Sheldon Delivers
Part Two Of Someone To Love Me
Chapter One
Early Morning Visitor
Three months after their beautiful wedding, Amy's still waking up each morning, singing the song that was playing during the slide show presentation that Bernadette, Penny, and Halley, put together for them. Sheldon usually wouldn't let anyone sing the same song over and over, but he lets her simply because he's just that much in love with her.
"Still singing huh babe?" Sheldon asks when she gets into the kitchen. He goes to hug her after lifting her up under her arms, and sitting her on the counter. He kisses her and tells her he won't be able to make their dinner date that night because he'll be working at the lab most of the night with the guys.
"Well, it sucks, but I understand. If we're ever going to get out of this apartment and have a bigger and nicer place, then we both have to work as often as we can." Amy replies, and when she goes to jump off the counter to help with breakfast, he tells her to stay put and that he'll do it all for her, and wait on her for a change. She just shrugs her shoulders and says okay. Then there's a knock at the door. She jumps off the counter and goes to answer, and it's Penny.
"Since when do you knock?" Sheldon asks from the kitchen.
"Since we're all married people now and it's the nice thing to do. I need coffee please. Leonard has the most severe case of the stomach flu I've ever seen in my life, and I was up all night with him. Been one rough night." Penny replies, collapsing onto the couch and she accidently fell in Sheldon's spot.
"Thank You for being respectable. Now get out of my spot." Sheldon tells her, and Penny holds up that middle finger in response, making Amy almost choke on her coffee.
"Oh, Dear Lord. Sheldon baby, she's had a rough night or else she wouldn't have done that. Here sweetie." Amy says, talking to Sheldon, then to Penny while handing her a cup of coffee. While she's drinking her coffee, Sheldon walks over and says, "I understand about a rough night. I really do. Sorry for being so snippy about that spot on the couch. You're tired and don't wanna physically move. I have an idea." As he told her that, he slid his right are behind her back and his left arm under her legs, and lifts her up, and moves her to the chair.
"I don't know about you but that was fun." Penny tells him.
"Oh come on bestie, we're married women now. Quit picking on my husband. Do you and Leonard need anything? I'm on my way into town anyway in a little bit." Amy says.
"I have enough laundry detergent and fabric softener to do maybe one load of clothes today and I have to get that comforter out of the bedroom floor and down to the laundry room." Penny replies, and Sheldon instantly gets up and goes into the bathroom. He comes back in carrying a bottle of gain and tells her, "Go ahead and borrow ours. You need to get that stuff washed soon or you'll never get the smell out of that apartment." Amy takes down a list of things to get for Leonard, and Penny offers the money for it when she declines it.
"You don't need to do that. I will cover the costs of everything. I'm gonna need help from the two of you if I ever run into any marriage problems and have questions. Right now, we're trying to settle in fully. Taking a little time, and somewhere along the way, we'll need some help." Amy tells her. Penny finishes her coffee, thanks them both for everything, and then goes back over to the apartment to gather up as much as she can to take to the laundry room.
The next morning, without any warning, here comes Penny again. This time though, she's needing a heating pad.
"I hate to keep bothering you guys. I feel so bad about it. He's extremely cold and I need a heating pad. Right now he's coughed so much that he's done something to his right ear." Penny explains to Sheldon. Amy's still in bed and starting to feel bad herself.
"Oh, that sounds terrible. Let me go see if I can find it. Amy was using it last night. She got a bad cold chill in the middle of the night. She had to slip it under the fitted sheet beneath her back." Sheldon tells her.
"Oh no! If she's using it still, no big deal. I can go ask the lady up on the fifth floor if she has one. Her Grandkids are there a lot so she keeps stuff like that." Penny replies when Amy takes off flying toward the bathroom and is sicker than a dog.
"I'll be right back." Sheldon tells Penny and he lets her inside. He goes to check on Amy and she lets him know she's up for awhile but going to the couch.
"If Penny needs the heating pad for Leonard, let her go ahead and get it. I don't mind." Amy says, and she comes out of the bathroom, gets on the couch with a big thick blanket, and when Sheldon offers her one of her favorite breakfast foods, waffles, she is sickened by the thought of them.
"I hope you feel better soon Ames. Thanks." Penny says, heading back across the hall.
"You're not coming down with the flu too are ya?" Sheldon asks.
"No. I'm sure that it's something I ate yesterday and it's not agreeing with me is all. I'm off today so, I'll just take it easy on the couch and relax, and watch a movie on Netflix or something." Amy replies. Sheldon doesn't have to go in to work for a couple more hours so he sits in his spot, and gets her under her arms, and slides her over to him where she's resting her head on his lap, which is where she always wants to be when she's not feeling good.
"I hope Leonard gets better soon. These early mornings with Penny are killing me. I know that they usually have something when we need it and vise versa, I just don't feel good and the early morning visitor thing is tiring. I love them both though." Sheldon tells her, while playing with her hair, but he finds her asleep again. He secretly calls into the University to tell them he won't be there that day since Amy's sick and he's going to stay home with her and take care of her.
Chapter Two
Routine Check Up
Sheldon's starting to wonder what is going on with Amy since she's getting grouchy and she's still sick all the time, and recently, her sense of smell has gotten so strong that she is always asking him if he smells different things.
"Okay, look honey. You're coming up on your yearly doctor's visit anyway. Make an early appointment cause you're driving me crazy. One day you're just as sweet as you can be, and the next you turn into the wicked witch of the west. I'm worried about you." Sheldon tells her.
"I'm fine. There's nothing to worry about. I'm sorry if I'm getting grouchy. I'll do better, I promise." Amy replies. She gets talked into it anyway, and makes the appointment for later that afternoon. Sheldon goes to cook lunch for them and while he's opening the cans of tuna, she usually loves the taste of it but this time, she goes in the kitchen to get some tea from the fridge, and as soon as she takes a small bite from the can of tuna, she can't even make it to the bathroom, and she's sick right there on the kitchen floor.
"Oh yuck honey. I know you can't help it. Go clean up and I'll get this." Sheldon says, and she goes to get her a good hot shower, and Sheldon does his best to not lose it while cleaning up the kitchen floor. Once he's done with that, he goes in the bathroom and asks her if there's anything she thinks her stomach will be able to handle.
"I'll just have to try dry toast and a banana. That's always a safe bet when you have a sour stomach." Amy replies.
That afternoon, she's sitting in the exam room with Sheldon and he reads a medical book for awhile. The nurse comes in to ask a couple of questions and Sheldon tries to leave the room.
"Just where on earth are you going? Get back here. You're her husband aren't ya?" The nurse says. Sheldon just nods his head but doesn't answer.
"He is. Something wrong?" Amy asks.
"If you're her husband, stay. The only things I was gonna ask is, I know you two just got married. What is it now, almost four months ago?" The nurse asks.
"Yes. That's correct. I figured that maybe I'm under a lot of stress of trying to save the money for us to buy a house or something cause I've not had my menstrual for three months. I've decided it's either stress or something's wrong with my reproductive system." Amy tells her and she sort of smiles a bit.
"Uh huh. Let me ask you this one. How often are you and him together on an intimate level?" The nurse replies.
"Excuse me. That's a bit personal don't ya think?" Sheldon says.
"You can talk? I was starting to think with that deer in the headlights look you're giving me over there, that you was unable to speak. Have you ever thought of the possibility that y'all may be having a baby?" The nurse who's name is Lilly, tells him.
"What?! No way, we're always careful. He and I track my monthly cycle cause we're not ready for kids yet." Amy tells her.
"Yes but honey, you said just two minutes ago to me, that you've not had a period for three months. Think back to almost four months ago, or better yet, on your wedding night. Think back and then, tell me what you think. Go ahead and do that, and I'll be right back." Lilly explains.
"Oh Sheldon. What if we are having a baby honey?" Amy asks.
"What would the problem be? You and I did that skin cell experiment and created a functioning brain out of it. Why would it be a problem if we are expecting?" Sheldon replies.
"Because baby. We're not in a house yet. We're still in an apartment building and it'll take way too long to save the money to buy a house before he or she is born. My car's payed off but yours still has awhile to go. Hours have been cut at the University for everyone. Not just for the geology department, but for all of us. It wouldn't be the right time." Amy explains.
"I can understand where you're coming from but, Amy honey, no matter how it happens or when it does, a baby is the greatest gift. We may not be loaded with money or an actual house yet, but you and I will be the best Mom and Dad, that we can be." Sheldon tells her, and he gets out of the chair and goes over to her where she's at on the exam table, and gives her a hug and a kiss. He places the palm of his hand gently against her cheek to make her smile and she tells him, "Thank You babe. I needed to hear that. So, here's hoping that we are expecting."
Leonard and Penny invited Sheldon and Amy to stay a couple days and nights with them, just to hang out even though they only live across the hall from each other, and just three days after her doctor's appointment, Amy is up at 7:00, sick again.
"I guarantee you, there's got to be a little one on the way. You're sick in the morning, and just fine by noon." Penny tells her, while holding her hair back for her in the bathroom.
"I still say it's stress. The nurse and everyone else in the doctor's office, think other wise though." Amy says, and Penny pats her on her back, and then leaves the bathroom. Amy is finally doing better and when she leaves the bathroom, her cell phone starts up. She wipes her mouth and answers her phone.
"Mrs. Cooper? I have the results of your lab work and other tests." A nurse tells her.
"Yes, I was wondering about that. So, was I right that I'm only stressed out?" Amy asks her, and everyone in the room is dead silent, just waiting for the news.
"You have prenatal vitamins sitting over at the drug store for you. Congratulations honey. You're pregnant." The lady replies.
"What did they say?" Sheldon asks, really hoping for a baby.
"Well. I really have to do a lot of things differently. Sheldon, we're pregnant baby. We're having a baby." Amy tells him and Penny hugs her, then Leonard does, and then she walks over to Sheldon and he asks, "It's true isn't it?"
"Yes. We are having a baby. I love you." Amy replies and he just hugs and kisses her like there's no tomorrow. Then, he lays his hand on her belly and says, "Hi baby. Daddy loves you already. I can't wait to meet you. Don't get in a hurry though. You take all the time you need to grow, and when you're ready, we'll see you then. Bye for now sweet angel."
Chapter Three
The Apologies
When Amy is almost to her due date, she's just about driven everyone away from her. It's not because they don't care about her or love her anymore, she's just gotten downright mean and scary. One minute she's really sweet, and the next minute, she's emotional and snapping at people. Raj comes over to leave something for Sheldon one day that he had borrowed a few days prior, and she hears someone outside the door.
"I'm so sorry to bother you. Please don't hit me. I just wanted to return this to Sheldon. I borrowed a book from him on Darwin's research and it was so good I couldn't put it down, and I finished it this morning." Raj tells her.
"Rajesh, I'm not going to hit you. I know I've been pretty mean to everyone, and believe me, I don't mean to be. I'm sorry cause I've been mean to you too." Amy replies. She invites him in and they sit and have some coffee and talk for awhile.
"Listen. My Father as you know is a Gynocologist. He's taught me many things about hormones and mood swings with pregnant women, and I'd like to offer some advise. Your main focus right now is making sure that little one is happy, healthy, and safe. You don't need to worry about anything else right now. However, when the people you love the most, who love you in return, when they try to help you, or keep you company, you can't bite their heads off. Everyone's running scared right now when they get near you. Have you noticed that our social dinner nights, have gotten to where they're not as often?" Raj explains to her.
"I have. God Rajesh, I've been so incredibly mean. Can you help me call everyone over so we can have a gathering before the baby's born? I'd really like to talk to them all." Amy replies.
"I'd be honored. I'll call Howard and Bernadette, and you call Penny and Leonard. We'll make it for tonight." Raj says.
"Tonight? I don't have time to go to town, come home, cook everything, and have it done in time!" Amy hollers.
"Make time. Don't you yell at me no more. We talked about this, now be nice. Understand?" Raj says and Amy nods her head with a look on her face like, "Uh oh. I'm in trouble."
"Sorry Rajesh. Mood swing, no harm meant." Amy replies.
"It's okay." Raj tells her, and he makes his phone call.
"Hey bestie! It's Amy. Before you hang up on me and I wouldn't blame you if you did, I've been very mean to everyone here lately, and I'm planning a dinner night with everyone tonight before the baby's born. I want to do this and apologize to everyone to their faces, and not over the phone." Amy explains. Penny tells her that she and Leonard are in, and Amy tells them to be there about 5:00.
"Hey Howard, it's Raj. Listen, before you and Bernie say no, Amy is putting together a dinner night for all of us tonight before the baby's born. She wants to apologize for her mean streak to everyone's faces, and not over the phone. Be here about 5:00?" Raj asks him. He sighs and says, "Well. That shows that she is wanting to do this from the heart. We're in. Please tell her we'll see her tonight. See ya then buddy."
That evening, everyone's just finishing up with dinner, and the silence is so loud, Sheldon's the first one to speak up.
"Someone say something. Not one person has uttered a word since everyone showed up." Sheldon says.
"We've been afraid to speak. It's sad to say but it's true." Bernadette, who is usually not one to stay quiet about anything, says, and Amy struggles to her feet to say what she's been working on all day for them.
"Guys. You're all my family, and there is no excuse for my behavior. I'm so sorry. None of you did this to me, you've all been trying to help, and I've snapped on all of you. I guess pregnancy just isn't a good color on me. Hopefully, when this baby's here, parent hood will suit me better than what this has been. Can you all forgive me? I sure hope so cause, I love you all and never meant to hurt any of you." Amy explains to them.
"Don't cry Ames. Please. You don't need to get upset. I forgive you, and I understand. I'm not pregnant yet or ever been through it, but I do know about emotions running high. I love you too." Penny says, and she hugs her.
"Me too. When I was pregnant with Halley, I was pretty well grouchy from time to time. There was no excuse for my behavior but you all put up with me. All is forgiven." Bernadette tells her.
"We didn't put up with you Bernadette. We love you. That's why we never said anything to you. We knew that you were going through a lot and the hormones got the best of you." Amy says.
"It's all good Amy. Us men talked earlier today at the comic book store, and the only thing we could come up with was, we hope this is over soon. It's going to be great to have you back to normal again." Howard tells her.
"Hold on now. We will never have her back to normal. She's not going to be the same sweet Amy we all once knew. She's going to better than ever cause she'll be a Mommy." Raj replies.
When Amy and Sheldon got to start cleaning up everything, she starts getting some sharp pains in her lower back, but tries to ignore it, knowing that she's not due for another week.
"Are you okay honey?" Sheldon asks.
"Just my back acting up. I'm okay though. Hey, wanna watch a movie? Everyone's already gone. This was a great idea tonight." Amy replies, and no matter how much she moves around to try to ease the pain in her back, it gets worse and worse.
"Do we need to go to the hospital? We're still a week away." Sheldon asks, and he's really getting worried.
"No, it's okay. It's going away now. I'll finish up with the kitchen then go to bed." Amy says, and she's making her way back toward the sink when Sheldon stops her.
"No, you won't. I'll get the kitchen. Come here." Sheldon replies, and he picks her up in a cradling manner, carries her into the bedroom, and gets her pajamas for her. He sets her on the bed and asks if she needs anything.
"I'm good now. Thank You babe. You're so good to me." Amy tells him, and he just leans down to kiss her.
"That's my job. Get some rest sweet heart." Sheldon says, and he goes back into the kitchen to finish up.
Chapter Four
Penny To The Rescue
The day that Amy goes into labor, she's home all by herself while Sheldon's at work. She starts to feel funny, and just lets her body do what it needs to do. After getting a shower and changing into comfortable clothes, she just goes into the bedroom, but when she lies on the bed, that doesn't help her any. Instead, she gets a futon mat, takes it into the living room, and just lays it on the floor in front of the TV. She wonders if she should call anyone and remarkably, she's calmer than even she thought she would be. She just goes through the contractions by herself, knowing she wouldn't be able to get to the hospital on her own, even if she would have wanted to. There's a knock at the door, and she calls out for whoever it is, to just come on in. It was Penny, who was on her way to work but running behind. Penny sees the mat on the floor and asks her about it.
"My doctor said that yoga during pregnancy was best for the baby." Amy replies. Penny is only able to stay for a couple of minutes, and when she gets ready to leave, she hears Amy take a deep breath that sounds like she's in distress.
"Are you okay? You're not in labor are you?" Penny asks.
"A little. I'm not really up to the idea of going to the hospital. I told Sheldon I wanted to have this baby at home. It's going to be hours and I'll be okay until he gets here." Amy replies.
"I hate leaving you like this. Do I need to call him?" Penny asks.
"No, it's fine. I'm okay. The contractions are more than twenty minutes apart. Trust me, this is going to take hours. Go ahead to work, and I promise that if I need Sheldon or you later, I'll call." Amy tells her. Penny gives her a quick hug then heads on out, knowing that Amy's smart enough to ask for help when and if she needs it. When Penny's already gone, Amy gets on the couch to just relax, and she already knows in the back of her mind from all the books she's read and the birthing classes, that she's going to be just fine without the help of any doctors.
That evening, Sheldon comes in from work to find her on her hands and knees, rocking back and forth to relieve the pain in her lower back, and he asks if it's definitely time yet.
"I believe so. I'm okay, for now. Just trying to get my back to quit hurting. I've already been in the bath tub and that only made the contractions worse. They were twenty minutes apart this morning, but now they're about five." Amy explains. He tries to get down in the floor with her and when he goes to rub her back, she's already hurting so bad and miserable that she doesn't want to be touched or talked to or even have anyone near her. He gets back up and goes across the hall to get Penny.
"Hey, is everything okay over there?" Penny asks upon answering the door.
"No. She's in full labor and she doesn't want to be touched or talked to, or have anyone around her. It looks as though I'm delivering our baby, and I don't know what I'm doing. Can you please, help me?" Sheldon replies, and Penny's mouth just drops open, causing her to lose her gum. She doesn't hesitate but half a second and she says, "Leonard! I gotta go. Amy's in labor. Be back later. Love you." Sheldon and Penny get back across the hall, and Amy's now, laying beside the futon on her side. Sheldon wasn't going to get too close and he tried to warn Penny but she doesn't listen to him. She gets down beside Amy, and tells her, "Hey, come on sweetie. Let's get you over here on the mat. Come on. Slide over here." Penny was able to put her arm around Amy and she got her on the futon mat. Sheldon gets where he needs to be and then Penny holds her hand out for Amy, who reaches up to grasp her hand, then they hear Sheldon say, "Push baby." Amy was so far along in labor that their baby, still inside the amniotic sac, comes out with the one push. Penny's still holding onto Amy's hand, and with her other hand, she's smoothing Amy's hair out of her face.
"Is the baby okay?" Amy asks. Sheldon starts working on getting their baby out of his or her sac, and the sac busts, all over his arms. He's a little squeemish about it but doesn't take very long to make sure that the baby's okay.
"Sheldon honey, is the baby okay?" Amy asks again.
"Why don't you see for yourself Mama?" Sheldon replies, and he hands her the baby. She looks and sees that they have a girl.
"How did you do that Amy? You were unassisted in labor and delivery right up until the final push. I couldn't have done that." Penny says, while helping Sheldon clean up.
"I've read everything I could get my hands on about child birth and home births, and we'd talked already about having her here at home. Hospitals want to use things that are not natural, and sometimes they are needed in cases of emergencies, but they can also cause more harm than good. Sheldon, we still have to name her." Amy replies. They get both Amy and the baby, into the bedroom where Penny pulls the blankets back for them and Sheldon comes up with an idea.
"How about Mary Elise Cooper? That would make my Mother's day to know that her Grand Daughter is named after her. You and her hit it off when you first met and she just loves you." Sheldon tells her and then the baby finally cries to be fed.
"Oh no. We don't have anything around here for either of you." Penny says. Amy starts nursing Mary and she replies with, "In the living room, in the closet, there's a big red bag. There's diapers in there, and a couple of boxes of clothes for her." Penny goes to get the bag Amy was talking about and then Sheldon just grins from ear to ear.
"What are you thinking about?" Amy asks.
"You. Woman you are incredible. All this time I've been wrong about women in general. I made them out to be weak but you proved me wrong. You didn't want to go to the hospital, you wanted to have her here at home, you did it without any pain medicine or any medicine of any kind for that matter. You always said you wanted the all natural way, and baby you did it. I'm proud of you. I've read somewhere that what we just experienced with her being born still inside the sac, that's a rare and special kind of birth. Do you want me to leave while you and her bond?" Sheldon says, and Amy lightly shakes her head no.
"What I really want, is for you to stay here with us. You can interact while I'm nursing her. This is our first time together as a family. Don't leave us." Amy replies. Sheldon makes sure that Amy has a good hold of her so he doesn't disturb her when he gets on the bed, and he lays down right beside them.
"Are you okay?" Sheldon asks her, while having his left arm behind her head.
"I'm perfect. I guess Mother hood agrees with me. I feel great." Amy tells him.
"Mother hood sure does agree with you. There's nothing more beautiful or special, than that first time of holding your new baby and nursing them, and I'm proud to have the chance to be here with you while you're doing it. I'm the proudest man in the world right now. I love you baby. I love you both." Sheldon says, and Amy holds up her finger to her lips to signal that the baby's going to sleep and to quiet down. Penny heads back into the bedroom and sets the bag on the table beside Sheldon, and then she gets out of there to leave them alone and let them spend that first day as a new family, together. While Amy is now drifting off to sleep, Sheldon knows it's going to be a very long night, but he's just glad to have his family that he's always wanted, and that they're going to be okay in the end.
THE END