New Jersey.
**Leonard's Bedroom.**
"Pretty clean and tidy," Adam remarked as he glanced around, nodding approvingly.
"You've met my mom," Leonard replied sarcastically. "Would you expect anything less?"
"Good point." Adam nodded.
Sheldon's obsessive cleanliness was well-known, and his mother, Beverly, was basically the female version of him—just as meticulous, if not more. With her around, it was impossible for Leonard to live in anything but a spotless environment.
"Who's this?" Adam asked, noticing a framed photo on the desk. It was a picture of Leonard alongside a bald man.
"My uncle, Floyd," Leonard explained. "He's my favorite person in our family. Most of my happiest childhood memories are with Uncle Floyd."
"Oh." Adam recalled hearing about Leonard's uncle.
In the original timeline, this uncle—Leonard's closest relative—never made an appearance. He was simply mentioned by Beverly in passing, stating that he had died.
Beverly never explained how he passed, only that his heart had stopped.
Wait a minute.
A thought struck Adam, and he quickly did the math.
Having watched *The Big Bang Theory* dozens of times in his previous life, Adam remembered almost every storyline and minor detail.
The show started in 2007. Beverly first appeared in the latter half of Season 2, around late 2008 or early 2009.
Leonard clearly wasn't aware of his uncle's passing at that point, which meant it must have happened recently—within the same year. Otherwise, he would've heard about it.
So, Floyd likely died in 2008.
That meant right now, in 1993, Floyd still had 15 years left.
According to Adam's career plan—three years of college, four years of med school, one year of internship, and five to six years as a resident—by 2008, he would have been a practicing physician for one to two years.
Given his ongoing preparations, his ever-improving skills, and the opportunities Leonard would provide in the future, Adam was confident that by the time he became an attending physician, his medical expertise would be top-notch.
That meant he could potentially save Leonard's uncle.
Of course, the best approach would be to get Floyd checked by a doctor early. But without knowing his exact condition, bringing it up randomly would make Adam seem like a lunatic.
This also made him think of Sheldon's father, George.
George had died when Sheldon was fourteen, which meant his death was just a year away. He already had heart disease and had suffered at least one major episode, even prompting young Sheldon to go to church and pray—something completely out of character for him.
Though George had survived that incident, he ultimately succumbed to his condition.
Unlike Floyd, whose death might have been preventable with early intervention, George's fate was more or less sealed.
Realizing this, Adam let out a helpless chuckle and muttered to himself, *Am I going crazy?*
Before, he had struggled with emotional detachment. Now, was he overcompensating by trying to fix everything?
First, he helped mend Leonard's parents' marriage. Then, he boosted Leonard's confidence and career. And now, he was worrying about saving Leonard's uncle and Sheldon's dad—people who weren't even dead yet.
If that wasn't an obsession, what was?
Still, Adam made a mental note about Floyd. There was nothing he could do for George, but Floyd? That was a different story.
After all, isn't that what real friends do—care about each other's lives?
And, to his surprise, it actually felt pretty good.
"Is this a Hofstadter family photo?"
Adam picked up another framed picture, and the moment he saw it, he burst into laughter.
"I knew it," Leonard sighed, already aware of what Adam found funny. "Look, my dad still has a full head of hair. And my aunt—she has plenty of it too!"
"Uh-huh." Adam nodded seriously, but his eyes remained fixed on the picture.
Just like Sheldon had pointed out in the original timeline, Leonard's uncles were all… remarkably bald. Sitting together, they looked like a carton of eggs.
Still chuckling, Adam teased, "Alright, Leonard. Bring it out."
"Bring what out?" Leonard blinked in confusion.
"You know what I mean." Adam smirked. "The legendary invention. Your masterpiece."
"You mean..."
Leonard's mouth twitched. "The Hug Machine?"
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"Of course!" Adam grinned. "Your first solo invention—it's legendary! I can't miss this. Don't tell me your dad borrowed it again?"
"No, no," Leonard said with a bitter smile. "That was when I was a kid. Who still uses that thing now? I put it away in the attic."
"Well, what are we waiting for?" Adam urged. "It's getting late, and I need to get back soon. Show it to me already."
"Fine."
With a resigned sigh, Leonard led Adam to the attic, rummaged through a pile of old belongings, and finally pulled out the infamous *Hug Machine.*
"When I was a kid, my mom never hugged me. So when I was ten, I invented this to simulate what it would feel like to be held by her."
As Leonard explained, Adam inspected the device carefully.
The so-called Hug Machine was essentially a mannequin dressed in clothing. However, its arms had been modified.
"I had a tailor make the outer layer, and I stuffed an electric heating pad inside to match human body temperature. The arms are motorized and controlled via radio signals. Pressing this button makes it hug me and pat my back."
"Give me a demo," Adam said, amused.
"You do it yourself," Leonard refused outright.
"I would," Adam teased, "but this thing was custom-built for *you*. It's not compatible with me."
"..."
Leonard shot Adam a glare.
Just say I'm short already!
Still, he sighed and demonstrated the device.
Adam tested it as well. The warmth, the gentle patting—it was surprisingly well-designed.
*Genius.*
If Leonard had gone into mechanical engineering like Howard instead of experimental physics, he could've been another robotics prodigy.
In fact, if Leonard and Howard had teamed up, maybe Howard's infamous malfunctioning robotic hand—or his awkward long-distance kissing device—would have never happened. Instead, they might have built the ultimate nerd-friendly invention.
After getting his long-awaited firsthand experience with the legendary Hug Machine, Adam bid farewell to Leonard—despite his friend's reluctant expression—and drove back to New York.
Classes resumed tomorrow.
And ever since meeting Heather, being apart from her even for a day felt like an eternity.
For now, he really couldn't go a day without her.
*(End of Chapter)*