A/N: Thanks so much to all of you who are reading and reviewing this story as well as following. I am so sorry for the long delay. I wanted this chapter to come across good so I had to take my time thinking about how to word some things. This chapter will deal with talking about the date with friends and family.
As always I don't own any of this at all:
"No you don't. Oh and mom, I want to invite dad to the wedding as well." Amy said.
"You what?" Mrs. Fowler said.
"I know you heard me mom." Amy said.
"Why would you want to do that?" She asked.
"Excuse me, Mrs. Fowler, but why wouldn't she want to invite her father?" Sheldon interrupted.
"Have you met her father yet, Sheldon?" Sandy asked Sheldon.
"Of course I met him. I met him at his wedding." Sheldon stated as if that was obvious.
"His wedding? You mean to tell me he is married to that…to that…" She wasn't sure what she wanted to call the person that stole her husband from her.
"Robert." Amy said.
"What?" Sandy asked her.
"His name is Robert. That whatever you were going to say. He has a name."
"Fine. The home wrecker's name is Robert. What I can't believe is that you approve of that. You went to his wedding. I can't believe you would betray me like this."
"Why is that betrayal?" Sheldon said.
"Because what he is doing isn't right." Sandy said.
"I'm confused. What is wrong about it?" Sheldon asked.
"Because marriage should be between a man and a woman. I would think of all people, you would understand. I am sure your mother feels the same way. Amy tells me she is a very religious person." Sandy answered him.
"My mother is a very religious person, but she is also a very loving person." Sheldon said.
"What does that mean? Are you saying that I am not a loving person?" Sandy was incensed.
"I would never say that." Sheldon said. "I was telling you my mother was a loving person. She doesn't care who you love. She only cares that you love. And in the case of Jerry and Robert, she won't give one lick if they are two men, two women or a man and a woman. She is very accepting and she raised me to be that way as well."
"I don't know if I can accept it." Sandy said.
"Mom, no one is saying you have to accept that he left you. I can understand your hurt there. But mom, he was living a lie all those years. He grew up in a very religious household. He couldn't tell his parents how he felt. When he met you he fell in love with your mind. Mom, you are a brilliant woman. Dad tells me that all the time. When he met Robert at work, something just clicked in his mind. It wasn't that he didn't love you, he just felt something different for Robert. It wasn't you. He loved you but in a different way than he loves Robert."
"Well if you really want him there I guess I can handle it. But I am not happy."
"Well mom, now you know when our date is. You will get an invite next week. I hope you can make it." Amy said and hung up the call.
"Amy, why did you hang up on your mother?" Sheldon asked.
"She is impossible. I wish we could have just gotten married and then told her after we celebrated our fifth anniversary." She said.
"Now you know you would have regretted not inviting her."
"I don't know about that. She may cause trouble with my dad and Robert."
"Speaking of that, why didn't you tell her when they got married two years ago?" Sheldon was curious.
"You heard her. She never accepted the fact that my father was gay. She always told me he was sinning. I think it was something her church taught her. When dad told her he was leaving her, she told him he was going to go to hell."
"Oh wow. I never knew."
"I didn't think it was something that needed to be brought back up. I love my dad. Mom tried to keep me from him. She fought for years and lost. I think part of it was because I told the judge I still wanted to see him. It never mattered to me. She was so angry. I saw him every other weekend and two weeks in the summer. He was who encouraged me to go into neurobiology. I knew I wanted to do something with biology after reading that book years before but I didn't know what specialty. Robert worked in neurobiology and he took me to his lab one day. I fell in love with it."
"I never knew that."
"That's because I never talk about it. But my dad and Robert encouraged me to go to college and get my doctorate. Mom wanted me to go to college, join a sorority and find a rich fraternity brother to marry. Even after she knew what I went through in high school. She always thought the kids in my school were beneath me. She told me not to worry about being popular in high school. She thought college was more important to make friends. When that didn't work, she started forcing me into dating once a year."
"Well that worked out for the best don't you think?" He said to her.
"Oh most definitely after years of trying though. I think you were the fifth man I had met through websites."
"Really, I thought you only went out once a year as an agreement with your mother."
"Oh I did. But she kept pushing. I think she had my name on ten different sites. The one that matched us was my father's recommendation."
"Really?"
"Yes. I was complaining about my latest match to my father one afternoon and he told me about a site that was for those with high IQs. I checked it out. It seemed legit. I had several different guys try and talk to me but none really had high IQs. Some were dumber than bricks. I actually asked one guy what possessed him to think he should put his profile on a high IQ website and he asked me why I thought he was possessed."
"You're kidding?"
"I wish I was. But then I saw the profile of one Sheldon Cooper. It said he had an IQ of 183 and worked at Caltech as a theoretical physicist. I was intrigued and I looked you up."
"You looked me up?"
"Yes. Your profile was intriguing and I was curious and wanted to know more."
"What did you find?" Sheldon asked her.
"I found a couple of your papers. I read them and knew that you actually had a high IQ so I wrote you. Your answer back made me want to meet you."
"I would love to know what that reply said."
"I still have it." She said.
"You're serious? Why would you keep that?"
"Well my mother needed proof that I had actually gone out on a date for the year. Your emails were the best I had. Once we started seeing each other, I kept them."
"Can I see it?"
Amy went into her desk and pulled out a book.
"You printed it?"
"When we started dating, I began a scrapbook. I have your first letter in here as well as some other things." She told him. It was something Penny had showed her that she had done for Leonard. Amy thought it was a good idea and started one for her and Sheldon.
"Oh." Sheldon felt bad. He didn't have anything like that. He thought maybe it was a girl thing.
Amy opened the book to the first page and showed him the letter. He read it and his eyes went wide.
"What?" Amy asked.
"Howard and Raj wrote exactly what I would have written. I didn't believe them but they really did. And you thought this was intriguing. I'm surprised you didn't go running for the hills." He laughed.
"Well I figured you had no intention of really dating, so I thought what the hell. I could get my yearly obligation and maybe find someone I could have a decent conversation with while on that date. Then I met you and we talked for what three hours?"
"Something like that. I found you fascinating."
"I know. You asked me for my contact information."
"And you willingly gave it to me. For someone who didn't want to date you were quick to hand it over to me."
"I'm not sure what it was about you but I wanted to get to know you more."
"As did I, thus the reason I asked."
"Well as they say the rest is history."
"Yes it is."
"Now can we call your family and let them know we picked a date?"
"Okay." Sheldon said.
"Sheldon! It is so good to see you. Where are you dear?" Mary asked looking through the computer.
"Amy's apartment." Sheldon answered.
"In the morning?" Mary asked.
"Well as it is morning and I am here, I am going to have to answer that with a yes."
"Now don't you sass your momma." Sheldon heard his Meemaw saying in the background.
"Sorry Meemaw." Sheldon said. "Yes I am at Amy's. We stay together on the weekends." He answered.
"Oh I see." His mother said. She didn't have any room to talk about Sheldon and sinning since she was still with Ron. "Now to what do we owe the honor of this call?" She asked.
"Well Amy and I have an announcement." Sheldon said.
"Are you pregnant?" Mary asked.
"Mom! Of course not. We are very careful." Sheldon said.
"Oh thank goodness. Not that I wouldn't love another grandbaby but I want you guys to be married first."
"Well that is what we wanted to talk to you about. We have decided on a date."
"Oh that is terrific Moon Pie." Meemaw exclaimed. "When is the wedding dear?"
"August 15." Sheldon told her.
"Really?" Meemaw asked. She was touched.
"That is only three weeks." Mary said. "How did you get a church this close to the wedding?"
"Now mom we have talked about this. We are not getting married in a church."
"But Sheldon."
"Oh Mary, let them be. You know how he feels. Why do you continually pester him about this? So Moon Pie, where are you two kids getting married then?" Meemaw asked.
"Lake Tahoe. We found the perfect place and we booked it this morning."
"Well count us in. Your mother and I will definitely be there. I will talk to Missy and George later today at dinner and see if they are free that weekend also. I am so happy for the two of you." Meemaw said.
"Thanks Meemaw." Sheldon said.
"I am happy too. I wish it was in a church but I am glad you are getting married either way. I never thought I would see the day." Mary commented.
"What can I say? Amy made me a hippy dippy man." Sheldon laughed.
"Sheldon!" Amy said.
"But I wouldn't change a thing." Sheldon smiled at her.
"Awww you two are two sweet." Meemaw said. "You remind me of your Pop Pop and me. You know you are getting married on my anniversary, don't you?" She asked.
"Yes that is the reason Sheldon wanted that day." Amy said to her.
"Well I am very proud of you and I can't wait to see you again in person. And Amy finally getting to see the girl that changed my Moon Pie for the better."
"I can't wait either Meemaw." Amy said.
"Okay well I will let you two kids go and we will see you in a couple of weeks." Meemaw said.
"Bye Meemaw, love you." Sheldon said.
"Love you too, Moon Pie." Meemaw said.
"Bye Shelly." Mary said to them.
They disconnected from the call.
"Now who?" Amy asked.
"The gang or your dad?" Sheldon asked.
"How about dad? We can tell the gang later when we have dinner at your place." Amy said.
"Okay that works."
The phone call with Amy's father went very well. He told them he and Robert would most definitely be there. He was disappointed to hear that Amy's mother was not happy about him coming but he would do anything for his little girl. He had after all recommended the website which she met Sheldon. He was so happy for his daughter that he could get over his ex-wife's hissy fit about him being there. He loved Sandy but was not in love with her. She gave him the greatest gift in the world in Amy and he would always care deeply for her.
Sheldon and Amy had a lazy Sunday afternoon after going to the grocery store. They headed to his apartment in the early evening in order to have dinner with the rest of the group. It had become a bit of a tradition since everyone was so busy any more that the old schedule really didn't apply anymore. The guys still tried to get together for Halo night at least once a month and they did still have vintage video games on Fridays. The girls would get together at Penny's place on those nights. But the days of Cheesecake Factory every Tuesday and pizza every Thursday were out the window. So they all said that Sunday would be group dinners at apartment 4A. Tonight they were having pizza then were going to watch a movie.
"Hey guys, how was your weekend?" Penny asked when Sheldon and Amy walked into the apartment.
"Very good yours?" Amy asked.
"Productive. We found a church to have our wedding." Penny said.
"That is great." Amy said. "Where is it?"
"Just down the road. Sheldon's mother recommended it that last time she was here." Leonard answered.
"I've been there. It is very nice." Sheldon commented. He had reluctantly gone with his mother that last time as she had pointed out he had not fulfilled his yearly requirement to go.
"You should totally have your wedding there too. Your mother will be thrilled." Penny said.
"We are not having our wedding in a church." Sheldon said to her pointedly.
"Really?" Leonard asked. "I thought of all of us, you would most definitely be the one to have it in a church. Well that is after I realized you were a real boy and may actually get married." He laughed.
"Ha ha." Sheldon said. "As it turns out we have found a place for our wedding as well." He told them.
"But you guys don't even have a date." Penny said to them.
"We do now. Sheldon finally admitted he wanted me to live with him all the time and I gave in and we picked a date." Amy laughed.
"I told you if you held out he would tell you why."
"Yes thank you for informing my fiancée why I wanted to set a date so badly." Sheldon said sarcastically.
"Hey you got sarcasm." Penny said. "Good job."
"Anyway, when are you getting married?" Leonard asked.
"August 15." Sheldon answered.
"That's in three weeks." Penny exclaimed.
"What's in three weeks?" Bernadette asked as she was entering the apartment with Howard, Raj and Emily following close behind.
"Sheldon and I are getting married in three weeks." Amy answered them.
"What?" Raj said. "You are giving me no time to plan."
"Exactly. As much as we would love your help, we got this." Sheldon said.
"So where are you getting married?" Bernadette asked.
"Lake Tahoe. We found the greatest place online this morning and they were available for the weekend of the 15th of August, so we booked it." Amy said.
"Wow. You don't have a lot of time to plan." Emily said.
"We don't need a lot of time." Sheldon said.
"We just want a simple ceremony with our friends and family." Amy said.
"And Raj we would love for you to perform the ceremony." Sheldon asked him. They had discussed this in the car on the way back to his apartment. Of the five of them that had been ordained online, they knew he had kept up with his credentials.
"I would be honored." Raj answered.
"And we just want two people to stand up for us since there won't be more than 25 people at the ceremony. Penny and Leonard we would be honored if you would do that for us." Amy asked them.
"Absolutely." They said together.
"Great then it is settled." Sheldon said. "Now let's order that pizza."
The rest of the night was spent laughing, eating and having a good time. Things were different but in a good way. It used to be just the four men sitting around talking about science fiction or comic books. When Penny moved in things changed slightly but they still had their nights. Then came Bernadette and Amy followed just recently by Emily. The girls had really shaken things up but only for the best. Sheldon was thinking about all of that while he listened to his friends having a good time.
"What are you thinking about?" Amy asked him.
"Just how much things have changed in the last eight years." He answered.
"For the better, I hope." She said.
"Oh most definitely for the better." He said, smiling at her.
She leaned in and cuddled next to him as Leonard put in the movie they had all finally agreed to watch.
"Most definitely for the better." He said again as he pulled her even closer.
I hope you all like what I did with Amy's father. I have written him several different ways, alive, dead, married to Amy's mother. This plot came to me and I just had to write it. After the decision The Supreme Court made last week I knew I made the right decision.
Reviews would be really nice.