The end of the Episode of Hofstadter v Hofstadter
Shoring Up
Penny stood in a long yellow silk robe looking out the window with her back to Leonard. He was seated on the tan leather couch behind her a blue blanket wrapped around him. Behind Leonard is a white brick fireplace and chimney taking up the entire wall. There is a large golden sunburst disk in the middle of the brick chimney a gas fire in grate below burning brightly. To each side of the grate are pictures of their family and friends and themselves covering the brick. Penny continues to stare out. Leonard continues to stare at her back.
Penny brought her hand up to her mouth, “I always forget how beautiful the lake is here. It such a dark blue but so clear that all the mountains around it are reflected back at you.”
Leonard nodded slowly, “The view was what sold us on the house. I would have missed it.” He paused looked down for instant then wiped his eyes, “I would have missed you more.”
Penny got a crooked grin on her face, her back still to Leonard, “It never felt real until we were sitting in that courtroom the other day. It was like just a continuation of the fight”
Leonard frowned slightly, “I know what you mean. What would have happened if Sheldon hadn’t showed up?”
Penny turned toward him, “I don’t know but we probably wouldn’t be here. I’d still be crying most likely. I wasn’t mad anymore, hadn’t been for a while now. Leonard I couldn’t swallow my pride and say I was sorry and that we should try again. I never have, I always let you be the one to make peace. Why didn’t you this time?”
Leonard shook his head still frowning, “It was that stupid Couples Growing Closer training we went to. You told me I needed to man up, be more assertive and stop groveling. The guy kept talking about love being about never saying you’re sorry and you went on about how I always say I’m sorry. So we got into a fight and I never said it.”
Penny nodded seriously, “Yeah going to that was a mistake. Bernadette recommended it.”
Leonard smirked, “I’m sure it really worked for them. Howard and Bernadette only have his mother to fight about. Howard always has to apologize. Now that I think about it love is all about being able to say you’re sorry and the other person accepting it.”
Penny was nodding again but a small grin had crept on her face, “So after our fight you stayed at our old house in Pasadena and wouldn’t even talk about it.”
Leonard lay back on the couch, “Oh I wanted to, but I was supposed to wait until you apologized this time.”
Penny came over and got under the blanket beside him, “Bet the call from the lawyer must have been quite the shock then.”
Leonard grimaced, “Yeah then I got mad and got my own lawyer. Before I knew it they had a settlement worked out and had us filing jointly. Why’d you get the lawyer Penny?”
Penny snuggled into his shoulder his arm sliding around her. A natural move as if neither had planned it just memory kicking in.
“Mark my agent said I needed to be protected. He called the lawyer saying we would need to get officially separated before I started the new movie or you would get half.”
Leonard sneered, “I hate that guy, bet it came as quite the surprise that I really wasn’t interested in money or anything just you and the kids. My lawyer was certainly surprised she said I could get alimony.”
Penny ran her hand up his chest, “Yeah it might be time for a change in agents. Sweetie never again, no more lawyers. Even if we break up we’ll just stick it out and see what happens. Sheldon is right we’ll come back together. Oh and I would have given you alimony.”
Penny leaned up and kissed Leonard’s cheek, “By the way, I’m sorry.”
Leonard chuckled, “That’s the really silly part I was being an ass and I should have apologized. No more classes, seminars or lectures. I say we muddle through just like your parents. They’re still married.”
Penny smiled, “Yep, sound good. Let’s go back to bed then for a walk by the lake. We’ll call and check on the kids when we get back.”
Penny rolled on top of Leonard and their lips met.
Yep, he still lives in 4A
Sheldon looked up from his laptop as Penny came through the door in a light blue dress and matching flats. Leonard followed in a pair of jeans and khaki jacket over a black hoody and purple t-shirt.
Penny looked around, “Hey Sheldon, where’s the kids?”
Sheldon swiveled in his chair, a new red flash t-shirt over the top of a grey long sleeved shirt.
“I had Amy take them and Erwin to the park.”
Leonard chuckled, “Still hard to believe you named your infant son after Erwin Schrodinger. I see you have on the shirt we gave you for Christmas.”
Penny looked at Leonard, “I thought you called to let them know when we’d be here?”
Leonard shrugged, “I did before we left.”
Sheldon motioned to the couch then walked toward his spot, “I had Amy take them to the park so we could have a short discussion. Please sit down.”
Penny looked over a Leonard, “He did save us from getting divorced.”
Leonard nodded and they both sat on the couch. Sheldon handed each of them a thin binder of paper.
“Penny I’ve tried to keep this relationship agreement short and simple so as to not tax your reading capacity. This is long overdue you two really should have had one of these years ago. It codifies those things that I have noticed in your relationship and gives you several ways of settling any grievances you might have with each other. In that way you will be happier in your marriage and I won’t have to risk going to jail again.”
Leonard was looking through the binder now, “Okay this looks pretty good so far. Let’s see we are both required to talk through any fights we’ve had within 72 hours. If we can’t do that then we have to start talking to each via a blog. Oh wait a second, if we are unable to resolve the dispute an independent arbiter will decide it for us? Let’s see that’s in appendix 3. Sheldon you’re the arbiter?”
Penny frowned then started looking at her copy, “Well there are a lot of other good things in here. We have to spend a weekend together at least once a month. When we are having a fight we should both let it go and go play with the kids together. Oh you’re required to get me a gift if you’ve wronged me jewelry preferred. We talked about some of this in Tahoe Leonard, about looking for a new house and selling the other two.”
Sheldon smiled now, “I saw no need for a coitus section with you two. That’s never been a problem in the past. But I could add one if you would prefer a more structured”
Penny was shaking her head Leonard was way ahead of her, “That won’t be necessary Sheldon. Now back to this part about you being the final arbiter. I think both Penny and I.”
Leonard looked over at Penny then grasped her hand, “Penny let me know if this doesn’t work. Sheldon I think you and Amy together should be the final arbiters. A woman and a man would be better.”
Penny looked back at Sheldon, “I think it would have to be that way Sheldon. Leonard will need someone on his side.”
Sheldon looked in thought for a moment, “Acceptable, though I assure you both I can be unbiased.”
Penny looked back over at Leonard. She was still holding his hand, “What do you think sweetie. It’s more than we have now?”
Leonard looked into her face, “It’s structured and meticulous and because it’s not involving Sheldon very fair to us both. It’s not all that different from our beta test from years ago, why not?”
Penny took the pen that Sheldon was offering, “Gees Leonard you once signed that stupid roommate agreement, at least I know who I’m living with.”
Penny signed her copy then handed the pen to Leonard who signed also. Sheldon took the signed copy and handed then back a copy.
He pulled his phone from his pocket and held it to his mouth, “The eagle has landed you can come home.”
Amy’s voice came from the other side of the door and the phone at the same time, “Here we come”
The door flung open, Leonard and Penny both turned to the door. Their face were all smiles, bright and glowing”
Two small voices one a girl and one a boy blended together, “Mommy, Daddy”
I like to think of this as my own little pilot for down the road when TBBT has been gone for a while. Hofstadter v Hofstadter the new TBBT series
Will I write more? Maybe later, right now I have a new book to start writing but I’m sure I’ll be back.
SOK
The Threads Fiction Project 