Chapter five – Circle The Drain

There was one thing Penny would never get used to: the almost suffocating Texan heat.

She could feel the sweat running down her back as she reached the front gate. A quick look in the mail box showed only two letters had arrived.

Taking a seat on the front stoop, she found the shade made life slightly more bearable. Penny studied the letters; she recognized one of the envelopes—it was from the hospital. That one had to be opened by them both. The second latter was a puzzle; it was hand written, but addressed to "Mr. & Mrs. Cooper". It had no return address, but Penny smiled just the same; she already had an idea who it was from. Only Howard would call Sheldon "Mister."

Inside the envelope she found a card. Penny's face broke out into a huge grin, a wedding invitation.

Mr & Mrs Cooper are cordiality invited to the wedding of

Howard Wolowitz & Rajesh Koothrappali

On the 11th June 2015 at the Royal Hotel

New York

Penny returned the other envelope, turning it over in her hands; she knew the letter would only confirm what she had always feared. Two envelopes: one filled with joy, happiness and hope for things to come, the other filled with sadness and heartbreak. Penny was so deep in her own thoughts, that not until a shadow fell across her did she realize someone was standing in front of her. Penny squinted looking up at the tall figure.

"Hi sweetie," she said. "Sorry. I was miles away."

Sheldon moved to sit beside her, "Regardless of the transient, and even distant, nature of your thoughts, I hardly think you could be classified as being 'miles away.'"Those words in anyone else's mouth would have probably been a joke. But, Penny had long accepted Sheldon for who he was. She just smiled.

Penny noticed that Sheldon was looking at her hands.

"Here read this." She handed him the wedding invitation, then began counting under her breath, waiting for him to take Howard's incendiary bait.

"Mister Cooper!" he exclaimed. "That insufferable man calls me Mister Cooper?"

Penny reached up and kissed his cheek. "It's addressed to 'Mr & Mrs Cooper.'"

Sheldon knew Penny was making fun of him. He had long ago realized that, in his eyes, she could do no wrong.

As Sheldon read the invitation, Penny slipped the other envelope under her leg, out of sight. There would be time enough for that later. For the second time that day, Penny realized Sheldon was looking at her.

"Penny," he began, "it pains me to do so, but to borrow your mistaken phrase, you do seem to be 'miles away.'"

Penny looked down at her hands. "I'm just thinking about the wedding. It's a woman thing you wouldn't understand."

"Penny, you're not thinking about going?" Sheldon's face was the picture of scandal. Now Penny had to look up.

"Of course we're going," she replied, patting his cheek. "They're our friends. Besides, they came to our wedding."

Although he was still slightly unsure, he had learned to pick his battles with Penny, so this was a no brainer. "I'm sure you'll make a wonderful bridesmaid." Penny burst out laughing.

"Oh, my God. Sheldon did you just make a joke?"

Sheldon slipped his arm around his wife holding her tightly to him, "Penny, I would never joke about how wonderful you are."

They sat out on the front stoop until the sun started to slip below the horizon. Penny shivered at the oncoming night chill. She stood, looking at Sheldon.

"We should go in. I'll start supper."

She went inside and started cooking. After getting the rice started she went back outside and found Sheldon still sitting on the porch. His back was to her. "Coming in?" She asked. "I don't ever want to lose you." He said without turning around. She chuckled a little. "You're not going to," she said. "I'm not going anywhere." He didn't say anything, and growing worried, she took a seat next to him. When she did, she could see he was holding the letter. Her Heart skipped a beat. She'd forgotten to take it with her. "I was going to tell you…it just slipped my mind, that's all."

As Sheldon read the letter, Penny moved closer tucking herself into his side, his arm wrapped around her shoulders as if being close to him would shield her from the world and the pain.

Sheldon hugged his wife allowing the letter to drop to the ground. "It's as we feared, my love."

The tears she had held in for so long escaped from the corner of her eyes. Penny sobbed as Sheldon held her to him. As Penny slowly calmed, Sheldon kissed the top of her head.

"I have you, Penny, that's all I ever wanted." She moved away from him, just enough to enable her to look at his face. While she had been sobbing, she now saw he had also been crying.

"Sheldon, don't you understand. I can never have children; never have your child... our child." Penny buried her face in his chest. "I'm so sorry, Sheldon." As he rocked back and forth holding Penny to him, a plan was forming in his head.

He was not about to allow a childhood accident deprive his wife of the child she longed for. He would find a way; he had to.

xxxxxxxx

Later that night, as Sheldon held Penny tightly to him, even in her fretful, dreamless sleep, he could still hear her softly sobbing. It was at times like this he missed his beloved Meemaw. She would have known what to do. It was a troubled, nightmarish sleep that finally over took him.

When Sheldon woke, he found he was alone. The bed was cold, meaning Penny had been up for some time. He could hear her voice out in the living-room. As he stood in the doorway, Penny seemed unaware he was there. She was having a conversion with someone on her laptop.

"Thanks for the info, Howard, and don't forget to e-mail me with the travel details."

"Is that Wolowitz?" Sheldon called loudly from the door way. "I want a word with him."

Penny closed the laptop. "We'll talk later Howard." Turning to face her husband, she smiled up at him, "Hi, honey. Sorry, but I tried not to wake you."

"I take it by your secretive demeanour that you've agreed to attend this wedding." Sheldon stood arms folded looking at his wife, a slight smile on his lips.

Penny walked over to stand in front of Sheldon; she gave him her wide-eyed girly smile, reaching up to softly stroke his cheek. Sheldon knew he had lost the argument before it had even begun. "Alright we'll go." Penny reached up throwing her arms around his neck, "Oh, thank you honey. And the timings perfect. We'll be able to see their baby."

Sheldon slowly, but firmly, took Penny's arms from around his neck, holding her at arm's length.

"Penny, I understand there have been studies done in this field, however it's my understanding that two men, regardless of their mutual love, cannot procreate, much less carry a pregnancy to term."

Penny laughed slapping his arm. "You know full well, Sheldon Cooper that I was talking about them adopting a baby."

Sheldon only smiled, turning to go back into the bedroom. Without turning round, he said, "I'm going to shower and get dressed." He stopped only for a moment; Penny stared at his back, wondering what was going through the great mind of Sheldon Cooper. Penny distinctly heard him say, "Adoption."

xxxxxxx

As Penny walked along the corridor, she had never felt so good... so alive. Okay, so maybe the first night of their honeymoon was at the top of the list, but this had to be number two. She burst into their hotel room.

"Oh my God," she exclaimed. "Sheldon, you have to try the spa. It''s—" Penny stopped. Sheldon was sitting on the bed, a piece of paper clenched in his hand. Penny knelt in front of him taking his hands in hers. "Sheldon, sweetie what's wrong?" He looked up from the piece of paper in his hand, and gazed into Penny's face.

"It's from Leonard; it was left at the front desk. Penny... he wants to see me."

"I think maybe you should see him, Sheldon. It's been long enough." Sitting on the edge of the bed Sheldon slowly regained his composure. Penny sat quietly next to him, the fingers of her hand entwined in his.

"Of late I've found myself reminiscing of past friendships and lost opportunities." Turning he smiled before kissing his wife's cheek. "I'll talk to him tomorrow before the wedding ceremony." Sheldon thought for a moment, "I believe, Penny it would be prudent if I were to see him alone."

xxxxxxx

As Sheldon waited for Leonard to arrive, he tried to charm his nervous. The unsightly eye twitch had disappeared the day he marred Penny, he would never let it return. Thinking of Penny he had to smile; she had fussed around since daybreak, doing her hair, her make-up, asking him of all people if her shoes looked alright. She had finally gone to see if Raj needed any help.

With a start he realized someone was knocking at the door. Sheldon opened the door to the man who had pushed him almost to the brink of ending it all, the man who had turned his back on his friend when he faced total despair. "Hello Leonard."

"Thanks for seeing me, I wasn't sure you would." Sheldon sat down waving for Leonard to sit. "We were friends a long time, and I owed it to you to hear you out. But that's all." The tone of his voice as he spoke those last few words, made it clear to Leonard he was here on sufferance.

Leonard rubbed his forehead, "Look, I'll say my piece then leave. No amount of me saying I'm sorry will ever put things right between us. I was a fool, I acted badly, and I can never excuse what I did, but just imagine if you lost Penny. To see the woman you love turn to another man." Leonard stood and walked to the door.

"Leonard, wait." Sheldon stood, sighing deeply. "I don't know if I'll ever be able to forgive you, but as it has been pointed out to me on numerous occasions, namely by my wife, Life is too short. I would not be against meeting you again."

xxxxxxx

As the photographer moved around the wedding guests trying to catch candid shots, Penny was finally able to corner Sheldon, "Are you trying to avoid me Mister Cooper?" Taking her by the hand he led her into a small side room. "Of course, I'm not avoiding you, but you know how I hate having my photograph taken." Penny reached up slipping her arms around his neck, her lips moving to cover his.

Even though Penny would laugh and call them an old married couple. Sheldon still found kissing Penny brought back that excitement he had felt of their very first kiss.

Later that night as they both readied for bed, "Penny you've not asked what the outcome was with my meeting with Leonard." Penny came out of the bathroom then climbed on to the bed; sitting cross legged she looked at Sheldon. "I knew you'd tell me when you were ready. So?"

"I think we cleared the air. Things can never be the same between us, but it's a start." Penny smuggled closer to Sheldon as they both lay in bed before sleep took them.

"Penny what are your feelings on extending our stay a little longer?"

"Oh my God. Yes, we could have a second honeymoon, Sheldon."

"My thinking exactly. We could also visit that adoption agency. Howard gave you the address, right?"

Penny snuggled even closer. "I love you Sheldon."

"And I you Penny."