A Different Kind of Family
Leonard looked over at his wife and smiled as she slept. The start of today was a big step for the both of them. They were on their way to New Jersey to say their last goodbye's to his sister Catherine whom had been battling cancer for a year and now she was just days away from losing her battle. The unfortunate was Cathrine had already lost her husband in a car accident four months prior. Not to Leonard's surprise, since it was Cathrine, of course his mom Beverly stepped in and hired a home health care nurse and a nanny to watch over Catherine's sons.
Two months prior is when Leonard received a call from Beverly asking him and Penny to come to New Jersey. That is when Catherine asked them to be her sons guardians. Beverly agreed seeing Leonard and Penny were family and had no children themselves. Cathrine did not ask Michael due to his wife and him already had six children. Beverly would have taken her boys in but Cathrine did not want a nanny raising them. As for Alfred he was enjoying retirement and traveling the world with his new wife.
Leonard pulled his wife into a separate room and faced her as he held her hands. "I know you said you didn't want to be a mom but these boys well they need us. If we don't..."
Penny let go of one of Leonard's hand and put a finger on his lips, "I know, I get it. It's like I'm not biologically their mom and never want to replace Cathrine as their mom. I think I can do this even five boys ranging from the ages of ten through two is a lot to adjust to. But what you went through growing up you don't want your nephews to go through that either."
"That's my girl. You have so much love to give and they need that right now. Also you know that means we would have to move out of our apartment and buy a house." Leonard was very surprised Penny was going along with this.
Penny knew and the next day Catherine's lawyer drew up adoption papers. But would not gain custody of the boys until the day when Cathrine passed away.
So when they returned home to Pasadena, Leonard began to house hunt for their new home. But as they would go look at houses, Penny would always find something wrong with a house. Finally Leonard approached his wife with the matter. Penny finally came clean. "This whole thing is scary. Our lives is about to change any day now. Not only is moving to somewhere but we are about to become responsible for five young lives. We maybe see your nephews once a year since we got engaged. They barely know us. What if they don't like us? What if I fail raising Neil, Jeffery, Scott, William, and Richard?"
Leonard knew that look on Penny's face. It was her look of uncertainty, the exact same one when she told Leonard she did not want kids. He was certain that this now was frightening his wife. He gave Penny a small smile and pulled her close to him to his side as the sat on the couch. "Penny, I'm terrified taking in my nephews but like I said before they need us. I'm sure Neil, Jeffery, and Scott might take time to warm up to us since they are the older boys. But they will get there. William and Richard are four and two and will be easier for them to transition into this change. And for you, you will not fail at this. You have me and I have you to lean on when times will seem tough. As we seem this with Howard and Bernadette, so we know it will get hard. As Howard has told me it comes with becoming a parent." Leonard held his wife a little bit longer until she felt better about herself.
So they finally found a five bedroom house. The couple decided then how they would room the boys. Neil and Scott since they both enjoyed soccer and baseball. Jeffery and William, since they had the same love for science and the unknown of the Universe as their Uncle Leonard. Finally Richard would be in the bedroom closet to their bedroom. Penny had found out from Catherine he enjoyed anything dinosaurs. Leonard let Penny have the responsibility to decorate all the bedrooms which she loved the idea. As the extra bedroom would be Leonard's "mancave" which he ended up calling his "bat cave." It was set up for Leonard's game system, most of his figurines, comic books, and board games. Penny became excited to call the den her own space. It was her place to do yoga, ladies night, or anything just to have her "me time." As for the finished basement they agreed to set it up as a place for the boys to hang out at when they have friends over. Leonard even bought a pinball machine and an arcade game system for them.
But of course family time would be spent in the living room and the dining room. Even outside where there was a tree house thay Wyatt was proudly to come to California and help his daughter and son-in-law to build, along putting together a swing set for his new grandsons. As Wyatt told Penny, which made her more comfortable with the situation, "Those boys might not be blood us, only to Leonard, but they are family. We would do anything for family."
As the time came and as the plane was about to land in New Jersey, Leonard gently woke up Penny. "Are you ready?" He asked her as he began feeling nervous.
Penny nodded her head as she sighed, "As ready as I will ever be. Our lives will never be that same."
"And it will be all worth it. We got this." Leonard said to encourage his wife as he gave her the biggest grin on his face.
"Good thing I love you Hofstadter, because I wouldn't be able to do this without you." She winked and leaned close to her husband. She placed a hand on his cheek, making Leonard quiver. That made Penny smile bigger, only to give her husband a lingering kiss as the plane landed.