This is the next to last chapter guys!
The Talent Showcase
Part Five: The Shrew
"Acting is a matter of giving away secrets."
Diana Crescent
Penny was almost positive that she was having a heart attack. She was at CalTech, in Sheldon's building, pacing down the hall from his office. Every now and again, she would glance over at his office door, just to make sure he hadn't wandered out.
It was now or never. She had to tell him that she was going to school. Because if she didn't tell him, he wouldn't come. If he didn't come, he'd never see it. If he didn't see it, she'd never forgive him. Which was completely irrational, because it should be herself she was never forgiving. But damn it, he was supposed to be a genius—called himself one—and he hadn't figured it out by now.
Penny started trying to breathe evenly, trying to ward off the pending attack—be it her heart or panic.
She'd gotten the part. Back in February, she'd gotten the part in the play. The lead part. The title part. And now it was May and Anything Can Happen Thursday, and the last day she was going to be performing. Thank God finals had finally (no pun intended) come; due to rehearsal, she'd had to cut back on her hours, which had NOT been a good move financially.
Penny glanced at her watch. She had to be there in three hours. That meant she had two hours to tell him. Not that she hadn't already been here for a couple of hours. The security officer she'd been nearly arrested by was amazingly understanding. Though if he worked in the same building as all of these physicists, that wasn't surprising.
Dr. Gablehauser had also been understanding when she'd finally told him it was Sheldon Cooper. He was actually a very nice and pleasant man. She wondered why Sheldon disliked him so much.
Penny squatted down and began breathing. Hyperventilating was never fun, no matter how good she was getting at it lately.
Penny closed her eyes and steeled herself. She marched straight to Sheldon's office and walked in.
Sheldon and Raj were both standing, staring at whiteboard.
"Hello Penny," Raj said, surprise on his face. He'd been doing much better since Christmas, and had even been able to talk to a girl at the bar last week. He'd been drinking water.
"Hello Raj. I need to speak to Sheldon. Alone."
Raj looked between them, but saw that Sheldon was just as confused. Raj left the room and Penny closed the door.
Raj quickly texted Leonard and Howard to come have a listen, and pressed his ear against the door.
"Sheldon, I need you to sit down."
"Alright," he said, still confused by her behavior. She looked a little wild, and seemed short of breath.
The flush in her cheeks was stunning, but the look in her eye made him nervous.
"You might be mad about what I'm about to tell you, but I need you to understand."
Raj's eyebrows were going up to his hairline. Howard was going to be right after all; they had been seeing one another.
He quickly hushed Leonard and Howard and mouthed "I think Penny's going to tell Sheldon that she's pregnant."
Both men placed their ears to the door.
"Oh God! Did someone break into our house again? My comic books? Were they stolen?"
"No, sweetie, it's not like that!"
"What is it then?" Panic was licking at his throat.
"About two years ago, I started back to college at Pasadena City. I was going to only take a couple of acting classes. The next thing you know, I transferred my credits from Omaha to here and enrolled full-time. I finished my associates degree in English and theater last summer, so I decided why stop there. I got accepted to USC, and I'm currently majoring in English and theater. Which brings me to why I'm really here. Back in February, they did a casting for The Taming of the Shrew and I got a part, and tonight is the last night I'm performing and I want you to be there. It's Anything Can Happen Thursday, Sheldon so please tell me you're going to come. If you don't, I'll understand."
She took a deep steadying breath. It hadn't been that bad.
Sheldon just looked at her.
"So you're not pregnant?" Howard shouted through the doorway.
Penny looked confused, but let it go…for now.
Sheldon looked decidedly calm. He got up swiftly and hugged her to him. "I'm happy for you, and of course I'll come. What part did you get?"
Penny sank into his warmth and strength. "The Shrew."
Sheldon laughed a little 'hehe' and mumbled something about it being fitting. She giggled at that.
"So you're not mad?"
"No. Though I don't quite understand why you didn't say anything before."
"I didn't want to start something and then end up failing. I was so sure I was going to fail, that I wouldn't make it. But now I'm not. I've got three more semesters to go and I'll graduate college."
Sheldon stepped back and smiled at her. "I'm very happy for you. And proud of you."
She smiled again. "I'm proud of me too."
In that moment, Sheldon realized that Penny had needed this for herself. Needed this to feel something better, to get somewhere better. Though he saw the study of literature not as academic as science, she had still needed courage to do what she had. And he supposed that if he were to mention his thoughts about literature, she'd somehow manage to prove him completely wrong. That was a scary thought.
"Can we come too?" Raj shouted.
Penny laughed. "Of course. I've got you all seats. Even one for Bernadette," she shouted back. "And don't worry. I made sure they are the best seats in the house."
Sheldon smiled, brought her back into his arms and absently kissed her temple.
Penny sighed, and pressed herself closer to him.
She loved it when he was like this. Loved him.
"You should have told me sooner, I'd have been there opening night."
"Everything goes wrong on opening night. I didn't want that."
"Did it?"
"Did it what?"
Sheldon smiled. He could feel her heart racing and the little sighs she somehow kept making. He'd looked up the symptoms months ago. He knew Penny was in love, and was just waiting on her to make the move. "Did it go wrong?"
"No."
"Then you should have told me the next day."
"I wasn't being logical Sheldon. I haven't been logical in a long time."
"I'd like to know when you've ever been logical."
"Are you two done making out?" Howard shouted.
Penny blushed, and stepped away. Sheldon just grinned deviously. "Almost. Give us a few more minutes."
"Sheldon!" She squeaked.
"Whoa, do you think they're really making out?" They heard Leonard say.
"Let's check," Raj replied.
Somewhere between Leonard's comment and Raj's comment, Penny had gotten her own devious grin, which had frightened Sheldon not any small amount, and stepped forward.
The three boys opened the door to find Sheldon's arms wrapped around Penny, and her mouth firmly on his.
"Shiva take you," Raj muttered, handing five dollars to Howard.
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That night, the boys and Bernadette all took their seats, waiting on the show to begin.
Sheldon had taken the middle seat, after determining that one to be the most optimal of the five.
He'd been unable to stop thinking about that kiss—a long-lasting peck, really—that had taken place in his office, before she'd sashayed out, winking at the others as she did so.
He'd been too stunned to answer the questions that the others had had. Only enough mental capacity to tell them that it had been a joke she'd played on them and their relationship just wasn't like that.
Behind stage, Penny was a nervous wreck. Not about the play, but about her friendship with Sheldon. What if she'd completely destroyed it? She'd called his mother just to make sure she had an ally on her side. She didn't expect Meemaw to answer the phone.
She'd told her the entire story, and had come out the clear winner. Meemaw (who relayed the entire story to Missy and Mary) had told her not to worry. If Sheldon even thought about giving her a strike or three for that one, just to call, and they'd take care of it. They also told her to call and tell her how the finale went.
Penny rather liked Sheldon's Meemaw (who insisted on Penny calling her that), and found more and more love for Mary and Missy, who had giggled through the whole story.
"Penny?"
"Yeah, Grace?" Penny asked, turning to look at the director.
"Everything's going to be fine. Just pretend your friends aren't out there, if it makes you that nervous."
Penny smiled and nodded. Grace knew most of the story involving her friends. She didn't know about the kiss.
Before long, the curtain was up, and Penny was waiting for her part.
III
Sheldon watched, disinterestedly, through the first two induction scenes. It was finally that he sat up at the beginning of Act One, scene one, when the young man playing Tranio said, "Master, some show to welcome us to town."
It was at that moment, he knew, that Penny was to come out as Katharina.
And she did, looking messy, sloppy, and every inch a proud-minded shrew. He watched with rapt attention as the play began unfolding before them.
Penny, hands on her hips, walked confidently forward. "I pray you, sir, is it your will to make a stale of me amongst these mates?"
Her voice was clear, powerful, and strong. Cool and contemptible. Haughty and stubborn. Demanding, and every inch a shrew. She was completely believable, and it was only her first line.
"I'faith, sir, you shall never need to fear. I wis it is not half way to her heart; but if it were, doubt not her care should be to comb your noddle with a three-legg'd stool and paint your face and use you like a fool."
"Wow, she's good," Howard whispered, only to be shushed by his friends.
The play continued swiftly forward, and before long they were in the second act. Katharina (no longer was she Penny; Penny had transformed completely and totally) was dragging Bianca out by her tied hands, demanding which suitor it was that had Bianca's heart. That is, until their father had saved Bianca.
Katharina was raging, showing the deep envy and heart-breaking neglect she suffered. "What, will you not suffer me? Nay, now I see she is your treasure, she must have a husband; I must dance bare-foot on her wedding day and for your love to her lead apes in hell. Talk not to me; I will go sit and weep till I can find occasion of revenge."
Her voice was full of tears and sorrow, anger and strife. Sheldon was captivated. It was no wonder she'd come to seek her fortune. Penny was to acting as Sheldon was to physics.
Sheldon was illogically angry at the actor playing Baptista for making Katharina cry in such a manner.
Leonard made a brief mention that this was better than the movie, and why didn't the theater sell popcorn.
Sheldon and Raj both shushed him.
The actor playing Petruchio came along and began telling of how he would woo Katharina, and Sheldon's stomach curdled. Logically he knew it was acting, but he couldn't quite get his stomach to settle.
Her performance was still outstanding, and he was still caught in her web, no matter how much his heart ached.
"I will attend her here, and woo her with some spirit when she comes. Say that she rail; why then I'll tell her plain she sings as sweetly as a nightingale; say that she frown, I'll say she looks as clear
As morning roses newly wash'd with dew; say she be mute and will not speak a word; then I'll commend her volubility, And say she uttereth piercing eloquence; if she do bid me pack, I'll give her thanks, as though she bid me stay by her a week; if she deny to wed, I'll crave the day when I shall ask the banns and when be married. But here she comes; and now, Petruchio, speak."
Penny returned to the stage, still looking wild and untamable.
"Good morrow, Kate; for that's your name, I hear."
"Well have you heard, but something hard of hearing; they call me Katharina that do talk of me."
"You lie, in faith; for you are call'd plain Kate, and bonny Kate and sometimes Kate the curst; but Kate, the prettiest Kate in Christendom, Kate of Kate Hall, my super-dainty Kate, for dainties are all Kates, and therefore, Kate, take this of me, Kate of my consolation; hearing thy mildness praised in every town, thy virtues spoke of, and thy beauty sounded, yet not so deeply as to thee belongs, myself am moved to woo thee for my wife."
"Moved! in good time: let him that moved you hither remove you hence: I knew you at the first
you were a moveable."
"Why, what's a moveable?"
"A join'd-stool."
"Thou hast hit it: come, sit on me," he said getting on one knee.
"Asses are made to bear, and so are you."
"Women are made to bear, and so are you."
Sheldon was excited. She really was magnificent. His hands had gone cold and clammy, he was so excited.
"Yours, if you talk of tails: and so farewell," Katharina continued, never realizing the effect she was having on her audience, drawing them so completely in.
"What, with my tongue in your tail? Nay, come again, good Kate; I am a gentleman," he said, cockily strutting forward, his hands behind his back, his pace slow.
"That I'll try," she sneered and struck him across the face.
To Sheldon (and everyone else), the play just got better and better.
As the play neared its end, he found himself so completely awed by her performance he was terribly sorry he hadn't brought the flowers here. He'd called his mother and asked her if she thought roses would be suitable for Penny's performance, or should he get her lilies as she preferred.
His mother said Penny would probably receive a great deal of roses from others tonight, and to go with the lilies.
Sheldon had ordered three dozen and left them in her apartment for a surprise. He figured three dozen lilies would be difficult to carry with all the roses. And there wasn't enough room in her car anyway, as it was.
It finally came to Katharina's monologue.
Her costume was elegant. A deep, muted blue that set off her skin and hair perfectly. She bowed before the audience, before standing again, angled in such a way that she could look straight at Sheldon. Her eyes caught his, and his breath stopped.
The lights on stage went dim and focused on her completely.
"Fie, fie! unknit that threatening unkind brow, and dart not scornful glances from those eyes, to wound thy lord, thy king, thy governor. It blots thy beauty as frosts do bite the meads, confounds thy fame as whirlwinds shake fair buds, and in no sense is meet or amiable. A woman moved is like a fountain troubled, muddy, ill-seeming, thick, bereft of beauty; and while it is so, none so dry or thirsty Will deign to sip or touch one drop of it. Thy husband is thy lord, thy life, thy keeper, thy head, thy sovereign; one that cares for thee, and for thy maintenance commits his body to painful labour both by sea and land, to watch the night in storms, the day in cold, whilst thou liest warm at home, secure and safe; and craves no other tribute at thy hands but love, fair looks and true obedience; too little payment for so great a debt. Such duty as the subject owes the prince even such a woman oweth to her husband; and when she is froward, peevish, sullen, sour, and not obedient to his honest will, What is she but a foul contending rebel and graceless traitor to her loving lord? I am ashamed that women are so simple to offer war where they should kneel for peace; or seek for rule, supremacy and sway, When they are bound to serve, love and obey. Why are our bodies soft and weak and smooth, unapt to toil and trouble in the world, but that our soft conditions and our hearts should well agree with our external parts? Come, come, you froward and unable worms! My mind hath been as big as one of yours, my heart as great, my reason haply more, to bandy word for word and frown for frown; but now I see our lances are but straws, our strength as weak, our weakness past compare, that seeming to be most which we indeed least are. Then vail your stomachs, for it is no boot, and place your hands below your husband's foot. In token of which duty, if he please, my hand is ready; may it do him ease," she said, kneeling down, stretching out her hand, staring at Sheldon, though to many it seemed she was facing Petruchio.
Sheldon stopped breathing again. There it was. All the confirmation he needed.
He nodded to her, and smiled.
She bowed her head, hiding the smile that was trying to bloom across her face.
The play ended swiftly, and Penny came back for a simple bow. What she got was a standing ovation and at least five dozen roses.
Sheldon was indeed glad there were lilies in her apartment.
III
Penny smiled, and again turned down the offer to celebrate. The only one she wanted to celebrate with was waiting to walk her to her car, despite is being 12:30 and hours past his bedtime. He was still sitting in his acoustically optimal seat.
She was back to being just Penny, with her simple jeans, a (surprise surprise) Superman tee-shirt, and a light jacket. Make-up done normally, and hair swept up into a curly pony tail. All complete with a pair of simple ballet flats. Much different from Katharina, but still very much apart of who Katharina was.
She gathered her roses and walked out on stage, finding the only remaining audience member there.
"You were magnificent."
Inside, Penny warmed considerably. Despite the standing ovation and the outrageous number of roses, she'd needed him to confirm it. She was a real actress. And a damn good one at that.
"Thank you."
"Shall we go?"
"Yes."
Sheldon simply took her roses, and walked beside her up the center aisle and out of the front door.
On the way to her car, she shyly told him, she'd been offered a part in an upcoming city play, but had turned it down in order to finish her degree. She couldn't afford another play until next year.
Sheldon stopped behind her as she opened the driver side of her car. She carefully placed the roses in her backseat and turned around to find him much closer than she had predicted.
Sheldon didn't say anything, simply stared. Penny stared back, eyes occasionally moving from his eyes (oh, God, those eyes) to his lips.
She sincerely hoped he'd kiss her.
And he did.
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One more talent to go…