Penny emerged from her apartment to find the guys decked out in camouflage, covered in paint splatters. "Paintball didn't go so well this morning?"
"No," Howard scanned Penny up and down, "You look nice. You got a date or something?"
"No, not a date. Just going to talk to someone about the future of my baby."
Having unlocked the door, Leonard remained in the hallway as everyone else went inside. "So, uh, you decided you're going the adoption route?"
Shaking her head, Penny corrected her friend, "I still haven't decided what I'm doing. I'm going to talk to Kurt. I haven't talked to him since the first time I asked you to drive me to the doctor. I called him that afternoon to tell him I'm pregnant. He didn't come right out and say it, but he said he could come up with money in a few weeks, I'm assuming he meant for an abortion."
"You haven't told him you didn't get the abortion, did you?"
"No, but this is his baby. I think he has a right to know I couldn't go through with it."
Leonard and Penny stood awkwardly on opposite sides of the hallway for a few moments before Leonard spoke again, "What if he says he wants you to give it up?"
"I'll let him know this is ultimately my decision and I'm weighing my options over keeping it or giving it up and I didn't have to tell him, but I felt he should know. I'd love to stand here, listening to your opinions over what I tell the father of my baby, but I really need to go. He said he's only got half an hour we can meet. I can't be late," Penny moved towards the stairs.
"Penny, wait," Leonard called after her as she was halfway down the first flight of stairs. He continued his thought as she looked up at him, "Call me if you need to talk to someone after you talk to him."
Penny sat in the coffee shop she and Kurt had agreed to meet at, waiting for the man to arrive. Seeing him enter the small café, she stood from her seat and waved him toward her. He stopped a few feet away from her, noticing the small baby bump under her open jacket. "I thought you were getting rid of that."
"That's what I wanted to talk to you about," she admitted as he sat across from her. "I know we haven't talked since right after Christmas when I told you I was pregnant. I was going to get an abortion, but when it got to the day of my appointment, I couldn't get out of the car."
Shifting uncomfortably, Kurt blurt out, "I can't give you any money if that's why you called me."
Shaking her head, Penny declined his offer, "I haven't decided if I'm going to keep the baby or find a family to adopt it, but I thought you should know I didn't get the abortion."
"I've only got a few minutes before I need to go. What you decide is up to you. Let me know if you need me to sign something. I'll do whatever you want. I lost my job last month and don't have a new one, so I can't give you anything if you decide to keep it. Maybe someday in the future, but not right now."
"Yeah, no, I get it. You should go, I don't want you to be late for whatever you've got going on. Thanks for taking the time to see me," Penny sadly answered.
Penny was sitting on her couch, watching a movie when there was a knock on her door. Crossing the room, she opened the door to find Leonard on the other side, holding up a small paper bag, "I got you ice cream. I thought you might need some."
"Thanks," she reached for the bag. "Is this just an excuse to come over and check on how I am after meeting Kurt?"
Guiltily nodding, he confirmed his suspicion. "I know you don't want my opinion on this, but I thought if you needed to talk things through, I could be a listening ear. I'll just listen and keep my thoughts to myself."
"You've said that before, but your opinion always comes out," Penny rolled her eyes. "Not that I mind hearing your opinion. You put things in a perspective I hadn't thought of. It's easier to get my thoughts together after talking with you."
"Glad I can help," smirked the physicist. "How'd it go with Kurt? Did he actually show up?"
"He did," the blonde confirmed. "He was surprised that I didn't get an abortion. He said he's not really in a place to be involved with a baby right now, but what I decide is up to me. He said he'll do whatever I want and if I need him to sign something to let him know. It wasn't the reaction I was expecting if I'm being honest."
Leonard watched as Penny devoured the pint of mint chocolate chip he'd brought, "What reaction were you expecting?"
Penny shrugged her shoulders, "You've seen how Kurt gets. I guess I was expecting him to be angry with me. Him saying it's my decision and to let him know if I need him to sign something is the most mature thing I've heard him say."
"Does him saying that make your decision any easier? Were you leaning one way more than the other depending on how it went today? Have you looked into any information if you decide to go with adoption?"
Shaking her head after lifting another spoonful of ice cream to her mouth, Penny was silent as she finished the bite. "Not really. It almost makes it harder. Knowing he isn't able to be involved but is willing to do whatever I ask makes my decision more complicated. If I keep the baby, I know I'm going into this one-hundred percent alone. I won't have to keep wondering if he's going to show up the day the baby is born, wanting to split custody or something like that."
"Can I say one thing?" Leonard asked, waiting for Penny to respond. When she nodded her head, he continued, "If you keep this baby, you aren't alone. You've got me and the guys. Sheldon and I are right across the hall and you can call us anytime, day or night. Raj will be thrilled to spoil your baby with presents every time he sees you. And Howard will teach your baby magic tricks and funny impressions when they get older. If you decide to find a family to adopt the baby, we'll be happy to help you look through information to find the best family possible."
"Thanks, Leonard," Penny set the ice cream on the coffee table and leaned her head against his shoulder.