5

At the hotel

It took a while to get them settled, but finally the baby and Sheldon were napping. Missy came out to the suite living room and sat down next to Penny.

"That is one incredibly cute baby, sweetie."

"Which one?"

"The, um, smaller one of course."

"Yeah, that's what I figured. Can I ask you a question, Penny?"

"Sure."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"A buncha things. How about why Leonard?"

"We've been together a long time and I love him."

"Are you in love with him?"

"I said I love him, didn't I?" Penny answered defensively.

"Y'all know there's a difference."

"Yeah, I know. It's just that things have been so awful for me. I failed as an actress. I have no job and no future. Leonard is the only good thing left in my life. I don't want to lose him."

"Yeah, well based on my experience with him, what I know about Leonard and what Sheldon's told me about you two I think that maybe good doesn't mean what you think it means. I think maybe the word you're lookin' for is safe."

"Maybe you're not in such a good position to judge, Missy."

"Okay, I guess I deserve that. I obviously made a bad choice in husbands. But I don't regret having my baby. Not at all. Just who I had it with. I think that kinda puts me in a good position to help you."

"But I want to marry Leonard!"

"Do you? Do you really? How's livin' with him workin' out?"

"Not so great. The apartment is wall-to-wall Leonard. The bathroom is filled with all of his allergy crap and other drugs. I need to keep my stuff in the bedroom and carry it in with me in a bucket to the bathroom. He also expects me to do all of the shopping and cleaning and cooking. And he never wants to go anywhere."

"And?"

"I've been doing it. It was easier when most of his stuff was still across the hall. But now his crap is all over the place and I discovered something."

"What's that?"

"That Sheldon was the only one who was cleaning up in 4A. Leonard only made it look like he was cleaning up after himself. He's is an even bigger slob than I am. And that's saying something."

"Penny, I'm gonna say something that I will deny if you repeat it."

"Okay?"

"You're livin' with the wrong rocket scientist."

"They're physicists, Missy, not rocket scientists."

"That's not the point."

"Want to try making it then?"

"Okay. For seven years my brother's been diligently writing to MeeMaw every two weeks and every two weeks those letters have mainly been about you. Even after he started whatever he was doing with that Amy the letters were still about you."

"We do lots of stuff together."

"Penny, me and momma and Meemaw know Sheldon pretty darn well. We can read between the lines. My brother is in love with you."

"Missy, I love Sheldon. I really do. But he's not in love with me. He barely tolerates me."

"You're wrong."

"It's irrelevant. I'm engaged to Leonard. We're going to be married. And Sheldon belongs with Amy."

"Sheldon doesn't belong with Amy. He doesn't believe that and neither do I. He's better off being alone than being with her."

"Missy, you just met her. She's really sweet."

"I'm sorry, Penny, but that ain't my read. Sheldon and I got really close in the past few months. Closer than we've ever been. Even when he wasn't in Texas we talked every single day. We talked about everything that's been going on. He even let me look at his log of daily interactions and stuff. From what I read, Amy's been making Sheldon do lots of things he didn't want to do and y'all have been helping her. You and his other supposed friends."

"Wow. He doesn't let anyone look at his personal stuff ever."

"He had a reason. He was confused. He needed help. And he wasn't getting it here."

"I don't understand."

"Sheldon watched what was goin' on between you 'n' Leonard. He never believed that you two were meant for each other. He was really thrown when you agreed to marry him. He started thinking that maybe that's what he was supposed to do with Amy."

"I think a few of us thought that. Including Amy."

"He doesn't love her, Penny. He doesn't love her and he's not in love with her."

"I'm not sure he really knows that."

"Sheldon may not be as in touch with his feelings as most people, but real true love is kind of hard to miss. He just got accustomed to Amy being in his life. Just like he's accustomed to that awful windbreaker he wears all the time."

"Okay?"

"So anyway, we talked a lot. And over the last few weeks we made some decisions. He decided to end the relationship agreement he had with Amy. If he can he wants to remain friends and only friends with her. Marryin' Amy would be doing what she wants, not what he wants. I think maybe the same kind of thing is going on with you."

"Missy, you've been here for like five minutes. I'm not sure you're in a position to judge."

"Penny, you've met three Coopers. You should know by now that judging is what us Coopers do."

"Fair point."

"I guess I'm throwing a lot of stuff at you. It's only because I'm not sure Sheldon will say anything to you about this."

"I've never known Sheldon to keep his trap shut."

"He kind of decided that his own house is such a wreck at the moment that he really shouldn't say anything until he's in a better position. Me, I'm not so circumspect. I want my brother to be happy. At the very least I know that Amy will never make him happy. I don't believe she's even interested in making anyone other than herself happy. I will not allow him to re-enter a supposedly romantic relationship with her."

"And you're also going to find a job and take care of a baby."

"Sure am."