After the previous night's dinner fiasco, the girls decided to have a day to themselves. It was no secret that Penny was becoming more uncomfortable at this point in her pregnancy. However, when Bernadette called her that morning, there was a distinct sadness in her friend's voice. Bernie decided that it would be best to pay a visit to Penny at her home. As the three friends entered the apartment, they found her sprawled upon the couch, crying and eating ice cream.
"Bestie!" Amy jumped in first, "What's wrong?"
"Oh nothing," she sniffled, "I promise, it's just stupid."
"Nothing? Really, nothing surely doesn't make people cry like this!" Layla replied, taking Ravali out of her car seat.
"It's my mom," Penny sighed, "she's not going to be able to come in after the baby is born. I just really needed her here!"
"Why isn't she coming?" Bernadette asked.
"She and my dad are leaving the day after Christmas for this stupid second honeymoon thing, it's been apparently it's planned for months!" Penny threw her hands in protest.
"It's ok Bestie, we're all here for you!" Amy tried to console the blonde as the others nodded.
"You know what I really want?" Penny sighed as her friends watched her intently not knowing the answer, "I want to go home to Nebraska for Christmas."
"Penny, you can't fly, you're due at the beginning of next month!" Layla exclaimed.
"Doesn't mean I can't drive!" Penny argued.
"But what about Christmas here?" Bernadette asked.
"Well, I was thinking of surprising Sheldon with an impromptu trip to Texas!" Amy chimed in.
"Raj and I thought about taking the kids to a hotel room to look over all the lights!" Layla added.
"Wait, wait, wait," Bernadette backpedaled, "You guys just can't leave me here to have Hanukkah with Howard's mother and Christmas with my parents, I'll shoot myself!"
"That's just it," Penny smiled, "I want you all to come with me! Christmas back home is so magical. There is snow everywhere and it covers the trees. My mom makes cookies and we all surround the tree and open presents with everyone around us!"
"I don't know," Amy looked concerned, "Sheldon doesn't travel well, and the only way I was going to get him to go to Texas was to see his MeMaw. Oh and to take the train!"
"We can take the train!" Penny clapped her hands.
Before anyone else could think of another conflict, Bernadette yelled, "I'm in! Anything is better than the holidays with my family! I'm sure Howie feels the same!"
"Howard and Rajesh haven't spent a holiday apart since Raj has been in America. I can't separate them, I guess we're in too," Layla laughed.
"Peer pressure…" Amy looked panicked, "This is what my mother warned me about! Alright, I'm in too!"
"This is so great!" Penny sighed, "I've picked out a house we could stay in for the weekend and everything!" She pulled up the photos on her laptop as her friends crowded around her.
Later that evening they sat their husbands' down and handed each one of them a packet entitled, "Christmas Extravaganza", Penny thought the it needed so pizazz to draw them in and be more accepting of the idea. Before the girls even had a chance to begin their speech, Sheldon interrupted.
"There is no way I am going to Nebraska!"
"Nebraska," Leonard flipped through the packet, "Penny are you insane, I am not allowing you to travel! You are due at the beginning of January!"
"What's even in Nebraska?" Raj asked, shaking the packet almost as if the answer would fall out.
"Wait, taking this train ride is going to conflict with Ma's Hanukkah celebration! You know how angry she'll be if we miss that!" Howard stated.
The room burst into utter chaos, with each husband shouting about more concerns they had with the possible trip. Each one of them being cut off by another. Their wives couldn't spit out answers fast enough to appease the cranky men. Aggravation bubbled in Bernadette's head as the protesting continued, reminding her of the craziness of her siblings. A loud whistle stopped the friends as they turned to look at the tiny woman, standing with her fists clenched.
"Sit!" she demanded, they all listened, and "First, Sheldon we are taking the train for you. So you can shut up and be happy. You are either going to have Christmas with us in Nebraska or in Texas with your mother, take your pick! Keep in mind she will make you go to church!"
"Well, Nebraska it is then," He mumbled.
"Second, Leonard stop being over protective, we all saw where that got Howard. Also, I'm one hundred percent sure Penny is going to do whatever she wants to and you can't stop her. We are taking a train so it's safer for her to travel!" Leonard was silent, "Which brings me to my third point, Raj it's just for Penny's family, and since we are so close, we're family too!"
"Oh, alright, that makes sense," Raj nodded at his angry friend.
"My final point!" Her voice softened, "Howie, we'll fly out on the twenty-fourth since I'll still be under thirty-six weeks. That way we have ample Hanukkah and Christmas time with our family here. Any questions?" Sheldon raised his hand, "No, good, everyone shut up, and get happy!"
Howard looked at his wife in admiration, "Oh thank God, you're going to be the disciplinarian! Our kid is not going to get away with anything! This is such a relief," he hugged her, "Not to mention you look so hot when you state your dominance over physically bigger people! You're like a firecracker, itty bitty package, and giant explosion!" he nibbled at her ear.
"Howie, stop!" she playfully swatted his arm.
"I still can't believe we have to ruin a perfectly good train ride by stopping it in Nebraska!" Sheldon huffed, "I told you Penny was trouble, Leonard from the moment we met her! Now she's deliberately destroying Christmas!"
"Hey, zip it, buster!" Bernie snapped out of her content state, scaring Sheldon.
"Ya," Penny giggled, "She's pretty great!" she pulled her best friend into a hug, smiled, and under her breath whispered, "thank you."