Chapter 9

Penny was determined to make the rest of her pregnancy as normal as she could. Which meant doing a photo shoot on the beach. Sheldon chose not to join her for the beach part but agreed to go do a second set in the park. As long as they could do a couple of shots with him in his Star Trek uniform. Although it included a lot of sitting, and laying down on park benches, Penny felt almost normal for a day. The pictures turned out great, and today the girls were throwing her a baby shower. She had officially made it to 28 weeks. Amy had started showing too. It was really exciting that her best friend was pregnant at the same time as her, Amy was going to find out the sex of her baby in two weeks.

Penny walked out into the living room and it was decorated in a galaxy theme trendy and Sheldon approved. There were balloons everywhere, silver, purple, blue, and red streamers, a big cake, and a gift table with gifts from Amy, and Bernadette, who were setting up food on the kitchen island.

"You guys it looks great!" Penny exclaimed.

"Just wait until your guests arrive!" Amy said.

"It's not going to be Raj in a Gamora costume is it? Because we all know that he didn't just buy that costume for comic con." Penny gave them the side eye.

"Well that's not the plan but I can't guarantee it won't happen. You know Raj." Amy said.

"How are you feeling now that you are almost there?" Bernadette asked.

"Well I'm huge, uncomfortable, and tired all the time. I just want this to be over. With them here safely." Penny responded breathlessly.

"I can't imagine having triplets. Halley and Michael were hard enough as singles." Bernadette shook her head.

"I can't imagine either. I mean morning sickness was killer with just this one. I already feel like a house. You must feel so heavy." Amy added. Amy let some of the girls from Penny's work in, and Raj came strutting I'm dressed as Gamora.

"Really Raj?" Bernadette said rolling her eyes.

"What? It's a Galaxy theme!" Raj whined.

"Galaxy. Not Guardians of the Galaxy." Bernadette barked. They played games and ate food and by the end of it Penny was wiped out. They got a lot of great stuff for the babies. Penny was happy but tired. Amy and Bernadette stayed to clean up, and when they were done Bernadette went home to her kids.

"Are you nervous for your anatomy scan?" Penny asked Amy.

"I'm nervous that they will find something wrong." Amy confessed.

"I'm sure everything will be okay. You'll get to find out the sex." Penny comforted her friend. Amy squirmed in the arm chair for a second.

"Yeah we're naming the baby Alfred, Alfie for short if it's a boy. And Penelope if it's a girl. Leonard wants to call her Penny, for short. I would be thrilled about naming the baby after my bestie but you are his ex-wife. It feels like he's not quite over you." Amy wasn't sure she wanted to say that out loud.

"I'm sure that's not true. Penny is short for Penelope. Leonard and I didn't work. There wasn't really any love there. I was his coveted prize. But once he had me it was clear that we just weren't supposed to be together." Penny explained. "He loves you. He is with you because you two have things in common."

"I guess you're right." Amy agreed.

"Raj we need to talk." Howard said through gritted teeth.

"What is this about? You sound angry." Rah stated.

"I saw you at the dessert bar. With Jesse." Howard hissed. He was angry. It had been a few weeks and he was only getting more angry.

"Yeah we're friends. We were having a soufflé." Raj lied.

"Friends who kiss?" Howard demanded.

"Fine we were on a date. Why does it matter to you?" Rah admitted.

"You betrayed me... I mean you betrayed Stuart. Jesse is like Stuart's mortal enemy. And I thought you wanted to settle down with a girl!" Howard was visibly shaking.

"I didn't betray Stuart. He and I broke up. I still shop at his comic book store, and since Stuart's business has picked up, he and Jesse aren't really feuding anymore. And I don't know how many times I can say this, but you are married. You and I had a chance to be something. We could have been great. But you married Bernadette. You need to move on and focus on her. Howard I love you. You know I love you. But I can't be your side piece. I deserve to be loved in the open. I have found a man I am happy with. So accept that." Raj was frustrated. He wanted so bad to be with Howard before, but now he had moved on. The way Howard should have. Raj left his office to get away from Howard.

Howard stood there in shock and sadness. He always assumed Raj would marry a woman and they would have the same relationship that they'd always had behind the scenes. No matter how much he denied it he knew he was still in love with Raj. But like every other day he would go home to his wife and be a dad with this huge secret weighing on him. He wished for a moment his mother was alive to comfort him. He was really losing the love of his life, and it was his own fault.

"Let's all extent a warm welcome to the man of the hour Doctor Sheldon Cooper. He has conclusive proven string theory!" Dr. Gablehauser said raising a glass.

"Thank you Doctor Gablehauser but would you mind getting your hand off my shoulder." Sheldon shivered.

"Sorry Doctor Cooper I forgot about your touch phobia." Dr. Gablehauser said.

"Do we really have to go through this again? It's a germ phobia, put on a latex glove and I will let you give me a prostate exam." Sheldon explained for what felt like the millionth time.

"I gladly except your adulation. This achievement is the peak of my career. The peak of the field of physics. Science as a whole in fact. I credit this achievement to my girlfriend, who couldn't be here tonight because she is on bed rest, Penny. She is no where near as intelligent as I. However her simple questions often bring me to conclusions I would otherwise overthink. These conclusions led me to this discovery, I honestly couldn't have done it without her." Sheldon explained in his speech. It made Leonard's stomach churn. Penny had only ever once said something that got him thinking, and even then Sheldon got the credit in that magazine. He was proud of his best friend, and happy with where his life was headed, but he couldn't help but envy what Sheldon and Penny had. She truly made him a better person. Even his own mother was proud that Sheldon had stolen Penny away, and really didn't like Amy.

"Aww thank you Beverly!" Penny exclaimed. Holding up the three small bears Beverly had brought her.

"I'm just happy you had the mind to leave Leonard. Your relationship with my son seemed superficial. Sheldon genuinely loves you. Something that my son did not. I'm happy for you both." Beverly said.

"Leonard is much happier now with Amy." Penny suggested.

"Their relationship seems more genuine, however I feel that he is still dwelling on the fact he lost his trophy. You are so much more than that Penny." Beverly insisted.

"I'm glad you were able to make it here. And even more glad that you don't harbor any negative feelings towards me for this whole mess." Penny had honestly grown to like Leonard's mother.

"I'm glad to hear that dear. I honestly feel Leonard was at fault for it. He valued you as a possession and not a person. He treats Amy like a person. Sheldon holds you to a high standard of importance, something he didn't do with Amy. Both of you are better off. Amy is better off too, though she downgraded in my opinion." Beverly laughed at the last part. Penny felt a little bad hearing Beverly blame Leonard for it all, but she was happy that they could continue to have a good relationship.