Chapter 54: Surprise!

Sorry it's been so long but having three jobs doesn't leave me much time for writing. My contract has recently ended on one job, so this has allowed me to finish this chapter.

I do believe the real surprise will be for the Wolowitzes and the Koothrappalis.

After making sure Helmut and Annelise were settled in their temporary home, Sheldon and Niki headed back to their own house, both of their heads filled with happy memories.

Niki rolled over in their bed and placed her head on her husband's chest, "You know, Sheldon, all that reminiscing got me to thinking."

He pulled her closer to him and ran his fingers through her hair as he replied, "About what, if I may ask?"

"Us. Our past, our future, and our present."

Sheldon thought a moment and then kissed the top of Niki's head, "Okay, suppose you fill me in."

"For starters, our home is here. Right here. Not at Stanford, not galivanting around the country giving lectures. Our hearts are here in this immediate area. Here is where our business is located. Here is where our friends are. Here is where we had our first child and will shortly have our second. Here is where we work. And love. And just plain LIVE! I've decided I don't want to go up to Stanford to lecture for the summer. I'll be pregnant with our second child, and I don't want to miss one second of time being with you and Lori while that is going on. We are a family and your Germany trip taught me one thing, both of us operate far better when we are together, not apart.'

Sheldon nodded and added thoughtfully, "That is quite a bit of thinking. Are you sure about Stanford?"

Niki nodded against his chest, "Quite sure. I'm going to call them tomorrow and see if I can Skype those lectures to them, not be there in person."

"Do you think they will go for that?"

Niki couldn't help but grin as she answered him, "They should. Being pregnant makes most people very understanding of your situation, Sheldon."

Sheldon rolled over to face his wife and agreed with her. "That it does. You know, you've got me thinking about my situation. I wonder if Leonard and I could book all of our lectures somewhere locally and have people come to us to hear them, not us go to them."

"Did you not hear what I just said? You could hold your lecture somewhere local but send them electronically to wherever they are needed. Both you and Leonard could use the excuse that you don't want to travel that much while your wives are pregnant."

Sheldon's face brightened considerably, and he exclaimed, "Say, that's a great idea! I must confess, I wasn't relishing the idea of us being separated and Leonard and I traveling the country while our wives were elsewhere getting ever further along with child. I do believe you will not be the only one making some phone calls tomorrow. You often have some brilliant ideas, Freckles, and this one of them."

Niki began to trace sensuous circles on her husband's chest, then reached up and brought his head down to hers, "I have another brilliant idea for you, Schatze."

Sheldon grinned playfully at his wife as he asked, "And what would that be?"

Niki's hands began to explore his body and she answered him in her most seductive voice, "I think you have a pretty good idea, judging by your non-verbal response."

Sheldon began his own sensuous exploration of his spouse's body and told her, "It seems the physical pleasure I experience with you never ebbs or grows old. I find that amazing."

"As amazing as String Theory?" she teased him.

"Yes, and much more enjoyable." With that, Sheldon's mouth found Niki's and any thoughts about lecture series, coming children, String Theory, or any of their friends were soon erased.

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The next afternoon, at the Grand Californian Hotel, another couple was having an entirely different conversation. "Come on, Howie, hurry! Do you not know what 'hurry' means? It means speed it up! We don't want to get to the party late and miss anything."

Howard Wolowitz rolled his eyes and snapped, "It's hard to hurry when you're pushing a dolly loaded with ten containers of food and party favors."

Bernadette's eyes narrowed, and she spat out, "Quit whining and get a move on! I can't wait to meet the people from Germany. If it was up to you, we wouldn't get there until everyone had left!"

Kelly Wolowitz turned and chided her mother with a stern, "Well, Mom, if you're in such a hurry, why don't we both help Dad?"

Howard looked thankfully at his daughter and replied, "That's all right, honey. I've got this. Your mother is just a little anxious, that's all."

"No, Howie. Kelly's right. I'm sorry. Here, let me help you get this load over to the elevator. I am anxious about all of this, but I had no right to snap at you. I've really got to stop doing that. Kelly, honey, can you press the button for the third floor?"

When the elevator doors opened on the third floor, Bernadette's temper was lost once more. Looking down the hallway, her eyes narrowed, and she called out, "And just what are you two doing?"

Raj and Amanda Koothrappali met her stare for stare as they proceeded to wheel a cart of their own towards the banquet hall to their right. As they walked, Amanda threw back over her shoulder, "Bernie, we're bringing the party to the Coopers." Spying the load that Howard was pushing, she added, "And what are you doing?"

Bernie's husband sheepishly replied, "I guess the same thing you guys are. What's in your boxes?"

"Food," Raj answered him, "lovingly prepared by my own two hands. What about you? Take out?"

Bernie answered him with an air of superiority, "For your information, this food was ordered from one of the finest catering services in town. So there!"

"It's still probably not as good as Raj's." Howard muttered under his breath.

"Oh shut up, Howie. It is too!"

It was little Kelly Wolowitz who finally made the peace, "Mom, you know Uncle Raj is an amazing cook, so I think we're all in for a treat. And Uncle Raj, Mom and Dad really did order this food from the best caterer in Pasadena, so it's going to be wonderful, too! Why don't we all just go to the party and have a great time instead of fighting?"

All four adults looked over at the petite young lady and marveled at both her maturity and wisdom. Amanda's face turned flaming red as she turned to her friends, "I think your daughter's right. We've all been acting like children. Let's just go and have a good time."

The Wolowitzes looked sheepishly at the Koothrapallis and Howard smiled and nodded, "I don't know where she gets it. It certainly didn't come from her mother or me. But at times like this, I'm really glad we brought her along."

Raj threw back his head and laughed, "So are we! Come on, let's go meet the Coopers and their friends and get this party started!"

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Meanwhile, in the banquet room, the Coopers were talking with their German friends, giving them a heads up as to what they should expect from the evening.

Niki began her explanation with, "Now, the Koothrappalis are the couple who are headed off to Hawaii. You will find them very interesting. Raj is the partner who won the Nobel Prize with us. He's a most brilliant scientist, but he has a side that is somewhat different."

Annelise turned to her friend, a quizzical look on her face and asked, "In what way?"

Sheldon picked up where his wife had left off, "He has a strong affinity for what is called, 'chick flicks'. If it's guaranteed to make your lady cry, Raj will be right there, sharing the tears."

Niki grinned and added, "Raj is also an amazing cook and dj."

At that, Helmut gave a short laugh and exclaimed, "Really! That's rather interesting."

Sheldon looked over at Niki for confirmation and explained to the other couple, "He's been the dj at several of our parties. He has helped make them quite entertaining affairs." Niki nodded her affirmation of that fact.

Annelise decided to inquire about the other half of this couple, "What about his wife? What is she like?"

Niki was quick with a description of Raj's wife, "Amanda is highly intelligent, she's the head of the Astronomy Department at UCLA. She's also stunningly beautiful."

Sheldon interjected, "I don't know how Raj pulled off marrying her. She seems a bit out of his league. Not like my wife and me."

Helmut and Anna threw a questioning look at Niki, who hastened to reply, "Sheldon, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. It is the inside of a person, their heart and mind, that should attract people to each other."

Sheldon gave his better half a sly grin and replied, "Perhaps. I have always been attracted to your mind, but long legs, cute freckles, and amazing gray eyes didn't hurt your chances of snagging yours truly."

Helmut's next question to Niki cut through the air like a knife, "What attracted you to Sheldon?"

"His mind, mostly. But I loved the way he danced, that he was tall, and that he had a pair of the bluest eyes I had ever seen. He also made just about anything we did incredibly fun!"

At that point, Sheldon felt compelled to remind his wife, "Well, Niki, among our friends I am considered the life of the party."

Helmut and Annelise exchanged another puzzled look and then pretended to concentrate on the decorations in the room. "Niki, are any of your friends bringing anything? It seems to me you and Sheldon took care of just about everything."

"Well, they might. And I must let you know, Leonard and Penny were a big help to us in pulling this thing together. Penny, especially, was amazing."

Annelise's smile was wide as she exclaimed to both Sheldon and Niki, "I can't wait to see her again! She is one of the most unique people I have ever met."

Sheldon mumbled to himself, "That's one way of putting it."

Niki jabbed a well-placed elbow into her husband's side and hissed, "Hush! You know you love Penny to bits!"

"Of course, I do. Quirks and all."

Niki added happily as she repositioned a string of balloons, "And she says the same thing about you, honey."

"Why would she say…"

He was interrupted by the door opening and Leonard and Penny bounding into the room shouting, "We're finally here! Let's get this party started!" as Penny happily waved a bottle of wine over her head.

Sheldon turned to his wife and stated, "Like I said, quirks."

As Helmut took the glass of wine offered to him by Penny, he brought the conversation back to the other couples yet to arrive. "What about the Wolowitzes? What are they like?"

Niki turned to him and offered up, "Well, Howard is Raj's best friend, just like Leonard is Sheldon's. He's happily married to Bernadette, who we all call Bernie. They have the most adorable daughter who's about to turn 11, Kelly. They make a cute family."

Helmut look somewhat confused as he asked her, "Cute?"

Niki nodded affirmatively, "Yeah, cute. They're all on the small side, but they all have big personalities, especially Bernie. Annelise, Bernie is pretty close to you in size, but she's a little different from you."

"I'll say." Sheldon pronounced to no one in particular.

Once again, Niki's elbow met her husband's side, "Sheldon, please. Anna, you're on the quiet side when you're not onstage, but Bernie can be very opinionated, sarcastic, and a bit pushy. Buuut, she has one of the biggest hearts you will ever see. She's really loyal and once she has become your friend, she's your friend for life."

At that precise moment, both the Wolowitzes and the Koothrappalis burst through the door, pushing their respective carts in front of them.

Bernie hollered out, "Well, it took us long enough, but we're all finally here! Oh, you must be Annelise and Helmut." She stuck out her hand, "Pleased to meet you. The Coopers and the Hofstadters have told us so much about the both of you!'

Annelise gave the tiny blonde woman a tight grin and responded with, "And they have told us just as much about you.'

Bernie's eyes narrowed, "Like what?"

Helmut got between the two women and made and effort to placate Howard's wife, "Niki told us you two have an adorable daughter and both of you are loyal, trustworthy friends."

Bernie's eyes went wide with surprise, "She said that?"

Annelise was quick to respond, "Yes, indeed."

Bernie crossed the room and hugged her friend, "Awww, Niki! Thank you! You are so sweet. And honest, too."

Sheldon asked in indignation, "Hey, what about me? Aren't I sweet also?"

Penny was quick to intercede, "Sheldon, you're, you're…Sheldon. You're unique and we wouldn't have you any way but the way you are."

Sheldon was about to thank his friend when Raj broke in with, "Hi, I'm Dr. Koothrappali and this is my wife, Amanda. I guess you're going to be my replacement while I'm gone. We're leaving for Hawaii in a couple of days, so would you like to meet me at my office tomorrow to go over my research?"

Niki explained to her friend's husband, "Raj, Helmut and Anna are spending the weekend here with us, at Disneyland. But either Sheldon or I should be able to fill Helmut in perfectly well on what you are doing." She turned to her spouse and asked him in a voice that demanded an affirmative response, "Right, honey?"

Sheldon nodded and agreed with his wife, "Of course." He then continued with, "Raj, you are a fine scientist and researcher, but Helmut has followed our research the last week we were in Germany and is well aware of what you are currently doing. He should be fine. I didn't ask him to fill in for you merely based on friendship."

Seeing Raj's crestfallen face, Helmut hastened to add, "Raj, Sheldon showed me some of your work several days before he and Niki left Heidelberg. I must commend you on our research, it is of the highest order and I will have to truly apply myself to rise to your level of expertise. And I must say this before anyone else speaks," he turned to face Amanda and told her, "The Coopers were correct, you are an extremely beautiful woman. Niki has informed me that you are as intelligent as you are attractive. Raj is indeed a lucky man, much like I am lucky to have Anna."

Helmut's pronouncement was met with smiles throughout the room. Good humor restored among all the couples, Penny called out, "Hey, enough science talk! Let's get this party started!"

Things should go well as long as everyone behaves themselves. Oh wait, Penny brought wine…