Chapter 41
I Want To Go Home
Three years later.
Penny rolled to a halt behind Kay's car on the drive of Howard and Bernadette's house.
She waited for a few moments in order to calm herself after her disagreement earlier with Leonard, she paused for a few minutes and tried to regain her composure ready for 'girls' night (sort of, as all were now nearing 70, they still liked to call it that) .
But after some minutes had passed without result, she sighed in frustration and wrenching open her door with more vigor than was necessary, she noisily slammed the door shut and began walking towards Bernadette's front door.
Before she reached it though it was suddenly opened by Bernadette herself, who was wondering what caused the noise outside.
"Penny?, was that you?", Bernadette began, then noticing the disturbed look on Penny's face, added,
"You're looking a little wild around the eyes, everything OK?", she inquired.
Penny entered the house, and just tersely said, "Leonard". Then once she had entered the lounge and greeted Kay, she then began to explain.
"Well, you see I thought I would be clever and just move this rock in the garden last week, which resulted in my receiving a hernia, and now the medicos want me to go in to be operated on next week.
But I told them I couldn't because, due to my age, and other ongoing conditions, they intended to keep me in for a whole couple of weeks and I had told Leonard I could not stay away that long. Then he starts panicking, and overthinking things, as he always does and insists I must go in and have the operation. He just won't listen to my reasoning at all", Penny told them, still looking distinctly unsettled.
"I don't understand?, Kay said, looking bewildered, "What's wrong with a couple of weeks in bed and being waited on hand and foot?", Kay asked Penny, as Bernadette nodded her head in agreement.
"Leonard's asthma is really bad at the moment and I could never forgive myself if Leonard had an attack and I was not there to help him", Penny explained as her eyes began to fill with tears, at the thought.
"Wow! Penny sweetie and you think Leonard overthinks things?, didn't you realize that Leonard would feel the same about you?, truly if they feel the need to operate that quickly then there is an obvious risk that you could suffer a strangulated hernia, and that could be serious.", Bernadette reasoned, then added, "what about Wyatt, or April having Leonard to stay with them?".
"Wyatt is currently filming somewhere in Europe, while April is busy running the Physics department at Cal-Tech. Honey Marie is in Switzerland and Angela is working on a project for the Government, God only knows where?. So you see, I really can't go and leave Leonard on his own right now", Penny explained, then added "I didn't really want to come tonight but he insisted he'd be OK for a couple of hours and that I should go and enjoy myself tonight, but I just can't stop worrying about Leonard though".
Bernadette looked thoughtful for a brief moment before suddenly springing into action, "OK Penny, mount up and we'll all go and fetch Leonard who will be an honorary girl for tonight. When we get there, you pack some things for him to stay here for a couple of weeks or so, I know Howard will be thrilled to have his best friend to stay for a while", then she smiled at the sight of the relief on Penny's face.
"Oh Bernie you're an absolute genius, thank you", Penny told her as she got up to leave.
Once they had all returned with Leonard, The girls returned to their seats in Bernadette's lounge, (as well as the Chardonnay, which was still chilled despite their unplanned excursion.)
While Leonard decided to leave the 'girls' to their girls night, and went to find Howard who was pottering about in the garage.
"You wouldn't believe now, how much our Penny here fretted over her relationship with Leonard after they got back together", Bernadette revealed to Kay.
"Hey!, I had had a bad experience with Kurt, if you remember our conversation all those years ago. And all the other guys apart from Leonard that I did date, were not much better, so it was no surprise that I was so full of insecurities back then", Penny declared in her defense.
Kay nodded in agreement, then added, "Been there".
"So, I guess, finally, at last you've stopped dreading a messy break-up now?", Bernadette teasingly asked Penny.
Penny's only reply to this was to poke out her tongue at Bernadette.
Then Bernadette spoke again, "You know it was not until Penny had been married to Leonard for five years that Sheldon finally realized that our Leonard and Penny were together for life", Bernadette revealed.
"Yes and He wasn't the only one. Why even your Howard still doubted that Leonard and I would go the distance?, Why couldn't they see our love was so strong for each other?", Penny asked in some dismay.
"Well, I guess one reason is that my Howard is only a man, so that explains a lot, And Sheldon, could never understand relationships period, Well, till he married Amy.
Though I could understand it though Penny. It's like sometimes you observe a couple and wonder what he sees in her?, or what does she see in him?. But that's what love does. You saw something more in Leonard than the nerd everyone else sees, and Leonard could see more to you than just a hot chick that most guys only see", She explained.
"I agree, I guess we're the whole world to each other ". Penny passionately revealed, then added, "and nearly forty years of marriage later. We love each other even more now than we did back then. I guess it's no wonder I worry about him so", Penny confessed
They sat in silence for a few minutes and sipped at their Chardonnay.
Bernadette, after hearing Penny's description of her love for Leonard, thought of how much her Howard had changed, going from a shy young man living with his Mother, and using sexist and creepy chat up lines he'd seen the 'cool' guys use to great success, thinking that they would work for him too, also he thought it was a great way to hide his shyness.
Only to later become the loving Husband, Father and Grandfather he is today.
Kay too meditated on how happy her life had been since marrying J.G, and How She had her life enriched by the addition of their Daughter Chloe, (To Kay and J.G.'s Joy, who had married Penny's son Wyatt, which happy Union had brought forth little Penny, Kay and Penny's Granddaughter).
While Penny's thoughts had returned reluctantly to her earlier disagreement with The love of her life.
It was quite rare these days that they did have a falling out. Though one look at the fear on Leonard's face at the thought of the huge risk of Penny suffering a serious complication from the Hernia, filled her with absolute love towards him, that he still cared so much for her, in spite of the fact that her youthful face and figure had long since been adversely altered by age.
And if Penny had not recently been in the middle of an argument with her husband, she would have thrown her arms around him and hugged him.
The silence was then suddenly broken by Bernadette, who announced that she had recently received a letter from Amy. (Sheldon and Amy had moved to his mothers old house in Texas, hoping perhaps that the familiar surroundings would help relax him since he decided to retire).
"What did she say?, Has Sheldon managed to settle and enjoy his retirement yet?", Penny excitedly interrupted before Bernadette could say more.
"Well she did say it was quite stressful trying to keep him from returning to Cal-tech, as he was so restless. So in the end, she bit the bullet and had a model railway built for him in an outbuilding at the back of the house, and now Sheldon spends a lot of his time making webcasts about his layout and trains in general. And it seems he has an even bigger following than he did with the fun with flags, would you believe?". Bernadette revealed.
"Well I'm so pleased for them. Though not enough to watch the webcasts", Penny added quickly, thinking back to his fun with flags series.
They lapsed back into silence again, and Bernie looked sadly round the room at how few they had become now.
Elizabeth and Peregrine, now that Peregrine had retired, had moved to a cottage near Lyme Regis in Dorset, England.
Chloe too, was somewhere in Europe with Wyatt, and had taken little Penny with her.
( As Chloe had recently began reading some of Wyatt's fan mail and had been horrified to read some of the explicit details a few of Wyatt's female fans were relating in their missives, that they would very much like to do to him, which then rapidly increased Chloe's feelings of insecurity hence Chloe's rapid departure for Europe).
"You know this growing old, just sucks big time", Kay admitted. Then continued. "I was in a store the other Day,with J.G. looking at some new sofa's for our den, when this old woman asked me for my autograph. Just as I was feeling pleased with myself that She had remembered me from one of my movies, when she went on and related to me how much she loved my portrayal of The Walton's Grandma, then she revealed that she had purchased the whole box set of them, expecting to see my excitement and gratitude at that revelation. Wow!, talk about feeling deflated, ", Kay scowled to emphasize her disgust, then added, seems the woman couldn't work out that the actress would have been about 150 years old by now. I mean for crying out loud, Do I look 150 years old, do I?", Kay asked.
"Well, I would have said 145", Penny teased, then she laughed as Kay flipped her off.
"I hate it too, My two best assets have gone so far south, it's quite a struggle putting on a bra now", Bernadette revealed regretfully, and I am so sick of having to wear these hearing aids too"
"Same here. Do you remember back in the days when we would all hit a club and not get back home until the small hours.
But now I would be looking to make for home and head for my bed about 9 PM.
And I've even given up putting make-up on, as it does not seem to make the slightest bit of difference. Still at least the guys have stopped hitting on me now. I so used to hate it when they did it in front of Leonard like that. He never said much but I could see by his face how upset he would get", Penny agreed.
"Yeah, I know", Bernadette agreed, we used to get loads of free drinks from the guys thanks to Penny here, but all too soon they stopped when she got back with lover boy Leonard", she explained to Kay
"The trouble with the free drinks was that the guys wanted something in return" Penny reminded Bernadette sternly.
"Hey, they never got anything when we did get the free drinks, did they?", Bernadette reminded Penny in turn.
"I guess I just couldn't do that to Leonard, accept free drinks from guys, I mean
Just then Howard and Leonard entered the lounge, to the apparent dismay from Bernadette.
"Howard!, you had your hip done two months ago, you do not need that stick now", Bernadette scolded.
"I'll have you know, Leonard found it in the garage and I brought it out to throw it in the trash", Howard lied.
Bernadette glared at him not believing his explanation for a second.
Penny too was regarding Leonard, though with some concern, as his breathless wheezing, after his short walk from the garage, alarmed her.
"What have you guys been up to?", Bernadette asked Howard.
"Oh, just moving some stuff around, tidying things a little", Howard replied.
"Howard, You knew Samuel was coming this weekend to go through the junk in our garage?, you know Leonard hasn't been well!, and now you've got him wheezing like a broken squeeze box", Bernadette berated Howard in exasperation, and with some concern as Penny insisted that Leonard immediately sit down next to her to recover, as she handed him his inhaler.
Bernadette, suddenly remembering something, rose, and saying to Penny, "I've found something to cheer you both up. I saw it in a bookshop the other day".
She returned with a book under her arm and presented it to Penny.
"Rearing a Child, The Best Way by Dr Beverley Jones.", Penny read aloud,
"Are you serious Bernie, her books were just awful?", Penny questioned.
But this book is a new one and I think Leonard and yourself will be quite pleased when you read the dedication page", Bernadette clarified.
So opening the book Penny began to read.
As many Parents may know. I have written many books on child rearing under the name Hofstadter, and for these I wholeheartedly apologize and humbly request that you throw them all away, or safely burn them.
This book however does not come from my many studies on the subject, nor does it come from my earlier flawed ideas. No they are simply my observations on the parenting skills carried out by my wonderful Son Leonard and his adorable Wife Penny.
By their continuous Love and firmness when needed , they have successfully raised and guided 4 children, 3 to PhD's and at the top of their field, One of them being the proud recipient of the Nobel prize for Physics. And yet another, a leading Actor and Oscar winner in the movies.
But much much more importantly, 4 of the most well balanced, down to earth and warm individuals I have ever had the pleasure to meet.
Therefore I dedicate this book to Leonard and Penny.
I thought I knew everything, but thanks to you two, I have learned so, so much more.
With grateful thanks
Beverley Jones.
Leonard rose and quickly left the room, while Penny, sensing his fragile emotional condition at that moment, followed closely behind him.
After a little while Leonard regained his composure, and turning to Penny, "Did She tell you She wrote another book?", Leonard asked, wiping the last of his tears.
"No Honey, She never said a word?. I guess this is her way of finally apologizing to you, for all the anguish she caused you?.", Penny replied.
"She even left the 'Dr' off at the end of her dedication comment?. She was always so proud of her degree before", Leonard revealed.
"I think that's because she finally realized that in the end, that what was more important, was being a fine caring individual, which seem to have replaced all her old theories of what really makes a person great", Penny observed
They quickly returned, and on accessing the net, discovered that it had only been published two months ago.
"She must have arranged with the publishers to only publish her book, sometime after her death", Leonard correctly guessed.
"Well Sweety, She certainly gave us a wonderful surprise, and I guess she didn't want us to make a big deal of it?", Penny noted.
They then gratefully thanked Bernadette for her very kind gift.
"I just thought it was so amazing of her, In the end she as good as admitted she was wrong, didn't she?", Bernadette commented.
"Yes She did didn't she. And she called me wonderful too", Leonard noted hoarsely. Which required another comforting hug from Penny.
XXX
Four days later the Hofstadter's dropped off Leonard's case at House Wolowitz, and then the pair made their way to the hospital.
As the couple had grown even more closer since Leonard's retirement. Their parting was quite hard to cope with for the two of them, even though Leonard would soon see her the next morning before Penny had her operation which was scheduled about midday.
And it was, to Bernadette's notice, that it was a much more subdued Leonard that returned later.
The two Weeks passed by with agonizing slowness. Until finally a much happier Leonard left to collect his wife and take her home.
Wyatt, Leonard's Son, during a telephone conversation with his father two days later offered them the use of his large beach house in Malibu for a couple of weeks so that his Mother could convalesce. And Leonard happily took him up on his kind offer, then asked if they could invite Uncle Howard and Auntie Bernadette to go with them, which Wyatt quickly agreed to.
"How is he?, why didn't you call me?, I would have loved to have talked to my Son too." Penny remonstrated.
"Sorry, Honey, he was between takes so it was only a short call. He hopes to finish filming the location scenes next week, apparently he was calling from Örnsköldsvik in Sweden?", Leonard Informed her.
"Wow they film these James Bond movies everywhere don't they?", Penny noted. Then added, "I do hope we get to see him soon, I miss him, Chloe and little Penny", She lamented.
"He said they should be finishing some time next week. So you may get your wish soon", Leonard told her.
XXX
Howard and Bernadette were delighted to be invited and happily accepted the offer to stay in Wyatt's beach house for two weeks.
"And as it's slightly out of season now perhaps it will be a little quieter", Bernadette said hopefully.
"More like you're hoping to go skinny dipping?", Penny teased. Then laughed as Bernie, indicating her aged physique, and with disbelief at Penny's comment.
Then replied, "Well I reckon the advantage of that is, that it would soon clear the beach if I did", She said ruefully.
It was quite a relaxing time for both couples even though Leonard and Bernadette shared the cooking, and Howard's task was loading the dishwasher, and doing the laundry. (after a certain amount of "encouragement", from his Wife, in order that Penny could regain her strength.
But three days later Bernadette felt anything but relaxed.
She had answered a knock at the door, and Finding Kay and J.G. standing there on the threshold,
Bernadette excitedly cried out Kay's name in her joy to see her friend. Whereupon she was immediately shushed by Kay who then beckoned that Bernadette step outside lest Penny overheard.
"Look I haven't got time to explain fully, but I have had an extremely tearful phone call from Astrid. Apparently, as far as I was able to understand her. Chloe found a naked woman in their Hotel room and then had a fight with Wyatt, before leaving and She took little Penny and Astrid with her and flew to New York, Which was where Astrid was calling me from in much distress. I've got a very good idea that Chloe is staying in Deanna's Condo near Central Park. So J.G. And I, am flying up there to find out what's going on, And I will let Penny know when I get the full details, OK?", Kay revealed breathlessly, then added, "I don't want to worry her now until I get all the details you see. Right we must be off now to catch our flight". Then Kay and J.G. rushed off for LAX.
Bernadette closed the door feeling very bewildered at the news. Wyatt dearly loved Chloe, surely he wouldn't be cheating on her like that. And who on earth was Astrid?. Bernadette decided to ask if perhaps Leonard knew who this Astrid is.
However to her frustration it was quite a while before she could talk to Leonard on his own, as he always had to be near his wife. But Bernadette seized the opportunity as Leonard went for a bathroom break and immediately accosted him as he emerged from the bathroom.
"Leonard, tell me, Who's Astrid", Bernadette asked him suddenly.
"Well, She's a young Albanian girl, though apparently her father was German. It's a tragic story really. Her Mother died when she was young and Astrid was raised by her Grandmother until her Grandmother died when Astrid was just 13 years old, a year ago, she tried to make for Germany to find her Father with the little money that she had left, but she got on the wrong bus and somehow ended up in Krakow, where They were filming a scene in a movie, in which Wyatt was the lead Actor.
When the director, upon noticing her sad wretched state, decided to use her in a small crowd scene. But three hours after filming finished, Chloe spied the girl, from the window of the hotel, still outside in the freezing cold . And you know Chloe, she promptly goes down to the square and ushers the girl inside , then after feeding her, she got her a room in the hotel. And later, after hearing about Astrid's predicament through an interpreter, she decided there and then to see if it was at all possible that perhaps she and Wyatt could adopt the girl". Leonard revealed.
"Oh, That's Awful, I didn't know that Chloe was adopting a child though", Bernadette exclaimed, then added "Did She ever find her Father?".
"Well firstly, adopting Astrid was going to be a long drawn out legal process, involving two countries. And Chloe didn't want to say anything in case she was unsuccessful. And as to your other question I'm afraid Chloe, after doing some digging, discovered that Her Father had drank himself to death when Astrid would have been about the age of 10 I think", Leonard told her sadly, Then added, "Why all this sudden interest in Astrid?. And how did you find out about Astrid In the first place?.", Leonard asked Her.
Then at the guilty look on Bernadette's face, Leonard demanded to know what was going on. Then after Bernadette explained about Astrid's phone call to Kay, He told her that Penny really should be informed, as it would do no good at all to hide it from her.
XXXXXXX
However despite his intentions to inform Penny, Leonard held off, hoping that Kay would ring soon. Penny hated cheaters, having been cheated on enough in the past (I.E. Kurt), and her anger and outrage just might descend on the bearer of the bad news as well.
But as a day or so passed without any call from Kay, Leonard bit the bullet and told Penny abut Wyatt, the hotel room and a naked Girl.
Though Penny's outcry of, "Wyatt did what!" filled the whole house, Her anger was not visited on Leonard too, to Leonard's great relief.
Then an hour later the call came, not from Kay but from Chloe herself.
"Chloe!, how are you?, I'm so sorry. Don't worry Wyatt is going to get a very stiff talking to indeed from me", Penny began.
"It's OK Ma, He didn't, in fact He didn't even know she was in our room. Wyatt wouldn't do that to me, I know him.
Yes OK I admit it, I checked. Because the film crew had filled the hotel to capacity, they had to take on temporary staff to cope with the influx, This crazy woman got herself a job as a maid just to get close to Wyatt. And it was more what she said to me when I turfed her out of our room,
she said, 'Get used to it Honey, there is a lot more women than just me who wants, a piece of Wyatt you know'.
And after She left, I realized in that moment that I had had enough of this kind of life.
I'm so tired of traveling and living in hotel rooms, We have a lovely home yet we are hardly ever in it.
I want a family life for little Penny and to show Astrid what having a close family is all about.
I tried explaining this to Wyatt, but he kept on telling me that this is his career. So I told him to choose, Me or his career?, then I left with little Penny and Astrid. I'm sorry, I should have called you but I just really needed to talk to someone and Deanna is my dearest friend", Chloe explained.
Penny sighed with relief, but She was still determined to talk to Wyatt. Though albeit with much less anger and more reasoning now.
For the next two days Penny thought hard on how she could convince Wyatt to listen to Chloe and become a proper family.
And by the time Wyatt reached the beach house the next day, Penny was ready.
Penny along with Leonard and Wyatt,got themselves comfortable on the veranda overlooking the beach, While Bernadette and Howard went shopping to give the family a little privacy.
Then Penny began, "Right before I reveal where Chloe is, I want you to listen to me carefully.
When I moved here from Nebraska, my dreams were what you have now, a rich and famous actor, winning awards. But my dreams never came to be. And do you know what, I'm glad they never did.
Looking back on my life now I am firmly convinced that I could never have been as happy as I am now.
I met a most wonderful man and married him. (At this,Leonard smiled at his wife and place his hand in hers, giving it a gentle squeeze
I had four lovely children and found a satisfying career as an interior designer and T.V. Presenter.
And Wyatt, the best thing about my career was that I could go home each evening to my family.
I could read my kids a story before tucking them in, kissing them goodnight, then I could enjoy the rest of my evening with your Dad , which to me was the best thing in the world.
And that is what Chloe desires, Wyatt don't throw your marriage away, I know you, you will regret it for the rest of your life" Penny earnestly told Wyatt.
Wyatt Looked down at the floor for a few moments then looking up at his Mother he spoke.
"After Chloe left and I had calmed down. Those few days without her and my girls, I felt the loneliest man in the world. I guess I needed that to make me realize what was most important in my life.
I've told my Agent no more movies for me, and he has got me a part on a new comedy series which is filmed entirely in L.A. I don't know how it will be received by the networks?, but somehow I just don't care about that anymore.
I guess it's time for me to go home to my Wife and daughters", Wyatt admitted, then added, "I hope they do let us adopt Astrid, You'd like her, she has such a sweet nature, despite the loss of her parents".
"OK Wyatt. Now tell Chloe what you've told me", Penny said, as she handed her Son the slip of paper with the number that Chloe could be reached on.
XXXXXXX
two weeks later Penny, Kay and the Wolowitz's were invited to stay for a long weekend at Chloe's house in Tarzana. (with seven bedrooms it easily accommodated them all ). Penny was delighted too, to finally meet Astrid, receiving a big hug from her with a "Pleased to meet you grandmother", from Astrid.
( At which point Penny teared up a little as Her Son and Daughter in law, still had not received the necessary permission from the authorities, agreeing to the adoption. In fact it had taken some considerable effort from Chloe, before She could convince the Albanian authorities to let Astrid stay with the Hofstadter's, in the first place.)
Then Penny felt better as She spent an enjoyable time sitting with Leonard and laughing at the antics of the two young girls as they played together in the pool.
XXXXXX
Though the Comedy series was canceled after the first series, Wyatt was accepted to play the part of a Lawyer in a T.V. drama set in L.A. instead, which later proved very popular with T.V. Viewers all around the world.
But the best thing was, was that now they were settled as a family, To everyone's great joy, (Especially Chloe's), they finally got the permission to adopt Astrid.
And everyone could see Astrid's eyes shining with happiness as she looked around at her new family.
