Lazy Day (August 10th)
Sheldon and the guys were checking their paintball gear one last time when they heard someone knocking in the hallway. Sheldon walked over and opened the door. Leonard, Howard and Raj peered around him. The guy turned at the noise and smiled.
"Hey. You're Penny's friends, right?"
Sheldon nodded. "Yes. And you are the guy she met at the 4th of July celebration."
Mark nodded and rapped on Penny's door again.
"Uh, I wouldn't do that," Howard warned softly. "Penny has this rule. Anyone who wakes her before 11am gets punched in the throat."
Mark raised an eyebrow. "Really?" Just then the door opened and Penny smiled up at him.
"Sorry. I was in the bathroom." She stepped out into the hall and noticed the others. "Hey guys!" Penny said happily. She didn't get to see much of them anymore. She rarely dropped in to visit, especially if Priya and Amy were there.
Leonard gawked at her. "Penny, you're up before eleven?"
Penny laughed. "Yeah. Mark has me get up at 7am every morning, whether I want to be or not. Mark, have you met everyone?"
Mark shook his head and Penny turned to the guys. "That's Leonard and Sheldon. They live across the hall, and that's Howard and Raj. Guys, you remember Zack, right? This is his uncle, Mark. He's a big meanie who makes me get up at the crack of dawn."
Mark laughed. "When you get as old as I am, you learn to use every minute of the day you can."
Penny patted his cheek. "51 isn't so old, sweetie. You're in better shape than most people I know."
"You're in pretty good shape yourself," Mark grinned down at her. "Speaking of which, ready to go?"
Penny nodded and locked her door. Mark took her arm in his and they headed to the stairs. Penny looked over her shoulder. "Bye, guys!"
They guys watched in shock as the two of them disappeared around the corner. "Wow. Zack's uncle? He got her out of bed, and cheerful before 8am." Howard said.
Leonard frowned. "Penny said he was 51. He's almost twice her age!"
Raj looked at the others. "What do you call a male cougar?"
"Cradle robber," Sheldon said bluntly, moving back into the apartment.
Penny buckled up and started her car. "So, gym or beach?"
Mark shrugged. "Let's get some fresh air."
Penny grinned mischievously. "You do realize today is a holiday, right? It's officially Lazy Day. And you're making me jog 5 miles on the beach."
Mark laughed. "Lazy Day, huh? Tell you what. We'll jog 5 miles and then you can sit for the rest of the day."
Penny burst out laughing. "Oh lord! You're going to make me help you in the office!"
He smiled devilishly. "You can type, right?"
Penny smiled. "Do I get lunch?"
"And dinner," he replied.
"Score!" Penny said as she pulled into the parking lot of the beach.
It was after 10pm before Penny returned. In fact it was 10:18pm. Sheldon finally abandoned his spot for bed. He didn't understand why he was compelled to wait up for her, he just was.