Chapter 42 - Missed Friends
They had been waiting for their friends to return, from settling in their rooms, for about 20 minutes now and the whole time Leonard and Penny had been flirting, cuddling and giving each other kisses. Part of the reason they were so comfortable doing that being their location, which was a little reading room, separated by a door, off the main lobby lounging area that was across from the reception desk. This reading nook was full of books for the guests and was private and secluded, offering a quiet solitude for any reader that just wanted to sit there with a good book. But in this case it let Penny and Leonard be reasonably alone and they were taking full advantage of it while they waited for their friends. Penny especially was enjoying the privacy, her romantic feelings for Leonard, that she indulged in that morning, now building again in her as she deepened one of their kisses until they both found it was becoming almost impossible to stop.
"Maybe you are the guys that should have gotten a room here." a small high pitched voice asked.
"I don't know Bernie, I think they are happy to just enjoy themselves right here." Howard said while chuckling.
"Hey give them a break, they are in love." Raj scolded.
It was hard to ignore the voices of their friends as Penny slowly broke her kiss with Leonard before she turned to look at them with eyes so dilated they were almost black. "You guys ready." she softly responded.
Bernadette smiled, really happy to see her friend in such a state, after all the months of heartache, seeing Penny like this only made Bernadette feel good, "Yeah, are you?" she softly responded, the teasing tone now completely out of her voice.
Leonard now joined the conversation his eyes just as dilated as Penny's, "Yeah we're ready." he then gently helped his fiancée off his lap, offering her his arm which she gladly took. "Since there are five us, why don't we take one car and I can drive us to a restaurant I think you all will enjoy."
"What about Amy and Sheldon." Raj asked, immediately getting a glare from Howard and Bernadette.
Penny saw the tension that started to form, so quickly spoke, "I talked to Amy and she decided they would just have room service tonight."
Bernadette, Howard and Raj all nodded so nothing else was said, the group of three following Leonard and Penny out he hotel doors for dinner on their first day in Nebraska. It was a place that none of the three friends had ever been before so not only were they going to their friends wedding, they were sort of on a new adventure into the Midwest. Raj especially happy to be away from California right now, the last couple days having been especially difficult for him.
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Amy watched quietly as Sheldon stared at the king size bed in their room thinking that she should have made sure with Penny that they had two beds in their room or even separate rooms in a suite type of arrangement. "Sheldon do you want me to call downstairs and ask if they could do something about out room.?"
Sheldon turned to look at her with confusion, "Why, this seems to be a perfectly acceptable room. I have checked the hotel out on the internet concerning cleanliness, food quality, services and I have also read the guest reviews, it is one of the best rated hotels in the Midwest for both its restaurant food and accommodations."
Amy smiled slightly then nodded her head towards the bed, "I though there was maybe something you didn't like about the bed."
Sheldon quickly looked at the bed then back at her. "No there is nothing wrong about it, I was just wondering how a bed this size would fit in my bedroom back in California."
"Why would you want a bed so large in your bedroom?" Amy was now confused.
Sheldon looked back at the bed, "Well you are right, for one person in would be a waste of space but if you consider two people sleeping in it, it would offer reasonable space for both occupants." Sheldon seemed to suddenly realize what he was implying because he then turned to Amy, "If the need was to arise it the future." he quickly added.
Amy was a little surprised and temporarily speechless, so she just nodded to give herself some time before responding. Finally after a couple seconds speaking again, "That seems like sound logic, it would provide suitable solution to any future contingencies that may arise." Amy still trying to get over that Sheldon didn't seem to have any problem sleeping with her now and was already planning about sleeping with her in the future, they had truly come a long way in the last few months.
Sheldon gave her a small smile, "It never ceases to amaze me Amy Farah Fowler how much we thing alike, you are truly a remarkable human being, much like myself."
Amy blushed, she was embarrassed to get complements, especially from the man she loved, she needed to change the subject because if she didn't she would run up and hug him and she didn't want to ruin the perfect moment they were having. Amy looked away at the table and saw the room service menu, "Sheldon would you like to eat now before it gets too late?"
Sheldon smiled larger, "Amy you know me so well, yes let us order something, I am hungry since I didn't dare eat any of that airplane food."
Amy was bathing in the warmth of his smile when she went over to show him the menu, them both standing side by side as they picked their meal for that evening. Amy was actually surprised as she realized this whole awkward situation with the wedding and Sheldon being there with her was actually going so well and was already resulting in more intimate time with him.
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Dinner had been wonderful, spending time with their friends, amazing and fun, and it all being so normal, like it had been months before, made it like a healing potion for both Penny and Leonard. It had been close to two months since they left California, so being caught up on all the gossip in their group, was like giving a drug addict a fix for Penny as she listened to every word with extreme interest. Leonard and her were especially surprised that Raj was still seeing the doctor Emily, his relationships were notorious for crashing and burning a short time after they started because of something Raj would say or do, so this was especially interesting.
So suddenly Penny again fell into the alpha female role of their group, after finding out that Emily and Raj were still dating, and Penny's curiosity took over, "So Raj is this getting serious?"
Raj who had blushing at the attention, suddenly got sullen. "I don't really think it will last."
"Oh Sweetie what did you do now?" Penny responded, unfortunately this always happened with Raj and Penny wanted to see if there was any way to help him, it had always been her way with the guys.
"Nothing, I did nothing. It is just she sort of creeps me out. She is always talking how she likes cutting people and her movie taste gives me nightmares." Raj answered.
"Pish, Posh, she could body parts of her old boyfriends in her freezer and you would still stay with her because she sleeps with you." Howard remarked suddenly.
"Howard!" Bernadette scolded.
"No he is right. I'm very ashamed that it is probably the only reason I've stayed with her till now." Raj said in embarrassment.
"Raj, you know that is not a healthy relationship, you really need to decide what she means to you and break it off if you really don't like being with her." Penny told him. Leonard watched her giving Raj advice, she was being her old self again, it made him so happy to see her this way, he couldn't get the small smile off his face.
"I sort of did before we left." Raj confessed.
"You did!" Howard said in shock.
Raj nodded, looking at Penny, "She was sort of being a bitch."
"What happened?" Bernadette now joined in.
Raj looked again at Penny, "It is sort of complicated."
However, Penny had noticed Raj looking at her, "It is about me, isn't it."
"Look, it was never meant to be. Howard was right it was only about sex now." Raj blurted out.
"Raj it is okay, you can tell us. Tell me." Penny said softly to him. Leonard held his breath, afraid at what may happen in the next few minutes and took Penny's hand under the table.
Raj nodded, as four pairs of eyes stared at him, "She didn't really have to work, she could have gotten off but she chose to work. She said she wasn't going to that…..she said she didn't want to go to your wedding."
"Slut's wedding." Penny completed for him. Leonard felt Penny squeeze his hand for a second before she then relaxed.
Raj nodded, "I told her fine, she could do what she wants, but I was going, because you guys are my friends and I wouldn't miss this for anything."
Penny smiled, barely able to keep her tears from flowing, "Thank you Sweetie." Then she reached out with her other hand, the one not in Leonard's, over to take his, "We love you too Raj." Leonard nodded to his friend, reaffirming what his fiancée just said.
Everybody then followed Penny's example, Howard and Bernadette who were sitting next to Raj put their hands on his shoulder for support and Leonard reached his free hand over to put in on top of Raj and Penny's hands. Everybody then smiled at him and gave him encouraging nods and smiles, visibly moving him. "Thanks, I love you guys." Raj then got a handkerchief out of his pocket to dab his eyes.
This lasted for a couple of minutes, everybody trying to be supportive to Raj, until the waiter came by to ask them if they wanted desert, breaking the moment. They all remained somewhat subdued, talking quietly while they ate their cheesecake, Leonard eating pie, and had coffee no one saying much of anything, each in their own thoughts about what just happened. So it was after they paid for dinner and moved their little party to a table near the bar that everyone got back to normal again. Even Penny had a glass of wine, Leonard by her side and being the designated driver so not drinking, being the security she needed to even think about drinking anything again.
However, her not drinking for several months, made the glass of wine, she ended up having that night, relax her more than they normally would before. So by her second and final glass she was rubbing the inside of Leonard's leg, under the table, making it hard for him to concentrate on the conversations going on. The wine also made Penny more willing to talk about matters of the heart and as her thoughts were for still for her friend across the table and his situation, so she decided to discuss it again.
"Raj, are you going to be okay, Sweetie?" Penny asked
Bernadette now joined in, "Raj, you know you'll find someone else, and believe me, you'll be much happier than now." Bernadette also wanted to make Raj feel better after the subject of Emily was now back on the table.
"Yeah Raj, there are more girls out there who will have sex with you." Howard added, having already had a few beers himself, "Ouch", Howard suddenly jumped then reaching down to rub his shin while he looked at his glaring wife.
"I have female cousins." Penny now interjected quickly, suddenly in full matchmaker mode. Leonard looked at her, this was definitely old Penny, and as he looked at her she turned to him and gave him a quick seductive wink while squeezing his leg under the table, before she looked back at Raj. "Really quite a lot of them and they are mostly single."
Raj looked at Penny, "Won't that be weird, them being your family?"
"Weird? Sweetie, I would be introducing them to a PhD who works at a major university and has been in People magazine. They would be ecstatic and actually owe me big time." Penny responded.
Raj still seemed still worried, "It wouldn't be awkward that I am Indian?"
"Just mention 'Slum Dog Millionaire' and the 'Karma Sutra' Sweetie and they will be all over you. "Sadly, that is all they know about Indians here and I'm not even sure most of them know the 'Karma Sutra' has anything to do with India." Penny then looked at Leonard, whispering, "I didn't until you told me." she then giggled.
It was only thirty minutes later they left to return back to the hotel, everyone feeling really relaxed but tired since it was past 11PM and all but Leonard had a few drinks that night. Leonard and Penny watched Raj, Howard and Bernadette get on the elevator to go to their rooms, both of them noticing Bernadette slip her hand down on Howard's ass before the door closed. Penny giggling as she slipped her hand down to cup Leonard's ass cheek, after the door closed, smiling at him as he looked at her in surprise.
"I should have tried to cut you off after one." Leonard said to her, smiling as he teased her.
"Sweetie, I'm not drunk, just feeling happy. I wouldn't even had have one unless I was positive I had you to take care of me. Plus I'm just glad to be around our friends again, with you, it just feels real good." She explained.
Leonard nodded, "You're right it is nice to be around them again, I've missed doing things with them too. So you ready to go back home?"
"I wish we had a room here." Penny answered a little sadly.
"Honey, we have nothing here to even brush our teeth." He then noticed the look in her eyes, "Plus we said not till our wedding night."
Penny gave him a fake pouty look, but in the back of her mind something started to bother her. She was getting to the point where she was feeling sexually frustrated, she had been wanting Leonard so bad lately, the make out session in the reading room earlier only making things worse. But the thing she couldn't understand is why Leonard didn't feel that way too, she wanted to make love to him, didn't he want to make love to her? When she kissed him, she became so lost in it that waiting till their wedding seemed silly, but Leonard would let that moment pass and talk her into waiting every time. He had never been that way before, and for a brief second Penny wondered if she was losing him, not even realizing she was just staring straight ahead.
"Penny is something wrong." Penny's stare and sudden quiet worrying Leonard.
Leonard's voice broke Penny's thoughts and she looked at him, his worried face making her smile at his concern for her and it made her assure herself that he did love her. "No nothing is wrong Sweetie, I was just thinking that I'm going to wear your ass out Saturday night." his surprised face made her giggle, "Come on take me home to bed." Penny then took his hand and lead him out to the car.
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It was just after 10 AM the next morning when Leonard sat on the edge of the bed to wake Penny up, he really didn't want to do it, she looked so angelic sleeping innocently it the bed. The ride home last night, she put had put her arm on the back of his seat while she ran her fingers through his hair, giving him little kisses for half the trip until she finally rested her head on his shoulder to promptly fall asleep. The wine had done her in as he half carried a sleepy Penny to bed, got her pajamas on and tucked her in, her becoming back sound asleep seconds after her head hit the pillow. She didn't move all night except after he got in bed, when she scooted herself against him, but even then he was sure she was still asleep. Nevertheless now she had to get up, she had things to do and he had let her sleep for as long as he could.
"Penny, Honey, time to get up." he whispered in her ear while gently rubbing her arm.
"Five more minutes." she mumbled while rolling away from him. However as soon as she rolled she reached out patting the bed like she was looking for something. It caused her to open her eyes, then rolled back towards him, her eyes now just coming out of sleep trying to focus and look at him, "Why aren't you in bed?"
"Because someone had to make excuses to your friends so you could sleep a little longer." he told her.
"My friends?" a half awake Penny now asked confused.
"Yes, your friends. Amy and Bernadette are downstairs waiting for you, along with your sister and mother. Remember this is the day you all do your final fitting of your bridesmaids dresses." Leonard explained.
"Oh No." Penny now became awake, pulling herself up from the bed. "How long have they been here and how did they get here?"
"Remember the car we left them had GPS and that I programmed in you parents address for them. Howard and Raj drove them." Leonard further explained.
Penny groaned then pushed herself till she was fully sitting up. "Okay, but I need coffee."
"Here you are." Leonard handed her a cup.
Penny looked at it for a second then took a drink, it was perfect. "I love you so much." she said before she took another sip.
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"Would anyone like something else to eat?" Meryl asked the young people sitting around the table.
"I'm good." Bernadette answered
"Thank you, I'm full too." Amy followed with.
"I'll have another pancake." Howard handed his plate to Meryl who filled it with three more pancakes, to which Howard didn't object.
"Dude, how can you eat so much and not gain any weight? I would blow up like a balloon if I ate like you." Raj jealousy commented.
"Sweetie, don't worry you have nothing to ashamed about concerning your body." Lindsey told Raj, the girls immediately noticing Lindsey's flirty tone.
Amy and Bernadette looked at each other both surprised at Penny's sister's comment, while Raj just smiled and blushed. Howard not even noticing what was happening as he stuffed another syrup covered pancake into his mouth. Even Meryl looked at her daughter a second before brushing the comment off and returning to what she was doing.
The conversation fortunately seemed to immediately became more general, it now concerning everyone explaining what they did in California when Lindsey asked, however she especially became interested when Raj described his job. "So you're a doctor like Leonard?" she asked with a very flirty smile.
"Well not exactly like Leonard, he is an Experimental Physicist while I'm an Astrophysicist." he responded innocently, which only seemed to make Lindsey even more interested.
"Really, so what does a Astrophysicist do?" Lindsey asked while staring at him.
Raj smiled, basking in the attention, "I study the stars."
"That is so cool." Lindsey replied and now everyone could see the stars in her eyes.
Meryl again was watching her oldest with a little more concern now, one flirty action was excusable but the now continuous flirting Lindsey was doing was making Meryl uncomfortable, especially since she knew the young man had no idea her daughter was hunting and he was the game. In a way Meryl couldn't blame her, her marriage was bad and her husband was a jerk who had probably cheated on her several times, however, Meryl was not sympathetic to married people cheating, especially when a child was involved, like her grandson. But she still wouldn't say anything unless her daughter tried to get into this young mans pants, simple flirting did not warrant a full family argument that would surely happen if Meryl called her daughter out.
Nevertheless, Meryl did think of a way to immediately put an end to this current flirting though. "Lindsey why don't you check to see how much longer Penny and Leonard are going to be."
Lindsey gave her mother one of those 'not now' looks but then after seeing her mother glare at her just sighed, "Okay, I'll check on them."
"Who?" seemed to come out of nowhere and everyone turned to see Penny coming through the kitchen doorway, her one hand behind her firmly in Leonard's who was following her.
"Well look what the cat dragged in." Lindsey teased with a snicker thrown in.
"I'm not hug over, just tired, I haven't drank anything in a while and it put me to sleep." Penny defended herself.
"Sweetie, just sit down and eat some pancakes. You too Leonard." Meryl interrupted while putting two plates down at empty chairs at the table, while indicating they should sit. She then looked down at Howard, "I have a couple left and it is a shame to let them got to waste." Taking Howard's nod and smile as an excuse to put a plate of pancakes in front of him too.
Bernadette glared at her husband, "If you get a bellyache, you are on your own mister."
"Oh Bernadette you know you will take care of him." Raj immediately telling her, and then stopping saying anything more as the petite blonde turned to glare at him.
"Or maybe not." Raj finally squeaked out.
Leonard put a forkful of pancakes in his mouth, then turned to smile at Penny who smiled back right at him, both of them thinking the same thing, it was nice to have their friends around. So for the next twenty minutes they all ate and talked, Meryl smiling at the banter between the six obvious friends and noting her oldest a little lost at how the conversation flowed between Penny and her group of friends. There was something else Meryl noticed, she didn't understand almost half the things these group of people were saying but Penny seemed to have a perfect understanding and fit easily into the conversation with her friends. It made her realize how much her daughter had changed, and it was definitely a change for the better, it was like she put her Midwest farm life behind her and become more worldly. Meryl had always been proud of Penny, but seeing her now in her element with her friends made that pride soar for her daughter.
Penny's actions baffled Lindsey, this was not the sister she remembered, and made her look at her mother a couple times in confusion when Penny would comment on something she never of heard of before. These people were the smart kids in high school that she and her friends picked on, but now they seemed to have all their shit together, they were successful and were so nice, she even found them extremely interesting. It made Lindsey look at Penny in awe, and for the first time in her life she was truly jealous of her younger sister.