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Chapter 9
Her pessimism always assumed the worst case.
Looking at her wall, a large picture frame with a painting of her wearing a black blouse with see-through and lace in the middle and a pencil-cut brown skirt. From her right side, Penny is wearing a blue blazer paired with a flowered black and blue dress. On her left, Bernadette, wearing a black dress designed with rose petals. They're all smiling at the camera, her hair well-curled, Penny's in a ponytail, and Bernie's blonde wavy strands.
According to Penny, she was fond of painting after her first trimester. With all those hormones running through her veins, she's way more emotional than before. They went to buy a large canvas and some acrylic paint, and she dragged Bernadette along for help.
There's a small note in the lower right corner.
To my bestie, Amy.
"Friendship—my definition—is built on two things. Respect and trust. Both elements have to be there. And it has to be mutual. You can have respect for someone, but if you don't have trust, the friendship will crumble."
—Stieg Larsson, The Girl with a Dragon Tattoo.
From your besties, Penny & Bernie
She knows where the waitress copied the canvas and is sure that one was not published. She doesn't even know if she deserves this gift.
Penny appreciated that one time she ditched work to assist her in a maternity clinic for an emergency visit, the waitress went into a full-blown panic when she saw a small blood spot in her underwear. Bernadette was delighted when she asked her for a ride to the airport in the middle of the night for her urgent flight to Texas to assist Howard in his survival training.
Amy volunteered, with her boyfriend, that they would play harp and cello at the wedding. They apologize for the misunderstanding about the previous bridesmaids' dress shopping, it was unplanned. They wanted to surprise her. It's not a 3000 grand painting but it was made with love and the Three Menstra-teers are in the image, which means that the blondes accepted her in their sub-clique.
She remembered what her beautiful blonde friend said to her. "Originally you were the only one in the picture, but I added me and Bernie as a reminder that we're a team, just like powerpuff girls."
After work and posting a picture of Sheldon stuck in the wall on twitter, running down to the university clinic to get baby oil to help his best friend, they went home with a greasy and slimy Texan from Dr. Rothman's office.
The guys ascended the stairs from the comic bookstore. Rajesh invited them to be badass again, just like when the girls were not yet in their lives. 48 hours of Star Wars gaming marathon for this weekend, but he needs to cancel and reschedule this event as he agreed to attend Aunt Flora's 93rd birthday with Amy. The game was rescheduled for the following week where all of the guys could attend, and since Leonard is the nucleus of their social group, they all agreed.
"Next week, no girls are allowed in this apartment!" The astrophysicists declared.
He was scared to meet all of Amy's relatives and thought that soon he would introduce her to his parents. He has to prepare a short introductory presentation about his mother for his kind girlfriend.
On Thursday, the gang gathered in 4A for dinner. Sheldon asked Rajesh to drive him to the train store for a lecture on H-O gauge railroading: Half the size of O-gauge, but twice the fun. The Indian guy agreed, as it was also his way to Emily's condominium. He noticed Leonard taking a shower after his meal. And he couldn't bear to leave Amy alone in the living room.
"Amy, do you want us to drop you off in Glendale?" He offered. "You can think about what you read in the car."
"Thank you for the offer, Sheldon, but I promised Leonard we'd hang out tonight. I'll just wait here for him."
He hesitated to continue his itinerary to join them. The truth is that he doesn't want Amy to be physical with anyone, even with Leonard. His mind is consuming him by creating every scenario of the neurobiologist being intimate with another man. He knows whatever happens in 4A is not his business. He doesn't own Amy. He can't own a person. At least not since 1863. And for clarification, he'll definitely be her slave.
If he wants to be happy in their relationship, he needs to accept this part and swallow the hurt deep in his heart. He stepped out the door, thinking it was the first step to moving on from her.
He thanked her for allowing him to be her boy-slash-friend again. He also wanted her to know that he'll grab the first chance to ask her to be his wife if this relationship craps out.
The neurobiologist is staring into space, thinking of the article she read from physics news.
"How was your shower?" She said when she saw Leonard approaching the room.
"It was good, good. Just out of curiosity, oh my god, did you check my high-school yearbook? "
"Mm-hmm. Dear Leonard, you're really good at science. Maybe one day you'll come up with a cure for being a dork. " She read a dedication from the book.
"Well, it wasn't spray-painting a lightning bolt on my briefcase, I can tell you that."
"If it makes you feel any better, the only person who signed my yearbook was my mother." She reflects. "Dear Amy, self-respect and a hymen are better than friends and fun. Love, Mom."
He moved to the right side of the couch. "If I write a dedication to your yearbook, I'll fill it with words of love..."
"Beauty, thy name is Amy.
"Her Aere Perrenius hair, Aurora Borealis eyes, and Apricus smile serve as thy Sun in life.
"Amy's beauty, like our love, grows more with each passing day.
She grabbed a pillow and threw it at his face, laughing at his impromptu words. But he continued speaking…
"She was beautiful for her ability to make other people smile, even if she was sad.
"No, she wasn't beautiful for something as temporary as her looks.
"She was beautiful, deep down to her soul.
"She is beautiful."
Everything went serious when he quoted F Scott Fitzgerald, so he came to her, tickling her armpits. She returned the favor by lightly rubbing his tummy. When they stopped laughing and caught their breath, Leonard stood up and fired the stove for tea.
Amy went to the kitchen bar behind him and said."May I borrow a copy of your mother's books?"
"Why would you need those books!? Don't tell me you'll read them?" He shouted, both eyebrows meeting on his forehead. "There, there's chapters about potty training, and bed-wetting and masturbation. Basically, if something came out of me, she wrote about it. You know what? Do whatever you want, just don't talk to me about it."
"Don't worry. I'll read them not for you but to get to know her. " She explained. Touching his lips with her right index finger, silencing the anxiety of her boyfriend. She crawled her arms across his neck and pulled him close to her face. She thought maybe she could target his lips, but no, she saw Leonard's eyes shut, waiting for her and she pressed her lips to his nose.
After their meal in the guy's apartment, Penny stayed at hers, sitting beside Amy's sleepover bag. She's talking to the little blob, as she called it.
"Next month, you'll reveal yourself if you are a boy or a girl. I want you to know that as long as you are healthy, mommy will always love you no matter what your gender is. " She caressed her tummy, asking for a kick as a response.
She couldn't believe that her acting career popped like a bubble in the blink of an eye. She doesn't blame the innocent life inside her, but she keeps thinking about her biggest dream.
"Mommy and daddy will not be together for a while, but if Daddy proves he can take care of us and give you the love you deserve, Mommy will change her mind."
The reason for her tears cannot be explained; everything is turning in a good way. Zack is giving her a monthly allowance for rent and platinum insurance; he stopped by every weekend with groceries and spent the night through Monday morning talking to the baby; he is showing her the support she needs.
But she continues to work in the cheesecake factory, it's her way to show some pride and not depend on the father of her child. Before the end of the third trimester, she will inform her manager to grant her a two month maternity leave.
"Your aunts and uncles are always reminding me that they love you even if they haven't met you. Your life would be great. I'm sure everyone here will help me raise you. And if I can't teach you the topic in school, you have six tutors to take care of that."
It's Aunt Flora's 93rd birthday. Amy is waiting for Leonard in front of her building. She wanted to pick him up, but Leonard insisted on using his car. He reasoned that he didn't want her to drive alone if ever the party extended past midnight.
Today, she wore a sleeved purple dress, hugging her shape with red flats. She feels beautiful. After Leonard sat in the passenger seat, he held her hand before starting the car.
"You are beautiful. You pop, sparkle and buzz electric." He grinned, partially telling her those words he said to Agent Paige. "I should've worn my tuxedo."
"W-what?" is all she said. She removed his hands from the shift and pressed a peck on his right cheek.
Leonard was introduced by Amy to every family member. He met her parents again. Her cousins teased her about Arman, the miniature horse breeder, and when he asked, she explained that it was an imaginary boyfriend to stop them from asking her the reason for her being single. But now, he is her boyfriend, and he will prove it to them. He stays by her side all the time.
After a feast of soft food listed as mashed potatoes, tomato soup, pudding, and healthy green shakes, they went to the porch, holding their wine glasses.
"Amy, two of the brightest stars in the night sky are Altair and Vega. And it is said they were deeply in love but forever separated by the celestial river of the Milky Way." He told her the Rajesh story.
"That would be too unfortunate." She glanced at the stars he was pointing to.
"It is. But once a year, on the seventh day of the seventh month, Vega cries so hard that all the magpies in the world fly up and create a bridge with their wings so the two lovers can be together for a single night of passion. " reducing the distance between them, holding her waist and looking into her face.
This is it. Their first real kiss was under the shining stars, like most of the fairytales have been told. "Amy." She faced him. They remained looking at each other for a minute. He couldn't control the opposite magnetic poles between them. He found her lips and felt Amy responding to his actions with slightly parted lips.
It's not a make-out session, but it's sweet. It tastes like chocolate pudding paired with the intoxicating taste of alcohol.
"I love you, Amy." Instead of responding, she kissed him once more.
From the birthday party, he dropped Amy off where he'd picked her up earlier that day. She gave him tupperware, inside was foil, maybe a cake or that brown pudding.
"Give it to Sheldon. He requested this before we went for the occasion."
Why did he feel a sense of jealousy? It's just a simple cake. He remembered that time Sheldon had Amy's back, scolding him and Howard because the two blondes went shopping without Amy. Those were the times he smiled when he interrupted their date.
He wanted to read their friendship agreement. His girlfriend shared bits of information, but due to the non-disclosure section, she could not provide much. He can not force her and avoid looking piteous and insecure.
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