Chapter 56: The Play's the Thing

I'm finally back to writing this story. Things have gotten even crazier at work, new management, new people, new title and promotion for me. The dust has settled a little bit, so I'm back to working on this story. Sorry for the delay.

Helmut and Annelise were unpacking their belongings and trying to make their new abode feel more like their home and less like someone else's they had borrowed. Niki's old apartment was both spacious and attractive, but it was a far cry from Helmut's clean, sparse, and modern apartment in Heidelberg. On the walls of the living room hung many pictures of the grandchildren of both Mary and Alfred, as well as several of Sheldon and Niki and Leonard and Penny. To counter that, Annelise placed a few framed pictures of her and Helmut in both Germany and the UK on the fireplace mantle. Helmut joined her by hanging a couple of posters of Annelise in Cats on each side of that. When they had finished, they looked at each other fondly and both gave a contented sigh.

Stepping back to survey their efforts, Helmut nodded at Annelise and smiled, "Now it looks a little bit as though we actually live here."

"That it does. Helmut, do you have any idea what you would like for dinner? The kitchen is very well equipped, and I saw that the refrigerator and freezer were left well-stocked."

The handsome German smiled wickedly and replied in a happy voice, "I do believe a tradition was started here by the Coopers a long time ago when they first started living together. Whenever they both had experienced a long, hard, day, they ordered food in."

Annelise walked over to the kitchen counter and took a seat on one of the leather covered stools placed there, "Okay, love. What shall we order?"

Helmut took long strides which carried him from the far end of the living room to the kitchen in a matter of seconds, "Look for some brochures in the kitchen somewhere, most likely in one of the junk drawers." He then paused a moment and considered the situation, then continued, "Wait, Sheldon lived here. There are most likely no junk drawers in this kitchen. Now, let's think; where would Sheldon Cooper stash a restaurant take out menu?"

His fiancé rose from her seat and made a suggestion, "From what I've seen of the man, he probably had all the menus and phone numbers to their favorite places saved on his phone."

"Right you are, Liebchen. So, what do we do? Call Sheldon?"

Annelise's face brightened, "Or Niki. She most likely knows the number to all their favorite places. That girl does have a head for numbers."

Helmut nodded, "They both do. Yes, let's call them and ask for the name and phone number of their favorite Italian restaurant. Is Italian fine with you?"

"Italian sounds perfect. Let me give Niki a call."

Before she could begin her call, Penny Hofstadter burst through the door of their apartment, squealing, "Girl, do I have big news for you!"

Annelise put down her phone and looked open-mouthed at her surprise visitor, "Okay, Penny. You sure look excited. What's your big news?"

Penny quickly gathered herself and began to explain, "Look, we all know I'm pregnant, and getting more pregnant by the minute. I do believe that shortly after the play begins its run, I won't exactly be able to pass off being the slim, single, Blanche."

Annelise solemnly nodded, "I'll agree with that. So what else?"

Now Penny grinned like the cat who had just swallowed the canary, "I've talked to both the producer and the director of Streetcar and they both agreed with me on that point."

Helmut's fiancée reached for her phone once more, "That's nice, Penny, but what does that have to do with me?"

"Girl, I merely suggested to them that you take the lead role and I play the part of preggo Stella, instead."

The phone was returned to the counter, "Did they agree to that?"

Penny's grin now got even wider, if that were possible, "Not only did they agree, but our director loves your work and wants you to come in and sign your contract tomorrow morning!"

"What? You're not kidding. are you?" Catching the look on her friend's face she continued, "No, you're not. Oh my god! I haven't even been here a week and already I have the lead in an important play in Los Angeles!" She then wrapped Penny in a bear hug and cried, "How can I ever thank you?"

"By having dinner with Leonard and me tonight." Seeing Annelise's hesitation, Penny added, "We're going to Nobu in Malibu. C'mon. The guys can talk science stuff and we can talk Tennessee Williams."

"Well, when you put it that way…."

Helmut gave an effusive smile and told the pretty blonde, "I do believe I can speak for both of us when I accept your kind offer. I would love to talk 'science stuff' with Leonard while you and Anna talk about the play."

Penny headed for the door and threw back over her shoulder, "Good. We'll meet you in front of this building in forty-five minutes. Oh, don't worry about paying, our treat."

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The next morning Penny picked up Annelise and they headed to Los Angeles and the producer's office. Penny gave her fellow actress some advice on their way there, "Look, don't act like they're doing you some great favor or something. The director remembers you from The Glass Menagerie and the producer caught you in Cats in London. They were practically drooling at the chance to get you for this part."

Anna gave her friend a tight smile as she nodded, "All right, I won't. But I am still finding it hard to believe they want me. Did you do a good sales job for me by any chance?"

Penny chuckled softly, "No, silly. Did you ever read any of your reviews for Cats?'

"Of course I did, they were very nice. But still…"

"Stop that." Penny barked.

"Stop what?"

Penny turned quickly toward the woman next to her in the car and pointed out, "You voice always trails off like that when you're not sure of yourself. Quit doing that. You are a very talented actress and they want you for this part. Very, very, badly, in fact."

Annelise attempted a small smile, "Thanks, Penny. But I don't have your looks."

Penny agreed with her wholeheartedly, "No, your look is different than mine. You have the same kind of beauty that Nik does. With the both of you, most people don't notice it at first, but then it hits them like a ton of lead."

Anna giggled as she added, "Her beauty sure hit Sheldon hard."

Penny gave a loud laugh as she replied, "I'll say! After his first wife died, we thought he'd never look at another woman. But then along came Nikita Horner and all that changed. Say, I've never asked you this. How did you meet Helmut?"

Annelise closed her eyes and began to reminisce, "He took a theater arts class that I was enrolled in as an elective at the university. Our eyes met across the lecture hall and the rest, as they say, is history." She opened her eyes and turned to her seatmate, "Helmut is so brilliant and so accomplished, I sometimes feel kind of 'slow' around him. Can you understand that?"

Penny's eyes got a faraway look in them as she answered, "Only too well. But Leonard thinks he's 'less than' compared to me when it comes to looks and social skills. It all balances out, I guess."

Annelise mused, "I wonder if Sheldon feels that way around Niki."

At that, Penny howled, "Are you kidding? Sheldon's always thought he was the shit. He just wonders about the inferiority of the rest of us."

"Even his wife?"

The pretty blonde shook her head, "No, not her. Nik is one of the very few people Sheldon considers his equal. And he'd better. She'd have his nuts for lunch if he didn't. She loves the guy, trust me, but she doesn't put up with much of his bull."

The smaller woman gave a sigh and asked, "No, she doesn't seem like the type who would. She's very intelligent, isn't she?"

"Yeah, but not like Sheldon. I mean, yeah, she's super smart, but she's also really good with social skills and she likes a lot of things besides science. I'd say…let me see…Niki's a lot more well rounded than her husband. Let's leave it at that."

Annelise gave a little chuckle as she announced, "I guess we'll have to. I believe we have arrived at the producer's office."

Penny turned to her friend and gave her a cheeky grin, "That we have. Well, girl, let's go in and seal the deal. Then we'll get some lunch at a great bbq place that Leonard and I used to go to a lot when I was in a play around here."

Annelise agreed and announced, "Let's do this and then get some lunch."

Opening night:

Niki Cooper uncrossed her legs and leaned forward to get a better look at the two nervous men sitting at the end of her row in the theater. For the life of her, she still failed to understand why Leonard always got anxious on Penny's opening nights. By now he knew full well that his wife was an exceptionally gifted actress and that she would wow the critics once again. On the other hand, Helmut had every reason to be concerned, his wife had never had the lead in a major American production before, and Annelise had only had ten days to learn her lines. But Leonard? Maybe it was just love that fueled his nerves. She knew that few men loved their wife as much as Leonard loved Penny. Even Sheldon, as devoted as he was, possessed an unspoken confidence in most of her endeavors, especially when they concerned either research or teaching. Niki couldn't imagine Sheldon getting nervous right before any of her lectures or presentations.

Suddenly, a familiar voice spoke softly into her ear, "You'd think by now, Leonard would have some faith in his wife's abilities as an actress. Look at him, he can barely sit still in his seat."

"I know. I noticed the same thing. But you know Leonard, he's always been the worrywart kind."

"So true. Helmut seems a bit on edge, also. But his angst I can understand. His wife has not had much preparation time for this part she's playing. How do you think she'll do?"

"Let me tell you something, Schatze. In everyday situations, Annelise can come off as a little timid and unsure of herself. But when it's showtime, that lady is a lion. I can still remember how she helped us get out of that captive situation in Heidelberg. No, Sheldon, she will be fine. Most likely even better than fine."

"I sincerely hope so. Good reviews of her work may keep her and Helmut out here longer, and that benefits our facility."

"Does that mean you like Helmut's work so far?"

"When we get home, I will let you peruse some of his research and then you tell me."

"Deal." Niki then put a finger to her lips and ended their conversation with, "Shhh… The curtain's going up."

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Two hours later, after the third curtain call, Niki saw Leonard and Helmut shared a thankful, proud, look between them. She smiled to herself in relief and gazed at the two men fondly. Their wives were two of her best friends and their husbands were included in her heart fondness.

Sheldon leaned in to his wife and softly commented, "Annelise is a most exceptional actress. She interacted magnificently on the stage with Penny."

Niki countered that with, "Yeah, but Penny was top notch, too!" She then turned from Sheldon to the two husbands and called out, "Leonard, Helmut, your wives were amazing!"

Bernadette, who had been sitting with Howard behind Niki and Sheldon, added an enthusiastic, "They sure were! I think this is Penny's best effort yet. Her and Annelise are magic together!"

Backstage was the usual bedlam as reporters tried to get interviews with both women. They were their usual entranced selves with Penny as her beauty and wit both seemed to improve as she aged. But Annelise proved to have an unexpected charm, her self-effacing demeanor, slight German accent that lilted at the end of her phrases, and her large blue eyes enthralled them all and that night's theater reviews praised the pairing of Penny and Annelise and clamored for more.

As their entire group was seated at a late-night restaurant to celebrate the evening, Leonard got a mischievous twinkle in his eyes and announced to everyone, "Here the evening is almost over and I seemed to have forgotten something very important." In response to everyone's quizzical looks, he reached deep into his jacket pocket and produced a small, beautifully wrapped, package. "This is for you," he told his wife as he gently placed the gift in her open hand.

Sheldon happily interrupted the couple with, "Oh, I know what that must be, every time Penny is in a new play…"

"Sheldon, shush!" Niki mildly rebuked him, "you're going to spoil the moment!"

The lanky physicist seemed to hold no ill will at his wife's scolding and happily responded, "Sorry. My bad." To which the entire table roared in laugher.

Leonard then addressed his wife, "Penny, you mean the world to me. Your decision to try acting again has brought nothing but happiness to both of us. I have to say this before anyone else does. I'm always blown away by your acting ability, but this may have been your best effort yet. Something beyond magic happened on that stage tonight, and I think it has to do with the two of you," he gave a nod to Annelise, "working together. It was amazing. You two should collaborate more often."

Penny responded by giving her husband a level look, trying to hide both her smile and the tears in her eyes, and failing at both. She then asked him, "Can I open this thing now?"

Leonard grinned broadly at her and responded with, "You better. Do you know how hard it was to get the alterations to the design changed in just a few days?"

Penny gave a hearty laugh, then ripped the wrapping off the small, velvet, box and removed the lid. There, nestled on a bed of the softest silk, lay a gold charm in the shape of the letter S. "Oh, Leonard! You remembered! I can't wait to add this one to my bracelet."

At the puzzled looks given to them by Helmut and Annelise, Leonard explained, "Every time Penny begins a new play, t.v. show, or movie, I give her a charm, shaped like the initial of her character's name, for a bracelet I bought her a few years ago. This charm was the letter B, but I had to change it to S when her and Anna swapped roles. Which was an interesting and fortuitous occurrence." He then put a loving arm around his wife, "Thank god you told me about it early enough for me to get that done."

At his words, Penny chirped happily, "And you did real good!"

Sheldon leaned in close to his wife and whispered in her ear, "Looks like someone is going to have coitus tonight."

Niki responded by tracing a sensuous heart on her husband's pant leg and whispering back, "Hey, you can't let your friend be the only one who gets some action."

"What, it's a competition?""

Sort of. And you can't let Leonard win this one. I mean, you know Helmut and Anna are going to celebrate tonight's success carnally, and Leonard and Penny are a sure thing to do the horizontal tango. As for Bernie and Howard, well, Bernie's had a few drinks and you know that always leads to Howard getting lucky. As for me, you're lookin' mighty good in that suit, sir. Makes a woman think nasty thoughts."

Sheldon pulled Niki even closer to his and kissed her sweetly and passionately. He then nuzzled her neck and replied, "Nothing nasty about it at all! In fact, I rather like it. We're lucky your mother has Lori for the night."

Penny suddenly called out, "Hey, you two! Get a room!"

After the laughs had subsided, Sheldon answered her with, "At the earliest possible convenience." He then surveyed the room, "Now, where's our waiter with the checks?"

Looks like the evening ended on a positive note for all the couples. Now, what's next? I suppose a couple of babies are on the way, aren't they?