Chapter 39
It was William's birthday party as Penny, Bernadette and Amy were busy making preparations with the food and drinks while Leonard, Sheldon and Howard were busy with the decorations with Raj supervising all of them.
"Amy you have to keep stirring so the sauce won't clump up." Raj said. "And Bernadette, make sure to stir the pasta so it won't stick to one another." he added.
"Raj would you just relax? We got this!" said Penny while Raj continued in checking each and every dish to be served at the party.
Penny's parents arrived a day before the party to help with the preparations and to look after William.
"Ugh we miss you so much baby!" Susan said while carrying and kissing his grandson. William just looked at his grandmother and resisted, somewhat unfamiliar with the woman carrying him. After a few minutes of consoling her grandson, William finally took to his grandmother and began bonding with her. "Penny what have you been feeding this young man? He's so big and heavy." Susan added as she rocked the baby in her arms.
"Well he's still breastfeeding and he's already taken to some soft fruits and baby food." said Penny.
"Well, just make sure you cut the fruits into small pieces. You don't want him to choke." said Susan as she rocked William in her arms, the baby laughing and happily pulling on his grandmother's hair.
"Don't worry mom, I got it." said Penny.
Wyatt took his turn in carrying his grandson. William cried as he was unfamiliar with the old man carrying him. Leonard went to calm down his son while letting Wyatt play with the baby. After a few minutes, Wyatt was able to carry William and play with him.
"Hey young slugger! Look at you…you're as handsome as your grandfather huh!?" Wyatt said as William giggled and laughed while touching his grandfather's cheek and nose. Penny and Susan smiled seeing the baby interact with Wyatt as the whole gang continued with the preparations for the party that afternoon.
It was lunch time when Beverly arrived at the Hofstadter household with Leonard and Penny welcoming her inside their home. The whole gang and Penny's parents greeted her as Beverly settled in the living room to rest from her travels.
"Is your ex-husband going to come for William's birthday party?" Susan asked Beverly.
"I don't know and frankly I don't care if where that bastard is." said Beverly making the gang and Penny's parents a little wary.
"Oh? That's too bad. I'm sure he would have wanted to be at his grandson's first birthday party." said Susan.
"Don't be sorry. The party would be better off without that cheating lump of wrinkled skin." Beverly said.
Leonard decided to chime in. "Uh, what my mom wanted to say was my dad is overseas right now and cannot make it in time to attend William's birthday party." said Leonard as he took William from Susan, giving him for Beverly to hold. "Here mom, why don't you play with your grandson." he said as he handed his son over to his mother.
Beverly awkwardly took the baby and stood him on his lap while William just stared at her grandmother. "It's been a long time since I held a child." she said smiling while William just looked blankly at her.
"Talk to him. He really likes listening to people talking." said Leonard. "Especially if you teach him something." he added.
Beverly nodded. "Hey William." she said as William smiled and tried to grab her glasses. "I hope you turn out smarter than your father." she said as William laughed and leaned onto his grandmother.
"See that mom, your grandson likes you already!" said Leonard, smiling as he saw how his son took to his grandmother.
Beverly continued to play with her grandson until Penny had to feed him and put him on his crib for a nap before the party starts.
A few hours later, the guests started to arrive for the party. Penny made sure she invited some of her co-stars and their children as well as some of the kids in their neighborhood.
Leonard helped Penny in their bedroom in getting William dressed for his party.
"We really did a good job honey." said Leonard as he held his son while Penny puts on William's clothes.
"I know right? I mean look at him, he's one handsome kid isn't he?" she said then turning to her son. "Right sweetie! You are one good looking kid huh, like your mommy!" Penny said as she tickled William. The baby exploded with laughter and tried to jump out of Leonard's hands.
"And if this young man turns out to be as smart as me, I'm sure a lot of girls are gonna chase after him. Just like his daddy!" he said to his son, making the baby laugh even harder.
"Well, as long as he doesn't turn out to be a jackass like his daddy, I'm fine with it." Penny said teasing her husband.
"But you have to admit, you can't keep your hands off this jackass can you?" he said.
"Stop flattering yourself Leonard. You're not that charming you know." Penny said teasing her husband.
"I'm just telling the truth. That's why we have this little guy here, right?" he said.
Penny took the baby from him and walked towards the door. She turned and looked at Leonard. "Play you cards right and maybe you'll get some tonight!" she said winking at him.
"Oh I know I will!" he said smiling at her.
Penny stared at him. "Strike one Hofstadter." she said teasing him.
Leonard followed her close as they walk down the stairs. "Aw come on Penny!?" he said.
Penny leaned over and kissed him on the lips. "We'll find out later." she said as William grabbed Leonard's glasses. Leonard took his glasses from William's hands followed his wife to join his son's birthday celebration downstairs.
William's birthday celebration proceeded without delay as Raj made sure there were enough food and drinks for the guests. Penny hired an entertainer that performs and does magic tricks to keep the kids occupied and amused. The entertainer organized some games and simple magic tricks to the delight of the children in the backyard. Some of the guests were amused at how a world-class scientist like Sheldon was baffled and confused by simple magic tricks. Amy had to calm him down in trying to figure out how the tricks were done while some of the kids were laughing and making fun of him.
Inside the house, Leonard and Penny alternated in carrying William and making the rounds to welcome the guests, making sure they felt at home and letting them meet the baby. Penny's parents and Beverly also helped the couple in carrying William so that they could rest a little since William is becoming bigger each day.
Leonard brought out the birthday cake as Penny held William to blow on the candles. Raj invited the whole crowd in singing Happy Birthday to William as Penny rocked him in her arms. William was laughing and giggling seeing his father carry the birthday cake. The song finished as Penny leaned William over to blow on the candles.
"Okay sweetie, on the count of three." Penny said as the crowd counted down from three.
"One! Two! Three!" the crowd chanted as Penny and Leonard blew the candle while Bernadette and Amy took the pictures and videos. William quickly leaned forward and was able to grab the icing on the cake, bringing his hand immediately to his mouth to taste the sweet frosting. Penny quickly took the baby away from the cake before he could ruin it. The crowd laughed as the baby happily ate and licked his hands while Susan took a table napkin to clean up her grandson's hands. Leonard then started to cut the cake for everyone to have a slice.
The party drew to a close as the guests left one by one and some of the kids were picked up by their parents. Beverly also decided to go back to her hotel room to rest. One of Leonard's colleagues from the university offered to drop her off at her hotel. The gang then started to clean up as Bernadette volunteered to carry William and keep him distracted.
"Hey William! Did you like your birthday party?" Bernadette said to the baby. William looked at her and laughed as he tried to take her glasses from her eyes. "Cut it out baby! Aunt Bernie needs her glasses!" Bernadette said as the baby kept on laughing and giggling.
"Wow Bernadette! You're really great with children huh?" Amy said.
"Well my mom used to run an illegal day care center when I was young and I sometimes helped out in looking after the children." Bernadette said making the others both confused and somewhat amused.
"Yeah, imagine if the baby is their own." Leonard said looking at Howard.
"Leonard has a point Bernie. When are you and Howard planning to give my son someone to play with?" Penny asked.
"Why does everybody want to know when I'm planning to get pregnant?" Bernadette asked as William rested his face on her shoulder, mumbling and making baby sounds.
"Because you and Howard have been married for three years now. Isn't it time already?" Penny said.
"We'll have a baby when we're ready." Bernadette said. "Isn't it right huh William?" she said as the baby hugged her face, kissing her.
"Wow! William really likes you huh?" said Leonard.
"Because he knows I'm a sweetheart! Isn't that right huh?" she said kissing the baby. William continued to laugh and giggle while being carried around the living room by Bernadette. William touched Bernadette's face with both hands and without warning spoke his first words.
"Mama!" said the baby while looking at Bernadette. Everyone in the living room froze as they heard the baby's first words. Penny and Leonard gasped and couldn't believe what they were hearing. "Mama!" said the baby again.
"Oh no! No! No! William. I'm not your mommy. Your mommy is the other blonde woman over there always pushing me to get pregnant." said Bernadette as she turned and pointed to Penny. William looked at Penny and immediately hugged Bernadette as if to hide from someone scary. "Mama!" the baby said again.
Leonard immediately went to his wife to calm her down as Penny covered her face with her hands and began to cry. She pushed her face onto Leonard's shoulder while still crying.
"Why did he have to call Bernie his mother!?" she said, sobbing on Leonard's shoulder.
"Honey, calm down. He won't even remember this when he grows up." said Leonard.
"He won't remember it, but I will!" she said as Leonard rubbed his wife's back.
Bernadette then brought their son over for Penny to hold. William then giggled and jumped when he saw his mother taking him from Bernadette. Penny wiped her tears as she carried William in her arms.
"Mama!" he said to Penny as the rest of the gang and Penny's parents felt relieved into hearing the baby's first words to his mother.
"Sweetie! I'm your mother! That's your aunt Bernie!" she said to her son.
William laughed again. "Mama!" he said.
"I feed you and change your diaper and you call another woman your mommy!?" she said to her son. The baby then hugged Penny's face while saying 'mama' a few times. Leonard leaned over and kissed Penny and their son. He then took the baby into his arms. William laughed as Leonard raised him up in the air.
"Don't give your mother a hard time okay!?" he said to the baby as he raised him up in the air as William continued to laugh.
"Dada!" the baby suddenly uttered. Penny gasped, covering her mouth with her hands while Leonard laughed and hugged his son upon hearing his son utter his second word. "Dada! Dada! Dada!" William said again.
"Ugh! I love you baby!" Leonard said while hugging his son then turning to Penny. "Honey did you hear that? His second word!" William grabbed his glasses and touched his father's nose and face.
"Dada!" said the baby again.
"Why do you have to make everything difficult huh?" Penny said to her son as she took him from Leonard.
"Mama!" William said as he touched Penny's face.
"That's right baby, you better know who I am or you'll end up like your jackass father." Penny said to her son as the gang and Penny's parents laughed and smiled at the young family's tender moment.
The young family and the gang then settled in the living room, making small talk while some of them having some wine and beers. William was seated on Penny's lap while Bernadette sat beside her playing with the baby. Bernadette suddenly felt something funny and quickly stood up, running towards the bathroom. Howard became worried and immediately followed his wife. He knocked on the bathroom door and heard Bernadette getting sick and throwing up on the toilet.
"Bernie are you okay?" asked Howard as he opened the bathroom door, looking inside the bathroom. He saw Bernadette hunched on the toilet throwing up. He quickly went in and grabbed a length of tissue paper, giving it to his wife. "Bernie, what happened?" he asked.
"I don't know Howie. I just felt sick all of a sudden." she said wiping her mouth with the tissue. "Maybe I'm just tired." she said.
"Well, you look kinda pale and flushed." he said.
Bernadette sat up and touched Howard's face. "I'm alright now Howie. Can you give me a minute more in here? I'm just gonna use the toilet. I'll be right out after." she said as Howard went out the door with Bernadette locking it. Bernadette stood up and faced the mirror, looking at herself, noticing that she was kinda pale. She opened the mirror to look for something to take when she saw an unopened pregnancy test on one of the shelves. She then realized that her monthly period was already a few days late. She gasped with fear in thinking that these were Penny's symptoms when she was pregnant with William. She then decided to open the pregnancy test and find out if she really was expecting. After almost ten minutes of waiting, Bernadette cried when she saw the two lines on the pregnancy stick. She decided to splash some water on her face and compose herself before going out of the bathroom.
Bernadette returned to the living room where the rest of the gang and Penny's parents were waiting. Howard saw her with an angry expression on her face. "Bernie are you alright?" Howard asked as she walked towards him and without any warning, punching him on the face…BAM! making Howard tumble down on the floor. William was startled with the noise, seeing Howard fall on the floor. The baby exploded with laughter and jumped while Penny held tightly on her son as the rest of them were surprised.
"What was that for!?" Howard asked and he touched his jaw and spit out a tooth from his mouth. "Bernie you broke my tooth!" he added.
Bernadette just glared at her husband and folded her arms. "I'm pregnant you idiot!" she yelled at Howard.
The rest of the gang was speechless as Howard stood up, not knowing how to to react.
"Oh my god that is amazing Bernie!" Penny exclaimed, standing up while handing William over to Leonard.
Bernadette sat on the chair and started to cry as Amy and Penny went to her side trying to console her.
"Bernie, that is amazing! Oh my god I'm gonna be a father!" Howard exclaimed.
"I'm gonna kill you!" Bernadette yelled at Howard while Penny and Amy tried to calm her down. "I'm gonna get fat!" she said crying.
"You're in trouble now Howard!" Leonard said while rocking his son in his arms.
"Bernie calm down. This is a blessing." said Penny.
"She's right. It won't be good for you to be stressed and sad." Amy added.
It took a while for Bernadette to calm down as the gang congratulated the couple on the happy news.
"Well I guess the celebration is not yet over huh?" Wyatt chimed in.
"Yeah. Congratulations dude!" Raj added, tapping Howard's shoulder.
Howard went to his wife and hugged her. Bernadette hugged him back as the gang began to settle down in the living room.
"Welcome to the club Bernie!" Penny smiled at her.
"Yeah. You better keep your distance from your wife Howard." Leonard said teasing him.
The gang continued to hang out in the living room, excited to meet the new addition to their group and looking forward as to what the future holds for each and every one of them.
Author's note: This would be the last chapter of this story. A sort of 'Book One'. I really enjoyed writing this story and has a lot more in store for you guys, so please stay tuned and check out my other stories. I'm currently working on a 'Book Two' for this story line set into the distant future. Thank you for reading my stories and I hope you enjoyed reading them as much as I enjoyed writing them.
I'd like to say a special 'thank you' to the people who reviewed and gave their feedback to my stories. Thank you to bamadude, SRAM, Warriorcreed, Harakan, Richard76310 and Luminous77 to name a few. Your comments and positive feedback to every chapter made me work hard to re-write and revise them in the hopes of making the story more interesting and entertaining.
