To enable me to write a much better and more reasonable disclaimer for each chapter I've got the new Big Book of Disclaimers 2 it's available at The NobleAmazon bookstore owned by a remarkably tall and very muscular woman. Let's see here, disclaimers for hitting you neighbor with his leaf blower, erectile dysfunction therapy, what the hell is anal leakage. Declaimers for game shows, movies, shorts, cartoons, here we go sitcoms about geniuses and waitresses wanting to be actresses. This one looks better, using this toothpaste as a lubricant may result in foaming in unwanted places. Let's go with that one. (Please note I did not say what was being lubricated, anywhere you go with this is up to you.) There I even disclaimed the disclaimer. My work is now complete

Correspondence

Penny leaned back and stretched against Leonard on the couch. She felt a little lazy champagne always went right to her head. "Leonard what do think Liisa wrote me in her letter?"

Leonard looked up and then over at the urn. "It will be something personal, maybe poetry. Would like you to read her letter to me?"

Penny was very apprehensive but curious she considered for a moment how she would feel about reading it or having it read too her. "What do you think honey, should I?"

Now it was Leonard's turn to be quiet, "I think she meant for you to read it, otherwise she would've written it in German."

Leonard stood and went to his room. Penny sat up and poured another flute of champagne. Leonard came up the hall with a single sheet of well folded paper. "She typed everything near the end it caused her pain to write long hand." He looked at the letter for a moment then handed it to Penny.

"It's really rather short, like I said it hurt in the end to even type."

My dearest love

I never thought I would use the phrase "As I Lay Dying", but there it is. Papa will have this letter for you. When he thinks you are ready to move on he will give it to you. We found each other in this life. Lived and loved and brought a beautiful daughter into the world.

Now I fear I've broken and shattered your heart through no fault of my own but it has happened none the less. I know each day until the end it shall break even more. But no heart is beyond mending it took me to mend yours when we met.

Know then that you have made me happy, every second you held me and loved me. You have stood as the strong pillar in the storm. You were my rock even though you could not possibly have saved me and still you stayed by me stalwart and caring.

You've always done the right thing for people, even when it turned out wrong. Keep doing that darling, no harm will come from a true heart.

Now you must move toward a better future. If she is there seek her. Find a way. Forgive her and yourself for the past. She lives in your heart even though you will deny it for my sake. You've always had room for the love now and then. A tender place bound only by your own rigidity of rationality and order. Love has none of those things yet you endeavor to pursue them in it.

Our Lisel needs you to have that love that is passionate and consuming that you have described to me you had for her and her for you. Seek her out my love and be whole again if she still cares for you.

Realize my love for you is endless but none the less will end with me. You deserve it from another so do not fear it.

Please strive to be happy and achieve that happiness now for me, our baby Lisel and yourself.

Always with my love

Liisa

Penny set back and took a deep breath, she was close to tears. She felt so attached to this dead woman who had loved her Leonard. She could not doubt Liisa's courage and love for her husband and daughter. She had mended Leonard's heart which Penny had broken. Penny felt unworthy for a moment but realized like Liisa her intention was not to break Leonard's heart it was just the result.

"Leonard was Liisa always this insightful?"

Leonard shook his head. "No not like she was in the end. She would get in writing moods. Liisa would get quite maudlin sometimes. She would write some very dark prose then. It was her way of purging those feelings. She was usually cheerful and playful. The last year and half though she didn't get to go out often. When she did have the strength it was only for a short time before she wanted to come home. It was really then that she started thinking about life, family and friends. How they would go on without her and how she could help. That was her genius, her muse in the end was death."

Leonard was somber but dry eyed. He leaned forward and took the last of the champagne. Penny waited for him to settle back on the couch then settled into his side and shoulder. "You must still miss her?"

Leonard was very quiet, "No I don't miss her. If I missed her to much how could I look at Lisel? I let that go. I do miss knowing she was there, happy, alive and waiting. There was a point in time after she died that I felt very guilty. I was glad that it was over not just because she was no longer in pain but that I didn't have to be there to watch. She knew that thought would be there that's why we are to celebrate her birth and life. If I could forget the last few years of it I would. "

"When did Horst give you the letter?"

"The week before I decided to come back to Caltech, He said it had been long enough. The letter made me decide that even if I never met you again I would be happy here. It also made me know that having a mother for Lisel wasn't optional. So I opened myself up again to meeting someone. I hadn't until someone came to trim my tree."

He held her closer and Penny burrowed in. She wanted to change things away from Liisa for a while anyway. She didn't want him to go too far down. "Leonard do you miss Europe?"

"Yeah, I missed how much closer everything was. If you went into the old part of town in any city you find narrow streets, squares, rows of shops, markets. You walked a lot, took trams and trains mostly. The sense of history and age were all around you. If you look out our window and you see Pasadena City Hall, it looks old. It will be 100 years old in a few years. My rooms at Oxford were in a converted monastery that was built almost 500 years ago. It's just had a different feeling to the place. But a winter in Switzerland will have you appreciate the sunshine here. Even the most cosmopolitan city in Europe doesn't have the diversity you see here."

Tish suddenly spoke up. "Leonard it's raining outside."

Leonard chuckling said "Just when I comment on the sunny weather here. Tish crack the windows open so we can hear."

Penny could now hear the patter of rain on the street and ledge outside, some slight traffic sounds of cars whooshing through the rain. "Does she always tell you when it's raining?"

Leonard nodded, "I like the sound and fresh air after the rain. She wouldn't have if I'd been asleep she would have just cracked the windows. It's a standing command in her system."

He continued to hold her close and kissed the top of her head. "It's getting late ready for bed?"

Penny yawned and nodded her head. She stood up and offered her hand he took it and stood not letting her pull him up. They were walking down the hall their arms around each other's lower back. Penny thought this would be their first night sleeping without having sex first. Then she felt Leonard slide his hand down onto her butt and caress her. Well then again maybe not she thought with a smile. She was still waiting.

Cakes and Coffee or Cocoa if that's your wish

Horst and Lena sat on the sofa with Lisel between them. They were sharing a tablet looking at pictures of Liisa when she was a little girl.

"Mama was funning looking when she was little", Horst smiled, Lena too. "You mama was very lovely, but her hair was very straight and she liked it short." Lena said this while running her hand through Lisel's longer curly hair.

Horst stood, "It's time for cake and coffee to celebrate, hot cocoa for you little Lisel."

They all walked into the kitchen. Horst making hot cocoa, while Lisel and Lena set the table. Lena placed a square chocolate cake in the middle of the small table. They all set down when Horst put the drinks down. He cut the cake and put a piece on each plate including a corner piece for Lisel.

"Well now little Lisel we remember you mother our daughter. Liisa was a wonderful teacher, poet, and daughter and would have been a wonderful mother."

Lisel watched both her grandparents smiling bravely, tears were in her grandmother's eyes. Then they both smiled but Lisel could see they were sad. She thought she should be sad also and then she was for her grandparents. She stood up and climbed into her grandmama's lap and hugged her.

Horst smiled at his little granddaughter, she may have Leonard's brain but she has Liisa heart.

Pretty sure that covers it for the night. I really can't seem to find anything else to say right now.

"As I lay Dying" in the piece was from the title of a novel by William Faulkner 1938, (not the band).

A note on story development: If I were writing this in volumes this would probably be the end of Part I. Part II? I do know where I want the story to end up but it's time to take some notes, doodle, go through the notebook and see if I missed anything. If there's no chapter tomorrow that's the reason.

On the other hand if the weather keeps me indoors something will come out of it.

I'm also working on the Blog site tomorrow. I have questions and comments to respond to as well as some character detail I've been using to keep me in the current character when writing I'm going to post.

Reviews are awesome, they really do motivate me. I'll answer them all.

Until then keep safe and hold the ones you love.

Macy, no texting while driving, just pull over by the snow bank. Consider yourself hugged.