go too far alright?" he making Sarah excited.
"Thank you dad!" Sarah said, kissing Leonard and Penny's cheeks before running away towards her boyfriend.
"Just keep your phone open!" Leonard yelled as Sarah held Jason's hand and waved goodbye at them with the young man doing the same.
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Inside the department store, Penny was busy mixing and matching William's suit and tie, telling the sales lady to bring out other designs and colors.
"Mom, are you alright?" asked William.
"I'm fine sweetie." Penny said.
"Mom I have to do this. Aren't you a little proud that I'm going to dad's old school to get my doctorate?" William said.
Penny sighed. "I am. It's just that New Jersey is on the other side of the country. What if you get sick or get food poisoning or something?" she said making Leonard smile.
"Honey, I think he's old enough to take care of himself." Leonard said.
Penny glared at him. "Why aren't you on my side?" she asked folding her arms.
"Because I can never understand your side!" he said. "Our son is already a man and can make decisions for himself." he added. Penny sat down and covered her face with her hands. Leonard sat beside her, putting his arm around Penny to console her. "Honey, our kids are geniuses, this is gonna happen one way or another so you have to get used to it especially now that Sarah is gonna graduate from high school soon." he said, hugging his wife. The sales lady came back carrying a few items and was surprised to see Penny getting emotional.
"Uh, is your mom gonna be alright?" she asked William.
"Yeah. I'm graduating Summa Cum Laude from college and have this job offer from Princeton University." he casually said making Leonard laugh a little.
The sales lady gasped and smiled. "Oh my god congratulations! You must be one of those young geniuses huh?" she asked.
Penny wiped her tears and stood up to check on the items the sales lady brought. "Yes, my son and daughter are both geniuses, unlike their mother who's just a former waitress and community college dropout." she said sarcastically.
"Mom please can you stop it!?" William said. "I'm just moving to New Jersey to get my doctorate. After that, I can move back here to California." he said.
"Honey please. This is what's best for his career." added Leonard while putting his hand on her shoulder.
"Don't touch me!" she as Leonard quickly retreated his hand. "Don't think that I don't notice you're encouraging our kids over to your 'dark side' science and physics and lasers and stuff!" she added while looking squarely at him.
Leonard laughed, touched by his wife's Star Wars reference. "Oh my god, did you just made a Star Wars reference?" he asked smiling at Penny. Penny rolled her eyes and sighed. "You are so wonderful!" he kissing her cheeks as Penny gave him a weak smile.
William turned to the sales lady. "Please excuse my parents, sometimes they forget that they're in a public place." he said making the sales lady laugh and the couple releasing each other, slightly embarrassed by their son's comment. Penny went over and looked at the items the sales lady brought, mixing and matching them to her liking and sometimes making William try them on to make sure they fit perfectly.
"Why can't I just wear my shirt and hoodie for the graduation? I mean, I'm gonna be wearing a gown over it anyways?" he said to his mother.
Penny glared at her son. "William Hofstadter, you are graduating top of your class, not going to Comic-Con!" she yelled. "I already suffered that with your father always wearing his hoodie all the time and I sure as hell won't suffer that again with my son!" she said with William not saying a word.
Leonard leaned over and spoke to his son. "I think we better shut up and let your mother have her way. We don't want to make her angry or something." Leonard said.
"I think you're right dad. I still remember when mom got pregnant with Sarah." William said. "She almost killed you with a baseball bat right?" he added.
"You remembered that? You were only four years old?" asked Leonard.
"Dad, that moment is etched in my brain forever not out of fear but also for its humorous nature." William making Leonard laugh. They stopped laughing when the noticed Penny staring angrily at them.
Sarah and Jason suddenly appeared, walking hurriedly to her parents.
"Where have you guys been? We've been looking all over for you!" Sarah said giving her parents a kiss on their cheeks.
"Hello sir. Hi Mrs. Hofstadter!" greeted Jason.
"Hi Jason." Penny said then turning to Sarah, eyeing her suspiciously. "Let me guess, you two went to the theaters but don't have enough money to buy tickets and popcorn. Am I right?" Penny asked.
Sarah hugged her mother tight. "Wow mom, you really are smarter than daddy. I'm so lucky I took after you. Right Jason?" she said with Jason smiling and nodding in agreement.
"That move is already getting stale young lady." Penny said as she rolled her eyes. "It's not gonna work on me anymore." she said.
Sarah then turned to Leonard. "Daddy?" she said.
Leonard folded his arms and looked at Sarah. "Hmm, I don't know. Maybe I'm not smart enough like your mother." he said, mocking his daughter.
Sarah hugged her father tight. "I'm just joking dad. We both know I got my big brain from you. I just said that so mom won't bite my head off." she said kissing Leonard on the cheek.
Leonard sighed and shook his head as he reached for his wallet. He took out a couple of ten-dollar bills and gave them to his daughter.
"Twenty dollars? This isn't even enough for the tickets!" she said, protesting to her father. "What do you want me to do, invest this in the stock market and wait for it to double in value after ten years?" Sarah asked making Penny, William and Jason smile.
Leonard took a deep breath. "Fine, how much more do you need?" he asked as Penny and William watched in amusement.
Sarah jumped and smiled, kissing her father again. "I don't know, maybe another twenty would do it?" Sarah said giving her father a hopeful look.
Leonard rolled his eyes and gave her another twenty dollars. "Fine, but promise me you won't spend it on those fake 'nail polish' things." he said.
Sarah kissed him again. "Yes dad. You really are the best father in the world." she said hugging him tight. Suddenly, she broke off and took Jason's hand. "Come on, we don't want to be late for the movie! Bye mom! Bye dad! I love you!" she said.
"That was amazing Sarah." Jason said as they walked away from the three.
"I told you it would work." she said making Leonard hang his head low as Penny and William smiled, shaking their heads at Sarah's sneakiness — a trait she obviously inherited from her mother.
After another hour, Penny finally settled on William's clothes, getting him a new suit, a couple of shirts and a new pair of pants and shoes to wear on his graduation. After paying for their items, they went out of the department store with Leonard and William carrying the shopping bags. Penny walked beside her son as William put his arm over his mother's shoulder, reassuring her that he's gonna be alright.
"Why can't you just take your doctorate at UCLA so you won't have to move to New Jersey?" asked Penny.
"I already gave them my word mom. And besides, wouldn't it be nice to go to dad's old university to finish my doctorate? You know, as sort of a family tradition?" he said.
"Yeah, that would be nice." Leonard said.
Penny sighed. "Fine. It's just that I'm gonna miss seeing you at home every weekend. And who's gonna bust on your sister if you're in New Jersey?" she asked smiling at her son.
"Don't worry mom, I think you two are smart enough to outwit her, right?" he said.
"Yeah, sometimes her overconfidence is her weakness." Leonard said as he gave William a fist bump. They continued going around the mall until Sarah called Penny to let her know that they were done with the movie. Leonard decided to have dinner at one of the restaurants in the mall, inviting Jason to join them before they go home and Jason picked up by his sister,
They quietly ate dinner with Sarah and Jason exchanging glances with each other, trying hard not to feel awkward with her family.
"So, did you two kissed inside the theater?" asked William making Sarah's cheeks red with anger and Jason almost choking on his food.
"Shut up William!" Sarah yelled.
"You're still embarrassed about mom and dad finding out about it?" William asked.
Sarah pounded her hand on the table. "Mom please!?" she said, asking for Penny's help.
"Well, did you?" she asked, trying to get a rise out of her. Sarah covered her face with her hands.
"Daddy please!?" she turning to her father.
"Cut it out you two." said Leonard.
Sarah and Jason sighed with relief. "Thank you daddy." she said.
"I mean, forty dollars in exchange for seeing you two get embarrassed is worth it right?" he said giving Penny and William a high five as Sarah looked at them, unable to retaliate at her family for teasing them.
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Later that night, Penny was already lying in bed when Leonard entered their bedroom, ready to join his wife to sleep. he slipped under the covers and put his arm around Penny to hug her. Penny turned and buried her face on his neck, snuggling close to his body to feel his warmth.
Leonard kissed Penny on the cheek, holding her close.
"I'm gonna miss William." she whispered.
"I'm gonna miss him too but this is what's best for him." he said.
"You're right. I'm so proud of him." said Penny.
"Me too. He's already achieved more than me when I was his age." he said.
"You're right honey. At the end of the day, it's just gonna be you and me after all." she said kissing Leonard on the lips. "Sarah's gonna graduate soon and going to college, William will move to New Jersey to get his doctorate and I have nothing more to ask." she added.
"Me too honey." he said. "We have two wonderful kids, I have the most beautiful wife in the world who can't live without me, I mean, who would have thought that an asthmatic nerd like me would be so lucky huh!?" he added.
Penny looked up to him. "Well, do you want to find out how lucky you are?" she said teasing him.
Leonard pulled her close, kissing her lips. "I always get lucky." he said as he moved on top of Penny and started to undress her while kissing her. Penny fought back and wrapped her husband in her arms, making sure to never let him go as they made love under the covers.