Love Is Hell

Chapter Twenty-Seven: The Griffin Training Production

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It was 5 days exactly before Christmas day. Kate was with the girls on their day out, at the mall most likely. It was the fifth time Kate went out during Halo night, which meant guys' night. Sheldon sat in his spot, preparing for the great night of Halo; as he did, Leonard was on the phone with Penny, discussing whether or not they should have the wedding on New Year's Day. The debate of where to have the wedding was finally landed at a church in Nebraska. The situation had become uncertain immediately when Leonard hung up, for Sheldon reminded him that he and Kate were going to leave for Texas, via train.

"So?" Leonard questioned as he got off the phone with Penny. He went from the refrigerator, getting Sheldon, Raj, and Howard bottled waters. Stuart was at the comic book store, of course. Leonard sat in the armchair, looking at Sheldon pointedly. "Why would that change anything?"

"Are you having the wedding on New Years' Day?" asked Sheldon.

"Yeah," said Leonard. "She wants to have it in Nebraska so her dad doesn't have to come all the way over here."

"So we'll have to go there?" asked Rajesh solemnly.

"Yeah," said Leonard.

Howard leaned forward, smiling at Leonard, saying, "Don't worry; I've got your back. I'm your best man, after all."

"I know, Howard." Leonard said. "You've reminded me every day since." He turned to Sheldon. "You're going to your mom's for Christmas. I don't know what's the big deal."

"It's not a big deal," Sheldon replied. "I've not told you our game plan, and I find that rude."

Leonard sighed and said, "Fine. What's your game plan?"

Sheldon stood and from the hallway, he brought out a simulator hologram which was basically a large board with touchscreen. There was the calendar of December, and the labels that followed. On it, Sheldon explained that he and Kate were packing on the 23rd to leave on Christmas Eve for a twenty-hour train ride to Texas, where they'd meet Mary Cooper at the station; from there, they'd go to her house, spend five days, which would lead to the 30th. On that day, Kate and Sheldon would leave from there and take a train to Nebraska, another twenty-hour ride, and they'd make it there on the night of the 31st of December. The next day was the wedding. Then after the wedding, they'd come home.

Normally, Leonard and the other guys were bored at his simulations but since it was about Penny and Leonard's wedding, they were attentive, to Sheldon's satisfaction. As the presentation ended, Leonard looked at Sheldon curiously.

"So remind me again, how's that a big deal and why would that affect my wedding?"

Sheldon stared at him, saying, "How would that affect your wedding? I'm going to be on two different trains for twenty hours; if that's not a big deal, what is?" He smiled widely. He then added, "Kate voted for flying but she shares my love of trains."

"No," said Howard. "She loves you so therefore she'll conceded to ride trains, even if it means to ride on it for a whole day." He looked at Leonard, muttering, "Does Kate know what she's getting into?"

Leonard shook his head. Raj looked at Sheldon.

"So are you nervous about Kate meeting your family?"

"Of course not, why would I be?" Sheldon replied. He opened his bottled water and before he took a drink, he added, "It's funny. Kate proposed the same question."

Leonard rolled his eyes and looked at Raj, saying, "So are you and Jane going to be at the wedding?"

"No," said Raj. "Jane doesn't like weddings."

"Why not?"

"Got me," Raj returned. "I never bothered to ask; it's like taboo for her." He smiled.

"Who's Jane?" asked Howard.

"The girl that Kate's interning these days," said Leonard. "Apparently working with Kate is a pleasure."

"I would expect so," Sheldon intervened. He sighed.

"What's with the sad face?" Rajesh asked Sheldon.

"It's intriguing," Sheldon noted. "Do you realize that the only thing that would make us more compatible is if Kate was a particle theoretical physicist?"

"Come to think of it," said Howard. "You may be onto something. But, thank god, she's not."

"Why not?" asked Sheldon.

"Because we'd have a female Sheldon," Howard told him.

"That's not true," said Sheldon.

"Yeah," agreed Raj. Then he added, "She's so much more fun than Sheldon."

Leonard and Howard giggled at this but Sheldon threw him a scolding gaze, to which Rajesh simply joined in the laughter at his own joke. Halo night resumed.

Xx

Kate was at Amy's house with Penny and Bernadette. They'd fooled the guys thinking they were going to go shopping but in reality, the girls took this time to wrap their sweethearts' Christmas presents. While they glided scissors over decorative wrapping paper, spun ribbon and smacked bows to tags reading 'To' and 'From', the girls talked merrily. Kate had already wrapped her presents and served the busied bunnies carrot cake, white icing on the surface, each on separate plates.

Amy took a bite of her cake and said, "Mmm, this is delicious. Kate, I must say you have a substantiate gift to which I can only envy and relish with happiness and guilty pleasure."

"Thank you, Amy," said Kate. She sat on her couch, watching the girls below gift wrap presents. "Penny."

"Yeah?" asked Penny, who was fighting with the tape dispenser. "Come on, you damn thing, give me my tape!"

Bernadette took the tape dispensor, fixing it, and handed it back to the blushing bride-to-be. Penny thanked her happily and went a long taping.

With mischief clear in her tone, Penny snickered, "This is gift wrapping the Nebraskan way! See if Leonard can open that! Ha!"

"Are you plotting revenge?" inquired Amy. "One can only rip through so much tape. He may never open it to glimpse the leather jacket concealed cleverly in a box that's indicated to contain a lamp."

"Nah, he can get through it because he knows it's from me," Penny assumed. She looked at Kate. "Did you ask me something?"

"Not yet, but I was getting there," Kate replied. "It's about your wedding."

"Oh, okay. Shoot!" Penny returned. She had bought Howard a video of 'How To Get Your Wife In The Mood' video, knowing he'd watch it with the utmost concentration and focus. Kate leaned forward, elbows on knees, hands clasped together.

"Penny, aren't you worried that your wedding may be inevitably doomed while marrying on New Years Day?"

"What," laughed Penny. She looked up at Kate inquisitively. "Why would it be? It's a holiday."

"My point," Kate returned. "What if you and Leonard break up again? Every New Years' will be a bad beginning. It's bad luck."

"I thought you don't believe in that," said Bernadette, looking up at her.

"No. I do. Sheldon doesn't." Kate said.

"But you never argue the point," Amy said coolly. "Therefore, I assumed you, too, didn't believe it."

"I believe in good and bad luck," Kate responded. "However, it's not important enough for me to argue about it with Sheldon, get him into a temper tantrum, and then regret it the next day. It's too much trouble."

"Knuckle under, right?" Penny stated.

"No," said Kate. "I choose to drop little arguments. Anyway, that was my only inquisition. Other than that, I hope you two have a lovely wedding. I look forward to wearing a red dress." She smiled and looked at Amy.

"Can't believe we're going to Nebraska," mused Bernadette. She looked at Penny. "Are you going to give a grand tour of your childhood home?"

"I guess I can," Penny stated. "I don't see why not." She finished the last present and turned to Kate. "Are you nervous about meeting Sheldon's mother?"

"No."

"Good; you shouldn't be." Penny returned sweetly. "She's cool."

"I figured as much," Kate assumed. "I wouldn't be spending five days over there if I didn't think that."

"Five days?" said Amy and Penny.

"Yeah; Mary wants to get to know me and apparently, Missy's found a way to stay since she's going to be meeting me as well," said Kate lightly. "I don't know much about Sheldon's sister but hopefully, all works out."

"Why five days?" asked Penny. "You're not missing my wedding, are you?"

"Of course not." Kate said. "I'm staying until the thirtieth, I'm leaving with Sheldon and we'll be Nebraska by the thirty-first. Your wedding is on the first of January so we'll spend the night, have your wedding then come home. I already have the tickets."

"That's quick," said Penny.

"I like to be prepared," Kate returned.

"I can't believe they're having your wedding on New Years' Day," said Bernadette enthusiastically. "I thought that would be hard considering it's a holiday."

"That's silly," Penny said, laughing. "Churches love doing this stuff."

"Penny, it's not the Church that does the weddings; it's the people in them," Amy pointed out. "If Churches could talk, imagine the secrets that'd pour out? We'd all be screwed."

"No doubt," Penny agreed. She looked at Kate. "What are you getting Sheldon for Christmas?"

Kate grinned widely.

"A vial of a Lion's DNA and eagle eggs," answered Kate.

"Why the combination?" asked Amy. "Those seem less than arbrituary for a Christmas gift, although I'm sure the eggs could be scrambled, although if raw, they may not be as well cooked. One can risk malignant diseases if consumed; I'd advise Ostrich eggs. They're bigger."

"No, Amy. I'm not cooking them," Kate responded.

"Then why lion's DNA and eagles' eggs?" asked Bernadette.

"Sheldon said he wanted a griffin when he was younger but his parents said 'no', but Miss had swimming lessons when she wanted them. I figured this would be just as great, even if he's a lot older," Kate said sweetly.

"That's ridiculous," Amy told her seriously. "Griffins are imaginary."

"Perhaps so, but given the chance to produce one, it's plausible and if one does produce, it'll have Sheldon to thank." Kate responded. "Plus, I don't mind having a Griffin for a pet; it can send my letters and fend off intruders; no one can say 'no' to that."

The girls looked at Kate weirdly but she didn't seem affected by it.