Chapter 2

"I don't know why you both are here. Leonard doesn't require a welcoming party" Beverly Hofstadter said as she watched Hayley fill her kitchen island with baked goods and fruit that she had picked up at the local deli. Hayley walked over and turned on the coffee maker. Michael sat on the bar stool and flipped through the New York Times.

"Mother, Leonard hasn't come home in years. Don't you want to make him feel welcome?" Hayley replied as she pulled out coffee cups and saucers from the cupboard and placed them on the island.

Michael frowned as he looked at the spread of food. "Why is there no yogurt or cheese? What kind of breakfast arrangement did you pick up?" he complained as he grabbed a chocolate croissant.

"Michael…you know that Leonard is lactose intolerant. He can't eat yogurt or soft cheeses" Hayley replied.

Michael looked blankly at his mother and shrugged his shoulders, who returned his puzzled blank stare with one of her own. Hayley rolled her eyes at both of them. "Well at least I remembered" she muttered.

"Hayley, you really need to stop being so selfish. Leonard is not the only one eating this morning." Beverly scolded. She smiled at Michael. "Don't worry sweetheart, I have some yogurt and cheese in the fridge. I'll get it for you." She turned around and headed to the other side of the kitchen.

Michael grinned and stuck his tongue out at Hayley. She glared back at him. "You are such a fucking brat Michael" she hissed.

Beverly returned with the cheese and yogurt and placed them on the island. She stood back and observed her daughter. Hayley was wearing sleeveless coral shift dress and a string of pearls. Her hair was tied back in a high elegant ponytail. She was strikingly beautiful, but much too thin. Beverly frowned at her. "Hayley you look positively emaciated. It makes you look unattractive."

Hayley glared at Beverly. "Why do you care if I look unattractive or not mother?" she said coolly.

Her mother gave her a thoughtful look, "You are right, I don't care. " She started shifting through the pile of the New York Times that Michael had finished with. The kitchen started to fill with the delicious aroma of freshly brewed coffee. The doorbell chimed in the kitchen from the front door.

"That must be Leonard. I'll get it." Hayley said tensely. She hurried through the foyer and looked through the peephole of the front door. There stood Leonard. He looked exactly the same as she had remembered. Wavy hair, glasses, and his t-shirt- hoodie- jacket combination. Memories of their childhood came flooding back to her. She gazed through the peephole and smiled. She had really missed him.

Leonard wearily knocked on the door. He was so exhausted and just wanted to eat a little something, and then head straight to bed. He heard footsteps approach the door, and the lock began to turn. The door opened to reveal a grinning Hayley.

"Leonard!" she exclaimed. She ran up and pulled him into a tight embrace. Leonard dropped his bags and tentatively returned his sisters hug. Leonard felt shocked at his sister's sudden outpouring of affection. Hayley was a complex one. Sometimes she was cold and aloof much like their mother, sometime manipulative like Michael, but other times….rare times…she was kind and sweet.

"Hi Hayley" he smiled. She smiled back at him and grabbed his hand and led him into the kitchen. Leonard was shocked to see the scene before him. The last person he ever expected to see, Michael, was sitting at the kitchen island. His mother was standing beside him, and the kitchen island was a smorgasbord of fruit, pastry, juice and coffee.

"Wow, did you do all of this for me?" he asked stunned.

"Well, one must eat to sustain themselves. Welcome Leonard." Beverly said. She walked over to Leonard and awkwardly put her arm around his shoulder.

"What is this? Hugging?" Hayley said shocked.

Beverly dropped her arm and walked quickly back to her chair at the kitchen island. "Well this parenting technique apparently had a favourable effect on Sheldon Cooper, so I am simply utilizing this method to see if it shows an improvement in Leonard."

Michael snickered as he put down his newspaper. "Needy baby, greedy baby indeed." He gave Leonard a little grin. "How's my little big brother?"

Leonard sighed as he looked at his obnoxious sibling. "Exhausted. It seemed like every other row on the plane had a screaming baby in it." He sat down and poured a glass of juice. He picked up a chocolate croissant and started eating it.

"It's too bad that Penny couldn't come earlier with you. We were really looking forward to meeting her. There's no trouble in paradise I hope?" Michael said with a little smirk directed at Hayley.

"What? No, of course not. Penny just couldn't take the time off work. But hopefully she'll be here on Thursday." Leonard pulled out his phone and looked at the time. The picture of Penny and him at prom lit up the screen on the background on his phone. Beverly picked up his phone and looked at the picture.

"This is a beautiful picture of Penny. She really does have fabulous breasts." Beverly said in a matter of fact tone.

"What?" Michael said interested. He grabbed the phone and looked at picture. He gave Leonard a big smile and a wink. Hayley rolled her eyes.

"Mother! I think it's inappropriate to comment on my fiancé's breasts" Leonard said snatching his phone back.

"Why is it inappropriate? Do you not find her breasts enjoyable when you engage in sexual intercourse? Your father found my breasts extremely pleasurable during sexual intercourse." Beverly said.

"Oh my God! Mother! Normal families do not have conversations like these!" Leonard exclaimed.

"You men and your mammary gland obsessions…" Hayley muttered.

"Oh Hayley doesn't understand because she does not have breasts worth mentioning and judging from her behaviour of the past few years, does not engage in sexual intercourse." Beverly retorted.

Hayley's face flushed red, and she went over and picked up her phone. She started typing into it.

"Anyways… Is Penny shooting another movie? A sequel to Serial Apeist?" Michael asked.

"No, she's not acting anymore. She's a pharmaceutical sales rep. She's been doing this for almost a year now. I thought mom would have told you both." Leonard mentioned with a puzzled look on his face as he looked at his mother.

"Penny's career evolution is not high on my priority list of discussion topics Leonard. If you wanted to convey information to your brother and sister, you should have told them yourself. You can't depend on mommy to do everything for you." Beverly stated coldly.

"Pharmaceutical Sales Rep! Hey Hayley, she's practically in the same field as you" Michael grinned at Hayley. He knew this would completely get her enraged.

"We are hardly in the same field! I do world renown medical research in diabetes. I am not a used car salesman of the pharmaceutical world!" Hayley spouted angrily.

"Used car salesman! I would hardly call Penny's career –"Leonard started.

"Career!? –"Hayley interjected.

"Children! Please be quiet. You are giving me a headache." Beverly turned to Hayley. "I thought your latest findings were going to be published in the International Journal of Medical Sciences months ago. I haven't seen anything yet" she enquired.

"Well we had to redo our double blind study on –" Hayley began.

"-disappointing Hayley. I'm sure that had to do with your incompetence. You couldn't even order breakfast correctly today." Beverly stated.

Leonard glanced over at his sister who had her fists clenched so tight they were beginning to turn white. A wave of familiar empathy washed over him. "Mother, that's not really fair to Hayley."

"Well yes, at least Hayley is publishing her own research. I'm not sure you would be publishing anything at all if it wasn't for Sheldon." Beverly retorted.

"The whole concept behind our paper was my idea!" Leonard exclaimed. Hayley shook her head and started typing furiously into her phone.

Beverly gathered her keys, and started putting some files in her bag. "Anyone can have ideas Leonard. But if you do not have the capability to prove your own theories, then you are nothing more than a common dreamer. It's a good thing Sheldon lets you ride his coat tails." Beverly closed the clasp on her bag and slung it over her shoulder.

Michael smiled at his mother. "Did you see my article in the Harvard Law Review?"

Beverly smiled and walked over to Michael and ruffled his hair. "I did, and it was insightful and brilliant as always." She sighed "I always knew there was a reason I had three children. Third time was a charm. I am going to the office, Goodbye." She walked out of the kitchen and exited the house.

Leonard sighed and leaned back in his chair. "Oh boy! I sure missed that." He looked over at Michael. "Well, you're still the suck up as always."

Michael smirked. "I'm sorry Leonard. I know it must be difficult to live in the shadow of my brilliance. I'll try not to shine so brightly around you."

Leonard rolled his eyes, and then filled his plate with fruit. Hayley sat silently at the island drinking her coffee with an annoyed look on her face.

Michael looked at his older brother and sister. He had forgotten that they had both had a bit of a soft spot for each other. Well, he hadn't graduated top in his Harvard Law class for nothing. He was the master of persuasion, and getting those two to turn against each other would be like child's play. They were both scientists, and their manner of thinking was much more linear. He would need Hayley on his side, if he was ever going to get his plan to work. She was key in influencing Leonard, and Ainsley was Hayley's friend not his. He couldn't have her being empathetic towards Leonard.

Michael turned toward Leonard. "So Leonard, what's the real story with your wedding to Penny? I heard that you and Penny ran off to Vegas to get married? But then changed your minds and came back?"

"What?!" Leonard and Hayley both exclaimed.

"Where did you hear that? I thought you had no idea what was going on in my life?" Leonard said in an annoyed tone.

"Oh mom told me, I guess that piece of information was interesting enough to make it on her list of discussion topics."

"Mom? I never told mom. How the heck…Let me guess…Sheldon right?" Leonard shook his head. "I really need to sit down with him and have a talk about what and what not he can discuss with mother."

Michael turned to Hayley and mouthed "Lover's quarrel with Sheldon?". Hayley smirked back at him.

Michael walked over and put his hand on Leonard's shoulder. "I know we haven't always been the closest in past, but I'm concerned. Is everything ok with Penny and you? I thought you were going to have a proper wedding with your family, and not some sort of Vegas deal. Were you really going to run off and get married without telling any of us?" He glanced at Hayley who had a very hurt look on her face as she looked at Leonard. Jackpot. This would be a way to pull Hayley back over to his side.

"You know Leonard, I know you and I haven't always been the closest brothers. And you and mom and dad have a bit of a strained relationship also. But I am super surprised, that you would even consider getting married, without at least Hayley there. I mean, she was the one who defended you all those times to mom. She was the one tried her best to stop people from bullying you. Didn't she even take care of you when you had that asthma attack and were admitted to the hospital when mom and dad were out of town. I seem to recall her sitting up all night watching you once you got home, just to make sure you were ok. I know our relationship is a bit messed up, but I thought you still cared for Hayley…." Michael trailed off.

Hayley had a sad look on her face. She pulled out her phone and started typing something into it.

Leonard looked at his sister worried. He knew Michael was just trying to get her upset with him, unfortunately it appeared to be working.

"Hayley, it wasn't like that. It was just a spur of the moment decision from two people in love. It was just us, no friends, no family, it was just something that felt so right in that moment, that we couldn't wait another minute, we wanted to get married right then" Leonard said softly.

"Oh, I don't know Leonard. I'm about to get married. I get being in love. But getting married is a life changing experience and I want the most important people in my life to be there, standing by my side. Because I wouldn't be the person I am today without them." Michael stated.

Hayley put down her cup of coffee, and started clearing the kitchen island. "Ok Michael, you're laying it on a bit thick. Let's face it, the three of us are not particularly close. Perhaps at one time, Leonard and I were close, but its clear that those days are in the past. He has his new life in California." Hayley said briskly. Leonard bit his lip and looked at Hayley sadly.

Hayley looked at Leonard sitting at the kitchen island with a concerned look on his face. She knew what Michael was doing. He thought he was so clever, but his manipulations were painfully obvious at times. Nevertheless, what Michael had said hurt…that Leonard no longer cared to the point where he couldn't be bothered to tell her anything about his wedding. She had always seen Leonard differently than the rest of her family. He was the kind hearted one, the thoughtful one. He was the one that had genuinely cared for her. Perhaps she was wrong, and he was just like everybody else. Life's cruel lesson is that nobody ever really cares….

Hayley was very unsure about Penny. She had broken Leonard's heart too many times. Was she just some California floozy that was using her brother to attain social status and money? Or was she what Leonard claimed; a sweet down to earth person that truly loved her brother. She was going to assess Penny with a critical eye. She would let Michael think that she was going along with his plans, but she would make her own decision. Nobody manipulates Hayley Hofstadter. If Penny was using Leonard, then there would be hell to pay, and she would wish she had never crossed her path. That would be her wedding gift to her brother Leonard…as a final testament to the closeness they had once shared.

Hayley looked at Leonard curiously. Perhaps Leonard did need to be tested… To see if his love for Penny was true, or merely an infatuation. And what better way to test that, than for Leonard to see his one true love of his youth…Ainsley.

Hayley smiled at Michael and Leonard. "This conversation is getting heavy. It's a wedding! We are together after all of these years, let's make the most of it. Leonard, I'm throwing a little cocktail party on Saturday night for Michael in my garden. The old gang will all be there, it will be a good time. You'll come right?" she said sweetly.

Leonard felt relieved that his sister appeared to no longer be upset. "Of course Hayley. I'm looking forward to it." Michael smiled and picked up the newspaper again.

Hayley smiled to herself. This party should be very interesting…very interesting indeed.

A/N: Thanks so much for reading! Hayley is not quite black and white as she first appears. She does genuinely care for Leonard, but is she capable of showing it in a healthy way? And who was the most picked on of the Hofstadter kids…perhaps it was not Leonard after all… Who will the chief manipulator be? Hayley or Michael. Thanks for reading, and I totally appreciate the reviews. Coming up next: Cocktail Party!