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Penny balances the plates on her left arm then hastily pushes the hair from her eyes with her right hand and picks up the last plate. She turns slowly; the plate of chicken salad on her wrist wobbles but Penny glares it back into stability. She has been waitressing part-time at Doo-wop diner for almost three years now. Diane’s aunt ran the place and gave Penny the job without a moment’s hesitation. Penny is a good waitress- a little surly at times but the job gives her shoe money and gas money for when she can sway Tommy to lend her his car. She also really enjoys interacting with the people in town.
Penny sets the plates of food down at Table ten, asks the truckers if there is anything else they need (blatantly ignoring the way one of them felt the need to silently read her name tag) and heads back to the counter. The sound of a throat clearing catches her attention.
“Sheldon!”
He is sitting on the stool normally occupied by old Dan. Sheldon’s nose has a hint of sunburn. In the month that he’d been home, Penny has dragged him to the beach, made him sit with her by the lake and helped him weed his Meemaw’s garden. It was the most time Sheldon spent outdoors since he went to Austin.
Penny hadn’t seen him since Sunday after he complained he wasn’t making any progress on his thesis with her around. Penny didn’t feel she should shoulder all the blame. On Sunday, she was sitting on his couch, innocently doing the crossword with her legs across Sheldon’s lap. He was highlighting a physics text but his free hand kept drifting down to run up her calf and behind her knee. Well, a girl can only take so much of that. She honestly didn’t remember if he put his book down or she tossed the paper aside first but suddenly Sheldon’s hands were everywhere and only Penny’s lips could keep up with them. The arm of the couch bit pleasantly into her back; Sheldon’s tongue filled her mouth; her hips bucked into his. Little tremors were running up her spine as he dragged her lower lip between his teeth. The sun, streaming through the windows, stroked her forehead with heat that barely compared to Sheldon’s long fingers gripping her thigh.
Then the back door slammed.
Mary Cooper came into the living room to a scene that was almost the picture of innocence but for one small detail.
“Sheldon,” His mother’s tone was biting. “Your book is upside down. Is that some new –fangled way of readin’ up in Austin?”
Penny burst out laughing.
“Devil woman.” Sheldon spit at her.
Today was Tuesday- he must have missed her more that he cared to admit.
“What can I getcha, Shelly?” Penny takes out her order pad.
“You haven’t called me that in years.” His cheeks now match his nose. Penny grins at him. “I’ll have a Coke, please.”
Penny gets his Coke but takes a sip before bringing it to him. She pulls a face and dumps it out, grabbing a YooHoo out of the fridge on her way back to him.
“Silas! I’m taking my break!” She hollers to the cook who waves a broad spatula at her in acknowledgement.
Penny places the YooHoo in front of Sheldon.
“Where is my Coke?” He stares at the bottle as if he’s never encountered the beverage inside it before.
Penny sits on the stool beside him and spins lazily around, “The whole syrup/soda water ratio is off and I don’t feel like listening to you. I figured you can’t complain about controlled manufactured drinks.”
“We’ll see about that.” Sheldon replies before twisting the cap off the YooHoo.
Penny watches as he takes a long swallow. His Adam’s apple rolls smoothly in his throat. She licks her lips to stop herself from running her tongue up his neck though it would be a kick to see if Sheldon could hold back the moan that he let loose every time she did that when they were alone.
“So, I thought I was banished.” Penny gives his leg a playful nudge. Sheldon places his drink on the counter. He stops her mid-rotation, his hands on her hips. Penny is suddenly very aware that her legs have fallen between his, her sneakers brushing his ankles. Sheldon’s left hand stays on her hip. Penny watches as his right hand travels down to the hem of her pink skirt. He bypasses a ketchup stain and runs the material between his thumb and index finger.
“This is quite a uniform you are required to wear.” His voice is low; his thumb rubs half-circles on the hem.
“It’s all to set the tone,” Penny hears herself answer though her voice sounds far away. “You know, that whole 50’s motif.”
Sheldon nods slowly, his eyes fixed on her knees peeking out from under the skirt.
“When is your shift over?”
Before she can answer, Silas hits the small bell at the pick up window.
“Order up, Penny!”
She completely ignores the cook. “In about thirty minutes.”
“Penny!” Silas barks. “I don’t pay you to sit on your duff all day.”
“You don’t pay me at all, Silas.” She shoots back. “Vera does and I still have five minutes left.”
“Ten minutes don’t mean fifteen.” Silas grumbles. Diane comes out of the back, scoops up the order and waves at Penny to sit back down.
She turns back to Sheldon who has placed a notebook, calculator and four pencils on the countertop. He looks up at her.
“Go back to work, Penny,” Sheldon makes a shooing motion with his hand. “I’ll wait here then walk you home after your shift.”
“Sheldon, I have Tommy’s car today.”
“Thank goodness,” He exclaims. “It’s ninety-five degrees out there. We’d have heat exhaustion by the time we reached the crosswalk.”
X
Penny comes out from the backroom after changing out of her uniform. Sheldon is waiting by the restaurant’s front door but he is twitching as if a low volt electric current is zapping him through the floor.
Penny stops to get a drink of water; Sheldon’s head is jerking toward the far end of the counter.
“What is your problem?” She half-whispers to him before looking in the direction Sheldon is rolling his eyes toward.
Kurt is sitting at the counter with an enormous cheeseburger and mountain of fries before him. He sees Penny and nods in a greeting.
“Hey Kurt,” Penny smiles then makes a motion across her throat at Sheldon for him to knock off the spastic fit.
“Hey Penny.” Kurt says through a mouthful of meat. Some lettuce falls from lips as he speaks and he swipes at his chin with his bare hand. At that, Sheldon turns green. “There is gonna be a party on Friday at Mike’s house. His parents are away.”
“Really?” Penny has one eye on Sheldon who pales at the mention of a party. “I might have plans.”
Kurt notices her gaze and looks over his shoulder. Sheldon gives him a half-hearted wave.
“That’s right,” Kurt dips half a dozen fries in ketchup and stuffs them in his mouth. “I heard Jimmy Neutron was back in town.”
“Kurt, it’s Sheldon. Sheldon Cooper.” Sheldon calls from the door. “I realize it’s been some time since we last met and you were inebriated at the time but that is really no excuse for making such a grievous error with my name.”
Kurt swallows his fries and takes a leisurely sip of Mountain Dew, “That’s some boyfriend you got there, Penny.”
“Oh, shut up.” Penny grumps. Diane walks over and slings her arm around Kurt.
“Did you tell Penny about the party?” She takes a fry off his plate; Kurt nods.
“Yeah, guys, I don’t think I can make it.” Penny begins. “You know, Sheldon, parties…”
“Bring him along, Penny.” Diane interrupts. “He’s in college. He probably goes to parties all the time.”
“Penny.” Sheldon calls from the door. “I have mysteries of the universe to unravel. Shall I begin walking in this stupefying heat so you can catch up with your contemporaries?”
Penny digs her keys out of her purse, “Yeah,” She meets Diane’s gaze. “As you can see he’s a real party animal.” Penny walks toward the door. Sheldon has exited the diner but is holding the door open for her. “I’ll think about Friday.”
As they walk to Tommy’s car, Sheldon is quiet. He maintains the silence as Penny begins to drive home.
“Cat got your tongue.” Penny prods. Sheldon fiddles with the air-conditioning.
“I wasn’t aware you were friends with Kurt.” He finally says, staring out the window.
Penny gives him a sidelong glance, “Well, yeah. I mean, We’re not bosom buddies but he was a football player, I was a cheerleader. We hung with the same crowd at school so it was just easier to make nice with each other.” Sheldon nods thoughtfully but continues to stare out the window. “Plus, he’s dating Diane and she and I are really good friends so ..” Penny’s voice trails off.
Sheldon drums the arm rest on the passenger door, “You really want to go to this party, don’t you?”
“I do.”
“Do you want me to come along?”
She can’t suppress her smile- he is so ridiculous at times. “I do.”
“Of the many and varied items that will be at this soiree for drinking, do you think it will be possible for me to indulge in a root beer float?”
“Highly unlikely.” Penny informs him as she takes a turn that will not lead them to either of their houses
Sheldon’s shoulders slump, “You know, that is the exact reason I no longer attend department mixers. How can you have a party without ice cream?”
X
Her hair streams down and the sweat cools against the nape of her neck only to reappear as Sheldon’s lips brush the hollow of her throat.
“Take it off.” She purrs and his hands reach back to push up her tank top now damp with sweat. Penny yanks it over her head then whips her bra off. Sheldon’s hands are on her breasts and she closes her eyes, giving in to the degrees of heat all around her. Sheldon’s lips- lukewarm. His tongue-warm. His hands- hot as they cup the fullness of her breast and his thumb rolls over her nipple. The sun- blistering on her scalp. Sheldon’s eyes- burning, burning, burning.
They are parked in the woods in the back seat of Tommy’s car, having made a slight detour on Penny’s way home from work. The only sounds are Penny’s gasps as Sheldon’s mouth explores her shoulders, neck and torso. His hands go to the waistband of her shorts but no farther. Penny wriggles in frustration until Sheldon’s hand slides up the leg of her shorts to bring the tip of his index finger under the leg of her panties. A low laugh burbles in Penny’s throat but dies when Sheldon’s hand slips away.
He pushes her down fully onto the back seat. The front of his khakis is strained with need. Penny yanks his double shirts off and licks a bead of sweat that trails down his stomach.
“C’mere.” She whispers. Sheldon’s mouth has found hers. His tongue teases hers. Penny’s teeth gently scrape against his lower lip. His hands grip into her tangle of sweat-soaked hair as he grinds into her, groaning her name like a prayer.
X
“No.”
“But…”
“I said no.”
“I fail to see what is wrong with this.” Sheldon spreads his hands helplessly.
Missy is standing beside him, her arms crossed under her breasts and shaking her head in dismay.
“Let me get this straight,” Missy looks up at him. “You are goin’ to a party that has a guest list of all the people who beat you up from kindergarten through middle school and you think wearin’ your black and plaid suit is the best choice of attire.” Her eyes glitter with irritation.
“If I were attending a function at the university, this is what I would wear.” Sheldon gestures at the suit.
Missy pinches the bridge of her nose. She takes a deep breath then bellows, “ You AIN’T at the damn university and you shouldn’t be wearin’ this eyesore to anything there either!”
“Hey, hey. What’s all the shoutin’ for?’ Junior strolls into Sheldon’s room.
“Your stupid brother is determined to get himself killed tomorrow night.” Missy snaps.
“Stupid!” Sheldon cries. “Out of the three of us here, I am the last one you can call stupid, Miss Assistant Manager of Fuddruckers.”
“Sheldon,” Junior’s voice is calm. “You’ve got to try to fit in.”
“I don’t want to fit in.” Sheldon sulks. “I don’t need to fit in. I have never let other people dictate any of my actions so why should I start now? This is an evening event ergo a suit is appropriate attire.”
“It’s a fucking house party!’ Missy shrieks. “Not a debutante ball.”
Junior stands up and places a hand on Missy’s shoulder, “Why don’t you go get yourself some ice tea and I’ll see if I can talk some sense into Shelly here.”
The brothers watch her stalk out and listen to her stomp down the stairs before Junior turns back to Sheldon.
“You know, with all them brains, you are still one of the dumbest people I know.”
Sheldon begins to protest but Junior holds up his hand.
“Now, Shelly, you know damn well you can’t go to a party wearin’ that suit. You might as well paint a big target on yourself so what exactly is the problem here?”
Sheldon sits on his bed, “I don’t want to go.”
“But Penny wants you to go.” Junior prompts and Sheldon nods. Junior sits on the opposite end of the bed with the suit between them. Their postures are identical- hands dropped between knees that are slightly spread apart. But for his bulk and eye color, Junior could pass for Sheldon’s twin far more than Missy.
“Shelly, can I ask you something?” Junior looks over at him and Sheldon nods.
“It’s personal now so don’t get yourself all in a tizzy,” Junior keeps his gaze on the bureau. “Are you and Penny, you know...” He wiggles his eyebrows at Sheldon.
Sheldon blinks, “Are Penny and I what?”
“Sleeping together,” Missy drawls as she comes back in. “Doin’ the nasty. Knockin’ boots. Fornicating!” She wails in a perfect imitation of their mother before sitting cross-legged on the floor.
Sheldon turns beet red, “To answer your question- no. And what does that possibly have to do with my reluctance to attend this party?”
“Well,” Junior leans back on his elbows, “I’m no expert but… house party, parents are away, lots of liquor and beer. Perhaps you’re afraid Penny might expect something out of the evening so you’re acting like a jackass to avoid it all.”
Sheldon stares at his brother in disbelief.
“Don’t look so surprised,” Junior gives him a shove. “I watch Oprah on occasion.”
Missy snorts from her spot on the floor, “You men. It’s always about your dick.”
“And Momma wonders why you don’t have a steady boyfriend yet.” Junior mutters. He walks out of Sheldon’s room.
Sheldon gets up and begins pacing, “I believe my reluctance to attend stems simply from the fact that I do not enjoy these social gatherings. I have nothing in common with anyone there. They are all far below me in terms of intelligence and achievement. I can think of volumes of alternate activities where my time would be better served.”
Missy tugs on Sheldon’s pant leg to stop his pacing, “Shelly, do you love Penny?”
Sheldon looks down at his twin, “Why are you always asking that?”
“Just answer me.” Missy groans.
Sheldon swallows then pushes up the sleeves of his purple thermal. His hands flex and close and he makes note of the fine layer of dust on his furniture. That must be dealt with immediately- all kinds of microbes and pathogens live in dust. Missy is yanking on his pant leg again.
“Yes.” His voice is clear with none of its usual adolescent tremor. “I love Penny. I always have.”
Missy stands up and smiles. “Then that’s why you’ll go to the party and wear your black Superman shirt and gray pants when you do. No under layer!” Missy points a warning finger at him.
“Oh, and little brother,” Junior has reappeared in Sheldon’s door. He tosses something at Sheldon who barely manages to catch it. When he opens his fist, there is a foil-covered condom there. He looks up at his older brother.
“Keep it under wraps.” Junior winks before sauntering off.
Oh dear Lord!