Gratitude
20 years later
Leonard struggled to keep pace with his wife and daughters as they rushed for the check in desk. For the girls were returning to Princeton after the holidays."Hurry Leonard, please sweetie or they will close the desk in a minute", Penny begged him, a little breathless herself now that she had reached the age of fifty. Leonard panted as he renewed his effort to keep up with them and promised himself at the very least a week or two in bed to recover from his exertions.
Fortunately they arrived at the check in desk with minutes to spare before the three girls with a quick hug and kiss for their parents before hurrying to board their plane for the city of Elizabeth, New Jersey and Princeton university.
Penny rubbed Leonard's back as he hurriedly used his inhaler, her concern written all over her face that his asthma had seemed to have deteriorated the more Leonard had aged, which prompted Penny to insist quite firmly that they ought to go for a coffee and a bite to eat in order for Leonard to recover.
While Leonard gratefully sat down at a table, Penny purchased two coffees and a couple of packs of sandwiches, and as she placed the tray on the table, she noticed that someone had left a copy of the Pasadena star newspaper and in between sipping her coffee, eating her sandwiches and keeping a close eye on Leonard's current condition, she idly flicked through the newspaper. Suddenly a familiar name leapt out at her from the obituaries page, it said, Mr James Edward Gallo regrets to announce the sudden death of his beloved wife, The noted Psychiatrist Dr Rachel Gallo...
Penny nearly dropped her coffee in shock and struggled with difficulty due to her emotions immediately welling up as she read the announcement again.
Finally Leonard was stunned as he beheld the troubled face of his wife as she informed Leonard about Dr Gallo's death.
"It says here that the funeral will be held tomorrow. Leonard please, I have to go to it, I must!", Penny begged as her tears began to run down her face.
Leonard, seeing the seriousness on Penny's face nodded.
"Please, will you come with me too honey", Penny asked him earnestly, "We really have so much to be thankful to her for, I, I came so near to losing everything, and even worse, I was this close to losing you", she demonstrated to Leonard using her thumb and forefinger to form a small gap about a 16th of an inch wide, at which point Penny gave way to her emotions and cried helplessly as the images of the past were brought back out of her memory.
Later that night. Penny lay awake for a while unable to sleep and hoping that the words she had written on the wreath they had purchased while on their way back from the airport, had really shown how much she felt she owed to Dr Gallo. Finally after failing to think of any better words she could use she cast her mind back and wondered how different her life may have been if it wasn't for Dr Gallo, but she quickly found her thoughts of living her life without Leonard were very unpleasant and she quickly abandoned this line of thinking, she snuggled against Leonard and soon joined him in slumber.
Leonard awoke to find himself being pinned down by Penny and unable to move. she was not only lying on top of him, though slightly to the side. She was also holding him so tightly into the bargain that Leonard had difficulty breathing
Leonard immediately discerned that Penny seemed to be doing this more out of fear, rather than any amorous intent on her part.
Leonard gently shook her shoulder, "Penny, Penny, are you OK honey?", he asked as Penny gradually woke up.
"Leonard?, sorry I must have had a nightmare. I guess?", 'Holy crap on a cracker, you can say that again Penny', she thought to herself as she released her grip on Leonard.
Leonard gratefully rose and headed for the bathroom.
"Are you sure you're OK Penny?", he asked her again as he returned, as this was not like Penny at all.
Penny decided against keeping her fears secret and told Leonard that she had been thinking before she fell asleep of how different her life might have been if she hadn't gone to see Dr Gallo.
"Hey, it might have been good", Leonard joked, in an attempt to lighten things, by trying to cheer her up. But he was very surprised by Penny's sudden outburst of anger.
"No Leonard! it wouldn't have, I know that for sure, my life would have been hell without you in it, I'm damn certain of that. I would not have been able to learn from you how that love was so much more important than looks alone. also I would not have realised that I was so much in need of that special someone who would love and care deeply for me . I know I dated a lot of guys before I met you, but not a single one of them ever, showed the deep love and care that you bestow upon me, and I realise now how much I need, even crave that special love, and now I know I could never, ever be without that now, be without you now. Truly Leonard, I know very well that I would have just drifted from one failed relationship to another without ever finding the happiness and contentment that I have found by sharing my life with you, the most sweetest caring guy that I have been so incredibly lucky to find.
That was why I was so scared during the night, I was trying to hold on tightly to the sheer happiness and contentment that you give me".
Leonard was utterly astonished at this impassioned speech from Penny. Even though Penny opened her feelings up to him a lot more nowadays than she used to years ago it was still a surprise for her to open up her heart so completely to him like this.
It was not like the funerals that one generally sees on the movies, usually the rain is pouring down from lead grey skies. No, this day was bright and sunny and calls of birds everywhere echoed around the cemetery.
Leonard and Penny made their way to a hall for the service situated in the middle of the cemetery, Penny carrying the wreathe, the inscription she wished would have said so much more.
Inside the hall, a small group of people sat near the front. And it saddened Penny much to see so small a gathering for such a wonderful person that Dr Gallo was. Not wanting to intrude they took seats at the back but Penny's sobs through the short service gave them away as an elderly man turned briefly to look back to see who it was.
He caught up with them as they were making their way to the graveside.
"Excuse me?", he said to Penny, " I couldn't help hearing your crying earlier. But I wanted to know, did you know my wife?", he asked her, the grief still evident on his face.
"In a way, I used to be a patient of hers you see, some years ago though, but she really helped me to turn my life around. I mean I was in real danger of throwing my life down the drain, but thanks to Dr Gallo my life is so wonderful now, and I just had to come when I read of her death in the newspaper to somehow if I could, show my heartfelt gratitude for what she did for me", Penny told him.
Mr Gallo beamed at her, "I must say my wife never did tell me about her work, patient confidentiality and all so I know nothing at all about this side of her?. Though I think she would have been very pleased that you had taken the trouble to come here and remember and thank her. She was a wonderful person wasn't she?", Mr Gallo asked.
"Oh absolutely, I found that she really cared about my problems. Look will you come to dinner on Saturday and I will be glad to tell you more?", Penny told him.
"Are you sure? I don't wish to cause you embarrassment by talking about the past. But I would love to know about this side of my dear wife", he asked her sincerely.
"Oh No please, everything is OK on that score, It will be my way of thanking her, in fact I would be pleased to tell you", she reassured him.
Mr Gallo smiled and said, "Saturday it is then", and Penny informed him of the address and time, then Mr Gallo resumed his course towards the grave.
She was just about to follow when someone else tapped her on the shoulder from behind
"Penny?, Penny Hofstadter isn't it?".
Penny turned and saw a woman in her mid sixties though her face was familiar.
"I'm sorry, you probably don't remember me, I'm Sarah French, I used to be Dr Gallo's receptionist and secretary, though I'm retired now. How are you?", Sarah informed her, while holding out her hand.
"Of course lovely to meet you again", Penny told her enthusiastically as she warmly shook her hand in greeting.
"Rachel would have been so thrilled you came. I think she had quite a bit of a soft spot for you and your husband, you know", Sarah confessed.
"I didn't know that", Penny admitted. Then added "Leonard and Me, well we owe her so much don't we honey", Penny said turning to Leonard.
"Yes, very much so", Leonard agreed as he took his turn to greet Sarah.
"Actually I've invited Mr Gallo over for dinner on Saturday and I was wondering if you would like to come too?, then you can see for yourself just how good life has been for Me and Leonard, all thanks to Dr Rachel Gallo's kind help". Penny asked her.
Sarah was thrilled at the invitation. And as she was the one who took Penny's anguished call all those years ago, she would like very much to see how her dear friend had changed things for the better for them.
After the coffin was lowered into the ground, Penny placed her wreathe along with the flowers and other wreathes and sadly, with Leonard, made her way for her car, after saying goodbye to Sarah and Mr Gallo, who had begged Penny to just call him Jim . And reminding them of the time for them to come on Saturday Evening.
Leonard had not seen Penny in such a nervous state for years, as she was on that Saturday afternoon. In fact so much so that Leonard had to hold her to comfort her as Penny moved to rearrange the plates and glasses on the table and then attempting to toss the salad again for the umpteenth time, but in spite of Penny's nerves everything was ready on time and 2 minutes later the front door rang and Jim Gallo and Sarah were let in by Leonard, who took their coats. Then after an aperitif they sat down to eat. Throughout the meal Jim related to them all about the events of his first Date with his wife, (Whom he met when they were both at university). He had arranged to take her to a dinner, dance only to find he had got the wrong date, but in spite of his fears at being seen incompetent By Rachel, she kindly laughed it off and suggested they go for a meal together instead. Jim told them that he didn't think the date would have gone so well as if they had gone dancing, as they talked and talked together which resulted in discovering a strong mutual attraction between the two.
Jim also confessed at how his university buddies strongly doubted that Rachel would ever agree to date him as Jim's previous experiences with the opposite sex were totally unsuccessful as a rule. To which Leonard remarked "Wow!, I've sure been there myself Jim, in fact I found I got turned down more times than a bed", and getting a sad eyed sympathetic look from Penny as a reward.
"It was certainly a painful period in my life, at that time Leonard, I'm sorry you had the same experience", then he added, "But just like you yourself, I found in Rachel, the most beautiful woman that even now I still find it hard to believe that she could fall in love with me".
And as she heard Jim's voice breaking in his grief for his wife, Sarah then related to them of how fortunate she was to work for such a kind employer that Rachel was, then she revealed how Rachel and Herself would stand at the window and watch as Penny would meet Leonard outside. "I told you she had a soft spot for you, for Rachel couldn't have children herself you see, and I don't think she could help seeing you as something close to a daughter, and her Interest in you became a little more personal than a normal Dr patient relationship would, though she would never cross the line and be too familiar than professional standards would dictate. But I truly feel the it was your strong love for each other that drew her. Perhaps it reminded her of her husband and herself".
Penny felt herself tearing up at this revelation and had to leave the table to wipe her eyes.
After dinner, Leonard made coffee and they all sat in the lounge while Penny got out the family photo album and showed Sarah and Jim all the photographs of themselves and their children as they grew up.
Then as the last photograph was commented on, Penny turned to Jim and declared, "I have shown you both through these photographs the wonderful life that I have now, a life which I would not exchange for all the riches in the world, and it was your wife that made this possible for me", Penny earnestly told Jim, "and I know that I paid for the treatment then, but the help your wife gave me was utterly priceless, and for that I could never ever thank her enough, I'm sorry that you were not able to have children yourselves, but Rachel Gallo made my four children possible, so I would like to think that they are a little bit hers as well."
Jim said nothing at first as he meditated on her words, then rising he thanked Penny profusely for showing him a side of his wife that he was until then aware of.
Sarah too, so thrilled to have seen the outcome, and also so pleased to see the obvious love that still existed between Leonard and Penny, and shortly after She with Jim left for home.
Later as Penny lay thinking to herself in bed, she smiled at the immense satisfaction she had gained, that she had remembered and thanked the immense help that was given to her By Dr Rachel Gallo.
Then snuggling closer to Leonard she fell fast asleep.
