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Affairs of The Heart.
Chapter 2.
Rousing from sleep, Amy was confused. This wasn't her bedroom, and she wasn't wearing her nightgown. Most confusing of all, she was laying next to a man.
Then it began to come back to her, the phone call, the flight, the hospital, and the hotel room.
Taking stock, she realized she was laying with Sheldon, who was laying on his back, while she had her head on his shoulder, her left arm stretched across his chest, and her left leg resting on his.
As she eased away from him, Sheldon's voice cut through the quiet of the room, "Don't move on my account".
Settling back against him, Amy snuggled back into him, feeling his comforting warmth.
They lay there for several minutes, then she rolled onto her side to face him. "Sheldon" she said, almost in a whisper, "I could use another hug".
Rolling to face her, he smiled gently, then put his right arm over her, and drew her against him. She felt warm, safe and protected, in his comfortable embrace, the scent of his body, mixed with his talc, relaxing her, as she dozed in his arms.
Some time later, maybe minutes, maybe hours, she roused again, to find she was still in his arms.
"Sheldon" she asked, "are you awake?"
There was a pause, then he replied with a simple "yes".
"Thank you" she replied.
"For what?" he asked.
"For going out of your comfort zone for me".
"I'm not out of my comfort zone" he replied, "it's not like it sexual, is it?"
Amy was shocked. She couldn't believe he would give that information so easily.
Brushing a friendly, non-sexual kiss on his cheek, she untangled herself from him, and headed for the bathroom.
Fifteen minutes later, she emerged from the shower, slipped on a bathrobe, and strolled back into the bedroom.
Slipping out of the bathrobe, she sat on the edge of the bed, leaning down to slip her panties over her feet.
There was a gasp from behind her, and she grabbed a towel to cover herself, before turning round, to see Sheldon blush pink, as he turned his back.
"I'm sorry" she said, "force of habit from living alone".
Swallowing hard, the image of Amy's flawless, milky white skin still in his memory, Sheldon reassured her "It's OK. You just caught me by surprise".
"Are you sure?" Amy asked, feeling guilty.
"Yes it's OK". Pausing, he lied "I didn't see anything, apart from your back". He felt uncomfortable, telling her he had seen a brief glimpse of her left breast, as she had bent down.
Quickly slipping her bra on, Amy stood and slipped on her skirt.
"OK Sheldon" she said, "I'm in a skirt and bra. Is that enough for you to look at me?"
"Yes" he replied, turning around, his eyes briefly scanning across her stomach and chest, before moving up to her eyes.
Then he was gone, into the bathroom for a shower.
-o-o-o-o-
Sitting in the hotel restaurant, sipping tea and eating toast, Sheldon announced "First stop the hospital, then shopping".
"Shopping?" Amy asked, a confused look on her face.
"Yes" Sheldon replied, "we need clothes, toiletries and a suitcase, then we need to find a Cyber Cafe".
" Cyber Café?" she asked incredulously, "this is hardly the time to be browsing the internet".
"Not for that" he replied, "I need to email Leonard and the College. I didn't have time to tell them I was leaving, so I need to let them know what's happening".
"Sheldon" she said, shock in her voice, "you didn't tell them you were leaving? You know that's against company policy?"
"So?" he said, a hint of defiance in his voice, "I had more important things to worry about. Family comes first".
Amy heard the comment, but dismissed it as a slip of the tongue.
Finishing up breakfast, they made their way to the hospital, where Amy's mother was awake, but looking tired.
"Hello mother" Amy said, trying to sound casual, "what have you been doing?"
"I thought the holiday wasn't exciting enough" she smiled back, "so I thought a heart attack might add to the fun".
"So" she went on, "where are you staying?"
"We've got a room, in a hotel just a few minutes away".
Barbara Fowler wasn't one to miss a comment like that. "A room?" she asked.
"Yes mother" Amy replied, "we're sharing a room". She paused, then deciding to get it out in the open in one go, she went on, "and a bed".
A grin appearing on her face, Barbara Fowler replied "Good. It's time you stopped sleeping alone".
Amy blushed, "Mother".
"Oh cut it out Amy" she retorted, "you're a grown woman, and it's high time you had a sex life that involved someone else".
Amy blushed bright red. "Mother, stop it. You're embarrassing Sheldon".
Barely taking a breath, Mrs. Fowler continued, "Amy, doing it to yourself is fun for a while, but you need a man, and you've got a hot one there". She waved her hand vaguely in Sheldon's direction.
"That's it" Amy announced, "we're leaving". Taking Sheldon's hand, she stormed out of the room.
As they descended the stairs, Amy could feel the heat of her blush. Looking at Sheldon, she could see the bright red blush on his cheeks too.
Bursting into the cool outside air, Amy slowed, then stopped, sitting on a low wall.
"I can't believe my mother would say that in front of strangers" she riled.
Sheldon looked deflated. "Amy, I'm not a stranger".
Biting her lip, Amy apologized "Sheldon, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that. It's just she got me so angry".
"It's OK" he replied, "I understand. I'm not what you would call a regular boyfriend, am I?".
"Of course you're a regular boyfriend" she reassured. "There's more to a relationship than sex".
Sheldon smiled, "but sex is important, isn't it?"
"Yes" she confessed, "but this is neither the time nor the place to discuss it. I've got enough on my plate as it is".
-o-o-o-o-
Finding a Cyber Café, Sheldon bought an hours worth of time, then logged into his email account.
First he sent an email to Leonard.
Leonard,
Haven't got much time, so will keep it short.
Please go into my bedroom. In the bottom drawer of my dresser, you will find a wallet. Please take $3,000 and pay it into my Credit Card account ASAP.
Amy and I have a room in a hotel in London. We'll be staying here until Amy's mother is well enough to travel.
I'll ring you when I can get a Cell Phone.
As he hit Send, Amy caught sight of the email, her eyes widening, as she saw the amount.
"Oh my God" she announced, "you've spent three thousand dollars already?"
"Amy" Sheldon cut in, "let's not talk about this now. You've more important things to think about".
"But three thousand dollars?"
"Amy no" he chided, rather louder than he intended, "not now".
Turing back to the computer, he sent another email, this time to Caltech Human Resources.
Mrs. Davies,
Apologies for leaving so abruptly, but a medical emergency made it necessary.
I'll explain when I get back.
As he went to hit Send, Amy asked "Is that all you're going to tell them?"
"Yes" he replied, "why?"
"You realize" she said, "they could dismiss you for leaving without telling them?"
"Fine" he replied, "if they want to dismiss me, then so be it. Family comes first".
Again, Amy let it pass.
Entering the Supermarket, they headed for the clothing section. There wasn't a huge range, but it would suffice.
Passing through the men's section, Sheldon dropped five pairs of pants, five shirts, two T-Shirts, five pairs of underpants, and a dozen pairs of socks into his trolley.
As they browsed the women's section, Amy selected a skirt, a blouse, and two bra and panty sets.
Pausing, Sheldon grabbed three more bra and panty sets, then backing up, he threw in two more skirts and three more blouses.
Arriving at the shoe section, he put in four pairs of shoes, two in his size, and two in Amy's
"Sheldon please" she begged, "you can't afford all this".
Sheldon was getting riled. "Amy stop it. You need these things".
"But Sheldon?"
Turning his back, Sheldon marched off toward the tills.
As they left the Supermarket, Amy grabbed his arm.
"Sheldon" she said, "you can't keep spending money like this".
Turning, Sheldon stared at her, a look of anger, tinged with guilt, flashing across his face. "Amy" he said "I've failed you so many times, but I'm not going to fail you this time".
"Jesus Christ" she yelled, "It's about sex again, isn't it".
Moving closer, she lowered her voice to avoid passersby from hearing. "Sheldon, for God's sake, it doesn't matter".
"It does" he said, a look of guilt spreading across his face, "I'm not the sexual boyfriend you want, or that your mother thinks you have".
Amy stood there stunned. Her eyes moistening, she begged "Please Sheldon, don't do this. Don't torture yourself like this".
Calming himself, Sheldon said "Amy, I want to be that boyfriend".
Amy looked at him. She could see a look of fear in his eyes, but somewhere in there, there was also a look of determination, and somewhere, deep in his eyes, desire.
Grabbing him by the hand, she yelled "taxi", and a black cab pulled up almost instantly.
Jumping in, Amy gave the driver the hotel name, and they were on their way.
-o-o-o-o-
Fumbling with the key, Sheldon finally managed to open the door and they stumbled into the room, dropping the shopping bags as they entered.
Sheldon was like a man possessed, as he pushed Amy toward the bed, until she fell onto it, Sheldon landing on top of her.
Pushing her skirt up, he pulled down her panties in one move, his eyes wide as he stared, for just a brief moment, at her nakedness.
Unbuckling his belt, he undid his pants and slid them down, desperate to reach his goal, before his nerve failed him, or his body surrendered to his heightened state of arousal.
Dragging off his underpants, he squatted between her legs.
"Slow down Sheldon" Amy begged, "I'm not ready yet".
Sheldon thought for a moment, trying to recall the few bits he'd read, in the book Penny and Leonard had bought him.
"Of course" he thought, "arousal, lubrication".
"I'm sorry" he gasped, then he plunged his hand between her legs, his fingers fumbling against her, looking for the clitoris he'd read about.
Feeling his hand roughly jabbing and poking at her, Amy jerked back from him. "Ouch. Sheldon, take it easy".
Finally giving up his futile search, he raised himself up onto his knees, a look of surrender on his face.
Amy gave him a reassuring look. "Sheldon, we can and will do this, but you need to slow down. Let me show you".
Taking a breath, Sheldon relaxed a little. "OK" he said, his breathing still labored "show me".
Taking his hand, she guided it to herself, placing it gently on her folds. Covering his hand with hers, she guided his second finger to her nub.
Pressing his finger onto it, she whispered "That's what you were looking for. Now rub it, gently".
As he began to rub her nub, the room phone rang.
"Ignore it" Sheldon begged. "I can't" she replied, "it could be the hospital".
Picking up the phone, Amy listened for a moment, then said "I'll be right there".
Swinging her legs off the bed, Amy said "it was the hospital. I've got to go".
Standing up she pulled up her panties, straightened her skirt, and was out of the door, as Sheldon struggled to control his pulse and breathing.
-o-o-o-o-
They arrived at the hospital together. As they entered the ICU department, the doctor met them.
Leading them into a small room, labeled Family Room, he sat them down.
Glancing up at Sheldon, the doctor hesitated. "It's OK" Amy assured the doctor, "anything you have to tell me, you can say it in front of Sheldon".
Sheldon felt a warm feeling, to know that she trusted him. Taking Amy's hand, he gave it a reassuring squeeze.
"OK" the doctor began, "I'm afraid we've found a couple of blocked blood vessel from the heart. We need to perform a double bypass".
"Oh my God" Amy announced, "you mean an operation?"
"Yes" the doctor replied, "but it's a pretty straightforward procedure, and it has a high success rate".
"When?" Amy asked.
"The sooner the better" he replied. "I'd like to schedule it for the day after tomorrow".
-o-o-o-o-
Amy had been in the shower for a good thirty minutes, and Sheldon was getting worried.
Knocking at the door, he called "Amy?" but there was no reply.
Opening the bathroom door, he peered into the shower, where Amy was sitting on the floor, tears rolling down her face, the water still spraying down onto her.
Turning off the water, he lifted her out of the shower, and led her into the bedroom, sitting her on the bed.
Running back into the bathroom, he grabbed two bath towels and dashed back into the bedroom.
He began drying her, starting with her hair, face and neck, then onto her shoulders and her back, then switching to her arms and legs.
Moving to her front, he felt uncomfortable, but pressed on anyway, gently drying her stomach, then her breasts.
Finally, taking a deep breath, he folded the towel double and dried between her legs.
After a struggle to get her into her pajamas, he put her in his bed, and climbed in next to her.
It had been a long tiring day, what with the argument, the failed attempt at sex, and then the news of the operation, and Amy was exhausted.
Taking her in his arms, he held her very tight, gently stroking her back, until she fell asleep.
Tonight Amy would sleep the whole night, safe in his arms, even if that meant he had to go without sleep.