"I'm OK." Sheldon sighed after a moment.
"No you're not. I can tell. You can't lie to me Sheldon. I know you too well you crazy fool!" Penny replied.
"I am not crazy. My mother had me tested. And I have an IQ of 187…which is not the definition of a fool either." Sheldon replied. Penny rolled her eyes.
"Come on Sheldon. Are you going to tell me where you are or am I going to have to ring your mother and tell her you're being ungentlemanly?" Penny asked.
"You wouldn't do that." Sheldon replied.
"Wouldn't I?" Penny asked.
"What am I talking about, of course you would. You're a frustrating person Penny." Sheldon whispered.
"Yeah, but you love me!" Penny giggled.
"I most certainly do not. Our friendship agreement contains no romantic love variable." Sheldon informed her.
"I don't mean that kind of love Sheldon. Like when you love chocolate cake, or Star Wars. That kind of love." Penny smiled, though Sheldon couldn't see the smile through the phone.
"That is a mere figure of speech. It's not possible to be in love with an inanimate object." Sheldon replied.
"Oh I dunno. I'm in love with my dog chew toys." Penny bit her lip to keep from laughing.
"That's disgusting Penny, I researched those and I am appalled at your lack of control of sexual urges!" Sheldon scolded her.
"Sheldon, come on, we're getting off topic. Will you please just tell me where you are so I can come and see you?" Penny asked.
"Penny I have to go!" Sheldon said suddenly.
"What? Why?" Penny asked.
"I can't talk now. I have to go. It's an emergency. Penny, if you can get to Sunshine beach tomorrow night I will meet you there at 9.00 pm. If I can make it. I have to go." Sheldon cried out and hung up abruptly.
"What? Sunshine beach? Sheldon? Sh…Sheldon." Penny sighed as she realised he'd hung up. She slumped down onto the bed and the rest of the night passed.
"Ugh!"
Penny awoke and glanced at the clock. 11.45 am. She glanced over the side of the bed at Leonard who was slowly struggling to make it into the bedroom.
"Penny, my head!" he groaned leaning against the door frame.
"You aren't getting any sympathy from me!" Penny replied.
"Aspirin?" he asked hopefully.
"Bathroom cabinet, like I told you last night before you passed out on the floor." Penny replied. Leonard slowly trudged into the bathroom holding his head and closed the door.
"Why can't you be gone instead of Sheldon?" Penny muttered to herself quietly.
"UGH!" Leonard groaned loudly from the bathroom. Penny scrunched up her face.
I'm not gonna sit here listening to him throwing up!
Penny climbed off the bed and promptly tripped forward.
"What the…?" she cried looking at a cable wrapped round her foot from under the bed.
My phone charger! You are frickin' kidding me!
Penny quickly grabbed it and her phone and made her way into the kitchen, plugging it into the socket in the kitchen and plugged the phone in. After a few minutes there was enough charge in it to switch the phone on. She tapped away on the keyboard.
Sheldon, I found my charger. I'm looking forward to seeing you tonight. Penny. X
Penny opened up her gallery and scanned through the pictures, settling on a picture of him standing over her when she had dared to sit in his spot and had taken his picture instead of getting up. She giggled at the memory.
Oh Sheldon. I miss you ya big Whackadoodle!
She traced her thumb over his face.
I'll see you soon. I promise.
"Penny?"
Penny groaned and put her phone on the counter.
"Leonard, if you've been sick on my new toilet mat!" Penny warned making her way through to the bathroom.
"DEAR GOD, IT'S EVERYWHERE!" Penny cried. Her gag reflex went and she stumbled from the room.
"Penny, it won't stop!" Leonard moaned.
"Get your head over the toilet! You're cleaning that up!" Penny cried going back into the living room.
I must be crazy to be marrying him!
Penny grabbed her phone again. 1 new message.
I hope you can make it. I really need to see you. Doctor Sheldon Lee Cooper.
Penny felt anxious. He didn't seem happy. But loud thumps from the bathroom distracted her.
"God sake, it's like babysitting a three year old!" she hissed as she went back through to clean up her child-like fiancée.
"My head!" Leonard moaned.
"Oh cry me a river!" Penny spat in reply.
When Leonard made his way to bed, it gave her most of the day in the living room by herself, constantly watching the clock. At 8.55 pm, after telling Leonard she was going out to look at a shoe sale, knowing he wouldn't be interested in going with her, she found herself parked up by the path to Sunshine beach. She got out of the car and locked it, walking until she reached the sand and taking her shoes off, her feet enjoying the soft feeling of the golden sand.
You stupid woman. Why are you looking for him? You know he won't be here until exactly 9.00 pm!
Those five minutes felt like an age. She kept glancing around in all directions, but she appeared to be the only person on the beach.
OK. It's 9.01 pm. This is not right. Something isn't right. Why didn't I bring my phone with me?!
Penny kept looking around but no one was arriving. As time went by Penny got more and more worried.
"Come on Sheldon. Where are you?" she whispered. She moved further down the beach, then walked back, all the time scanning around but no one was here. This wasn't like Sheldon. When he said he was going to be somewhere at a time, he was always there. It was one of the annoying regularities about him.
Please god…let him be OK. I'm begging you.