Disclaimer: All is Chuck's...
Part XXVI...
Pasadena Hilton...Susan Stein's hotel bedroom...
"Susan?" call from the door. "Care for breakfast, dear? I thought we might look at a few furniture stores today. We've a large house to fill, you know."
"Sure, Dad." Calm call, then humming... "Sheldon...Is the face in the misty light (tune of "Laura", from the 1944 film)...
Footsteps that you hear down the hall...
The awkward laugh that floats on a summer night
That you can never quite recall
And you see...Sheldon on a train that is passing through
Those eyes how familiar they seem
He gave your very first kiss to you
That was Sheldon but he's only a dream..." Susan intoned, staring into the bedroom mirror. Eyeing the miniature photo of Sheldon in open locket taken from round her neck. His gift to her... "Sheldon...
He gave your very first kiss to you
That was Sheldon...Just give me ten, Dad!
And he's not just a dream..."
Well, it would have been his gift if he'd stayed with her long enough to include gift-giving among his gradually acquired social skills, she noted to herself. She'd merely anticipated what would have been his gift. And it was just what she would wanted him to give her.
"Right then...I'll be waiting in the lobby." Stein's voice. Calm but clearly hopeful that his daughter might have found something else to focus on besides Sheldon Cooper...
Unlike a certain greedy, grasping neurobiologist who'd needed a tiara to set her heart aflame...The lil' diamond digger...Susan gave grim look at herself.
Call me a porn star...I shaked it for Art, lady. And to learn how, for Sheldon...And no one else.
But it was alright, okay...Susan was here now to set things right. Put affairs back in order, whatever it took, she smiled at herself in the mirror.
Oooh, and mustn't forget I need to get a few things, including about 5000 feet of copper wire. Sadly Cal Tech gets fussy about some requests, even with superstars like Francis Stein and daughter.
But soon all will be set to rights as Dad would say...
And if it took a few lies, broken hearts, a ruined career or two, a few quiet and well-concealed murders...And maybe a universe-altering cataclysm?...Well, alls fair, right? And as for keeping my hand concealed, hey...I was a better actress as a porn star than that "bestie" of hers ever was...Anne Frank over a bowling alley indeed.
Right, you gold-diggin', love-of-my-life-stealin' tramp? She eyed the image of Amy Farrah Fowler on stage with the band the other night, in her begowned glory, Sheldon playing at her side.
Heck, I can sing...And a damned better version of "Soft Kitty" than that abomination you warbled through...
But it's ok...It's fine...I'm in no hurry. I've time. Plenty of time to put things right.
Soon all the time in the world...
Anyway really should go with Dad for the new house's stuff, he has no sense of style whatever...I supply that.
See...She told the photo, closing the locket and replacing it on her neck. She adds to your problems, I balance them out.
Oh, and don't forget the ton of industrial diamonds...Can't run short of them...
Hope I have time to see the new labs today...The one at Cal Tech and the other...
Really can't wait to get going on things...She smiled at the mirror and headed out.
"Susan?..." Xavier Francis beamed at her in the hallway as she turned from her door, starting to hum again.
"'Laura'...Haven't heard that one in years." He smiled.
She eyed him...Choosing to paste a slight smile. "Ole favorite of Dad's...Xavier." Calmly. "I'm heading down to meet him, we're on our way out."
"Yes, I saw him. Look, Sue...There's no need for us to be at each others throats all year." He eyed her.
You said you'd help me...Liar...She eyed him with fixed smile. You said you help me get Sheldon back and then you...
"You're right, Xavier." She shrugged. "All water under the bridge...Ok? I'm sure we can have a good professional relationship while we're here."
For the little time we will be...She thought.
"That's good. But I hope we can be friends again, Sue. I'm not your enemy, you know."
"Only my father's..." calm stare.
"Well, you could bridge the gap...If you'd care to..." Xavier smiled. "I know it's been a long time and it is best we try to patch old quarrels."
"St. Francis Xavier Gandhi rides again." She noted pleasantly.
"It's in all our interests to get along." He pointed out. "We've work to do here and best if we can play well together."
"Sure." She shrugged. "Done."
"Good, good. You know, I'm taking Leonard and Sheldon and their friends to dinner tonight..." he smiled. "Why not join us...You and your father if he likes. A chance to socialize a bit in somewhat easier circumstances than the party the other evening..."
"Why not?" she nodded, slight wave of hand. "Thanks, Xavier."
"The Ponderosa Pasadena Steakhouse, seven...That all right?"
"I'm a carnivore, sure..." she smiled.
And really...Thanks...She eyed him as he headed off to his room.
God...Experimental physicists...She thought as she moved to the elevator...
Always think they've got the whole thing laid out and set up on the lab bench. Never see the theoretical structure behind everything...
Till it's too late...She boarded.
Completely obsessed with him yet, I see...And hear...Dr. Francis nodded to himself, watching her from the slightly open door.
"Excellent...'Sheldon is a face in the misty light...'" he sang softly, with malicious glee.
Dear Lord, she has got it bad. Wonderful song, though...
...
That evening...
Pasadena Ponderosa Steakhouse... "The House of the Final Cut"...
"I'm glad to see this was a choice that didn't offend you, Dr. Koothrapali..." Xavier Francis noted.
Howard and Bernadette chortling in unison...
"Well, my feeling is...Cosmic Karma being what it likely is, if it's not complete hogwash...Whatever we're eating here has no doubt a superintelligent cousin eating some version of us on Tau Ceti V or some other place out there. So, I say, enjoy it before it enjoys you." Rajesh beamed, fork thrusting into thick cut steak.
Lucy eyeing him. Oh...?
Uh... "Of course I respect all living things and it's largely to avoid hurting my carnivorous friends here that I..." nervously...
"I'll take mint jelly with the lamb, please..." Lucy noted to the passing waitress. Sly smile at Raj...
"You're having the veggie plate, chicken, or fish. And if you love me, your dear wife, you would prefer you have the veggie plate." Penny grimly to Leonard.
"You haven't read what often goes into vegetables nowadays, have you?" Sheldon, innocently.
"I'll take the chicken..." Leonard sighed at Rajesh's mammoth steak.
Thanks, buddy...He mouthed to Sheldon.
"You are my darling..." Penny beamed. "And you are a lousy wingman..." she eyed Sheldon.
"I thought he was pretty good." Amy noted. "No way would I have let him have anything but the veggie plate but he got you to chicken with his innocent face."
"Only because...I am a doting wife..." Penny, smugly. "And that's chicken breast, no skin, bucko..." she eyed Leonard sternly.
"Well, seems to me my old lab partner is a very lucky young man." Dr. Francis, graciously, holding wine glass up. "And if I may, a toast to the happy couple...Many good years together." All raising glasses...Penny having carefully seen to sparkling water for Leonard.
"Absolutely..." Howard agreed, holding glass.
"L'chaim." Bernadette beamed.
"She's been dying to say that..." Howard noted.
"And to Sheldon and Amy..." Raj smiled, raising glass again. "And likewise many happy years. You certainly worked for it, girl." He grinned to Amy's rather sly return smile. Lucy nodding happily...Though immediately giving both Amy and Dr. Francis careful stares when sure she was not noticed, nodding to Raj's look.
Surveillance mode established...
Dr. Francis eyeing Amy briefly...
"So this was a long romance, you and my ole teacher's granddaughter here?" he inquired of Sheldon, a bit off-handedly.
"About twenty years, two months, five days, actually..." Sheldon nodded. "I'm a bit uncertain as to hours...Amy? What time did we meet at Penn Station?"
"6:47pm." She noted, to stares. "What? Of course I remembered." She beamed at Sheldon.
"They did finally send me a letter about my petition, the one I filed to save the station when we met."
"Oh, I know...I wrote them about it." Amy nodded. "Charley did too, when I told her. We actually wrote about twenty letters under different names in support."
"That explains why their letter said 'in view of the discussion by the general public we have considered all petitions to this effect carefully...'" Sheldon nodded thoughtfully.
"Still just bureaucratic double-speak but at least they responded." Amy patted his hand.
"This sister of yours...She's in France still?" Penny asked.
"If God hears prayers, yes." Amy sighed. "But I suppose sooner or later I'll have to let her know the momentous news of our engagement..."
"Won't she be happy for you?" Bernadette stared.
"She'll...Say she is..." Amy, nervous look. "But Charlotte is good at saying she's happy about a lot of things...Father abandoning her in France, her latest seduction she only ensnared to destroy, me being her sister and still alive, thousands of miles closer to Sheldon...But I'll deal with Charley later. She's been very nice in her letters and emails recently, maybe she's outgrown her anger a little. Anyway, one thing at a time..." nervous look at Sheldon.
"It will be all right." He patted her.
Penny staring...Glance to Leonard, tearing...
Our little boy...Look at him being all...I could cry...Her look saying...
"So what will you and Leonard be working on?" Raj addressed Dr. Francis.
"Yes, we should go watch...It's always fun to watch the doodilers doodling in their labs." Sheldon noted to Amy. "And when there's a modicum of theory underpinning the playing around, instead of what Howard does, it's really..."
"Sheldon..." Bernadette, grimly.
"Well, I do have some quantum particle experiments to doodle with..." Francis, genially. "You should feel free to come by, I think it will be fun...Like the ole days, eh Hofstadter?"
"Two Hofstadters here now, Doc..." Penny beamed. "Say, maybe I could come and watch? I still have some time off left."
"You shouldn't use up all your days, Penny." Leonard noted.
"I was being politely less clingy in public, honey. Of course I'm not letting you out of my sight till I'm sure you're ok. Don't worry about it, my drug dealing gives me six weeks' vacation. You're not getting out of our free honeymoon." Penny smiled. "Sorry, Doc..." she grinned to Dr. Francis... "But you'll have me around every minute for another week at least or Dr. Hofstadter does his work from home."
"'Boldly go' with Mom holding your hand..." Howard grinned.
"You ever have even a mild heart attack and you'll be chained to your bed for a month and banned from brisket and pastrami for life." Bernadette, firmly. "Though a loose chain to let you get on the treadmill...They say moderate exercise is good in recovery."
"I can't think of a more inspiring beginning than to have you with us, Mrs. Hofstadter." Xavier, gallantly.
"'Mrs. Hofstadter'..." Penny cooed. "I like the sound of that."
"Hey..." cooing voice...All looking to see Susan Stein in elegant white suit, beaming. "Sorry to be late, Dad was a bit exhausted after I'd dragged him through seven furniture stores. He asks forgiveness for having to beg off. Howdy, Cooper." She beamed. "Dr. Ms. Cooper..." she smiled at Amy, taking seat beside her.
Hmmn...Do I greet her or plunge this steak knife whilst I have the chance and send my nemesis back to the Hell from whence she came? Amy pondered. Sheldon eyeing her...
Rats, clearly my Moonpie goes with the lighter side of the social convention...
...