It's Only Logical | Big Bang Theory

The Parent Powwow

No fucking way this is happening. I love to live my life wild and free, but this? Obviously it all tumbles down just as everything seems to be going smoothly. There is no way I'm quitting my job because of this. I worked too hard and too long to get here.
"But aren't you just an assistant?" my parents ask with actual confusion obvious in their tone. Why yes, mother and father, but that is all I want for the time being. This is my gateway to something bigger.
With a harsh turn of the knob, I open the door. Raj is there, looking very thoughtful and down-to-business in front of our main white board. He doesn't turn his head as I walk in. Dropping my jacket I stand next to him. Work will hopefully help take my mind of things. The board is filled with equations and occasional doodles, but in the upper left corner - exactly where a little blank space was left yesterday - is a message scribbled.
'GOOD MORNING, SUNSHINE' it reads. I can't help but smile.
"Good morning, Raj," There has been no whiskey - or any other alcohol for that matter - incident like the one last week. Raj still seems a bit embarrassed about it. That's why I refrain from mentioning it.
'DO YOU WANT TO HANG OUT LATER?' he writes on the board. I wonder if he's forgotten all about his texting method. 'I FEEL LIKE I NEED TO MAKE UP FOR THE LAST TIME YOU VISITED ME AND I WAS VERY DRUNK'
I burst out laughing. I suppose bonding with your colleague never hurts.
"Sure," I say.

At lunch we join Sheldon, Leonard, and Howard. I place myself at the end of the table only to notice that a sixth person is present as well. It is a woman with brown hair and glasses. At first glance she seems like your old aunt who spends her time passively staring into space or who is just incredibly bored.
"Hello," I say, extending my hand. "I'm Lucille." She looks at me and takes it.
"My name is Amy Farrah Fowler. Pleased to meet you." Ah. I hear a pling inside my head. So this is Amy, of course. Sheldon's former friend who happened to be a girl now turned his girlfriend. I nod and begin picking at my food. I've been curious to meet her and talk to her, but perhaps today is just not supposed to be that day. Sheldon, Leonard, and Howard are rambling about some game while Raj throws occasional remarks or comments into Howard's ear. Amy strikes me as being uninterested in their conversation, just as myself. I find myself resting my head in my palm, simply looking at my food rather than eating it.
"Boys, huh," I then hear. I look up, almost dropping my arm. Amy is leaning in my direction with raised eyebrows.
"Yeah," I say. Truthfully, on any other day I would probably have joined in on their conversation.
"Why are you here today? I mean, you don't work at this university, do you?" I ask her. She sits up straight.
"For the time being I do. I'm doing a project in connection with the chemistry department here," she explains, looking at me the whole time.
"That sounds interesting," I reply with a little less enthusiasm than I had intended.
"Lucille?" I turn my head. Howard. "Raj would like me to ask if you're okay," he says. I look at Raj, then back at Howard.
"Why wouldn't I be?" Raj turns himself to Howard's ear.
"He says you've seemed sad the whole day. Also-" Raj is once again all up in Howard's ear. "-he wanted to ask you later, but he noticed you weren't eating and was worried you weren't getting enough vitamin-something," Howard continues. Raj's eyes widen, turning back to Howard. "Nobody cares what vitamin you're talking about,"
I don't know if I should tell them or not. I mean, if I do, they may have a solution. You never know, do you?
"Thank you, Raj. The thing is..I was told yesterday that the rent in the apartment building I live in is going up. And as far as my budget is concerned, it's too much up. The apartment was difficult enough to get ahold of in the first place, you know, so I'm not sure if I'm able to find something else. My parents haven't got much to help me out with either," I massage my forehead. I didn't mean to tell them that much.
"That sucks, Lucille," Howard says. "You know, Raj has got rich parents..." I smile. Raj nods, apparently not troubled by that idea.
"No, Raj. I don't want to rely on other people's money," I say. The whole table is quiet. My mind again begins to wander into thoughts of living in the streets, or perhaps even in Raj's office.
"You know," Leonard then says. "Penny has been talking about getting a roommate. The rent is sometimes a bit too much for her to carry, and... she has a nice apartment," he continues. Sheldon snorts.
"Penny, that's your girlfriend right?" I ask. Leonard nods. He has a proud smile on his lips.
"Do you think she'd consider me? I'm not noisy, I don't smoke, drink..." The darkness that has spread through my mind and heart all day slowly begins to clear.
"If you move in with Penny, you will drink," Sheldon says. I look at him.
"Because she drinks or because she's a nuisance to live with?" I ask. Sheldon shrugs.
"One is as good as the other," he says.
"Hold on a minute," Amy suddenly interrupts. We all look to her. "Penny has been looking for a roommate? Okay. Why am I not the first to hear about this?" I cock my head.
"Because you have an apartment," Sheldon answers. "And a much nicer one, I dare say,"
"Yes, Sheldon, but it's part of being young and free to share a flat with your home girl as you live off the little scraps you might have," Amy retorts. Nobody seems shocked except for me, Sheldon simply shakes his head. They must be used to it. Amy seems pretty cool.
"Now if you'd all excuse me, I have work to get back to," Sheldon says as he stands up, tray in hand. We all get up from the table.
"Thank you so much for not letting me be homeless," I tell Leonard. He smiles.
"It's no problem at all. I'll give your number to Penny and have her call you," he says.
"Thank you so much, Leonard! Really!" I hug him before running out of the canteen, happily following Raj back to the office.

Raj unlocks the door and lets me in. His apartment is precisely as it was on my last visit. He goes to the fridge to get himself a beer.
"Would you like one?" he asks after taking a sip. How remarkable.
"Yeah, what the hell,"
"I thought you didn't drink," he says and we sit on the couch.
"You know, your selective mutism is very interesting," I say, getting comfortable.
"Thank you," he says. A melody starts playing.
"Oh, that'll be my parents!" Raj says, setting down his beer and opening his laptop.
"Wait-" is all I get to say before two adults appear on the screen, waving happily at Raj who is doing the same.
"Hello honey!" the woman says.
"Hello mother, hello father," Raj replies. Oh dear. "I've been meaning to tell you-" Raj begins.
"Who is that over there?" the man asks, moving his head, apparently believing that'll help him see more of me.
"This is Lucille," Raj says and turns the screen so I'm in the picture too.
"Oh, hello!" I say and wave because apparently that's what you do.
"Is that your girlfriend Lucy?" his mother asks.
"No, no, this is Lucille, my colleague from the university. She's an astrophysicist too," Raj tells them.
"Ooh, we see, we see. Do you eat cow?" Raj's mother asks. Raj tries to object.
"No, Mrs. Koothrappali, I don't. I'm a vegetarian, in fact," I tell them.
"Really?" all three of them say simultaneously.
"I like this one, Rajesh," his father says. I find myself laughing, and only slightly uncomfortable.
"We have to go now," Raj's mother says, looking at something behind the screen.
"Is it Doogie Howser again?" Raj asks darkly. They both nod and then laugh. The connection is broken.
"They seem very nice!" I say, taking a sip of my beer. "I know I've told you before, but I've always wanted to visit India,"
"You really shouldn't," he says.
"No seriously, though," I laugh. He smiles.
"Maybe I can take you there one day," Something in his voice had changed just there, and it wasn't the alcohol. I nod and for a moment we find ourselves staring into each other's eyes. This is kind of weird, I think to myself, yet I can't bring myself to look away. Finally Raj breaks the eye contact and sets his beer down. We seem to be at a loss of words.

My phone starts buzzing. Unknown caller. It must be Penny.