Disclaimer, yeah whatever, need to drink on it. See some other chapter.
They slow danced for about 4 songs, it could have been more. Penny's head nestled on his shoulder. In the end their dancing was just a moving hug really. Tish interrupted, 'Leonard you have a webcast session scheduled." Leonard looked up.
"Thank you Tish."
He separated from Penny and took her hand, moving toward the couch. "Tish big screen please", a section of the ceiling slide back and a large flat screen folded down twenty feet from the couch. Leonard sat down and pulled Penny to the couch with him. In a few seconds the screen flickered, a gray haired man with very bushy eyebrows was on the screen. He spoke in in German, Leonard replied and the man switched to English. "Hallo Penny, I'm Horst, it's so nice to meet you" his accent was heavy. "Lisel is ready to open her presents."
The camera switched to a little blonde girl sitting in front of a Christmas tree. It was decorated with tinsel, bulbs, and little electric candles. She was still in pajamas with small puppies on them, a pink robe and white slippers that looked like kittens. Her hair was curly and shoulder length. Lisel looked directly into the camera smiling with a huge grin. "Hallo Papa wer ist das" she said.
"Speak English please Lisel, this is my friend Penny, Merry Christmas"
"Yes Papa, Frohe Weihnachten, I mean Merry Christmas, she is very pretty, hello Penny." the blonde little cherub said smiling.
Penny blushed, smiling back. "Thank you, so are you Lisel, Merry Christmas"
Lisel looked intently, "Daddy will you be coming to get me soon?"
Leonard voice cracked, "In a few weeks, little one. Are you being good for your grandparents?"
"Ja papa, I'm being very good" she replied looking at camera.
"Good girl, open your presents and let's see what Santa brought you"
Lisel started opening presents. First she emptied her stocking then started un-wrapping presents from under the tree. She showed each one to the camera. An older lady helped her and kept her focused on the task. She received several stuffed animals, small toys and dolls.
The last present was exquisitely wrapped in dark green foil paper and red bows. Lisel opened it and pulled out a beautiful lace dress, pink and white. She held it up and you could see small kittens embroidered around the hem and neckline. She then held up a pair of small white leather shoes that were very shiny with small pink bows that matched the dress. Lisel looked over the top of the dress. "It is wunderbar Papa, Thank You."
She was all done. The older lady took the dress and shoes. She looked back at the screen, "Papa, I miss you. Can I have a kitty when I get home?"
It must have been the grandmother's voice that spoke, "Lisel Penelope Hoftstader, merken Sie sich Ihre Manieren"
Leonard laughed, looking over he whispered to Penny. "She said mind your manners." Leonard looked back at the screen. "We'll see Lisel taking care of an animal is a big responsibility"
Penny spoke, "I have a kitty Lisel, and two dogs you can come see them when you come home."
Lisel got a huge grin, That Smile, on her face, "yes please Penny."
Leonard had tears in his eyes, "I'll be there to get you soon sweetie, I love you"
Lisel looked happily at the camera, "I love you too daddy, don't cry, I'll see you soon.
"Bye baby, Merry Christmas", Leonard got out barely, but he smiled as big as he could.
Horst appeared and smiled. "See you soon Leonard, gut dass Sie fand ihre, nice to meet you Penny, Frohe Weihnachten, Auf Wiedersehen."
"Goodbye Horst" Leonard said and the screen went black.
Penny put her arm around Leonard he sat staring for several seconds.
"Tish put the screen away." Leonard said his voice cracking. The screen folded back into the ceiling.
Leonard moved his head into Penny's neck, holding on tight.
"She's adorable Leonard and so sweet." Penny whispered in his ear.
He sat up. She could tell he was drawing on something within himself. He raised his head and stared at nothing for a moment.
He turned toward Penny and their lips met, a soft kiss though he held it for a long moment.
"Thanks for being here, I should have gone with her this year, but between Caltech and the apartment it would have been too difficult. Horst and Lena needed to see her and love having her there for the holidays. But I miss her."
Penny held him a few moments longer, she was on the verge of tears but held on. She knew Leonard loved his daughter, but she had forgotten how intense he took his feelings. She would never forget again she swore to herself. It had once scared her out of telling him she loved him.
Penny thought a moment, "Lisel Penelope Hoftstader?"
Leonard looked in her eyes, "I told you Liisa was a fan, it was her idea, but I liked it." He smiled at her. Penny smiled back she knew she would have liked Liisa. Liisa had known, she had known that this might happen. She wanted someone that her husband loved to love him and her daughter. She knew her daughter's name would remind her soon to be widowed husband of Penny.
"What did Horst say in German to you when he said goodbye?"
Leonard gave her the smile. "Gut, dass Sie fand ihre, means glad you found her. Horst is happy for me."
Cats and Dogs
.Penny was nervous for a moment she looked around the lovely apartment almost longingly.
"Should we head for my place?" she said very softly.
Leonard started to get up, her hand found his. "Sounds great, let me grab my jacket."
"Wear the black and grey tweed honey." she quickly put her hand to her mouth.
Leonard gave her sideways glance and a smile, "Okay" He left Penny to gather her things and returned a few moments later in the black and grey tweed jacket. Penny looked him up and down.
"Perfect" she smiled.
"Good choice I was going to go with blue one." He kidded her.
"So how far is your home? "Leonard asked as they both headed for the door. He grabbed his keys from the bowl next to it.
"Oh about 25 or 30 minutes is all, it's almost to Sherman Oaks on the other side of Burbank."
Leonard held the door for her and started to go out himself and turned back. "Tish, I'll be back tomorrow, lights out except the Christmas Tree". Tish responded by turning out all of the room lights, the lights on the tree still blinking. He stared at it for moment, Penny right behind him watching. "Okay Tish you can turn off the tree, goodnight. "Goodnight Leonard"
He closed the door turning to see Penny staring at him, "I just needed one last look." There was a goofy smile on his face. She took his hand after he locked the door and they headed down the stairs.
The drive to Penny's home in her white electric Mercedes took less than 20 minutes. They chatted a bit about Howard and Bernadette while listening to Christmas music. Leonard commented on how much improved Penny's driving skills had become. She slapped his arm and laughed. Then pointed out that there was no check engine light on and that Sheldon and Leonard's mother would approve.
Her home was in a gated community. The gate apparently recognizing her car had swung open as she approached. Penny's house was a large ranch style, a light tan with white sashes and trim. She pulled into the middle stall of an empty 3 car garage. They got out of the car to the sounds of barking and whining dogs.
"They missed me." She smiled to Leonard, "Prepare yourself, they can be precocious."
She opened the door to the house and two large pit bull terriers dashed into the garage. They jumped about her seeking her attention. Then they noticed Leonard and rushed over. He put out his hands and let them smell them.
Penny intoned a sharp "Settle, Sit"
Both dogs stopped, sat and looked at Penny.
"This big fellow with the brown spots on his nose and ears is Einstein. He is not the sharpest tool in the shed but very loving. The other one with the two big brown spots is named Leaky."
He looked over at her, Leaky being Leonard's middle name.
She smiled and laughed, "He's very sweet and lovable but stubborn, and was hard to house train. You should be thankful I almost named him Leonard."
Leonard started laughing now and looked at the dogs. The base color on both dogs was white. Einstein had 2 big black spots and a couple of smaller brown spots. His nose and ears had little brown spots all over. Leaky was bigger with two large brown spots one of which covered half his head. Leonard patted both dogs on the head and looked at Penny who was acting the proud parent.
"They're really beautiful Penny. Where did you get them?"
Penny's smile deepened, "They are both rescues from the Humane Society. It's a cause I support. They are my constant companions. Come in an check out my crib"
They entered through a utility room with a washer and dryer into a large lovely kitchen. The dogs had sprinted ahead at a hand motion from Penny. The colors where bright and cheery, the cabinets were an alabaster white. The counter tops a lemon yellow flecked marble. The kitchen was in the shape of a large U with an island. One counter had high back stools facing in from the great room beyond. There was a butcher block topped island built into the middle with a small prep sink. A large stainless steel gas range and ovens were into the opposite leg of the U from the darkened room. A built in refrigerator that matched cabinets were to the right of the range. To the left were the sink and dishwasher and more cabinets at the base of the U.
"What a great kitchen Penny." Leonard said admiring the cook top and staring into what appeared to be the great room.
Penny turned on the lights. It was a two level great room. It went from the kitchen some 40 feet. It then went down one step to another 40 foot section. At the end were large patio doors leading out. Just past halfway down on each side a hallway led off.
Penny crooked her finger at him, "come let me show you the pool". Leonard followed her to the far end. She turned on an outside light and there was large patio beside a pool. The pool was not overly large but it had a beach style walk in section facing the patio. Under the covered portion of the patio was a round glass table with 6 wrought iron black chairs with grey cushions. Two chase lounges were beside the pool with the same color grey cushions.
Leonard was impressed, "Its lovely Penny, it looks very relaxing"
"Wait to you see it in the morning, the backyard has two palm trees and is so wonderful."
Leonard looked at her. She had a dreamy look on her face. She hit another light switch and the large Christmas tree in the corner lit up. The entire tree was done in silver, gold and crystal snowflakes. With a large one made up of all three on the very top. Under the tree were many presents, all carefully wrapped and placed.
Leonard felt his eyes widen. She had done a wonderful job on the tree at the apartment but this tree was almost a work of art. He felt her arm slide around his left side and he put his own left hand upon her waist. "It's astounding Penny, the most beautiful tree I've ever seen."
She leaned her head onto his shoulder. "Thank You. I've had a thing for snowflakes for quite some time now. Look just below the very top"
Leonard looked closer and laughed. "No, not a bust of Newton, Sheldon would be so proud"
He turned in to kiss her, their lips just touching when a white blur went through the room, followed by two baying pit bulls in hot pursuit. "Settle, stop, sit", penny yelled. The dogs froze and sat. Upon one of two plush dark green couches sat a little white cat. She had a grey spot on her nose like it was dirty.
Penny moved over to the cat and picked her up. "Schrodinger quit teasing the dogs." She held the cat in her arms like a child and showed it to Leonard. This is Schrodinger 2.0. I told you she scratches remember." Leonard reached over and rubbed the cat's head, she was purring loudly. Penny put her down on the nearest couch. Schrodinger looked up at her, then lay down and curled up.
Leonard took in more of the great room. It was laid out in little sections. Two soft cloth chairs with a coffee table in front, in one corner. Two couches in a shallow V shape around another large coffee table, a large flat screen TV built into the wall. On the lower level there was a love seat before a gas fireplace on the left. On the right an oak desk with a laptop and a red cup containing pens and pencils. A stack of what Leonard assumed were scripts sat on the other side. Beside the desk was a bookcase that was filled.
"You don't see people with many books anymore." Leonard said as he walked toward it. Penny followed closely behind him watching him. He started to look at the titles when something caught his eye. On the second shelf were physics books, most were high school texts but a few college level. Then two that were very rare indeed:
Advanced Laser and Optical Experimentation by Leonard L. Hoftstader PhD, Oxford
The Combined CERN Papers of Leonard L. Hoftstader PhD
He turned and smiled at Penny. She blushed but held his eye.
"You have a couple of real rare books here." He taped the two books with his index finger. "I never thought these would have made it out of the UK and CERN. Hope you got them at a discount there's not a huge demand."
Penny was still blushing, but smiling. "You'd be amazed what they have on Amazon. "She used that quirky little smile he had always loved.
"I'm touched you would have them Penny, and amazed you could even find them. How about these other text books? He pointed to Elemental Physics and The Physical World. Did you read them?"
"I tried, I got through them but there were place I got lost. I was trying to understand the wonder you and the guys saw in everything. I think some of that came through. I look at rainbows now and think of prisms and light bending. I stare at the stars at night and realize that the light I'm seeing was created millions of years ago."
Leonard just smiled, "Penny, I'm a much better teacher than I was years ago. If you want to know something or want me to teach you something please let me. I would love to."
Penny advanced on Leonard and placed her arms around his neck. Her lips were on his before he could wrap his arms around her waist. She pulled back, "It's after midnight, Merry Christmas Leonard", "Merry Christmas Penny" he said his lips just touching hers.
The kiss was very passionate, Leonard was stirred. Then Penny pulled back and took his hand and started leading him toward the left hand hallway.
"The rest of the house can wait for tomorrow. Santa will be coming we should get to bed. She looked back and gave him a seductive grin and raised her eyebrows, then led him down the hallway. Leonard said nothing, he'd learned that lesson years ago. Einstein and Leaky both raised their heads, waiting to be called. Schrodinger rolled over and fell back asleep.
Aside: They are together tonight, but how do they put two very dissimilar lives and a child together to make a new life. They'll need to talk about .