When Leonard and Beverly pulled out of the hug, Leonard could see just how hard his mother had been crying. Penny had watched the entire exchange from the hallway but went back to her bedroom. Beverly sat in Sheldon's spot and Leonard sat in the chair. He could tell that for once his mother didn't know what to say.

"So, now what?" Leonard began. "Are we going to keep things as they are? Are we going to try to improve our relationship? Or are we just going to part ways?"

"Please don't kick me out," Beverly's voice was soft. "I would like to improve our relationship."

Leonard smiled, "good because I would too."

"I am actually moving out here. Don't worry I won't bother you all the time. I met someone and he invited me to come out here to live with him."

"That's great, but what about your job?"

"I retired," Leonard was stunned. He never thought his mother would retire.

Beverly hadn't been around much for the first nine months she lived in California. Leonard thought that his mother had turned over a new leaf and now felt greatly disappointed. He still made a point to keep her updated about Penny's pregnancy and the baby. Beverly always appeared happy when talking about the baby, but she didn't attend the baby shower. Leonard felt that Beverly was choosing her new boyfriend, Andrew, over her family. She was, but not for the reason he thought.

The whole gang was in the waiting room while Penny was in labor. Mary Cooper was even there because she had been visiting her son and daughter-in-law. Beverly and Andrew walked in and sat far away from everyone else.

"Why do you think they are sitting all the way over there?" Sheldon asked.

"Probably thinks she's still better than us," Mary responded.

After four hours, Andrew was done waiting, "come on let's go."

"Andrew, Penny hasn't had the baby yet. I'd like to be here and see..."

Andrew got in Beverly's face, "did that sound like a question? Now I'm going to go to the car and you better be there in five minutes."

After Andrew left, Beverly collected her things and started for the door.

"Beverly," the woman turned and found Mary Cooper had followed her, "where are you going?"

"Andrew has to be up early tomorrow, so..." Beverly looked out the door.

"Your grandchild is being born. I can take you home, so you can meet the little one," Mary offered.

"I appreciate it, but I really have to go."

Mary walked closer and noticed something, "is that?" Mary wiped away some of Beverly's concealer, "it is, it's a black eye. He hit you didn't he?"

"Mary please don't make me do this now," Mary had never heard the woman sound desperate.

"You don't have to go with him."

"Yes I do, trust me."

"Listen, you call me and I'll come to get you. Remember I'm a Texan so I'm always packin'."

Beverly turned and rushed out the door.

Mary walked back into the waiting room just as Leonard came out.

"It's a girl!" Leonard was so excited. Everyone was hugging Leonard, but he realized someone was missing. "Where's my mom?"

"She had to leave Leonard she wasn't feeling well and didn't want to risk getting the baby sick," Mary covered for Beverly.

"Oh, well I'll call her tomorrow. Come on let's go see my daughter," Leonard could not contain his joy.

Beverly never answered the next day or any other day after that. Leonard gave up after a week and was back to being angry at his mother. Three months went by and he had not seen or heard from the woman. One night he and Penny were watching television after the baby went to sleep when Leonard's phone rang.

"Hello," he answered the unknown number.

"Hello, is this Leonard Hofstadter?" a young woman asked.

"Yes, may I ask who is calling?"

"I'm a nurse at Cedar's and I have you listed as the next of kin for a Beverly Hofstadter."

"She's my mother," Penny muted the TV and turned to her husband. "What's wrong?"

"Your mother was admitted after a domestic assault..."

"I'll be right there," Leonard hung up his phone, "my mom's in the hospital for a domestic assault."

"Go, I got the baby," Penny kissed her husband and he ran off.

Leonard arrived at the hospital and went to the nurse's station, "I'm Leonard Hofstadter my mother Beverly was brought in." The nurse took Leonard to his mother's room and told him she would page the doctor for him. Leonard walked in and found his mother lying in bed.

"Leonard? What are you doing here?" Beverly's voice was raspy.

"The hospital called, you told them I was your next of kin."

"Sorry, I have a concussion so I'm having trouble."

Leonard walked closer to his mother and sat in a chair by the bed. He saw bruises up and down his mother's arms. Some were older than others. She had a black eye and bruising on her neck. "Andrew did this?"

"Yes," Beverly's voice was soft.

"Is this why you haven't been around since you moved here and why you left when Penny was giving birth? He made you?"

"If I didn't do what he said, he told me he'd hurt you two."

The doctor walked in and explained that Beverly had several broken ribs and a bruised hip. He was okay releasing her to Leonard. Leonard pulled his car to the hospital doors while a nurse waited with Beverly, and helped her into the car.

At the apartment building, Leonard helped his mother from the car. She would hiss or yelp in pain the entire time. Leonard matched his mother's pace which wasn't very fast. He opened the door to the building and guided her to the elevator. Leonard had been glad when Penny was pregnant that the elevator was fixed and he was even more relieved now. Leonard had called Penny when he went to get the car at the hospital to explain everything, and his wife offered to go all Nebraska on Andrew. As they were on the elevator Leonard turned to his mother who was leaning against the elevator wall and Leonard's side, "do you want to rest on the couch for a bit or go straight to bed?"

"Couch, I need to sit badly," Leonard could tell his mother was miserable and he felt awful for her. Leonard helped his mother out of the elevator, to and through the apartment door, and helped settle her on the couch. Leonard sat on the coffee table in front of his mother after handing her a glass of water.

"Do you need anything else right now?"

"No, thank you, dear."

Penny walked out of the hall, "hey Beverly. How are you holding up?"

"I don't really know," Beverly shocked Penny with that response.

"Did we wake you?" Leonard asked his wife who took a seat on the couch.

"No, I couldn't sleep. Besides feeding time is soon anyway." As if right on cue a cry filled the apartment, "it's like she heard me sit down to relax." Penny got up and went to get her daughter.

"She?" Beverly looked at her son. She had never heard anything about the baby. Leonard found out that Andrew had broken Beverly's phone.

"Yeah, Penny gave birth to a girl," Leonard told his mother as Penny came out with the baby and reclaimed her seat. "Mom this little beauty is Leonore Penelope Hofstadter." Beverly saw the pride in Leonard's smile while he looked at the baby. Penny didn't have to feed the baby during the night as much anymore, and hoped soon she wouldn't have to at all.

Beverly was a bit sad because she couldn't hold her granddaughter or even reach out to her. "She's beautiful. Leonard do you know what my middle name is?"

"No, I don't think I even knew you had one."

"Leonore, you were named after me."

"I named her after Leonard," Penny said. "That's pretty cool that we picked the name and didn't even know."

"Leonard, could you help me to bed please?" Beverly almost sounded embarrassed to ask.

"Of course," Leonard helped his mother up and Penny heard how much pain the woman was in. It broke Penny's heart to hear and see just how injured Beverly was. Once in the spare room Beverly just kind of stood there not knowing what to do. "I asked Bernadette to meet the police at your place to get you some things. I figured if anyone could handle themselves it would be her. Would you be more comfortable if Penny helped you change?"

"I don't know, maybe," Leonard and a nurse helped Beverly back into her clothes at the hospital and he saw how battered his mother was. Leonard went to get his wife and take their daughter to bed.

Penny went to help her mother-in-law change and became more pissed when she saw what the scumbag had done to her.