Sheldon stood at the front of the table and held Amy's hand. He was looking directly into her eyes. He certainly was not going to direct his attention anywhere else even if a sheet separated him from the surgical area. He could smell the blood already and knew one look would cause him to surely faint.
Oh dear, he thought. This was not at all how Sheldon had planned the birth of his first child.
In Sheldon's mind, he and Amy would be sitting on the couch in their apartment enjoying a quiet evening reading while Amy's feet would be on his lap. Amy would calmly look up from her book and tell Sheldon it was time. He would begin timing her contractions per standard protocol and then at the appropriate moment they would collect her bag, call her OB and calmly head to the car.
He would drive the quickest pre-established route to the hospital where they would arrive unscathed and unhurried and be checked into labor and delivery.
Sheldon would prepare the birthing room adding Amy's focal point of a baby monkey and the speaker designed to play soothing music as Sheldon expertly coached her through Lamaze.
No, this was not his plan at all, he thought as he stared down at his wife lying on the surgical table.
He looked closer at Amy. She grimaced a little from time to time but otherwise appeared fine.
"Does it hurt?" Sheldon leaned in to ask her. What a dumb question, he thought to himself. Of course it hurt.
"Just an occasional tugging sensation" she said. "I feel much better than I did" she smiled.
Sheldon was going to ask her another question when he was interrupted by a sound. A cry. A baby's cry. His baby's cry.
"It's a boy" Dr. Willis said. "A handsome healthy baby boy."
A boy! thought Sheldon. Nine agonizing months of waiting and then it was all over so fast. He looked at Amy who was grinning from ear to ear.
A nurse took the baby and cleaned him up and laid him on Amy's chest for her to hold him. She held him close and kissed his tiny forehead.
"Wowza" said Sheldon. What more could he say? The baby was perfect. Amy was perfect. This was perfect.
"Do you want to hold him?" Amy asked.
Sheldon gulped but reached down and gathered the newborn in his large strong hands. He held him close to his heart. He knew that Amy was his heart and now it seemed, so was this little guy.
Amy looked up at Sheldon holding their son with such love and devotion in his eyes. How was it possible, she wondered, that her feelings for Sheldon that grew exponentially more every day, could now be expanded to include another?
Amy was so glad she never gave up on Sheldon and their love. If she had, look what she would have lost.
Amy marveled at the hard times they had faced in their relationship. The lonely early years when she had patiently waited for Sheldon to finally acknowledge his feelings for her. The sad months apart when she decided to break up with him after five years seemed long enough to wait for him to commit to her. All of the random times she spent wondering, after they did get back together, if they would ever get married someday. And even the heartbreaking months last year when Sheldon put his work before their marriage.
Amy and Sheldon had certainly traveled a non-conventional road to arrive at this destination. However, she had always held on to the belief it would all be worth it in the end. And, she thought as she lovingly gazed up at her husband and son, she was right.
Sheldon stared down at his son. Ten fingers, ten toes. Dark hair, blue eyes. Sheldon's mother would say he was the "spitting image" of Sheldon. A real Cooper boy. Well, if he had to look like him, Sheldon hoped he would at least act like Amy.
He looked at his wife who was smiling at him. She was so amazing. Undergoing surgery right now, literally under the knife, and yet only caring about him and their son. He loved her so damn much.
"Okay Amy. You're doing great. Just a few more minutes and we'll get you on over to recovery" Dr. Willis said as he looked at the new little family.
"And, Dr. Cooper" he added with a smile looking at Sheldon, "Congratulations."
"Thanks" Sheldon said with a goofy lopsided grin as his eyes moved back and never left his son's face.
No, this was not how he planned the birth of his son but Sheldon would not change a thing.
The gang gathered in the waiting room hoping for some good news.
"What could be talking so long?" Penny asked nervously as she paced the floor in front of where Howard and Bernadette were sitting.
"It's not been that long, I'm sure everything's fine" Leonard said quickly as he paced the floor in the opposite direction in front of them.
"Would you guys sit down?" Howard finally yelled. "You're making me dizzy" he joked.
Just then Sheldon came barreling through the door still dressed in surgical scrubs.
Everyone asked at once "how is she?"
"Amy is doing great" he said. "She is in recovery now. And… it's a boy" he said smiling.
Squeals were heard all around as the hugs and handshakes commenced.
"He is perfect" Sheldon said proudly.
"What's his name?" Penny asked in anticipation.
"Elliot" Sheldon said.
"Elliot Stephen Cooper."
Welcome little Shamy baby! (Yes, Amy called in her "dibs on Elliot" and Sheldon was able to pay homage to Stephen Hawking.)
More to come!