The Wolowitz Conclusion

Chapter three

Megan Hofstadter was a complete copy of her mother; beautiful long blonde hair and emerald coloured eyes with a look that could kill at the click of her fingers. The only thing she seemed to inherit from her father was a need for strong glasses, and a interest in experiments and board games. However, her favourite thing in the whole world was sports, and her favourite sport was soccer. At the age of eight she was already playing with children of thirteen and excelling in that too. Fortunately, the soccer club, and the high school where it was run was just at the end of Leonard and Penny's road, well within walking distance, which was good as Penny had still not got in a car since the accident.

Penny would never have seen herself as a 'soccer mom', but Megan had totally changed her life. Having believed she was unable to conceive due to the many false alarms, irregular periods, and a appointment with a gynaecologist, where she had been told pregnancy was unlikely, finding out six weeks later that she was pregnant was a complete shock. Penny had convinced Leonard, and herself if she was honest, that she didn't want children so when Megan was conceived they were both speechless, absolutely over the moon, but speechless.

Leonard had taken Elliot, their son, to the movies that morning, Elliot shared his father's love of all things comic book and super hero, so the new spiderman film was a must for them both. This had left Penny taking Megan, and their eighteen month old daughter, Alice to soccer practice. Penny was the only one of 'the gang' who had a sporty child and as a result, she was the only one there. Penny didn't mind, she took her coffee and a good book to read while Megan was playing and Alice was asleep in the stroller, Leslie Winkle's daughter went too, so sometimes Penny, Lesley and Lesley's wife, Melanie, would chat, however, today Lesley wasn't there, so it was just Penny and her girls.

She found a table for one in the corner where there was enough space for her very large stroller and set up camp for the hour while Megan played, fortunately Alice drifted off into a deep sleep as they came in so Penny knew an uninterrupted hour of reading was definitely possible. Penny rubbed her ever growing bump and sat down in the chair;

"just you and me for a bit, cub" Penny smiled, using her unborn baby's nickname "lets get reading"

After around 30 minutes, just as Penny was starting to doze off into a pregnancy induced sleep she was awoken by a blood curdling scream. She knew instantly that it was her daughter, Megan's screams were awful, and went straight through their head, however, she was grateful for that now. Penny left Alice asleep in the pram and hobbled, as fast as she could out onto the field, there she found Megan in a heap on the floor, unable to move and her left foot facing the wrong way.

"Megan" Penny screamed and picked up her pace slightly "oh my god, what happened?"

"I fell, Mommy" Megan just about managed through her tears "and Esmae accidentally kicked my leg"

"oh baby" Penny looked around to see what, if anything, was going on, fortunately Megan's coach was on the phone to 911 and the first aider was rushing over with the equipment "we're getting you help"

"I'll stay with her" the first aider reassured her, "go and call your husband"

Penny didn't want to leave Megan, this was one of her worst fears about having children, she could hear Megan screaming in excruciating pain as Penny dialled Leonard's number. He didn't answer on the first ring, Penny knew he'd be pissed as it would be about half way through the film, but she knew this was important. Finally he answered in a hushed voice

"hello" Leonard whispered "I've left Elliot in the theatre, what's up"

"it's Megan" Penny yelled, making up for Leonard's whisper "she's broken her ankle, Leonard, its bad, I can see her bones"

"I'm on my way" Leonard hung up and ran back into the theatre "Elliot, we've got to go"

"why?" Elliot demanded loudly "why can't we see the rest of the film?"

"Megan's broken her leg" Leonard tried quieting him down "come on, now Elliot"

"fine" Elliot stomped all the way up the isle and out of the doors, "we'll have to come back and see the end of the film though"

"I promise" Leonard answered, knowing his son had been looking forward to the film for ages "as soon as possible"

By the time Leonard and Elliot made it to soccer training Megan was in the ambulance saying lot's of things they never thought she would. Bernadette was there to pick up Elliot and Alice and Penny was sat in the ambulance with Megan listening and laughing about the things she was saying thanks to the morphine she was on

"hi Daddy" Megan smiled weirdly at her father "I feel warm"

"that's good baby" Leonard smiled at Megan before turning to his wife "morphine?"

"yeah" Penny laughed "did you know, I'm the bestiest Mommy in the whole of the dimensions in the whole universes ever?"

"I didn't" Leonard laughed "that's good to know"

"you're the bestiest Daddy too" Megan interrupted "in all the universies in the whole of everything"

"I know, sweetie" Leonard chuckled "and you're the bestiest daughter"

"what about Alice?" Megan yawned, she didn't even wait for a response before she fell fast asleep

"is this okay" Penny asked the paramedic "she's fallen asleep"

"of course" the man answered "she's had morphine, I'm surprised she's lasted this long"

"this is going to be a long recovery" Penny sighed "I don't know how we're going to manage"

"we will" Leonard smiled "we have too"

"I know" Penny responded, wiping a tear from her eye "I'll just stay off work longer"

"I'll follow in the car" Leonard told her "we don't want to be stranded at the hospital"

"good plan, Hofstadter" Penny winked "see you there"

When they got to the hospital, the doctors suggested that Megan stay in hospital overnight. She needed an operation and it was always recommended to say in after an emergency operation. They were told that it was going to take six to eight weeks to heal and she'd have to go into hospital for physio and changing the dressing during this time and possibly after. Penny silently thanked who ever was out there for medical insurance and signed off all the forms. Leonard had popped home on the way to the hospital and fortunately had remembered to pick up Megan's latest book and sat on the bed reading it with her. Suddenly Megan stopped him and burst into tears

"I'm scared Daddy" Megan sobbed into Leonard's shoulder as everyone in the ward looked over to her "what if I don't wake up?"

"hey, baby" Leonard held her tight, letting her sob so hard into his shoulder that the tears soaked through his hoodie and onto his t shirt "of course you'll wake up"

"yeah sweetie" Penny agreed, cursing how Megan's intelligence and the recent passing of her uncle Sheldon had lead to this "you can't get rid of us that easily"

"I don't want to get rid of you" Megan sobbed even harder into Leonard's shoulder, not picking up on Penny's joke "I love you"

"sweetie, I was joking" Penny answered, taking Megan away from Leonard and on to her shoulder, giving Leonard a chance to dry out his t shirt of Megan's tears "I love you, sweetie, you're the one that made me a Mommy, you're my little miracle, I'd die without you"

"sorry mommy" Megan managed between sobs "I misunderstood"

"Megan, look at daddy" Leonard took her by the hands and looked deep into her eyes, she reminded him so much of Penny it was uncanny "I have had lots of operations, and I've always made a full recovery"

"exactly" Penny agreed "and I've had them too and been fine"

"okay" Megan was starting to calm down now and the people in the ward had stopped staring at them "I'll be okay"

"of course you will" Penny hugged her tight "I wouldn't let them do anything to you that would put you in danger"