2024 Sheldon and Amy
Sheldon woke up his hand wrapped around Amy. They were both naked in their old bedroom. The angle the morning light came into the room, the smell of Amy and the fabric softener of the sheets, the purple and brown colors on the wall, they were all familiar. He felt finally home and had the best sleep in weeks. She was still asleep, but as he moved to cover himself better she started to wake up.
" Good morning, Amy. " he said with a little smile on his face snuggling back to Amy giving her a slight kiss on the cheek.
Amy froze from his touch then suddenly she sat up in bed, holding the cover in front of her.
" Sheldon! Oh my God! Oh my God! "
" What's wrong, Amy? " she asked.
" You should get dressed. What if Nick and Dory wake up? " she said and she stood up to pick up her underwear from the floor and started to get dressed.
Sheldon was confused.
" I don't get it why are we in such a hurry. " he said as he stood up and picked up his clothes.
" Because I don't want the kids to see us like this. I don't want to get them their hopes up. " she was now wearing a a skirt with a blouse and about to put on her pantyhouse sitting down on the bed
" What do you mean? " he stopped buckling his belt up and tried to looked Amy in the eye.
" I meant what I said. I don't want them to hope that we'll get together again. I think it would be too painful for them. "
Sheldon gasped. He put his shirt on.
" Amy… What if I got my hopes up? "
" WHAT? " she asked trying to make the bed.
" Well, last night felt good. Felt better than anything else in months. I thought you felt the same. " he stepped closer to Amy.
" Sheldon, we were both drunk. "
" We were. That's why I know this was what both of us honestly desired. "
" Yes, last night did feel good. But it was a mistake. " she said.
" But, Amy, alcohol doesn't change who we are. Doesn't change our emotions or what we want. It changes hormonal activity which just makes us bolder, but you know that, you're a neuroscientist. "
" Sheldon, I don't want to get back together. "
" Do you hear how irrational you sound? " he asked.
" Me? Irrational? " she asked back. Now she sounded angry.
" Yes, completely. I thought the main reason you wanted to divorce was our lack of physical contact. Now we had physical contact. Doesn't this solve the problem? "
" Of course it doesn't! "
Sheldon's face went serious. He found an explanation to Amy's behavior.
" Amy, you're seeing someone, don't you? That's the reason."
" No. I'm not seeing anyone. But do you really think that one drunk sex changes everything? I've been unhappy in this freaking marriage for years! Maybe I've been unhappy for the whole damn thing. I spent years putting myself and my needs and my career second or third or last, just to make you happy. And when I finally went back to work and had success, you turned away from me. That was really unfair. Ever since then you just act like a three-year old and you're just plain jealous. "
" I am not jealous. " he said. Now he felt his face burning. He didn't understand why Amy haven't told him all that before.
" Oh yes, you are. You're jealous because I'm better than you. I'm better at relationships and better at science. You always wanted to solve the misteries all alone, but guess what? Life doesn't work that way. When we met I shared that point of view, but then I realized how great it is to work with other people. Actually I first experienced that with you! But clearly you didn't feel the same as you never wanted to give it really try, sharing knowledge and working together. I realized then that everything gets richer, more, better when cooperating. That's why I have that prize, and you don't. I'm not more talented neither smarter than you are, I just had other scientists to support me, to help me with their ideas. And it was not easy for me. I worked really hard to fit in, you know that, you know me, I also grown up being the weirdo. "
Sheldon felt helpless and angry. He was not a kid who needed a lecture. And he was hurt by his wife keeping these secrets from him.
" Oh yes, and what's the solution to that? Kick me out of your life? Have you ever told me all this? I can't read minds, in fact I have difficulties reading facial expressions, as you know. "
" I didn't kick you out. You never said a word that would make me doubt my decision. You agreed. "
Sheldon couldn't believe that Amy blamed him for literally everything.
" Well, that's over. I won't agree from now on. I won't sign your papers. I won't let you separate me from my children. Tomorrow I'll hire a really good lawyer. And I'm going for full custody. "
" Don't you dare…." Her face went white.
" Then what? Do you think you're a better parent than me? You're not. Look what's going on with Nick. "
" Do you still think I'm the only one responsible?" she asked.
" You are. You never let me do or say anything. You spent a lot of time with them, while you made me feel like an outsider in my own family! "
" NO! You acted like an outsider. You acted like we're strangers! " Now she was yelling.
" Maybe we are strangers. " he said.
" Mom, Dad, what's happening? Dad, what are you doing here? " Nick asked running to the room. He was still wearing his pijamas and his appearance made Sheldon realize that they may have been quite loud arguing.
" Your father helped me yesterday to get you home and then it was really late so he just crashed on the couch. " Amy said before Sheldon could open his mouth. Sheldon was well aware that this was definitely a lie, but Nick seemed to believe it. Anyone who just heard the last five minutes of this conversation could never even imagine what happened last night.
" Yes, I did. " he said.
Amy stepped closer to Nick and ran her fingers through his's hair.
" Did we wake you up, Little Monkey? " she asked.
" Yes, you did. Next time please try to argue more quietly. " Nick said.
" We're sorry. " Amy said.
" Dad, are you staying for breakfast? " he asked changing the topic.
" Dad's really busy this morning. Isn't he?. " Amy asked smiling.
" Actually, I have time. I always have time to spend it with my children. in fact, maybe I could take you out to have brunch somewhere. " he said with a bright smile on his face. He thought, he won't let Amy do that to him anymore. Those peaceful days when he just went home like this, they were over that morning.
" That would be cool Dad. Mom comes too? "
Amy grinned.
" I guess I'll stay" she said with a forced smile. " But have a great time. "
2024 Nick
I don't know what could have happened on New Years Eve after we fell asleep, but Mom and Dad are crazy again. At first I thought this could turn out to be at least a little fun, as they are competing for us, and keep buying us things, but it actually isn't. One week after New Years Eve I got sick with the cold when I was home with Mom, so she basically forbade me to go Dad's place, but Dory didn't want to go without me, so Dad started yelling and it was scary. I told Mom that I can go to Dad's and it will be fine, but they were not listening to me, at all.
After that Mom and Dad went to the lawyers to talk about things, but when Mom got home, she was even angrier than before. I think the lawyers did a really bad job with them.
Then next week, when Mom brought us home from Dad, she appeared wearing high heel shoes and a really short skirt, her hair was wavy and she had a big Starbucks coffee in her hand. She looked like the eight graders at school, only a lot older. No one asked but she explained Dad that she had a really long meeting last night, that's why she needs a coffee. Then in the car Dory asked her, who did she meet, and she told that she was home alone actually, but we can't tell Dad about it. This one I really didn't understand.
Then Dad made the next move, when he brought us to Disneyland, which was fun, but he insisted making a ton of pictures and posted them everywhere on social media, then we had dinner with him and got home really-really late. Disneyland is great I guess, but if you grow up in Los Angeles, it's not really a big deal. Mom was really nervous and called Dad a few times, but he didn't answer. He said that Mom's harassing him, and he is a grown man and he has the right to go out with his children. When we finally got home, they yelled at each other again.
After that Mom really stepped up her game and went all in, she arranged that when Dad came for us, we were eating dinner, spaghetti with hot dogs cut up in them. Mom said she's very sorry, but there's only enough for the three of us. At least I know what that was about.
I'm in a bad mood, but I'm always in a bad mood and now no one cares. Mom and Dad are too busy fighting with each other. But I pretend not to care which is my best coping mechanism and it does work until a Thursday afternoon.
That afternoon Dad comes to pick us up and then we go home with him to his new apartment, building a lego Hogwarts. It's kind of cool, and I'm kind of into Harry Potter, but Mom only let me watch the first three movies yet. Dory enjoys these situations more than I do, she understands less and is far happier with all the stuff we get. So we're with Dad playing lego, it's kind of okay for an afternoon, but then Mom starts calling us, and when Dad doesn't anwer, she even appears. She is angry. She doesn't even say hello to us.
" Sheldon! I told you that you have to bring the kids back by five. We planned to go to my Mother. "
" I'm sorry Amy, but you didn't write it to our schedule table. " he answers. They have an online editable table to know when to pick us up and bring us back.
" But I told you! " she says.
" Well maybe if you would have filled out the table I would remember that. " Dad answers.
" Sheldon, for God's sake, I know you have eidetic memory. "
" I do. But we agreed on that table. And if you didn't fill it properly I couldn't do anything but assume that you cancelled any other program. The only other case I can think of is that the energy and time you spend on your promiscuity, inhibits you from your family duties. "
I don't know what promiscuity means, but it must be a really bad thing based on mom's reaction.
" You're a jerk. " Mom shakes her head.
" And we decided not curse in front of our children, didn't we? I think I may inform the judge about your anger management issues. Maybe that's where Nick inherited his non-adaptive coping methods. "
Mom's now really pale. After a long pause she's not even talking to Dad.
" Nick, Dory, put on your coat, we're leaving. "
Now he turns to Dad. "You don't deserve to be a part of any family at all. " she says and she is already out with us.
I don't know why this particular fight, but I reached the point where I re-evaluate things, and I decide, the only solution to all that is me running away.
Luckily I have plan. I actually had it for months.
That evening I pack my schoolbag full with clothing and some other stuff. It's a lot bigger than it is usually, but Mom surely isn't noticing. Before she drops me out in front of my school, I hug Dory. She is surprised but doesn't say a word. I'll surely miss her, but she surely won't miss me. Life will be a lot better without me. Then instead going in the school, I wait until Mom drives away and start to walk into the opposite direction. Ten minutes later I'm waiting in the bus stop alone on Mission street for my bus to arrive when I hear someone yelling my name.
" NICK! "
It's Debbie. She runs towards me, her blond hair is frizzy, her face is red.
" Debbie? "
" Where are you going? " she asks while she tries to catch a breath.
" What are you doing here? "
" I followed you. I saw you leaving with that big bag and I thought you're about to run away. " she says still short on breath.
" I am. Now go home. " I say. I try to stay detached.
" Nick! You can't run away. "
" Don't pretend you care. We haven't spoken in weeks. " I say.
" Mainly because my parents and teachers forbade me to talk to you, when I confessed I bullied you. "
Is she trying to make me feel guilty after all?
" Yes, you did that once. And you did horrible things to me on a weekly basis for years. Do you really think we're okay? " I ask.
" No, but still you can't leave. "
" I can. Now please go away. I seriously think that it's still disgusting that you act like you're worried about me. "
" I'm not here just because I'm worried about you, Smartypants. Actually I'm a lot more worried about me. Everyone knows how I treated you. If you run away, guess who'll be blamed for it. Me. "
" Well what if I don't care? " I ask. I would enjoy this conversation otherwise but my bus will be here in a minute and I have to get shot of her.
" Nick, I'm sorry. I don't know what else to say. I promise I won't hurt you again. "
" I'm not running away because of you. You were never that important at all to make me run away. And I'm sorry you're getting punished because of me, but I was punished because of you for years so that just makes us equals. Goodbye, Debbie. "
My bus arrives finally.
" Please don't do this to me. " she tries to reach for my hand but I draw it apart.
" You can't stop me. "
I step on the bus and ask a ticket for Union station. I sit down next to a window and put on my hoodie and look out. Maybe that's my last time in South Pasadena ever.
I can feel someone's taking the seat beside me, but I don't look. It doesn't help because she starts talking to me.
" Maybe I can't stop you. But sure I can go with you. "
I know, I'm evil. And I am really terribly sorry about what I've done to the Shamy and to you, my dearest readers in this chapter, but that was already written a long time ago. Besides did you really think, like Sheldon, that a drunk sex can solve problems? In this story it can't. But the good news is, that at least all the tension finally is out there. I don't know if you realized, but til this very point they never really told what problems they actually had with each other, and were holding it back, and acting rather coldly.
I know this is an emotional rollercoaster for you guys, but I really love to read your passionate reviews. I love them because I see how much my story moves you.
I hope you stay with me, it's still a long journey ahead. For Nick and Debbie, maybe not just literally. ;)