Chapter 52: A Change in Plans

Three couples plan a party for the same people. Oh, dear.

Sheldon and Niki Cooper were seated inside the VIP lounge of Lufthansa Airlines, waiting for the private Binary jet that would be bringing Helmut and Annelise to Los Angeles. They sat together in that comfortable silence that only content, long term, couples can experience. Each was lost deep in their own thoughts, pondering the events of the last few days.

Sheldon was the first to speak, "They should be landing within the next ten minutes, which means after they have gotten through the singular hell that is Customs, we should be greeting Helmut and Annelise in somewhere close to thirty minutes."

Niki nodded and absently agreed with her husband, "That sounds about right." She then went back to peering out the window and immersing herself in the thoughts that had occupied her mind since breakfast that morning. She could still clearly recall the inquisitive conversations she had shared with both Amanda and Bernie in the last few days. It was almost as if Bernie Wolowitz was sitting right next to her and asking in her high-pitched voice, 'Say, Niki, what kind of food does this German girl like, anyway?' Niki remembered staring at her friend open-mouthed and saying very little in reply until her wits returned and she had replied, 'I'm not sure. We always ate with them in German restaurants that served German food. Anna and Helmut tended to eat some form of schnitzel or sauerbraten. But, at the banquet they enjoyed prime rib with the rest of us. In short, I can't really answer your question, Bernie.'

Next, she recalled Amanda inviting her shopping and quizzing her about the German couple's taste in music as the checked out some cds at Target. 'Hey, Nik, do you think either Helmut or Annelise would like this techno pop dance music, or are they more into traditional stuff, like opera or polkas?' Niki remembered giving Raj's wife a strange look and replying, 'We really didn't discuss music with them, you know? Since Anna is a stage actress who just finished a run with Cats, I would say show tunes may be her thing, but I don't really know. As far as Helmut goes, I only heard him listen to music once, and it wasn't a polka, it was some form of Euro/techno/punk. Why do you ask?' Amanda had quickly responded with, "Oh you know me, sometimes my curiosity gets the better of me.'

The longer Niki pondered these conversations, the deeper the furrow in her brow became, which led her husband to ask her, "Niki, do you have a headache? Or are you merely contemplating carrying out the perfect crime? If it's the crime, you must let me in on it. I love creating a mystery for others to solve. It's almost like working with String Theory."

Niki gave her partner a wan smile and waved his concerns off with, "Neither, I was just thinking about our friends and how everything is changing for us…AGAIN."

Sheldon nodded at her, completely placated. No one hated change more than he did and he felt extra close to Niki for admitting she felt much the same way in this situation. "Carry on." he told her, "I know exactly how distressing that can be." With that, they both returned to gazing out the window and Sheldon's mind returned to his ruminations about two of his best friends. I've never seen Wolowitz ask so many questions about someone he has never met. It isn't like he won't get to know the man, Koothrappali will be gone six months! Why should he care what music the man likes, or if he knows how to swim? What was that all about, anyway? And Raj did the same thing, although he has more of a legitimate reason to inquire about the man who will replace him. Still, he failed to ask a single question about the man's qualifications. Instead, he kept harping on what sorts of food Helmut preferred, as if that matters to a serious scientist such as me. I don't understand that at all. I'm not as puzzled about Howard, though. Wolowitz has always been a bit 'off' socially. He really should work on that. Anyway, what will be, will be. I suppose I am not responsible for the senseless questions people ask. The last time a person asked me such pointless questions about someone else…Oh No!

Try as she might, Niki's mind refused to let go of the remembrances of her two friends grilling her about someone they had both never met. Why would they go on like that? I mean, Amanda is always curious about everything, but Bernie? It guess it kind of goes with the mindset of being scientists, but why would Bernie care as much as Amanda? She will never work with either Anna or Helmut, and neither of them is filling in for HER husband! Something's up here. The last time someone grilled me about what music and food someone liked…WAIT!

At the same instant, Sheldon and Niki turned towards each other, horror clearly written all over both of their faces, and exclaimed in unison, "Our friends are planning a surprise party!"

Sheldon's voice was filled with panic as he asked his wife, "Dear Lord, what are we going to do?"

Niki just shook her head sadly and replied, "Shit if I know. But we just paid for two rooms for two days at Grand Californian at Disneyland!"

"This is a most unfortunate development. We've got to stop their plans before they turn Helmut and Anna against them…and both of us!"

"I know that!" Niki snapped, "But the problem is, how are we going to do it?"

"I suppose, seeing as we both possess highly above average intelligence, we should put our heads together and come up with a plan that keeps everyone happy."

"Sheldon, I'm lost here, and I think you are, also. So, the question becomes, who do we both know who could help us solve this dilemma?"

Sheldon's face visibly brightened as he replied, "Niki, are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

Niki's grin began to match her husband's, "I'm pretty sure I am. Just chill for a minute while I try to call your mother. Thank God Alfred's working in France now, instead of Borneo, like he was last year. Reaching either of them by phone was pretty hit and miss then."

Sheldon's wife quickly pulled her phone out of her purse and placed the call to Mary Cooper. The phone only rang twice before it was answered with a happy greeting of, Niki, how are you two darlin's doin'? And what is all the dang background noise?"

Hi, Mary. The background noise is just airport noise. We're here picking up Helmut and Annelise. Look, I'm sorry to bother you like this, but Sheldon and I have a problem we'd like you to help us solve.

You mean the problem ain't Shelly this time?

No, Mary. This particular problem concerns multiple people, and your son isn't one of them.

Well praise the Lord for that! Now, what is it darlin'? Alfred and I were about to head out to dinner, but I have a minute or two to spare for my favorite daughter-in-law.

Mary, I'm your only daughter-in-law. But okay, it goes like this. Helmut and Annelise are landing here in a few minutes. Did you know that Helmut offered to come all the way out to Altadena from Heidelberg to fill in for Raj when he and his wife go to work in Hawaii for a few months?

Well, ain't that nice of him. That don't sound like much of a problem to me.

Mary, the problem is that a few of our friends are trying to plan a surprise party to welcome them here.

I must be missing something, darlin'. I still don't see where you and Shelly have a problem.

Okay, here's the problem. Sheldon and I have just reserved two rooms at a very expensive hotel here at Disneyland as a way of welcoming them to Southern California. We can't get our money back, we got a real deal as regular customers of the place. Now, we don't want to lose our money, plus, we are really looking forward to showing Helmut and Anna around Disneyland. On the other hand, we don't want to deny our friends the chance to do something nice, something they've most likely spent a lot of time and money on. Now do you see our problem?

Let me talk a bit with Shelly, honey. I need his take on this here thing.

Niki reluctantly passed her phone over to her husband. Okay, here he is.

Shelly?

Yes, Mother.

This hotel you all have booked, Niki says it's a might expensive.

Yes, but that is to be expected. It is a four-star hotel inside a major theme park.

I see. Now, these four-star hotels have lots of rooms in them, don't they?

Of course, Mother, it's quite large.

I don't suppose that any of those rooms would be big enough to hold that party your friends are planning, do you?

What are you suggesting?

I'm suggestin' that you and your friends hold that welcoming party right there in that big hotel you're all stayin' at. That way, you and Niki get to show them folks Disneyland and your friends can have their party.

But it was supposed to be a surprise party.

Last time I checked, you were none too fond of those, but this is what I think. You all keep this party a secret from that couple and hit them with it after you all get checked in. Sounds simple enough, doesn't it?

I'll give you back to Niki. She handles social arrangements much better than I do.

Niki, darlin'?

Yes, Mary?

I was just tellin' Shelly that you people should throw that big welcoming party right there in that great big ol' hotel you're stayin' at. You guys get to show your friends Disneyland and your other friends get to have their party. What do you think, honey?

I think I've just discovered where Sheldon got his brains from. That idea is pure genius! I'll just text Amanda and Bernie that we are going to be taking Helmut and Anna to Disneyland for the weekend and we were thinking that the hotel was a great place to throw a party for the new arrivals. Knowing our friends, they've all ready bought all the food and drinks, so this will give them a chance to use them.

Now that's good thinkin', girl. Look, Alfred's starting to stare at his watch, so that means I gotta go. Give my love to Shelly and everyone, especially that youngun' of yours, and we'll be seeing you all in a few weeks. Lord Bless, darlin'.

The same to you, Mary. And thank you. Talk to you later.

You bet.

Before the jet carrying Helmut and Annelise had landed, Niki had sent off a few quick texts inviting the Koothrappalis, Wolowitzes, and Hofstadters to celebrate their new friends' arrival in Los Angeles at a spectacular party the Coopers were throwing at Disneyland's Grand Californian Hotel.

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Somewhere in a home in Altadena, Bernadette Wolowitz looked down at her phone and angrily cried out, "Whaaat? How could Niki do this to me?"

Her husband, Howard, stared across the kitchen table at his wife and asked in a pained voice, "Okay, Bernie, I give up. Who texted you and why did it upset you?" He added softly under his breath, "Not that you really need a reason, sometimes."

Bernie snapped back at him, "I heard that you putz! Anyway, enough about you, this is important. You know how Penny and I arranged to have a welcoming party for those people from Germany?"

Howard merely shrugged his shoulders and answered, "How could I not have? It's all you've been complai…er…talking about the last two days."

Bernie's eyes narrowed ominously as she spat out, "Your pushing your luck there, Howie. Anyway, Niki just sent me a text telling me they are throwing a party for those guys at Disneyland, at one of the hotels there."

Howard was confused, "So? What's the problem? It will mean a lot less work for you. No cleaning the house, no food to prepare…why are you upset?"

"Because I've already ordered all the food from the caterers and it's too late to get my money back, that's why!"

"Well, why don't you and Penny take all the food over to the hotel? It will make the both of you look really good to the Coopers and then they'll owe you both one. Which I'm sure you'll find a reason to collect on in the near future."

At Howard's words, Bernadette Wolowitz's countenance completely changed and she looked lovingly at her husband as she responded with, "Howie, you're a genius! That's a great idea! Let me text Penny and tell her the plan. Oh, never mind, she just texted me the news of the party. I guess Niki told her, too."

"Well, tell her about the new plan and look like the smart one."

"Howie, I can't do that. Penny's ever bit as…okay. Just wait a minute while I send her a text."

In response, Howard simply gave a brief smile and went back to the game he had been playing on his phone.

In another part of Altadena, another couple were having a similar discussion. Amanda Koothrappali furrowed her brows as she concentrated on the sheet of paper she held in her hand.

Raj Koothrappali looked over at his wife with concern written all over his face. He finally asked her, "What's up? You look like you're either really worried about something or concentrating on a killer hard equation."

Amanda gave her husband a brief smile and reassured him, "Don't worry, Raj. I'm just concentrating on this list of food and music for the party we're giving for your replacement and his lady."

He began to feel her concern and replied in a worried voice, "Okay, what are we having to eat? I need to get going in the kitchen soon if we're going to have our buffet ready by Friday."

Amanda's face went from pure concentration to dismay as she hurriedly read the text that came in from Niki Cooper. "Oh, drat!" was all she said.

"What's the matter now? You look like someone just stole your idea for a good paper or something."

Amanda slowly shook her head and kept staring down at her phone, "Raj, don't start cooking anything. Niki just sent me a text inviting us to a party she and Sheldon are throwing for Annelise and Helmut at some hotel at Disneyland."

Now it was Raj's turn for an outburst, "But we bought all those decorations, and we had the pool cleaned especially for this thing!"

"I know, I know, but what can we do? We can't tell the Coopers to cancel their thing so we can do ours."

Raj thought deeply for a moment and then answered his wife with, "No, but we can bring our party to theirs. I can still cook something delicious and bring the music. All we have to do is bring those things with us to the hotel. That could work!

Amanda looked across the table at her husband and, once again, furrowed her brows, "I don't know, do you think all that stuff will fit in our car?"

Her husband shook his head resolutely and answered, "Not really. But we can rent an SUV for the day. Those can hold an entire kid's soccer team in them. A few containers of food and party supplies will be nothing."

Excitement returned to the lovely brunette's face as she smiled broadly and slapped the top of the kitchen table, "Okay, let's do it! You start cooking and I'll handle everything else."

"You got it. I think this is one of my best ideas yet!"

Really, Raj? Maybe if someone else had not had the same idea…