The Wolowitz conclusion
Chapter two
"Howard, are you home yet" Bernadette seemed to sound more and more like his mother had before she did by the day. He held back from putting his key in the door for just a few seconds while he took a deep breath.
"I'm home" Howard put on the bravest face he could manage in the circumstances "how was your day"
"fabulous" Bernadette answered sarcastically "yours?"
"oh, it was…"
"great" Bernadette interrupted him before he could say anything else "can you do dinner?"
"sure"
As Howard prepared dinner he thought about his life since meeting Bernadette, how in the beginning it was great, after a little bit of cyber cheating which lead to them breaking up for a while they got back together and then it was amazing, just rounds of getting to know each other personally, physically and emotionally. Then they got engaged and eventually married before having Halley and then Michael. Now their life consisted of both working full time, both for a living and to get through the day. It had been a long time since Bernadette had given any affection. His mind then wandered to Hannah, the beautiful young girl giving him lots of attention at work. He knew it was wrong, he knew what a wonderful wife he had in Bernadette, how his whole life was connected to his marriage in some way, since his mom had died, his friends, his work, everything was connected to Bernadette. But he still couldn't stop thinking about Hannah, and he couldn't wait to see her at work the next morning.
Penny tried to bend down to get dressed and failed miserably. This was her fourth pregnancy and with each one she had gotten bigger quicker, she wasn't sure how she was going to manage the next ten weeks of her pregnancy at the size she already was.
"Penny, can I come in" Amy called through the bedroom door "Leonard let me in"
"okay" Penny answered, struggling to get her maternity jeans over her ever growing bump "come in"
It had only been a few months since they had lost Sheldon, Amy's husband in a horrific car accident and Amy, understandably, hadn't been doing too well
"how are you doing?" Amy asked Penny before cursing herself for partaking in small talk that she hated "sorry"
"it's okay" Penny smiled, neither of them were any good at this "I'm tired and fed up, you"
"a little better" Amy cracked a small smile, trying to stop a tear rolling down her cheek "just missing Sheldon"
"we all are, sweetie" Penny responded "it's just not the same without him"
"I've cried myself to sleep every night since he's been gone"
"I know" Penny gave her a big hug "me too"
Leonard decided that he would visit Howard today. The university had been really good and given them all as much paid time off as they needed after Sheldon's death, but they were all back to work now. Leonard, however, couldn't face going into the lunch hall without Sheldon. That was the place that most reminded Leonard of him. This was going to be a bit surprise to Howard, but Leonard knew he wouldn't mind. Howard and Bernadette had been Leonard and Penny's rocks recently and it had bought them all closer
"good morning" Leonard smiled sheepishly as he walked into Howard's office
"hello" Howard responded obviously surprised by Leonard's visit.
"sorry, shall I go?" Leonard felt that his visit had ruined Howard's day, which was unlike Howard, especially recently. There just seemed to be a different vibe coming from him and Leonard wasn't sure why
"good morning Howard" Hannah sung in the flirty voice that made Howard's heart skip a beat, "oh, Dr. Hofstadter"
Unfortunately Leonard was totally blind to the chemistry that was between Hannah and Howard, and didn't realise what was going on. A similar thing had happened years ago before Leonard and Penny had even gotten engaged and sheldon's then assistant, Alex, had been flirting with him and it had taken the girls to notice it and tell Sheldon to talk to Alex. This had caused endless problems including complaints being made to HR.
"I can come back" Hannah suggested in a bit of a panic
"yes" Howard agreed "maybe after lunch"
Howard wasn't sure if he had gotten away with it or not, but then he thought, ther was nothing really to get away with. He hadn't actually done anything wrong, except for a few thoughts anyway, and everyone had them from time to time
"how's she getting on?" Leonard asked him
"well, she knows her job" Howard answered him "it's nice to have someone to help out"
"she must be turning heads" Leonard shook his head immedatley banishing any thoughts that were not about Penny from his mind
"if you like that kind of thing" Howard agreed "I think some of the younger guys like the look of her"
"she's keen on you" Leonard teased, realising there was something there even if it was only one sided "sure you're not enjoying it"
"I'd never do that to Bernadette" Howard snapped and made Leonard worry that hed touched a nerve, Howard was normally the first one to both crack and accept jokes like this "Howard, I was joking, what's going on?"
"nothing" Howard lied unconvincingly "you're not the first one to say something, that is all"
"maybe you should say something to HR" Leonard suggested "remember how it all blew up with Alex and I?"
"I remember" Howard nodded "my head's just all over the place since…"
"I know" Leonard interrupted, he still couldn't bare to hear anyone say that Sheldon was dead. Apart from when he had to tell Penny, he hadn't even said it to himself.
Leonard and Sheldon had been best friends for longer than anyone could remember. He had been there when Leonard and Penny met, Leonard had been the best man at his and Amy's wedding and they had been sitting in the hospital when each other's first children were born. In fact, they were more like brothers than friends. When Sheldon died Leonard went to pieces, Amy also went to pieces and Penny had to be strong for them, pregnant and a mother to her three children. It was a lot for her and she still hadn't grieved properly. Leonard had was so grateful for Bernadette plus Penny's sister Lisa had come to stay for a while and she had been invaluable too.