Chapter 34 - Bad News

That Friday morning, Penny was laying in Bernadette's sofa bed, when the first light of dawn poked its way through the curtains. She had slept off and on the whole night, being too excited to get more than an hour or two of sleep at a time and had woken up again 15 minutes ago. She was clutching her Leonard substitute, a pillow, not just any pillow, Leonard's pillow from his bed, and she still thought it smelled of him even after all these weeks. She smiled when she thought that tomorrow instead of the pillow she would hold him, and just that thought made her heart beat faster. She would be in his arms tomorrow and he in hers, she would feel his warmth, be able to kiss him again, and just love him again, it was a dream she had for weeks now, a dream that would come true tomorrow.

Penny missed Leonard badly, much more than when he went to the North Pole with the guys, even though then he was gone longer. She knew part of the reason was she was scared for him and had been ever since she saw him walk off in that suit that Friday almost a month ago. But now her fear was slowly going away, she had talked to him last night and he was graduating today and would be coming back to her the first thing tomorrow morning, she couldn't wait. Penny also knew she needed Leonard, she had actually felt like part of her was missing without him, with him she would never be alone in this world again, she had a husband, a mate, it was a new experience for her and it made her feel happy and secure. This also gave her a wonderful feeling inside, she had never know before, this feeling of having a partner in live and what made it even better was having the greatest guy in the world, that guy of course being Leonard.

Penny continued to lay in her bed, dozing on and off for almost two hours until she heard Bernadette moving in the kitchen, looking for something to drink, and she immediately got up to join her. Penny and Bernadette actually both took off from work that Friday, they wanted to get some new things and get prettied up, for their men when they came home. Bernadette, like Penny, had barely been able to sleep the night before, after talking to her husband, and both of them probably wouldn't sleep too well tonight knowing that they would see them tomorrow. They were almost giddy as they drank some juice and then got ready, to go out for breakfast, and to meet Amy at the restaurant, her also taking off that day to spend it with her friends.

It was past 10 AM when they started their shopping for the day, it was the happiest Penny and Bernadette had been since this whole thing happened and what made it even better was that now it was almost over. They were going to buy some new clothes, new sexy underwear and the most seductive sleepwear they could find, both of them planning a weekend of love making with their men. Penny was actually looking at sleepwear that would be easy to tear off, if her husband or her were so inclined, the very thought of being with him again, making her body feel all tingly already.

They had been shopping all morning and had just taken a fruit drink break at the mall food court, Penny and Bernadette both happy with their purchases. However, even though her friends were there for company, Penny couldn't keep her mind on anything much, except Leonard, and was even thinking now about when she picked him up at the airport. Her mind was stuck on making love to him again and again, she even thought of just wearing a trench coat to cover some the sexy underwear she had just gotten, being the only thing she would wear when she picked him up. These lustful thoughts and others about him were running full speed through her mind as she drank her strawberry smoothie, her mind not ever registering that Amy was talking to her.

"Penny! Earth to Penny!" Amy said for the third time, as Bernadette gave a little giggle.

"Huh….sorry Ames, did you say something?." Penny slowly responded.

"Glad to see you're back, Bestie. Something really had your mind occupied." Amy said with a smile, she thought she knew exactly what Penny was thinking about.

"Yeah." Penny blushed. "I guess I can't get my mind off him."

"That is so cute, you're lusting over your husband." Bernadette smiled at Penny, blushing a little, she had been lusting over Howard all day too.

Penny blushed even more, "Yeah." then looked down at her straw in her cup, she didn't really know what to say, her thoughts about Leonard had been very carnal and private, not something she wanted to share, even with her best friends.

Amy knew, by looking at Penny, she didn't want to talk anymore about what she was thinking, "So, like I asked Bernadette, are you planning a coming home party for Leonard?"

Penny's head shot up, "Yes of course!" Then her face turned deep red as she realized what Amy meant. "I mean…..I was planning…..a….private party for his home coming." Penny's face was now redder than the girls ever saw before.

Bernadette giggled, Penny was actually acting shy, it was so adorable, the way she had been acting about being Leonard's wife the last four weeks was so sweet, it made Bernadette feel so good for them. "Amy, I think Penny is planning on keeping Leonard to herself for a while, like I want to with Howard. Sorry, but we are going to have to wait till we have a party, I think."

Penny slowly nodded. "I just want to spend some alone time with him, Sweetie. We just married and we need some alone time, okay."

"Okay, I understand." Amy nodded, then as an after thought, "You know Sheldon is going to want to see him."

"Oh, Crap!" Penny had forgotten all about Sheldon, her mind had been so absorbed by Leonard coming home. Their apartment was right across from Sheldon, and he would keep knocking until they answered. She put her head in her hands "Crap, crap, crap."

"You can take Leonard to a hotel room." Bernadette offered. She suddenly felt lucky that her and Howard lived so far from Sheldon.

"I just wanted the first night to be in our apartment, sort of to make it special." Penny said sadly.

Bernadette looked at Amy. "Amy you have to get Sheldon away this weekend."

"Um, I don't know." Amy looked at her friends, feeling really bad. "He said something about a big train convention in San Diego this weekend."

"That's it, he loves trains." Penny's face suddenly got animate, "Please Amy, talk him into it, he listens to you. I'll even pay for your hotel."

"Okay, I'll give it a shot."

Penny smiled and patted her friends hands, then got that far off stare again, making Bernadette and Amy look at her then each other. "What you thinking about now Penny?" Bernadette finally asked her.

"About being married to Leonard." Penny then smiled to her friends. "Every time I think about it, it makes me feel happy. I am really happy. I don't understand anymore why I ever waited so long, the thought of spending the rest of my life with Leonard, is just amazing to me."

Amy and Bernadette both patted Penny on the back, smiling at her, then after a few seconds they all had a group hug. Other people in the food court watched the three girls wondering what wonderful news they were all sharing between them. The three girls left the food court ten minutes later, they still had some stuff to do before the boys came home.

- TIN MAN - TIN MAN - TIN MAN - TIN MAN - TIN MAN - TIN MAN -

The girls stopped at beauty saloon that afternoon, both Penny and Bernadette getting their hair done for the guys return, Amy also getting her hair cut while just spending time with her friends. They were done about 3 PM and they went to Penny's apartment to drop off the stuff Penny bought for her little celebration of Leonard's return, then finally all going back over to Bernadette's. Penny was planning on staying there one last time that Friday night, then going to the airport with Bernadette to get the guys. They had just finished helping Bernadette put away the stuff she bought, when they heard the knocking on the apartment door, Bernadette quickly going over to see who it was. Bernadette pulled out her stool and peaked through the peephole, then turned to give both her friends a confused look as she got off the stool to open the door.

Penny and Amy looked at each other, Bernadette's look was strange and they slowly made their way to the door to see what was happening. Bernadette stood at the door for a second then opened the door to see the Army Captain and Air Force Chaplin standing there looking at her, their expressions obviously of sympathy. Bernadette saw the Catholic cross on the Chaplin's uniform and she had seen enough military movies to know something had happened, something very bad had happened. Her mind started to rebel, she didn't want this to be happening, her mind told her if she just closed the door it wouldn't happen, but she couldn't do that to the two men standing before her.

Penny had watched Bernadette go to the door and had slowed without thinking when she saw the two military men there, she had seen the movies too, these men were not there to bring good news. Penny wanted to grab Bernadette and protect her from what these men were going to say, but the sight of them scared her too and she only took only a couple more steps towards Bernadette before she froze in place. Her stomach started to feel queasy and her breathing became rapid, she knew something bad was going to happen and there was nothing she could do to stop it.

Amy stopped with Penny and looked at her, Penny's face looking like she was about to cry and hyperventilate at the same time. Amy then looked at Bernadette noticing the same expression on her short blonde friends face. It took a second longer, but now she was starting to understand that something bad was happening, their husbands were in the Army and these guys were soldiers, they were not here for a visit.

Bernadette just stared at the two men, especially at the one with the Catholic Cross on his uniform, no one said anything for a couple of seconds, which only made her immediately feel worse. Terror sweep through her body, she was pregnant, this couldn't be happening to her, she needed Howard, she couldn't do this alone without Howard. She tried so hard to talk, but her mouth, though it moved, would not produce any words, she didn't know what to say, so she really didn't hear the chaplain's first words to her until he repeated it, "Mrs. Hofstadter?"

Penny couldn't believe the man in the uniform said her name the first time, but when he said it again it hit her like a sledge hammer, making her mind spin in denial. It wasn't till Bernadette turned and started to head to her that it completely sunk in, this was real and the weight of the world seemed to suddenly crush down on her. They were here for her, this had to do with Leonard and Penny felt like her life was coming to end, she was having trouble breathing and even thinking. "NOOOOOOOOO…PLEASE NOOOOOO", she screamed and Penny legs gave out and she fell to her knees, "NOOOOOOO…..NOT LEONARD…NOOOOO". Penny's mind couldn't take it and now it began to shut down, it was completely overwhelmed, she couldn't breath, there didn't seem to be any oxygen for her anymore and as her eyes rolled back in her head, her body fell to the floor like a rag doll.