It was late in the evening when they all got home and put all their stuff away. Penny was just putting her now empty suitcase away when there was a knock on her door. She poked her head out of the bedroom and called out loudly, "Come on in! It's open!"
She finally managed to shove the luggage onto the top shelf and stepped out. She sighed with relief and closed the door. A noise at the bedroom door made her turn and after a second's shock she grinned widely.
"Hey, slugger," Wyatt said with a grin. Penny ran forward and threw her arms around his neck tight.
"Daddy!" She relished the feel of his whiskery cheek against hers. "What are you doing here?"
He smiled and set her back on her feet. "I thought I'd take a bit of time off to come see how you were doing."
Penny rolled her eyes. "Momma Mary sent you, didn't she?"
Wyatt glared at her. "Absolutely not!" His expression slowly turned into a wry smile. "Meemaw did."
Penny laughed and led him out to the kitchen. She put on a pot of coffee and pulled a loaf of banana bread from the fridge. "So, how long can you stay?"
Wyatt dug into the banana bread eagerly and grinned. "Just a few days. I have a delivery of new shrubs on Thursday, so I need to be back before then."
Penny sat down beside him and laid her head on his shoulder. "I'm glad you're here, Daddy."
He kissed her forehead and smiled. "I'm glad to be here, baby. I've missed you."
Sheldon filled the tea pot and wondered if Penny would be willing to join him for a movie. He reached for his phone to text her but a knock on his door stopped him. Maybe she had decided to visit on her own, he thought hopefully. He hurried over and opened the door.
"Hello, Shelly," Mary said with a smile.
Sheldon stepped back and let his mother inside. He quickly took her sweater and luggage. "Mom, this is a surprise. You know I don't like surprises."
Mary held out her arms and waited patiently. Sheldon rolled his eyes and stepped close to hug her. Once he stepped back she sat down and patted the space beside her. "Sit down, Shelly. I have another surprise for you."
"So, why are you really here, Dad? I take it you've talked to Momma Mary and Meemaw." Penny said as she refilled his coffee cup.
Wyatt blushed slightly. "You know very well that I talk to Mary often." Penny looked at him questioningly. She couldn't ever remember a time when her Dad had looked so bashful.
"Dad? What's up? You look like you're about to burst."
Wyatt grinned softly. "I have some news, sweetie. I'm hoping you'll like it."
Penny snagged a bite of his banana bread. "What's the news?"
"I'm getting married," Mary said gently.
Sheldon's eyes widened and he was certain he had misheard her. "Forgive me, Mom, but I seem to be experiencing hearing difficulties. What did you say?"
Mary sighed and patted his arm. "You heard me very well, Sheldon. I am re-marrying."
Sheldon frowned, growing a bit agitated. "Who?"
"I've asked Mary to marry me, slugger. And she has said yes." Wyatt said cautiously.
Penny's jaw dropped and she stared at her father for several seconds. "Momma Mary?"
He nodded. "She's visiting Sheldon now, telling him the news."
Penny jumped up and swiftly ran out of the apartment. Wyatt followed anxiously.
Sheldon jumped as his door burst open and Penny rushed inside. She paused only long enough to look at Sheldon before flinging herself across the room and wrapping her arms around Mary tightly. Wyatt walked in, his eyes locked on Mary's. They smiled at each other tenderly.
Sheldon couldn't deny the look that passed between them. He looked at Mr. Wyatt and internally shrugged. He had always respected and admired Penny's father. The man had always treated him well, and cared about him as much as his mom and Meemaw had. Sheldon stepped forward and held out his hand.
"Hello, Mr. Wyatt. I understand you have proposed marriage to my Mom," he said calmly.
Wyatt nodded as he shook Sheldon's hand. "I will understand if this is a bit of a shock to you. You mom is a wonderful woman and she has done me the honor of saying yes."
Sheldon looked at the two women, who were both crying and hugging tightly. "I will admit, I was very surprised, but now that I consider it, it does not seem strange at all. There are few people I would trust my mother's welfare to, Mr. Wyatt. You are at the top of that list."
Wyatt swallowed the lump in his throat and gave Sheldon a nod. "I will do everything in my power to make her happy."
Penny finally released Mary and turned to Sheldon. "Isn't it wonderful?" she asked happily. "That makes you my true Momma Mary!" she said to Mary.
Mary patted Penny's arm affectionately. "I am so glad you don't object. We were worried about how you two would take it."
Sheldon walked over and looked down at his mom with confusion. "Why would you worry about that? This is your decision. We have no say in it."
Penny patted Sheldon's arm. "She just means they were worried we might not be happy about it. That would have made them sad, Shel."
Understanding dawned and he nodded finally. "I see." He hugged his mom briefly and looked over at Mr. Wyatt. "I am very happy about it, as is Penny, apparently."
Penny grinned widely and hugged her dad. "I'm very happy. I love you, Dad, and I am so glad you won't be alone anymore!"
Wyatt smiled and looked down at his daughter. "And just think, now you and Sheldon really will be brother and sister."
Mary and Wyatt moved to embrace, neither of them noticing the stunned expressions on their children's faces.
Charlie was watching Jaws when Sheldon started knocking. He rolled his eyes and took his time answering.
Knock, Knock, Knock. "Penny?"
Knock, Knock, Knock. "Penny?"
Knock, Knock, Knock. "Penny?"
He stepped back and waved Sheldon in. "She's run out to the store but she'll be back soon. We've run out of milk and if there isn't any for her coffee in the morning, we're all in danger." Charlie sat back down and watched Sheldon flutter around the room trying to find a comfortable seat. Sheldon finally settled on the edge of the armchair, and Charlie turned down the volume on the TV.
"So I hear Penny's dad and your mom are getting married." Charlie watched Sheldon's expression carefully. He saw the same look of unease on Sheldon's face that he had seen on Penny's when she first told him. "So, how was the convention? I asked Penny and she said it was fine. Usually she's much more descriptive than that. Almost makes me think something happened."
Sheldon turned pink and was grateful to hear Penny's key slide into the lock. He ignored Charlie's chuckle as the door opened and Penny stepped inside. Penny looked at them and smiled. "Hey, Sheldon. What brings you down here?"
He stood and placed his hands behind his back. "I was hoping we could talk." He flicked a glance at Charlie. "If you have a free moment," he said.
Penny put away the milk and nodded. "Here or your place?"
Sheldon cleared his throat as Charlie leaned forward and watched him with a knowing smirk. "Upstairs, please."
Sheldon followed Penny out the door, ignoring the chuckles from her roommate. He had spent the evening after their parents had left for their hotel trying to decide what to say to Penny. He was worried about how this new tie between their families would affect them. He was worried that no matter how he broached the subject, she might think he was only after sex. He wanted to make love to her. Of course he did! But he needed to make her understand that he wanted her in all aspects of his life.
They arrived on the 4th floor and he opened his door. Penny stepped inside and he closed the door. Sheldon turned to face her, and suddenly her lips were on his. Sheldon wrapped his arms around her immediately. They kissed hungrily. Penny pressed against his growing erection and moaned.
"Bedroom," she whispered before nuzzling his neck. Sheldon grabbed her hand and pulled her across the room and down the hall. They tumbled into his room, shedding their clothing quickly. Without another word they fell across his bed, desire and need driving them.
When he woke up, she was gone. Her scent lingered on the linens, but the other side of the bed was cold, so he knew she had been gone for a few hours. His phone was ringing, so he sat up and answered it. "Hello?"
"Shelly, Wyatt and I thought we could come get you and Penny and have breakfast together. We'll be there in about 30 minutes, okay?"
Sheldon glanced at his clock and nodded. "I will begin my morning ablutions immediately, although this does disrupt my normal routine."
Mary gave an exasperated sigh and told him to get a move on. Sheldon rose from the bed and slipped his robe over his nude body. He grimaced at the wrinkled clump of clothes on the floor. Only Penny could make him that frantic.
As he showered he wondered how they would react with one another. He was no good at lying or keeping secrets, but he did NOT want his mom or Mr. Wyatt to know what they had done together. Especially not until he and Penny had sat down and discussed it together. Were they a couple? Friends with benefits? Was this just something that had happened and she would never want to repeat? They had engaged in coitus together three times now, but all three times had been unplanned. In fact, all three times had occurred after particularly emotional circumstances.
Sheldon got out and dried off quickly. He dressed and tried to put this new paradigm between he and Penny out of his mind for now. He had to work today, and after that, he was certain his mom and Mr. Wyatt would want to spend time with one or both of them. He would have to wait until they left to explore this change in status.
Penny stood in front of her closet without really seeing what was in it. She was so lost in thought she didn't even hear the door open. It wasn't until Charlie tapped her on the forehead that she jolted back to reality.
"Wanna talk about it?" he asked worriedly.
Penny sighed and slumped on the chair in front of her vanity. "No. But I'm stuck, so I could use the advice."
Charlie sat on the end of her bed and sipped his coffee. "Well, the way I see it, you've loved this guy for 5 years. He hurt you, you hurt him, but you've reconnected and are attempting to mend those fences. And you've had sex. How close am I?"
Penny rolled her eyes. "Spot on, as usual."
Charlie nodded. "Do you still love him, or is it only physical?"
Penny shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. I'm never going to be good enough for him, Charlie. He's a genius. He's making a huge difference in the world. I'm a crappy waitress with a little talent for voicing animation. I'm never going to do anything grand."
Charlie frowned. Penny had never had much faith in herself. By the time he met her, she was just about to graduate high school. He was a DJ hired to work the spring dance at her school. Penny had drawn his attention immediately. Even at 17 she was beautiful. He had asked her out and she had turned him down. Two weeks later he had run into her again. There was a party at this law office that her mom worked at. Penny had attended and they had spent the night chatting, since neither of them knew anyone else. He had gotten to know her a bit more and liked her. He had recommended her for a job to help her pay for tuition to a drama school, and they became co-workers.
She handled the booking for the entertainment company he worked for and before long, they were having lunches together and texting each other. They became friends and confidants. So, when she decided to move to California to become an actress two years later, he had packed up and joined her. He got a job working for an upscale night club, and she found a job at the Cheesecake Factory. After some hard work, he had bought into the club and she found her calling in anime.
Charlie finished his coffee and smiled. "Penny, just by existing, you make a difference. I'd still be in New York working for low pay at a job I hated. Instead I'm here, co-owning and managing a club I love. Look at the guy upstairs. His mom is doing good, and so is he because of you. What about Amy? She was all alone until you two met at that bookstore. And what about Sheldon? What would his life have been like if you two had never met? Wasn't he really lonely as a kid surrounded by grown ups at school? Not to mention your dad and his mom. Would they have met and fallen in love if you and Sheldon hadn't been friends?"
Charlie stood and walked over to ruffle her hair affectionately. "Maybe you won't change the whole world. But you change everyone you meet for the better. I'll take the joy that you bring to your friends and family over awards and commendations any day."
Penny stood and hugged Charlie tight. She blinked away the tears trying to form and smiled. "Thanks, Charlie. You're a doll."
He grinned and turned to leave the room. "Remember that if you ever meet Mila Kunis."